#PonniyinSelvanFanFiction
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Maandavar Meendaar
A week had gone by since the terrible news arrived and took with it her will to live . A long terrible week where every minute felt a year and every day felt a yugam.
Vaanathi was surrounded by people she loved and people that loved him , but the absence of any concrete news about her favorite yaanai paagan made her existence hell. She was stuck in an erratic limbo oscillating between hope and despair with her feet itching to rush to the nearest ship one second , and her heart cautioning her not to do that the next.
The more inconspicious she tried to be in grief , the more evident it was which caused Akka and Sembiyan Paatti had to shadow her endlessly. More than once she had escaped he confines of the old palace complex , to become one with Kaaveri only to be caught and escorted back by the terinja kaikolaar padai.
With no hopes left and a long empty life staring at her, Vaanathi had begged Akka to let her retire to the Moovar kovil mandapam. There were no hazards there she'd begged , no river or sea where she could become one with her beloved , just hot neidhal naadu bare and barren like her heart.
She had hoped to waste away in this barren land she called home , but despite skipping meal after meal , her life force didn't leave her body - may be the fates wanted her to relive that moment where she'd brought rotten luck to her prince and repent the aftermath of her actions.
Vaanathi was someone that had arrived in this earth , with her hands tightly entwined with misfortune. Not long after she'd born , her father had died abroad in war and her mother had wasted away in grief , instilling in Vaanathi the mortal fear of bringing misfortune to near and dear.
It had taken Periappa and Atthai years and years of coddling to rid Vaanathi of that fear . She had come to accept that her nightmares were of her own making and then she'd dropped the vilakku thattu on a fateful evening.
She hadn't thought much of that then. Akka had teased her mercilessly for being stupefied by his handsome face and her yaanai paagan had gently smiled in reply. Oblivious to the stares , he'd then taken her hands into his and played with her bangles , as he stayed back for another naazhigai , whispering words that gently assuaged her fears , and enveloped her vulnerable heart in a cloud of love and safety.
That cloud of love and safety , long sustained by their secretive glances , rushed embraces and the infrequent olai messages had now evaporated , much like the clouds over their Neidhal lands. Those rain clouds could come back next season , but that divine love that had enveloped her in gentle smiles and warm affection was long gone from the mortal plains , never to come back. The olai that had come that morning confirmed the fact.
Akka had bid her to hasten to the buddha viharm at Naagai Pattinam, to serve the elderly and infirm. Vaanathi was to get there at haste and stay put until Akka , Paati or Periappa arrived. Vaanathi had accepted her sentence with all the grace she could muster in public and made plans in private.
This request to cloister was a sure indication that he had attained veera maranam. All that was left was for her to make concrete plans to join her beloved. With that glimmer of hope , she reached the viharam , submitted to the will of the bikshus and was promptly escorted to to the rooms where her service was needed .
Head bowed in respect and acceptance , she entered that side chamber , only to discover her safe haven writhing in pain , misery and delirium but very much alive. Stunned and speechless , Vaanathi watched the bikshus tend to her prince through his illness.
As days blended into one another ,she tended to her prince , tirelessly toiling through the periods of his delirium, waiting restlessly for those few and infrequent moments of sanity where his eyes reassured her with a tired loving smile and his hands stroked hers in that familiar gesture of warmth and assurance - and then one fine morning , his fever broke and he went into deep sleep , his face calm , composed and devoid of his sunny smile.
Vaanathi lost her smile as well. Fear and terror found their way back into her heart and refused to leave despite Akka’s reassurance and Vandhiyar’s words of strength. On the third day of his endless sleep , she fainted in fear and then refused to see him , fearing that her misfortune would envelop him in its vicious claws.
As Akka fanned him and Vandhiyar stood watch , Vaanathi continued to wait by the window , prayers in her heart and despair in her eyes. And then , one fine morning Thevar woke up - eyes filled with pain and a sallow smile. As he slowly raised himself up from the bed to hug Akka , Vaanathi exhaled the breath she'd been holding , putting to rest with it fear , sorrow and tears.
He glanced at her direction from the corner of his eyes and turned his face back without saying a thing . His silent dismissal hurt her the most even when it left her dignity intact .He did not call for her again even though his face would turn towards her window from time to time .
