The First Empress

Rana is dead

'The death of beloved is an amputation'

As the days went, Umayal started missing Rana. Since Aditha was not in the palace, she was worried about the impending engagement which was fixed by her father. She was aware that her brother would definitely stop her from marrying that old man. However, she was not even interested in getting engaged to that filth of man. On the other end, she was also worried about Rana's occupation. With king and benefits on one side and Rana without any powers on other side, would her father accept Rana as her beau?

Rukmani literally stopped talking to anyone in the palace and locked herself in the temple and kept praying all day. Umayal had sent messages to her brother through pigeons and was yet to receive any answer from him. She was feeling uneasy with the way Boomadevi was preparing jewelry and things for her engagement.

The reason for her worry was that her father had met the old man from Sannam and agreed for the wedding and engagement. The engagement was set to occur in the coming week. She had already sent a message to her brother. However, she also wanted to notify Rana. She felt a smile slowly creeping up just from his thoughts. However, she didn't know where he resided to even send a mail through pigeon. She thought for a longtime and then called her footman.

Umayal was in the garden and whispering to the footman.

Umayal: Uyaratthil imayatthai vinjubavar. Bujabala prakraamatthil en thamayanukku inaiyaanavar. Pattaiyitta netriyil naduve piraiyai thilagamaaga vaitthiruppar. Siritthaal boomi adhirum. Kobam kondaal puvi pilakkum. Appadi oru aan maganai malaiyoor arugil kandaal indha kadidhatthai avaridam sertthu vidu. Avaridam koduppadharku mun avarin peyar Rana enbadhai arindhu kondu kodu!

Footman: Yaaridam irundhu indha seidhi endru kettaal enna solvadhu devi?

She thought for a moment. She should not be revealing their relationship to the footman. However, she had to pass the information to him.

Umayal: Adithanin thangai thangalin kanakkai theerka azhaikkiraal endru kooru!

Footman: Appadiye seigiren thaaiye!

He then left the garden. She also returned to her chambers after checking if someone was watching her on her way back. However, she had missed to notice the shadow near the shrubs. After they both left, Nedumaaran came out of his hiding place and quickly went towards Rajendra's chamber.

In the chamber, Rajendra was lavishly seated on his chair with his legs splayed. Some women were sticking to him. He didn't change any of his habits from the past. However, he had removed most of the guards and silenced some of them to keep things from his palace to reach the ears of his father. He also made few of the ministers to praise him in front of his father which made him a good guy in his father's eyes.

As Nedumaaran entered the chamber, he noticed Rajendra being almost naked. He then turned around. Rajendra after noticing his presence slowly stood up from the chair and surrounded himself with a shawl and kicked the woman near his leg out of his way as he walked forward.

Rajendra: Indha neratthil edharku vandhaai, Nedumaara?? Idhu en andhapuram endru ariyaayo?

Nedumaaran: Avasaramaana seidhi enbadhaal odi vandhuvitten. Mannitthu vidungal, Ilavarase!

Rajendra: En kaavalargalum nee enbadhaal anumadhitthu vittanar polum. Sari enna avasaramaana seidhi?

Nedumaaran: Andha Umayal avarudaiya kaadhalanukku thoodhu anuppi kondirukkiraar.

Just after he finished his sentence, he heard a crisp slap and his cheek burnt.

Rajendra: Aval en thangai... Mariyaadhai veandum. Andha Umayal alla Ilavarasi Umayal. Kevalam viyaabaram seiyyum kulatthil pirandha nee en thangaiyai avamadhippadhaa?