Nandini came and stood near the garden entrance of the Latha Mandapam and clapped her hands three times.

At that moment, it was impossible to say whether the lines on her face were those of fear or merely the dark shadows cast by the trees.

A little way into the garden, large trees and the vines that twined around them could be seen. Beyond that, it was a single mass of darkness.

Tearing through the gloom, pushing aside the creepers, a sorcerer emerged from behind a tree.

Nandini went and seated herself on her flower-strewn couch. Now, a calm had settled over her beautiful face.

The sorcerer entered the Latha Mandapam. The golden lamp’s flame cast its light upon his face.

A familiar face! Who was he? Yes! He was one of those men who had gathered at midnight near the Thirupurambiyam school barracks. The one who had poured out gold coins from his pouch with a clatter. This was Ravidasan, the man who had told the others, “Wherever you see Azhwarkadiyan, kill him at once!”

Even as he approached, anger was boiling on his face. When he saw Nandini, sitting serenely on her bed of flowers, his cat-like eyes flashed with a wild, furious fire.

He sat down on the plank that lay opposite the couch, fixed his gaze on Nandini, and began to chant, “Hoom Hreem Hram! Bhagavati! Shakti! Chandikeswari!…” reciting several mantras.

“That’s enough! Stop!” Nandini interrupted. “The old woman has fallen asleep on the threshold, it seems. Say what you must quickly! ‘He’ has come into the fort!”

“Wretched woman!” Ravidasan’s words hissed like a cobra.

“Whom do you mean?” Nandini asked, her voice still calm.

“You, ungrateful Nandini! The younger queen of Pazhuvoor! You!” Ravidasan pointed a finger at her.

Nandini remained silent. “Girl! It seems you have forgotten some events that you ought to remember. Let me remind you of them,” said Ravidasan.

“Why bring up old tales now?” asked Nandini.

“Do you ask why now? I will tell you. First, let me remind you, and then I shall explain,” replied Ravidasan.

As if she thought it useless to try and stop him, Nandini let out a deep sigh and turned away to face the other side.

“Queen! Listen! Three years ago, one night at midnight, on the banks of the Vaigai river, a funeral pyre was burning in the cremation ground. No last rites were performed there by priests according to the scriptures. They had gathered dried logs, twigs, and leaves from the forest to build that pyre. From behind a tree, they brought forth a body that had been hidden and placed it upon the pyre. Then they set it alight. The flames caught well on the forest wood and blazed fiercely. At that moment, from the shadows of the forest, some men dragged you forth. Your hands and feet were bound. A cloth was stuffed into your mouth. Today, you sit adorned with flowers and your hair neatly coiled, but then your tresses were loose and tangled, trailing on the ground. Those men intended to throw you alive into the flames that were devouring the pyre. ‘Let the fire burn a little stronger!’ said one of them. Leaving you there, those men each took a dreadful oath. You heard them. Though your mouth was gagged, your eyes were not covered; nor were your ears stopped. So you watched and listened to everything. After they had all finished swearing their oaths, they approached you. Until then you had been still, but now, with your bound hands, you tried to make some sign. You rolled your eyes, widened them, and strained your brows in effort. One of them said, ‘She wants to say something!’ Another replied, ‘It will be some old tale; throw her onto the pyre!’ Yet another said, ‘No! Before we burn her, let us hear what she wants to say! Remove the cloth from her mouth!’ Since he was their leader, they obeyed and took the cloth from your mouth. Do you remember what you said then, girl?” asked Ravidasan, and fell silent.

Nandini neither replied nor turned to look at him. Her face revealed the disgust and fear that filled her heart, and at the same time, the fierce resolve of a terrible determination. From her dark eyes... Tears brimmed in her eyes.

“Girl! You say you will not speak? No matter! I shall speak for you. You declared that, like those men, you too would take a vow of vengeance. You swore that you had even greater cause than they to seek retribution. You said you would use your beauty and your intellect for that very purpose. You promised to help them as much as you could. And once the vow was fulfilled, you declared you would end your own life. You swore it, you commanded it. Others did not believe you. But I believed. I believed, and I stopped you from throwing yourself into the flames. I saved your life—do you remember all this?” Ravidasan finished, his voice trembling.

Nandini turned slightly to look at him. “You ask if I remember? All of it is etched into my heart as if written by fire,” she replied.

“Later, one day, all of us were traveling along the wild paths by the endless banks of the Kaveri. Suddenly, we heard the sound of horsemen approaching from behind. We decided that each of us would hide separately in the forest until they passed. But you alone defied that decision and stood right there on the path. The horsemen seized you. Their leader, the great Paluvettaraiyar, was bewitched by you and fell into your snare. You married him. All those who were with me mocked me, saying I had been deceived. But I did not give up on you. Somehow, one day, I managed to catch you alone. I thought to stab you, the traitor, with my dagger and be done with it. But once again, you begged for your life.