KRISHAVYAYAM

30. The Other Trial

Minister Ayobahu sharply cried, raising himself from his eminence, "Objection my lord! These are but fatuous attempts at concealing the dam of Yagyasaini's sins for we know of King Vikral's archaic animosity with her and what had followed not so long ago. How did she not even attempt to defend herself in the first trial if she is faultless? This seems like a poor makeshift arrangement to excuse her crime!"

"Refrain from personal remarks in the assemblage or else I shall be compelled to make sure you are expelled, Mahamantri," The first Dvarakaeshvari brusquely asserted, the admonishment in her ever compassionate eyes was an anomaly. "Decorum. We are not compromising on it. Do not humiliate the court and the body of justice," Rukmini completed, well reminding him of the power she held through her expertise and diligence. No one should be patronizing the womenfolk when the pinnacle is sitting between them authoritatively.

An antagonized Kanha continued, "Prime minister, your foolishness in not believing the truth won't change it. Remember we cannot penalize any innocent even if a wrong-doer is spared in the process. Let us prove the evidence and then we can analyze the situations from all dimensions. What hindrance is it posing to you?"

"Oh, of course! Why would Dvarakadheesha now of all people, speak against his beloved wife?" Ayobahu let out a scoff, astonishing every entity present with his gall. The temperatures of the formal ambience had risen up several degrees while the prisoner herself smoldered in the flames of ignominy. "Everyone is aware of your clandestine love affairs Dvarakadheesha and Dvarakaeshwari! How many men do you have wrapped around your fingers, Panchala Princess? Let us count- Angaraja Karna, Ahichchhatra naresha Ashwatthama, oh and how can I forget Rajakumara Dushasana fancying you back in the reception? 'Twas you who ruptured the relations of the Yadavas and the Kurus! I am sure even Anupa Naresha had been your-"

"Hold your tongue revered one!" Kamalnayani snapped finally, the reins of her self control lost somewhere as she stared at the Sudharma Sabha with disdain. Is this the justice of the Yadavas they so boast of?
"My taciturnity might just be the doors of your doom for beware, I am a scion of the flames and I have known adverse rage even before I have known myself. I know where to put my boundaries and enough! Enough of your transgressions against me and my lord."

Ayobahu glowered in disgust, "A murderer will not proceed to tell me what I must do."

"Sit. Back. Down. Ayobahu." Keshava bit out every word in annoyance. "Vahnijaa is the queen of Dvaraka and you will regard her with suitable deference. We have valid proof of her innocence along with reasoning, unlike your existence which seems to be causeless since the moment we are heeding the frivolous arguments you offer." The vanity driven prime minister settled back, glaring daggers at Krisha who squared her shoulders back with a stolid look. "Satyaki and Kritavarma, we dictate you to narrate the whole incident," Vasudeva nudged briskly as Yuyudhana braced himself.

F L A S H B A C K
one day ago.

She sat in the tenebrous dungeons with little awareness of her present. Her head was still in the happenstances, reeling and spinning around them with manipulations she could think of to fend away these blows aimed at her. Alas, nothing would be possible unless she gets to follow the shadow that adumbrated the arsenal when the Satyabhamanandana practiced there. Nothing would be possible unless she gets to venture out of the jails, and it was an arduous task for now. Kamalnayani sighed to herself, dragging a palm across her face as two figures approached her corner of the prison with pressed steps.

"Greetings to the fortune of Dvaravati! We are ashamed by the act of laxity and possible conspiracy, Lady," Satyaki started off as the former thanked her stars, rising to her feet. "It is to apprise you that our eyes have witnessed just as what you did. A trespasser lurking into corners and everything that followed," he explained with devastation written across him.