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Chapter 1
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Her feet brushed wet grass as she willed her legs to go faster and ventured deeper into the woods. Once quite far in, she looked around. She had lost the person chasing her. But she didn't rest there. She climbed up the tree nearest to her. Fortunately, it was a huge tree with plenty of foliage to hide her.

She leaned against the rough scraping bark of the tree, taking in as quiet breaths as possible. She saw the familiar hooded figure arrive and stalk the ground below her. Her feet stealthily traded upon the weak branches without making even the slightest of creaks, her hands poised in the attack position. She leaped off the branch launching herself onto the person's back but she was mere seconds too late. The opponent had heard her coming and had turned away and backed up. The attacker didn't fall face-first into the ground though, she landed perfectly on her feet. She rolled her eyes and covered her face with her hands.

"Ugh! I thought I had you, Bhagini!" she groaned into her hands.

The other woman, slightly taller, removed her hood and gave the younger one a wry grin.

"Not even close Chhaya, not even close."

She threw a glare at the hooded woman behind her as she sped back out of the dense forest. She stroked the mane of her horse as it neighed slightly in happiness at her arrival. Vayasya, her horse, nuzzled into her side as she patted her friend. Her head snapped up when she heard a sharp whistle.

"Come Chhaya, the Elders call us." 

Chhaya nodded to her friend, tucking a strand of ebony hair behind her ears, "Yes, Bhagini Charulatha. I'll be there in a few minutes, I'm hungry." With that, she nudged her horse gently and sped away.

* * *

She whooped as her horse skidded to a halt launching her in the air, sending her laughing as she fell into a soft bush. She got up, dusting herself lightly as she spoke to her horse, "You naughty little horsie! How dare you defy me?" And she burst into laughter with that. "I don't know why, Vayasya, but I'm in a particularly good mood today. Maybe because I have had a good night's sleep and also, today is a nice day. Not too warm, not too breezy... it's just right!" She tapped on his forehead with her finger.

Chhaya hauled herself atop Vayasya and patted his smooth brown coat. "Giddy-up, friend! We have some fruits to collect." 

In no time, Chhaya was up a tree, tossing mangoes onto the grass for Vayasya to eat. She bit into a mango herself, savoring its taste and closing her eyes in bliss.

"Chhaya!" A loud voice sent her tumbling down the tree, but her ever-faithful horse was there to catch her fall. She turned in the direction of the voice and straightened up. "Yes, Bhagini?"

"Get off that horse now, and bring it back up to the camp!" The woman crossed her arms against her chest, her dark robes touching the ground. Her hair was in a neat braid, her eyebrows neatly set atop her stern eyes. Her frame was wide but strong. "Uma Bhagini will not be pleased."

Chhaya slid off the horse, the roll of her eyes hidden behind the head of Vayasya. But unfortunately, her mumble hadn't gone unnoticed.

"What was that, young lady?" the woman demanded.

"I said: no, not all, she would be very pleased."

"You must cease your sarcasm at once, it suits ill for a Veer Naari to behave this way." She reprimanded her, walking back to the valley.

Chhaya refrained from letting her big mouth retort something by biting into the mango and feeding her animal friend the rest. She stayed a distance away from Bahula Bhagini, not wanting her teacher to see the daggers being sent her way. "I'll catch up with you later Vayasya, okay? Now run along to the stables." Vayasya neighed reluctantly but went away as his mistress told him to. 

There were clusters of many little white tents, with two large ones in the middle. Chhaya reached the large one with a decorative wooden hanging on the top. She lifted the thick material and stepped in to see the three elders in wait for her and two other sisters.

Chhaya greeted them with respect and stood up straighter with a blank expression. Bhagini Bahula stood to the right of the three elders in the tent. Bhagini Sparsha and Bhagini Apeksha stood beside the eldest woman, Bhagini Uma, who stood directly in front of Chhaya in the center of the tent.

Uma's expression was stern and guarded, her eyes and face a steel mask. Her hair grayed at the ends, but the rest was a brownish-black. Her face was, with not too many, but few subtle lines that grew with age. Her nose was straight and pointy, her face an elongated circle. She had a tall but thin frame, and though she was light-weighted, she was strong. She towered over Chhaya as the tallest amongst all the women in the Veer Naari clan.

"Yes, Bhaginyaha?" Chhaya questioned meekly, wary under five pairs of eyes on her.

"Chhaya," Uma's wisdom-filled voice spoke. "Today is the day. The day we will reveal to you something of utmost importance and confidentiality."

A surge of excitement went through her as she remembered the day three years ago,

"Charu, Bhagini Charulatha!" she rushed to the woman breathlessly.

