Chapter 24: Wax in Flame

Periya Pazhuvetrayar

At first, they heard the screeching wail of the parrot and the gasp of the handmaiden, who was discreetly standing by the garden path. When Kandan Maran saw Periya Pazhuvetrayar striding towards them furiously with a screeching parrot in his hand, he trembled in all limbs. What if he had heard their conversation and the part where he had said that ‘he did not like Pazhuvetrayar’? What if he suspects him of trying to seduce his young wife?

He knew that old men who get married to younger women constantly suffer from doubts and insecurity and thereby making theirs and everybody else’s life miserable. Is that why this old man is very angry? Will he suspect that I have been having untoward thoughts towards his beautiful wife?

All these thoughts came and vanished in Kandan Maran’s mind within a few seconds. But he would witness a very astonishing scene that day. When Pazhuvetarayar neared them, Nandini got up and welcomed him with a beautiful smile saying, “My Lord!  I was afraid that you might be delayed. Thank God you came back early.”

 

Nandini and Periya Pazhuvetarayar

Periya Pazhuvetarayar just had to hear her voice and see her beautiful smile and he transformed from a furious angry old man into a tame cat! With a slight smile, he said, “Yes. My errand got completed sooner than I thought, so I returned immediately.” And then he looked Kandan Maran and asked, “What is this boy doing here? Has he written a love poem in your honour?” and laughed at his little joke.

Kandan Maran’s face reddened but Nandini laughed harder at her husband’s joke and said, “My Lord, sadly, this boy doesn’t know anything about love or about poems. He knows to fight and get injured. Now that he has healed, he wants to go back home,”

“What do I say about today’s young men? I have seen 24 battles in my lifetime and proudly wear the 64 scars as a token of my bravery but I have never lain in the bed to recover from any of them. But then, I bore my wounds on my chest and shoulders while this boy got stabbed in the back. No wonder!”

Incensed by Pazhuvetarayar’s remark, Kandan Maran said, “Ayya! You are like my father. If somebody else had said this, I would have…”

“Is that so? Show me what would you do if somebody else had said this...” said Pazhuvetarayar and put his hand on his sword.

Nandini interfered and said, “My Lord! This boy is not only got injured in the back but he has also suffered a grievous wound to his heart. His friend’s betrayal has hurt him very much and we should not say anything that would hurt him more. We do know what really happened on the night he got hurt, don’t we, My Lord?”

Pazhuvetarayar understood Nandini’s meaningful look and said, “You are right Nandini. He is just a small boy. I will forget what he just said for his father’s sake. Nandini! I have something very important to tell you. It’s good that he is also here, as it concerns him. In Elangai, at Mandottam, our soldiers have caught a man suspecting him to be a ‘spy’. They found a message for Prince Arul Mozhi Varman on his person and along with that he also had our palm emblem ring. It looks like he might be Kandan Maran’s dear old friend. That boy is very clever, or else he wouldn’t have escaped our soldiers so easily…”

Both the men didn’t notice the slight change in Nandini’s expression.

“What? He escaped is it and that too to Elangai?” cried Kandan Maran with disappointment.

“My Lord! I am not surprised by the fact that his friend escaped. I have said it often enough that your brother is not fit to command this fort. It is small wonder that his soldiers are as inept as their master,”

“When you used to say this, I thought you were wrong but now I think you could be right. Do you know when our soldiers in Elangai questioned this ‘spy’ about our ring, he refused to answer them?”

Nandini sighed and said, “What game is this? How did he get our emblem ring then? What explanation does your brother give?”

“My brother? You will laugh if you hear what he says. He says that this spy could have got our emblem ring from you.” Said Pazhuvetarayar and laughed out aloud.

Nandini laughed along with her husband and said, “I admit, there is none wiser than my brother-in-law in this entire kingdom,”

“Do you know what else he is saying? It truly makes a good story! I can’t but laugh at his assertions! He says that this ‘spy’ met you when you were coming to Thanjavur in your palanquin and that’s when he got our emblem ring from you. He also says that this boy’s friend came to meet you here in the palace on that day when our soldiers were searching for him everywhere. He says that either you should have given him the ring or it could have been the mandiravadi, who comes to meet you. He is saying many such stories to hide his foolishness,” said Periya Pazhuvetarayar and laughed again. But this time, Nandini did not join him in laughter.

“It was wrong of me to have doubted my brother-in-law’s cleverness indeed. He seems to have outdone himself. But I am surprised that you thought fit to listen to all this without defending my honour,” said Nandini her casual expression of good humour had changed within a second to anger.

Pazhuvetarayar immediately stopped laughing and tried to pacify her. The man, who once bore many grave wounds in the service of the King, couldn’t bear the thought of his young wife’s anger!

