To Love A Murderer | ✔

11 | Accusations and Leads

Possible TW: brief descriptions of a panic attack

The court was filled to the brim today. Most of the royal family had appeared, along with most of the nobles that formed the oligarchy in Dvaravati. And considering the incident for which everyone was assembled here today, Lilavati had to say she wasn't surprised at all.

In the centrepoint of the Sabha sat her husband's Matamaha Ugrasena. To his right sat her husband and his first queen Rukmini, their hands intertwined, while to the king's right sat Balarama and his own wife Revati, who she noticed somewhat amusedly was taller than her husband's brother and was quite impressive considering Haladhara's already tall stature.

The other queens of Krishna were seated in the uppermost seats of the Sabha, and security around them was extremely stringent considering the incident that had just occurred. Vasudeva sat close to his sons, but also close to the nobles, acting as a bridge between the nobles and the royals.

Lilavati sat down back in her seat, after having given a blow-by-blow account of the assassination attempt, and the seat made of semi-precious stones felt stiff under her weight, and she swallowed, hoping that the right people believed her. She cared not an ounce for the opinion of others except her husband and his immediate family.

The voice of Vasudeva rang out around the court, directly addressing Maharaani Bhadra.

"Putri, we would like you as well to address the court regarding the attempt yesterday. Will you be willing to speak?"

All eyes were on Maharaani Bhadra, as she rose and spoke, "Yes Pitashri, I am perfectly able to speak."

Bhadra's eyes met Krishna's, and he inclined his head a notch, a fond and loving smile playing on his face, and Lilavati could see Maharaani Rukmini squeeze their intertwined hands, and the tenderness in his expression as he looked to the latter was breathtaking.

Maharaani Bhadra rose, and though all eyes were on her, Lilavati could see the poise and grace with which she carried herself never faltering. Her light green veil trailed behind her a few steps, as she made her way to the centre of the court. Once she was there, her eyes swept over every member in the court, and it amused her to see some members unnerved, lingering over Lilavati for only a split-second in which most of her doubts were soothed.

"I was walking to my palace from the common chambers of us sisters yesternight, engrossed in my own thoughts. Upon recalling my memory of the incident, there was a sharp whizz in the air to my right and behind that was almost faint to the ear, though I did not fully register it at the time. A second later, I heard Lilavati's worried cry, and I turned back to see her holding the dagger by the blade, straight behind me. I also heard some extremely muffled cursing and scuffling that very quickly faded away. The guards instantly suspected Lilavati and pointed their spears at her, after which I told them to stand down and I heard the full story from her."

The emphasis was not missed by most people in the room.

Taking in the silence in the room, she paused for a second and then spoke again.

"For the record, whatever weight my opinion holds, I do not believe Lilavati was the perpetrator. Firstly, there are the noises we must consider and the position from which the dagger was flung. And secondly, she was holding the dagger in such a way as though she had caught it, by the blade and not the hilt. There was a deep cut on her hand by the time I had coaxed her into releasing the dagger."

Lilavati wanted to feel as though a weight had been lifted off her, and though the burden had lessened a little, it still pressed obnoxiously into her shoulders, forcing her downwards.

Whispers broke out amongst the members and the elders too spoke amongst themselves.

And Maharaaja Ugrasena spoke then, saying, "Do any members of the Sabha wish to say anything?"