Arshia sat on the ground, leaning against the huge magical tree while looking at the colours of the sky slowly losing its colour, indicating sunset. She patted the horse who sat on his knees beside her. He whimpered at the soft touch of Arshia, melting into it.

A smile made up her face as she patted him for the last time and closed her eyes, waiting for her call to the battlefield. A sudden gust of wind passed her and loud sound of impatient horses disturbed her calmness. Getting up on her feet she stared up to a huge wall separating two powerful forces.

"Uh, what's that?" Arshia stumbled back, widening her eyes at the majestic and divine force her eyes were viewing. "I will take that as my cue to interrupt the battle" She felt her lips twitch up as she climbed her house and softly pulled in ropes around the long neck of the horse.

.

The sun slowly set down, marking the end of the Pandavas and Arshia's 13 years of exile. She stared up at the divine forces and due to her massive distance,all she could see was three figures, conversing with each other.

Each step of the horse wiped away the feeling of anger and revenge within Arshia's body. A warm feeling spread across her body as Bhishma's great and musculine figure came into view. Her eyes drifted to the other two males,Arjun coming into her view first.

When she turned to the other,she felt her lose control over her horse. She bit her lips to prevent her from yelling a curse out when she felt her almost slid down the horse. Stabilizing herself,she blinked to get a clear view.

Her eyes warmed at the side of Karna.

"Not the situation Arshia" She growled at herself and raised her right arm, waiting for her bow to appear as she fastened the pace of her horse.

The men turned their gazes at the deep sounds of a horse running as they saw a darkened silhouette,the only source of light being the divine bow forming in the hands of the person on the horse. Leaving the other arm that gripped the horse,she pulled the string of the bow and lift it up to release the arrow on the mixture of divine powers formed in the sky.

The source dismissed,light spreading across the darkened sky finally revealing the dark silhouette to the men in front.

Arshia put her arms down and gripped the bow with her right hand while gripping the horse with the help of her left hand. Pulling on the strings,she marched at the crowd. Stopping at a place where everyone could get her view,she climbed down and hovered her eyes over them.

"Arshia" Arjun mumbled, lowering his arms and walking to her. The proximity between the two ignited an unknown spark in Karna,an uncomfortable spark to be very clear. He cleared his throat and held his bow firmly.

She passed a tiny smile at him as she turned to them and joined her hands. Bowing her head slightly,she said

"Pranipat"

"Arshia" Bhishma mumbled in joy, walking over to the woman. Arshia took steps foreword and made her bow disappear, going on her knees. He raised his hands, blessing her with teary eyes.

"How are you dear?" Bhishma patted her head. "I have been better." Arshia said, hiding the bitterness in her tone. Oh,how she hated that her hands just don't form a knife and slit his throat open, regardless of his blessing to have his death on his own wish. How she hated that she didn't have the feeling of harsh revenge in her. How she hated to have smiled to the man infront of her.

She flickered her eyes over to Duryodhana, Shakuni and Dusshasan on their chariots. A clear expression of guilt splashed across Duryodhana's face as he bowed his head when Arshia made eye-contact with him. Her lips twitched at the sight of guilty Duryodhana.

Making eye-contact with Shakuni,she slowly joined her palms and softly bowed her head,her eyes burning at the sight of the king of Gandhar. Not lifting her gaze to look at him again,she turned away.

She felt her eyes warm up at the side of Karna. He had grown stronger and handsome-er than the last time,13 years ago,she saw him. His bow matched his radiant energy and his kavach was slowly disappearing. She would have jumped at him if it wasn't for a huge crowd having eyes on her. Her expression didn't give away but her eyes did,her eyes expressed how much she missed the man she is married to. The way her eyes twinkled reflected how in love she was in.

She smiled and nodded at him,before turning to the crowd.

"Arjun,Arshia." Bhishma smiled,tears streaming down his eyes as he walked over to them and put his hands on each of their shoulders. "Mahamahim,let us fight. I have to wage a war,we have to wage a war. We are not going to melt in your words,we can't know Pitamah. We have waited for too long" Arjun stopped Bhishma.

"Arjun,Arshia. Drop this idea of war,this isn't going to bring advantage to either of the sides. Even if you want a war,this is not the right time. We won't fight you because you are two and we are thousands." Bhishma glanced over at us.

"Return,you two have a child with you. We will see what we will do after but it was awesome to see the both of you after so many years" Bhishma patted their shoulders and walked back to his chariot. Arjun gritted his teeth but sighed, turning around and gesturing at Arshia to follow him.

A troubled expression took over Arshia's face. She couldn't just leave,she couldn't before she shared words with him,she has waited for 13 years,she can't wait longer.

"I know what you are thinking but this isn't the time" Arjun mumbled into her ear, walking forward. "Come on" Arjun insisted. Arshia bowed her head, resisting the urge to go against the man and wait for her husband. She took steps forward when she felt a hand grabbing onto her palm.

She looked back to see Karna,who was looking at Arjun. "She will get to the place you are staying in safely,I promise. I am her husband after all. Let me talk to her." Arjun nodded and walked away.

Arshia frowned at how easily Arjun had agreed to this,this was definitely something they were going to have a talk about later.

"Mitr,I will see you back at the palace" His grip firm on her hands,he turned and informed Duryodhana. "You talking to the enemy is not acceptable" Shakuni growled.

