Queen Alli - Beloved of Arjuna

CHAPTER 7

I smiled and said, "You have won my heart, Arjuna with your valor and charisma"

He threw a dazzling smile at me, "I am much honored"

The wedding was a grand affair. We invited Kings from across Bharatvarsh. The Pandavas and the Yadavas led by Krishna were the chief guests of the occasion.

It was such a joy to be able to meet Arjuna's brothers. I did not have any siblings of my own, so, it felt amazing when they cracked jokes at Arjuna and teased me.

Krishna was the matchmaker between me and Arjuna, so, he was one of the most important guests. He greeted me with a mischievous smile, "Alli Rani, please take good care of Arjuna. That poor man is deeply in love with you"

I grinned back, "Oh, I will, don't worry. How is everyone at home?" I asked courteously.

"Everyone is well, thank you for your concern" he replied with a disarming smile.

Arjuna and I received thousands of guests that day. The entire place was buzzing with musical instruments, dances, songs and the chatter of many guests. Since I had no parent left alive to do the kanyadaan, my father's cousin did that on behalf of my late father.

After the wedding ceremony, I and Arjuna were thoroughly exhausted. Despite that, we stayed awake on the nuptial bed all night, talking about everything under the sun with each other.

Few Years Later

Two years have passed since I married Arjuna. Each day was an adventure for us. We hunted together, we practiced martial arts together. I taught Arjuna how to do Silambam, Varma Kalai and Kuttu Varisai. I did not know that Arjuna was such as good dancer. With his encouragement, we danced together. At nights, I played the veena for him and he played the mridangam. We visited the temple of Kannagi Amman together and prayed for a happy wedded life each day.

I should have know that this happiness would not last forever. Arjuna had to return to Indraprastha, he begged me to accompany him.

"Alli, please, I beg of you" he said, kneeling by my side and burying his face in my lap, "Please come with me to Indraprastha"

"I cannot" I said, tears gathering in my eyes

"Why not?" he asked in a broken voice.

"I made a Vow, Arjuna, that I would never leave the Pandya Kingdom. That I would never abandon my people, no matter what." I replied, my voice cracking with emotion.

"Why?" he cried out in anguish, "Why, gods?! Why did she have to make this vow? Why did we have to fall in love with each other and yet be unable to be together. Is this Heaven's will?"

I embraced him and we shed tears together, our tears wetting each other's bodies. I did not have the heart to tell Arjuna that I was expecting his child soon. We cried ourselves to sleep that night as we looked at each other without batting a lid throughout the night.

We wanted to engrave the images of each other into the depths of our souls. I knew I would never be able to forget him and neither would he be able to.

As Arjuna galloped on his horse, he kept looking back towards the highest balcony of my castle. I kept waving to him even when he became a tiny speck in the distance.

One Year Later

I sat by the balcony, nursing my son when Meena rushed into my chambers. She seemed anxious and alarmed.

"What is it?" I asked, tensely.

"Today is the day that the merchant caravan is supposed to arrive from
Dwaraka. We were supposed to hand them gifts sent by the Roman Emperor as per our agreement with Lord Krishna" she panted.

"Yes... and?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"The Romans are not being allowed to dock at our port. The Cholas are blocking their access to our port. They have surrounded the traders' ships with armed forces with their war ships."

I took a deep breath and whispered, "Summon my son's nursemaid" When Meena looked at me in confusion, I said, "NOW"

"You are going to join the war?" Meena demanded, "Have you gone mad? You are a lactating mother!"

"There is time for debate right now" I said, raising my voice, "War is at our gates. Rouse the army at once. Summon all the naval commanders to present themselves in the court"

Within thirty minutes, a meeting was convened with every single admiral present on the scene. We discussed on the best war strategy in the present circumstances.

At the end of the emergency war council, we walked out of the court into the open field where countless Pandya soldiers stood in attention, armed to the teeth.

The oldest naval commander said, "Thank you for accompanying us till here, I will take the lead from now on and win this war, do not worry, Arasi. Please stay back and take care of yourself. You are in a delicate condition"

I folded my arms across my chest and titled my chin upwards, "I shall fight alongside you, gentlemen"

There was a lot of furious sputtering and exclamations of outrage from the soldiers and the admirals. Another elderly naval admiral exclaimed, "Arasi, how can we let a lactating mother fight a battle? That would be unmanly on our part!"

"I Alli Arasi! I am the queen of the Pandya nation!" I roared, slamming the table with a fist, "I am the queen of my people! What courage will we inspire in my citizens, my soldiers and my own son if I choose the easy way out like a coward? Arjuna's son deserves a mother who teaches him to put his life before asking any soldier to sacrifice theirs. Am I the only one with a baby? Many soldiers are fighting this war, leaving behind their precious babies. Yet, you ask me to claim special treatment? How can I?! How could you even ask me to?!"

The admirals exchanged nervous glances and there was a lot of angry murmuring. Meena said, addressing both the soldiers and the admirals, "Gentlemen, please listen keenly, while the Arasi addresses you"

I bellowed, "I, Alli Arasi, swear on the ashes of my dead father that I will return from this battlefield only after we have turned the seas red with Chola blood. I will return only after Cholas have been driven away from our sea and those who have dared to attack us are cremated underwater. If I fail to secure a victory, I shall die by my own hands, by beheading and my son shall be raised by Meena in my stead. Gentlemen, heed me well, the Fish Banner[1] will fly once again and the Tiger Banner[2] will fall!"

I drew my sword out of the scabbard with a hiss and thrust it into the air, "Veeravel! Vetrivel!" I roared. A clap of thunder echoed in the sky and clouds darkened at my war cry.

There was deafening applause and the soldiers thudded their spear butts to the ground in unison, "VEERAVEL!!! VETRIVEL!!!"

Meena and the admirals joined the chorus, one of the soldiers hoisted the Pandya banner. I gazed at the fish emblem fluttering in the sky, with love, respect and admiration. Kneeling down on one knee, I scooped some soil in my right hand and smeared it across my forehead.

Every single soldier, admiral and Meena imitated my action while they continued roaring "Veeravel! Vetrivel!" For the entire world to know that so long as Alli Arasi stood, the Pandyas would never fall.

GLOSSARY
[1] Fish Banner: Pandya Emblem
[2] Tiger Banner: Chola Emblem