The Court of Justice
The next morning, the halls of Nandigram's great palace filled with hushed murmurs and the rustle of silks.
The Queen-Mother had declared that Lord Samudra's fate would be judged openly in the Mandapa Sabha, the Hall of Judgment.
It was a vast chamber unlike the usual council halls. Its vaulted ceiling bore frescoes of past monarchs seated in eternal vigil, their painted eyes seeming to watch over the proceedings. At the center stood a lotus-shaped dais, where the accused knelt, surrounded by guards. Nobles filled the curved galleries, their whispers a tide of uncertainty.
Samudra, once a lord of dignity, now knelt stiff-backed in shimmering but disheveled robes. His face bore a mask of calm, but sweat betrayed him, glistening along his brow.
The Queen-Mother herself sat on a gilded throne, high above the dais, her golden veil framing her cold, imperious eyes. To her right stood Prince Rajendra. To her left, senior ministers whispered quietly, their eyes darting toward Shaurya.
Shaurya entered last, in a plain but regal indigo robe, his calm presence silencing murmurs as he strode forward. He bowed respectfully to the Queen-Mother, but his eyes never lost their commanding steel.
---
Opening Words
The Queen-Mother's voice echoed, smooth as silk, hard as stone.
"Today, we weigh the word of Shaurya of Ashval against Lord Samudra, pillar of our trade. Charges of forgery, deceit, and treason have been raised. If guilty, his lands and titles will be forfeit. If innocent, the stain lies on the accuser."
Her sharp gaze flicked toward Shaurya. "Let truth speak, and let pride remain silent."
The court stilled.
---
Shaurya's Case
Shaurya stepped forward, calm as a monk yet regal as a king.
"I accuse not lightly, Rajmata," he began, his deep voice carrying without force. "The evidence lies in the forged seals I discovered in the Chamber of Records, copied with wax and scribe's hand. One of Samudra's men, clerk Harinarayan, confessed to melting the wax at his master's command."
He gestured, and two guards dragged forth Harinarayan, pale and trembling.
The clerk stammered, "I… I did only as Lord Samudra's servant bade! It was his man who pressed me, who brought me the wax, who—"
"Enough!" Samudra roared, his eyes blazing. "A trembling scribe dares bind me? Lies! All lies! Maharaj Shaurya seeks only to weaken the Queen-Mother's loyalists!"
Shaurya did not flinch. His gaze turned to the gallery of nobles.
"Do you not see? Forged letters of alliance, crafted to make Ashval appear a usurper. And who profits? Not Mahadevan alone — but his allies within these very halls. Tell me, Lord Samudra — who else gains when chaos splits Nandigram?"
Murmurs swelled through the court.
---
Samudra's Defense
Samudra straightened, voice sharpened by desperation.
"Gains? You speak of gains? Look around you, nobles of Nandigram! Who gains if Shaurya rises unchecked? Who builds armies, gathers merchants, whispers promises of unity under his banner? Do you not see? He seeks to devour us all!"
His words struck home. Several nobles exchanged nervous glances.
"Would you trust this outsider?" Samudra pressed, voice thundering. "This self-proclaimed king, who came from ashes and forests? He flatters our Queen-Mother now, but tomorrow he shall declare himself her equal!"
The Queen-Mother's eyes narrowed, but she did not silence him.
---
The Duel of Words
Shaurya's lips curved in the faintest smile. He took one slow step forward.
"I am no outsider, Samudra. I bleed as any son of Bharatvarsha bleeds. I labor, I build, I protect. I came not to strip this land, but to stand against the serpent Mahadevan who would choke it."
He paused, letting the silence stretch taut.
"And yet you — a lord of Nandigram, sworn to her throne — forge letters in secret, sowing doubt where unity is needed. Tell me, then… who is the true usurper?"
The chamber stirred with whispers. A few nobles bowed their heads, ashamed. Others shifted uncomfortably.
Samudra spat in fury.
"Fine words, forest-king. But words do not prove guilt. Where are the coins, the orders, the hand itself? Show them, or admit this farce for what it is — your ambition."
---
The Queen-Mother's Test
The Queen-Mother raised her hand, silencing all.
"Enough." Her eyes, sharp as daggers, turned between the two men.
She spoke slowly, each word deliberate.
"Shaurya claims treason. Samudra claims slander. Let truth weigh heavier than eloquence."
She gestured to her ministers. A casket was brought forth, sealed with the royal emblem. It contained the letters Shaurya had uncovered.
One by one, the scribes examined them before the court, comparing seals, wax, and handwriting. Their voices trembled as they spoke.
"The script… does not match Samudra's hand, nor his clerk's."
"But the wax bears his merchant fleet's private mark."
"The seal — pressed from a counterfeit die, made in secret."
The nobles erupted into debate.
"Then he is guilty!"
"No — if his servant acted alone, how can Samudra be blamed?"
"Or perhaps this is all Shaurya's ploy!"
---
Shaurya's Calm
Amid the chaos, Shaurya remained utterly calm, his deep voice cutting through like a blade.
"My lords, I seek not to topple Nandigram's order. I seek its survival. If Samudra is innocent, then another used his mark. If guilty, then he betrays us all. But in either case, we face serpents within these halls — serpents who serve Mahadevan."
He looked directly at the Queen-Mother.
"Rajmata, justice is not about protecting pride. It is about protecting the kingdom."
For a heartbeat, the chamber froze in his words' gravity.
---
The Verdict
The Queen-Mother leaned back upon her throne, veil glinting. Her silence stretched long enough that even the frescoed kings seemed to lean closer.
At last, she spoke.
"Lord Samudra's ships shall be seized. His estates placed under royal watch. Until his innocence or guilt is proven beyond doubt, he is stripped of command."
Gasps filled the hall.
Samudra's face contorted, fury and fear mingling.
"You cannot— Rajmata, this is Shaurya's doing!"
But the guards seized his arms, dragging him away as nobles murmured.
The Queen-Mother raised her voice one last time.
"Thus ends this trial. Truth is a fire — and today, we have only lit its first spark."
---
Aftermath
As the nobles dispersed, whispers followed Shaurya's every step. Some now looked to him with respect, others with suspicion, and still others with fear.
Ananta smirked.
"You cornered him well, Maharaj. The serpent writhes."
But Shaurya's expression remained thoughtful, calm.
"No serpent dies from one spark. This was but the first coil. More wait in shadow."
Before his eyes, Adhipatya glowed faintly:
[Chamber of Shadows: Progress 70%]
Objective Updated: Trace the deeper hand behind Samudra's mark.
Far above, the Queen-Mother watched Shaurya's calm retreat, her fingers tightening on the armrest of her throne.
"He grows too strong," she whispered. "Yet… the kingdom may need his fire."
Her veil hid her expression, but her mind sharpened with new schemes.
To be continued....