As I entered the sabha, I saw Duryodhan and his brothers standing on one side, while my brothers on another. They stood with mata by their side.

" Raajkumari. You have been accused of being disloyal to the Raajkumar of Hastinapur. What do you have to say for yourself? "

" Maharaj. I need to know based on what incident, when and how these allegations against me were made. "

"You were seen spending time alone without your husband's permission with Angraj Karn! " Duryodhan accused.

So.... This is from last morning.

" Your point being Kumar? That I can't learn how to defend myself from the only warrior available who would teach me? "

"You could learn from Pitamah, or even Maharaj. Why did you choose him? "

"I didn't want to burden them. "

" Really! So you chose a newly appointed king to do so? " Duryodhan leered.

"Maharaj. It is true. A week ago, I requested Angraj Karn to teach me the knowledge of shatsr vidya so I can defend myself. However he laughed it off, assuming that I was joking and I dropped the subject. Tomorrow morning, he himself came to the proposition -"

" Kumari, so are you accusing Angraj of meeting you alone? " Shakuni asked.

" No. I am telling you what transpired Gandharraj and while I am presenting my case, you have no right to speak in between. " I glared.

"Raajkumari! Mind your tongue.. He is our elder. " Dushasan said.

" I haven't lied. I told you the whole truth, in fact, please invite Angraj Karn to tell you what happened since you do not believe me. "

" He's not in Hastinapur Kumari. He's not your slave to do all your bidding when you demand. "

" Fine. You may ask my husband. He knew I was practicing with Angraj. "

"Is this true? Did you know Yudhishthir? " Maharaj asked.

" Yes Maharaj, my wife had informed me how she learnt from Angraj. "

" Informed you that she learnt? Are you hearing this Maharaj! She told him afterwards, not before! " Shakuni interrupted. I would have had my dagger out by now had my hands not been tied.

" That's not -"

"No! Then this is final. She was disloyal -"

"No! Maharaj. Please understand. Our Bhabhshree can't do this. She loves our Jyeshth too much to do something like this. Please! " Bheem interrupted.

" Maun. " Shakuni said.

" Maharaj! This lady is not pious or pativrata. She was disloyal to her husband and who knows what else she could have done if she hadn't heard the news -"

"Duryodhan! How dare you speak about our bhabhishree like that! " Nakul said, drawing his sword.

"No no! Put that back in. We'll be in more trouble-" I tried.

" Maharaj! These five men are willing to condone her actions as a criminal. So they are criminals too! "

"Gandharraj is right. I punish Kumari Sagarika with death, while the others with a week of being confined to their rooms. No one can move in or out. " Dhritarashtr ordered as he stood up and walked out, followed by a laughing Duryodhan.

I fell to the floor, confused.... Death? Here? What about Mini? Who will care for her? AJ? My friend. Best friend. What about our mission.

' Is this why I was brought here Keshav? Does my death help you in your purpose? If so, please do it, take my life away'.

'Nahi sakhi. Your death is not a plan. You must fight for your right. You have to be strong. There is a secret in the family which will free you'. He said and I saw Angraj in the middle of a field. He was laying down, dead while an old, woman sat by him, crying.

I couldn't hear the sound of my husband or anyone else while I sat on the floor, watching the vision.

As it cleared, I saw a worried face in front of me, holding my face delicately.

"Kumar. Move aside. She needs to be taken down to the prison. " A guard said, hauling me up .

"No! No! No! You can't take her away! Stop! Please let her go! Stop! Leave my wife alone! Stop! Sagarika! " I heard as I closed my eyes. I couldn't cry. He wouldn't be able to think clearly and from what I heard isn't thinking clearly now either. He was held back by his brothers as he thrashed around.

"Guard. Please let me speak to him once. Then I'll walk back with you. Just a few minutes. Please. "

So he let me go.

I ran up to him as he grabbed me, holding me close.

