There was a ferocious river whose waters whispered tales of wonder and peril it flowed in the middle of a land that was divided by astral influence and hate, where legends danced on the brink of reality and the stories of sacrifice and valour stained the waters. The fierce flow of this river, called the Varaahi, reflected the might of the gods themselves.
A cry echoed along the riverbanks one fateful morning as the first rays of sunlight broke through the thick canopy of old trees. It was a newborn's wail, fragile and yet full of life, abandoned to the whims of the cruel currents of Varaahi.
The villagers who lived in the banks of the crocodile infested waters were in awe to find an infant swaddled in the finest silks and adorned with divine symbols of protection. It was found nestled amongst the reeds and fair lillies in a large basket woven with cane and laced with prints of thick blood. The jewels indicated that it was nobel born. The villagers knew that this baby was special, maybe God's blessings to this cursed land, it was no ordinary thing that anyone could survive the harsh waters of Varaahi. She was destined for the inordinate, for they believed that greatness was woven into the fabric of her fate. News about her spread like wild fire, reaching the royal court and the ears of the powerful minister and socceress Malini.
The couple that found the infant girl brought her to the court and Malini taking one look at her adornments knew where she belonged. The revere in her face broke into a sneer as her cruel mind contemplated the various possibilities that aroused due to this situation. She decided to raise the child as her own, recognising her tremendous beauty, she named her Aadrika. She whispered her name thrice in her ears, the infant wailed. It was checked for birthmarks and it surprised Malini, it also made her worry. She had announced that the couple were to stay in the palace to accept their hospitality and were rewarded with riches. Malini then commanded a handful of her assassins to kill the couple in cold blood as the information they knew was precious and anyone not knowing it would work to her advantage. She enchanted a pendant to be worn by the child at all times which would hide the birthmark effectively. Birthmarks like the one she saw were originally made by family members just when the light seems to be leaving their eyes, when the body is still warm and the person is wavering between the conscious and unconscious, when one can weave a request and blow it down their mortal frames while tracing a marking in butter. It would be a symbol belonging to family, usually the one only the members would recognise. It would be placed to recognise them as the ones that would be reborn into the family, the birthmark - a reminder of an unfulfilled affair.
Malini never thought in her wildest dreams that fate would give her a fair chance for a come back and how? She thanked her stars and threads of her destiny that pulled this child to fulfill her deepest and darkest of desires.
It was just another day as the handmaids were putting out the palace lights, when little Aadrika played fearlessly with a deadly cobra. She danced around the snake, its hooded head swaying in time to her joyful giggles that reverberated through the lone corridors and old trees. Unknown to the mortal world, Aadrika had an uncommon talent: a true heart that knew no fear for the wild beasts. The cobra, which is always dreaded by all, responded to her tiny pats with soft prods as its scales shimmered in the filtered sunlight. Narratives hinted at such relationships, forged in the ethereal depths of antiquity, when chastity and innocence prevailed over the most formidable creatures. The handmaids watched frozen as little Aadrika toyed with death, one rushed out to get help while the other swooned.
Aadrika bid her serpentine companion farewell as the day dwindled down and the woodland was illuminated by ethereal light in the golden hues of dusk. Her small hand traced patterns in the air, seemingly indicating it's return. The snake gave one last flick of its tail and slithered into the darkness and into the depths of the forest, leaving a trail of magic and wonder in its wake. The handmaids thought that Aadrika would be mentioned in whispers among the gods and heroes of old, a symbol of the moment when a small child's purity crossed the line between the divine and the mortal world, changing the path of history forever.
Malini who was watching this slowly unfold knew in the heart of hearts, knew what she would do to this child. The poor unfortunate soul who survived adversities was to become a mere pawn in the game designed by evil Malini. Her fate was sealed when Malini learnt that the deadly poison did not affect Aadrika at all. Malini began poisoning her from an early age. As Aadrika grew, she was being trained in the art of warefare, diplomacy, survival, weaponry, torture, and primarily in the arts of seduction. She was bathed and rubbed in exotic oils. She was dressed in seductive silken robes and jewelry that accentuated her tilts and curves. There were poisoned darts hidden in her hair pin, there were finger rings laced with poisons, they were poisons that didn't affect her but would prove fatal to the afflicted. Her postures were corrected, her body perfumed and hair accessorised with the most beautiful flowers for her to be made irresistible to the opponent. She had the gait of an elephant, she could stop a man in his tracks just by a look. She could sing and dance and also play several instruments to please. She was irresistible and fatal and ready to be given.
