Page 13 of The Burning Mountain
Veer discarded the cloth instead of handing it back to Shota and silently extended a hand, inviting him to go first.
They walked abreast down the corridor, each occupied with their own thoughts.
“I don’t know what you were doing with Virat’s body,” said Shota grimly, breaking the silence. “Or why you needed copious amounts of ash that you had our servants bring you on short notice.”
Veer missed a step but righted himself. A mask had fallen over his face, hiding his thoughts.
They halted and Shota turned fully to face him. “And I don’t want to know either,” he continued in a low whisper, struggling to keep the misgiving out of his voice, when he knew his friend had to be hurting. “But know that I don’t like it.”
Veer’s jaw tightened. “Noted.” His tone cooled several degrees. “And I was merely making sure Virat’s body was preserved. We shall have to hold off on his funeral rites until we reach Rajgarh.”
“If it was as simple as that, then I wouldn’t be barred,” remarked Shota in a caustic voice, as they continued their way. Veer pointedly ignored his observation.
More people came into view. There was a somber air of despair and nervousness. Everyone bowed their heads as the two friends walked past, as if not wanting to catch their gazes.
“The faster we get out of this vile place, the better I will feel,” Veer said under his breath, as he hastened his pace.
“There’s something I need to mention,” said Shota, matching his stride. “I don’t have my judiciary amulet with me.”
Veer threw him a careless look. “There are several Rajgarh courtiers around. And the judges will have them too. What’s the big deal?”
“The deal is that I can’t use mine,” said Shota impatiently. “And I’d like to know if justice has been served when the amulet is dismantled. A crime such as this deserves careful consideration of all elements.”
The judiciary amulets were an artifact that every magistrate in Rajgarh carried. Shota, before he was taken under the queen’s wing, worked as a trainee justice and had earned his at a very young age.
Veer remained silent, which made Shota bold enough to say what he had intended.
“I hoped you’d consider taking more time before having this trial. Allthishappened only yesterday, and we didn’t have time to collect any evidence.”
They reached the arena where the trial was being conducted. It was an open hall but with restricted entry. Heavy security was posted at the entrances. Citizens from both kingdoms had already gathered into a crowd. The people from Rajgarh stood separately, hostility radiating from their faces.
Similar to Rajgarh, the judicial system in Amaravathi was hierarchal. A crime of this magnitude would typically come to the king’s court or theraja-sabha, but since the matter involved the royal family of the two kingdoms, modifications were made and it was shifted to a lower court, albeit one that containedrepresentatives from both kingdoms. Instead of having one judge, there were three: two from Rajgarh and one from Amaravathi.
The lower court hearings weren’t open to the public, but there were enough witnesses that Shota was sure whatever happened would be all over the kingdom in no time.
Veer stopped. His brows lowered in disbelief as he shook his head at Shota. “I can’t believe you sometimes,” he said with suppressed fury. “Is duty all that matters to you? Isawher digging the knife out of Virat with my own eyes. What other interpretation could there be? What more evidence do you need?”
Shota gave him a long, unbending stare. “A crime, any crime, even the obvious ones deserve due process of investigation and trial. You know it’s your grandfather’s law, Veer.”
Veer turned away with a sound of annoyance. “I don’t think we are missing any steps. We have a trial, and any investigation is pointless when the culprit is clear-cut. If there are any failures, the amulet would reflect that.”
Veer’s grandfather was a great architect, but he also believed in the rule of law. He was credited with making the judicial amulets magical.
It came from the belief that there was a strength to the truth. An essence and yes, magic. And he had found a way to use all three elements. The judiciary amulets captured the essence of the truth and stored the magic generated in their special lac coatings. Which was then dissolved—dispersed over a long time—into the structures the amulets were set into. Using the power of truth to strengthen various public buildings constructed in Rajgarh. Sometimes even giving it unique magical properties.
It was a weird system, but it made the judges extra careful, to make sure their verdicts were as fair as possible.
“This whole thing is a farce, Shota,” said Veer, staring daggers at where the princess stood, hands bound in manacles and chains. She appeared small, shrunken somehow, but stood straight, her gaze fixed to point on the distant horizon. “Chandraketu was the one who insisted on a trial,” he growled. “Perhaps to save face. But I know that woman is already guilty.”
“If you are that sure of her culpability, then why even have a trial?”
“Believe me, tarrying here is the last thing I want. I need to take Virat’s body back to Rajgarh before it decomposes anymore.” Veer turned his head away, hiding his expression, deepening Shota’s suspicions over what he had planned for Virat’s body. “The only reason I wait is so I can hear what she has to say for herself. And because I want to look her in the eye as her sentence is read.”
Shota watched dispassionately as the trial commenced. Both the kings of the respective kingdoms presented themselves, but they hung back, content to let the law take its course, their faces impassive, giving nothing away.
As opposed to Veer, who practically vibrated with the struggle to contain his rage.
The floor of the hall had an inlaid circular mosaic and the two judges from Rajgarh stood at the opposite ends of the diameter. The judiciary amulets were held in their hands, shining like live red suns. Shota, who was impervious and could detect nothing beyond the strongest of magic, barely felt the wash of it over him, as the magical lac coating was activated.
