Erra talvukal | Arulmozi Varman and Vanathi

9. Whispers

      Arulmozhi was quickly going towards the tent which housed the messenger. He had written his usual replied to his Akka, with a very small reply to the Kadumbalur
Ilavarasi. Though he wanted to write more, he had stoped himself. For all the time he had been here he had heard many things about her.

      He didn't even notice that he had reached the tent he intended to reach as he was lost deep in his thoughts. He slowly parted the curtains and went inside.
   "Karthi, are you busy?" He asked him.
   "Ilavarasare! You here? And no, i was just waiting for you.... Do you have any messages to be delivered?"
   "Yes, Can you deliver these letters to my Akka? And this one to the Chakravarthy? And yeah, diliver this letter to the Kadumbalur Ilavarasi" Arulmozhi asked handing him the letters.
   "Offcourse Ilavarasare, this is my job." The messenger, Karthi said with a smile.
   "Good, and have a safe journey" saying this with a smile on his face, Arulmozhi left the tent. But while leaving he heard a chuckle from inside, with a ' Kadumbalur Ilavarasi?'.

      On his way he heard someone saying his name from behind the tree. His legs quickly stoped with a hault, and his ears involuntary went towards the sound.
   "What do you think, will our Ilavarasare marry that Kadumbalur Ilavarasi?
   "I don't know.... Our chief, Velir seems to be forcing her onto him..." Said a second voice.
   "I heared that she wants to marry him for the throne." A third voice intervened.
   "Yeah... After all, being the queen of the vast Chola Empire isn't a small thing! Many women would die to be in that position!"
   "They say that, that Kadumbalur Ilavarasi has captured our beloved Ilaya piratti's heart..... They say that Ilaya piratti is the one forcing their relationship...."
   "But what about that boat girl some people are talking about?"

      Unable to hear more of the gossip, the prince hurriedly rushed towards his tent. He has been hearing these things for a long time now ..... How his Velir mama drams of his niece to sit on the throne..... And he had seen the affection his Akka has for that Kadumbalur Ilavarasi himself! He had started to accept that he felt something different about that girl, but after hearing these assumptions, his heart and mind had been filled with doubt.

      'Were all these things true? Did she like him for the throne? Is Poonkuzlali a better match for him than Vanathi.........' all these thoughts had been clouding his mind recently. Whenever he used to feel or think something for or about Vanathi, he used to remind himself of her true intentions. He had a hard time believing that, that sweet, good natured girl could have such intentions. But alas! some people aren't always how they seem like.

_At Pazlayarai_

      She sat on the banks of the Ponni Nadhi. It was the only thing which made her feel as if she was with her Yaanai Paagan. Her only comfort. Her Akka had left to go to Thanjavur for 2-3 days. Vanathi had a fever, so Kundavai didn't wanted to leave her side, but because of duty calls, she had to go. She had promised Vanathi that she will return as fast as she can.

      Her fever was almost gone now. And now she sat in the only place, which she felt safe in. Since her Akka had went to Thanjavur, her sakhis have been taunting her more and more. Sure, they used to talk ill about her even when her Akka was here, but the whispers and taunts had got more brutal with her Akka's departure.

      "She is such a witch!" "Tell us, how did you bewitch Kundavai?" "Aa! See- how she faints, anything for attention" "Such an actor" "She just wants to marry Ponniyin Selvan for the throne" "I hear that he got soo bored of this leech, that he found himself a boat girl?" "I don't even understand why would anyone even want to be near her" "She is such a bad omen"
Vanathi kept her hands on her ears.... She wanted to get away from these voices.... Away from these taunting people..... It was too much for her.

      With her hands covering her ears, eyes brimming with tears, cheeks wet with trail marks of her sorrow, she started at the water. She knew that her Akka, Sembiyan Madevi Patti, and the other royal members knew that she loved him unconditionally, but still, the words used to haunt her.

      She ran her hand through the current of the water, wanting nothing but a ride on his elephant of her Yaanai Paagan. To let him know that she loved him without expecting nothing in return.

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( A/N )

I am soo sorry for the delay! I promise that I will be more regular now, and won't make wait longer. And our favourite Vallavarayan is going to enter this picture now! Shall I aslo do VV and Kundavai as a sideline? Like AMV and Vanathi would be the main plot, but we will also have their (VV and K) love story too? I hope that you guys liked this chapter. Instances mentioned are from the book. If any confusion let me know! :)

Any suggestions and feedback appreciated.

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