Draupadi

CHAPTER I

The preparations for the svayamvar were in full swing, yet my mind was a restless sea, churning with doubts and questions. Krishna sat across from me, lounging as though the entire event were a casual game he was observing from the sidelines. But I knew better—nothing escaped him, and his presence was never accidental.

I studied him as he waggled his eyebrows playfully at me, clearly amused by my stormy expression. This was the man who had effortlessly convinced my father to hold the svayamvar in the first place. This man, I thought, is the reason I'm being paraded as the ultimate prize. And not just any prize—one that had been so carefully planned to land in the hands of his best friend, the Pandava prince, Arjuna.

"Krishna," I said, trying to keep the sharpness out of my voice, "this isn't fair."

He leaned back, folding his arms with a smirk. "What isn't fair, Sakhi?"

"You know what," I said, my voice low but brimming with irritation.

Krishna's smirk widened, his eyes twinkling with the kind of knowing that always set me on edge. "Ah, you're worried about the svayamvar."

"No," I shot back, though my tone betrayed the lie. "I'm worried about the fact that this entire thing feels less like a choice and more like... a setup."

He tilted his head, feigning innocence. "A setup? Draupadi, you wound me! Do you really think so little of me?"

I crossed my arms, glaring at him. "Do I? You convinced my father to agree to this spectacle. You orchestrated the entire thing, down to the impossible archery task. And somehow, your 'best friend' Arjuna just happens to be the only man in the kingdom capable of succeeding. Tell me, Krishna, what part of this isn't a setup?"

His grin didn't falter, but there was a softness in his gaze as he leaned forward. "Sakhi, you know I wouldn't steer you wrong."

I scoffed, though I could feel the edges of my resistance cracking. "Why should I trust you? I barely know Arjuna. Why should I marry a man I've never even spoken to?"

Krishna's expression grew serious, a rarity that caught me off guard. "Because you do trust me, Draupadi," he said, his voice steady and certain. "And because I know you. I know what you need, what you deserve. And Arjuna... he is that. Trust me in this, if in nothing else."

I stared at him, torn between anger and the nagging feeling that he was, as always, right. I hated how effortlessly he could unravel my doubts, how easily he could make me question my own resistance.

"Why him?" I asked finally, my voice quieter now, almost hesitant.

Krishna smiled, but it wasn't the teasing grin I was used to. It was softer, gentler. "Because he is a man who will value you, Draupadi. Not just as a wife, but as an equal, as a partner. He will stand beside you, not ahead of you. And whether you realize it now or not, that is what you deserve."

I didn't know what to say to that. His words were too earnest, too raw, and they left me feeling exposed.

"Fine," I said after a long pause, my voice begrudging. "But if this doesn't work out, Krishna, I'll never forgive you."

He laughed then, the sound rich and warm, filling the space between us. "Oh, Sakhi," he said, his eyes gleaming with mischief once more. "You'll thank me one day. Just wait and see."

I shook my head, exasperated, but a part of me—small, stubborn, and buried deep—couldn't help but hope that he was right.

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 Krishna was truly magic. Please read, vote and comment. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It may be a short one but it has significance for the upcoming chapters.