“Don’t run,” Aadhiyan warned with a smile across his face.
“You’re walking too slow, come fast,” Rathi urged running into the woods. The jiggling sound of her anklet was pleasing to hear. The smell of the muddy wind filled his nostrils as he moved closer to the cascade. The place was colorful with all the flowers and trees. Butterflies were chasing one another and making it the most beautiful and serene place in the entire world.
“Be careful, you will hurt your feet,” he advised and his eyes studying her every move.
“I won’t,” she giggled and went near to the cascade. She watched Aadhiyan sauntering to her taking small steps. She can’t help but fall in love with everything. Even that ugly beard that growing fast on his face. Once he came closer she encircling her hand around his neck and kissed his lips passionately.
“Your lips taste like sweet,” he told.
“Is
Aadhiyan stood up and blocked her way to confront her. "You can't talk to me like that?" he gripped her hand firmly. His face is devoid of expression.Rathi was stunned by his action and saw him with fear. "I was talking to you showing all my good side but you just walk over me? Are you taking my words as a joke?" he gritted in anger and his hand slowly twisted her wrist. The rage covered his eyes, for a moment he's not that Aadhiyan who seemed to love her."Leave my hand, it's hurting," she pleaded and her eyes welled with tears. Rathi didn't expect this from him, all her beliefs broke in that moment."No, you need to learn how to talk to me," he twisted it hard and Rathi cried in pain. All the love, affection and care that she's having for him has come to the point of questioning. Is
"Amma," a child's voice startled Rathi. She was standing in the middle of a dark place more like a paradise.She turned and saw a toddler boy. He's looked like a fallen angel and his eyes are like... Aadhiyan's.Rathi can't help herself and smiled seeing him."Amma," he starched his hand wider.Rathi's legs were already on the motion to hug him. When she was about to reach his hand, the ground creaked open and engulfed the boy in front of her eyes."No," she shouted and fell down on her knees feeling like she lost her kid.Panting heavily Rathi got up from her sleep. It's all dark and she felt the moisture between her legs. Her stomach cramps indicated that she's menstruated at this difficult time. She got down and searched for the matchbox to light up the lamps.She doesn't know what time it is, but surely it will be close to midnight. The sky was still gathered with the clouds; spontaneously shedding one or two drops of rain and the
The chill wind is slowly blowing in the place. It made its way to Rathi and kissed her skin and made her smile. The small bell that's hanging on the crescent of the door clinked lightly dancing to the motion of the breeze. The bright clouds were chased by the grey ones and settled on the top, proudly.Watching the changes in nature Rathi was quietly sitting on the door side. Her eyes were fixed on the hibiscus tree; the red flowers bloomed in big sizes. She wanted to take one of those but she can't. Shankari has taught her that, during menstruation, a girl shouldn't touch any kind of plants or else the plant will die, Rathi believed it during that time but as she grown-up, she couldn't change her mind even knowing it's stupid. She's afraid of whether it will happen. Rathi is not the kind of person who can harm something intentionally. So she watched it from sitting there with a smile.Aadhiyan's great grandfather came there at that time. Rathi smiled seei
"Do I look like my mother?" Rathi asked resting her chin on her elbows."Yes. You look like your mother and also your father," Masumi replied folding her worn-out saree.Rathi nodded since she knew it. Shankari once blurted out that Rathi looks like a mixture of her mother and father.Some thirteen years later after Aadhavan's birth, Masumi miraculously got pregnant with Rathi's mom. Her husband doesn't believe it's his child since he's too ill at that time, even Masumi too. She doesn't know how it happened. But Aadhiyan's great grandfather asked her to keep the child as he knows the reason behind it-- she recalled the memories and said it to Rathi."Revathi, that's your mother's name,""She's like a ray of sunshine, bright, beautiful, and intelligent woman; I raised her giving all my strength." Masumi with her shaky voice said putting her daughter's images at front of her eyes."But... her fate. She died," Masumi cried and Rat
Aadhiyan came back home after the cremation, with water sweating from the Dhoti that's covering his lower part of the body. He shaved all his hair on his face and head as giving his final respect to their grandparents. Hair is considered as a pride of man and woman, but when someone dies in the family he/she has to let go of it as a sign of mourning but in Aadhiyan's family it's considered with much more meaning. It's a symbol that even if he's a king to the entire world he holds no pride in front of them and just a mere man who respects their elders from which they have come from.He didn't ask anyone where Rathi is? He knows she's in the house, he could feel it. His legs didn't wait a single moment. As he walked there, Aadhiyan heard these two questions constantly on his head.'How she died?''Will something happen to my husband too?'Knowing that she's worried about him Aadhiyan had an evil smirk. Not even once Rathi thought it's Aadhiyan because no gr
Rathi is at the temple, the entire place is glowing in the flames of a big fire pit before her. She was standing there in confusion about what's happening. She saw Aadhiyan's father, grandfather, great-grandfather, Das, and the rest of the man there, in a shirtless glory. They all looked young, she could recognize their faces but a man standing beside Das, she couldn't identify him at all. They had smeared the dark red Sindoor on their foreheads.She couldn't speak anything, and no one cares that she's there. Suddenly the crying sound of an infant gained her attention. She saw a beautiful child in Aadhavan's hand and another one child on his lap, his face is not happy to hold it, his eyes glowed in loyalty and... regret. He shut his eyes and held one of the children near to the burning fire. He had no intention to hold the baby securely and at the top of brutality, his hands let go of the child into the flame.Rathi was taken aback but she couldn'
Everyone was walking in that crooked path to reach the temple. Today, it's the full moon day that everyone was afraid to meet.The bright moonlight cleared the darkness surrounding them. Rathi carrying the oil lamp in her hand followed Aadhiyan's footsteps. No one's face is happy nor sad, no one uttered a word, and all their faces were grim and grief-stricken.Today she's going to see her great grandfather's death in front of her eyes. Even if she doesn't want to she is pushed to stand in this situation.Birth and death keep a balance in this world. In order to maintain that, Aadhiyan's ancestors follow this rule of premature burial. They will end their long life in their hundredth year. More than maintaining the balance they have a selfish intention too. Living a long life isn't easy
Rathi stepped back. There's something wrong with him! She didn't doubt it; strongly believes it now."Why do you always questioning me?" he hissed gripping her shoulders. "Can't you just stay in your limits?" Rathi is greatly intimidated by his warning. But still, she couldn't keep her mouth shut, she doesn't want to give up this chance since no one will tell the truth to her other than Aadhiyan."Why should I've to be silent? I want to know?" she hesitantly told. Aadhiyan's face turned hard to hear that."What do you want to know?" he confronted."Who are you?" she asked gazing his eyes."What type of question is this?" he glared."I saw you, there's something glowed in your eyes on our wedding day, that day in the cascade and even now," she asked."Who do you think I am?" he smirked by her disclosure."I don't know," she nodded."You saw me a lot of times, can't you recognize me?" he asked.She thought for a mom
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