“Devi, I did not listen to him quietly. I berated him for his foolishness most sternly. If you had been there, you would have felt sorry for him because my words almost reduced him to tears,”

Kandan Maran felt embarrassed and wanted to leave. The scene that he had witnessed made him to pity Periya Pazhuvetarayar more than ever and taught him to be wary of Nandini. He coughed a bit to gain their attention and said, “Ayya!”

Nandini looked at him and said, “We have forgotten this boy amidst the stories that my brother-in-law has been telling. He wants to go home and wants your permission to leave…”

“He can leave immediately. His father is worried about him…”

“I wish to give him a olai. Do I have your permission to do so?”

“Olai? To whom?”

“To the Crown Prince in Kanchi.”

Pazhuvetarayar looked at Nandini and Kandan Maran with suspicion and said, “Olai for the Crown Prince? You have written it? Why?”

“Kundavai wrote a olai for her younger brother and sent his friend to Elangai. Then why can’t I write to the older brother and send him to Kanchi?”

“How do you know that the olai that his friend is carrying is written by Kundavai?”

“Then why do you think mandiravadi comes to meet me? I learned this through his sorcery. Now that we know how good my brother-in-law’s soldiers are, we do need his help. They told you that the spy was caught with our emblem ring, My Lord but they didn’t tell you that Kundavai wrote the olai, that he was carrying.”

“I didn’t hear this from my brother’s soldiers. I got this news from our Prime Minister Anirudha Brahmarayar who was in Elangai, a few days ago.”

“Did that wily Brahmin tell you about the Kundavai’s olai?”

“No!”

“My Lord! I have warned you many times in the past. All these people in the Kingdom are trying to fool you. They withhold important information from you thinking that you lack the wits to find out. Do you realize the truth in my warning now? But I did not believe in Mandiravadi’s words alone. I questioned the Physician’s son from Pazhaiarai whom your brother’s soldiers had captured. He confirmed whatever the mandiravadi had told me. It is true that Kundavai has sent a message with this boy’s friend to elangai.”

Pazhuvetarayar was lost for words. He couldn’t make any sense of what Nandini was telling. Irritated at large, he cast an annoying glance at Kandan Maran. He didn’t want to ask Nandini for explanations in Kandan Maran’s presence. Nandini understood her husband’s annoyance and said, “Let us not delay this boy’s journey anymore,” She then looked at Kandan Maran and said, “Ayya! I request you to hand this olai in person to the Crown Prince. If he writes a reply, please send it to me with a trusted messenger. And do invite the Prince to your palace at Kadambur,”

Confused and perplexed, Kandan Maran looked at Nandini and Periya Pazhuvetarayar and asked, “What do I tell my father? Shall I tell him that this is the wish of the Pazhuvur lord?”

“Yes you can. My wish is my Lord’s wish. Isn’t that so, My Lord?”

“Yes. Yes,” Nodded Pazhuvetarayar. He didn’t understand anything yet he couldn’t ask Nandini for explanations.

After Kandan Maran left on his errand, Nandini looked amorously at her husband and asked, “My Lord! I fear that the faith and trust that you had in me is dwindling day after day. I think my brother-in-law’s wrong counsel is corrupting your mind…”

“Never. Nandini! I might lose my faith in the heavens above but I would never lose my faith in you. I trust your words more than anything in this world,”

“If that is so, then why did you ask me so many questions in that boy’s presence. I felt insulted,” said Nandini with her eyes full of unshed tears.

Periya Pazhuvetarayar felt guilty and tormented. He tried to wipe her tears saying, “My love! Do no, please do not cry…”

After pacifying her, he said, “I can’t understand a few things that you do. Don’t I have the right to ask, why?”

“You have the right to ask me anything and I am beholden to give you my explanations. But please do not ask such questions before strangers and shame me thus. Ask me now, whatever you want to know,”

“Why have you sent a message to Aditya Karikalan? Why have you invited him to Kadambur Palace? Isn’t he our first enemy?”

“No you are wrong. Our first enemy is that snake in Pazhaiarai. I am calling Aditya Karikalan to Kadambur for the same reason why I had invited Kundavai to our palace. My Lord! Do you remember, I used to tell you that Kundavai has a separate plan in her mind for this kingdom? I have found out what that plan is. She wants this kingdom for her younger brother Arul Mozhi Varman after her father’s demise. I will counter her plans with my move. Now do you understand why I have invited Aditya Karikalan to Kadambur?” said Nandini and looked at the old man with earnest eyes.

Though he didn’t understand anything, Pazhuvur Lord nodded and said, “I understand now, Nandini.”

“My Lord! This glorious kingdom was formed due to the brave deeds of your ancestors and our clan. I intend to see you ascend the worthy throne of this kingdom and I will not rest until I have achieved our goal. But if you lose faith in me, do unsheathe that sword of yours and behead me,”

“My love! Please do not talk such words and torment me.”

