Readers POV:
Chozha kingdom was peacefully resting by 3AM in the morning where as one soul could not sleep. Olichudar came out after her long bath and dried her hair with a towel. She was looking her reflection in the dressing table and she was pleased with her looks now with tint of turmeric glow on her skin, her radiant eyes and her smile thinking about her beloved. She tried different jewelry trying to match his taste.

She giggled like a kid when she found the perfect set matched with the outfit she had planned to wear now. She did her hair and makeup and she looked ethereally beautiful, with that her mind slipped to the childhood memory of hers.

flashback (when olichudar was 8 years old):

Being born in a poor family Olichudar could not afford to many things in her life including 3 times meals a day, she had to do household chores in well-to-do family, sometimes she used to cook delicious meals for that household, but rich with wealth and not at heart, they never asked her to eat the food prepared by her. she has to enter the house using the backyard as she is from the so-called lower caste. An eight year old has to do the complete household works of that home and cook for 8 people.

There was an annoying 10 year old girl of that hourse, who was jealous of Olichudar's natural beauty there who always treated her badly because she is from a poor background and lower caste. One day Olichudar was running down a fever and was starving heavily. she requested her boss whether she can have only the rice and 'rasam' which was left over after everyone in the house finished their breakfast, as she had heavy medication provided by the temple priest, unfortunately the free-food provided by the temple was finished by then. "Chudar kanna, listen carefully, you need to eat something after having this medication. Else your stomach would hurt badly and you will feel drowsy also". She remembered the temple priest told her. 

"you are just a mere worker here girl and you expect me to provide you food which is  brought by using the hard-earned money by my husband, that's not how it works honey. Now take this food to 'Lakshmi' and make sure she eats well. She is a new mom and she needs proper food which helps her in Lactation." she responded coldly and Olichudar had no other choice other than nodding her head, she bites her lower lip harshly to prevent herself from crying.

She reached the cattle yard to feed Lakshmi alas the cow of her boss and Poured the rice and rasam mixture into Lakshmi's cattle pot. Lakshmi took a look at devastated Olichudar and rubbed her face with her face on Olichudar's cheeks in a comforting way. After al,l it was Olichudar who took care of 'Lakshmi- the cow' when was pregnant and Olichudar made sure that the calf of Lakshmi was feed enough before milking Lakshmi. 

Olichudar weekly smiled as she wondered how an animal could understand humanity but not some humans. When she thought of humans with no sympathy or empathy her father came to her mind, he wanted to have a son however her mother gave birth to Olichudar and her elder sister Umayal, because of which her father got engaged for marrying an another woman but however his father met with an accident and lost fertility just 5 days before the wedding could take place. So the bride's side cancelled the wedding, he even blamed her mother that she is such a bad luck and which is why he is been cursed with 2 daughters and her in his life, he always abused her verbally and physically. Her mother being a very fragile person committed suicide when Olichudar was 6 years old unable to bear his tortures. 

From then her father became a drunkard started torturing Umayal and Olichudar. Her only relief was Umayal who is just 6 years elder than her, however Umayal dotted Olichudar like her daughter. She was strong independent girl who is matured and bold for her age. She learned martial arts from her maternal grandparents and even carry the hereditary of hypnotism which is from her maternal lineage. She always pushed her sister to be strong and independent like her to fight this harsh life, however Olichudar is too naive, weak like her mother.

 She would work in more jobs to escape her father's verbal abuses whereas her sister would take all the verbal abuses and physical abuses gurding her between her arms when Umayal would get bruises all over her neck and back as her father would throw at the household items at them after getting drunk. Thinking about her cursed life and she silently sat at the corner and started eating the rotten food from Lakshmi's pot. It tasted terrible however she had no other choice, before swallowing she felt a sharp pain on her head as her neck arched back as someone pulled her hair harshly.

"How dare are you pathetic low life!!! didn't my mother tell you to give the food to Lakshmi? How dare you are to eat it. You have no rights to touch this food you low being!!!", with that the annoying young brat of that household dragged Olichudar out of the house by grabbing her hair and mercilessly dragging her by her hair. She threw her on the streets, when her boss came rushing to the gate from kitchen.

