Sliding the screen aside of her palanquin which is being carried by the horse, Kayanangai watched the greying sky at that late afternoon. The sun left early this day making the environment gloomy. A cool breeze hit her soft ivory skin, her almond eyes watered the instance when the breeze passed. Her plump pink lips were parted slightly to gasp this new air. Her cheeks and her sharp-edged nose blushed by the coldness.
If the word beauty can be a person then Kayanangai must be the perfect meaning for it. She has a glorious heart and gentle soul.
Fear, shyness, innocence dangled across her eyes and she is concerned greatly about the chastity; She had all of those facets of a perfect woman along with the splendor elegance. When she smiles, she will be brighter than the sun in the day or moon in the night and the small mole above the end of her upper lip is the most attractive part of her face.
But now her smile is nowhere on her face and sadness replenished in her e
The next morning when she opened her eyes, the skies were cloudy and raining. She got up from the bed and looked around to see how big was her room. The red curtains were flying in the wind. Before she could get a grasp and come out of the weird nightmare she had, the court maid along with her workers entered her chamber.“We are here to prepare you for the engagement ceremony,” the elder maid said to Kayanangai.She nodded in confusion.They took her to the open Bathing area. A small pond covered by fragrance spreading flowers and plants looked pleasant. When she was looking at them, the maid asked her to strip and Kayanangai was stunned. She protested but they convinced that it’s just going to be this way since she’s the future King’s wife, she will be watched by her maids while taking a bath.That’s new to her but she finds the bath so refreshing. The water isn’t either too cool or hot after she came out the sm
“I am afraid,” Mathinila said when Veera was getting dressed. He came to her eyeing her nakedness.“For what?” Veera raised her chin to meet her beautiful eyes.“What if your brother comes to know about us?” “Then he won’t marry my sister and... my father will loathe me for all his life,” Mathinila worried holding Veera Pandya’s hands. “It won’t happen, Mathi. Don’t bother about that,” he said softly.“But what if he finds about us in the middle or maybe after the marriage? He might think for our happiness we imposed Kayanangai on him,” she raised a question, “What if he does something to my sister? I don’t like her but she’s still my sister and I can’t see her suffer because of us,”“No, you shouldn’t take the blame,” Veera sat on the soft mattress which was scruffy after their lovemaking.Taking her
Aathiyan got up in bewilderment when his eyes met hers. After giving a small smile, Kayanangai looked down, blushing hard after glancing at his attractive face.“I am glad that you accept my invite,” Aathiyan said with that stern face. He’s battling inside not to smile or to let his emotions on his face.“I am honored to be here, my king,” Kayanangai answered still having her eyes on the marble floor.He shook his head, “I will show you the place,” he said after staring at her for a long moment and Kayanangai raised her gaze. She walked with him into the marvelous hall. The huge doors smelled like a mixture of sandalwood, rosewood, and pine. The walls were decorated with paintings and metal relics.“You painted all of this?” Kayanangai asked.Aathiyan didn’t stop in their way and answered, “Yes, but a few of them, I brought it from the vendor. I heard that you paint, is that true?&rd
“Father, I want to talk to you,” Veera said coming into his father’s resting place.“What is it, Veera?” the king sat briskly.“Please pardon me for asking this, I want to know who you are going to choose for your place?”“Why? What’s the need for that now?” the king asked. “I want to know. I have been wondering about this for a long time but I have never asked you this before since we are getting married in two days. I want to know what you have decided for us,” he said looking away, “And your health…”“You are unnecessarily worrying,” the king smiled. “Nothing will happen to me.”“Are you going to make Aathiyan the King?” he asked.His father was silent, “Don’t you want your brother to become the King?”“So you have decided?”“Yes,” the king smiled.
