#ch: vandiyathevan

[wounds-seen-and-unseen]

Augusnippets Day 6: Path of Whumperless Whump- Shipwreck

AND

Augusnippets Day 7: Path of Hurt- Drowning

New characters belonging to a new fandom, while still catching up with @augusnippets prompt fills.

Day 6: Path of Whumperless Whump- Shipwreck

and

Day 7: Path of Hurt- Drowning

Context: Two warring dynasties of Indian History, specifically Tamizh history, Chozha and Pandya, feature here. Pandya assassins want to capture the Chozha Prince, who swims to their ship in the middle of a storm as they had captured one of his friends. All of this happens in the middle of a storm that is a prelude to what could be a tsunami. Poonkuzhali is a young boatwoman with a crush on the Chozha Prince Arulmozhivarman who accompanied him on her boat to lead him to the ship which captured his friend. (This fic is closer to film than book canon)

Note on the Tamizh

Illavarase: My Prince

Illavarasar: the Princea

Athai: aunt

Tagging @ba-bhump

The Pandya projectiles burst into flame on the stricken ship Poonkuzhali paddles furiously towards it, hoping and praying that the Prince survives unscathed.

Vandiyathevan’s voice cuts through the wind, insistent in its urgency. “Ilavarase!” Poonkuzhali dares to look towards them, beyond. the clashing waves. Both men are clinging to what used to be the mast of the proud Chozha vessel, now ravaged with fire and storm, splintering into pieces.

Ilavarsar Arulmozhivarman’s hands nearly slip, at risk of breaking the precarious hold he had on the wood. Poonkuzhali averts her eyes from the sight, unable to bear the thought of him losing the fight.

Arulmozhi holds on tight to Vandiyathevan’s hand, the other man doing the same with his as the deluge of water swallows them. Both of them try striking out at the water, but, fast losing strength with the shivers setting in, for the moment at the very least, Arulmozhi can fight no more.

The Pallava sailors, watching the sight, can only think of one ending to the incident. News spreads like fire of the Kingdom’s beloved young Prince, the apple of their eye, being lost forever, and a nation mourns.

In the depths of the sea, the mute woman, now old and worn, strongly holds the child of her heart close, paddling strongly, aided by his friend. Worry arises in her for the ceaseless shivering the child has, wondering where to turn for aid, when she spies the beacon of hope.

Poonkuzhali’s face splits into a wide grin when she spots the familiar visage of her athai, Vandiyathevan paddling wearily behind. Looking more closely at athai, her smile widen as she rushes forth eagerly. Her Prince. His chest moves in the glorious gasps of heavy breaths. Real, tangible and alive.

[vishnavishivaa]

Manamadhin Unmai (ch 6 of Inaidhal)

@whippersnappersbookworm and I are back! 

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"Anna! We can't let you go to Kadambur on your own!" Kundavai protested as soon as she heard her brother's decision.

" Ilavarasi is right. You can't go to Kadambur all alone, especially when Nandhini is planning to murder you, Ilavarase. At least take me with you," Vandiyathevan interjected, desperate to stop his dear friend from making a rash mistake.

Aditha simply smiled at their concern. His siblings and friends care for him, but this is important and personal and he doesn't want anyone near him when he finally meets his beloved.

" No, I am not taking you with me, Vallavaraya. "

" But Ilavarase…"

" No! It's an order!" Aditha stopped Vandhiyathevan mid sentence, his voice now becoming stern.

" None of you are coming with me , all of you are going back to Thanjai as soon as Thambi feels better. Appa needs you people more than I do. I can take care of myself."

"Anna,” Arulmolzhi put a hand on Aditha's shoulder, trying his best to convince his Anna for the last time. Aditha purposely did not meet Arulmozhi’s eyes, for he knew that Arulmozhi’s pleading eyes could and will convince him to take his younger brother as well. 

" At least take me with you , we can talk with them , and maybe convince them to…"

" No Arul,” Aditha patted his little brother's head, only meeting his eyes for a fraction of a second, and even that seemed to make him want to change his mind. 

No! He could not!  

