Karikalan: Saviour of the Cholas

Chapter 71: Just a Mosquito

Ilanchezhiyan smiled. "Why, yes, the great Karikala Cholan had kept his word on both accounts!" He chuckled. "As he should."

As they surveyed the battlefield, reality hit them once more. Valavan turned to him and hugged him again. "Chezhiya, we won the war! We did it!!"

Suddenly moved to tears, Chezhiyan nodded, hugging him back. "We did it! We did the impossible!!"

Valavan's eyes burned as well when he let him go.

Chezhiyan looked around ruefully. "You didn't leave any of the good ones for me, though."

"Are you kidding me?", he asked, a disbelieving look on his face. "I did all this because you were hurt! You were the driving force behind me!!"

Chezhiyan raised a brow. "Oh?"

Valavan shrugged. "Well, generally, there were other reasons, yes. And Pandyan was down before you were hurt. But, after I saw you..." His eyes darkened. "Oh, I wanted to do nothing but destroy them all for even thinking about injuring you."

Chezhiyan smiled slightly. "Looks like your demolishing spree went wild, eh?"

Valavan snorted. "Something like that."

Chezhiyan shook his head. "A Commander is supposed to get hurt, you know? A Senatipati even more."

Valavan shrugged. "Even so, no one harms you and gets away with it. They'd have to answer the Karikalan's wrath."

Chezhiyan shot him a look. "I'm the one who is supposed to say all this!"

Valavan winked. Chezhiyan sighed again. "I still wanted to kill Irungovel. While I knew that you were the one who wanted to do the deed, I still wanted to get at least a punch in."

Valavan pursed his lips. "Who didn't? But, hadn't you even managed to draw blood once?"

"No- Wait! I did shoot those two arrows!"

"Drew blood?"

"Yes."

Valavan spread his arms. "There you go!"

The motion instantly set off another bout of dizziness. Chezhiyan steadied him. "Whoa! Careful there!"

Valavan nodded. "No, I'm fine. Or at least, I will be, soon."

He turned back to the battlefield and saw his soldiers rejoicing. A few of Cheran's soldiers, undoubtedly the most loyal ones, had simply seated themselves beside him, waiting to go with their King. The others all had a plethora of emotions written over their faces - anxiety, and panic emerging the winners.

He turned to Chezhiyan, amazed. "What are we supposed to do with them?", he whispered.

Chezhiyan suppressed a laugh at that question. "Whatever you wish to. They are your slaves now, remember?"

Valavan pondered over it for a moment. "I obviously don't want to ravage their lands or make them suffer more." Chezhiyan nodded approvingly. "For now, let's just have them taken to Urayur."

Chezhiyan nodded once more. Cheers erupted again just as Valavan swayed once more. Chezhiyan wrapped an arm around him supportively. "Here. I'll help you back."

Valavan disentagled from him. "Did you look at yourself? Stop being the hero for once, Chezhiya!"

Chezhiyan chuckled. "Who me? Hero? That's all you, Pr-"

He stopped, looking at Valavan mischievously. He groaned. "Not already, ple-"

"Your Majesty!"

Valavan sighed, giving up. He probably had to get used to it soon anyway. "How are we going to walk back now? We are in no condition to do so."