(Play the music where I say)
Subhadra's POV
     
       I am Subhadra. You maybe never heard from me but I am sure you heard of me. I have been called Veera Sodari. It is because of my brothers. But that's not the whole truth. I have been called Veera Sodari for my Jiji as well. My Jiji. My brave, kind and misfortunate Jiji. Bhrata Krishn always said Jiji was born for great things and was expected great things. Yes she was. She was learned. She was greatest warrior. She was prakriti kanya. But things that bothered me the most was why she was never looked as a person. She stayed away from her family because she was gifted and could learn more. She fought wars because she was expected to. Lived alone for years. Fall in love yet couldn't claim him with less difficulties. She lived as a servant of the city, where she should have been the Queen. All because she was gifted. A gift rob her from all kind of ecstasy. How that was a gift.. Now she was raising our future alone. When I was thinking this I could hear her voice saying

"Subhadra.. You are also raising Abhimanyu alone. Don't be blinded by someone's greatness that you forget to appreciate yourself."

            Yes I did raised my Abhimanyu alone. But that was not be completely honest. And if  my Jiji was here with me I would have said

"I raised him with you. You have been with us the whole time."

           I couldn't say time flied away, because it didn't. Everyday was torturous. Each day went like a year. I missed everyone. Sometimes I felt it wasn't real at all. I felt like it was all a very very bad dream and any second from now I would wake up and see my family all around me again. My jiji and Droupadi jiji would have make tea for me. I never enjoyed that beverage like those two but that was the only time we get to spend with each other without the men of the house. But with passing time I learned to accept the reality. My son was growing up in front of me. I had to accept that my life now. All those times started to seem like a distant dream. It's been almost 13 years. The time was coming close and my anxiety was getting higher.

       I was standing in front of Jiji's room. It's been 13 years of me coming here everyday. No one else was allowed to enter the room. Nothing changed in this room for 13 years. Everything was exactly the same as she left it. I go to that room everyday to feel my Jiji around me. That was given me strength to pull through all this. The room still has her calming earthy flowery smell. I sometimes get shocked of myself after being a part of my daily life how my hands still shake while opening this door. Maybe because this room has some last memories I have with her. I went inside. Inhaled her smell and the memories flooded in with the tears. First one was of Abhimanyu's delivery. How could I forgot that. I really believe if Jiji wasn't there I would not have able to deliver him. When I was about to give up because of excessive pain, her words still rang in my ears till now.

"Don't you dare close your eyes Subhadra. Don't loose your conscious. You have to push. Baby isn't even slightly out yet. Think about Parth. Think about everyone's dream with this child Subhadra. You have to deliver him. PUSH..."

            Even after that I passed put several time. Mata Kunti and bhavi said they never seen such methods of child birth before. She was determined to get him safe and sound. And she did.

"Subhadra your son born with the fingers of the archer."

        She said holding him up. I cried with happiness. The newborn baby was clutching her fingers and even when she tried to give it to me he didn't let her fingers go. My son knew who to hold on to.

"Welcome my son... The future of Aaryavart. Welcome to the world my Abhimanyu." She said to him. And that name stuck.

          I carefully dusted the room. Her paintings. These were the stories of her struggle written with colours. Her books. She left it for me about how to care for the baby. She was with us for two months after Abhimanyu's birth. And they do spend a lot of time with each other. On this very bed she was trying to make him sleep while I woke up. I touched the bed.

"Go to sleep Subhadra it's not time for his feeding yet. I'll wake you up."

            I heard her voice. I looked around the room to find her. She wasn't here. I wished I could make her stay. Yes I couldn't. Looking at her declining health day by day she needed to leave. It felt like the fetus inside her was sucking the strength and power out of her body. Bhrata krishn said it was because the power that was raising inside her need the power to grow. She had to go. But still she has been doing everything for me. I remembered I was sad that Abhimanyu will never going to see the places that we prepared for him in indraprastha. Not two days later she gave me a letter that says she asked king Dhritarashtra her first of three wishes. She wished that the only part of indraprastha that Hastinapur would have no control over was the palace and I could visit when ever I want. She just made a way for my son to know his family better from the places they spent time. The day she needed to leave I came to her with Abhimanyu for the last time. She took him in her arms. Didn't say anything just hold him.

"Jiji.. From the moment you gave me the news of my pregnancy I dreamed my son to be like you. Trained and knowledgeable like you are. But how will make him like you without you?" I asked her.

"Subhadra. He doesn't need to be like anyone. Let him be him my dear. He will be phenomenal that way. " She answered.

