Anya was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts racing. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling about Dushala’s marriage to King Jayadrath. Sure, Dushala had agreed to it, but Anya knew it was only because of her brother, Duryodhana—*the rude fox,* as Anya affectionately referred to him. “That cunning fox and his humped mama... why couldn’t they find anyone better for her? She deserves more than Jayadrath,” Anya muttered to herself, puffing out her cheeks in frustration.

Suddenly, an idea struck her. “Wait a minute... what if I find her a better husband? Then that fox and his sneaky uncle won’t have a choice but to let her marry someone else! Brilliant, Anya, brilliant!” She clapped her hands in excitement but quickly realized a problem. “But... how do I find the perfect man? Oh! Of course, I’ll ask Kunti Maa and Draupadi for help. They know all the princes in Aryavart. Yes, yes, I’ll pretend I’m looking for a husband for *myself*... genius!”

The next morning, Anya marched confidently to find Kunti and Draupadi. She spotted them chatting with Subhadra and Dushala, and immediately interrupted, her face bright with determination.

“Kunti Maa! Draupadi! I’ve decided!” Anya announced with exaggerated enthusiasm, her hands on her hips.

The women blinked at her in surprise. “Decided? About what, Anya?” Draupadi asked curiously.

Anya grinned, leaning in dramatically. “I want to see the portraits of all the eligible princes of Aryavart!”

Kunti raised her eyebrows, clearly caught off guard. “You... want to see the princes' portraits?”

Subhadra giggled, nudging Dushala. “Looks like someone’s finally ready to find a husband!”

Dushala smiled, “About time, Anya! But why so sudden?”

Anya tried her best to sound nonchalant, but her airheaded excitement was too obvious. “Well, Dushala is getting married, and I heard Vasudev Baba is planning a swayamvar for Subhadra too! Draupadi, you’re already married, so I don’t want to be left behind, you know? Gotta make sure I get the best catch!”

Draupadi and Kunti exchanged amused glances. “You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?” Draupadi said, chuckling.

Kunti smiled warmly. “Very well, Anya. If you’re serious, we’ll bring you the portraits.”

A while later, they returned with a large stack of paintings, laying them out before Anya. “These are the most eligible princes in Aryavart,” Kunti said proudly.

Anya sat cross-legged in front of the portraits, her face serious as she scrutinized each one. She picked up the first portrait, holding it up to the light. “Hmm... nope, too old. Reject!” She tossed it aside with flair.

The next portrait: “He’s too serious. Looks like he’d scold me for talking too much. Reject!”

Subhadra was giggling uncontrollably, watching Anya reject princes left and right. Dushala couldn’t help but join in. “Anya, you’re not choosing vegetables at the market!” Dushala teased.

“Oh, I’m not?” Anya said, looking genuinely confused. “Well, considering some of these faces, you could’ve fooled me!” She held up another portrait. “Look at this guy! He looks like he’d turn into a frog at midnight. Reject!”

Draupadi facepalmed, trying to suppress her laughter. “Anya, you do realize these are some of the most powerful men in Aryavart?”

Anya waved her hand dismissively. “Powerful ! What’s the point of power if they don’t have a decent face to go with it?” She picked up another portrait. “This one... ugh, too grumpy. Reject!”

Subhadra finally spoke up between fits of laughter. “Anya, are you seriously judging a man by his looks?”

Anya gave her an exaggerated gasp. “Well, of course! If I have to look at him every day, I might as well like what I see! Plus, I’m doing this for Dushala—uh, I mean, for *me*! Yes, for me!”

Kunti and Draupadi shook their heads in disbelief but couldn’t stop smiling. “Good luck finding your perfect prince, Anya,” Kunti said, laughing softly. “Just... don’t reject all of them, or you’ll be left with no one.”

Anya waved them off as they left the room. She remained hunched over the pile of portraits, completely engrossed in her “mission.”

“Well, that was easy. Now I just need to find the perfect prince for Dushala. Hmm... maybe a guy with a beard? No, no, too itchy. How about someone tall and mysterious? Ugh, no, too much mystery leads to trouble. Ugh! How hard is it to find a good man around here?!”

After Kunti and Draupadi left, Subhadra soon followed, leaving Anya alone with the pile of portraits. Dushala was about to make her exit too when Anya, still sitting on the floor with a dramatic sigh, called out, “Wait! Dushala! Come back for a second.”

