The Warrior And The King- Ponniyin Selvan

Chapter 3

♤ The Warrior and The King♤

"One with eyes of Gold
Comes to love and cherish the sun.
Makes rivers of blood flow in the Empire of Tigers.
As she cries tears of wrath
The moon turns to blood and
The winds show her sorrow.
She is crownedthe Queen of the Sun's Heart"

As the Priest told the king about the prophecy, the king realized something,  the prophecy must come true or the empire will fall like a house of cards.  His son must fall in love with a golden eyed girl. He will not allow his son be the cause for the empire to hinder.

Present day, Thanjai

The golden eyed warrior walked towards the court room. The Thanjai palace was bigger than the Kadambur palace. The sunlight fell on her face, making her look like a glowing goddess. As she reached the entrance she felt a feeling, she was going to get a vision. She paused in her steps and closed her eyes.

A green eyed woman cried as she stabbed a man. she hugged the man as he fell to  the ground. The woman was Nandini but older. The man had a knife in his abdomen. According to his bracelet part of the royal family.

She knew, she knew that woman was Nandini and the man was most probably the Eldest Prince. Why would Nandini kill him? That’s the question. She was brought out by her thoughts as the she reached the huge Golden doors of the court room. The door had engravings of gods, a war and tigers, they seemed to tell a story no mortal could comprehend. As the Grand doors opened she felt anxious on what will happen next, how her sister’s life is going to change and as a consequence hers as well.

She looked at the Emperor, the air he carried himself with was majestic and screamed power. The Queen who sat next to him was the embodiment of grace and beauty. She wondered if one the if Nandini will be the one sitting there. As she got closer, she bowed.

“ I am honored to be summoned Your Highness. But anxious none the less.” The woman spoke break the silence. As she raised her head she saw the King having a shocked look. “Have a done something cruel Your Highness ? You seem pale.” She questioned.

“Marry my son” The Emperor replied. She was prepared for a lot but not this. Never this.

Aditha Karikalan was not in love. He knew it was just tension, passion of the moment or the fact that no one ever treat him like Nandini did but he knew that Nandini becoming the Queen was low. If he caused Nandini to be harmed because of his foolishness he is going to forever live in the guilt. He took some rash decisions but it was too late. He could only hope and make a vow to Lord Shiva that incase Nandini was harmed in anyway, he is never going to marry.

/In another universe, where Nandini did not have a sister this vow would play a huge role in the lives of Nandini and Aditha. They would lead a life of guilt and anguish. Thankfully the Warrior of Fate is alive in this universe./

Aditha Karikalan was going to be back in Kadambur in 2 days and he was afraid. For the very first time in his life he was Afraid and Guilty.

Athreya walked speechless. They were going to a more private place and she had requested Nandini to be summoned to the room as well. They reached the said room and sat down, a servant brought them refreshments. She was still in shock of wht she heard. Marry the Eldest prince? The one who her sister was in love with? How can she commit such betrayal? Nandini soon was escorted into the room, her fearful eyes turned into terror as she saw her sister looking dazed.

“Take a seat dear, Don be afraid.” This broke Athreya out of her thoughts and Nandini had a reasonable amout of relief in her eyes. As she sat down the tension was obvious. It could be cut with a knife.

“ I get straight to the point. Nandini I want to get your sister married to my son. Your lover. I don’t accept your relationship. You are very young and Aditha is not yet mature enough. I don’t want to see a day where you both have a fallout and blame yourselves. I hope you understand my decision and I give you the responsibility to convince your sister. She doesn’t want to do anything behind your back.” Nandini teared up. She knew that if not Aditha she can fall in love with someone else. But if her sister rejects this offer she will remain alone for the rest of her life. She will be an outcast , the one who rejected the Prince’s hand in marriage. An arrogant wrench. That is all she would be in the eyes of others. News travels fast and the walls had ears.

“Your Highness I can’t-” before Athreya could complete the sentence, Nandini closed her mouth. “She will marry the prince.” Nandini said. Athreya couldn’t comprehend the situation, her ears were buzzing and her body felt hot. “Nandini! What are you saying?” she felt cold sweats, she felt guilty. “Akka, you promised remember? When we first entered the Palace.”

It was a starry night a 12 year old Athreya held 6 year old Nandini on her lap as the cart moved towards the Palace. She had cried as the Shiva Kovil was set on fire by a pandya troop. She lost her home, her thaiye and everything. Only thing that remained was Nandini. Now as she lay on the cold surface of Kadambur kovil, Nandini asked her. “Akka, why did the Kadambur kovil people look at us like we were dirt?” Athreya knew why and she wasn’t going to hide the reason from Nandini. “Because we have no identity chellame. We are poor orphans.” Nandini hummed deep in thought. “Akka can you promise me something?”she asked brightly “what is it that you want dear?”

“Promise that one day you will get to a position where no one can look down on us.” She said offering her pinky. Athreya smiled and curled her own finger against Nandini’s “Promise.”

Note: That honestly made me cry, like damn I had a huge headache and a writer's block. But it's  done~~~.

-Shanu