Chapter 15
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Surya turned back, surprised to see her friend walk in. Her eyes went wide when they landed on the person accompanying her. It was the same Veer Naari sister that she had seen conversing with Bahula the other day.

"Pranam, Bhaginyaha," they synchronized.

Suruchi nodded in acknowledgment. "Take a seat, Charulatha and Radha." 

Oh, so that's her name...

Uma Bhagini spoke after they sat, "You must listen to whatever we say carefully, for this is a crucial matter and must be kept a secret. Understood?"

"Understood, Bhagini," Charu said, Radha just nodded from beside Surya. She studied the quiet and reserved Veer Naari whom she had only seen around but not spoken to. She wore pitch black, thick locks of hair braided behind her. Her guarded eyes were lined with kohl, her lips set in a stern line. She was quite tall and had a dark complexion. She looked like a calculative and precise woman.

"You three will be sent on a mission." Suruchi broke the news. "But this will be no ordinary one. The previous tasks were based on rescuing village folk, sabotaging robbers plots of village raids, protecting them from being attacked by wild animals, to name a few. They were not missions as such, but our sewa, our duty, and fulfilling our virtues as humans. However, you three will be the first ones to be part of an elaborate mission such as this."

"Yes," Uma Bhagini said. "This is unlike anything we usually do. This does not violate our principles, but it is just on a greater level than we deal with. However, it does bend the principles of staying unbiased towards any state or kingdom," she sent Suruchi a pointed look, but continued without a pause, "but it is for... what you can call the greater good."

Surya's confused expression morphed into one of understanding, but the other two remained expectant of the Elder's words.

"The purpose of this is mission is to dethrone King Abalabāhu."

This sent waves of faint startled gasps through the girls. "Dethrone him, Bhagini? But, our clan does not deal with other kingdoms' matters." Charu argued, still shocked by the fact.

"Yes, you are right, Charulatha. But this has gone beyond just a kingdom," Suruchi's grave voice answered. "They have gone too far. Abalabāhu has terrorized independent tribes, clans, and villages who have not surrendered to his rule. He has threatened the very existence of these independent communities. That means, the existence of the Veer Naari clan as well."

* * *

"Hence, we must usurp his rule before he attacks us. This isn't a selfish reason, selfless, rather. By succeeding in this mission, we succeed in rescuing other people and in saving their lives. That will be a huge feat and a noble achievement for us. If we manage it. Out of the many fine Veer Naaryaha, we have chosen you three. You must not fail us, for if you do, it will be the end of our cause. Our clan. Our lives."

Suryakanti felt her shoulders drop slightly. Must be the weight of this mission, she sighed internally. My aunt picked me as I am directly related to this, but is that all? She did not see anything else in me?

Well, what great person am I to question her judgment? I am not as old or experienced as the others, after all. I should be honored to be chosen for this.

"Do you all accept this responsibility?"

Surya almost snorted. Not like we have much of a choice, Aunt, but alright, we will.

"Yes, Bhagini." The trio's voice chorused into one.

"Samyak, we move on to the main goals, the outline of the mission, and requirements later, Go have your lunch. I presume the time is such?"

"Yes, Lady Suruchi," Sparsha answered. "Today's special is bitter gourd curry. And yes, you have to consume at least one, full serving, girls. It is good for your health." Signs of their internal groans showed up on their faces as wrinkling of their noses. But Radha remained impassive, nodding curtly. The princess suppressed an eye roll. Urgh, what a gooddy-good! How does she even like that bitter-tasting gourd? Well, good for her!

They stood up and quietly exited the room. Charu slowed down and walked alongside Surya. She stopped in her place when Surya turned into another hallway without noticing her. "Unless you would want to go the grounds to have your lunch, I suggest you take this route, Chhaya!" she called out, a smirk playing at her lips.

Surya halted, spinning around slowly as she looked at her surroundings. The wide, painted walls with plenty of windows told her that she was indeed in the wrong place. She walked back to her friend, looking to her left. The quick glimpses through the windows showed the blinding, afternoon light of the sun that enveloped the otherwise dark green bushes, making them appear a few shades lighter than they were.

"Oh yes, I hadn't noticed. Thank you, Bhagini."

"What a marvelous turn of events, Chhaya. We are both on the same mission!"

"Hmm," she muttered absent-mindedly.

"Why, aren't you excited too?"

"Oh what? Yes, yes I am, just..." she let out a sigh, coming out of her chain of thoughts. "I'm just nervous if I'll be able to do it with the both of you."

Her friend frowned in concern, stopping her. "Is this about that day when I told you you were immature? Don't take it to heart, I didn't mean it. It came out in the spur of the moment, I'm sorry. Chin up, now. You're a Veer Naari after all. Besides, if you weren't capable, why would've Lady Suruchi have chosen you?"

