Sorry for the prolonged break.

---***---

"Sriman Govardhana. You stand accused of faking your identity during your enlistment, planning an attack on Queen Mayanshi, aiding the traitor to the crown, former prince Bhairava, in attacking and killing innocent villagers and abducting the queen and attempting to kill her by stabbing her. How do you answer for your crimes?" Mahamantri Susharma addressed Govardhana. 

He glanced at Mayanshi, whose expression was unreadable at the moment. Was his cousin seething with rage on the inside? Or was she filled with concern for him? It was impossible to say.

Nevertheless, he was glad to see that she was not alone. Her husband supported her by holding her hand in his. He had been informed that the King did not leave the Queen's bedside throughout the week, and attended to her needs dutifully. 'How very wrong you were about Samarjit, nanna. You filled your heart with so much hate that you viewed everyone through the same lens. You failed to see the goodness in the people around you.'

He cleared his throat and spoke directly to the prime minister. "I am guilty of all the crimes mentioned, barring one."

"What is that?"

"I didn't stab her. It was my father. I would never hurt Mayanshi."

"It's Queen Mayanshi." Samarjit corrected him.

"My apologies, Maharaja." Govardhana joined his palms.

"Can anyone confirm that it wasn't you who stabbed the Queen?" Dushyanta spoke out of turn, making everyone turn to face him. Samarjit frowned at his cousin's behavior. Yet he remained calm.

"It is difficult for us to believe the man who planned so many attacks against us. Can you produce any proof?" He demanded. The courtiers nodded in agreement.

"I don't have proof. But I have an eye witness."

"Who? Your father?" asked one of the courtiers. The attendees laughed.

Govardhana chuckled humourlessly at their attempt to mock him. Samarjit raised his hand to silence everyone. "Who is this eye witness?" He addressed the accused, knowing fully well who he was talking about.

"The Queen." Govardhana replied. Everyone gasped at his audacity. He ignored it. "She was conscious when my father stabbed her."

The court was filled with murmuring. Mayanshi decided to put an end to it. She stood up, heavily relying on Samarjit's support. "I clearly remember that it was my uncle, Lord Bhairava, who stabbed me and threw me into the river. My cousin jumped in to waters at once, in an attempt to save me."

"Maharani. My apologies for contradicting your statement. But maybe this is how you remember it. What transpired might be different. I mean, you were the victim. You may not have noticed everything clearly." The prime minister expressed his doubt.

"I appreciate your efforts to uncover the exact truth. But you have to trust me on this. I wasn't dreaming or delusional. I distinctly remember. He tried to save me. I am alive because of him." She replied.

Nobody spoke a word until Vaishali stood up. "This man, Govardhana, despite being an accomplice to his father, risked his own life to save our queen. He has Virata's gratitude." She glanced at Mayanshi, who nodded at her.

Everyone looked in the young queen's direction. The new piece of information changed their perspective. Suddenly, they weren't so eager to see Govardhana punished. Not after knowing that he saved Mayanshi.

"Sriman Govardhana. You aided your father in few of his crimes. But you also redeemed yourself at a crucial moment and helped the throne. Which is why," Samarjit paused, while everyone looked at him with bated breath, "your life will be spared."

Govardhana sighed in relief.

"But," Mayanshi spoke up, "your crimes against Virata cannot be pardoned." She glanced at Samarjit, who nodded in encouragement. "Hence I decree that you will be exiled from this empire. You will assume a new identity and live the rest of your life as a commoner. You are not to speak of your previous life to anyone."

Govardhana shut his eyes and drew in a deep breath. The punishment, though harsh, sounded fair after what he had done. "Thank you, Maharani. This is more than what I deserve."

---***---

"I don't like this" said Bhargavi, referring to Mayanshi's desire to meet her cousin one last time, alone.

"Neither do I" said Vaishali. "But Mayanshi needs it. And she deserves to say goodbye to him."