"But for that he need you. The best of the best to teach him. How can I teach him what I was never?" I asked again.

"You are the best mother. Don't let these thoughts bring you down. But still if you want, I will teach him enough." She answered.

       She kept her promises. She never visited us. Neither we could go to visit her but she did. She taught my son much. She wrote to him. Every month. Same day someone would come from island mostly either Alpha Aeser or beta Noah with a letter. At first he could not read it so I read out to him. She taught him maths, politics, economics, war techniques, adequate, everything that he need to know. Its astonishing such relationship they maintain from these letters that most people could not able to by living together. But she never address him or herself. And we also never told him who did these letters come from. Bhrata krishn said we should wait for him to be old enough to understand my Jiji. He referred to her as his pen friend. We did not stop him. After a while Abhimanyu started writing back to her and their conversation remained unknown to us after that. My only relief was my son had her in his life.

      Today was one such day. Noah came with letters and gifts. She used to send gifts as well. Books, weapons, jewellery, dresses, food. Today there were camomile tea. The same tea I drank the day I get to know about my pregnancy. Abhimanyu must have said in his letters about my sleep deprivation. The memories flooded in. Droupadi jiji's. Last I heard from them was about a year ago. It was end of their vanvaas. I broke down a little but stopped myself until I was out of Abhimanyu's eyes to this room. After sometimes I got up to leave. When I turned after locking the room up, Abhimanyu was there with a very confused face. He looked like he had a lot of questions and I was fearing this moment from years.

"Pen friend said they will not write to me anymore. The rime for our meet is coming up. Who are they Mata? You know them. I have been writing to them but they didn't ever mention who they are? Why you always cry the day the letter arrive? Why everyone look so dreadful that day? Why you always come here? What is this room? Why no one else comes here? Why you always look like you cried your eyes out everytime you come out of that room? What is in there?" He asked in a tone that made me sure that I needed to answer him today.

"You want to know your pen friend dear? Come with me." I said.

        I opened the door and walked in him in toe. He was looking around the room that had been a mystery all his life.

"It's someone's room. It's pen friend's? That means they are family?" He asked. I walked up to the pictures and uncover my Jiji's. He looked at the beautiful lady in awe. I knew he forgot his questions. "Here you go my son.. Your mentor, your trainer, your pen friend.... My Jiji." His head made a sharp turn to me. Then looked back at the picture.

"Your Jiji?" He absentmindedly said. I uncover another one where she was in front of a ploy with weapons.

"Yes my son.. My Jiji. The brave daughter... The warrior princess of Dwarka." I said. He moved to this. His eyes watered as he touched the picture.

"Maasima.." He said very softly and lovingly. Then he turned to me "Then mata why she isn't with us here? Why she wrote letters? Why she never visited? Why her memories are preserved like this.. Why we don't talk about her?"

       I was startled. What would I say and how to start. How to make him know what she was.

"She had to leave." That was all I could say.

"Where and why?"

"She had to prepare herself for what you are also preparing for."

"The war.. But why?"

"Because being your massima wasn't only relationship she has with you. She is your Kakima too. Your kalashree Nakul's loving wife. His life." I said. He looked up to the painting.

      I told him everything. How she cane to our lives. How she became our life. What happened with all of us. And how and where she left. I could see respect in his eyes for this beautiful and magnificent woman.

"The fetus in her womb could become the reason of her death if she didn't leave. She had to leave." I finished.

"What happened after that?" He asked. I uncovered a painting with shaking hands. His eyes were  wide open.

"It was the day she returned to Island." I said.

"I have another brother and Sister. "

"Yes. Adhrith and Vritika. My nephew and niece. From the day I got the news I have been yearning to see them. Hold them to my heart." I broke down again. "Only bhrata krishn and baldau saw them. They describe them as the fire and ice. How could I won't want to meet them Abhimanyu... They are supposed to be my god children. I am their massima. I was supposed to spoil them with love. But here I am not even seen them yet."

"I promise you mata you will meet them soon. I will bring them home." He said hugging me.

Abhimanyu's POV

         From the day I had gotten my senses I noticed my mother sad and miserable. It's because of what happened with mata Droupadi. That affected not only her but everyone in the family. But today I get to know there was another one who was also affected and her departure from the family broke it even more. From her words I could see that mata loved Adrika Maa. More than anyone in this world. She was her strength. That was why Adrika Maa even if stayed away but supported mata to raised me. My pen friend was no one else but my mother. I knew I was going to love her as my mother because I already love her from her letters. I talked to everyone about her. The more I heard about her the more my love grow. My brothers were coming the nextday from panchal with mamashree Dristadyumn. I decided that we would go to her. We will bring back our mother and our cousins back.

