Karikalan: Saviour of the Cholas

Chapter 53: The "Proof"

The Pandya King paced. "Now, this is a new development I had not anticipated!"

Uthiyan Cheralathan, reclined in his chair, plucked a grape from the platter on his table. "I'm sure."

The former paused in his pacing, turning to shoot him a look. "How on Earth are you so calm about this?" He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Am I to understand that you had prior knowledge of what has come to pass?"

The Chera King shook his head, popping the grape into his mouth. "No." He didn't add anything else to it, savouring the burst of juice the grape provided, his expression one of bliss. Pandyan grew irritated.

"Then, please consider sharing some of that calm you seem to have in ample amounts as I surely do not possess any!"

The Chera laughed. They were once again in the Chera Palace, having arrived straight to it after Indra Vizha had ended prematurely. Currently, they were in the King's chamber, mild evening sunlight streaming in through the large window, bathing the Pandya King, who was leaning against it, in the process. His earrings glinted under the attention it was receiving.

Cheralathan plucked another grape off the bunch and threw it at the other King. "That's the secret. Have a grape and watch it calm you down miraculously. You'll relish it!"

Pandyan swatted it off, exasperated. The Chera looked at the grape woefully before shrugging, plucking another one for himself. "What is it that makes you so tense?"

He shot him a disbelieving look. "Do not jest! The son of Ilamchetchenni is alive and he just challenged Irungovel to war!!"

The Chera leaned further back into the chair, stretching his legs. He munched on the grape. "So? How does that concern us?"

The Pandya King's eyebrows threatened to fly upwards. "It doesn't?"

Cheralathan rolled his eyes. "Of course it doesn't! The matter is officially out of our hands now as another has beat us to declare war on Irungovel." He smiled. "We simply have to wait."

Pandyan groaned. "How much longer?!"

Cheran's smile widened. "However long it takes."

The Pandya King sighed. "Why don't we just offer our allegiance to one of them? After all, waging war on Urayur is our goal, isn't it?"

Cheralathan's eyes widened. "That, my friend, is a terrible, terrible plan. We know of how vain the Cholas are. They wouldn't dream of asking our help." He shook his head. "And no, you are mistaken. Waging war on Urayur isn't our goal. Obtaining Urayur is."

The Pandya King scowled. "How is it any different?" 

Cheran shot him a surprised look. "How can you say that both are the same? We want the throne, not Irungovel dead." He grinned. "This inner animosity between the Cholas will prove to be advantageous to us. One of them will defeat the other for us and make our job infinitesimally easier. We would only have to take the other down for the throne."

Pandyan grinned back as he finally understood the plan. "Yes, that makes sense."

Before Cheran could reply, a pigeon flew towards the window. Frowning, Pandyan caught it, untying the scroll it had predictably brought in before letting it fly away. He was about to hand it to Cheran when the seal on the scroll caught his eye.

It was that of the Cholas.

Not handing it to Cheran, he opened it himself, reading it swiftly. When he finished, he couldn't contain his laughter.

Cheralathan raised an inquisitive brow. "What? What does it say?"

Ceasing his laughter for the moment, he gasped out. "It is from Urayur. Listen to this." He read it aloud for him.