Bhargavi frowned at the comment,  while suppressing a smile. "You are being considerate towards her."

"And you are being civil towards me." Vaishali replied. "People change. And sometimes, change is good."

Bhargavi stared at her, as if trying to analyze her. "I never thanked you for trying to save her. Allow me to express my grati--"

"Please don't. This is already awkward enough." Vaishali stopped her. Bhargavi nodded.

"What did I witness? Did our mothers just have a conversation without taunting each other?" Abhimanyu couldn't believe his eyes.

"I guess so" said Samarjit, feeling equally bewildered. "It looks like everything is going to be fine after a long, long time."

"Not everything. My father decided to search for a bride for me. I don't know what to do."

"Tell him about the girl of your dreams. The recipient of your love letters through pigeons."

"We both know she doesn't exist." Abhimanyu felt embarrassed at being reminded of his lie.

"What about Samyukta?"

"Who told you?!"

"I don't need someone telling me when I can see your eyes clearly twinkle with bliss, everytime they meet hers."

Abhimanyu felt heat rising up against his cheeks. He turned away, blushing.

He was saved the trouble of answering by Mayanshi, who chose that very moment to return. She walked with the assistance of two maids, who held her hands to support her. Her cousin's parting words kept running in her mind.

Samarjit helped her sit. He noticed her distressed face. "We may have to host a wedding very soon, Maharani. This time it will be a Virata girl wedded to a Srimukha boy." He attempted to cheer her up.

She heaved a sigh. "But I heard reports of my father trying to get him married to the princess of Indrapuri."

"What!" Samarjit exclaimed. "No. We can't let this happen. Not to our Abhimanyu." He placed his hand on the younger prince's shoulder as a protective gesture.

"I agree." Mayanshi nodded. "But the issue here is that Indrapuri was an ally to Avantipuram in the war. This wedding is proposed as a hand shake of friendship to the defeated kingdom. To keep them on our side in future and isolate Avantipuram."

Abhimanyu looked crestfallen. He couldn't jeopardize an initiative that supposedly brought peace to their kingdoms, for selfish reasons.

"That doesn't mean Abhimanyu has to be the scapegoat." Samarjit argued with Mayanshi. "There are others ways of forming a bond."

"You are right. We should convince my father. And we need to proceed with caution. My brother's happiness is far more important to me than forging ties with them." She said determinedly.

---***---

"Queen Mayanshi requests an audience with you, Maharaja." The guard announced.

"Send her in." Raghuveera stood up to welcome her. She entered his chambers holding Samarjit's hand for support.

"Why did you trouble yourself, Maya? You could have just sent a message. I would have come and met you." He helped her sit next to him, and greeted Samarjit with a smile.

"It is always the young who should approach their elders." Mayanshi stated with an affectionate smile. "And a great king like you shouldn't be summoned by someone like me, no matter what the circumstances are."

"Looks like my daughter has something big to ask of me. Hence the buttering."

Samarjit chortled at the comment. 'Of course her sweet words won't work on him. He raised her after all.'

Mayanshi's smile didn't falter a bit. "When you know me so well, I presume you have deduced the reason I am here."

"Abhimanyu?" Raghuveera asked calmly, after thinking for a moment.

"You are right again, nanna." She nodded.

"Did he send you?"

"He didn't have to. When I heard about what you have planned for him, I decided to convince you against it."

"Why are you against an alliance that brings peace?" He asked her.

"Because the foundation of a successful marriage is mutual affection and understanding. Not politics."

"And why do you think he won't have these with the princess of Indrapuri? I heard that she is a very good-natured girl. He will definitely like her." Raghuveera presented his point.

"We won't deny that she is a nice girl. And he will like her. But he won't be able to love her." Samarjit stated. "Because he loves Samyukta."

"What!" Raghuveera was shocked at this piece of information. "He is in love? And he hasn't told me? Why?"