Arulmozhi seemed to have realized that she was an embodiment of misfortune. His life and death struggle seemed to have drilled into him what superstitions could not and Vaanathi was rather thankful for the quiet dismissal than outright rejection.
That evening as preparations were made for Akka's return to Tanjai , Vaanathi bid her goodbyes as well. Akka was leaving for Tanjai tonight and so was Vanathi . It was the last place she wanted to be though, filled as it was with eligible princesses vying to win the hand of her golden prince.
Vaanathi entered Thevar's chambers well after he'd fallen asleep , hoping to stay her farewell in silence and darkness. Thevar was serene when asleep , eyes closed and hands in gentle repose . Vaanathi took in Thevar's appearance until her eyes brimmed with tears. Her hands inadvertently combed through his hair , winding her way through his lustrous curls. She had just turned to leave when Thevar's hand suddenly held her back , only to turn around and secure her in his embrace. A gentle voice then chided her thus :
"Naan kann muzhitha bodhu , nee en arugil illai . Oru siriya oodalil paaramugam kaatinen . Ennai thedi vandhu oodal murippaai endru kaathirunden , aanal neeyo enakku paara mugam kaatti odugiraai. Devi , nee indru Tanjai sella vendaam. Akka munne sendru angirkkum , sathuranga pagadaigalai agattrattum , nee ennodu naalai vaa"
As his hands tightened around her , Vaanathi relaxed in her lover's embrace with a gentle smile. She really did jump to the most inaccurate conclusions at crucial times. Her Thevar was just mad at her absence and did not blame her for his misfortunes.
As she settled into his embrace , Arunmozhi gently patted her back. His Vaanathi was lovely and innocent but she did tend to jump to the most innaccurate and dramatic conclusions when it was the least convenient. It was not a flaw by any means though. His Vaanathi was lacking in security and he was willing and patient enough to wait as she found her security in this love of theirs.
As the prince and his princess enjoyed their reunion , his sister and her beloved looked from above and smiled. As Kundavai said her goodbyes and reluctantly relieved herself from Vandhiyar's embrace , she glanced back at the other couple that were twined together like a flower bed , oblivious to a world outside their love.
Looking at her reluctant glance Vandhiyar couldn't help but comment : "Uyir ungal udayadhu devi aanal aanai thangal annan udayathu. Neengal Tanjaikku sellungal . Naan indha yaanai paaganaiyum , maadu meikkum kannanaiyum adithu virati udanukkudan Tanjai kondu varugiren".
Kundavai's response was filled with laughter and echoed around that empty balcony. Their lives were at risk and thrones forfeit but the love they had for each other and their kin was strong enough to overcome the greatest of the foes.
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The bonded pair - Andril Paravai
The rumors had come with the late autumn rain. Patti had taken her along to visit shiva bhattar that evening , insisting on her presence multiple times.
As the saayankaalam poojai wound down , they had sat down to listen to some devarams and bhattar had then narrated the story of a shivabakthan who'd been saved from drowning by a raaja-nagam , and had escaped with his life intact , thanks to Shiva's mercies. Bhattar then mentioned that the Bhaktan had lost his mind and single minded purpose - and that hidden condemnation had left her angry and seething for what remained of that night.
Most of her anger had been directed at Nandini . That pazhuvoor paambhu had always been after the people Kunadavai held dear. First it had been Anna and then it had been Thatha. Nandini hadn't spared any effort when it came to turning away Anna and Thatha from her , leaving her bereft of support and paternal care and now she even dared to snatch Vandhiyar away from her.
It was odd how that moment of anger made things very clear for her. Initially, she didn't have any special feelings for her brother's commander. She knew he was her chosen intended , thanks to Anna's elaborate jokes from the past about how he would marry her groom to his sword in her place and then send him to Paazhaiyaarai as her house husband. She had been very impressed with his presence of mind and innate charm and her heart skipped many a beat when he had offered his life to her in service . Mature that she was , she had put that down to chemistry , attraction and interest because he was her Anna's choice.
Even as she bid him farewell with a message to Arunmozhi , she hadn't felt the longing she often saw in Vaanathi's eyes. He'd taken her olai , nodded his head and rushed away in darkness to board a vessel to eezham and she'd come back on her merry way to the palace. Poets often spoke of absence and longing but those feelings didn't strike her until she'd gone to Kanchi , as per Appa's biddings.
