Fire Herself; Panchali Draupadi

Chapter Eleven: Grandchildren

"Well what are you waiting for Senapati Shikhandini, come on in". Krishna now turned himself and saw the frightened look on Shikhandini's face. Shikhandini snapped out of her trance and quickly pulled out her sword and pointed it at Krishna. "HOW. Tell me how you know my secret."

Krishna decided to play dumb. With an amused look on his face he spoke, "What secret. Please lower your sword please, it's quite frightening you know. I know how strong you are. Please spare me oh Yuvrani Shikhandini." Now it was Shikhandini's turn to be confused. 

"You are Dwarkadeesh, King Krishna. Showing false fear does not benefit you." Shikhandini put her sword back in her sheath. She faced the wall continuing, "Well since you decide to play dumb, I guess we shall begin with the matter at hand. I am representing Panchal as it's Senapati and you are obviously the King of Dwarka and representing it. We are to talk about the military forces of our countries. " She took that moment to bring the agreement out of her waist belt. She held it out to Krishna and continued, "And here I have a parchment with agreements regarding our borders and war procedures between the two countries. It also-. "

Krishna cut her off by grabbing the agreement, taking a quill and quickly signing it without a read. Shikhandini looked agape. "You didn't even read it. How do you know I'm not tricking you into handing over Dwarka, let's just say?" 

Krishna now put on a serious face, "Because despite who you claim to be, you have good in your heart Shikhandini. And let's be serious, we both know who you are and why you are here. You act as if this meeting is for kingdom affairs while in reality we know it's personal." 

Shikhandini replied not willing give her facade away, "Oh please, what is this nonsense you speak of". Krishna shook his head, "Shikhandini. We both know why you're here. Let us hurry and not waste each others time, hm?" 

Shikhandini gave in, she spoke, "If you know that much about me, then you would know my purpose in life. I am to kill Bhishma, but how can I do that when no kingdom dares to go against him. Not even my own father?" 

Krishna said, "Righteousness prevents great Kings and Queens from going against those who support good." He scoffs, "What did you expect. The son of Mother Ganga, just comes into your hands so easily and you're able to kill him, and that's it. You're done your life purpose. No it will take a lot more then that. You express the difficulty in killing a great man of Righteousness but let me warn you." He looks directly into Shikhandini's eyes, "it's about to get much harder. You will soon tie family bonds with Hastinapur and I know, no matter how tough you are, you will not be able to kill family." 

Now it was Shikhandini's turn to scoff, "Tie family bonds with Hastinapur! Over my dead body will I do that. And just for your information, how would that happen. I am my parents only child and I will not marry. You are wrong Shri Krishna." 

Shri Krishna looked amused, "To answer your question, you will kill Bhishma when the time deems it right." 

Shikhandini now thought that she had definitely wasted her time coming to Dwarka. She wouldn't find her answers here and therefore she joined her hands, "Well this has definitely been a pleasure, I shall leave to Panchal now that I have asked and you have answered."

She turned around to leave not waiting for a response when Shri Krishna spoke, "Two Days." He held up two fingers. Shikhandini turned around looking at him. "You do know how King Vichtravirya and Queen Abika and Abalika, former princesses of Kashi were married years ago. Your sisters." Shikhandini now turned pale again, realizing he knew everything about her. Krishna continued, "King Vichitravirya had died only months late leaving his Queens childless. In order to save the kingdom Mother Queen Satyavati convinced her first son Sage Ved Vyas to grace both queen's with children. He had undergone a hard penance therefore he was not in the best physical form. Therefore, the two queens were frightened when they saw him. The first queen, Ambika closed her eyes, therefore her son Dhritrashtra was born blind. The second queen Abalika, turned pale with fright therefore her son was born with sickness. And their head maid who also saw the sage had a son."

Shikhandini was now interested, "What about that son. What was he born with?" 

Krishna continued, "Perfectly healthy. The maid was not frightened by his form. But since her son was a maid's son, he became the Prime Minister instead of King. Vidur is his name. Most knowledgable man in the world." 

Krishna smiled remembering a great man. "Even though Dhritarshtra was eldest, Pandu, the second son became King on Vidur's advice. Pandu married Princess Pritha, my aunt who is also known as Kunti and Princess Madri of the Kingdom of Madra.  Dhritrashtra married Princess Gandhari of Gandhar , a great devotee of god who had the boon of having 100 sons. Soon after Pandu made a mistake, he accidentally killed a sage and his wife while they were trying for a child therefore he was cursed that if ever dared touch a women, he would die. He renounced the throne and gave it to his elder brother, Dhritrashtra and left with  his two wives, Kunti and Madri to go to the forest. He later found out that Kunti too had a boon and that was that she could invoke any god with a chanting and that god would give her a son. Her first son, Yudhishtir son of the god Dharmaraj was actually born first, even before Duryodhan the first son of Gandhari and Dhristrashtra."

Shikhandini was now knowing of the rest of the story, "Okay and I know what happens next, Pandu dies after accidentally touching his second wife Madri but before that due to the help of Kunti, Madri has two twins while Kunti has three sons. Madri decides to give up her life due to the grief and Kunti returns with her five sons to Hastinapur." Shikhandini takes a breath before continuing, "Although I'll admit I didn't know Kunti was your aunt, it really does explain why you refuse to give me my answers! You have blood relation with Hastinapur! My point is, why do you tell me this and what did you mean when you said 2 days? Oh enemy of Panchal, do enlighten me"

Krishna now said, "I am not your enemy and if I was, I wouldn't be telling you this. In two days the 105 princes of Hastinapur will attack Panchal because of a mistake your father made 2 years ago when you were not in Panchal. He made enmity with Sage Drona and insulted him. For revenge Drona has personally trained the Hastinapur Princes and they will come for you."

Shikhandini openly laughed, "Drona was my father's best friend. Why would he attack Panchal. Stop feeding me with lies. I take your leave, your highness" 

Shikhandini started to walk out, when Krishna spoke one last time, "I am telling the truth. In two days they will attack and you may ask your father why. Just know I am not an enemy of Panchal, in fact in the near future I will be far from that."

Krishna walked right beside her, "Oh and Princess Amba, while you tell your father of our encounter, do tell him that he will have grandchildren."

Krishna left the weaponry before Shikhandini could. Shikhandini now was confused, if she had taken an oath of celibacy then who would bear her father grandchildren. She now openly thought that King Krishna was crazy. 

As she walked out of Dwarka after saying bye to her new friend Yuvrani Raivti, she couldn't help but ponder over what Krishna had said. 

"Is Panchal really going to be attacked?" That was the question, that refused to seep out of her mind.