"Yes! I am a low life from a poor background and from a different caste. So what? you guys had the food which I prepared for you and my handprint and sweat is all over your house due to my hardwork and you guys pay me for your work. Does that mean you guys are low life as well?!" with that Olichudar smirked looking at them, the entire street witnessed what happened and was dumbstruck with Olichudar's attitude. They all have always treated her worst than a dog and never once she reacted or lifted her head high like today, the entire street made her do errands and they all felt embarrassed with her outbreak and after seconds the embarrassment turned into anger and something more than that.

They brought diluted cow dung and poured on Olichudar and hit her harshly with broomstick. Poor Olichudar lied down on the streets and turned into a curled up pushy toy, guarding her her head using her hands which by now started getting bustiers. "Attention People! our youngest prince is visiting his home, the Uraiyur palace tomorrow and spending his one-week vacation here and his journey starts today evening. The people of our town is instructed to provide him with proper welcome. Start decorating the streets with flowers and kolam" the instruction was made clearly with drum bangs for attention by one of the palace messenger in the next street.

"You pathetic low-life! get lost from here. Our youngest prince need not see a sin like you who dared to speak against high-class people like us. Just get Lost from here!!!". Being humiliated and hurt completely Olichudar stood up with difficulty and tried her level best to not to break down in front of these monsters in human form. Her heart ached to meet her sister who is the only person who she can rely upon. She ran as fast as she can towards her home, ignoring the weird looks given by her neighbors as she is drenched with cow dung from head to toe. All she could hear was a painful "MOOOO!!" from Lakshmi. 

Olichudar's POV:

The word 'Sin' kept bugging me from inside. Am I a sin? I started questioning myself. I had to stop at times as I could feel my legs giving out and my sight became blurry. After all the humiliation I faced, my body dared to be sick and hungry which made me feel even more down and embarrassed. I want to meet my sister, hug her tight and cry my heart out to her. I prayed hard that my father should not be there at our home, it is normally the time for him to go out and booze, however I got this uneasy feel. 

I barged into my house and started crying hard, I was wheezing due to hard cry and finally managed to walk to the bathroom and I refreshed myself. It is time for my sister to get back from her work and I didn;t know why she kept looking at me with doe eyes throughout the day. She always does that when hides something from me or she is worried about me. I saw that there was nothing to eat in my house as my sister would always cook something for my father as he always eats once he came back home getting high on alcohol.

I took the ingredients and started making ragi porridge for me and my family. As the dish was almost done my father opened the door with a bang and he is sober which was strange to me. I am scared of my father more when he is in his sober state.  He came in with frustration and straight away broke the mud pot we have made for sales, I started shivering and that's when his eyes fell on me. He caught me by my nape and threw me mercilessly on the streets. "You pathetic rat! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to work right now. Get yourself off the ground and better go to work. I have lost one source of income already and I do not want to lose your income as well. Get Lost before I kick you outta here". He spited fire on me. I was about to bounce back at him but my mind got struck with 'I have lost one source of my income statement'. What did he mean by that? Did he kill my sister.

"Wh- what did you do to m- my sister?" I asked him gulping my saliva. He started laughing like a manic which worried me, I stood up with the left over strength I had in my body and lunged at him, I mercilessly hit him on his stomach demanding for explanation and he pushed me harshly again the ground giving me a fresh cut on my knee. But what pain me the most is his answer "Your sister abandoned you and me and joined the palace as court lady. Now you are attacking your father for someone who threw you and your relationship away to safe guard her own life? In future if she manages to seduce the crown price she might even give birth to a prince there by becoming a 3rd graded queen, living her life in luxury. You know that she is a master of hypnotism and she is very beautiful, she would definitely seduce him". My heart sank down but was beating rapidly. No! my sister is more like a mother to me, I wouldn't trust a drunkard and suspect my sister. "LIAR! HOW DARE YOU ARE TO SLUT-SHAME YOUR OWN DAUGHTER!!! YOU DESERVE TO BURN IN HELL" I shout-cried unable to control myself anymore. 