Kayanangai stood by the mirror, looking at how beautiful she is with all these jewels that weight equal to half of her weight. Her delicate frame was all covered in a heavy red saree. Her face is dull, not having the enthusiasm for the wedding or at least for the new morning which she usually has every day. No matter how bad she feels inside she always wanted to start a day positively but today she felt the opposite.The sky is rumbling the thunder and the dark grey clouds pouring out the rain like it’s never going to cease, no one expected it’s going to rain like this. They considered it as a blessing from the almighty. But Kayanangai wondered who’s blessed here; is it her or her sister?It must be my sister. Kayanangai nodded sadly, thinking that.As soon as she woke up in the middle of the night, in fact, she didn’t bat an eye in the whole night and kept staring at the ceiling, wondering if this her fate then what she has to do after t
Kayanangai felt a pang of nervousness on her spine when she entered Aathiyan’s place. The queen, her sisters-in-law, Aathiyan’s sister Sumitra and wives of the king’s closest men accompanied her which added turned Kayanangai shy. From her family, her father’s sisters came with them.Ladies were giggling behind talking about their experience in the early stages of their marriage. They teased Kayanangai for being so shy and asked to talk to him because he’s now his wife. She didn’t answer and just nodded her head.After the wedding, she got a lot of presents from everyone and met many people from all over the town. It was a wonderful lunch she had with Aathiyan. She saw her brother only after the wedding. He and his father were so cheerful more than her. She’s quite happy to know that her brother and her husband were bonding so well.Mathinila, she’s extraordinarily happy in her own little world. She didn’t min
Kayanangai sat beside the pond and saw the reflection of her face in the clear water. She smiled looking at her blushed face and leaned to touch one of the bloomed Lotus. The warmth of the sun made her smile, after taking a cold bath in the morning, she sat here to dry her hair. She felt fresh yet tired and sore because of last night. Thinking that still gave shivers down her spine.When she woke up early in the morning, the new place and environment, she got dressed immediately and looked at Aathiyan’s peaceful face while he’s asleep. With a smile on her face, she sat next to him and watched him for a moment before walking to take bath. And soon finding her absence, he made his way to the bathing area where she’s wearing her saree after taking a bath.He walked in, making her jump in surprise. He smiled at her brightly and undressed before jumping into the b
“After much thinking, I have chosen Aathiyan for my place. He’s the right person, what do you say?” Raja asked his wife.She took a moment to answer, “It’s your choice, you know better than me,” she answered. “But still you are their mother, you might have an opinion,”“What’s there for me to tell. I can’t choose one of our sons. I will never do that,” she says, “Ever since I gave birth to my sons, I was afraid to meet this moment where I need to choose one. I cannot do that."“I won’t compel you. I had the same thoughts when I was asked to choose one of them and this decision was taken by the royal ministers and people in the court who have watched them grow up.”“I understand, Aathiyan is our first son, I am so proud to say that I am his mother
40(3)It was a cold night after the wedding. After sending off the bride and groom to their home. Kayanangai and Aathiyan returned to their place. It was a great day. Kayanangai almost forgot everything when she was surrounded by so many people. But after coming back to their chamber, her anxiety knocked her down. Carrying this much sadness and yet acting like she was alright is troubling her. She couldn't take this anymore and wanted an end to this.Aathiyan went to sleep before Kayanangai, and she sat beside him looking at the dark skies for some time. Her mind is only thinking about how she could find that witch. It must be that witch because she knows there's no one capable of such an act.She laid beside Aathiyan and watched him sleep peacefully. Her heart desires only one thing, which
40(2)The next morning, when Kayanangai opened her eyes, Aathiyan was nowhere to be found. She tied up her hair and looked at the morning sun with a smile. She got up and saw Arulvarman was asleep. It's a surprise that he didn't wake up in the middle of the night and she couldn't understand how she slept even after the sun was up. She took him in her arms and nursed him while thinking about what happened yesterday. It's so new that Aathiyan left in the morning, without saying a word. She remembered about yesterday and how she felt unsure about him. But then she convinced herself that it was Aathiyan to feel better.Kayanangai waited for him, minutes passed and an hour passed but there's no sign of him. She bathed, had her breakfast and the guards have told her that they haven't seen Aathiyan since morning.
