❝ my beginning, my middle, my end ❞

~·Prologue: Akshara's Story·~

Goenka Villa, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.

"Akshu, aapko Yashoda maiyya aur Krishna bhagwaan ki kahaani pata hai?" Sirat asked an 11-year-old Akshara as the mother-daughter duo sat on the terrace of the Goenka Villa under the night sky, the cool breeze caressing their face.

"Um...Janmashtami ke time pe Mimi ne sunayi toh thi. But I think I forgot it!" Akshara bit her tongue as she replied to her mother's question.

Sirat let out a soft giggle looking at her daughter's cute reactions, and said, "Chalo, phir aaj mumma aapko phirse woh kahaani suna dengi." Akshara's eyes lit up—she loved listening to stories her mother narrated to both of them—her sister Aarohi and her.

"Wow! I am all ears, Mumma! Par Aaru kyun nahi aayi?" an excited Akshara asked.

"Aaj ki yeh story sirf aapke liye hai Akshu, isiliye," Sirat calmly replied to Akshara. Akshara was confused, but she trusted her mother more than anyone else. She nodded her head.

Just then, Kartik walked in, holding a beautifully carved wooden box. "Kya Papa bhi join kar sakte hain?" he asked rhetorically while settling down on the mattress, setting the box he brought aside.

Akshara's inquisitive brain wanted to know what her father had gotten. But just as she was about to voice her question, Sirat grabbed her attention, indicating that she was starting the story. Forgetting all about the box, Akshara now focused all her attention on the story her mother wanted to tell—her eyes wide open, the stars in them shining brighter than the ones in the sky.

"Mathura gaav mein Kans naam ka ek raja tha. He was a cruel and unjust king who tortured the people of his kingdom. He had a sister named Devki, whom he loved dearly. He got her married to a good-natured man named Vasudev in a grand ceremony," Sirat started narrating, and Akshara was listening to Sirat with all her attention. "Shaadi ke baad, Kans ne Devki aur Vasudev ko unke ghar chhodna chaha. He took his chariot and started driving it toward Vasudev's home. Par kuchh door pohochte hi, aasman se ek aakashvani hui. A divine voice roared from the skies and said, 'Kans, your end is near. The eighth son born to your dear sister will be the reason for your destruction!' Woh bhavishyavani sunkar Kans toh darr gaya!" Sirat added dramatically.

Akshara's eyes widened at that. "Haww, phir kya hua Mumma?" she curiously asked. Kartik watched the exchange between his daughter and wife with utmost adoration, a huge smile adorning his face.

Sirat continued, "Phir? Phir woh Vasudev aur Devki ko wapas Mathura le gaya aur apne guards se kehkar un dono ko karagar mein band karwa diya."

"Karagar matlab?" Akshu asked, unable to understand the word her mother used.

"Karagar matlab prison. Jail," Kartik explained, causing Akshu to give a dramatic gasp.

"Hmm. Par jab Universe koi baat tay karta hai na, toh woh hokar rehti hai, aap chahe jitni koshish kar lo rokne ki," Sirat said looking up at the inky, starry skies. Following her mother, Akshu looked up in wonder too.

"Kans ka ant toh tay tha, toh woh hokar rehta. Kuchh waqt baad, Devki aur Vasudev ko apna pehela baccha hua. And when Kans got to know, he immediately snatched the baby away and killed it. Ek ke baad ek, Kans ne Devki-Vasudev ke aur paanch bacche maar diye, apne aap ko bachane keliye," Sirat said sadly. Akshara's round eyes had teared up at that. Looking at his daughter being affected by the story, Kartik held her hand in his. Akshara took a deep breath to control her tears.

"Par aapko pata hai phir kya hua?" Sirat asked excitedly to lighten Akshara's mood. Akshu just shook her head at that.

Sirat quickly added, "Magic hua. Before Devki could give birth to her seventh child, the baby was magically sent to another lady. Devki aur Vasudev ne Kans se kehe diya ki unka baccha mara hua paida hua hai, par reality mein toh woh bilkul safe tha!"