He looked at me with rage in eyes however silently crouched next to me and spoke to me with a voice audible only to me. "Poor daughter! you have no one to go to and no one loves you in this world. I have an idea to escape this cruel world. Soon the palace would start hiring court ladies for the youngest price. Why don't you attend the interview? You are beautiful than your sister and I can promise that no one in this Choza kingdom is as beautiful as you. I have heard that he is a very righteous man even at this young age, However he is a man, if he witnesses such a beauty obviously he will make love to you. As soon as you hit your puberty use your beauty and get pregnant with the youngest prince, even if you cannot manage to seduce the price, just get pregnant with any man in the fort and claim that the baby belongs to youngest prince and all this happened because he was drunk.

Though you are from a lower caste your kid will be a half-breed making you a 3rd graded princess as well. After that you can take care of your poor father. It would just take 5-7 years to finish your mission. If I had known that your sister has been making herself ready to be the court lady, I would have made a deal with her. But now she is in the place where I cannot reach out to her. I will take good care of you till then, I will not hit you, scold you are torture you. It is a win-win situation for us. What do you think?"

I could feel my blood boiling inside me. HOW DARE HE IS TO TALK TO ME THIS WAY!!! I breathed fire and spat on his face. His face boiled in anger as he glanced at our neighbors and looked at me with beast like eyes, but I wasn't scared anymore, even if he is going to kill me right now I am not bothered. He was right, if my sister abandoned me and became a court lady which is more are less a concubine. I loathe her! I hate her! She is no different than my mother who killed herself ignoring me and her. She is no different than the beast who is boring into my eyes planning the ways and methods to kill me. She is no different than those monsters who humiliated me few hours ago. She is nothing but a stain I want to erase from my life.

I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen as my blurry vision saw the man, who claimed to be my father few minutes ago kicking hard on my stomach. After 2-3 kicks I started spitting blood and I could feel my lower body giving up on me. I wished death to embrace me and take me to eternal peace. He harshly walked into our house and slammed his door hard. Everyone in the street witnessed this but none of them dared to help me as they were scared of that drunkard. I didn't want to stay in that filthy place anymore. I stood-up with pain and dragged my body towards the forest. I am gonna die anyway, let my body be a feast to a tiger or a fox. They are better than these filthy humans.

I went deep into the forest and my legs couldn't take it any longer. I fell on the fresh grass in mid of the forest and I could hear animals sound so close to me. I opened my eyes with difficulty and I saw 3 wolf's approaching me with hunger filled eyes. A lone tear escaped my eyes as I smiled painfully. "WHEEST WHEEST WHEEST.......", I could hear some unfamiliar sound. Soon after I heard dried leaves getting crushed as if something or someone is walking on it. I again opened my eyes with difficulty and I saw 2 guys kneeling down next to me, both with bows in their left hand and had arrow kit tied up in their back. One seemed exactly of my age and other other one was slightly older than me. The oldest one gently tapped my cheeks however I couldn't hold it any longer. My eyelids felt heavy and I closed my eyes.

When I opened my eyes again after god knows when I could feel my body swaying here and there. Both the boys were carrying me on something which felt like a stretcher. The eldest guy was carrying me from my legs and he faced me. He smiled at me which felt warm, "You will be alright. Don't give up. Okay!" he said that with the most attractive smile and warmth. I slightly nodded and closed my eyes again. When I opened my eyes again I was in a hut, it smelt like medicines in there. I saw an old man smiling fondly at me and caressed me. I saw myself being covered with banana leaves and felt something wet on my abdomen. I tried to feel it and it seemed like some medicine was applied there and bandages were surrounded there. The old man gently took my hands off and said, "It's God's grace that Thamizh and Arul found you there alive. This is a dangerous forest young lady. You shouldn't have come here all alone". He smiled at me again. "What place is this?" IS THAT MY VOICE!!! I sounded like a man. Gosh! I looked at the old man shockingly and he smiled at me warmly. Is everyone's smile this warm in this weird place?

"Some blood got struck in your vocal card there by making it harder child, I am trying to neutralize it. Once it is done you will definitely sound like a young lady again. But your voice would be switched to a bit bold one. Either way I managed to save your pretty face" he gently patted my cheeks making me smile a bit. "How long have I been here?" I asked him feeling confused as it was a bright day light now. "You have been unconscious for 2 days child. You underwent a minor surgery in your abdomen and the injuries will heal in 2-3 days. Don't worry, after an year even if you try to find the place where the surgery was done, you cannot find it. I am a well-renowned in this field you know?"  he laughed at his own joke as I tiredly smiled at him. "Can I meet the boys who brought me here? I would like to thank them for saving my life" I looked at him with doe eyes. 

