The chariot slowed, its wheels grinding against the earth, and finally came to a stop.

Arjun exhaled heavily.

The long ride had been relentless, the night winds whipping against them, the stars watching their reckless escape in silence. Now, at last, they had reached a small temple on the outskirts of Dwarka-a forgotten shrine nestled in the shadows, its deity standing as the only witness to what had just transpired.

The temple was abandoned at this hour. No pandit, no devotees. Only the stillness of the night remained, offering them a brief respite.

Arjun turned to the woman beside him.

"Rajkumari... are you alright?"

Subhadra did not answer immediately.

She barely heard him. Her heart still raced, her breath uneven.

Everything had happened so fast.

Too fast.

One moment, she had been inside the temple, lost in prayer, her heart heavy with duty and fate.

The next-

She was here.

Taken away.

By him.

Her fingers curled around the fabric of her dupatta, gripping it tightly as if anchoring herself to reality.

Who was he to do this? To steal her away from the life she had always known? From the security of Dwarka, from the expectations placed upon her?

And yet-

She did not feel afraid.

That realization unsettled her the most.

She should have been afraid.

She should have been furious.

But she wasn't.

Her heart, instead of recoiling in fear, only whispered a single thought-

Him. It's him.

And for some reason, the knowledge sent warmth fluttering through her chest, betraying her reason.

Arjun, unaware of her silent turmoil, stepped down from the chariot first before turning back to her.

"Let us rest here for now," he said. "This place is quiet. We can sit inside the temple-it will be more comfortable."

His voice was steady, calm, yet laced with an unmistakable gentleness.

Subhadra hesitated.

Then, with slow, deliberate movements, she stepped down from the chariot.

For the first time, she allowed herself to truly look at him.

The man before her stood tall, his frame strong, his presence commanding. The dim glow of the temple's lone diya cast shadows over his face, accentuating the sharp angles of his jaw, the intensity in his eyes.

She had seen him before.

She knew she had.

Handsome. Fierce.

But also... strangely familiar.

Memories stirred at the edges of her mind, just beyond reach.

Where had she seen him? When?

Why did she feel as though she should remember?

Her keen gaze did not go unnoticed.

Arjun, caught under her scrutiny, felt the heat rise to his ears.

He looked away, clearing his throat.

"This way, Rajkumari," he said, his voice quieter now.

Subhadra did not move immediately.

A war raged within her.

She was no longer a child to be carried away without resistance. She was no naive girl who would accept her fate without question.

Yet, she could not bring herself to fight him.

Would it have been different if it were another man? If another warrior had stolen her away this night?

Yes.

She would have resisted.

She would have clawed her way back home.

But this was him.

And that changed everything.

The worst part was-

She did not even know why.

Her silence stretched between them like an invisible thread.

He guided her toward the temple, walking ahead to hide his flustered expression.

Subhadra, still confused, followed him instinctively.

Inside the shrine, Arjun sat down on the cool stone floor.

Subhadra hesitated for a moment before sitting as well-keeping a careful distance.

Not too close. Not too far.

Then, breaking the silence, she finally spoke.

"Who are you?"

Arjun barely had a chance to open his mouth before-

"Are you out of your mind?!"

Her voice rose in disbelief.

"How could you risk your life do that to me in broad daylight?! Do you realize that the entire Yadava will hunt you down?!"

She barely took a breath before another question spilled out.

"Oh, wait-no, of course, you don't have to worry! Bhrata Krishna will protect you, won't he? That must be it! There's no way you could have taken his chariot without his permission! You didn't steal it, did you? No, you couldn't have! Sugriva and shaibya never listens to anyone except Bhrata Krishna-so you must have had his approval! But why? Why would he help you do something like this?!"

"And Dau-"

Her voice wavered for the first time.

Balram.

Her heart clenched painfully.

Balaram's love was not like Krishna's. Krishna, with all his mischief and wisdom, always had a way of making things right, smoothing over storms with nothing but a smile and a well-placed word.

But Balram-

Balram's love was fierce.

Unyielding.

Unquestionable.

He had raised her. Protected her. Cherished her.

And now-

She feels like she had betrayed him.

Not by choice, not by plan, but by sheer, unforgivable foolishness.

She should have stopped the chariot.

She should have fought.

The whole city had seen it-the Yadavas, the guards, the people of Dwarka.

They had all seen her hold the reins.

She could already hear the whispers that would spread like wildfire.

"Rajkumari Subhadra did not fight him." "Rajkumari Subhadra held the reins herself." "She did not resist."

Her hands trembled.

Why?

Why had she not simply let go?

Why had she clutched them so tightly?

And now-

Now, there was no turning back.

There was no escaping what had been done.

She could not return to Dwarka like this. Not without bringing shame upon her family, upon Balram, upon Krishna-upon herself.

For the first time, true fear coiled around her chest.

Would Krishna be able to calm Balram?

Would his words be enough?

She knew Balram's rage. She had seen it before-seen how his love, when threatened, could turn into a storm that nothing could withstand.

And she was the cause of it now.

A sudden wave of self-loathing crashed over her.

How could I have been so foolish?

How could I let this happen?

She was a Yadava princess. She should have been smarter, stronger.

But she had frozen.

And now-

Now, it was too late.

"Rajkumari-." Arjun words broke her thought.

He took a steady breath.

"Rajkumari," he said softly, "I am no one but your admirer."

His voice was steady, sincere.

"The moment I saw you at the festival, I lost my heart to you. I asked about you-spoke to your brother-and he... he gave me this idea to make you mine."

