THE TEARS OF KUMARI KANDAM
CHAPTRE 47

One by one the empty seats in the courtroom began to fill up. Not to forget the people who were curious about the results of the judge's verdict were also present even though it was only allowed to the main natural limits of the Kumari Kingdom of Kandam. Today is the day that the commander of Kumari Kandam's war, Haala Anandmayee, will be tried for treason and destruction of the southeastern palace*.

The southeastern palace* is often called the queen's palace because the whole daily duties of the queen take place here. In addition, the southeastern palace is also the residence of people with high status such as the king's adviser, minister, war commander, chief investigator, as well as guests from outside Kumari Kandam.

Officially invited Haala defense witnesses who came voluntarily included the family of Haala, a fisherman, eleven people who lived in villages around the port, and thirty-nine people working in the harbor. While Haala's defense witnesses who came voluntarily were prospective concubines who failed in the first exam stage.

Haala's prosecution witness who was also present consisted of a female servant along with all the people who inhabited the southeastern palace when the incident occurred. I don't feel like the time for the trial has arrived. The atmosphere of the courtroom which was originally filled with whispers, began to calm down as the scented fragrance of coffee beans slowly spread tickled the sense of smell.

"Long live, and be bound always, the sun of Kumari Kandam."

The owner of the coffee bean scent, Braheim, just nodded. "Today I will be the judge for the case of treason and destruction of the southeastern palace. Whoever did it, I promise I will pay the appropriate punishment on behalf of Lord Krpaya*. The trial begins."

Krpaya* is the God whom the Kumari Kandam people worship.

Witness Haala's defense, got up straight from her seat. "Include Chitrali's servant, one of the candidates for the repatriated concubine. Commander Haala is innocent, Your Majesty. Because he was escorting us when the southeastern palace incident occurred."

Bheim turned to the prosecution witness Haala. "There's rebuttal?"

The chief investigator of the government. "Can the opportunity to testify be given to another defense witness, Your Majesty? All I know is that Miss Chitrali and all the ladies sitting in the front row are fans of Commander Haala."

"Resistance accepted. Except for Miss Chitrali and all the ladies sitting in the front row, you are allowed to speak."

"Hamba is not a fan of Commander Haala. But I swore to see Commander Haala escort our entourage to the Kumari Kandam border. He even shared this with us." Another concubine candidate showed me a bottle of holy water.

"There's rebuttal?" braheim asked the prosecution witness Haala.

"Can you show me the bottle of holy water? Then can we find out the authenticity of the contents, as well as when it was made, Your Majesty?"

Bheim nodded at the social minister. "Resistance accepted. Sanjeev, check it out."

"As per your orders, Your Majesty." The royal physician, Sanjeev Rajak, went and checked.

"How's it?"

"This holy water is genuine, Your Majesty. Then judging from the murky color, this was made more than a month ago," Sanjeev replied to Braheim.

Bheim turned to the prosecution witness. "There's rebuttal?"

The minister of religion. "It's weird, Your Honor. Isn't it impossible to get a large amount of holy water in a short time? Then how could Commander Haala get it?"

"There's rebuttal?" braheim asked Haala's defense witness.

A resident moved. "We helped Commander Haala get that holy water, Your Majesty. Commander Haala sent an emergency message to the temples in the villages around the port through the delivery bird...."

A villager went along. " ... There were three temples in our village, and it just so happened that all the temples were producing holy water. After the emergency news, we immediately helped...."

The other villagers spoke up. " ... We sent the holy water to the port as Commander Haala wrote in his message."

"There's rebuttal?"

"Hey minister, are you really a minister? Are you going to think about pay when you get an emergency message? And again, how can you charge a man who risked his life in every war for your safety?"

"really so. After delivering holy water to the port we even went straight to the temple to pray for the safety of Commander Haala and our land" another port worker told his colleague.

The finance minister cleared his throat, then sat back down with a dead red face. "There's rebuttal?"

"It's about the road to the harbor, Your Majesty. As I know, the terrain is so difficult that even horses can't le-"

"Yes Gods. Did you really ask that, minister? You can hire a Kkam* fisherman like me so that the distance to the port that takes an average of two hours, can be reached in just twenty minutes," sidelines a fisherman to the law minister in a half-screaming tone.

Kam* is a shortcut in Kumari Kandam that is used by fishermen to reach the port.

"Hey hold your emotions. Ministers never take to the field so don't take the blame. They are different from the populist Commander Haala so know how to find a Kkam fisherman like you."

Braheim cleared his throat, "Enough. Any refutation?"

The prosecution's witnesses were silent, while beating with contrition. "If there is no more rebuttal, I will directly ask the main prosecution witness here. Ah, earlier I would have passed the defendant's family because their testimony could have been biased. Any refutation?" ask Brahim again.

The Haala family compactly replied, "No, Your Majesty."

"So, did you really see the accused running away with Gaana during the southeastern palace incident?"

A female servant known to serve Jihan grew up with a trembling body. "That's. I'm not sure, Your Majesty."

"What do you mean, not sure?"

"That's. That's. The servant saw it faintly, Your Majesty," replied the servant.

"Look faintly? During the investigation you claimed to have seen Commander Haala very clearly. Even you're pretty sure you mentioned which way they ran away."

The servant looked doubtfully at the chief investigator of the kingdom. "That, actually the servant has bad eyesight."

"I checked all the health conditions of the victims after the southeastern palace incident. And your vision is very good" said Sanjeev.

"Talk honestly and I'll ease your sentence."

Spontaneous the servant ran to Braheim and prostrated while crying hysterically. "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. Her Majesty the Queen asked the servant to make a false statement. He threatened to hurt the servant's family if he refused."

Bheim stared one by one at the prosecution witness Haala. "There's rebuttal?"

"No, Your Majesty," retorted all the prosecution witnesses while bowing to Braheim.

"Then I will decide the punishment for all those involved directly or indirectly within a week from now. The trial's over."