ENCHANTED - BY INNOCENCE (ongoing)

54.2

This is by far my most favorite chapter to write in EBI. I hope it becomes your favorite chapter to read and serves as your Monday motivation.

Also based on your suggestion. I am keeping a reduced target please try to complete it. This chapter has 3700+ words so make sure you read till the end.

Target for next chapter: 1375 votes and 750 comments

*** Vishnu Gupta ***

I couldn't believe my eyes as I saw my wife walking through the huge doors. Her eyes searched for mine the moment she entered the completely unfamiliar place.

How? Just how? Who outsmarted me? How could anyone convince my wife to go against my wishes?

That's impossible!

Am I dreaming?

I stared at her as she looked around the courtroom, her eyes searching for me, as confusion crept into her heart.

Such an innocent soul she is. She doesn't deserve to witness the chaos of the courtroom drama.

Soon enough, her eyes met mine, and the moment they did, she perhaps noticed the surprise and disappointment on my face, for her face turned extremely pale out of guilt.

I slightly nodded and closed my eyes to assure her that it was okay and immediately sent my assistant to help her find a proper seat among the female dancers to make sure that she was more comfortable. Soon enough, we heard drumrolls, and within moments, the King entered, his demeanor filled with a sense of authority and power, completely different from the kind of person we meet within the close rooms.

We all stood up in unison.

"Please have a seat, everyone," he said, and we all sat down while the General and I glared at each other.

Getting my wife into the courtroom is a clever but very cowardly move.

"Since we have the soldiers joining the debate session today, I will refresh the rules once again," he began. "The petition from the soldiers is to make the Brindavan community—a community established for the well-being of women—inter disciplainary. This is being met with opposition from the group of chief intellectuals. The vice-intellectuals have, however, not expressed their opinions yet and are free to choose. To begin the debate, each intellectual and participating soldier will take a stand.

"It could either be against the petition, in support of the petition, or a neutral stand. Should you choose a neutral stand, you are allowed to be influenced and pick a stand during the course of the debate. However, once you choose a stand, you are not allowed to change it; you can only surrender. You are not allowed to take the names of anyone who is not involved in the debate without the permission of them or their close ones if they are absent in the courtroom. Respect needs to be maintained at all times, and you are not allowed to take back words once you've surrendered. If no one surrenders before the two-hour debate, the ministers will get to vote, and the decision will be based on the majority."

"Any questions from the army?" the King asked, turning towards the General.

"Well understood, Your Highness. No further questions," Kheera replied.

"Great," the King continued. "The participating soldiers will state their names and stances."

"Randheera, in favor of the petition, Your Highness," Kheera started.

"Kishore, in favor of the petition, Your Highness," Kishore continued.

"Pritham, in favor of the petition, Your Highness," came next.