THE TEARS OF KUMARI KANDAM
CHAPTRE 32

Haala is following a guard into the dungeon. After a long wait, finally the month Mulaakaat* arrived. Haala can't wait to see her father, who has been in custody for two months. However, how surprised Haala found the condition of the father who was not only thin but also full of lashes.

*Mulaakaat* is the month of visit for the prisoners of the Kumari Kingdom of Kandam. It first fell on the sixth month. Visitors are free to visit at least four times a day until the month ends*.

Not only the whip wound, Haala even just found out if the father was transferred into a cell the size of a coffin. Cells without lighting and windows located at the most basic of it have long been unused because a million times more terrible than the punishment of beheading. Other than Gaana*, it seems that no one deserves to inhabit the cell.

*Gaana* the saint-soul-eating creatures living in Mook* Forest*.

"Dad, what's going on?"

Haala's father smiled in response to Haala. "As you can see. I'm being punished."

Haala's cry broke. Through the rusty old bars, Haala tightly hugged the body of the father who was covered in whips. Given the heinous deeds of Haala's father who had kidnapped girls to serve as Gaana's food, such punishment is indeed worth it. But as Haala knows, the father was not sentenced to life imprisonment with the addition of tacit torture.

"Did His Majesty the King do this to Father?" ask Haala again.

"where possible. You know the King's Majesty's mercy is peerless."

Haala took off her embrace. "Then who?"

"Whoever it is, I deserve it."

Haala shakes. "But you can die."

"Isn't that better?"

Haala was silent, feeling her tears coming back. "Don't let your mother and grandmother know about this father's condition" Haala's father added.

The entire time of his visit, Haala was just crying. Haala fed the father who looked very hungry, also poured the rest of the potion that was given by Daxraj the other day. Afterwards Haala said goodbye and promised the father would continue to come to visit. On his way out of the dungeon, Haala stared at the wrath of one by one the guards on duty.

Something must have gone wrong, but unfortunately Haala's father insisted on biting her tongue. Inevitably Haala also had to find out in his own way. There were two people who had the most powerful motive to torture Haala's father. Who else if not the two brothers Murat Iskender and Jihan Joozher. But wrong, it turns out the real culprit is Princess Gaurika.

CTAK! CTAK! CTAK!

"Mr princess, please stop."

Spontaneous Princess Gaurika stops her act of whipping Haala's father. "Please forgive my father" added Haala.

"Where I come from, vile humans seem to have to bleed every day."

"Ampuni servant but the law in Narak is different from the law in Kumari Kandam, daughter," Haala replied.

"I knew. But I can still do it because I've exercised my right."

Haala was silent because she did not understand Princess Gaurika's words. "Daughters are born with the privilege of doing anything. And I decided to exercise my right to torture her to death" Princess Gaurika said.

Haala suddenly squealed. "Please your mercy, princess."

"What is compassion, commander?"

"Hamba will take the place of punishment for the servant's father."

Spontaneous Haala's father shouted, "No, Haala. Go awayl. Only you deserve it."

Haala prostrates. "If it must be bled daily, let the blood of the servant that smears the whip, daughter. But please, forgive my father."

Princess Gaurika walked over to Haala. "A very interesting offer. But I'm reluctant to get into trouble with King Kumari Kandam's dark lover."

"Hamba promised to tell God only."

Princess Gaurika smiled. "Then, what can I do."

CTAK! CTAK! CTAK!

And so the night routine of Haala, usually accompanied by pettiness, translates the ancient book of the ancestral relics of the wandering tribe, replaced by accompanied by the loss of the whip belonging to Princess Gaurika Chander of Narak Kingdom. However, Haala felt calm, because the father had been returned to his cell and got a decent ration of bread and milk every day.

CTAK! CTAK! CTAK!

...¤○●¤○●¤○●¤...

Today is the day of Braheim's visit to the villages. Braheim visits once a year at an undisclosed time, to ensure his people work well in the welfare of his people. And as always, Braheim's annual visitation activities were always escorted by his war commander and a few chosen soldiers.

Braheim opened the window curtain of the horse carriage. "Soldier."

"Give me the command, Your Majesty."

"Where is Commander Haala?" ask Braheim.

"He's in the back row, Your Majesty."

Bheim was silent for a moment. "Not as usual."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Lately he has not been eager to train as usual."

"Could she have known about the incident that Princess Gaurika and I slept with?" ask Brahim again, in the heart.

"Do I need you to call Commander Haala, Your Majesty?"

"no need. It would be dangerous for him to draw his sword because my guess is correct" Braheim replied as he closed the window curtain of the horse-drawn carriage.

Braheim is increasingly swept away in his alleged misconduct. Even Bheim intends to end the agenda of his visit in order to immediately interrogate the head of the king's palace and Murat Iskender who he is alleged to have told Haala about the incident did not make sense some time ago. Though the reason behind Haala's different attitude is, her whip wound is getting worse.

