Love and Redemption

Chapter 5

The golden pillars supporting the dome-shaped roof were embellished with exquisite gemstones adding to the regal charm of the palace of Shivgarh. The opulent palace and luxurious royal court screamed the grandiose and magnificence of majestically affluent kingdom of Shivgarh.

The ministers were assembled in the royal court like everyday. With the announcement of arrival of the king, the majestic ruler of Shivgarh, Maharaja Jai Singh Rajput entered the court.

The king was making appropriate judgements for the pending cases when a half-burnt man came inside the court. Everyone present in the court were disgusted at the sight of the shabby man clad in an untidy blanket which barely attempted to cover his half-burnt body. When everyone was apprehensive to question the man his reason of sudden arrival, Yuvraj Veerbhadra Singh Rajput instructed the royal guards to make arrangements for the man to sit. 

After the half-burnt man sat down on a chair and drank water in the ostentatious royal glass made of pure silver, Yuvraj questioned him politely, "Who are you? Who is responsible for such condition of yours?"

The half-burnt man was taken back by such a polite response from the valiant prince. Remembering his misery, he narrated the wrongdoings he had gone through. "Your highness, I am Ramkumar. I am farmer in the nearby village of Kishanpur. I was keeping a watch on my crops at night to protect them from the wild Nilgai when..." 

The man's tears knew no bounds as he began narrating his ordeal. Veerbhadra, being a compassionate person, got up from his throne and went near him. Squeezing his shoulder, the royal prince, without caring about his royal status, consoled the half-burnt man who was profusely crying by then. The heads of royal guards and ministers were hung down in shame while the king admired the generosity of his son.

Recollecting his broken pieces, the man revealed everything in the royal court. "I saw some thieves trying to plunder my house. My wife was alone in the house so I rushed to stop them when they thrashed me."

Wiping his tears, he continued, "Your highness, I couldn't do anything when they tied me up and raped my pregnant wife." His voice stuttered as he told, "I was crying helplessly as my wife was screaming for help."

"Didn't anyone come for your help?",the old Law Minister of the court asked him while Veerbhadra sympathised him for his sufferings. 

"Your highness, I have large tract of land where I have grown mango trees and my crops. There are no houses nearby. So people could not hear our screams. When those monsters poured vegetable oil all over us and set our house on fire, some farmers who were keeping a watch on their crops rushed towards my ablazed house." The man told as he began crying profusely.

"Is your wife and your unborn child safe?", Veerbhadra asked in a concerning tone. He was shocked at the inhumanity of those monsters.

The half-burnt man smiled as he murmured like a lunatic man. "Your highness, they are safe. They are safe from their criminals, the society and their painful life."

He began crying hysterically as he confessed, "We couldn't save my wife and my unborn child as the deadly fire embraced my family."

Everyone was shocked. Trying to control his anger against those criminals, Veerbhadra summoned the royal guards making the announcement. "I want you to catch those monsters by tomorrow. They will be hanged in the public once they confess their crimes day after tomorrow  in the morning."

As the royal guards rushed to take action, Veerbhadra consoled the man. "I know your unbearable pain is indescribable. No one deserves whatever you suffered. I cannot undo your sufferings but I can make sure your family get justice by tomorrow."