Narasimha's feet wobbled, his knees felt like jelly. He tripped up and missed his footing while running away from the scene. He shuddered on meeting the gaze or questioning glance of any person passing by him. His whole frame convulsed with palpitations. He bumped and knocked into people and palace attendants in his frantic flight. He bent before them apologizing to them repeatedly, "I am sorry. I am sorry."

His mother's words haunted and pursued him wherever he went, "A secret, a secret so deep. I kept it hidden for many years....That you are not my son...That I didn't give birth to you..."

Those words taunted and mocked him. They shook the very foundations of every belief he held on to; about him, about his parents, about his world. His world had flipped from its axis. He shut himself in his chamber. He thrashed and threw the things in his room all around. He pulled his hair and yelled, "Why?"

He could not make out anything in the numb haze into which his mind had descended. Somebody was repeatedly slamming the door of his chamber. The voice howled, "It's me Trinethrini. Open the door, Narasimha. They have taken her away."

Narasimha flung the broken leg of a chair at the closed door. His low and brusque voice warned her, "Go away, Trinethrini. Leave me alone."

"Eira fought for you. She fought against the whole world to be your mother. And what did you do in return? Denounced her? Sentenced her to death? She should have let you die that day instead of saving you", Trinethrini wailed in her anger and frustration.

She pounded against the door repeatedly. But there was no response. There was a still, deathlike silence. She curled up and laid down beside the door bereft of all hope.

The door opened with a thud. Narasimha bent over Trinethrini shaking her, "Where did they take mother?"

Trinethrini wiped her eyes. She rose up immediately, "I'll take you there."

Subahu was overseeing the preparations for the execution of the death sentence. The common people stood around, confused and perplexed. They remarked to each other, "What's happening? What's the world coming to?"

Subahu stepped up to the executioner and whispered in his ears, "Take your own time. Stretch this as much as you want until Narasimha arrives. He should witness every single bit of this."

He gave orders to his soldiers standing around, "Be ready. Stand by in case something happens."

Subahu walked up to Eiravati whose hands and legs were securely bound. She had already been seated in the boat. A huge boulder was attached to her legs. The boat shuddered and drifted this way and that along the shore. The ropes that secured the boat strained and frayed against the strong and heavy wind. The crocodiles kept popping up and down in the distance, whetting their tongues in anticipation of the meal that awaited them.

There was a sinister gleam in Subahu's eyes. He whispered in Eiravati's ear, "Thank you for all those years of marital bliss. Thank you for serving me in your life as you are in your death. I will never forget you."

Eiravati's eyes looked uncomprehending towards her husband's. Subahu merely kissed her forehead and stepped away from the boat. He wiped a few crocodile tears shed for the consumption of the common public of Mahishmati and loudly blew his nose.

From the corner of his eyes, Subahu caught a glimpse of Narasimha who had arrived along with Trinethrini. He was armed to the teeth. They were standing upstream. The people who were standing below pointed their fingers in Narasimha's direction, "He's there. Look."

Subahu gave the signal to the executioner to proceed. The man looked with wary eyes towards Subahu and then towards Narasimha before he started rowing the boat midstream. The soldiers clutched their weapons and stood in readiness along the shore. The crocodiles inched closer, swimming even more viciously round the boat. An occasional green, spiky tail flashed into view as it flapped by, almost tossing the small boat upside down.

Narasimha took an arrow out of his quiver and shot it towards the skies. Everyone around flinched and instinctively closed their eyes and ears. A loud clap of thunder assailed their ears. By the time everyone opened their eyes, a thick smokescreen had descended upon the entire place. Nobody could make out anything, even the back of their own hands.

Subahu shot another arrow into the mist. The smokescreen thinned out and started dissipating. The stunned executioner slapped and waved the haze aside. The boat was floating higher up in the water than it was. A few dead crocodiles floated around the boat. The water around the boat had turned red in color. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Maharani is missing. He has taken her."

The soldiers dispersed in search of their captive. Subahu ordered, "Treason. Arrest Narasimha and Trinethrini. They must have helped Eiravati escape."

The massive chariot bounced and hurtled ahead on the uneven ground. Narasimha held the reins of the horses in his hands. Eiravati and Trinethrini were seated behind. They were holding each other's hands and gripped the sides of the chariot to prevent themselves from falling off.

Narasimha calculated the time that had passed since their escape. The pursuit must have begun in right earnest by now. He urged the horses to a furious pace. He had to put as much distance between them and the pursuers as possible. He paused near a bend in the serpentine mountainous path.