"No offense, nanna. But have you given him a chance to speak? You just informed him of your decision, without consulting him. You can't expect him to express his feelings in your presence when you treat him like this."

"I... I was just doing what I thought was good for all of us. I didn't mean to..." He trailed off.

"Maharaja, from what I have observed in my short time as a part of this family is that everyone takes Abhimanyu for granted." Samarjit tried not to sound like he was accusing the older king.

"It is because he is always there. Ever present when you need him. Like a pillar that always stands tall to support the roof. Whenever there is a difficult task that needs to be done we think of him. And he obeys without question." Mayanshi spoke fondly of her brother's reliable nature. "He cares about everyone irrespective of what he receives in return."

"But the unfortunate fact is that such people are overlooked. At some point we all feel like it is his job to assist and obey all of us, because we got used to it." Samarjit explained.

"We don't want to make any unreasonable demands of you, nanna. All we want is for you to think if it is fair." Mayanshi urged him to reconsider.

Raghuveera sat motionless for a long time. When he spoke again, it was in an authoritative tone. "Request Maharani Bhargavi and Rajamata Vaishali to meet me in the prayer hall." He ordered a servant, who bowed to him and rushed from the room.

"Thank you for bringing this to my notice." He turned to face the young couple. "You both should go and rest now." He dismissed them.

---***---

"Son. Forgive me for being harsh. If you had told me about your feelings for Samyukta Devi, I would never have considered this alliance." Raghuveera aplogized to his son.

"Nanna, what about our bond with Indrapuri?"

"Bonds formed through the heart are much stronger than bonds forged by politics." Raghuveera stated. "My marriage to your mother was solely based on our feelings for each other. There was no room for politics in our life. I want the same for you. I will talk to Samyukta's father. I promise. And if she consents to this alliance I will bless this union whole heartedly."

Abhimanyu's eyes twinkled. He mouthed a thank you in the direction of Mayanshi and Samarjit.

"And coming to our alliance with Indrapuri," Vaishali announced, "We have decided that their princess will be wedded to Lord Dushyanta, who agreed to this proposal. That way Indrapuri will be a part of our family."

Samarjit, though surprised, felt happy at this new development, when he saw his cousin's smile. "This is brilliant." He congratulated Dushyanta.

After sending a royal emissary to Indrapuri, they returned to their respective bedchambers.

Samarjit led Mayanshi to her room. "Why the long face, Maharaja?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking about what you said this afternoon."

"Regarding what?"

"You said politics can't be the foundation of a successful marriage." He reminded.

"Yes. So?"

"Ours is a political marriage." He blurted out what bothered him. "Had the circumstances been different, and had there not been any political importance to this, would we have got married?"

Mayanshi chuckled. "This question is directed more towards me than you. Because you weaved dreams of us getting together even before I proposed to you."

"Wha-- you're mistaken... I wasn't, I didn't--"

"Really? The redness of your cheeks says otherwise." She caressed his face. He lowered his eyes, grinning. "It was evident that you felt something profound for me."

"But what about your feelings?"

"Samarjit." She addressed him with his given name for the first time. "You still don't understand. Do you? A twenty-one-year-old girl meets a man who is brave, respectful, caring, wise and most important of all, compassionate. He believed in her when there was no reason for him to. Who else was she going to end up with, when she had already found him? Why would she spare a glance at others, when she saw perfection in him? You and I are meant to be together, no matter what."

"Maya, I... Do you really mean it?"

"Ponder over this all through the night, Maharaja. Looks like slumber goddess has forsaken you again." She giggled mischievously, while he shook his head, laughing.

In that moment, everything felt right.

Or it would have been, had there not been the case of the traitor in the court, who helped Bhairava, whose identity was yet to be unveiled.

---***---

Don't forget to comment and vote. Thank you.

By the way, does something like thriller-comedy exist? If it does, would my readers like to read it? Just gathering opinion.