After 10 years....

" Anayati, I swear I will not talk to you if you ran even a meter" shouted Swarnika running after a small girl.

" As if you can rest without talking to me mata" laughed the small child running more. She ran across her palace, through the garden to the high walls of the fort. From the fountains to the main palace smiling widely. Her anklets jingling all way and her laughter creating a melodious music.

She turned her head backward to see where her mother is just when she collided with a huge figure and was about to fall but that figure carried her in his hands.

" Draksha, why are you running so much" asked Drupad smiling at his daughter.

" Here you are, now don't you dare to run again" warned Swarnika breathing heavily.

" Pita shri, you spoiled my game" pouted the small kid.

" Me, oh I am so sorry my princess, I had no idea about your game but running from your mother is wrong,right " said Drupad

" Why shouldn't I run from her, she makes me eat this much " complained Aanyati opening her arms as much as she could " And even don't allow me to eat with Moti "

" Don't worry Vriti, today me and you both will eat with Moti and Swarnika maa" assured a young lady carrying sword in her hand and proud on her face.

" Shrikhandini jiji, you are the best " jumped Aanyati from her father's hands to Shrikhandini.

" Come now " she said guiding Aanyati to her chamber. Swarnika and Drupad smiled looking at her. Swarnika followed them to her chamber while Drupad headed to his sabha.

Soon Swarnika entered Aanyati's chamber and a smile crept on her lips. Anayati herself was feeding Moti ( Swarnika's daughter) and was laughing with her. Shrikhandini too joined them laughing and feeding both.

" Jiji, you are such a great warrior, I also want to become like you " beemed Aanyati

" You will, my sister but right now you have to eat your food so that you can become strong " answered Shrikhandini smiling

" No jiji, I will not eat anymore, first promise me you will teach me how to use sword "

" Ok, my dear, I will now eat your food " smiled Shrikhandini.

••••••••••••••••••••••

" Not like this Aanyati, your grip should be tight, consider this sword as your own part " ordered Shrikhandini.

" What's happening here " came the dominating voice of Maharaj Drupad.

" Pita shri, pranipat, your daughter is too stubborn to listen to me. She is insisting to learn yudh kala " answered Shrikhandini.

" Jiji, are you complaining about me that too falsely " came the shocked voice of Aanyati.

Drupad bent to her level" Draksha, lieing is wrong, its adharam "

" What is adharam pita shri" asked the innocent soul

" You will soon learn about it putri. You wanted to learn yudh kala, I myself will teach you" smiled Drupad and that instantly brought a smile on Aanyati's face as well.

Days passed like seconds for Drupad, his daughter was excelling every field one dreams of. But his heart was not happy, his daughter was growing which meant she had to go away from him and that very thought distressed him. He don't want his daughter to go away from him that's why he himself started teaching her yudh kala and ved gyan.

" Pita shri, pita shri"

" Putri, what happened why are you awake at this time " asked Drupad to his daughter

" Pita shri, see what I found " smiled Aanyati showing her hands to her father which holded a sculpture of lord Vishnu.

" Putri, where did you find this? "

" That doesn't matter pita shri, just look how beautiful this sculpture is " she smiled looking at it.

" Vriti, it's a sculpture of vishnu and we don't pray to him, our idol is lord Shiva, put this sculpture at the place you found it " ordered Drupad

" But there's only one God pita shri, then why is he having different names, why can't I worship lord Vishnu "

" Putri, don't argue with me, it my order " warned Drupad

" No, I will not, from now on I will worship lord Vishnu with lord Shiva " announced Aanyati and ran away happily.

" Panchali, my daughter, you are blessed child and I have no right to protest any decision of yours, I am your slave that's all " sighted Drupad sitting on his throne with a weak smile on his face.

Aanyati on the other hand insisted Moti to stay with her tonight.

" Mata please let Moti stay with me for one night, there's no harm in it" pleaded Vriti

" No Panchali, Moti and I are from lower caste, we are not allowed to sleep with any royal" said Swarnika sternly

" There is no such thing like caste maa, we all are humans and Moti is your daughter that means she is my sister and sisters can stay with each other" announced vriti

" No one can win from you panchali" sighted Swarnika and left her chamber.

" Hm, now tell me why you want me to stay with you" asked Moti over which Aanyati smiled

" Oh Moti you actually knows everything about me" Aanyati hugged her

" I want to go to the forest, there's a flower which can be spotted at night only and I want to see it but no one will allow me to go there at night. So today you will be sleeping at my bed pretending it's me and I will be going to the jungle "

" No way, I am not going to follow any plan of yours " declined Moti

" Then I will tell mata that those jewellery was broken by you and not me " said Aanyati

Moti became so frightened that she immediately went to the bed and slept there covering her face. Aanyati smiled knowing her plan worked" don't forget to take your sword, there's a lot of danger in that jungle "

" I will Moti now sleep, shubhratri " with those words Aanyati jumped out of her balcony with the help of a rope and headed directly toward the forest from a secret door.

" This place is so soothing " inhaled Aanyati tracing the patterns on the trees. She was about to go further when she heard some footsteps and hid behind one of the tree

" Haa haha, today we looted almost three villages, this much gold will be enough for next three months " said a man to other laughing proudly on themselves. This angered Aanyati, she knew about the robberies happening in the kingdom but was unable to do anything because of her age. Her father never allowed her to go outside without security. But today she had the chance to kill those people. She tightened her grip on the sword and went across those goons

" Hey kid move out of our way if you want to live otherwise die" shouted one of them. Aanyati didn't move from her place at all. One of the goon out of anger charged toward her with his sword. She tackled his attack with her sword and pushed him backward pushing the sword to his chest directly.

Seeing this others all charged upon her but she fighted with them like a trained warrior.Anyone who had seen that fight would have worshipped her like goddess, a small kid killed almost 10 men like ants, her valour was the proof of her being god's child.

After killing all of them she stood up breathing heavily just when she heard another voice coming out of the bushes. She directly charged upon that side with her sword hitting on that person's shoulder. That person didn't even finch. She turned around to encounter that person.

A really old man with long white hairs and beard was standing there dressed in all white, his hand holding an axe and his face holding anger. Aanyati understood he is not with those goons and bent on her knees.

" I apologise brahaman devta, I had no idea who was standing behind these bushes and that's why I attacked on you. I ask for your forgiveness dev" she said with her head low and hands joined.

That person came forward and asked her to get up.

" Who are you devi" he asked

" I am Rajkumari Aanyati of Panchal " she answered proudly

" What are you doing at this hour in the forest, it's dangerous as you can see " he said indicating toward the dead goons

" I am totally safe until and unless I am in my Panchal dev, nobody can harm me in my mother land" said Aanyati with utter calmness.

" Indeed you are safe rajkanya, I never imagined a small kid like you being so good in sword battle" said an impressed man

"It's an honour for me brahaman devta, now allow me to go back, if my father found out I am not at palace he will be distressed"

" Lieing is wrong panchal Kumari, you should not lie to your father, its adharm" came the stern voice of that man

" And what is adharm dev, who decided the definition of dharma and adharma , I lied to him because he will become distressed in my absence, I don't consider a lie as lie until it's for someone's good" answered Aanyati without any frown .

" Rajkumari " came another shocked voice.....