Ramabhadra stopped the story of his past. He took a deep breath. His eyes were filled with sadness, there was a sense of guilt in his facial expression. Vasusena was dumbfounded to utter a word from his mouth. The story was still not completed but he can sense the weight of his master's past. The silent in the cave was heavy.
Ramabhadra was looking at the ground. He was in a lot of pain by remembering the past, but he had to complete the story of his past.
He took a long breath and started again.
"The road to my home was not long, but the sense of guilt made my heart and body heavy. My foot rejected to step a single step forward. I was unable to move my body forward. In the middle of nowhere what I had was a sense of guilt with a solitariness.
It took me three days to reach my destination, my home. I had not seen my family for a while, but I was sure that they should be fine.
I entered my home leaving my worries outside of our house. I was holding my bag and the wooden box of axe. I put them on the floor and opened the door, but there was no one to greet me. I called for my father, mother and wife, but there was no response at all.
I was worried. I ran desperately out of my house to the neighbourhood for inquiring about my family members. But then I learned a horrible thing that no one should hear in those situations.
My family was arrested by the soldiers of the kingdom. They have been detained for three days and tomorrow the judgement will be passed down on them. I did not get any reason for why my family was arrested from the people, but I sensed fear in their heart from their way of talking. So, I hurried to the Royal administrative hall to collect the information about the incident for which my family was being punished.
I went straight towards to the administration hall and tried to enter the hall.
'Hey, where are you trying to go in?'
A disturbing voice called for me. A man wearing a black dress came towards me with an ominous look on his face.
I was in a hurry. So, I did not take his words seriously.
'Can't you see that I am going in to the administrative hall to ask about something?'
The facial expression of the man changed.
'I know what you are doing and where are you going. Do you think I am blind or a fool? What I am asking you is, how dare you tried to enter the administrative hall before me?'
'It is a public place. It does not matter who enter the hall first and who enter the hall second.'
He frowned his eyebrows and looked at me with malice in his eyes. He showed an intense killing intent towards me. His killing intent was so great that it filled my spine with chilling feeling.
But he calmed himself down.
He increased his voice with anger. 'Be grateful to your fate that you are going to be alive for some more time. If it is not the administrative office, your head would have rolling on the ground by now. But I will settle this matter with you another time.'
He walked away with arrogance while making a fuss over nothing and entered the hall. I was worried about my family so I entered the hall and directly visited the elder who was in charge of our village.
The elder in charge of our village was managing the reports and attending to them.
'Greetings to the elder'.
'Who are you? What matter do you have for me?'
'Elder, I am the son of Jamadagni of the Simuli village, that is one of the villages that is under your supervision.'
'What is the matter that you have came here? What is the reason for your worries?'
'Elder, all of my family members are arrested by the soldiers of the ruler of our Sutami (Name of the one part of the twenty-one parts of the Kingdom Kailash). I asked about the reason for the punishment but no one gave me answer about this matter. So, I came here to ask you about the fault of my family members and the reason for the detention. Elder please enlighten me about this matter.'
The expression of the Elder changed. His complextion turned pale. He turned his eyes away from me.
'He was worried how to tell me about the matter. I think it must be a big matter that made the elder look like this. I should ease his mind and make sure that the elder tell me everything.' Ramabhadra thought himself.
'Elder, don't have any worry. From the look of you I understand the weight of the matter, but the life of my family depends upon it. So I must know the reason and find a solution of the situation. Rest assured that I will not let anyone know who let me know about this matter.'
After listening this the elder sighed and looked at me with pitiful eyes.
'Son, listen the situation your family is in is too disastrous. You know after the King was changed all the rulers of the twenty-one parts of our kingdom also changed. All type of bad influence had spread in the authorities. The rulers are ruthless. They all care about their power and position.
The ruler of Simuli is a ruthless and womaniser man. No matter what, when he impressed by any woman or girl, regardless of the age, he always try to make them into his women. And if anyone dare to provoke him or try to displease him, he always punished the whole family. Someone from your family should have a beautiful face with great body and when the ruler have tried to make a move on one of your family members, she would have resisted it and because of this all your family has gotten into this troublesome situation.'
I was worried. My mind was filled with unpleasant thoughts. All of my thoughts were written on my face. The elder had realised about the situation of my mind.
'Boy, I have told you everything I have known. But this matter is serious. When you will meet your family you can listen to them and you will get to know everything about this matter. I advise you to go to the royal hall and meet the ruler personally and try to please him and persuade him about this matter and try to decrease the punishment for your family.'
I was worried. But I had to do something to protect my family.
'Thanks you elder for giving me such valuable information. I will do something to save my family from this troublesome matter. In future whenever you need something please call me. I will be there for you in your time of need.'
I bid farewell and returned to my home.
