Asmi: The Warrior of Fate

Kundli

The royal assembly hall in Dwarka was filled with an unusual tension. The air, once vibrant with excitement, now felt heavy. The priest, an elderly man with a calm expression, stood at the center, holding their kundlis.

He cleared his throat and the murmurs in the room died down. "There is something... not right," he began, his voice low. "A presence that has followed them from the past. If this presence is not banished, death may soon claim both of them. The stars themselves show no path forward for this union unless the darkness is dispelled."

A collective gasp rippled through the room. Asmi's heart sank, her eyes shot towards Duryodhan, who stood with his jaw clenched. For the first time, she saw uncertainty cloud his strong features. He, the invincible warrior, looked vulnerable.

Asmi's hands trembling in her lap as she tried to process the words. Death? Darkness? Her vision blurred as tears welled up in her eyes. Every member of both royal families sat in stunned disbelief. Even Krishna's ever-present smile had faded into a knowing thoughtful frown.

Queen Devaki whispered something to Vasudev, her face pale with worry. Revati and Rukmini exchanged anxious glances, while Balram stood rigid, his hand gripping the hilt of his mace instinctively, as if ready to battle this unseen danger.

"Is there no solution, brahminraj?" Vasudev finally asked the priest, his voice laced with tension.

The priest shook his head. "The stars are unclear. The solution is hidden, yet to be revealed. But until this curse is lifted, the wedding cannot proceed."

The words hit Asmi like a storm, shattering the dream she had held so dear. She had fought so many battles- emotional and otherwise to reach this point, only to see it crush before her eyes. She could feel everyone's gaze on her but she could not bear to meet their eyes.

The priest's words echoed in the silence. "We must take time. The answer will come, but it requires patience and wisdom."

With a slow pranam, the priest dismissed the gathering. Family members exchanged worried glances as they discussed in whispers. But Asmi couldn't move.

Asmi didn't know how long she had wandered aimlessly through the palace gardens, her feet carrying her toward solitude. Finally, under the cover of a tree, she sat onto a stone bench, tears streaming down her cheeks. The soft glow of the moon above provided little comfort to her aching heart.

Duryodhan found her there. He had followed her the moment she left the hall, sensing her pain more deeply than he'd ever thought possible. In silence, he walked toward her and sat beside her on the bench. For a while, neither spoke, the only sound between them the soft rustle of leaves in the night breeze.

Asmi couldn't hold it in anymore. She turned toward him, her tears flowing freely and before she knew it, her head was resting on his strong shoulder. Duryodhan froze for a second, unsure of how to respond to such a fragile moment. But then, slowly, he relaxed, wrapping an arm around her in silent reassurance.

"I... I don't know what to do," she whispered between sobs. "It feels like no matter how hard I try, something always takes away the happiness I'm meant to have."

Duryodhan didn't interrupt. He let her speak, sensing that she needed this more than anything.

"I wasn't always from here," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't belong to this time. I'm from... the 21st century."

His brow furrowed, but he remained silent, letting her explain.

"I had a family, a life, everything there. It was all so different- technology, cars, cities. And then, one day, I was ripped away from it all and brought here. I didn't even get to say goodbye. I didn't get to tell them how much I loved them. And now... now this."

Her words heavy, the rawness of her confession cutting through the quiet of the night. Duryodhan shifted, trying to make sense of what she was saying. He didn't fully understand this strange world she spoke of but he understood the pain of loss, the feeling of being torn between two worlds.

"It must've been incredibly hard for you," he said softly, stroking her arm gently. "To leave everything behind, your family... your life."

Asmi nodded, sniffling, her tears wetting his angvastra. "And now... when I finally thought I could find happiness here, that we could be together... this darkness, this curse... it feels like fate is laughing at me."

Duryodhan clenched his fists, feeling a deep surge of protectiveness. He wanted to banish whatever curse hung over them, to slay the demon threatening to tear them apart. But for the first time, he didn't know how to fight it.

"Hum koi maarg awashya khojenge," he said after a moment, his voice steady. "I won't let anything come between us, Asmi. Not the stars, not fate, and certainly not some darkness from the past. I will fight it whatever it is." (We will find a way)

She lifted her head to look at him, her eyes still red from crying but softened by his words. For the first time in hours, a small smile tugged at her lips.

Duryodhan, for all his fierceness, felt a strange softness in his heart. This was new to him- the tenderness, the vulnerability. He gently cupped her face, brushing away the tears. His thumb traced her cheek, placed a tender, lingering kiss on her forehead and for a brief moment, they were just two people, free from the weight of kingdoms, war, and curses.

Suddenly, a messenger bird from Dwarka flew overhead to the jungle and Rutikasur's eyes flicked towards it, sensing something. With a wicked grin, he whispered a spell under his breath, and the bird faltered in midair before falling down toward the ground, now carrying his dark energy.

"Let's see how long your happiness lasts, Asmi," he sneered. "Your past will come back to haunt you. And soon... your beloved Duryodhan will face the consequences."

As the bird flew toward Dwarka with its twisted message, the stage was set for a dark confrontation. Neither Asmi nor Duryodhan had any idea that their love was about to be tested in ways they couldn't yet imagine.

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