Dushala turned, slightly confused. “What is it, Anya?”

Anya gave her a knowing grin, her eyes sparkling mischievously. “You’ve gotta help me out here. I need an extra pair of eyes to choose... uh... the *best* one.” She waved toward the stack of portraits like she was making a royal decree.

Dushala, caught off guard, blinked at her friend. “Choose? You mean, for you?”

Anya nodded dramatically. “Obviously! What, did you think I was doing this for fun? No way! I need the best prince. But you’re better at this than me. So, come on, Dushala, pick one guy you think looks promising.”

Dushala hesitated for a moment but eventually sat down next to Anya. She couldn’t help but smile at her friend’s enthusiasm. “Alright, fine,” she muttered, scanning the portraits. After a moment, one portrait caught her attention—a handsome young prince with sharp features and a powerful aura. He exuded strength and nobility, a stark contrast to the image of King Jayadrath that had been looming over her.

Her heart skipped a beat as she gazed at the portrait. *He’s so handsome... and he seems strong... but no, no! I can’t think like this. I’m supposed to marry Jayadrath for my brother and the empire.* She scolded herself silently, shaking her head. But the more she looked at the portrait, the more her resolve wavered.

Meanwhile, Anya was sprawled across the floor, lazily tossing aside portraits like a child throwing a tantrum. “Ugh! Too grumpy... too serious... too much beard... reject, reject, reject!” She sighed dramatically, her face scrunched up as if she were dealing with the most difficult task in the world.

Dushala glanced at Anya and couldn’t help but chuckle. “You look like a spoiled child rejecting toys because they’re not shiny enough.”

Anya huffed, glaring at the rejected pile of portraits. “Well, they’re not *husband material*, Dushala! These princes... it’s like they’ve never heard of skincare. Or fashion. Or... I don’t know, personality!” She held up a particularly unflattering portrait and shook her head. “Look at this one! He looks like he’s been scowling since the day he was born. No thanks!”

Dushala laughed, finding Anya’s antics amusing. Then, taking a deep breath, she showed Anya the portrait of the prince she had found. “What about this one, Anya? He seems... promising.”

Anya immediately snapped out of her melodramatic state, sitting up straight like a merchant about to inspect fine silk. She squinted at the portrait, her lips pursed as she leaned in, examining every detail. “Hmm... let me see... tall, handsome... looks rich... ooh, nice jawline...”

For a few minutes, Anya studied the portrait like a jeweler inspecting a diamond, her expression serious. Dushala watched with a mix of anticipation and nervousness, wondering what Anya’s verdict would be.

Finally, Anya broke into a wide grin. “Alright! I finally found it. This one’s perfect!”

Dushala felt a strange sense of relief but also a light sting in her heart. “I’m happy for you,” she said softly, though her mind kept drifting back to the prince in the portrait. She couldn’t help but blush slightly, embarrassed by her own reaction. *Why am I blushing? This isn’t for me! I’m supposed to be helping Anya!*

Suddenly, Anya turned to her with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “So, what do you think, Dushala? Do you like this prince?”

Caught completely off guard, Dushala’s eyes widened. “W-What? Me?” She stammered, trying to compose herself. “No, no! I mean... well... he’s handsome, sure, but I didn’t mean it like that!”

Anya’s grin widened, and she leaned closer, her voice low and teasing. “Ohhh, really? Because I think you two would look great together.”

Before Dushala could protest, Anya jumped up, grabbed the portrait, and bolted from the room, shouting, “I’m off to show Kunti Maa! Thanks for helping, Dushala!”

Dushala sat there, stunned for a moment. “Wait! Anya! I didn’t mean—” But Anya was already gone, leaving her friend behind, flustered and confused. Realizing what had just happened, Dushala buried her face in her hands, her cheeks burning. “What just happened? Did... did she really think I...?”

The more she thought about it, the more she blushed. *What am I thinking? I’m supposed to marry Jayadrath... for the sake of my brother...* But that prince... that portrait... there was something about him that made her heart flutter, even if just for a moment. She quickly shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. “No! I’m helping Anya, not myself... right?”

But deep down, she couldn’t help but wonder if Anya was right.

Well, my lovely readers, can you guess whose portrait is this ?💫