Author's POV
"You may leave now, Radhai,"
Princess Alarmelu commanded, halting her friend's barrage of questions. That is messing up her mind...
Radhai signed and bowed to her before exiting the chamber, wishing the princess a peaceful sleep...
The princess approached the table and picked up a wooden box adorned with exquisite detailing. It was a gift from her father, King Thondaiman, which held special significance because he had crafted it himself upon his beloved daughter's request...Valliyammai had also acquired one, which she kept hidden in a secret place. Although it was empty, the young princess awaited the day she could fill it with something worth cherishing. There was still plenty of time to choose...
Princess Alarmelu already possessed one; it was her mother's Silambu. She sat on the bed, opened the box with a smile, and picked up a Silambu from it. As she shook it, the bronze Silambu with emerald stone beads inside emitted a unique sound.
It's her nightly routine. Every night before sleeping, she picks up the 'sillambu' and shakes them. The sound they make provides her with the comforting sensation of conversing with her mother.
She felt the bustier suffocating her so with one hand she untied the knot and removed the bustier relieving her breast free from that tight cloth her Saree Pallu was still intact and hiding her assets from someone else's eyes, Now it was free-flowing as it was tied in the back underneath the bustier.
She swept her long hair forward before collapsing vertically onto the bed. Clutching the Silambu in one hand, she couldn't understand why it felt different today. The usual night seemed odd and unfamiliar.
Do you have any idea why?" she inquired the silambam, amusement evident in her tone.
She giggled and shook the Silambam rapidly, blending it with her giggles to create the sweetest music to his ears.
The Crown prince who was concealed behind the bathroom door peeked out, ingurgitating her beauty through his gaze. Her virtue had already captivated him, and now her beauty was utterly enchanting, sweeping him off his feet.
He let out a deep breath...He came to talk with her which had already left his thoughts .....He is dumbfounded. He came here to confess his love to her, but instead, he was surprised to discover that she had loved him even before all this. The situation now is not helping him... How can he convince her who already made up her mind if he ever comes to ask her to marry him that would be a political alliance which is not true now...
He was trying to articulate the situation, She was thinking about today's events mainly the information of Queen Mother's plan to choose her puppet who is eventually going to be the Crown Prince's Wife...that thought did hurt her but what she could do her love was unsaid and secret one... She is not the only princess who is in love with him and has that dream of becoming his wife....he may be the only man she expects love from but that doesn't give her the right to lay an exclusive claim on him...
Both of their thoughts were broken by someone entering the chamber. Alarmelu sat up to see the intruder who dared to enter her chamber without permission only to smile widely seeing her little sister....
"what brought you here Princess"
Alarmelu asked Valliyammai with a teasing smile, which the young princess ignored, concentrating instead on her task of moving the small stool near the big wooden trunk containing the elder princess's clothes.
She stood over the Stool and now tried to open the heavy wooden trunk lid.
"Could you permit me to help you, Princess Valliyammai "
