Nandhini's Chamber,
Kadambor Palace,

Karikalan works up in a grumpy mood. As soon as he woke up, he started calling out for his wife" Nandhini! Nandhini! Where are you?".

Karikalan got up from the bed stumbling.

The curtains flew because of the wind, the brightness of the sun which came from the gap in between the curtains made him flinch.

He walked to the door and tried to open it but couldn't, so he started banging it.

After a few minutes of banging on the door. Someone from the other side opened it.

" Why would you lock me here Nandhini?" Asked Karikalan. Nandhini didn't look at Karikalan and entered the room.

" For what you did yesterday, I think you deserve it," replied Nandhini. " What did I do?" Asked Karikalan.

" Oh don't act like you don't," said Nandhini annoyed as she opened all the curtains properly. " I don't remember, please tell me," told Karikalan.

" Why didn't you tell me that you drink?"Nandhini asked as she paused opening the curtains.

" I am sorry Nandhini, I didn't tell you earlier, I do drink but only occasionally." Replied Karikalan.

"So you know that you drank yesterday, then why did you pretend not to know?" asked Nandhini. Karikalan sighed.

" I don't remember what I do, talk when I am drunk. " Replied Karikalan.

Nandhini nodded and pursed her lips, walking towards him," Promise me that you won't drink again." Asked Nandhini as she extended her palm towards him.

He placed his palms upon hers'. " I promise you that I won't drink again" promised Karikalan.

Nandhini smiled. Karikalan reciprocated her gesture. "So, karikalare take me out somewhere. I am getting bored staying in the palace, I thought that you would take me to new places in Kadambor, if I had known that we will be staying in the palace I would have stayed in Thanjai.", Nandhini pouted.

"hmm, where do you want to go ?" asked Karikalan smiling at Nandhini." Somewhere, magical." Nandhini told as she sat on the bed.

"To kodiyakarai?" asked Karikalan Nandhini thought for a second, "But what is so special in it? It is just a seashore," said Nandhini looking at Karikalan from the corner of her eyes.

"Can my Karikalar take me to a magical place?" asked Nandhini challenging him.

" Hmm, Nothing is impossible for This Karikalan, Ok, Then let us go to Thillai Vannam(present-day pichavaram)," told Karikalan grinning at Nandhini.

"Wow, Is it magical? I have never been there," told Nandhini.

" You will see when we go there go get ready, we will leave in half an hour," told Karikalan as he went out of the door to get ready.

Nandhini sighed and took out a palm leaf script and wrote a letter to the Ravidasan telling him to reach Thillai Vannam beforehand.

Nandhini summoned a maid and passed the letter to her, telling her to give it to a particular soldier who came with her and Karikalan.

________________________________________

As soon as he left the chamber, he was joined by Sambuvarayar. "Ilavarase, there is some important meeting with the ministers today, everybody is wishing for your presence there" Sambuvarayar invited Karikalan, karikalan sighed and told,

"Whatever it is, postpone it tomorrow" advised Karikalan as he continued Walking.

"Please Ilavarase, I beg you, it is unavoidable, will have you have to come" pleaded Sambuvarayar.

Karikalan sighed in annoyance and nodded. "Thank you, Ilavarase" thanked Sambuvarayar as he left from Karikalan's side.
___________________________________
Kadambor Palace,
After an hour,

Nandini was ready to leave for Thillai Vannam,

" Can we leave?" asked Nandhini. karikalan sighed and kept his hand on her shoulder, " I am so sorry Nandhini, I won't be able to come with you" revealed Karikalan, Nandhini's smile died down. " why ?" asked NAndhini.

"The ministers have arranged some important meeting it seems," told Karikalan. Nandhini pursed her lips and nodded. " So, am I going to go alone ?" asked Nandhini.

" No, take the maid, Kalaimagal, and some soldiers with you, don't forget the essential things," told Karikalan.

