"Rajkumar Arjun?" Subhadra called him.

He was aware of the girls presence, but ignored her till now. As she addressed him, he turned with a blank face. Who was this?

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Subhadra. Your Madhav's little and lovely sister." Subhadra said smiling at him.

He started to go not seeing any reason to chit-chat with her.

"Wait. Where are you going, Rajkumar Arjun? I've waited so long to meet you." Subhadra said going behind him. That was rude of him. Her bhrata Krishna said Rajkumar Arjun was a jolly and sweet person. But he didn't seem like that. Or was he afraid of Draupadi? Was that why he didn't want to talk to her here at this time?

"How do you know who am I?" He asked turning towards Subhadra again.

"Anyone can recognise you from your performance. Who else can throw arrows with such precision except the greatest archer of Aryavart?" Subhadra said smiling again.

"Who said to you Rajkumar Arjun is the greatest archer of Aryavart?" He asked again.

"Bhrata Krishna. Who else?" Subhadra was confused now. What's with these questions?

"Either he lied or you misunderstood. Because Rajkumar Arjun is great, not greatest. And my name is Karna." Saying so Karna started to leave but stopped again.
"And little girls like you shouldn't roam at nights unattended." He added before leaving.

Subhadra stared at the way he went dumbfounded. She had heard about him from Drisana. He was King of Anga and also a good Archer. But what she saw was beyond good. Like extraordinarily good. It seemed to her he was under praised. Or she never noticed his praises. She would have to ask Drisana.

Wait.

Did he just call her a little girl? She frowned thinking about it. Then shrugged. Being called younger was supposed to be a compliment, right?

Next morning, Drisana was preparing for prayer when Subhadra came to her.

"Suprabhat, Drisana. (Good morning)" Subhadra said. Drisana frowned at her. Subhadra wasn't an early riser.

"Suprabhat. Why are you up so early? Is there something special today?" Drisana asked.

"You're saying like I only get up early on special occasion." Subhadra said pouting. Drisana gave her a look.

"Okay. Okay. I wanted to ask you something and you know I can't keep questions in my stomach for long." Subhadra said. Drisana's lips twisted.

"Ask away then."

"I-I wanted to know about your bhrata." Subhadra said meekly. Drisana sighed.

"What do you want to know about bhrata Arjun?" Drisana asked.

"Arjun? No. Not Rajkumar Arjun. I want to know about Angraj Karna." Subhadra said. Drisana stilled, then turned slowly towards Subhadra. When had she met Karna? What was happening?

"Why and what do you want to know about him?" Drisana asked carefully.

"Just curiosity. And nothing specific. Just about him." Subhadra said casually.

Drisana looked closely at Subhadra. She was looking everywhere but at her and there was a slight blush on her cheeks.

Okay.

This was unexpected. Drisana calculated the situation fast. Karna was currently single after his wife, Supriya died while childbirth. From what Drisana knew, Supriya was Duryodhan's wife, Bhanumati's maid and friend. When Duryodhan kidnapped Bhanumati with Karna's help, she refused to marry Duryodhan unless Karna married Supriya. Karna honoured her wish. After Supriya's death, he refused to marry again.
He was surly and Subhadra was bubbly. She could bring some lightness into him. Also Subhadra was Balaram and Krishnas sister and thus she could give Karna a strong standing that would remove his insecurities about caste and royals. Moreover, Drisana was sure as soon as the news of her and Nakul's marriage reached Hastinapur, Duryodhan and Gandharraj Shakuni would leave for Dwarka to make another alliance. Subhadra could be the last stroke on Karna and Duryodhan's friendship. As for the age difference, age is just a number after all. No one seemed to care about age in this time period, specially mens. And what she knew about Subhadra was, if she set her eyes on something, she became hell stubborn. Good thing. Because she would need to be Menaka to break this Vishwamitra's meditation.

"I'll surely tell you about bhrata Karna." Drisana said smiling at her.

Everyone was moving towards the dining hall for breakfast. Daiwik and Dhikshit came to take Nakul specially.

"Kya lagta hai aapko bhrata? Rajkumar Nakul ka sakal lal bandar ki tara dikhega ya madhu makkhi ki chatte ki tarah? (What do you think bhrata? Rajkumar Nakul's face will look like a monkey or like the nest of bees?)" Daiwik asked as they neared Nakul's room. Before Dhikshit could answer Nakul came out looking like his normal self, handsome and fresh. Dhikshit narrowed his eyes and Daiwik's rounded.

"Pranam Rajkumar Dhikshit. Pranam Rajkumar Daiwik." Nakul greeted them with a smile.

"Pranam. How are you this morning? You didn't face any trouble in sleeping?" Daiwik asked looking at him from head to toe.

"No. Absolutely not. I slept quite well. And see. I'm refreshed after such a peaceful sleep." Nakul replied.

"Okay. That's good. Let's go for breakfast." Dhikshit said clearing his throat.

"Wait. Before we go, I've something for Rajkumar Daiwik." Nakul said and went inside the room again, leaving the two baffled. He returned with a box and handed it to Daiwik, the same box of red ants that Daiwik placed in his room.

"Gin lijiye. Aapke sare senani sahi salamat hai. (Count them. Your army is safe and sound.)" Nakul said smiling mischievously. Daiwik gave him a tight-lipped smile. As Nakul went away, he looked at Dhikshit and asked,

"Ishe kire makoro se bhi baat karna aata hai kya? (Does he know to talk with ants too?)"

