Janani - The Warrior Mother

Chapter 20

Her heart felt lighter as she approached the glimmering city of Dwarka, though the familiar sight of the moonlight casting over the crystal-clear water did nothing to soothe her. She had said what needed to be said in Hastinapur, but it had drained her, leaving her emotions raw.

As she entered the main courtyard, she spotted Krishna waiting for her near the entrance, his arms crossed casually, yet his eyes sharp with the knowledge that something weighed heavily on her mind. His face softened into a gentle smile as she approached.

"Back already?" he asked lightly, though the concern in his tone was unmistakable. "So, how was your meeting with the great court of Hastinapur?"

She drew in a long breath, and exhaled slowly, her shoulder sagging with exhaustion. "I said what someone had to tell them," she said wearily. "They wanted to speak about the princes future but it felt like all they did was cast doubt."

Krishna studied her for a moment, leading her inside to take a seat. "Doubt?" he prompted softly, once they were sat across each other.

She looked at him, but her eyes were distant. "They questioned whether I am enough-whether I can raise Abhi and Jiji's sons the way they need to be raised without the so-called 'guidance' of the Kuru elders. They said the princes need men like them to shape their futures, to train them." She paused, her jaw tightening in frustration. "As if those very men didn't sit and do nothing when Jiji was humiliated. As if they could offer anything of value to our sons now."

Krishna was silent for a moment, his gaze steady as he watched her. "And what did you tell them?" he asked, his voice calm but with an edge of curiosity.

"I told them the truth," Subhadra said, a flicker of pride in her voice. "That the princes will be better men than any of them. And that they needn't look to Hastinapur for guidance, because they've already learned all they need from the silence of those elders. I told them that when our sons return, they will be unstoppable."

Krishna's lips curved into a small smile, his eyes gleaming with approval. "It seems you didn't just say what needed to be said, Subhadra. You showed them exactly who they're dealing with."

She looked at him then, the tension slowly ebbing from her body as she took in the warmth in his eyes. "I had no choice," she said quietly. "They needed to know that Abhi and the others will not be their pawns. Not now, not ever."

Krishna's smile widened and he placed a hand on her knee, assuring her he was there for her. "They needed to hear it from you. You know them better than anyone ever will, and your faith in them is what will make them the warriors they are destined to be."

Subhadra smiled gratefully, leaning back against her seat in thought. "It's just... being there, Bhaiya," she admitted softly. "In those halls, with those men. I couldn't help but think of Jiji, of all the pain they caused her. Every step I took in that place felt like walking through a battlefield."

"Life is but a battlefield, Subhadre," Krishna sighed, his eyes softening as he took her in. "There will be war. Draupadi will be avenged."

Subhadra considered his words for a moment, and nodded slowly. "Now," Krishna continued, his smile returning, "I believe your prince has been waiting for you. He's been worried."

"He worries too much," she murmured, though there was a hint of affection in her voice. "But I suppose that's my fault."

Krishna chuckled, rising from his seat. "Go to him, Subhadra. His questions need answering."

She nodded and turned to leave. Just as she was by the door, she turned around. "I'm....scared," she admitted quietly. "I don't want him to know what happened."