The Crown Prince and His Love

Chapter 10 |A ride to remember|

An olai came to Thanjai informing about Adithan's victory in Rashtrakuta. Nandini's countless prayers to the gods were fulfilled. Oh how worried she was about Adithan going to war, these seven days, nightmares about him dying haunted her every night. She got her soul back only when she heard about Adithan's victory. (Olai - news scroll)

Nandini sat at the stairs of the temple pond and plucked on the flowers ideally. When will you come back Karikalare? She thought to herself, yearning to meet him. She chuckled to herself thinking about him.

"What are you laughing at?" She heard a familiar voice. Karikalan's manly voice echoed in her head. She turned back to see the source of the voice but found no one.

"Just my illusion," She hit her head with her hands and sighed sadly. It's been a week since she had seen him, she thought of him every single second, she wondered if he did the same.

The trumpets were blown.

The cheering of the Chozha people could be heard from the other side of the Kaveri river. Nandini got up as she heard the thunderous sounds of the melam.

"The Prince arrived it seems," Cheered the other temple girls as they ran off to meet him. Nandini jumped up in excitement and joined the girls to see her lover. But someone stopped her.

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"All hail Prince Aditha Karikalar!" Cheered the people as Adithan rode his horse slowly through the crowd. His smile was brighter than the moon, that day. The glory he had been waiting for was presented to him on golden plates. The people showered him with flowers and blessings. The priests sang their pasurams and sang of the Prince's victories.

But no matter what, the Prince's eyes searched for only one person, the girl who stole his heart.

The palace gates were closed as soon as Adithan and his army entered. He got off his horse and paid his salutations to his father and mother.

"Appa, Amma," Adithan smiled as he touched their feet to get their blessings.

"You did it, My son," Sundara Chozhan patted Adithan's back proudly. Vanavan Madevi hugged her son and kissed his forehead and checked his body for wounds, Adithan felt a little embarrassed.

"I was scared to death," Vanavan said. "We should thank God for sending you back home safely,"

"I came home no amma? Don't worry nothing will happen to me," Adithan said.

"Anna!" Arulmozhi came running upto Adithan and jumped onto him.

"Ough," Adithan scoffed as he held Arulmozhi. "Thambi don't attack me like this, you're not a kid anymore," he hid his pain with a smile and set Arulmozhi down.

"You and Akka always mock me," Arulmozhi folded his arms and stood with his mother, she laughed at his antics and ruffled his hair.

"Where's my dear sister?" Adithan asked.

"Akka went to the temple to thank the god for bringing you home safely," Arulmozhi announced.

"The temple?" Adithan asked arching his eyebrows, that's were Nandini used to stay. She's probably fighting with Nandini right now, Adithan thought. He had to go there and intervene right now. But no one was in the mood to let their young prince go anywhere. They showered him with wishes and blessings continuously. First came Periya Pazhuvettaraiyer, then Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyer, then Anriuddha Brahmarayar.

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The palace calmed down at the night time. The visitors who came to see the prince had left and Adithan finally had the time to breath.