#devika

Say hi to Devika

Meet Dev, a 20 something looking for a fresh start after a bad breakup. Well, after a series of bad breakups. That all might have been her fault. A womanizer with a bad habit of breaking heart, will Devika just find herself back in trouble in your game, or will she finally be able to build a life for herself?

Devi has honestly given me a hard time in fleshing out her character, so that's why I've taken so long to do a post for her. 😅

Also, a lot of her background is inspired by SamratVallabhaa's book on Devika, because I read it during my formative years in engaging with the Mahabharata. (I recommend reading it if anyone wants a fic rec! It's very well-researched and well-written.)

But yes, here's what she's like for me:

She's an incredibly independent woman, and doesn't usually like relying on others to do things she could do herself.

Why? For multiple Reasons, but it boils down to her contentious relationship with her maternal family. I headcanon her as the eldest daughter (so yes, Eldest Daughter syndrome) of Govasena and his wife. Her mother died when she was young, so she didn't really have a proper maternal influence, and her father wasn't the greatest dad. She was essentially raising herself and her younger brother Shaivya at the same time.

Also, she has a cousin Kotikasya who's a staunch follower of Jayadratha. And Jayadratha kind of becomes the overlord of Shivi when they're all older. (He's mentioned to have been the ruler of Sindhu-Sauvira and Shivi, so he must have conquered Shivi.) So there's plenty tension there. She couldn't trust Kotikasya to not sell her out to Jayadratha. Or marry her off.

And that's why she becomes very proficient in warfare. She specializes in close-quarter fighting though, because those are the scenarios she'd need the most expertise to get out of. She's probably one of the better warriors out of the PandavaPatnis.

So: she's very pragmatic and practical. Blunt when she needs to be, enfolding herself in lies when needed. Very sensitive to changes in others' moods, and adapts herself very quickly.

Devi and Yudhi, I'd say, "loved" each other for a long time before they got married. In my arbitrary ordering of the Pandavas' marriages, they get married somewhere in the early years of Arjuna's exile. So kind of late.

Also what I think their love was like. A slow blooming. I put quotes up there, because I don't think they truly knew each other until after their marriage.

They heard of each other when they were young, and formed impressions of each other that were somewhat accurate and somewhat not. Devi, I think, liked Yudhi because he was the polar opposite of her relatives. (I have a whole tale for their developing relationship but I won't get into it here.)

Govasena wasn't very keen on the idea of a svayamvara for Devika. But he organised one regardless, although it was heavily implied (read: threatened) that Devi ought to marry Jayadratha or someone in his circle. Devi, obviously, threw everyone off by choosing Yudhi. Kotikasya nearly made a scene but was dissuaded.

I realised I haven't talked about Shaivya enough. He's her darling, because she raised him from almost birth. He's the only one with enough sense in Devika's maternal family. They are very close, and he cried when she left to Indraprastha. They write to each other often and try to see each other but that's not as common.

Devika learns to rely on others when she lives in Indraprastha. Her independent streak sometimes causes friction between her sisters-in-law when teamwork is needed. It takes her some time but she learns.

I think she manages some of the law and justice issues that aren't so important as to demand Yudhishthira's attention. Yudhi looks to her for pragmatic advice, but he works with Krishnaa a lot more often, which leaves her insecure sometimes. Especially when the Rajasuya is rolling around.

She and Yudhi often spend their time playing board games in their free time. It's Yudhi's favorite way to unwind and Devi has a good head for these games. There are days when they don't, though, and just talk about various things.

She doesn't take compliments to heart very easily, and it's only Yudhishthira's consistent efforts that open her up to soft words.

They have a tendency to have long-winded conversations into the night. Which throws their sleep schedule off and Krishnaa scolds the both of them. (Yaudheya grows up falling asleep to their conversations.)

But they also can argue. And the arguments sting a lot, because Yudhi is used to setting rules for others, being the oldest brother. And Devi has a tendency to push and push until she gets her side known, or might agree in words but go behind his back to do things he doesn't approve of.

They help each other with their Eldest Child issues.

During the exile, she goes back to stay in Shivi. Those thirteen years are hard on her, because she's raising her son alone in a hostile environment. She gets fed up within four years and moves herself and Yaudheya to another city away from Govasena and Kotikasya.

She clams up again, and a whole lot of the progress she'd made in Indraprastha with her family is undone. I don't think she ever gets back to "normal", really. Even after the war.

As all parents do, she makes mistakes with Yaudheya. But Yaudheya is wise for his age (just like his father) and understands. He sees his uncle Kotikasya's attempts to sway him to the Kaurava side and detests them all for it.