The First Empress

Rudhra's coronation

Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

On the day of the coronation, Rudhra was taken to the Thirumanjana Saalai early in the morning.

It was the royal bath house, a sacred chamber built exclusively for the emperor, where the king was ritually purified before ascending the throne.

Even until the previous night, Rudhra's heart had been filled with hesitation about ruling the kingdom. The weight of the crown had seemed heavier than he could bear.

But the words his father had spoken beneath the banyan tree continued to echo in his mind.

Arasan enbavan ariyanaiyil amarbavan alla... than makkalin sumaiyai than tholil sumandhu nadappavan..

Remembering those words, Rudhra had finally made his decision.

He would accept the honour of ruling the kingdom.

More importantly, he resolved that from that day forward, the welfare of the country would stand above everything else in his life.

At the same time, all the royal guests had arrived at the palace a day before the coronation.

Umayal and Rana, along with Veera and Poovizhi, had brought all their children with them. After all the losses Aditha and Sangamithra had endured, they hoped that the laughter and presence of the children would bring some comfort to their hearts.

The palace corridors, which had long carried the weight of grief, now slowly filled with the cheerful voices of young ones running through its halls.

At Rudhra's request, the children of Subodhan and Sevili were also included among the royal brethren, standing alongside the other young members of the royal family. Rudhra had insisted that they too belonged with them.

Across the palace, preparations for the coronation were underway.

Servants moved swiftly through the courtyards, priests prepared the sacred rituals, and royal guards stood vigilant at every entrance.

The entire kingdom had gradually come to accept Aditha's decision. The people who had once been saddened by the thought of their beloved emperor stepping down were now filled with anticipation.

They were ready to welcome their new king.

Among all the guests gathered in the palace, however, there were two people whose happiness about Rudhra's coronation was especially evident.

Chandirai remained quiet, keeping her emotions hidden behind a composed expression, even as her beloved prince prepared to ascend the throne.

Loka, on the other hand, showed no such restraint.

She proudly announced to anyone who would listen that her atthaan was going to be crowned king that very day.

Her excitement spread through the palace like sunlight, and her lively presence managed to lighten the mood of everyone around her.

For the first time in many days, the palace felt alive again.

As Veera and Poovizhi were getting ready in their chambers, Loka quietly slipped away from them and made her way directly to Aditha and Sangamithra.

The moment she entered, Aditha lifted her into his arms and looked at her from head to toe with admiration.

Aditha: En marumagalai pola azhagu indha puviyil yaarum illai.

Sangamithra, who was nearby, smiled warmly at them and spoke.

Sangamithra: Vandhu vittaiya marumagale?