Asmi: The Warrior of Fate

The Royal Welcome?

Asmi's mind raced as the chariot continued to move over the uneven path. The scenery was nothing like the India she knew. The trees were larger, the air heavier with unfamiliar smells and everything seemed to pulse with an ancient energy. Her heart pounded with a mix of fear and excitement churning within her.

"Yeh sapna hai na?" Asmi muttered under her breath, clutching the side of the chariot. "Train se yahan kaise aayi main?" (This isn't a dream, right? How did I land up here from the train?)

The man seated across from her, silent and intense, finally spoke. His eyes, sharp and dark, watched her every move.

"Tum kahan se ho? Tum yeh bata nahi rahi ho," he said, his voice deep and calm, but filled with authority. "Hum Duryodhan hain, Hastinapur ka yuvraj. Aur tum kaun ho, yeh tumhe batana hoga." (Where are you from? You aren't telling. I'm Duryodhan, the crown prince of Hastinapur. And who are you, you'll have to speak up?)

Asmi swallowed hard, her palms sweating. Duryodhan. The Duryodhan? She had read about him, the infamous antagonist of the Mahabharata, the one everyone thought was pure evil. But here he was, sitting across from her, larger than life. And he didn't seem evil at all- just...serious.

"Main...main Asmi hoon," she stammered, still coping from the strangeness of it all. "Main 21st century se hoon. Dehradun ja rahi thi apne SSB interview ke liye. Mujhe nahi pata main yahan kaise aayi." (I... I'm Asmi. I'm from 21st century. I was travelling to Dehradun for my SSB interview. I don't know how I ended up here.)

Duryodhan raised an eyebrow, his gaze piercing but calm. "21st century? Yeh kaisi baat kar rahi ho tum? Jo bhi ho, tum yahan ki nahi lagti." (21st century? What are you talking about? Whatever it is, you don't seem to be a local, are you?)

Asmi couldn't help but feel a pang of fear. What if she never found a way back home? What if she was stuck here forever?

But beneath her fear, her natural playfulness crept in. Even in the most peculiar situations, Asmi couldn't help but show her smile, her quirky nature taking over. She leaned forward, trying to lighten the mood.

"So...," she began with a cheeky smile, "I guess I missed the part where we time travelers introduce ourselves properly."

Duryodhan's expression didn't change, but there was a glimmer of something in his eyes - amusement, maybe? He didn't smile, but the tension between them eased- just a little.

Asmi just comically mimicked his expressions and dialogues just in her mouth when he wasn't looking or that is what she thought.

"You're strange." he said, shaking his head. "Tumhari vesh bhusha, tumhari bhasha, sab yahan se bhinn hai." (You're weird. Your clothes, your language, everything's different from this place.)

Asmi let out a nervous laugh before flashing her gummy grin. "You should see what I normally wear - this is my 'interview' look! Well, was that a compliment? Even if not, I'll take it as one."

He looked at her just a while longer before muttering something incoherent under his breath and looking away.

As they approached Hastinapur, the grand city, just a few meters ahead, its towering walls and majestic palace shining in the sunlight. Asmi's playful mood quickly evaporated as reality hit her again. She was in Hastinapur, in the middle of the Mahabharata. The chariot entered the city, passing through streets filled with bustling markets, soldiers, and curious onlookers.

Her heart raced again. What would they think of her? Would she be seen as a threat? Or worse, as some kind of imposter?

Duryodhan led her through the palace gates, his presence commanding. The soldiers bowed as they passed, murmuring, "Rajkumar Duryodhan," with deep respect.