"Abhiras always flourished with wealth and prosperity, happiness was an ornament for every member of this kingdom. But one day, five hundred years ago to be precise a storm had hit our peaceful lands. Many villages drowned in those floods which came along that strom, Abhiras was no more prosperous, year after year something or the other in the form of a natural calamity like droughts or floods hit our lands making our farmers cry tears of blood."

"Our then king Pavan Prathap Verma couldn't even take a wink of sleep for years as all his children; his villagers were dying from poverty. So his majesty, called for several pandits from different parts of the country to perform yagas, to find a solution to this problem. Several scholars and pandits came and went by but every year without fail the damage would be done by the mother nature, it was as if she was taking a revenge."

"Just like a grain of rice for a beggar, a woman came to the royal court claiming that she knows a solution to stop these Unfortunate events. The moment she stepped inside the court everyone almost dropped to the floors kneeling in respect, there was a powerful aura around her which was definitely overwhelming and unearthly. She wore a turmeric colored saree and her face had the glow of a heavenly goddess with a huge round thilak between her eyebrows resembling a full moon and just like that the king and queen were aware that she was no ordinary brahmin woman."

"She gracefully walked near the king's throne with a godly smile which even made the queen of Abhiras step down and touch her feet for blessings. Oh great king of Abhiras! Normal yagas will not bring any change from the heavens, perform Ayutha Chandi Maha yaga with all your heart's devotion to the goddess Durga, worship her above your life and if your wishes are rightful they will come true and don't forget to take three dips in the Mothidhaar river with your queen before you start the yaga, saying she left the court and while walking away few pearls from her anklets slipped down rolling on the clear marbled floor of the royal court."

"The then queen of Abhiras, Janaki devi, immediately collected those tiny pearls and held them tight in her palm." Gopinath Rao narrated the story of their kingdom's epic, this story holds a special place in every heart of Abhiras as this was not just a story, it was the tale of how their goddess helped their forefathers and saved them from destruction.

"Pathetic!" Baldev's upper lip twisted in disgust, " Is she a queen or a beggar?" He asked, tisking with disapproval. He stood arrogantly and let the sword go loose on Chitra's throat immersed in listening to the tale.

But Gopinath Rao didn't let that comment bother him and instead he continued, "The day to perform the yaga came soon, everyone were nervous and scared as taking a dip in Mothidhaar river was just a suicide as the flow of the river can drown a person to death, the water flows directly from the heavenly Himalayas with an ultimate force and with a icey coolness. The king was a little reluctant but our queen didn't let him step back, she supported him in doing what the brahmin lady had suggested them."

"When the king took a dip he almost stumbled and drowned due to the force of the water and as he came out of the waters he refused the queen from stepping inside as her fragile body might not handle the force but she insisted that she should do her duty and she did."

"She slowly walked inside the river clutching those pearls which fell near the lady's feet tight in her hands and miraculously Janaki devi stood straight, the force of the water slowed down as if someone has stopped it. Soon the Ayutha Chandi Maha yaga took place with no interruptions and saved the kingdom, there were no floods the next year or a drought and since then our country flourished like before. Wealthy and prosperous."

"So it is believed that it was the goddess of righteousness, the goddess of war, Maa Durga who came by in the form of a brahmin lady to save us, to save our kingdom Abhiras from the natural calamity. Our lands are believed to be hers and she would always come to protect her children at times of trouble if we worshipped her with all our hearts. Ever since, the pearls which fell near her foot are transformed, studded into a golden chain and is worn around the king's neck, it is also believed that if removed, the goddess would be angered."

Baldev's cruel laugh echoed through the silent war ground listening to the story, he put sword to the ground, on his right side and leaned shifting his weight to that side, " Such a stupid story, I must say that your ancestors were creative enough!" He laughed catching his stomach with his left hand as if he lost his brains.

Arjuna couldn't bare this anymore, this stupid bandits head was mocking thier goddess? And most of all he felt his soul drop to the ground seeing Chitra fall down near Baldev's feet as he was laughing at their folklore, at their belief in the goddess.