"Yudhishthir! Yudhishthir. Listen to me. You are my husband and I will not come to any harm as long as you are alive. I know that. You need to calm down. Keshav says there is a secret in the family. One that can earn me my freedom. Find it. You have today to do so. Find it Yudhishthir. I trust you. " I said, staring into his eyes.

" But -you -"

"I'll be fine. Do as I said. Find the secret Yudhishthir. I believe in you. You'll do it. " I whispered, joinging our foreheads.

" I'll save you. Don't worry. I love you so much. You went through all this here. This is not the way we were supposed to spend our life. "

" Is this better or worse than finding the weapon? " I laughed.

"Worse worse. So much worse. I can't bear to see you in pain. The sight of you in tears makes my blood boil. Don't cry my love. I'll help you. " He answered, wiping my tears.

"The great Yudhishthir, calm in all scenarios and situations is provoked by my tears? "

" Anything that hurts you triggers my anger."He said solemnly, cold anger shining in his eyes.

"Let's move, time up. " The guards said, wrenching me away.

"Chal to rahi hoon. Laat maroongi phir se aise haath pakda to! " I said in Hindi.

"What? "

" Move. I'm in no mood to stand here. I have a leg cramp you idiot. Take me to the prison so I can finally sit. " I said, while my brothers laughed. In taking care of their raging brother, they were unable to grieve for their bhabhishree.

^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^

Safe to say, I never imagined myself in prison. It was dark and cold. Meagre food was what I got.

I curled up in a ball, trying to conserve heat.

I hope he finds the truth out. I don't want to die. Not like this.

The next morning I was dragged out of the prison into the sabha again.

There I saw the one person I least expected to see.

"AJ? " I whispered and he looked at me.

His anger was blazing in his eyes as he glared at the chaotic trio.

"Kumari, for your crimes of infidelity against your husband, I sentence you to death by a live burning pyre. You'll be killed in a few minutes outside in front of the whole kingdom. " Maharaj Dhritarashtr said.

I looked around, neither mata nor Yudhishthir was there. Hopefully they found something.

"Do you have to say anything? "

" If I am proven innocent in a few minutes, my brother Ajatshatru and I will bring down carnage to your kingdom. No one will even know Hastinapur ever existed. " I said, glaring at the princes.

"Proven innocent? My dear you're already guilty-"

"Shut up Gandharaj. You have a brain. Use it for good sometimes. " I said, annoyed by him. What! It is annoying listening to him. It's like a whining kid.

" Maharaj! She disrespected -"

"Kya kar loge, waise bhi maar to rahe hi ho. "(What else will you do? I'm being punished with death anyways.)I said again in hindi... It's fun to speak a language they won't understand.

As I made my way towards the pyre, I was met by AJ.

" Bewakoof. What have you done. I told you, just because he has my face doesn't mean -"

" I know. I know... But he isn't the reason for this mess. I love you, brother. You've been my best friend and now brother since so many years. I was honoured to be your friend. " I whispered, hugging him.

Standing next to the pyre, I felt the heat waves coming off of it.

As I was beginning to strip my jewelry off, I heard Duryodhan say, " Wear all that and step in. You're a princess aren't you? "

The people around me raged. AJ and my brothers most of all. The chaos was wild. The anger in their minds at the thought was raging greater than the fire itself.

Before the chaos could rise greater, I heard mata say, " Maharaj! You cannot punish a girl for meeting her own brother in law. Her husband's Jyeshth! "

Yudhishthir's Jyeshth?

Both men ran in, Yudhishthir rather frantic, while Karn had a worried expression, which was hardened by hate. Those glaring eyes searched his friend, who stopped so low to kill his own brother's wife.

" What are you talking about Kunti! "

"Ji Maharaj! Angraj Karn is my eldest son. He's the matrprasad of Bhagwan Suryanarayan! " She said.

Chaose broke out even greater than before.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Well, she told them herself.... How's that! Tell me how it was in the comments.

Much love

Radhekrishn ❤