The Crown Prince and His Love

Chapter 6 |Pallavan|

The people cheered and showered the young prince with flowers as his horse roared past the streets of Thanjai. His small cavalry followed him closely. They exited Thanjai in no time.

The sun was beating down like a hammer that day, but that didn't bother the young prince. His mind was on only one thing. To win the war. This intention made Adithan forget hunger, thirst, and sleep.

A smile was fixated on Adithan's face but in the smile lingered a tinge of dissatisfaction.

Karikalan saw Kundavai and Nandini talking about something along the pond when he was leaving.

The more he thought about it, his unsatisfaction turned into concern.

God knows what poisonous thorns Kundavai hurled out. How would've Nandini's little heart taken it?

'Aditha...You're going to war, focus on that alone,' Adithan's inner voice said.

He agreed to himself and shook off any other thought out of his head.

***

"Stay away from my Brother,"

Kundavai's threat echoed around Nandini's head as she rested her head against the Perumal statue. She wanted to share her dilemma with Adithan and cry on his lap.

"Is this one of your games Swami?" She asked the statue, a tear formed at the corner of her eye and fell down her rosy red cheeks.

'Are you scared of her Childish threats? She's just a Child,' Adithan would console her always by saying that she was a child and that she would understand later. But no child would speak with that much poison in her tongue. How she treats her just because she's not a royal? The more she thought about her, the more she hated Kundavai. She turned away from the god, wiped her tears, and sniffled. Everything will get better with time, Adithan used to say. But everything always goes downhill in her case, Ever since she was born nothing went in her way, nor she wished for any specific thing, but Adithan was different, she needed him, and he needed her.

***

Arulmozhi and Kundavai went on a boat ride through the Kaveri River to clear their mind and get some fresh air. The swan-shaped boat slowly sailed through the river occasionally rocking back and forth.

"Akka, why did you scold Nandini Akka like that?" Arulmozhi asked as he swayed his hands in the water. Kundavai sat alongside Arulmozhi and rested her head on her palm.

"You won't understand, Thambi," Kundavai said.

"Why?" Arulmozhi turned back to his sister.

"I just--" Kundavai shrugged, not knowing what to say.

"You don't like Anna talking to Nandini Akka?" Arulmozhi asked.

Yes came the reply instantly.

"But you don't scold me when I talk to Vanathi," Arulmozhi said, his cheeks blushing a little as he said her name.

"Vanathi is different," Kundavai said. "She's our relative, Nandini is not," She said sternly.

"But--"

Kundavai raised her arm, her golden bangles jingled down to her elbow. "Arulmozhi, enough with the questions," Kundavai said. "You'll understand when you grow up," Kundavai said. But she herself didn't know the reason behind her hatred towards Nandini.

"But Nandini Akka reminds me of someone," Arulmozhi said looking down at the clear waters of the Ponni River.

"Who?" Kundavai asked arching her eyebrows.