“How could he?” cried the fire born empress in her lonely chambers. Since the news of Arjun’s return to Indraprasth with Subhadra as his consort, Draupadi had refused to eat or meet anyone. She was broken. Her husband was replacing her. She was devastated and the fire within her was so ferocious as to consume the entire world.
“Maharani, they have arrived and Mata kunti is requesting your presence in their arrival ceremony.” said the maid with palms joint and her eyes on the ground. She knew of the rage of the queen and was terrified.
“I am not coming” stated Draupadi coldly.” I do not accept her” she shouted.
The maid tip toed back and shut the door slowly, bowing and taking her leave.
Draupadi moved the curtains and glanced down at the garden, adjacent to the grand hall entrance. The entire kingdom was there, waiting to see the new queen, the sister of Krishna, who was praised in the entire world for her fire like spirit and a lovely heart. Jealously was killing Draupadi from within. The trumpet of the elephants in synchronisation hinted everyone of the arrival. The golden chariot halted, and Draupadi could see his husband stepping down. He held Subhadra’s hand as she stepped down. She was beautiful. Long black hair, and lotus eyes. Her smile was contagious and her body, she was perfect. She bent down and touched the feet of Mata kunti first who embraced her daughter in law, smiling broadly.
Draupadi clutched the white curtains tightly and closed it. She could no longer witness a sight as such. She was being replaced. Her husband had the nerve to look at another woman though he was married. She wasn’t enough for him. Her presence was no longer appreciated she thought.
Just as the queen was consuming herself with her own fire, she heard a soft knock on the door. She did not respond to it, she had already warned her maids to not let anyone in unless it was really important. She heard the knock again, with it accompanied a soft delicate voice” Your highness?”
” I do not wish to meet anyone, Please leave” said Draupadi irritatedly. The voice of the woman faded away, but after a long minute, the voice of her anklets was audible. Subhadra entered the room. Draupadi wiped her tears and turned back and shouted coldly ” how dare you enter when I ordered you to leave” .
” I am sorry your highness” Subhadra replied generously. She moved towards Draupadi and touched her feet. She folded her legs and sat down on the floor at the foot of the fire queen.” I respect you.” she bowed.” Krishna has had always told me stories about you and how much I wanted to meet you once, the fire born princess. Know me as your maid your highness. I am not here to replace you or to divert Arjun’s love from you, but to serve you. It would be my honor to be with you.” Draupadi looked straight into the beautiful eyes that were at her feet, wanting to be accepted.
” Accept me, please. Accept your husband. I do not wish to disrespect or annoy you and nor do I stand at this position so as to say this but how could you accept your 5 husband to wait for their chance for you to be their wife? I humbly say this, with utmost respect for you and your family, think about it. They suffer, their brothers share the same wife with rules guiding the agreement. Even if anyone of them select another wife for them, you are going to be the strength that tie these 5 brothers together. You would always be the Queen, and me lesser than you. I see myself and accept myself that way. You have fire within your personality, the fire that causes anyone to bow at you. I bow at you, my Queen.” Subhadra gently bowed and raised her head and looked straight into Drupadi’s eyes for the first time. She knew the queen had cried, her eyes were red with fury and hatred but she could feel her anger subsiding and her breath relaxing. “
The 5 pandavas are never spoken of in the three worlds without your reference. I was furious myself in the sudden happenings a few days back, I was abducted and denied of my right to choose my husband but like you, I have faith in Krishna. He says the destiny wanted it to be so, and you trust him, don’t you? Not me but he understands you and do not doubt for a second more that he forgot about you and took a decision to advice his friend against your feelings. He is aware of all. Now it’s Arjun, tomorrow it could be Bheem or Nakul choosing another wife but they won’t be to replace you, but to fill in the void of their lives, the emptiness to live without a partner for years until again the cycle repeats. Know that your children will reign the kingdom and mine would never pose a challenge to yours nor would I pose a challenge to you. You are incomparable, Fire cannot be challenged. I am sorry if I said anything wrong but know that my intentions are pure, accept us”
” I won’t accept you as my maid” Stated Draupadi coldly as she stoop up from her bed and looked at Subhadra who was devastated at the coldness of the Queen. She looked down at the floor, sad at the failure.” But as my sister” smiled Draupadi extending her arms around Subhadra’s shoulders and raising her off her feet. She embraced her with love and warmly welcomed her in the family. “you are just as I heard of you, a beautiful soul. You gave me a new vision, I thank you” smiled Draupadi.
Draupadi refreshed herself and dressed quickly to welcome her husband who had returned after a long exile. Arjun felt grateful for having Subhadra, the rare one that could ease the fire of the fire born. He embraced Draupadi and whispered in her ears” I could never replace you”.
That night, the Pandavas had a great dinner together, Subhadra closed her eyes and whispered a small prayer of gratitude for the family. Kunti smiled at her daughter in laws enjoying themselves together just as sisters. Arjun had a great chat with Draupadi in the full moon night in their chambers where he narrated to her everything he experienced in his exile without her, mentioning it a dozens of time how much he missed her and his brothers. The magic of Subhadra had calmed the fire of the fire born who now felt blessed with a friend and a sister in Subhadra.