           My brothers arrived, after all rituals we went to my room. Brother Pritavindhya was the eldest and wisest among us and was the one that I was much close to. He was giving me worried looks all these time. He knew something wasn't right with me.

"After so long all of us brothers are together. Nothing can be more satisfying." Bhrata Srutakarma said. Everyone stated their agreeing to the statement. There were time variations in our births but still call each other bhrata out of respect.

"But Abhimanyu don't look satisfied. What happened to you?" Bhrata Pritavindhya said. I looked up.

"Didn't you heard Srutakarma, when all of us brothers are together... But if one is missing then how will it satisfy us?" I replied.

"Did we left Srutasena somewhere again?" Bhrata sutosoma said trying to lighten my mood.

"Bhrata Abhimanyu! Who are you talking about we all are here?" Bhrata Srutasena said.

"No, all of us aren't here. Kakashree Nakul's children. They aren't here." I said. A visible look of
realization crossed their face.

"He has a family? We never heard of them?" Srutakarma said.

"Of course he has. Mata Adrika. How can you not heard about her?" Bhrata Srutasena said excitedly. When no one seem to get what he was trying to say he continued "The song brother...

A queen of far far land
Her sword is like death's own magic wand,
Mind filled with knowledge, the amount of desert sand."

I smiled. That do sounded like our Adrika Maa.

"It is a folksong brother. They are stories. They don't have truth around them." Bhrata sutosoma said.

"The song said she is Krishnanuja. They were talking about Mata Adrika." He argued back.

"This time folk songs are true brothers. Adrika Maa is real so is her children. Our brother Adhrith and sister Vritika." I said. The look on their faces were very much evident. I proceeded to tell them all I head from everyone. I let them read some of my letters.

"We have another brother. It's a shame we know about them so late. It would have been so much fun if we have him here learning with us." Bhrata sutosoma said.

"Tell me this bhrata Abhimanyu, is Adrika Maa really that beautiful as the song said?" Bhrata Srutasena asked. He clearly obsessed with these songs about her.

"Her beauty isn't something that any song or words can describe." Someone said we all looked at him. It was Mamashree Dristadyumn. "She is more beautiful than your imagination."

"You know her?" I asked. A very sad look flashed on his face then immediately vanishes in a fraction of a second.

"We are friends you can say. She saved my life once." He said.

"How?" Bhrata Pritavindhya said.

"She is the greatest healer. I was shot with a poison arrow. She healed me. Her Kingdom 'The Island' is the greatest supplier of herbs, potion and medical help in Aaryavart. But they are extremely secretive. They didn't let their potion recipes out yet. Nor anyone could figured out." He said.

"If you are friends with her then you must know where the Kingdom is. Don't you?" Pritavindhya said shocking even me.

"Yes I do. But why are you asking son?" Mamashree Dristadyumn asked

"We will go and bring our mother back. We will have her back her before the Agyaatvas overs." Bhrata Pritavindhya that's why you are my favorite.

"Yes. She suffered enough alone. Now we can't let ourselves miss out on our mother's love. And wisdom." Bhrata Srutasena said. We all looked at him. "What.. She is the learned Adrika Idivita. She taught Bhrata Abhimanyu by letters only." We all laughed.

       The next day we all got ready and started our journey with Mamashree Dristadyumn. Mata and mami were crying with happiness. Mamashree krishn said

"Adrika ordered us not to come to her unless it was important. But yes there wasn't anything against you all. So I am not stopping you. I wish you be successful and bring back Dwarika's soul." His words were ringing in my mind.

"Bhrata abhimanyu.." Bhrata sutosoma said.

"We are here children... I have to leave you here. I can't go into the territory without invitation or permission. I will camp here, waiting for you. This is a short cut to the city into the woods. Be aware of the wood. This is magical. Stick to the map. Don't wonder away and don't touch unfamiliar things." Mamashree Dristadyumn advised us.

         We wonder into the woods. That was the most beautiful forest I have ever seen. The plants are greener than normal. Beautiful flowers and sound of forest making some kind of music. I looked up there are man made items hanging from the trees that are making the music with wind. We were talking about it. The music was so calming yet enchanting.

