Aru Shah 3.5 (DISCONTINUED)

Trial by Council

A/N I want to clarify that I made up the oath part and it is not a part of Hindu mythology.

Aru walked into the court of the devas and instantly felt all their eyes on her. She knelt and paid her respects to each before she walked back to the center of the room, waiting with her hands clasped behind her back. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed that Boo's throne was empty. None of the other Guardians commented on it, although many cast it wary or indifferent glances.

"Pandava, you have been summoned to trial," Uloopi said. Her face did not betray any emotion. "Do you swear on your own life and the lives of your loved ones that you tell the truth?"

It was perhaps the heaviest oath that could be uttered, and it was completely binding. If you broke it, every life that applied to your oath would be lost. Aru steadied her breathing. "I swear so."

"Did you at any point give the Sleeper any inside information about the Otherworld?"

"No."

"Did you at any point cooperate with the Sleeper?"

"No."

"Did you at any point try to vanquish the Sleeper?"

Aru swallowed against the fear coiling in her throat. This would make her look bad. "No."

Uloopi nodded. "I am finished. Will anyone else come forth?"

Hanuman shifted to the front of his throne. "Did you gather new information about the Sleeper?"

"Yes," Aru answered. "He has another daughter. Kara. We're blood-related."

For the first time, she heard a round of wary mutterings from the Guardians.

"Did you find his whereabouts?" Hanuman continued.

"In an uncharted area of Otherworld territory. Brynne could give you the exact location."

"Very well. Will anyone else come forth?"

Urvashi raised a hand. "Would you be able to--or willing to--kill the Sleeper?"

A horrible ice threaded its way through Aru's veins. To kill the Sleeper was to kill her father. The father who had once loved her and had been twisted into an unrecognizable person. But...he threatened the things she loved most. Her friends. Her family. The Otherworld. She met the apsara's eyes. "Yes."

She hated herself for her answer.

The Council waited in silence. No one else came forward to ask questions, which was just as well, since Aru wasn't sure she'd be able to answer them without crying.

"You have been cleared," Hanuman said. "You are dismissed, Pandava."

When Aru walked out of the room, only Aiden was waiting there. "Where is everyone?" she asked, looking around.

Aiden made a sour face. "Opal summoned them. She wants to see you later."

"Great. Just great."

Aiden studied her face. "You okay?"

She shrugged.

"You don't look so good."

"Thanks," she grumbled.

Aiden shook his head quickly. "I don't mean not good as in bad, I mean you look..."

"What? Sick? Hungry?"

"Tired."

Aiden's words struck a chord somewhere deep inside Aru and she exhaled. "I am."

He was silent for a few steps. "What did the Guardians ask you?"

"They asked me a bunch of questions about the Sleeper. If I gave away anything. And..." Her throat felt dry. "If I'd be able to kill him."

"What?" Aiden's voice echoed a little too loudly in the hall.

Aru shut her eyes. "I would if he threatened you. Or anyone else," she added. "But..." She found herself desperately wanting to voice her secret fear.

"You don't know if you could?" he finished softly.

Aru nodded. She couldn't speak past the lump in her throat.

"Oh, Aru. You won't have to make that decision alone. We'll be with you."

"You can't promise that," she whispered. She turned her face away from Aiden. She didn't want him to see her like this.

"Aru, look at me." His kind dark eyes glittered with blue specks, like a precious stone. "It's okay if you don't know. Because we'll be there with you. No matter the cost."

Aru realized that they'd both stopped walking and were facing each other. Her cheeks warmed and she ducked her head. "You always know the right thing to say."

He took another step forward and hugged her. "I'll be here for you."

"Likewise," Aru promised. She tried not to let herself get distracted by the way he smelled like clean laundry, or the warmth of his arms around her back. She tightened her arms around his shoulders.

Her cheek briefly brushed his as she pulled back, and she could have sworn she saw him blush. "Aru, I...I want to ask..."

"Spit it out, Wifey," she said, a smirk creeping onto her face. She hadn't seen him so flustered since he was revealed to be the reincarnation of Draupadi.

Aiden reached forward and held her hand. Immediately she thought, What if he thinks my hand is sweaty? Or callous-y? She opened her mouth. Fortunately, whatever embarrassing thing she would have blurted out was covered by the thundering of the sky. Outside, the heavy gray clouds released their burdens. Sheets of silver rain cascaded from the sky. Vajra glowed on her wrist as if communicating its approval.

Aru felt a little thrill in her heart. Her soul father, Indra, after all, was the god of thunder. Her heartbeat matched the rhythm of the raindrops. The remaining tension in her body drained as she looked upon the scene.

Aiden squeezed her hand. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" he said.

Aru wasn't sure if he meant the weather outside or the moment they'd just shared. But maybe that didn't matter. She looked at him and smiled. "Yes."