"I am sorry, but you are going back to Thanjai with them. I have to talk with Nandhini, and she is not going to listen to anyone other than me. So listen to me and go back to Thanjai. It's not a request, it's an order from the crown prince."

" Do whatever you want to do!" Kundavai huffed in frustration. “Why can’t you listen to us this once? We only want your safety.”

Aditha sighed , he was expecting this reaction from Kundavai. His sister and he tended to clash as they were equally stubborn. 

"Arul, Vandiyathevan , Kodambalur Illavarasi, would you mind going outside for some time? I need to discuss something with Kundavai privately."

Kundavai sat down by her brother's side as the others left them alone. She didn't catch Vandiyathevan glancing back at her with yearning in his eyes while leaving the room, so caught up in Aditha’s decision was she.

" Anna, is there nothing I can do to change your decision?" Kundavai enquired, tears forming in her eyes. 

" Unfortunately, no Kanna,” Aditha sighed as he looked down at his sister's eyes , her eyes shining with uncertainty and fear, the tears there hurting his heart. 

" This is something I need to do for myself. Please don't stop me, kanne."

" Anna,” Kundavai mumbled as she tried her best to blink back her tears , a fear of something uncertain gripping her heart. Kundavai knew in the back of her mind that the reunion between the lost lovers would never end in happiness, but her brother was never the one to listen to her once he had made up his mind. He will always do as he pleases especially when it comes to Nandhini. 

" You have grown up so much, Kanna. This is high time you should get married," Aditha said to lighten the tense atmosphere.

" Anna!" Kundavai playfully smacked his shoulders as she wiped away her tears.

" What Anna?" Aditha smiled as he pulled his dear sister into a hug.

" My little sister has grown up so much , she has become so beautiful and intelligent. Now she needs a man who would be her equal in everything, someone who could understand her scheming brain and possibly win an argument with her."

Kundavai laughed at her brother's words as Aditha absent-mindedly ruffled her long hair.

" Unfortunately such a man is rare, Anna."

Aditha looked down at her sister , tears glistening in her eyes and she rested her head on his shoulders.

" Is everything okay, thangai?"

" Yes, of course! Why wouldn't it be?"- Kundavai answered as she tried to blink back her tears

" Don't hide your tears from me, kanna. Tell me what's wrong?"

" Nothing Anna , it's just that I missed you."

Aditha knew it was the truth, but that there was more to it. He lifted sister's head and wiped away her tears, which kept falling regardless of her efforts.

"I missed you too, Kanna. So much."

" I am really sorry Anna,” Kundavai mumbled under her breath as she tried to compose herself.

" For what?"

" For everything I did, I didn't mean to hurt you, Anna. I honestly didn't know that Nandhini's absence was going to hurt you like that . I thought she was just a …"

"A passing cloud?" Aditha enquired

"Yes , but I was wrong . Apparently, you were in love with her so much that her disappearance broke you apart . Is such a love possible? One full of such selflessness, in this Kaliyugam? Our scriptures do speak of that love, but such selflessness feels so rare."

" Why are there so many questions about love suddenly, little one? Is there something I should know?" Aditha teased his sister, making her blush.

" It's nothing Anna , I was just wondering . Something happened last night which made me wonder."

" What happened?" Aditha wondered. What made his practical sister wonder about love? Is she finally realizing her feelings for Vallavarayan?

" It was Vanathi, she told me something last night and I simply can't get it out of my mind. She said that it doesn't matter whether Arulmozhi returned her emotions or not . She would continue to love him till her very last breath."

Aditha smiled hearing this declaration of the Kodumbalur Ilavarasi . He was right then. Vanathi is absolutely selfless and madly in love with his brother. But unfortunately Arulmozhi is hellbent on ignoring her love struck gazes. What is wrong with his siblings? They were both smart and intelligent, brilliant in fact, in everything. Except love, it seemed. 

" Ah sounds like something the light of Kodumbalur would say. Unfortunately, our stupid brother doesn't appreciate a gem like her, but I think I can understand her point of view."

“Explain it to me, Anna. Please. I want to understand. I want to understand her better, and you better. Please?” 

Kundavai was trembling with overwhelming emotions. 

