"And why must I listen to you, dark beauty? You are no more than a harlot of my all-mighty master."

The rough voice that emerged from the strange being that was one of the servants of Narakasura irritated her ear, and she stayed her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

"I am no harlot, foolish servant. I am the beloved of your master, the most important to him; his queen." The words tasted like like acid on her tongue, but she kept reminding herself: this was for her sisters.

"Now," she forced her voice to echo with power she didn't know she had, "You will listen to me, and carry this message to your master: I wish to speak with him about an important matter."

"Yes, mistress," the servant bowed, cowed and scampered away.

She sighed, sagging back down against the wall, suddenly drained.

This is everything for my sisters. It is for them.

The sun had dipped below the horizon, allowing his counterpart to chase his numerous wives in the firmament when he came to her, donning his fair form.

"My lady, my love. You have called for me?"

She forced her bile down at his endearments, and smiled sweetly. She patted the seat beside her, not trusting her voice to say anything.

His unnerving green eyes took in her form, a base adoration twinkling in them like birds against the green of a forest.

She had chosen her best dress from what he had offered her, adorning herself with jewels. Her saari was a light lilac, tightly wound around her, revealing her curves. At her throat and ears shimmered pearls with a single inset amethyst, her bangles a slightly darker shade than her saari.

"My lord Bhauma—"

"Please, my love, just Bhauma."

She swallowed against a dry throat, taking a small sip of water as she smiled at him.

"After our last conversation, I had been left thinking. I... would like to get to know the one behind the commander of such a fierce army and the defeator of Indra, the person behind all of this. Will you join me tonight, my lord?"

She held a bottle of wine up, two chalices already set on the table. She knew she was taking a risk, but behind her façade a phrase kept repeating: this is for my sisters.

His forest-like eyes gleamed.

"I would love to, my lady."

He poured the wine into the two chalices, offering her one. She took a sip, not wanting to intoxicate herself. It left a sweet and dark aftertaste in her mouth, and she instantly saw the appeal. Out of the corner of her eyes, her captor downed an entire glass in one mouthful and poured himself another.

Nursing his second round, he looked at her.

She began, mentally praying that her play would come to fruition.

"My lord, one of the servants managed to spill about a new attacker at your gates. I did not hear much, but for one name: Krishna Vaasudeva. Will you not speak to me about him? I desire this."

She could see the surprise in his eyes. Good, I caught him off guard.

He recovered almost instantly, another smile with mixed emotions curving his lips upwards.

"Krishna Vaasudeva. What is it you would wish to know about him, my Queen?"

"Anything."

He hummed.

"He is the sovereign of Dvaraka, a city-kingdom established slightly off the coast of what is known as Saurashtra. It is said that he led his people of Mathura there after Jarasandha's attacks. He has seven wives, mostly to ensure political alliances with the other kingdoms, since he is said to be the driving force behind Yudhisthira, the eldest son of Pandu becoming Chakravarti of Bharata."

Location of Dvaraka, political leanings, what else, she mused.

"There are a lot of parables surrounding his life. Some say he is the incarnation of Vishnu, my sire, though I do not believe that and hardly care about it. He is said to have defeated multiple demons that Kamsa, his maternal uncle, sent against him. He is an astute and enigmatic character, and is said to have abducted Maharaani Rukmini with her permission, when she was promised to Shishupala. There is tale of a love letter she sent to him, flying in the hands of a pure Brahmina, in the dead of night."

That does it then. Abducted a princess with her own will against a marriage she did not want, what more?

"His other wives are somewhat exceptional, though I do not wish to speak of them much. Does that satiate your curiosity, my lady?"

Again his disquieting eyes were on her, and she nodded, sipping the wine.

He had thrown back several goblets of wine by now, and appeared somewhat intoxicated.

"What of yourself, my lord? Is it true that you are the son of MahaVishnu and Bhumi herself?"

His face appeared shadowed at the mention, but he said nothing until he drank a few more chalices of wine.

Under the moonlight falling on his form, he spoke again.

"It is true that my sire is Vishnu, and my mother," his face softened, "My mother is the all-pervading, all-powerful Bhumi herself."

"I was born aeons ago, under brighter skies and in happier times. In my childhood, Maa had been happier. Her laughter was like the gurgling of rivers, in her hair was caught the light of forests untouched, and the shimmering of Surya from clear pools of water. She walked with pride in her children, and sang softly to birds, her voice sweeter than the sweetest of wines, her light more blessed than what resides in Vaikuntha. Wherever she went, I followed, and with me were trails of deer, birds, and animals I never learned the names of until I was older.

"She would take me in her arms, croon a sweet lullaby of birds returning to their homes under the fading rays of Surya; and there was such love in her eyes that I have never seen since."

His face darkened as he drank another goblet full of wine, his tongue loosening by the moment.

"My sire was never there. Oh, he visited, and Maa would never look happier or in place by his side, such love he held for her. But whenever he saw me, even if only for a moment, his countenance would darken imperceptibly and he would never approach me save for forced interactions to keep Maa happy. I tried," his voice broke at this point, and she found unwanted pity filling her, which she tried hard to suppress.

"I tried so hard to make him proud, when I was younger. But no matter what I did, he would keep me at arms-length; or give me a distracted pat on the head. Nothing more. But Maa was happy, so I was glad. But as the years passed and I grew older, learning from the best tutors, his visits lessened, and he would wait only for a moment to press a distracted kiss to Maa's forehead, and then he would leave. He never acknowledged me.

"But the final straw was Maa's tears. She too, began to grow distant, as she locked herself in her chambers more, though her love for me never lessened. I spent nights at the doors shut firmly clad with ivy, hearing her weep. Every tear broke my heart, and I began to venture further in order to make her happy. At first it worked. Then, after a point, I never saw her again.

"The last sight I had of her was her pale countenance streaked with tear-streaks, eyes permanently rimmed red because of the constant tears that filled them, her face contorted with anger and grief unimaginable as she ordered me never to come before her again. I did not understand for many a year why she did that, for I had come to her doorstep with joyous news that I would be with her forever, as I had secured a boon from Brahma that none but her could kill me."

She had gone numb by this point, as she saw the tears on his face. Her hands shook as she set the chalice down, her throat dry.

"Was I not worthy of love? Am I not worthy of love, my lady?"

His eyes were on hers, desperately searching for an answer as he drank more wine by the minute.

And in the end, a price must be paid.

She took the goblet from his hand, setting it on the table.

"I cannot be the judge of that, my lord. Whether you are worthy of love or not is something you must decide yourself."

He stiffened with rage, and she shrunk back in fear.

She forced herself to speak, knowing that only this would satiate his anger.

"What I can offer you, my lord, is myself. Do with me what you will."

His anger melted away, leaving confusion behind.

"You offer yourself to me freely, my lady?"

She nodded, her throat tight.

And suddenly, he was on her, claiming her lips, instantly reaching for the clasps that held her saari together. She wanted so badly to struggle, to fight, but knew it would all be worthless. She was the sacrificial lamb, and she would accept her fate silently.

She swallowed as her blouse slipped down, leaving her bare.

For you, my sisters, I would do anything. Anything. 

A/N: This took me two hours, and I'm not sure how it turned out. I really didn't plan for it to turn so dark at the end, forgive me-