The seated woman turned to the girl frowned. "What is wrong, Chhaya?"

"Take this," Chhaya offered, extending her hand with special red berries, "I know you turn one and twenty today, so I wanted to give you something special."

Charu accepted the berries with raised eyebrows. "But you... you brought it down from the hill top? The only place they grow is that single tree near the cliff! Had the berries fallen on the ground?"

Charulatha's eyes widened when the girl didn't look away, looked up, that is. "Chhaya, don't tell me you went to the cliff and..."

"I did," she confirmed. "It's the least I could do."

"But, but if the Elders get to know about it, you know Vayasya might be taken from you for a few months." The Elders restricted her from going there as the cliff was a dangerous place with loosely set rocks that could come tumbling at any given time. When she had dared gone near, they had threatened to keep her horse away from her. But Chhaya was a curious and enthusiastic girl, full of thirst for adventure. She didn't see any harm in going there as long as she was careful.

"I know. But don't worry, they didn't see me, and they'll never have to know about it." Chhaya winked.

Charu's eyes softened. "Thank you, Chhaya. But you know that you should safeguard your life, it was very dangerous of you to go up there. Never even think of doing it again, got it?"

"Got it, ma'am!" she replied cheerfully. She glanced at the sun. "Bhagini, I have to go now, leader Uma told me that I have to meet her in the tent."

She got up and headed to the elders' camp. "Pranam Bhagini!" she said, making her arrival known.

The leader just nodded back at her, gesturing her to take a seat. She spoke, "So, Chhaya, are you faring well?"

She blinked. That's an odd question to ask, she sees me every day!

"Er, yes Bhagini."

"I mean, are you annoyed or upset over anything as of now? Even in the slightest?"

The young girl was confused. "No, Bhagini, why would I feel upset talking to you?"

"No, no, not in my presence, but some time ago. We Veer Naryaha rarely get swayed by our emotions, I know, but is this the rare time when you do?"

The woman was being awfully caring right now. Sure, her tone was almost the same tight one she used with everyone and her face was blank, but this was the closest she got to being concerned.

"No, Uma Bhagini. In fact, I'm feeling quite good."

"Good," she said, placing the quill in her hand down. "As far as you know, you are an orphan that we decided to take in. You were told that your parents were two great people. But that is, however, not the complete truth. You are the daughter of two of the greatest rulers to ever rule BharathaVarsha. You are in fact, not a Vaishya, but a... Kshatriya. You do not belong to the clan of traders and merchants but the clan of warriors. You are a princess."

Chhaya blinked slowly as she processed this information. She was a young girl of royal blood. She. Was. Of. Royal. Blood. 

I'm a princess. I'm a princess!?

"Your parents never abandoned you, they left you in our care for your protection from their enemies. Three more years into the future, you will be sixteen. And on that day, we will give you a letter that your parents had written to you when you were just a youngin."

It took a few minutes for that to sink in. Her parents were no mere merchants as she thought they were, they were royals. And two of the greatest rulers, in fact!

"But- h-how... who were they? Who were their enemies? What made them leave me?" The teen was taken by immense curiosity.

"All in good time my child. But remember, this must be kept a close secret. No one, not even village folk we talk to sometimes, can know of this. They must by all means not know who you are. This mere piece of knowledge may land you in great danger one day, a danger that might even cost you your life. So tell me, who are you to everyone else?"

"I'm an orphan. My parents died when I was a few weeks old. Word has it, that my parents were traders and lost their lives when they were attacked by bandits." Chhaya automatically replied. She was taking in all of this well for a girl her age.

"Very well, you may go now. But never forget to keep this secret only to yourself." Uma had dismissed her.

She remembered that day very well and hadn't forgotten a bit of it. She curled her toes inwards, keeping the nerves at bay.

"The matter is of who you are, and where you come from."

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Glossary:

Bhagini (bha-gi-ni) - sister in Sanskrit.

Bhaginyaha (bh-uh-gi-nyaa-ha) - plural form of 'Bhagini' (sisters) in Sanskrit.

Vayasya (va-yes-ya) - friend/companion.

Veer Naari (vee-r naa-ri)- Veer being synonymous with brave warrior and Naari meaning woman. Hence, 'warrior woman'. 

Veer Naryaha (vee-r naa-rya-aa-ha) - Naryaha being plural form of Naari. Hence, ' warrior women'.

Kshatriya (ksh-tri-ya) - the second "highest" caste in the varna/jaathi system consisting of warriors that comprise mostly of royals/ruling class.

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