He again smiled at me after caressing my head. "They both has went back home two days back to spend their vacation Child. Now tell me, it seemed like you have been hit by someone, or a gang of people. Tell me where are your parents, they will be worried right? Let me send a word to them so that they can visit you." he asked me, I didn't feel any pain till then and once he asked me that my lips quivered and I struggled to controlled my tears. I turned my head to the other side to avoid looking at his eyes as my eyes become a pool of tears again. He noticed my expressions and got the message that I do not want to talk about it "sleep well child, you need rest, do not think about anything and just relax, we are here to take care of you" I relaxed at his caressing and turned to look at his face. He gently wiped my tears and got up to leave. I grabbed his fingers tenderly and thanked him with a cracked voice. "I will never forget your kindness sir!" I told him, "Call me as Puvi thatha(grandfather) child"  he said and left from there after patting my shoulders tenderly.

Few days past by and I was back to my health, my bustiers disappeared. Of course I had difficulties in running, other than that I was normal. I was the only girl in the entire place, but no one treated me differently here. This is a Gurukulam and Puvirajan Thatha is the guru for medicinal science and archery at this place. They even had a main Guru who's name is "Thirunayana sundharan". True to his name he is a person with knowledge and wisdom. I started doing minor errands like helping with cooking, cleaning and bringing water from the stream. My main job is to take care of the cattle as it is the only place I need not run a lot. I love the new place I am at and I even caught guys ogling at me. There is a slight change in my voice, however it still sounded like a guy.

I was desperately waiting for someone to thank him. Of course the youngest among the two also helped me, but the reason for my survival is because of the elder guy. When I lost all hopes in humanity his smile gave me encouragement to believe in humanity again. He is the most handsome person I have ever met in my life, I wanted to be with him to feel better about myself. When I was considered as a sin to my own father, he gave me an another life without even knowing who am I? Today is the day he is going to get back here, I wanted to thank him, but I was worried about my voice. I can't present this voice to the guy who I like right?

I was thinking about all this while milking the cow. Just then I heard someone blowing honks, It was so new to me as the Gurukul camp always used 'Wolfing' code as their common signal, whereas this signal was new to me. I ran to the common area and I saw that familiar kid in front of me. He rushed to me with a smile at his face and looked at me head to toe, checking out whether I am okay, "Are you okay?" he asked me. I smiled and nodded my head. "Are you still hurting somewhere?" I shoke my head as no. I started scanning the crowd as I was looking for the eldest guy. To my surprise he was standing in the middle of the crown and our camp members were cheering to him as 'Arul! Arul!" which surprised me. Is he the camp leader? I thought to myself. I noticed that this kid is still looking at me and smiling fondly at me. I smiled back at him as his smile grew wider and wider. "I am Tamizhalvalan, you can call me Tamizh. What is your name" he asked me, I made sure that the elder guy is far away from us and I spoke to him in a low voice making sure that the elder guy doesn't hear me out. "I am Olichudar, you have to call me as Olichudar only, no short forms" I told him with my manly voice.

The kids in this camp tried talking to me in this 1 week and I tried my level best to have a verbal conversation with any of them. But when some guys started flirting with me I started speaking with each and everyone in the camp site making them raise their eyebrows at me. I was enjoying their disappointment written face and they started treating me normally from them. I was expecting Tamizh to also raise his eyebrows, but all he did was looking into my eyes with a genuine and radiant smile. I distracted myself to look at the elder guy and he vanished from the crowd. I disappointingly walked away from there to resume my work in the cattle field. What more did I expect? As Puvi thatha stated, half of this cows were left in the forest as a sacrifice and it was the elder guy who brought it here and rescued him. I am no different than the cows to him.

