Dusky Moonlight

26(1)

Kayanangai's father was happy to know Mathinila's pregnancy when he came to the palace a week later. No rumors went to his ears and Rani made sure that as per Mathinila's request. Kayanangai was so happy that everything got resolved but her relationship with her sister remained the same.

And in the later weeks, Aathiyan's father has decided to visit the Raja of the neighboring kingdom as he was invited to negotiate about the boundary issues and the recent feud that happened in the past two months.

This unexpected journey made Kayanangai sad because Aathiyan, Veera, and Narenthiran were also going along with her Father in law. She doesn't have the heart to let him go and she wondered how she's going to be alone in his absence.

Aathiyan didn't show that he's going to miss her because if he does then it will be hard for him to leave her.

After all the assurance that he will come back in a week or two, Aathiyan left sadly. There she started to feel lonely.

She now understood what's the real meaning of loneliness, even when she was away from her family she didn't feel this way. It's too unbearable, like a part of her is missing. She stood by the door and look for him whenever she couldn't pass her thoughts.

She became unwell and remained in her Chamber or in the garden remembering each of the moments she spends with her husband. She didn't meet anyone often like she usually does and kept thinking when he will return.

In this way, she turned tired and sick in that entire week. She puts the blame on the rainy season when someone asks why she's not well. She's too shy to admit that she misses her husband.

But when the morning sickness started, she couldn't understand what's happening inside her. She thought it will go away but when it continued for two more days, she went to meet the palace physician to check her health.

The old physician checked her eyes and reviewed her health.

"You are pregnant," she said holding her wrist.

Kayanangai was staggered, she doesn't know how to react.

"The future is growing inside you," she rejoiced.

"Please inform this to our Maharani and ask her to come here," the physician said to the maid and they rushed out.

Kayanangai became anxious, there's this nameless emotion that hit her hard and she couldn't speak any more words.

She thought why she has to find out something at this time when Aathiyan wasn't at home.

Mathinila and Sumitra came too. Her mother-in-law was so happy than anyone else, she considers this is a blessing to have all the young women of the house being pregnant at the same time. Sumitra is six months pregnant, Mathinila is four months and now Kayanangai just missed her menstrual cycle.

She asked the maids to prepare sweets and tell everyone about this wonderful news. Then she sends her herald to inform the message to the King and Aathiyan in that early morning.

Soon Kayanangai's chamber was filled with fruits and eateries. Elders and relatives came to bless her. After her marriage, she's meeting all the close people again on this day.

But nothing gave happiness and her heart yearned for her husband. There she realized how much affection she has for her beloved husband.

She ate the food and rested in the garden. That time, her father and Kumaran came in to meet her after hearing the news. They brought her favorite sweets and some bangles which she loves to wear.

Her father's presence made her so happy, and his brother's comforting words gave strength during this time.

The rest of the evening passed with them. "Do you know when will son-in-law return?"