As the sun began its descent, the grand chariots finally rolled into the palace gates of Dwarka. The sight of home should have brought Subhadra comfort, but as she looked around, she noticed how bustling the palace was. Servants hurried through the corridors, messengers ran in and out, and guards were stationed everywhere.

Her family was busy.

Even Balram and Kritavarma had to return to their duties the moment they stepped foot inside.

She understood, of course. Dwarka was a kingdom, and a grand one at that. There were always affairs to attend to, discussions to be held, preparations to be made.

But still…

The lingering sadness in her heart remained.

Still, she had to focus on her surroundings. She had just returned from a trip, and she had gifts to distribute.

*****

That evening, after dinner, the entire family gathered in one of the palace halls, eager to see what treasures Subhadra had brought back.

She straightened her posture and put on her brightest smile, determined not to let any of her lingering emotions show.

One by one, she handed out the gifts she had carefully selected.

As she expected, her bhabis showered her with praise, admiring their gifts with excitement.

Her mother pulled her into a warm embrace, kissing the top of her head. “Thank you, my gudiya,” she whispered. “You are always so thoughtful.”

Her father smiled as he examined the dagger. “You have a good eye, Rochana.”

The warmth of their gratitude filled the room, but it was Krishna’s reaction that stood out.

Holding the wooden cow carving she had picked for him, Krishna studied it with an unreadable expression. Then, with a gentle chuckle, he looked at her. “Ah, this is perfect. Truly, only my dear little sister would know exactly what to bring me.”

Subhadra tilted her head. “Do you like it?”

“I love it.” Krishna smiled, running his fingers over the smooth carving. “It reminds me of my childhood in Vrindavan.”

The way he said it, with a touch of nostalgia, made Subhadra feel slightly better.

She had at least chosen well.

Just as the excitement from the gifts settled, Revati spoke up. “I have a small announcement.”

Everyone turned their attention to her, but then she smiled, glancing at Subhadra.

“It’s mostly for you, choti.”

Subhadra blinked. “Me?”

Revati nodded. “Your lessons will be postponed for a few days.”

Subhadra’s eyes widened slightly. “Postponed?”

“There’s a grand event being prepared, and everyone will be occupied with the arrangements.” Revati reassured her. “It’s not that your studies are less important, choti. You know we always make time for you if you need anything. But for now, you are free to study what you wish by yourself… or simply rest and enjoy some free time.”

Subhadra nodded slowly, taking in the news.

It made sense.

And yet…

She couldn’t shake the feeling that once again, everyone was too busy.

She understood, of course. She truly did.

But somehow, the sadness in her heart remained.

*****

The night was quiet, but Subhadra’s mind was anything but that.

She tossed and turned, her thoughts consumed by the words of those men at the festival.

"It’s ironic how the real siblings of Vasudev Krishna look nothing like him."

"The sister? Hmm, I didn't hear much about her… but people say she has bright skin."

"Nothing like Vasudev Krishna."

She clenched her hands into fists under the blankets.

Why did it bother her so much?

She had never thought about it before. She had always believed she belonged—

Krishna was her brother, her beloved brother who adored her, who always smiled at her with warmth.

But now, doubt crept into her heart.

She was different from Krishna.

Her skin wasn’t the same shade as his, and somehow, it made her feel… distant.

Separated.

Different.

She bit her lip. Was that why Krishna was closer to Rajkumar Arjun and Maharani Draupadi? Because they looked like him? Was that why he never talked about her as much as he talked about them?

No, stop thinking like that.

But the thoughts wouldn’t go away.

And then, an idea struck her.

"Maybe… maybe I can darken my skin."

Excitement rushed through her veins. Yes! If she had darker skin, then she would be like Krishna! Then, no one would say that she was different from him!

But how?

She sat up in bed, glancing around her room as if searching for an answer.

Then, before she could fully think it through, she got up and silently sneaked out of her chambers.

The palace was dimly lit, the halls empty aside from the occasional guard stationed in the distance. Moving quietly, she wandered without a clear direction—until her feet led her to the palace’s grand kitchen.

The moment she stepped inside, her eyes scanned the large space, taking in the different sacks of grains, the rows of spice jars, and the baskets of fruits and vegetables.

And then, her gaze landed on a mound of coconut charcoal.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Charcoal!

Yes! That could work!

Without hesitation, she grabbed a handful of the dark lumps.

Then, she remembered something.

Her maid once said that lemon juice could make henna darker when applied correctly.

She quickly took a fresh lemon.

And since she was already gathering things, she also poured herself a glass of milk, simply because she liked it.

For the final touch, she grabbed a mortar and pestle and a small bowl, then hurried back to her room.

*****

Once inside, she locked her doors and windows.

She placed everything in front of her and took a deep breath.

Then, she got to work.

First, she began grinding the charcoal.

It was hard.

Her arms ached as she pressed and twisted the pestle, trying to crush the pieces into a fine powder. The black dust clung to her hands, and her fingers quickly turned dark, but she didn’t stop.

Finally, after what felt like ages, the charcoal became a powder.

Pleased with her progress, she poured it into the bowl and squeezed in the lemon juice.

She stirred.

The mixture turned into a thick liquid, but something about it didn’t seem right.

She frowned. Would this be enough?

Her eyes darted to the magic stone on her bedside table—a small, enchanted stone that emitted heat, a gift from her dau.

Maybe… if she warmed the mixture, it would work better?

Carefully, she placed the bowl on the stone and stirred it occasionally, letting it heat up for a while.

Minutes passed.

Then an hour.

Then two.

By now, the mixture had thickened.

Satisfied, she let it cool before dipping her fingers into the bowl and smearing a little on her arm.

She waited.

Nothing.

Her skin remained the same.

She huffed, frustrated.

Maybe it needed something more.

After thinking for a moment, she grabbed the glass of milk she had brought earlier and poured a little into the mixture.

Stirring it thoroughly, she created a thick, smooth paste.

She smiled.

This had to work.

Taking a deep breath, she smeared the paste all over her arms, legs, and face, making sure to cover every inch of skin.

The paste felt sticky and cool against her body.

She wrinkled her nose at the scent—it wasn’t unpleasant, but it was strange.

Still, she was determined.

She stand in front of the polished bronze mirror, glancing at her reflection.

Her entire face and body were covered in the dark mixture.

A hopeful smile tugged at her lips.

She just had to wait a few hours, and then she would wake up looking just like Krishna!

Her eyes grew heavy as exhaustion crept in.

With a small yawn, she curled up on her bed, and fell asleep, dreaming of a day when no one would ever say she was different from her beloved brother again.

To be continued

Note: the recipe with coal lemon and milk is fake so don't try it at home or wherever please. Don't forget to vote if you love it and give comments also, if you want ofc❤