But Arjuna's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he saw Chitra move slightly and at a speed of light she removed a dagger underneath her and stabbed it hard on Baldev's right foot. The stab was so hard that the knife pierced his foot and got struck in the soil making him scream in pain, both his hands clutched his leg as his ugly dark hair fell forward covering his face as he stood rooted to the ground and his screams were so loud, filled with agony that it resembled of a screeching bull.

Every soldier, even the enemies stood staggered seeing what had just happened. Did a weak and fragile woman like her, who was already hurt at the throat, made a powerful bandits chief like Baldev scream in pain?

Vikram was shocked to see that, but he stood ready with his sword to step forward and kill that bastard who has been troubling their kingdom.

"Chitra, run to me!" Arjuna's faint voice reached her ears but her heart told her something else, her face turned red just thinking about what he had done. He took hundreds of lives by burning those villages, hundreds of innocent lives who never deserved to die, who even gave him the permission to take a life? Hundreds of pious children who never even knew what the world was like died a horrible death.

Chitra's eyes looked blood red and she angrily took a step backwards and picked up Arjuna's heavy sword which was placed alongside his traditional pearl chain on his armour.

She pulled the sword out of it's case as if it weighed nothing more than a feather, her face trembled in anger and her long hair opened from the heavy winds swirling around the war ground.

The sky turned dark, with dark clouds whipping around the sky in a circular motion which seemed like a tornado was forming.

In a swift with an angry and powerful move she lifted the sword with both her hands and Baldev forget to cry in pain as his spine shivered looking at her, she sliced his head as blood spills on her face and neck, her eyes fluttered seeing the dead body falling to the ground, not in fear but in anger.

That moment she looked like the true form of Maa Durga, who was created by the gods to kill an Asur who has killed innocent humans to exercise his power. Chitra's long hair flowed in the air as blood covered her soiled clothes with a blood stained sword in her hand and dead body near her foot. The angry look her face even forced the enemy soldiers to bend down, touching their head to the ground in fear and respect.

The ground trembled and echoed with the heavy hails for their queen, for their goddess.

"A true queen." Gopinath muttered as he saw this different side of his queen and in fraction of seconds even he bent down and the touched the ground on which she stood.

Arjuna was mesmerized to see this, was she the same princess who was crying her eyes out because of an arranged marriage? He stood up running towards her, Chitra's neck was bleeding from the cut and never once in her life had she ever touched a sword, but for her kingdom she stood up and fought for the lands who regarded her as a queen.

All her strength left her body as she let the sword go, her body ached with pain as there was no energy left in her but Arjuna caught her before she hit the ground, he pulled her close pushing her wild hair behind her ears and kissed her forehead as a lone tear ran thorough his cheeks to have his wife back in his arms.

Chitra slowly ran her fingers across his face to feel him, she sighed in content when his soft lips touched her skin. This is what she ever wants, just to be in his arms forever.

"Oh Chitra," Arjuna sighed as his heart felt heavy just looking at her, "I love you so much." He spoke those words which bought a sweet pain in his heart as he pulled her in a hug.

But those words went unheard as there was only one thing running in her brain, "A-Arjuna, save o-our ch-" Her legs gave up and her mind blacked out before she could tell the important news.

Panicking, Arjuna quickly tore a part of his kurta and pressed it to Chitra's bleeding neck to stop the blood from flowing, swiftly lifted her up in his arms and ran towards a chariot.

"Chitra, stay awake." He shouted as he slowly tapped her cheek trying to wake her up.

Tears welled up in his eyes looking at her state, he ran around the ground like a helpless man. Everyone soldier stood shocked to see their king in such a state but they know when we love someone we all our hearts, our status or rank doesn't matter but only the one in our heart does.

---------

It is a ritual done in presence of fire offering alms to the nature.

And I know this chapter's a little dramatic but what to do? We need such comparison to show that our Chitra is not weak but a warrior queen.