At night I could not sleep at all. In my mind there was only one thought that how to save my family from the tyrant ruler. I woke up and went outside of my home. The night was long. The cold breeze was filling the surroundings. My heart was aching with an unknown pain and desperation. But I had made my mind to save my family no matter what it takes. The time passed on and the white moon set down with bringing the bright sun. I picked up the wooden box of the blacksmith and prepared it as a gift for the ruler and set out for the punishment hall with a hope to save my family.
The road was busy in the morning. The joyous children and cheerful village folks are moving to and fro on the road of the village. But in this bright world only I was the one covered with darkness.
I reached my destination after walking a while. The punishment hall was going more and more busier. I entered the punishment hall with a hope that everything will be all right.
The punishment hall was crowded. The long hall was surrounded by eight large pillars. Under the large pillars there are estimated eight high ranking judicial authority holders were sitting. A long red carpet with golden border line was covered the middle of the hall.
After sometime a loud voice announced
'Kneel down, The Highness of one of the twenty-one parts of the Kingdom of Kailash is coming.'
A man with a long black hair, sharp long nose, pointy eyes entered the hall. His black robe with golden button was looking majestic. His hair was tied up with a golden ornament. His eyes were filled with malicious intent. He walked through the red carpet and sat down on the large throne at the end of the hall. I was shocked after watching his face. I was clueless what to do next. Because that man was the same man who tried to bring trouble for me before without any cause.
After he sat down an announcement was declared again to bring the culprits.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
Two people were brought to the hall with chained with long iron chains from head to toe. They were beaten harshly as the skin of their was swollen and turned into black and blue. They were no other than my parents.
I was furious, but I knew that I had to be patient and flatter the ruler to make him release my family. My parents were knelt down in front of the ruler at the centre of the punishment hall. The judgement was began.
'These two culprits have offered our lord and tried to tarnish him. They have also made an attempt to harm our lord. What should be the punishment given to these shameless beings!'
The ruler glanced at both of them. Then his face filled with disgust. Then he immediately announced,' Kill them both. They have dared to oppose the leader appointed by the Kingdom that is equal to oppose the Kingdom.'
Everyone except me were shouted with an unpleasant voice.
'Death! Death! Death!'
'Kill those ruffians. They have no right to live.'
I was shocked, but I immediately knew that everyone presented there were the people of the ruler. There was no way that anyone would disagree with him.
I was in agony. But I edge forward and stood in the centre where my parents were. I looked at both of my parents, but I could not find my wife. I was worried for her, but I had to save them who were before my eyes. I knelt down in front of the ruler surrounded crowd.
'Your Majesty! I am the son of the culprits those are presented before you. I know I am now being very rude in front of you. But I please beg you to spare my parents. Please I beg you.'
The ruler glanced at me and frowned his eyebrows. His face was disgusted by seeing me.
'Hey aren't you the one who had made trouble with me yesterday in front of the punishment hall?'
At that moment I understood that the ruler had recognised me. But I was not in a situation that I could lie in front of him. I had no courage to make an eye contact with the ruler.
'Yes, your majesty. I was wrong. I am a fool that do not know the difference between earth and heaven. I beg you to forgive me and my parents.'
Ha Ha Ha Ha .....
The loud laughter of the ruler made the hall tremble. He was very satisfied with the situation. He had accomplished to humiliate me and made me plead in front of him. But he was vicious than anyone else. His eyes shrank, his loud laughter became dead calm, the hall became silent within a short amount of time.
'So, you finally realised the gap between you and me. Okay, I will spare you and your parents. But in return what I will gain. You and your family had made trouble with me. You can not leave without giving any compensation.'
When he told me those words I realised that he had planned something to humiliate and make us suffer. But I had no choice except to bow down my head and listen to him and beg him for our lives.
I brought the wooden box and opened it in the middle of the hall. I put out the golden axe and held it with both hands. I presented it to the ruler.
'Oh! The Great Ruler, I have prepared an exclusive dominant Axe for you. It is one of the best axe in the world. According to the master craftsman who made the axe, it can slice through rock like slicing the air and one swing of it can make the enemy lick the dust on the ground.'
The ruler glared at me with unpleasant eyes. He told one his subordinates to bring the axe to him. The subordinate came, took the axe and presented to the ruler. The ruler caught the axe and examined it thoroughly. After sometime he glanced at me and both of my parents and smirked a little.
'Yes, It is indeed a great axe. The golden handle to sharp edge, it is made perfectly. But I want to test it's power. So, lend me a hand. Come here and take this axe and show me it's sharpness. You will not mind, will you?'
I was curious because of his actions. I had a bad feeling about this matter. But I could not resist him at that moment. I went towards him and took the axe from him.
'Okay, go and stand behind your parents.'
I obediently obeyed his orders and stood behind my parents.
'I am a very kind person you know. I have already forgiven you. But for your parents I have to decide or I will not be able to uphold justice. So I will give you a choice, kill one of your parents by yourself and take the one home whom you have spared yourself. If you can not do it I will order to kill both of your parents. The decision is rest upon you that who you will kill and who will live.'