56.
"If war is the only solution to rid Aryavarta of that man's twisted obsession, then we must make haste!"
Dyumsena's voice crashed through the royal court like a thunderclap, startling even some of the seasoned nobles gathered within the chamber.
The young crown prince stood at the center of the assembly, every inch of him radiating barely restrained fury.
His broad shoulders were rigid, his jaw clenched so tightly that the muscles beneath his skin visibly flexed with each breath.
Since learning the truth behind the attack, his anger had become a living thing, growing larger with every passing hour.
The knowledge that his sister had not merely been attacked, but targeted as part of a scheme to abduct and forcibly marry her, had ignited something primal within him.
The great audience hall of Vanga seemed to absorb that fury.
Heavy monsoon clouds darkened the skies beyond the carved stone arches, casting long shadows across polished floors and towering pillars adorned with the insignias of their ancestors.
Oil lamps flickered against the gathering gloom, their flames trembling in the restless wind that wandered through the open corridors.
Around the prince sat ministers, commanders, clan elders, and trusted advisors, each carrying expressions of varying concern.
No one questioned Dyumsena's outrage. The question before them was whether outrage alone could guide a kingdom.
"You must calm yourself, Prince."
The speaker was one of the eldest clan elders, a man whose wisdom had served Vanga for decades. Age had bent his frame but not his spirit. His silver hair fell neatly across his shoulders, and though his voice remained gentle, it carried the weight of experience earned through years of hardship.
"A war should never be the first answer."
Dyumsena turned sharply toward him, disbelief flashing across his face.
"The first answer?" he repeated, a bitter laugh escaping him.
"Respected Uncle, tell me then, what answer remains?
Shall we wait patiently until the King of Kashi sends another assassin?
Shall we trust a man who was prepared to plunge kingdoms into chaos for the sake of satisfying his own obsession? "
His gaze swept across the court.
"Or perhaps we should simply surrender my sister to him and spare ourselves the inconvenience of resistance."
Several nobles shifted uncomfortably at the sharpness of his words.
The elder sighed heavily. "You know that is not what I mean."
"Then what do you mean?" Dyumsena demanded.
The old man met his gaze steadily. "I mean that war devours far more than pride.
I mean that every sword drawn in this hall will be paid for by a farmer somewhere in our kingdom.
Every battlefield victory will leave grieving mothers behind.
Every decision we make from this chamber will ripple outward until it reaches the homes of people who have never even heard the name Vidyut. "
His expression softened.
"Devasena is my niece. Her safety matters to me more than words can express. But she is not the only life entrusted to our care."
The court fell silent.
Because no one could deny the truth in his words.
The prince lowered his gaze momentarily, frustration battling against reason. He knew the elder was not wrong. That knowledge only made the situation more unbearable.
An uneasy murmur began spreading through the chamber as ministers quietly debated amongst themselves. Some argued for immediate retaliation. Others urged caution. The discussion threatened to dissolve into chaos, every voice pulling the kingdom toward a different future.
Then another voice spoke.
"He speaks wisely."
The words were not loud.
Yet somehow they silenced the hall more effectively than Dyumsena's thunderous declaration ever could.
The murmuring ceased.
Every head turned instinctively toward the source.
Only then did they notice him.
Standing near one of the open archways overlooking the palace gardens was a figure many had failed to observe upon entering the chamber. Whether he had arrived moments ago or had been standing there all along, none could say with certainty.
The fading light of evening framed him against the storm-dark horizon beyond.
Monsoon winds stirred the golden silk of his garments and toyed with dark curls that brushed against his shoulders.
Upon his crown rested a single peacock feather, catching the last rays of sunlight like a fragment of the sky itself.
Vaasudeva Krishna.
A guest.
Merely a guest.
Yet his presence altered the atmosphere of the room with startling ease.
Several nobles straightened immediately. Others exchanged surprised glances. Even those who had spent days in his company found themselves momentarily arrested by the strange composure he carried.
Unlike everyone else in the chamber, he seemed untouched by anger.
Untouched by fear.
Untouched even by urgency.
And somehow that calmness felt far more commanding than outrage ever could.
Dyumsena exhaled slowly, some of the fire leaving his expression.
"Madhav."
There was frustration in the name.
But also trust.
Perhaps more trust than he intended to reveal before the court.
Krishna's gaze settled upon him, warm and steady.
"You seek an answer."
"I seek any answer," Dyumsena admitted.
The honesty of the confession lingered heavily in the chamber.
For a moment, Krishna said nothing. His eyes moved across the gathered assembly, taking in anxious ministers, grim-faced generals, and worried elders alike. It seemed as though he was not merely looking at them but weighing every fear they carried.
Then, at last, a faint smile touched his lips.
"A warrior sees only the enemy standing before him," he said quietly. "A ruler must also see the consequences standing behind that enemy."
The hall remained utterly silent.
"And if there are no alternatives?" Dyumsena challenged.
Krishna's smile deepened by the smallest degree.
"Then first we must determine whether there truly are none."
Something shifted within the room.
The tension did not disappear.
The danger did not lessen.
Yet suddenly the discussion no longer felt trapped between surrender and war.
For the first time since the attack, another possibility seemed to exist.
And every person present found themselves waiting for what Vaasudeva Krishna would say next.