" Kundavai ,calm down, kuzhandhai,”  Aditha rubbed her sister's hand to calm her down 

" You will get all these answers once you fall deeply and madly in love with someone. Love is more powerful than any other force in this world, it has the capacity to make or break one. It's the reason behind the survival of humankind. The power of love is what keeps us alive , it supplies us with hope in the darkest of times. There is an unexplainable kind of happiness in giving up and sacrificing for the one you love. You may say I am a mad man to still keep my hopes up , but it's better to be an emotional fool than a logical one. It's better to die for love than to live a life devoid of one. If someone gives me the option to choose between death in the arms of my beloved or death in the battlefield. I will always choose the former. Because at least I will be able to see the yearning and love in my beloved's eyes for one last time. I will die knowing that my love , my agony, was not in vain. And at least in my brief period of time on this Earth, I was able to experience this ethereal feeling."

" I don't know what you are saying, Anna,” Kundavai answered, confused by Aditha's monologue. He seemed to be answering her, but going beyond that. 

" What do you mean by dying in the arms of your beloved? Why are you even talking about dying?"

" It's hypothetical, kanna," Aditha replied as he wiped away his tears.

" Don't worry, there will be a time when you will understand what I mean, and I have a gut feeling that that time is nearer than you think."

"I don't think so Ann."

"Kundavai,” Aditha put his hand on Kundavai's head

" Let me give you a little advice as your big brother. For once try to live in the moment and let go. I know you have to become an adult and an older sibling to Arul when I abandoned you and I am extremely sorry for that. But don't refuse yourself the small joys of life. You are allowed to act childish and make mistakes. For once let your heart rule over your head , look around there is love all around you , try to embrace that love thangaiye!"

" But Anna, this is not possible,” Kundavai whispered under her breath.

" Stop caring about your duty alone for once Kundavai. There is much more to life than duty and rules. One can always balance duty and passion if they want to. People rarely receive love in their lifetime, even if they search the whole universe for it. Your Lucky that love itself has come to your doorsteps searching for you. Don't let that go to waste kanna, you will regret it."

"I don't know what to do Anna,” Kundavai replied as a sob broke out in her throat. "I have never been this confused Anna , never."

"Kundavai, you do know it is okay to not have the answer for everything, right?” Aditha clicked his tongue.

"Can we please leave this topic Anna?" Kundavai pleaded to Aditha. " It has been so long since we last met. I don't want to spend this precious moment crying.”

"Do you want to discuss Arul and his stupidity?" 

A mischievous smile spread across Aditha's face.

“Anna! It's serious! I am worried about him and Vanathi, and you are laughing?" Kundavai gasped in disbelief

"What else do you want me to do kanna? He is behaving like an Idiot around Vanathi. How can he not realize that he is madly in love with her? How did he end up being this stupid when it comes to love, he is my brother for god's sake!"

" He is in love with Vanathi? Are you sure Anna?” A glimmer of hope rises in Kundavai's heart.

"Of course he is!"

"But Poonkuzhali?"

"Ah Poonkuzhali,” Aditha sighed. "She is a beautiful woman , any man will be lucky to get her . But our Arul is not that lucky man, he is definitely not in love with her. But she is madly in love with him and that can cause a problem for us."

" Problem? What problem can she cause? Especially when Arul is not in love with her?"

Aditha stood up to face the window in front of his room looking down to the garden of the Vihara, where his brother stood bantering with the Kodumbalur ilavarasi, a smile shining on his golden countenance.

" Jealousy can make people do many things, Kundavai. I , myself, am a prime example of that. I think you should speak with her, make her see some sense."

" Me? But why?"- Kundavai questioned as she came to stand behind her brother

" Because she reminds me of you"- Aditha turned to face his sister.

" A stubborn, burning flame. You can handle her better than we do , just make her understand the reality of her situation and please don't threaten her. It will just make the situation worse."

" I will try my best,” Kundavai answered as she approached the door

" Kundavai!"

Kundavai turned around to face her brother . The light of the descending sun is falling on Aditha Karikalan's face illuminating his features, Kundavai can see tears shining like pearls in the corner of her Anna's eyes.

"Give love a chance, it will not disappoint you."

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