Chapter 23: Nandini’s Letter

Nandini Writes a Letter

That evening, Nandini sat alone on a decorated couch shaped like a swan in her garden. She was writing a letter on the palm leaf olai. She would write a few words and then hesitate and stop. Sometimes her body trembled like a small leaf caught in a storm and despite the soothing cool winds blowing through the garden and she had a handmaiden fanning her with a peacock fan while droplets of sweat appeared on her forehead.

“My Prince, I write this letter after much deliberation and hesitation. I hear a lot of rumours about the Kingdom and sadly your father’s ill-health is worsening every day. I hear that you have refused to come here despite the summons that he has sent. I am tormented by the thought that you wouldn’t come to Thanjavur, because I am living here. I believe that we could lay aside our differences if we could only meet once more. If you do not wish to come to Thanjavur, then can I request you to meet me at Kadambur Sambuverayer’s Palace? Today, I am married to a noble lord whose age matches that of your grandsire and that makes me your grandmother. I see no impropriety in our meeting at Kadambur. I am handing this message to the brave prince of Kadambur, Kandan Maran. You can trust him completely and send a reply to me.

Unfortunate and unlucky Nandini

After completing the letter, she read through it again and then turned to her handmaiden who was fanning her and said, “Go and fetch the Prince of Kadambur,”

When Kandan Maran came, he found it difficult to meet Nandini’s eyes. He looked down at his feet and somewhere aimlessly in the garden, unable to behold her mesmerizing beautiful visage.

“Ayya! Please sit down,” said Nandini. The slight tremor in her voice made him look at her face. Nandini continued with a smile, “I know that it would be difficult to see me with eyes that beheld and admired the beauty of the Princess,” Her words pained Kandan Maran’s heart, while her smile encouraged him to say and do many foolish things…

He said, “A thousand Kundavai cannot match the beauty of one Nandini Devi!”

“Nonetheless, if Kundavai were to say the ‘word’, you would even travel to the heavens to bring her King Indra’s throne. But you won’t heed my word and seat yourself, would you?”

Kandan Maran immediately sat down on the stone bench opposite to her couch and said, “Devi! You just need to say the word and I would even go to Brahmalokam and bring one of the heads of the Lord Creator,”

Nandini trembled at his words. She turned her head and said, “Lord Shiva left Brahma with four heads when he took one. Even if you take another head, at least he will have three more to live with…”

“Devi! I will listen to whatever you say but please do not talk about Princess Kundavai to me. I couldn’t stand the fact that she supported Vandiya Devan,”

“Still your flights of fancy were very impressive when you described the fight that you had with your friend,”

Nandini’s appreciation made Kandan Maran shy. He smiled foolishly and said, “I had to tell her something about how I met him, so I just allowed my imagination to take over but in the end he did stab me, so that was not a lie.”

“Ayya! I think it would be better if you could try to remember everything that happened that night,”

“Devi! Do you doubt my word then?”

“No. I believe you. But I think you have forgotten a few things that occurred that night. One day, our soldiers will catch Vandiya Devan and bring him here to stand trial for his crimes. Your testimony at the trial would be very vital and that’s why you need to make an effort to remember everything that happened…”

“I have no interest in that. I would like to forgive rather than condemn him to a life in the dungeons…”

“You have a forgiving heart. Nonetheless, I think it would be better if we could think back and decide among ourselves as to what happened that night. Do you remember what happened in the underground passage when you escorted Prince Madhuranthakan? Do you remember meeting me and Lord Pazhuvetarayar?”

Kandan Maran escorting Madhuranthakan

“How could I forget meeting you, Devi? No memory is more fairer or dearer to me than that…”

“If that is so, then you must also remember what you spoke on that occasion?”

“No. I remember meeting you that’s all. I can’t recall what I spoke…”

“Thankfully I do. You said, ‘Ayya!  I had heard many describe the beauty of your daughter but now I realize that mere words cannot pay homage to her…’ to my Lord Husband.”

“Ayyo! Did I really say that? No wonder he was red-faced with anger. Even now, I know that he does not like me much.”

Nandini laughed at him and said, “I does not matter if he dislikes you but you do like him, don’t you?”

“Devi! There is no use in hiding the truth from you. I too dislike him very much…”

“That is fine. I like him. That should make up for everything I think. I am very fortunate that God gave me a husband like him.”

Kandan Maran looked a bit embarrassed at her frank admission.

“Do you remember what happened after you met us there?”

“I followed the soldier who guards the underground passage. He had a fire torch and he opened the door of the passage and waited for me to enter. I entered the passage and that’s when someone stabbed me… Vandiya Devan must have known that I would be coming that way and was probably waiting outside to attack me,”

“Ayya! Your surmise is wrong. He was not waiting outside,”

“Devi! You too believe that he is not a ‘spy’ and a ‘traitor’,”

“No. He is a spy. But I know that he was not waiting outside the underground passage to attack you. I think he was waiting inside the passage.”

