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 power. No one can do her any harm. Just as Damayanti burned the hunter with a glance, she too can burn with her eyes. So I am not so worried about her. But in this Chola Empire, such a great injustice is being done in broad daylight! They say that from the time of Parantaka Chola, this land has been ruled by dharma. In the land ruled by King Kandaraditya, the great devotee of Shiva, they boast that even cows and tigers drank water together at the same pond. Under the rule of Sundara Chola, they proclaim that any young girl in Chola Nadu can travel at any time, day or night, without fear. Yet in such a famed kingdom, if a helpless old woman—a deaf and mute, innocent lady—can be seized by evildoers in broad daylight, what kind of outrage is this? I am not so worried about my aunt alone. What happened to her today could happen to me tomorrow, could it not? Could it not happen to many other young women in this land?”

Senthan Amudhan now drew closer and said, “Yes; such danger does exist in this country now. Since Sundara Chola has fallen ill and taken to his bed, dharma has been turned upside down in Chola Nadu. Law and order have vanished. Danger lurks everywhere for young women. Therefore, it is best for all young women to get married as soon as possible!”

Poonguzhali burst into laughter.

“Amudha! If a maiden were to marry you, would you be able to protect her? Do you know how to wield a sword and fight in battle?” she asked.

“I have only learned to pluck flowers and string garlands, and to sing hymns in praise of the Lord. I have not learned to take up a sword and wage war. But what of that? Did you not teach me to grip the oar and row a boat? In the same way, I can learn to wield a sword and fight. When Madhurantaka Devar aspires to ascend the throne and rule the kingdom, is it such an impossible thing for me to learn the art of sword-fighting?” said Sendhan Amudhan.

By then, they had reached the base of the tree where Poonguzhali had tied her sister-in-law. But the woman was nowhere to be seen. Sendhan Amudhan pointed out to Poonguzhali the drops of blood that had dripped from the wound on her head and stained the ground.

“They have struck her hard; it is certain that she did not betray us to those who took away Aunt. But we must somehow find out for whom else she was spying!” said Poonguzhali.

“Daughter of my uncle! Listen to me! Everything that is happening here is shrouded in mysterious causes. Secrets within secrets, whirlpools within whirlpools. All of them seem to be entangled with the affairs of the kingdom and the royal clan. Why should you and I worry about these things? Why should we bring trouble upon ourselves?”

“Amudha!