The Jewelled Arrow by S.M. Mitra

Name: The Jewelled Arrow
Author: S.M. Mitra

In the city of Vardhamana, a king named Vira-Bhuja favored his wife Guna-Vara and their youngest son, Sringa-Bhuja. Guna-Vara's beauty and goodness incited jealousy among the king's other wives and their sons, leading to schemes against her. The most cunning, Ayasolekha, convinced Vira-Bhuja that Guna-Vara did not love him, prompting him to imprison her to avert a supposed misfortune. Despite Guna-Vara's unwavering loyalty and acceptance of her fate, Vira-Bhuja's doubts grew. He lost a magical jewelled arrow, which he believed Sringa-Bhuja had stolen. Ayasolekha plotted to frame Sringa-Bhuja during a shooting match, intending to have him killed. However, when Sringa-Bhuja shot a crane, which was actually Agni-Sikha, a powerful magician in disguise, he inadvertently set off a series of events that led him away from home. In pursuit of the crane, Sringa-Bhuja encountered Rupa-Sikha, Agni-Sikha's daughter, who revealed her father's true identity and warned him of the danger he faced. Despite the peril, they fell in love, and Rupa-Sikha devised a plan to protect him. She used her magical abilities to help him navigate her father's challenges, including a series of impossible tasks set by Agni-Sikha. As Sringa-Bhuja faced these trials, Rupa-Sikha's cleverness and magic aided him, allowing him to overcome obstacles and evade her father's wrath. Eventually, they managed to escape Agni-Sikha's domain, but not without further confrontations. Rupa-Sikha transformed herself and Sringa-Bhuja to evade capture, ultimately leading to Agni-Sikha's confusion and retreat. Upon returning to Vardhamana, Sringa-Bhuja was joyfully reunited with his father and freed his mother from prison. The truth about the schemes against Guna-Vara was revealed, leading to the punishment of those who had wronged her. Sringa-Bhuja was proclaimed heir to the throne, and despite the lingering animosity from his brothers, he found happiness with Rupa-Sikha and his family, grateful for the trials that had brought them together.

By S.M. Mitra · First published 2021 · Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance · 13 chapters · 9,225 words

First lines

In the city of Vardhamana in India there lived a powerful king named Vira-Bhuja, who, as was the custom in his native land, had many wives, each of whom had several sons. Of all his wives this king loved best the one named Guna-Vara, and of all his sons her youngest-born, called Sringa-Bhuja, was his favourite. Guna-Vara was not only very beautiful but very good. She was so patient that nothing could make her angry, so unselfish that she always thought of others before herself, and so wise that she was able to understand how others were feeling, however different their natures were from her own.

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The Jewelled Arrow is listed on Textopian as a novel by S.M. Mitra, dated 2021 CE.

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Work type: Novel
Author: S.M. Mitra
Date: 2021 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, Mythology, Drama
Length: 9,225 words
Structure: 13 chapters, 88 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Discussion starters

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Genres

Fantasy — The story features magical elements, including a powerful magician, transformations, and enchanted objects, which are central to the plot.
Adventure — The protagonist embarks on a journey filled with challenges, including a quest to retrieve a stolen arrow and confrontations with magical beings.
Romance — The narrative centers around the love story between Sringa-Bhuja and Rupa-Sikha, highlighting their emotional connection and struggles to be together.
Mythology — The setting and characters draw from Indian cultural and mythological themes, including kings, queens, and magical beings.