Nandini

Chapter 16- Madhavi's Dreams

Madhavi, one of the princesses in Kundavai's retinue told her that Sembiyan Madevi too left for the Chakravarty's residence. Kundavai went there last week and hasn't returned yet. Good. Let them stay away. Some important deliberations are going on about something.

"Nandini, is it true that your sister rejected the latest marriage proposal too?"

"I don't know. We are only discussing about it".

The princess lowered her voice, "Did you know that Ilaya Piratti too is going to get married? I never thought that this devil would leave the capital". Nandini was stunned. Kundavai cares for these girls as if they were her sisters and is this how they talk about her? And is she getting married? Since Kundavai doesn't talk to her these days, she didn't know. It isn't exactly surprising but not even Karikalar mentioned anything.

"She too was rejecting all proposals like your sister. But this time I think it is a good proposal. That must be why the emperor has summoned everyone", she gazed into the distance. "After ilaya piratti's marriage, the princes will get married one by one. Arulmozhi Varman is too small. Who wants to marry that effeminate Maduranthakan? But . . .", she smiled.

Nandini started to tremble. Control yourself, she told herself.

"There is still a lot of time left for all that ilavarasi. You are younger than me. Even my akka is unmarried".

"Who is talking about your marriage? Your parents have to find boys and arrange dowry. That's why you get married late. But our marriages were fixed when we were born. Sometimes they are fixed before we are born", she smiled. Nandini didn't know what to say.

"Nandini, don't tell anyone. Other cobras will be jealous if they know that I am most likely to marry Karikalar first".

"Devi, does the ilavarasan know about this?"

"He is too shy to even look at me. Poor boy!". She bit her tongue. "Please don't tell anyone that I called my future husband a poor boy", she chuckled.

"I won't "

"One day, he brought some lotus flowers for me. One was a bud. When I teased him about hands that are used to handling spears and swords caressing lotus flowers, you should have seen his face. He didn't like that, mind you, but he looked so cute", her eyes looked so dreamy.

Is this why he took lotus flowers from her? There he praised her beauty and teased her. Here he is using those flowers to woo other women. Kalla kannan indeed. Is that surprising? Men are like that. Only men who didn't marry multiple women were the ones who couldn't afford to maintain multiple families. Even they had bad habits. She remembered the story of Kovalan and Kannagi.

Why did she expect him to be any different? But he is different. Is he? Maybe he even likes her but he is supposed to marry a few of these girls, not just one. All these girls are from the families of different highly ranked vassals. How could she even think that someone like Karikalar will love her, only her, sincerely, forever?

Madhavi told her that her friends will be jealous at her if they know that she will marry him first. Though she is the daughter of a chieftain, even she isn't living in a dream world like Nandini. She only wanted to be his first wife, the Queen. She has accepted that she isn't going to be the one and only wife. Why? Madhavi isn't an idiot like her.

"Oh, those cobras are coming. If someone enquires what we were talking about, tell them that we are planning to welcome Kundavai in a grand manner. I was planning to discuss it but I forgot. We will discuss it later".

Nandini nodded but she didn't stay back to answer their annoying questions.

•------------•

Nandini stared at the moth that was circling the flame. Don't these moths know that fire is dangerous? Perhaps they don't. They jump into the fire and die. Don't they feel any heat when they reach the flame? Why don't they fly away? Has any moth escaped after touching the flame? Can moths talk to each other? If they could talk, what all tales can they share!

She tried to touch the flame, but drew her hand back because she didn't want to burn herself. What's this little flame as compared to the hellfire she had jumped into so willingly?