40(1)Life got a little more peaceful after Aarani stopped coming to the palace. Especially for Kayanangai. She felt so free and started to notice the changes that had happened in her life. She believes Aathiyan has ordered her to not come to the palace as he always hated her around here, but she doesn't know the truth that Aathiyan lied to her. Nakan was always there around them and Aathiyan didn't give any orders because he couldn't find him at all.Ever since Kayanangai saw Aarani smiling at her father's funeral she felt something strange and she decided not to keep her beside her after getting this doubt. She can't help but think whether Aarani is that witch. She has no answers and no one is going to tell her the truth unless she finds it on her own.Aathiyan spends more time with her and she's finally com
39(5)The rain is pouring heavily outside, and the loud thunderstorm echoed inside the absolutely quiet palace. Kayanangai returned to the palace, after two days of staying in her father's home. She met Aathiyan only twice in these two days but she understood what a great human he is. For all these days, she had contradicting thoughts about him. She always hangs in the middle and never believes he's totally bad or good. Now she has a perfect picture of him. She's so fortunate to get a man like Aathiyan, he cares about her more than she cares about him and the greatest favor he has done to her put him on the pedestal of her heart. If her father had asked that favor to her, she could have never done that.Aathiyan could have easily refused to release Veera from prison becaus
39(4)Aathiyan expected a message from his Guru but nothing came even after a week. He wondered how long it would take for him to find something. Aathiyan doesn't want to pressure him so he decides to wait until the message comes.Meanwhile, all of Aathiyan's attention was on Nakan; he's around Kayanangai all the time. Even Though he's in the form of a woman, he sees the admiration and lust in her eyes.The way Kayanangai smiles for his jokes and being affectionate on Aarani makes him frustrated but he couldn't do anything.He noticed that it's been so many days since he talked openly with Kayanangai. She doesn't seem to care about him like she used to. There are many times he tried to tell her the things she doesn't know but Nakan said that he'll face some s
39(3)"Mathinila, please listen to what we are saying. You should stay in the palace," Sumitra said."No, I can't. These people and the King punished my husband and I can't live in their pity concern," Mathinila retorted. It's been a week since Veera went to prison and the family is trying to cope up with the sudden changes in the family. Now Sumitra wanted to leave, she couldn't take people's strange gazes and murmurs behind her back. It's making her even more depressed."I have to protect my self-respect; my father has a big house in the town. I can live there peacefully," Mathinila said, walking carrying her daughter and a few things in the basket.Kayanangai was also there but she didn't stop her sister. She thought it would be better if she went to
39(2)"So Veera Pandya asked you to cast a deadly curse on my father? Is that right?" Aathiyan asked Ganthika, in front of the court. "Yes," she nodded. "He asked me to do that. He threatened me when I hesitated," Ganthika answered in her shaky voice. Like she's a victim too."I gave him a vial full of poison and he gave it to his father," she added."No, that's a lie. I never gave him anything to my father. Ask everyone," Veera Pandya begged.But nothing was heard in anyone's ears. Everyone was convinced of Ganthika's testimony. Even Aathiyan thought that's the truth but later he understood they were equally guilty."Now the
39(1)The next day, the people in the palace were talking about this matter but Aathiyan slept well that night. He has let his anger out after a long time and he didn't pay any attention to the consequences."I heard you have put your brother in prison?" Kayanangai asks when the moment he woke up from his sleep. He has heard this from one of her maids. "That happened last night," Aathiyan answered, leaving out a yawn."Why didn't you tell me anything?" she asks. "Because you were asleep when I came back so I thought I should tell you today," Aathiyan said. Kayanangai can't help but frown hearing his lethargic reply.
38(4)Kayanangai saw him and she couldn't help her worries seeing Aathiyan's face. "Is something bothering you?" she asks. Aathiyan turned to her, "No, I am fine," he answered and sat near her."Are you telling me the truth?" Kayanangai asked. "Yes," he smiled and placed his head on her lap."When you are near me, I am fine," he said. She smiled and caressed his hair. "Aarani didn't come to w