Kanchi was vandhiyar's home , in a manner of speaking. Everyone including Patta had amusing and interesting stories about Vandhiyar. Her brother , especially had a lot to say. She didn't know if it came as a peace offering or out of a sense of brotherly duty but Aditya Anna had a lot to say about Vandhiyar.
He told her about his valor on field and charm off it . He spoke of Vandhiyar's crushing loneliness and bruised heart. " Avan oru paavamana anadhai Kundhavai . Naadizhandhu , pugazh izhandhu , veerathai nambi nammai naadi vandha anadhai. Naadizhandha arasa parambarai vaarisaaga vaazhavadhu oru kodumai . Athilum , appadipatta parambaraiyin ottrai vaarisaaga vaazhavadhu innum kodumai, but he has never let that deficiency hold himself back from living his life honorably and pledging his sword to an honorable cause.
She also came to know that she obtained her beloved due to Ilam Sambuvaraiyar's folly. Kandhamaaran had apparently promised Vandhiyar, Manimekalai's hand only to withdraw it abruptly and leave Anna's army . " Muttaal. Sutthamaana Ponnai vazhiyil tholaitha maha muttaal" - Anna has bellowed , part in derision and part in laughter. Even that apparently hadn't affected Vandhiyar much and he'd gone on to the next mission , as if Kandhamaaran's insulting gesture had never happened.
Her heart had moved for Vandhiyar then and she'd maintained a complete poker face as Anna had rattled story after story after story about his beloved Vallavaraiyyan , and had expressed his anger at Patta wanting to get her married to Paarthiban. "Paarthiban nanban thaan , aanal nambikkaikku uriyavan illai - paavam kizhavarukku adhu theriyavillai" had been her brother's lament.
She had left Kanchi lighter in mind but heavier in heart. That morning as she'd left , she'd nearly asked Anna if he'd had a similar freewheeling chat with Vandhiyar but dignity and something akin to pride had let the question die within her heart and here she was , on a deserted island , seething with jealousy before her bound and blindfolded beloved.
Kundavai composed herself even as she prevented Vandhiyar from removing his blindfold. She wanted a minute , just a minute to regain her composure , even if her jealousy and turmoil didn't show on her face . Her arms eased , as did her heart and she saw her Thevar slowly open his eyes wider with a gentle , curious and loving smile on his charming face.
As her arms eased , his arms surrounded her , enclosing her in a gentle, loving , secure embrace and Kundavai finally broke down in relief and joy. Arunmozhi was alive and so was Vandhiyar . He was hers , truly hers - not Nandini's and definitely not Mekalai's. All her men were truly safe and a stone's throw away where she could see them and protect them. Even as her thoughts raced towards next steps , Vandhiyar's steady heart beats beneath her hands and his awkward, sporadic pats on her back anchored and centered her.
She knew they had to hurry to Choodamani viharam. For all that they knew , Arunmozhi was still in the grips of delirious fever and needed care and attention. Slowly, but steadily , her mind started whirring . There were travel arrangements to be made , spies to be planted and plots to be thwarted. She needed someone to send down a message to Vaanathi , a secret message , urging her to seek peace in Naagaipattinam. She wouldn't deny her friend the joy of reunion she herself had partaken in . Kundavai was called many an abusive name , but selfish she was not , especially towards a dear friend who loved her brother and who was equally and fervently loved back.
As she continued spinning her web of plans , her Thevar's chin came to rest upon her shoulder and he started whistling a merry tune that made her want to whack him one moment and kiss him the next. As she spun her web of plans , her beloved was content to hold her in his arms , waiting patiently and silently until all her thoughts fell into place.
Moments or hours later , they slowly drew apart and after one look at her face , Vandhiyar beckoned Semban forward from where he was hiding. "Devi , I knew you'd want to rush to Arunmozhi and therefore , I knew you'd bring Semban here for great minds think alike" , he said with that disarming smile.
Thevare , fools think alike too " she'd added .As the night flew by the wayside of Semban's hooves , Kundavai leaned back and smiled. For a very long time , she'd planned , worried and governed in isolation. Now that she had Vandhiyar's loyal heart and lightning fast mind , she didn't have to bear her burdens alone. As she sighed in relief , Vandhiyar's arms tightened around her and he urged Semban along , eager to save another day from upcoming doom.
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