Destiny or Accident?

Episode: 27 || The Three Musketeers

"Learn this now and learn it well.
Like a compass facing north,
a man's accusing finger always finds a woman.
Always.
You remember that Mariam."

As soon as the grand meeting concluded, the hall emptied quickly. The Kauravas disappeared into their quarters, the Pandavas moved toward their mother, and Arjun went straight to Guru Drona. Amidst the shuffle, Advika seized her brother Chandu by the collar, steering him toward a secluded corner of the palace. He protested in a loud whisper, but she barely paid him any mind, dragging him past several guards who watched with curious, bemused glances.

"Now, Chandu," she began, folding her arms and fixing him with a glare. "Tell me every single thing you've been up to while I wasn't looking."

Chandu straightened up, assuming his most innocent expression. "Didi, I did nothing wrong! Just made some new friends is all. Dushasan was curious about Mahishmati, and Nakul bhaiya had a few questions, so we got talking. Just a friendly chat!"

Advika's eyebrow rose skeptically. "Friendly chatter, you say? So that new fan in my room made from palm leaves and bamboo just miraculously appeared out of nowhere?"

Chandu's confident façade cracked, his eyes widening briefly before he forced a sheepish grin and dropped his gaze. "Oh... you noticed that?"

"Of course, I noticed it!" Advika huffed, planting herself down on a nearby step. She fixed him with a look that could bore through steel. "Did it ever occur to you to put it in someone else's room? Or did you think I wouldn't notice?"

"Well, to be fair," he muttered, scratching his head, "the idea was mine, but Dushasan did most of the work. We used vines, palm leaves, bamboo. It's practically ancient technology, Didi! Harmless!"

"Oh, so it's only in my room?" she asked, though his silence gave her the answer.

"Actually... no." He grinned, trying to look charming, though he was clearly uneasy under her glare. "All the princes have one. And Mata Kunti and Subhadra didi, too. They all loved it!"

Advika groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Chandu! Do you understand what kind of mess this could create when these fans suddenly disappear?"

"But, Didi," he replied, puffing his chest out a bit, "no one even noticed anything unusual yet! I'm practically a genius, don't you think?"

Advika's gaze shifted to the heavens as if pleading for patience. "They're supposed to be warriors, and none of them noticed a giant palm-leaf fan in their rooms?"

Chandu's smug expression faltered, replaced by a hint of confusion. "But... it's just a fan, Didi! It's not like I introduced air conditioning. Why make such a big deal about it?"

"Oh, my dear, clueless brother," she sighed, shaking her head in mock sympathy, "ever heard of the butterfly effect?"

"Yes, I have," he replied, though he didn't sound entirely certain.

"Then understand this: even something as 'small' as a fan could ripple through time and change everything." She leaned in closer, her voice a soft warning. "This fan could lead to unexpected shifts in technology, and when they start asking questions, what will you tell them?"

Chandu's proud expression melted into one of horror mixed with amazement. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then, looking thoroughly chastened, whispered, "Maybe... I didn't think of that." His voice held a hint of admiration, as if realizing the gravity of her point.

Advika softened, but only slightly. "So, tell me, Chandu," she asked, eyebrows raised, "do you still think this 'innocent' fan was a good idea?"

Chandu swallowed, considering her words as he struggled for a response. "Well... they're all happy with it, though. Doesn't that mean it's alright?"