Jogini : A fight for honour

Chp 38:- Exiled

As soon as Kumar Amarendra, Avantika and Kumar Rudhra entered the court the pundits began screaming their lungs out.

"HE IS A TRAITOR!"

"HE HAS KILLED OUR RAJGURU!"

"HE HAS BROKEN OUR TRADITIONS!"

"SILENCE." shouted the king raising his hand to silence the enraged court.

"The law in Aitarya Brahmana is the same for a prince, commoner or anybody."

"WHAT LAW ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" smirked Kumar Amarendra.

"The law that gives you the right to kill the heir of the throne? The law that gives you the freedom to enslave the Shudra women into the Devdasi pratha? The law that you never followed?"

"MIND YOUR WORDS!" roared the king.
"You are a traitor. You have taken the law in your own hands by killing Rajguru Venkata for no reason and broken-"

"NO REASON!?" exclaimed Avantika.
"In this land of evil there isn't any reason according to you, why I had to kill that bloody rapist Subbayya. Now, there isn't any reason why I wanted Rajguru killed?"

Avantika's taunts made matters worse.

"YOU ARE A MURDERER AND YOU NEVER HAVE A REASON TO KILL." shouted one pundit.

"If you think so, then you are next." she replied. "I'll kill you the same way your beloved Rajguru was killed."

"You cannot threaten any member of the court." warned the Dandnayaka Pratapa. "You will be sentenced to-"

"Dandnayaka!" warned Kumar Amarendra.
"Mind your words, she is now the Rajkumari of Aitarya Brahmana."

"Rajkumari!" exclaimed Rani Maalavi Devi standing up from her throne.

"She doesn't even deserve any man-"

"Amma, she is at least a much better woman than you." he spat. "You won't hesitate ruining any other woman's life. What sort of a woman are you? YOU AND YOUR FILTHY BROTHER POISENED MY AMMA THEN HAD CHANDRAMUKHI KILLED. YOU SHOULD BE HANGED!"

Rani Maalavi Devi stared at him in disbelief. She just could not fathom the thought of Kumar Amarendra speaking against the royal family.

"That woman," began Rani Maalavi Devi running towards Avantika. "HAS MANIPULATED YOU."

She held Avantika's throat and began choking her.

Kumar Amarendra caught her by her hair and pulled her away, he was about slap her across her cheek but Avantika held his hand.

He got furious and said, "DARE YOU TOUCH MY WIFE."

"BAAHUBALI!" roared the furious king, "HOW DARE YOU?"

"SHE IS NOT MY AMMA AND NEITHER ARE YOU MY NANNA."

His words made the court gasp in shock. Whispers filled the entire court.
The king fell on his haunches on the throne and Rani Maalavi Devi stormed out in rage.

"How much can one woman's love blind you Kumar Amarendra?" exclaimed Bhoomipati Bhadrava. "Have you entirely lost your sense of knowing what is right and wrong?"