Part 24 Suggestion
All of them looked at the Priest and Hemadri wrathfully.
"Maharaj, this is not true. I have given all of mine to the kingdom without any second thought. My thoughts are only about this kingdom and its betterment. How could I have done this to you? You and Prince Aparajith are my two eyes" Hemadri said emotionally.
"Maharaj, this magic box is a jugglery. Don't you know me? How would I have talked like that? She is trying to fool you. She is a witch" The Priest yelled at Khushi.
"Mind your tongue. If you say a single word about Khushi, I will cut your tongue" Arnav roared.
Khushi was taken aback. She saw everyone gaping at Arnav stunningly.
"We can't let our guest be insulted," the King said.
"Maharaj, do you trust her over me?" the priest asked.
"I don't trust her but the MAGICAL BOX. Everyone saw its glory. Then how won't I believe it?"
The king looked at the people.
"Don't you believe it?"
"I do"
"I do" People shouted.
"This is what your gratitude for me? I sacrificed everything for you and this kingdom... ask people about me. Could you bring anyone against me to this court? If any ONE came forward, I will accept this allegation" The Priest said.
"Oh, really?" Arnav asked.
"Yes..." the Priest said.
"Permit me, Maharaj," Arnav asked.
"Go ahead, Prince Aparajith"
"Sathyam" Arnav called his spy.
Sathyam came out of the crowd who was in disguise. He bowed in front of the king and then Arnav.
"What will you say, Sathyam?"
"I'm the eyewitness of all the deeds done by the Priest and Hemadri, Maharaj"
"Whatever the magic box showed a few minutes ago truly happened last night at the Priest's place"
"How do you know?"
"I was working for Hemadri for a long"
"No... he is lying. I have not seen him in my palace ever before" Hemadri shouted.
Sathyam removed his fake beard. Not only Hemadri but also the king was shocked.
"Krish...? You?" Hemadri gritted his teeth.
"I'm not Krish but Sathyam... Spy of Prince Aparajith. Yesterday night, Prince was there with his guest at Priest's place when you met the Priest"
King Chaitanya raised his brows wondering. Didn't he meet Arnav with his friend Bheem last night? Was Bheem none other than Khushi? He looked at Khushi with the same surprise. She smiled at him understanding his gesture. Arnav controlled his smile, seeing that.
"Is this witness enough?" Arnav asked.
The Priest and Hemadri understood that their story came to the last chapter. They bowed down.
"You plotted to abduct not only our guest but also this kingdom. You both are traitors... if you dared to do this, you would have done many things behind my back. It leads me to TRUST Prince Aparajith's allegation. So, his allegation would also be right. You harassed our country girls, planned to abduct the foreigner who is our guest, plotted against the King and the Prince... (the king looked at people) Tell me, what punishment would be suitable to these two?"
"Lash them with whip..."
"Expatriate them..."
"Put them into the underground prison"
"Behead them"
Many suggestions came from the people.
"You can also suggest, Khushi," The king said.
Everyone looked at her.
"They can be lashed with a whip but it's not a permanent solution. You can expatriate them but they are dangerous people who got into a conspiracy against the king being with the King himself. So, expatriating them would not be right because they would cause civil unrest in the kingdom. It's not good for the kingdom. If you put them in jail, you have to keep an eye on them until their demise." She stopped and looked at Hemadri who was staring at her as he understood what would be her suggestion.
"When it comes to the security of the kingdom, please don't show mercy, Maharaj... your punishment should be a lesson to people who think to play with you. That's all Maharaj" She said.
"You are right... Traitors should not be considered. So, I'm issuing the death penalty to both of them. They should be beheaded before the sunset. Take them away" The king ordered.
Hunk-like guards dragged the Priest and Hemadri with them.
"Chaitanya... this is not done... you should not do this..." The Priest shouted whereas Hemadri walked all the way throwing an angry glare at Khushi who didn't even give heed to him. That surprised the king. He hadn't met such a girl in his life. Even any royal woman had such an attitude.
"I like your way of analyzing problems Khushi," the king said.
Khushi smiled.
"From here on, you are not just Prince Aparajith's guest but the guest of the King. Accept the honor" The king said.