"Please, Karikalare, I am ready to take the maid with me but the Soldiers will be a disturbance for me, you know that I am capable of protecting myself," Nandhini said.

Karikalan smiled and nodded at her.

She happily left the chamber with her maid. Karikalan had arranged a palanquin for Nandhini till the Thillai Vannam.

Both Nandhini as well as her maid reached there in a few hours. Nandhini got out with enthusiasm.

Karikalan had also prepared a Boat and a boatman.

Nandhini looked around, it looked as if a forest was floating on the water. She smiled and got on the boat with the help of the maid, they started sailing.

" Ayya how big is this forest?" questioned Nandhini.

" Devi The Thillai Vannam does not only offers waterscape, and wood to make boats but also another very rare sight, the mangrove forest trees are permanently rooted in a few feet of water. There are more than 400 water routes available for boating it extends to nearly 1,100 hectares." informed the sailor.

Nandhini was astonished, In this vast area, how are they going to find where Nandhini is?

They were going deeper and deeper into the forest. They saw a boat with two men who had their faces covered in a black cloth, approaching their boat.

As soon as it was near, the boat clashed with the one with Nandhini. The maid fell on the water due to the impact.

Seeing the people having weapons in their hands, the boatman jumped into the water. One of the men from that boat extended his hand towards Nandhini. she smiled and held the hand and jumped onto that boat.

" what took you so long ?" asked Ravidasan. "oh I had to trespass all of Karikalan's safety measures," Nandhini told.

After a long pause, nandhini asked" What happened did you find something about the thing which I asked you ? " asked Nandhini.

"Yes Devi I found who it was" replied Ravidasan.

"Who is it?" asked Nandhini. " He is the son of a tribal head, he was the one who gave our Araser the wrong medicinal plants, and that is why he fell ill," replied Ravidasan.

"Why would he do that?" asked Nandhini. "Before we could find out about that he hid himself somewhere". Nandhini sighed, and the boat stopped.

"why did he stop ?" asked Nandhini to the abathudivigal. "Apparently, we had found out where is hiding," told Soman.

Nandhini hesitated to land her feet on the swampy land, her silk clothes were getting dirty, Nandhini didn't mind and kept following Ravidasan.

" Good thing that Karikalan has chosen this place, this has lessened my work. " Murmured Nandhini.

Soon they reached a small hut which was a bit away from the mashy land.
" Does he live here?" asked Nandhini.
" yes," whispered Ravidasan.

Nandhini dusted her clothes as soon as they were out of the swampy land but that didn't help even a bit.

They stood a bit far from the hut and kept watching it. They saw a man in his twenties, walking somewhere with a vessel of water in his hand, he dropped the vessel as soon as he noticed them.

" Catch him" ordered, Nandhini. The Abathudivigal ran to catch hold of him. "Ayya please leave me, I am innocent ." pleaded the man as he tried to get off their hold.

Nandhini slowly walked towards him and asked" Then why did you try to run away after seeing us "? questioned Nandhini.

"I-I" stuttered the man. Nandhini extended her hand to Ravidasan for her sword.

"What is your name ?" asked Nandhini, while placing her sword on his neck.

"My Name is Devanadhan" replied The man in a scared tone.

" Now tell me, Why did you try to kill my father?", asked Nandhini circling him with the sword's tip on his neck.

" Devi I-I just gave him some herbs which were ordered by the Chola Nadu's Senadhipathi" stuttered the man looking at Ravidasan.

" Didn't you think of the aftermath, which would happen to you?" asked, Nandhini as she slowly pressed the sword deep against his neck, the man groaned in pain.

"I am very sorry, Devi I shouldn't have done it," told the man.

"Well if you are sorry then let us meet in hell," told Nandhini as she slit his throat in a single strike with her sword. the blood splashed on her face he choked on his blood and left his life in front of them.

But before he died he pointed out to some direction.

Have you been to Pichavaram?
The next chapter is going to be an important one, stay tuned.

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