Cittaja || Indian Historical Romance

77.

Yuvika stood in the court, completely terrified of the things she would be hearing. Her maids came to tell her that their spies were caught by Shakra, and they confessed to the plan that Adhiman was making. The plan to kill Shakrajit.

As every single minister entered the court and saw Yuvika, their faces showed their anger and disgust at the people. It had never been so that she had been looked at in contempt like that.

"Rajkumari, isn't Mayurakshi also talked about? How will she escape the onslaught with the political rivals?" The maids asked Yuvika. Yuvika sighed.

"It is obvious now!!! We had been foolish enough. Amma had easily been triggered, and we're here. Yuvraj must have been planning to take Amma and Anna from their spot for a long time. Trying to kill Yuvraj from the back cannot go unquestioned like this by him. I had been wondering why he forgave Anna when his history is ridden with people he killed when they tried to harm him. Especially people who tried to stab him in the back. He never takes it easy on them. Yuvraj was just waiting for a move on our part. When our spies got caught, he played his move. I told Anna not to plan anything. I told him that if it was just about gathering information, we could have things to say, but this assassination plan got him caught!!!"

"But how is this not being pushed on her?"

"Because Amma got triggered and insulted Amarkant Aranivasu. The court will refuse to believe that Mayurakshi will side with her stepbrother when Amma insults her mother and grandfather before everyone."

Mayurakshi entered the court with Shakra. Shakra took his seat on his throne, and Mayurakshi took his seat with Veer. The two women, although married to the princes, hadn't been officially inducted into the court yet. Hence, they sat on a different seat. Veer had begun to inculcate the culture of the Kalika Empire, but it was still unusual for her to be sitting right within the court among all the men in the family.

Shatrujit entered the court, and everyone stood up. Shatrujit took a seat on his majestic throne. He signaled to begin the proceedings. Manas brought in the spies and men. They were battered and beaten black and blue.

"These are the spies and men we caught. They had tried to kill our Yuvraj during the war with Kanakotika. These men have been positioned by Yuvraj Adhiman in association with the Kanakotika Empire. While Yuvraj was fighting against the army, this man..." Manas produced one of those men before Shatrujit: "He pushed the poisoned arrow into our prince's arm while disguised as our soldier."

"Who sent you?" Shatrujit asked.

"I was sent by Yuvraj Adhiman along with the troops that had come from Krishneri to Ambikapuram. He told me that I would receive the signal from the Kanakotika army, and then I should poison the Prince of Kalika Empire." The man confessed.

"That is why he must have sent his sister here. He must have figured out that the plan to kill our Yuvraj failed and he could use his sister." One of the ministers commented.

"Then I suppose the rumors about her trying to seduce our Yuvraj when he was drunk have been true." Another minister was added.

Someone scoffed. "What a brilliant way Krishneri has!! They decided to send their princess as a concubine to our Yuvraj. She doesn't seem to have any qualms about sleeping with him before marriage."

Yuvika winced at the blatant disrespect. "Careful about how you say it..." The warning came from the Emperor. "Whatever Rajkumari Yuvika has done has been done by her, but we should try to not seem disrespectful to Rajkumari Mayurakshi. Mayurakshi is my daughter-in-law. Be careful about how you let her be represented."

"Maharaj, I should apologize for the comment, but which intelligent woman would let her sister stay in the same house after she is caught trying to seduce her husband? Why did Rajkumari Mayurakshi not ask her sister to leave right after she caught her trying to sleep with Yuvraj? What should we make of this? Any woman can walk into the house of the prince and try to sleep with him. Does this not raise a question about his protection?" The minister who made the earlier comment stood up.