The Crown Prince and His Love

Chapter 28 ⎸Thoonga Nagaram⎸

A city that never sleeps - Madurai.

Sinners have bought her all the way to the Pandiyan empire. Nandini was lost in her thoughts as she walked through the bustling streets of Madurai. Nandini's legs were screaming at her, her stomach grumbled in hunger, and her tongue was dry as a desert. She had been walking since the guards dropped her off at the border yesterday, and the blistering sun didn't help her cause either.

The beautiful city of Madurai stood in all its glory, no less beautiful than Thanjai. But Nandini was least bothered by it.

Nandini took refuge in the only place where she felt accepted, and the only place which accepts her without any judgment, A temple. Nandini sat down and rested her head against a pillar, A sigh escaped her mouth. 

"Nandini,"

The Prince's voice bounced around her head. The loving words he used to say stayed fresh in Nandini's heart. She closed her eyes, a lone tear fell out of her sea-blue eyes and ran down her cheeks. She swallowed the lump in her throat and took out the ring that Adithan had given her. 

"you'll get reminded of me whenever you see it,"

The ring felt a little warm due to being baked in the sun for a long time. It reminded her of his warm embrace, No one can replace the love and care which she felt around him, Now it's all gone.

All her dreams of living with him, marrying him, and growing old together came tumbling down. They were done and dusted, all because of the Chozha snakes.

Heartless people they were. They stood and watched as she kicked and screamed for Adithan. They watched as they dragged her away. They watched as she begged them to let her go. That Kundavai and Sembiyan Madevi. They wouldn't have dared touched her if Adithan was present.

Nandini's throat constricted at the thought of Karikalan.

Why did he let this happen to her?

Nandini wiped away her tears, but drops of tears kept wetting her palms.

Why did he have to go to Kanchi?

Nandini sat there and wept silently, hiding her face in her knees.

Nandini knew a moment like this would come. But no matter how ready she was, this moment shattered her. Her unfulfilled love pricked Nandini's heart.

Whenever someone walked past Nandini, her head shot up thinking it was Adithan, but no. No signs of him.

In the corner of her heart, Nandini hoped that Adithan would jump out of somewhere and take her in his arms.

The sun hid behind the mountains as time progressed. But the city was bustling all right. Madurai wasn't called the city which never sleeps for no reason.

"Are you new here?" Someone asked. Nandini looked up from her slumber, Three tall men stood in front of her.

Nandini wiped her tears and nodded.

"You look lost, girl," Another let out. They surrounded Nandini and sat down next to her.

Nandini moved a little, scared of their presence.

"Where are you from?" Another asked, his prying eyes fixated on her. Nandini shrunk in her spot, She gulped.

"A little shy aren't we?" One said placing a finger on Nandini's chin. Nandini shoved his hands off and got up. The men shot up too and extended their arms, caging the girl.

"I--I need to go," Nandini said, her voice shivering in fear.

"Where?" The man asked getting closer to her. Just as he got close Nandini ducked under his arms and escaped the men.

The men got agitated.

"No!" Nandini cried as one of them got hold of her saree.

"Come with us, We'll take care of you," One of the men said, lust dripping from his eyes.

"No!" Nandini cried and tugged back her saree as if her life depended on it. But there was no way she could overpower three men. One of them even slapped her. Her cheek reddened and burned in pain, tears poured out of her eyes as she tried to escape from their clutches.

Adithan would've shredded these men into bits if he was here. But no he wasn't here, Nandini was on her own.

When Nandini thought all hope was lost, A savior in the image of the Pandiyan king came.

"Pandiya Mannan, Veera Pandiyan Vaarar, Vaarar!" The messanger announced.

The men looked at each other and decided it was the right time to run. They scattered away like a block of ice as they saw the great king Veera Pandiyan enter the temple premise.

Nandini stood in the corner of the temple and hid behind the pillar as she saw the Pandiyan king.

He worshipped the god first and turned back to the girl. Veera Pandiyan was lost for words when he saw her, the sea blue eyes, her perfect face, and her long black hair took Veera Pandiyan back to the dark ages of his life, the time when he made the worst mistake of his life. 

He composed himself and walked toward the girl, Nandin bowed down, The Pandiyan king couldn't believe it. She looks just like her.

"Who are you?" He asked, his voice was raspy. Nandini didn't utter a word. Pandiyan raised his eyebrows. "New here?" 

He looked quite old, even though she had heard that he was still in his forties. Wrinkles and scars covered his face. His long hair fell to his shoulders, masking the battle scars there.

Veera Pandiyan's eyes trailed down to her hands which were holding the ring. He took her hands in his and inspected the ring. Nandini gasped as she felt his rough hands on hers.

Nandini pulled away her hand from him, the ring lingered in Veera Pandiyan's grasp.

"Puli muthirai," Veera Pandiyan mumbled as he rolled it between his fingers. (A ring with the tiger engraving)

Nandini stepped back a little and looked down at the floor. Veera Pandiyan looked down at the girl, intently. A frown appeared on his face. Nandini fidgeted with her hands and did her best to avoid his gaze. 

"Do you have a...family here?" He asked. Nandini simply shook her head, the closest thing she had to family was Thirumalai and Karikalan, but she was torn apart from them.

"Come with me, I'll take care of you," Veera Pandiyan offered. His associates mumbled amongst themselves.

"I don't want anyone's pity," Nandini said. It didn't work out really well the first time a royal took pity on her. 

Veera Pandiyan sighed and knelt down to Nandini's height. Nandini gaped in awe. The great Pandiyan king kneeling down before a child? now that's a sight to behold. His associates didn't seem too thrilled about it though.

"I won't kick you out like the bloody Chozhas did," He said gently caressing Nandini's hair. "You can trust me," He said firmly.

Nandini bit her lower lip and thought for a while, but she couldn't think straight at the moment, her stomach grumbled and Nandini started feeling a little dizzy. She knew that she was too vulnerable to survive in a bustling town like Madurai. But Nandini's heart was not ready for another humiliation. But at the same time, what harm could take refuge in the Pandiyan palace cause? She could stay there till Adithan comes and takes her back again, or so Nandini thought.

Veera Pandiyan patiently waited for Nandini to make up her mind. 

"Okay..." Nandini muttered in a low tone. 

Veera Pandiyan smiled in satisfaction. "Welcome to the great Pandiyan empire,"

A/N

I feel bad for Nandini T_T 

Btw do you guys wanna see more childhood portions? like Adithan or Nandini reminiscing their time together?