I felt someone entering the cattle field and looked up to see the eldest guy entering. His face was cold unlike the warm smile I have experienced that day, "Vanakkam! I am Arulmozhi Varman, you can call me Arulmozhi. Thirunayana sundharan aasiriyar wants to see you now. The auspicious time starts in 20 minutes, you need to get ready Olichudar" He spoke without a Gap and waited for my response. I was cursing my entire existence and he kind off read my confused face and answered me, "We are having the first day joining ceremony for you. Be honored, you are the 1st girl to get enrolled in our Gurukal."  he spoke to me. I felt a jolt running through my backbone. "You need to fresh-up and wear nice cloths for your enrollment ceremony. why are you standing there like a statue?" he asked me with stern face. This guy kept impressing me, I know I am beautiful and that I can make any guy look at me with misty eyes, but he clearly seemed unaffected, but his presence is affecting me.

"I....I.. am...I..."his jaw dropped listening to my voice, but her fixed himself in 2 seconds and looked at me with questioning eyes. "I don't want to enroll in here" I spoke looking at the floor. "Why?" he asked boring into my eyes. "I am a girl. A girl is supposed to take care of her beauty, her home and her family, no man marry me if I have skills like archery and warfare's" I responded looking at the floor. He looked at me expressionless and finally smirked which turned into a intimidating laughter with time. "How cute! yeah right! girls are supposed to stay back home, learn all the household chores, get married when they turn 12. Have kids when they turn 16 and keep serving them till their life ends. Right?" I did not know how to react and he clearly seemed different. He seemed very cold and sounded disappointed. 

"I...I am...I...", I struggled to find the right words. "One more thing I forgot to add to the list, being weak and getting hit by your own parents, in-laws, husband, children! Isn't it what it takes to be a woman?" he spat fire with his words and my heart sank. "Listen, you was sick at the forest and you was about to die. It is definitely not a animal attack, but it seemed like a monster attack on you, we can't keep defending you whenever possible. So better concentrate on bringing back your stamina and work hard in war skills. Do something useful to this country other than getting married and increasing the population. You have 15 minutes to think" with that he walked away without even waiting for her answer. I wandered here and there and finally got a loophole to make him fall for me. He likes woman who are strong and who are all into warfare. Let me become that, his dream women. I quickly washed myself and tied my long beautiful hair into a bun and dressed up in Puvi thatha's vesti instead if wearing a skirt as I usually do. I smiled nervously looking at my reflection in the mirror and marched towards the common hall. 

May anklets echoed throughout the hall and finally I stood at the center of the hall, infront of the Thirunayana sundharan aasiriyar- the cheif gurukal. I approached him and bowed at him joining my palms in the formal vanakkam posture, "Welcome to the camp as a camper child. Remember, you all are my disciple's and  there is no partiality among you all. The camp's leader Arulmozhi Varman will be your learning partner and I should say you need to work hard to reach up to your fellow campers level. Looking at you many parents should sent their girl children for education. You need to prosper in terms of knowledge, wisdom and skills. You cannot leave the camp for the following 6 years, you need not pay me with anything other than the good name for your Guru" I went and touched his feet. My guru flinched and that's when I noticed he is looking at my bangles.

"Child! you look so beautiful with these ornaments. But did you notice they are distracting you? Tomorrow when you fight your enemies don't you think you will make your moves so judge-able and obvious? Do not wear your ornaments when we undergo your training and you can wear them once the training period is over" I again nervously bowed at him and tried to sit down to get rid of my anklets. But my pain overtook me when I stopped midway and slowly stood-up. I felt someone approaching me from behind and stood by my side. I left someone lifting my barefoot and placing it on their lap. I was shocked at turned around to see Arulmozhi varman taking my anklets off from my right leg, without even realizing I turned around to face him, he looked at me and smiled warmly which made me avert my eyes. My heartbeat increased highly when he carefully placed my right foot back on ground and lifted my left foot to his lap and took off the anklet. 

If the hall echoed even a tad more, the entire auditorium would have heard my heartbeat sound. An eight year old girl choosing a 12 year old boy as her love of her life seemed so magical to me. I never knew my happiness would vanish in 36 hours.

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I am sorry for the delay babies, My work is eating my head and I could not lose my time to write this story. However I managed some time and wrote it.

I am sorry if any Apoorva fan's got disappointed with this chapter, but this one is very very essential for the story flow. I will bring up the savage queen, apoorva in next update.

With love💞
Pavi💜