She chose me because of my parentage, not my skills.

"I suppose you're right," Surya replied instead. "Come on, let's get to the hall for the mid-day meal." She forced a smile onto her face and skipped past her.

Charu smiled, making no haste as she caught up to her in a few long strides. "You do know why we are being called to lunch directly after this, don't you?"

Surya's forehead creased for a moment. "To eat, what else- oh! I remember now..."

"Exactly, that's why we all look neat and presentable today. The three of us, I mean."

"Oh... then, we set off tomorrow?"

"According to previous tasks, yes, but I'm not sure about this one." Suryakanti nodded, her eyes falling on the open doors at the end of the corridor. She saw her fellow sisters sitting down in rows on the long bamboo mats, the huge banana leaves laid empty and waiting in front of them. She swiveled her head to the side when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Radha as the leader, I'm betting. She has worked on many tasks previously and is experienced in them. You and I, on the other hand, don't have experience. Well, I have gone out on one task, but catching a wild boar and leaving it in the woods hardly counts."

"Still, that's something," Surya said. "I'm sure this will be a thrilling mission."

Charulatha raised an eyebrow.

Surya rolled her eyes. "Alright, an honorable and important mission, then."

Charu hummed, satisfied with her answer.

* * *

The hall was filled with the faint buzzing of Veer Naryaha. Faint, surprised buzzing, that is. Lunch was to be postponed by half an hour. This had never happened before, yes there were a few minutes of delay in serving lunch sometimes but not half an hour long for the sisterhood was usually punctual. Netra smiled as Surya sat down beside her.

"There you are Bhagini!" she chirped, and her friend smiled faintly at that. "I was wondering what took you so long, Apeksha Bhagini said that you were called by Uma Bhagini. What did she tell you Chhaya Bhagini-"

"Later, Netra," she interrupted, dismissing her question at that. Netra blinked. What was wrong with Chhaya Bhagini? She's always so cheery...

Before the little girl could ask something, her attention shifted to the Elders who filed in. And so were others' gazes. Suruchi and Uma stood in the middle, a veil pulled over the former's face, reaching till her eyes while the latter stood regal and straight, her emotionless face uncovered. She wore a high bun, the pleats of her saree standing neat and symmetrical. The twin Elders stood together, almost a mirror reflection of each other, to Uma's right. Their long, silky hair was left open and pushed to one side, the only difference between them being the shape of their noses and lips. Else they looked identical.

They were the only two to be related by blood to be part of the Veer Naari clan. Found starving and hungry on the roadside, they had been adopted into their sisterhood by the Elders who had come before them. Not even the founding sisters of the clan were related. 

Bhargavi and Meghashree. The revered sisters were not actually sisters. They were close friends who found the clan to shelter young orphan girls, train them, and teach them to live independently.

One of the things Surya loved about her clan was that the founders didn't use their personal experiences to dictate the core principles of the academy and clan. Their exact past situations were unknown but one thing was clear: they had had traumatic experiences from the males of their own families. The young princess had to commend their strength and willpower to fight back against them and move away to establish the clan that imparted education, survival skills, good virtues and morals, and even scholarly knowledge. It was not just a clan, but an academy, a home, a family.

Bahula stood to Suruchi's left, her arms by her side, her short, bushy hair streaked with grey, left open behind her. The lines of her face were set in a stern expression, her gaze locked on Uma Bhagini who had started to speak.

"After nearly eight months, we are announcing a task. The procedure goes this way: the matter requiring our attention is assessed and three sisters are chosen based on their capabilities to carry forward the task. The task need not consist of three girls only, they can also ask for more backup to handle it if the three of them cannot do it. But the three are the ones who take all the major decisions." She paused, signaling the blind Veer Naari to continue.

"Among them, a leader is chosen. Each one is presented with items, tokens, that symbolize their commitment to the task. They must only return the token back once they have successfully completed their tasks. Sometimes the tokens are metal badges, sometimes a handcrafted, symbolic bead on a string, and other things as such. Today, we are announcing not a task, but a mission of high importance and secrecy. For this, we have chosen- Radha, Charulatha and... Chhaya."

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Glossary:

Samyak (sum-yuh-k) - Good/adequate in Sanskrit.

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Happy New Year, everyone! Early update to celebrate the new English year :)

Today is just another day, a flip of the calendar with no astrological/religious importance, but it currently plays a significant role in our lives. So let's make resolutions and fulfill them this time. It has been a hectic 2021 and we don't know what surprises 2022 holds for us, but let's tread forward hoping for the best.

May happiness and prosperity fill this year!