Khushi was stuck. Here, she was waiting to leave the place but the king wanted her to become his guest.
"But I just did what I had to..." she said politely.
"No... what you did is not a simple thing. You saved the Throne. You saved the kingdom from traitors"
"I did this for Arnav... I mean Prince Aparajith"
The King and Queen wondered hearing her calling ARNAV. They knew what the name meant to Arnav. Arnav always complained that they stopped calling him Arnav after his Prince coronation. At the same time, he didn't allow anyone to call him Arnav, he didn't like.
"I was confused when Saint Shah Rukh Khan gave the Magic Box to me because he said, it would save a HOLY man's reputation before it dies. I didn't understand the meaning of his words at that time. Now, I understood. He gave me the box to save Prince Aparajith from the foxy men's ploy. Being his friend, it's my duty to save him. I just did"
Arnav gulped down his emotions as Khushi addressed him a HOLY man. He didn't expect she would lift him up this way, in front of everyone.
Yes, Khushi did that because she didn't want anyone to talk about it once she left him.
The king was so glad about her approach towards Aranv.
"It's nice to hear... now we have more reason to have you as our guest."
He looked at Arnav.
"Prince Aparajith, it's your responsibility to make her accept my invitation. I hope she won't deny you as she respects you a lot" The king smiled.
Khushi sighed wearily. Why the hell did he touch the RESPECT stuff? How could she leave him, making his respect go low?
"You can assume Khushi accepted it, Maharaj..." Arnav said smiling at her.
Khushi smiled awkwardly.
"And, I'm appointing you as women security force head of this kingdom," the king said.
The hall shook with applause.
"Teach Karate to our women," The King said.
Khushi stood like a statue. She didn't know where was this leading her.
"Prince Aparajith, take care of her needs"
"As you said, Maharaj" Arnav bowed slightly.
The court dispersed. In no time, the girls surrounded Khushi and congratulated her.
"Your way of fighting was so awesome"
"I like it when you made the man fall down"
"But, I was scared when the spearman attacked you"
Khushi smiled at them, saying nothing.
"Sister, when will you start teaching us to fight?" Yamini asked.
"Why are you so interested?" Padmakshi questioned.
"I have to revenge someone for dipping me in the canal water," Yamini said looking at Hirma, shrinking her eyes.
They stopped blabbering when they heard,
"The authentic announcement will reach you soon. Now, let her go..."
They saw Arnav looking at them.
"Shall we go?" Arnav asked.
"I will come a little later... I would like to answer them" She said.
"You can't find the path to your room from this place. It's difficult"
"I will come with Padma..." Khushi said looking at Padmakshi who nodded yes.
Arnav was supposed to say something,
"Brother, please let her be with us" Padmakshi pleaded.
"Pleeeeease" Other girls also followed.
Arnav rolled his eyes and left the place.
Khushi spoke with the girls changing her mood. They came to the Palace Garden while chitchatting.
After a while, a guard came to Khushi and said,
"Prince Aparajith wants you to come to his room"
Khushi sighed.
"It's ok, sister... go now... but come again" The girls chuckled.
Khushi left the place. The girls gossiped,
"I think Prince Aparajith likes her"
"Anyone would like her"
"I think even our King and Queen started liking her"
"Yes, that's why he gave her a post of women's security force head"
"However, she is a nice girl"
"Where is Chandrika? I haven't seen her since morning" A girl asked whispering.
"She is in her room"
"Didn't you call her?"
"I did. She said stomachache"
"It's a lie. She knew Khushi would be appreciated in the court. That's why she didn't come"
"You are right. She is jealous of Khushi"
They continued talking about it.
Khushi came to Arnav's room. He locked the door not minding about anything.
"What are you doing Arnav?"
Arnav's question confused her.
"Who are you, Khushi?"
"Me? Why are you asking this question?"
"You are hiding something from me"
Khushi was shocked.
"You are not a foreigner... but someone... who are you? Tell me the truth"
"What made you think so?"
"Because I got a message that shook me to the core... it was a message, no one could dream of... no one could believe... but, you spoke about it to me not just once but twice"
"What are you talking about?"
"Ashoka the Great decided to quit war FOREVER," He said with an unbelievable expression.
To be continued...