For a while, Poonguzhali and her cousin walked in silence along the forest path.

Poonguzhali let out a long sigh. “Amudha! I feel as though there is some bond between us from a previous birth.”

“Who cares about past lives right now? If you have any good news about this life, tell me that!” said Sendhan Amudhan.

“They say that the ties of previous births continue into this one, don’t they? It must be true; when I parted from you at midday, I thought I would never see you again. Yet within two hours, I have met you once more…”

“There’s no need to be upset about that; once we cross this forest path and reach the Thanjavur road, I’ll go my way, and you can go as you please…”

“I’m not going to leave you alone like that. After I meet my elder brother, I’m coming with you to Thanjavur. I’m going to seek a remedy for the suffering that has befallen my aunt. I will go to the presence of the Chola Emperor and make my appeal…”

“Poonguzhali, do you think it’s so easy to reach the Emperor’s presence? People like us can’t even enter the Thanjavur fort!”

“Why not? If the gates are not opened, I’ll break them down! If that’s not possible, I’ll climb over the walls and jump inside…”

“What will you do about the guards standing at the palace entrance?”

“When they hear the commotion I make, they’ll be so frightened that they’ll take me straight to the Emperor…”

“You can’t scare away someone like Chinna Pazhuvettarayar so easily. People in Thanjavur say that not even Yama, the god of death, can approach the Emperor without his permission. I’ve even heard some say that’s the only reason the Emperor is still alive.” “If I cannot see the Emperor, I will go to the Pazhuvettarayars themselves and ask whether there is any remedy for this outrage or not! If they do not provide a fitting remedy, I will go to the Prime Minister Brahmarayar. If that too proves fruitless, I will go to the queens in Pazhayarai and lodge my complaint. Until I find out what has become of my aunt, I will not stay in one place. Until justice is done for the wrong done to her, I will not sleep day or night. Didn’t my sister-in-law call my aunt a ‘mute demon’? I too shall become a demon and roam the towns and villages of this land. I will wander everywhere, crying out, ‘Justice! Justice!’... Amudha, will you come with me?”

“I will certainly come, Poonguzhali! If you wish it, I will come. But why do you let your mind be so troubled? You are thinking far ahead, going to distant places! Isn’t the first and most important task to find your aunt and save her? Shouldn’t we rescue her from those wicked men who took her away? Shouldn’t we tell your father, your brother, and the others...?”

“Amudha! My aunt possesses divine