"Leave it mamashree,she isn't the enemy for him,she is his wife. He doesn't need permission to talk to his wife" Duryodhana threw one last glance at Arshia and then rode away.

"My horse" Arshia said, pointing at her horse. Karna understood and went to his chariot as they went into the deep jungles.

.

Finding a safe enough place,on a hilltop the both of them stopped and climbed down their respective mode of transports. Arshia glanced up at Karna before running to him and wrapping her arms around the man. Karna,being ever so prepared,wrapped his own arms around her waist and pulled her closer leaving no space for even air to pass by.

"I missed you so so much" Arshia mumbled into his ears,her grip around his neck tightening. Karna nodded,not having proper words. Staying in each other's arms for a bit they pulled away and sat down on the ground. Karna wrapped his arm around her shoulder and made her head lay on his broad shoulders.

Arshia intertwined her fingers with his free hand-fingers and stared into the stary horizon, something she saw very less in Kaliyug.

"How have you been?" Arshia started, looking up at him. "Would have been better if I had you by my side these 13 years but I have managed." She nodded. "How is Vrishaketu?" Her eyes watered at the thought of her child.

"There wasn't a single moment when he didn't think of you,cry with you in his thoughts. Every second he believed that you would magically appear infront of him and everything would be alright again." Karna gulped, trying to keep his voice steady.

"It was a hard 13 years for him."

Arshia let a tear escape her eyes. She sniffed and shook her head. Oh,how much pain he must have been feeling in the absence of his mother. How he must have craved love and affection from his mother. How he must have cried when he thought of his mother,how he must have wanted his mother to wrap him in her arms.

"He is done with his education. A year ago." Karna continued. "And...actually I have something huge to confess" He stated nervously. Arshia looked up, waiting for his confession.

"I have adopted...some children" Arshia froze under his grip. Adopted? Children? What?

"Adopted?" Karna nodded. "Yes. And told them you were their mother and you would soon come back." Karna turned his gaze away. "Oh."

That's all that could leave Arshia's mouth. How was she supposed to react?Yes,she loved children. She wouldn't mind raising the others at all,they are just kids but the fact that she wasn't the mother of just Vrishaketu now was a bit too much to take in.

"You aren't mad,are you?" Karna looked at her. Arshia snapped out of her daze and shook her head. "Of course I am not, children are children. Adopted or not." Arshia smiled.

"You said 'some children',how many exactly did you adopt?" Arshia asked as the nervousness creeped up on his face. "8"

Arshia chocked on her own saliva when she heard the number. She started to cough violently while Karna patted her back, trying to comfort her.

"Are you okay?!" Karna asked, rubbing her back. Arshia nodded,the cough dieing down. "I know,too much to take in but I couldn't leave them all alone. Radha maa took me in when she saw me in the Ganga river,how could I not take them in?" Karna tried to explain.

"How did you know she took you in?" Arshia stopped him from speaking further and looked up at him. "You told me" Karna said. "I never mentioned the Ganga river." Arshia shook her head.

"Uh." Karna paused.

"Yes?"

"Well,Rani Kunti and Radha ma told me the truth. All of it. Finally realised that those five are my brothers,not the best feeling. I wanted to believe that they were my brothers when you told me but a huge part of me couldn't accept the fact. But hearing it from the two,I kinda had to."

Arshia nodded,the information being too much to take in.

"Okay,we will talk about that a bit later. The kids now?" Arshia asked.

"I told you,adopted 8 of them." Karna said,a feeling of pride taking over him. Arshia bit her lips from letting out a giggle and eye-ed him. "What else do you want to know?" Karna asked.

"Everything. Names,how they are and all you can." Arshia said impatiently.

"Oh,all of them are younger than Vrishaketu. The second oldest's name is Vrishasena,then Chitrasena, Satyasena, Sushena, Shatrunjaya, Dvipata, Banasena and the youngest being Prasena. They are all lovely,they really like you. The tales Vrishaketu tells them about you...."

The words got cut off as she processed everything.

In a span of 13 years,she has become a mother to 9 children,Karna has come to know the truth of his real birth and she can't find a way how the war is actually going to take place. Karna already knows about his real birth. The situation in the real Mahabharat was different,he came to know much later but now he knows better,with Arshia by his side being a plus.

But Vasudev Krishna won't let this happen,he was born for this very event and everything goes according to his will. They were puppets,his puppets. He would wage a war,he has to fill his birth-purpose.

But wasn't there an other way?He took birth to vanish adharam from his era and he will complete the task no matter what. Wasn't there another way to do so?A way that wouldn't cause so many deaths?

But if the war is not waged,Arshia won't get the feeling of satisfaction and peace. Those people destroyed her in the court 13 years ago,how can she let them go?Will the Pandavas agree not to wage war against their cousins?It isn't just Arshia, it's also Draupadi who craves revenge,who has taken an oath not to tie her hair until it's washed with Dusshasan's blood. What about her?

Questions swirled in her mind, making it hurt.

There was one thing she knew.

She has the power to change the Mahabharata,how the epic changes lies in her hands.

The power the gods above gave her when she entered this era will allow her to prevent the war. It will also allow her to destroy the world.

The power she holds comes above everything. The power of knowing what happens the next moment.

Upto her if she seeks revenge or prevents such great devastation to occur.

. . .

Yep,good and alive.