“But Devi, how is that possible?”

“You know that he vanished from the Fort that day when my brother-in-law’s soldiers were searching for him. I suspect that he somehow entered the underground palace and learned all its secrets. He must have seen you there and followed you. That’s how you ended up stabbed in the back… Maybe he felt remorse at having hurt you so he left you at the house of the deaf and mute woman…”

“Devi! You are right. I have been thinking about this for so long and I couldn’t understand how he came upon me so suddenly. Devi! I have just realized that there are people who are very beautiful but are witless and there are those who are very intelligent but not pleasing to look upon. It is very rare to find wit and beauty in the same person. Lord Brahma undoubtedly excelled himself when he created you with equal portions of beauty and wit.”

“Ayya! Do you really mean these words or are you trying to flatter me?”

“Devi!  I am not flattering you. I am merely stating the fact.”

“If that is so, will you do a task for me?”

“I will do anything that is within my powers to please you…”

“You will need to travel to Kanchi (Kanchipuram) for me,”

“I would go to Kashi also if you ask it,”

“You don’t have to go so far. Just Kanchi is enough. I have a letter for Prince Aditya Karikalan for you deliver. And you will need to invite him as a guest to your palace in Kadambur…”

“Devi! What is this you are saying? Don’t you know the arrangement and the oath that your husband and my father have sworn?”

“Yes I know but I also know many other things that these lords do not know. We are all at the brink of danger and sadly no one seems to know about this, except me. Do you know who is responsible for it?”

“No Devi! Please tell me.”

“The rakshashi who was here as our guest this afternoon is responsible.”

“Ayyo! Are you referring to Kundavai Piratti?”

“Yes, I am talking about that snake. I know the venom that Kundavai is made of. Do you know, she has sent your friend, Vandiya Devan to Elangai? And it is not for getting medicinal herbs for her father. She has no intention of saving her father from his ill health. After his demise, she wants the crown for her brother Arul Mozhi Varman. If he becomes the next king, she can rule the kingdom in his name as a ‘queen’. And do you know who the ‘king’ would be? Your friend, Vandiya Devan.”

“Aha! Devi! We have to stop this from happening somehow. Let us tell your Lord husband and my father…”

“There is no use telling about this to them. They will not believe it. We need to counter Kundavai’s moves through mine and it is not possible without your help,”

“Devi! I am at your disposal. Command me.”

“I want you to take this letter to Kanchi and hand it over to the Prince carefully. Will you do that?” asked Nandini with her hand outstretched holding the letter and its metal case.

Rendered witless over her beauty and beseeching words, Kandan Maran instead of taking the letter from her hand, held her hand and said, “I will do anything for you,”

Periya Pazhuvetrayar

At the same instant, they heard the sound of resounding steps that could only belong to Periya Pazhuvetarayar. Startled they turned towards the sound and saw him marching through the garden path towards them. A parrot that was chained was perched on a metal cage near the lata mandapam. With his anger matching his long strides, Pazhuvetarayar seized the parrot in hand and the poor bird, frightened out its wits gave a resounding shriek.

  

Chapter 42 – Is this your friendship?

Vandiya Devan’s first impulse was to save Kandan Maran’s life but he had to take care of this murderous guard first. He sprang forward and held the guard by his throat from behind and wrestled his arm, making him drop the fire log. The fire log fell down burning low, while the guard struggled to release himself from Vandiya Devan’s steely hold. Vandiya Devan held the guard tightly and then banged his head on the wall whereupon he fell on the ground with a thud. Vandiya Devan immediately took the fire log and went near the unconscious guard (who looked as if he was dead). Not sure whether he was dead or not, Vandiya Devan secured his arms with his upper cloth quickly.

Next he ran to his friend who was lying half way across the doorway with the guard’s knife stuck on his back and his spear lay near him. Vandiya Devan stepped outside and dragged him outside the door and took his spear in hand. The doorway to the underground passage closed automatically. Hoisting his friend on his shoulders, he turned around to see where they had emerged. A rushing stream was passing was very near him and the ground was wet and muddy. A few steps more, they would have fallen into the gushing kauveri river that ran along the fort.

Click here to buy Ponni's Beloved Volume 1 - New Floods

Chapter 41 - The Underground Chamber

Vandiya Devan climbed down the steps slowly. After a while, he reached level ground but there were a few feet steps... As the path wound endlessly, he wondered how long he would have to roam in the dark.

Suddenly he saw a very dim light somewhere... he wondered if there was a window through which moonlight was beaming in or if there was a lamp, kept hidden in a corner.

'No! It can't be! Am I imagining things? Have I gone mad? How can this be? Is this even possible?'

Click here to buy Ponni's Beloved Volume 1 - New Floods