The Royal Crucible

Quest for Justice

Trigger waring:  This chapter contains the disturbing content

Kalyani, Malini's sister, was stunned she was not able to answer her questions.
Then Anahita calmed down and asked her, "Look, Kalyani, I am not doing any harm to you. I just want you to tell me what happened to Malini and where she is. I am asking this to everyone, but none of them are responding to me."
Kalyani said, "Yuvarani, I... don't... know."

As soon as Kalyani said this, Anahita's eyes flashed with anger, her voice sharp as a blade. "Answers, now!" she demanded, her fists clenched. Her presence was a storm, her determination unbreakable. The air was heavy with tension, the truth trembling in fear of her wrath.
Kalyani was very nervous. She spoke softly, her voice shaking, "Please, Yuvarani... I don't know if I should say this..."
Anahita's eyes narrowed, her voice firm. "Speak, Kalyani. I command it."

Kalyani hesitated, glancing at Anahita's stern face, but Anahita's demanding gaze pushed her to continue. Kalyani had no other option but to tell the truth. Her voice breaking, she started to answer Anahita's questions, "Yuvarani, Malini... is at home... she... was..."

Just then, a deep voice interrupted, "You go. I'll answer her questions."

Kalyani's eyes widened in relief as Rajakumara Partha stepped forward, his confident gaze meeting Anahita's intense stare. Kalyani was not ready to stay there a minute longer. She was about to leave when Anahita grabbed her hand. Anahita's eyes flashed with defiance, "Why should she go?"

Rajakumara Partha's expression remained calm, "Enough, Anahita. Just take a look around you."
He gestured to the surrounding space. The atmosphere was thick with tension as everyone - guards, servants, and maids - gathered around, their eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before them. They watched with bated breath, their faces etched with curiosity and anxiety, as if sensing the gravity of the moment. Anahita released Kalyani's hand.

Anahita was about to ask something, but Rajakumara Dinesha intervened, "Wait, Anahita, we'll answer your questions, but let's go to my chamber first."
He gestured towards the door, his expression firm but polite, indicating that the conversation was far from over.

As they entered the chamber, Anahita furiously asked, "So tell me what happened to Malini? Why is everyone trying to hide this from me?"

Partha said, "If we are hiding it from you, it means we don't want you to know right now."

Anahita, with a bold voice, said, "I have all the rights to know what is happening. And in this world, none of you has the right to decide what I should know or not. Moreover, Malini is not just my friend. She is a maid in the palace, and citizen of our kingdom. As the Yuvarani of this kingdom, I have the right to know."

Partha and Dinesha realized that Anahita was not going to drop this topic.

Dinesha continued, "Okay, Anahita, but before I tell you what happened, I request you to make future decisions with a calm mind and not out of anger."

Anahita said, "Okay, brother, tell me what it is."

Dinesha continued, his tone serious, "Anahita, we have a grave matter to discuss. Malini has been sexually assaulted by a man, but unfortunately, we don't know who the perpetrator is." His words hung in the air, heavy with concern and uncertainty.

Anahita was stunned by his words. "What?" she exclaimed.

"Yes, the night before your coronation. This happened. She was going back home after her work. While she was going through the garden way, she was kidnapped by two men and sexually assaulted in a room. Unfortunately, it happened in our palace."