"Maybe. Waise eh to lal bandar ya madhu makkhi ke chatta nehi bana, par tum popat jarur ban gaye anuj. (By the way, he didn't turned to monkey or nest of bees, but you became a fool for sure.)" Dhikshit said chuckling.

After breakfast Drisana's parents, brothers, Kunti, Arjun and Krishna sat for the official Vakdaanam (agreement for betrothal). Ceremony got completed and consulting the Raj purohit (Royal priest), marriage date was fixed after two months.

"Two months!!!" Nakul looked at Arjun with horror.

"This much time is required for preparations. And also there's no earlier muhurat (auspicious time) for the wedding." Arjun said rolling his eyes.

"This wedding is going to be so grand that whole Aryavart will remember it's opulence. For that two months is very less Rajkumar Nakul." Krishna said smiling.

"What's the need for a grand wedding?" Nakul said being annoyed by the lateness.

"My priye anuj, this is the wedding of the most sought out princess of Aryavart. Do you even know how many Kings and Princes were after her? You're lucky that she chose you." Arjun said.

"And don't say that in front of her brothers. They'll eat you alive." Krishna added.

"Like they're not trying to do that now? Rajkumar Dhikshit invited me for a sword fight in the happiness of getting his sisters marriage fixed." Nakul said with dejection.

"You didn't accept right?" Arjun asked.

"I wouldn't have if it was an option." Nakul said almost crying.

Here, after hearing about Karna from Drisana, Subhadra was feeling sad. How much he had suffered. He was a man with honour and talents. This was so unfair to him. And she had also unknowingly angered him. That was why he wasn't eager to talk to her, she thought. Well, she should apologise for her assumption. He was right. Her bhrata Krishna praised Rajkumar Arjun a lot, but never said he was the greatest archer of Aryavart. She assumed that and blurted that in front of him of all people. As she was contemplating, how to talk to him, she saw Karna going somewhere.

"Maharathi Karna!!!" Subhadra shouted. All the guards and dasis around looked at her startled. Karna also stopped and looked weirdly at her. Subhadra gave a forced smile to all and went to Karna.

"What happened? Why were you shouting my name?" Karna asked with a frown.

"To stop you. I wanted to talk to you." Subhadra said somewhat meekly.

"About what?" Karna asked, a little annoyed.

"Actually I wanted to apologise for what I said earlier. You're right. I assumed wrongly. But you shouldn't also get offended so easily. Kisiko accha bolne ka matlab ay thori na hai ki aap bure ho gaye. (Praising someone else doesn't mean you became less.) And bhrata Krishna says when we see someone is good at something, we should praise them instead of getting jealous." Subhadra said rapidly. Karna looked at her surprised. Was she apologising or calling him jealous? Of Rajkumar Arjun?

"Look Rajkumari. You assumed wrong and I only corrected you. Neither am I offended nor am I jealous." Karna said stiffly.

"No. No. I didn't mean to say you're jealous. I was just saying you shouldn't be offended so easily. That too on such a sweet and beautiful girl like me. But you said you weren't offended that means you're always this rude and grumpy?" Subhadra said again. Karna looked at her stunned.

"I should leave." Karna said and started to leave but Subhadra blocked his way.

"Look you got offended again." She said.

"I'm not offended, Rajkumari Subhadra." Karna said huffing slightly.

"Sure?" Subhadra asked narrowing her eyes.

"Yes." Karna replied.

"Then I was right. You're naturally grumpy and rude." Subhadra declared. Karna's mouth gapped open slightly. But he closed it and thought to not entertain her more. He left without saying anything.

"Grumpy-jumpy." Subhadra muttered looking at his back.

Drisana looked aghast at Arjun as he informed her that Nakul was going to fight with her brother Dhikshit. She turned towards the practice area where both stood with swords at hand. Her other brothers were also present with Karna and Krishna. Drisana gulped. Her brother Dhikshit got angry and violent easily. When it came to sword fighting, he tend to become aggressive and his opponents could barely save themselves, but not without getting bad bruises and wounds. Friendly competition? She had seen how his friendly competition went. Even her other brothers rarely engaged him. She turned towards her other brothers with narrowed eyes who were buzzing with excitement for a 'friendly match'. She stared at Dwijendra.

"Stop it Jyesth." She demanded.

"I can't. I didn't tell him to accept." Dwijendra said shrugging.

"Yes. And he is a big boy. He can take a few beatings." Dheemant added rubbing his hands in excitement.

"He'll come back in one piece, right?" Drisana asked looking helplessly at all.

"Maybe." Dhritimat replied.

"Maybe????!!!!!!" Drisana gasped in horror. She looked at Arjun, pleading him with eyes to do something.

"Don't worry. Main bikhre tukro ko sametkar le aayunga. (I'll bring back his scattered pieces.)" Arjun said sympathetically. Was it supposed to make her feel better? As the swords clashed Drisana closed her eyes.

"I can't see this. I'm leaving." Drisana left stomping her foot.

So Subhadra got Karna.

And I want to clarify something.

I know the popular belief says she was Yogamaya. But I found some arguments where it was stated that Subhadra can't be Yogamaya and she was born much later. These two are different. While Yogamaya or Ekanamsha, the sister of Krishna, was born to Yashoda-Nandagopa, Subhadra is daughter of Rohini-Vasudeva. there are many more facts that supports this argument.

I don't know which one is true or not.

So I chose the later for this story.

Thus, Subhadra isn't Yogamaya in this story.