Once the above decision had been reached, Commander-in-Chief Boothi Vikramakesari took Parthibendran aside and spoke with him privately for some time. Afterwards, he issued a few separate orders to the soldiers who had accompanied him.

Parthibendran then took leave of the prince. “Sir! I am returning empty-handed, my mission unfulfilled. For this, Karikalan will be greatly angered with me. But what can I do? You are adamant in your refusal; I am not to blame. All those present here are witnesses to this!” he declared.

The prince asked, “Is it necessary for you to leave in such haste? Could you not at least accompany the Commander-in-Chief as far as Thondaimanaru before departing?”

“I will not be a party to that treachery. The ship I came on is anchored at Trincomalee. I must go there, board the ship, and proceed to Kanchi as soon as possible. I must report all that has transpired to Karikalan!” Parthibendran replied.

Then, turning to Vandiyathevan, he asked, “Vallavaraiyan! Will you not come with me to Kanchi?”

Vandiyathevan hesitated for a moment and then replied, “No; I wish to go with the prince.”

“Very well; you will regret not coming with me!” Parthibendran said, and departed. In accordance with the Commander-in-Chief’s orders, several other soldiers left with him.

Vandiyathevan turned to Azhwarkadiyan and asked, “What did that Pallavan mean by his words? Why did he say I would regret not going with him? Do you know anything about it?”

“They have certainly conspired together! We shall soon learn the details of their plot. In truth, the root cause of the predicament we now face is this very Kodumbalur Elder!” he replied.

“How so? What could the Commander-in-Chief have done?”

“It is all his doing. You know, do you not, that a woman from his family is being raised in Pazhayarai?” “Of course I know—are you speaking of Vanathi Devi?”

“Yes; the Commander-in-Chief desires to have that maiden wed to the Prince, crown him as King of Lanka, and place the island’s diadem upon his head through the hands of devout gurus. It was he who sent those pious teachers to offer the Lankan crown. Did you think he kept his efforts secret? Not at all. The news has already reached Thanjavur. That is why Prime Minister Aniruddha came to Lanka; he sent me to the Prince as well. Vandiyathevan! Whatever may happen, we must safeguard our own lives. We may be called upon in Thanjavur to bear witness that the Prince refused the throne of Lanka!”

By now, the Commander-in-Chief’s business was concluded. Except for four of the soldiers who had accompanied him, the rest dispersed in different directions. At last, the Prince’s party set out. The Prince, the Commander-in-Chief, Vandiyathevan, Alwarkadiyan, and the aforementioned four soldiers mounted noble steeds and rode northward. Following them, Poonguzhali’s elephant strode majestically, trumpeting “jam jam” with every step. Apart from Poonguzhali, only the mahout sat atop the elephant.

For a short distance, they traveled along the royal road. But the journey was not easy, for the road was crowded everywhere. Somehow, word had spread among the people that the Prince was passing that way. In those days, the northern part of Lanka was inhabited mostly by Tamils. Here and there, groups of people stood together, shouting, “Long live Prince Arulmozhi Varman! Long live the Commander-in-Chief, the Kodumbalur Velar!” In some places, the crowds surrounded the horses and followed behind. The throng grew larger and larger, making it impossible for the horses to move swiftly.

After discussing the matter with the Commander-in-Chief, the Prince decided to leave the royal road and take a forest path. Gradually, they managed to slip away from the crowds and entered the woods. But the natural obstacles of the forest made rapid travel impossible. After a short distance, they came upon a lotus pond. As they reached its bank, they saw a large crowd standing on the opposite shore. At the sight of the travelers, a great tumult of drums, cymbals, horns, and other instruments erupted from the midst of the assembly.

“Wait a moment; let me go and see who they are!” said the Commander, urging his horse forward and riding ahead. After a short while, he returned and said, “It seems the people of the nearby villages have somehow come to know that the Prince is passing this way. They have come only to pay their respects to the Prince!”

The people drew near. They gathered around the Prince, gazing at him with irrepressible curiosity. They raised various shouts of victory and words of blessing. Among them, the cry, “Long live Arulmozhi Varman, King of Eezham!” was the most prominent.

A smile blossomed on the Prince’s face. He called near a man who seemed to be the leader of the crowd. “Why are these people proclaiming me as the King of Eezham?” he asked.

With great humility, the man replied, “O King, for many long years this land of Eezham has suffered without a stable government. It is our plea that Ponniyin Selvan should become the ruler of Eezham. That is the wish of all the people living in this land. Tamils, Sinhalese, Saivites, Buddhists, ascetics, householders—all desire the same.”

The people had arranged a feast for the Prince and his companions. It was impossible to refuse their hospitality. After partaking in the feast, much time had passed before they could take their leave and set out again.

While the Prince was being honored with these courtesies, Vandiyathevan and Azhwarkadiyan found an opportunity to speak privately.

“Brother! Did you see? Don’t you realize all this is the Commander’s scheme? He must have sent word ahead in haste and arranged all these honors!” said Azhwarkadiyan.

“It does seem to be the Commander’s arrangement. But what is the purpose of this scheme? Does he think that, hearing the wishes of the people on this island, the Prince—who refused the throne just yesterday—will now suddenly desire it?” asked Vandiyathevan.

“That may be one intention. But more