Narasimha shook his head, "The soldiers will catch up with us in a short while. We have to split up now. Trinethrini is there any place where you and mother will be safe?"

"We could go back to Ashwakootam", Trinethrini suggested.

"No, Ashwakootam would be far too obvious to father. Even though he doesn't rule there now, we mustn't underestimate his reach. That is the first place he would send in his spies", he said ruling out this option.

Narasimha suddenly remembered his old friend at the Gurukul, Dilipa, the Prince of Gandhar. He removed the ring on his index finger and gave it to Eiravati, "This ring belonged to my friend Dilipa, the Prince of Gandhar. He gave it to me when I was coming away from the Gurukul. He told me to remember him if ever I needed help. Show this ring to his father, Maharaj Trivikram. He will surely give refuge to you and Trinethrini."

"If Prince Dilipa is your friend, why don't you also come with us Narasimha?" Eiravati entreated him. "He will give you also refuge along with us. We can all remain happily together."

Narasimha shook his head, "The time to hide is past. It is between me and father now. It will be bitter and ugly. Father used you against me once. He will do it again if he gets the chance. Anybody around me will always be in danger. I don't want both of you caught in this crossfire."

Eiravati and Trinethrini got down the chariot. They bid him a teary farewell. Narasimha spirited the horses in the opposite direction to mislead the pursuers who were searching for them. He reached a clearing in the forest.

Narasimha was about to proceed forward when he was surrounded in all directions by the soldiers of Mahishmati. A net fell from the top entrapping Narasimha in it. He kicked and flailed trying to escape the net. He was hauled into a cart and transported back to the palace by the soldiers.

Narasimha labored against the bonds trying to break free. He yelled at the soldiers , "I am your Prince."

The soldiers produced him before Subahu. They informed him, "We found him alone. Maharani Eiravati and Trinethrini were not there along with him."

Subahu waved his hands as though to signify that the absence of the other two was of no importance. He gestured the soldiers to step aside. He stood in front of Narasimha and said, "You were their Prince, Narasimha. You aren't now. Maharani Eiravati confirmed it in the open court. You voluntarily gave up your claim to the throne as my successor."

He clicked his tongue at Narasimha, "How very sad! Now you have compounded upon that by going against the newly amended laws of Mahishmati you yourself suggested a few days ago. Should I refresh your memory? 'Every citizen of this kingdom should be equal before the law. Punishment for crimes should be equal for one and all. Nobody should be exempted or considered beyond the reach of the law of the land...If a person goes against the kingdom or sides with the traitors, he or she will be instantly imprisoned for their treachery without any further trial...' And blah! Blah! Blah!"

Subahu apprised him from top to toe, "The people saw you helping a criminal escape with their own eyes. Nobody will protest or fight on your behalf. Nobody will say I wreaked vengeance or misused my power against my rebellious adopted son."

"Have all of you sold your souls? Can't you distinguish between what is right and what is wrong?" Narasimha turned towards the soldiers and ministers and berated them.

The soldiers and ministers looked down to the ground unable to meet Narasimha's eyes. Subahu exclaimed incredulously, "Are you expecting these weak specimens to revolt? They know their place and their loyalties. They know who pays the salary to keep the lamp in their homes burning. And as for the common people, their memories are so short-lived. You think they will remember you? When I look at you today, all alone, my heart goes out to you, my dear son!"

"I pity you, father, because that's you tomorrow. My heart goes out to you, a man all alone, with nobody to call his own, my dear father", Narasimha retorted, sarcasm dripping from every word he uttered.

Subahu was thrown aback by those words as though punched in his gut. But he pretended as though he was not affected by them. Narasimha stared straight ahead into Subahu's eyes and asked, "Where did all that love vanish, father? I thought it was real."

"It was. Just as much as this hatred now is", Subahu spat at Narasimha. "You are not mine to love. But you are mine to hate."

Narasimha reeled momentarily at the enormous amount of hatred hidden behind those words. He recollected himself. Standing up to his full height, Narasimha asserted, "I will stop you."

Subahu jeered, "What?"

Narasimha continued, "I always gave you the benefit of doubt. But no more. You are unstable and unfit to rule. If you could do that to me and mother, two people whom you claimed to have loved, you  can do anything."

"Leave alone stopping me. Let's see how long you manage to stay alive in the dungeons, all alone, without any food or water", Subahu challenged Narasimha.

"Throw him into the dungeons", Subahu ordered his soldiers. "Mind you. No food, no water. He will come begging on his knees to me."

End of Book Eleven: Broken Fragments