Subhadra's breath hitched slightly.

"I am grateful that your brother approved of this," Arjun continued. "That is why I did this-happily, wholeheartedly."

Then, his expression softened.

"But know this, Rajkumari-"

His voice was gentle but firm.

"I would never have do anything against your wish."

His words hung between them, settling like an undeniable truth.

Subhadra stared at him, her heart pounding.

She did not know what to say.

For the first time since this madness began-she was silent and flustered.

*****

Subhadra, still flustered, took a slow breath, steadying herself. Then, she said, "Well... I still don't know who you are. You should tell me properly."

Arjun turned to her, his gaze unwavering.

"I am none other than Panduputr Arjun."

Subhadra froze.

Her heart skipped a beat as realization crashed over her.

That was why he looked so familiar. That was why there had been that strange, unspoken pull toward him.

He was Arjun.

The Madhya Pandava. The greatest archer of Aryavarta. The dearest friend of her Bhrata Krishna.

Her breath caught in her throat.

For a moment, she did not know how to react.

There was something-something deep within her that kinda stirred at his name. A warmth she could not explain, a feeling she did not want to name.

But she forced it down.

She could not allow herself to be weak. Not now.

Her fingers curled into her palms, and she exhaled, keeping her voice steady.

"So that is why Bhrata Krishna was so eager to help you," she murmured.

She wanted to sound indifferent, but there was a weight in her tone, a quiet understanding that she could not ignore.

She looked away, her thoughts racing.

Had Bhrata Krishna known?

Had he seen this coming?

Had he known how she would feel?

No.

She would not think about that now.

Instead, she lifted her gaze, her expression unreadable.

"Didn't Bhrata Krishna tell you that Dau was planning a grand swayamvar for me?"

Her voice was quiet-too quiet.

"Why didn't you wait?"

There was no accusation in her tone. Only something far worse-disappointment.

"Are you not confident in your skills anymore?"

Arjun stiffened, but she did not give him time to answer.

Her next words came softer-but heavier.

"And what about your other wives?"

She saw it. The way his body tensed at the mention.

But she did not stop.

"How could you do this?"

Her voice did not waver, but her eyes-her eyes held a storm of unspoken words.

"Didn't you think of them before you did something like this?"

The silence that followed was unbearable.

Arjun had expected resistance.

He had expected anger.

But this-

This was something far more devastating.

And yet-

She was not rejecting him.

She couldn't.

Because deep down, no matter how much she tried to deny it-

A part of her had already chosen him.

Even before she had known his name.

And that terrified her more than anything else.

For a long moment, neither spoke.

Then Arjun took a slow, measured breath.

His voice, when it came, was steady-but raw with emotion.

"Rajkumari... I did not wait for your swayamvar because I could not bear to."

Subhadra blinked.

"Not because I doubted my skill-but because I love you beyond reason."

His voice trembled-just for a moment.

"I have faced death on the battlefield a hundred times. I have fought warriors who could bring entire kingdoms to ruin. And yet-" he exhaled sharply, as if the very thought pained him, "the mere thought of losing you was a battle I did not have the strength to fight."

His hands clenched at his sides.

"And madhav knew."

Subhadra sucked in a breath.

"He told me that if I truly wanted you, I could not be a mere suitor waiting in line. That you-his beloved sister-deserved a man who would move mountains for you. Not one who would stand in a hall, waiting for fate to decide."

Arjun's voice dropped lower.

"And he was right."

His gaze locked onto hers, unwavering.

"You are not a prize to be won, Rajkumari. You are a woman of fierce will, of unshakable spirit. And if I had stood in your swayamvar, it would not have been your choice-it would have been destiny's gamble."

"But I did not want to gamble with your heart."

His breath was unsteady now.

"I wanted to stand before you-not as a victor, not as a competitor, but as a man who loves you. A man who would defy the world for you."

Subhadra's fingers curled into the fabric of her dupatta, her throat tightening.

But Arjun was not finished.

"As for my other wives..."

She tensed, but his voice softened.

"You are right, Rajkumari. I am already married-not just once, but thrice."

"Draupadi is my first wife. She is a woman of unmatched wisdom, strength, and beauty. My love and respect for her is boundless. But the world does not see her as my wife alone-she is the queen of Indraprastha, the wife of my brothers too, the pillar that binds us all together."

"Ulupi, the Naga princess, was the first to make me a father. She gave me strength, and blessed me with a son, Iravan. Though we live apart, I honor her and my child always."

"Chitrangada, the princess of Manipur, bore me a son, Babruvahan. She rules her land, raising our son to one day take the king's place. Though duty keeps us separate, my bond with her and our child remains unbroken."

Arjun let out a slow, shuddering breath.

"But you, Rajkumari..."

His voice was barely above a whisper now.

"You are the woman I have chosen for myself."

Something inside her cracked.

"I will never ask you to compare yourself to them, nor will I ever place one above the other. Each of you holds a place in my life that is uniquely yours. But if you choose to be with me, I will honor you, cherish you, and respect you-not as someone beneath another, but as someone who stands beside me."

His voice dropped even lower.

"That is why I stand here before you-not forcing you, but asking you."

"Because the man who is willing to steal a woman away must also be willing to bear the responsibility of her heart."

Arjun took a step forward, his gaze steady.

"So, tell me, Rajkumari..."

"Do you truly believe I did not think of you?"

The temple was silent.

Subhadra's heart pounded violently in her chest.

But she had no answer.

Not yet.

Not when the weight of his words had just begun to settle in her soul.

To be continued