(Start the video)

          We heard a voice.. A very very enchanting voice that was singing with the music. It was like a angle singing. We followed that. It was very faint yet we were determined to that voice. It was like someone or something was calling us. We could see there was a open space. It was a lake. A very very beautiful lake filled with lilies and lotus. And a young girl was in water. She was singing to the birds and they were coping her. We were so focused on her that we forgot our modesty that we were watching a bathing girl. She wasn't out of adequate either. She was dressed but still it wasn't right to watch her without her permission. Her back was towards us. We were dead in our places but still someone of us stepped on a twig that broke under their feet. The girl did a sharp turn towards us. She stopped immediately and it was like a spell broke which kept our senses glued to her and we immediately turned to back facing her. We could hear her coming out of water.

"We are really sorry, we just followed the music. We didn't mean to watch. It just your voice that...." I started saying but couldn't understand what to say,

"That you couldn't help but get pulled towards." She finished my sentence.

"Yes. We are really very apologetic." Bhrata Pritavindhya said. We could hear her changing. What was this girl.. Not afraid. Not alarmed.

"A piece of advice strangers if you are going to roaming around in enchanted forest like this, then don't follow a song. If you do and it leads to you a water body then turn around and run. It can possibly be a mermaid." She said mockingly.

"What is a Mermaid?" Bhrata Srutasena asked.

"The one that doesn't give you advice but eat you alive." She answered.

"Can I ask you something? Why aren't you alarmed by our presence?" I asked. She chuckled.

"You will know if you turn around." She said.

            We all turned around. She was right I instantly know why she wasn't alarmed by us when all kinds of weapons pointed at our neck and a very angry boy of our age standing with his sword head at my neck. I looked at him. He was definitely threatening me with my life but I felt a sense of love towards him. He seemed so familiar. Tall and very handsome. I looked at the girl. She wad the most beautiful girl I had ever seen suddenly a thought crossed my mind were they my cousins. We heard they inherited their parent's god like beauty. The guy was messy and had mud all around his body. Clearly a warrior. But both of them had beauty of angles.

"Who are you?  What are you doing on our island? How dare you watch her bath?" He asked sternly. The girl come up to him and said.

"Relax brother! I don't think they are doing it on purpose. There is Shame in their eyes. They are here by accident." She hold my look all the while she was talking. Searching for something. Then looked at her brother. I was now sure it was them.

"That doesn't explain their presence on our land." The guy said angrily.

"Then give them a chance to explain." She argued.

"Why would I? They're invading our home." He snapped back.

"You know mother will not be very happy upon knowing your poor behavior with our guest." She said in a sound like playing her best shot.

"They are intruders not guests." He tried again. They are our cousins.

"That's mumma's decision, not yours." She said now being a little annoyed.

"Who is your mother?" I asked. To which the guy pressed the sword tip a little forcefully to warn me and said

"That is non of your concern..." He sighed and continued "OK. We will take them to mother."

"That's right thick head. Now lower your weapon and ask yours guys to lower them too." She said.

"Not until I seize their." He said stubbornly. I looked at the girl who rolled her eyes. My sister was cute.

"Look just give it to him. Otherwise he will not going to move from here. Trust me he will not hurt you." She said to me.

         I nodded for the guy to take our weapons. He did and moved away. He started walking ahead clearly wanting us to follow.

"Bhrata abhimanyu.. What will we do now... " Bhrata Srutakarma asked.

"They are taking us to exactly where we are intended to go my brother. I believe they are our brother and sister." I replied. They all looked at them. The girl came to me.

"I'm sorry for my brother's behavior. This island is secured so we normal not used to visitors. I am Vritika." She said confirming my theory. This was my sister.

"Nice to meet you Vritika. We are from Dwarika." I said not wanted to give our identities yet. Not until we met Adrika Maa.

"We have family there. We heard of course. We never been there. That's my brother Adhrith." She said excitedly.

"Will you ever stop talking Vriti..?" Adhrith said in irritation.

"Just lead the way Aadi. And if you don't want to hear me talk then walk ahead." Vriti said with another eye roll. They had an amazing brother sister relationship we could say.

"And leave your stupid self with these intruders. In your dreams." He said.

"He is my brother unfortunately. Twins we are. He will be fine once we reach there." She said. I chuckled.

"Where?" I asked. She smiled and said

"Why our home of course. The City Of Seasons."

AN
Here we go. Finally it was time for the new generation. Tell me how it was. And what do you think about our Adhrith and Vritika. This was a very stressed week but I tried my best on this. Please please please vote and comment.

The music is from Harry Potter. I loved the series and I thought the music will be perfect for this.