Without feeling the agenda of Braheim's visit was completed safely, and now his entourage is resting before returning to continue the journey to the Kumari Kingdom of Kandam. It was seen that some of the servants were busy preparing a snack for Braheim. While Braheim himself, was busy peeking at something from behind the window curtain of the horse carriage.

Braheim ended his undignified activities. "Servant."

Bheim sipped a drink. "Get Commander Haala."

"Commander Haala is resting and asking not to be disturbed, Your Majesty," replied the first servant Braheim.

"He's really not what he used to be."

"That's because he's sick, Your Majesty." The second servant Braheim chimed in.

"illness?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. His body is very hot. Se-"

"Where is he now?" braheim interrupted his first servant as he moved.

"He rested under a fig tree near the river, Your Majesty."

Bheim went straight to Haala where his servants had told him. Seen from a distance Haala was leaning under a fig tree, guarded by a hereditary black stallion belonging to war commander Kumari Kandam. With a careful step Braheim approached Haala. Bheim then crouched down beside Haala who was asleep while whimpering.

Braheim's hand that was about to touch Haala's forehead came to a halt, when Haala suddenly changed her sleeping position. The slightly exposed ends of Haala's clothes startled Braheim. How not, there was a severe whip wound engraved there. Without hesitation, Braheim undressed Haala, and his surprise grew upon seeing the countless whips.

"Your Majesty? Long life and ter-"

"Who did this to you?" braheim asked Haala.

Spontaneous Haala got up and fixed her clothes. "Ah, this wound is nothing, Your Majesty."

Bheim is moving. "Jihan Joozher or, Gaurika Chander?"

Haala looked surprised. "There is no need to answer it, because I will drag them all in front of Tamaasha*" added Braheim.

*Tamaasha* is a giant beheading tool often used to punish criminals*.

"No, Your Grace. Servants are guilty, so servants deserve punishment."

"Whoever sets foot in the land of Kumari Kandam, only I deserve to declare him guilty or not! And only I deserve to give him punishment!" exclamation Braheim.

"Ampuni kelusan ha-"

BRUK!

Haala's words paused, because her sudden consciousness was taken away by an unhelpful pain. And when she regained consciousness, Haala was already in an unfamiliar luxurious bedroom, with Braheim busy pouring medicine on her innocent body. Haala who moved while hurriedly covering her body with a blanket, made the medicines that were on the bed instantly scattered on the floor.

"Puni servant, Your Majesty. I can do it myself."

Bheim went up, took the drugs on the floor. "no need. I've done it for you."

"Your Majesty the Queen has nothing to do with the wound of the servant, Your Majesty."

"I knew. He is crazy, but he is calculating" Braheim replied.

"Daughter Gaurika had nothing to do with it, if only I hadn't asked for it."

Bheim. "Everything is wrong. So please just forget about the matter this time, Your Majesty," Haala added.

Bheim approached Haala. "alright. I'll forget six more days."

"Yes?"

"Didn't you get whipped for six days? I'll forget when that day comes. When he has had as many lashes as you have," replied Braheim.

...¤○●¤○●¤○●¤...

The first month was still going on, and as she promised, Haala continued to visit her father in the dungeon. But today Haala goes through dark and crowded alleys of dungeons not to visit her father but Princess Gaurika. The princess of Narak Kingdom had been three days huddled in a coffin-sized cell accompanied only by lash injuries.

Not much different from the condition of Haala's father when thrown into a coffin cell, Princess Gaurika also looks terrible. In just three days the princess lost a great deal of weight and, her pride as a princess came from the kingdom of the greatest war weapons makers of all time. Princess Gaurika's incredible charm seemed to be swallowed up by the pain.

And the most striking change from Princess Gaurika was, the look in her eyes that was much different from the one Haala had first caught. Highlight calm, sincere, and resigned eyes. Haala placed the food parcels as well as painkillers in front of the coffin cells. Princess Gaurika just turned to Haala, nodding with difficulty as she thanked him.

"Really, I'm not the one doing all this."

Haala crouched back. "What do you mean, princess?"

"I was just helping him. But he did something bad to me."

"He's who you're talking about?" ask Haala again.

"A woman. He said he wanted to surprise his incompetent accomplice and, giving King Kumari Kandam a terrible ending."

Haala looked very surprised. "I still didn't expect my mind to be controlled by his voice. Her voice that kept ringing commanded me to do this and that" Princess Gaurika added.

"Gaaa. You've been controlled by Gaana."

"Yes, you're right. Even in the future, he managed to control your sister" Princess Gaurika said.

"What's? Laasha?"

Princess Gaurika nodded. "Even in the end your sister's body is fused with Gaana. That's what Daxraj Natesh's real purpose is to turn the clock around. Because he can't kill Gaana who lives in your sister's body."

Haala was silent, at a loss for words. "I see your future through his future, commander."

Haala was losing her words. "Although it is filled with a very thick fog, you will be happy with it," added Princess Gaurika.