At the point where Poonguzhali parted ways with Mandakini Devi, it becomes necessary for us now to follow that lady’s path. The reason for her disappearance amidst the crowd and confusion was, as Alwarkadiyan had said, entirely true. As she entered the fort along with the Velakkara troops, Mandakini caught sight of Ravidasan, the conspirator. Is it not natural that when one sense is diminished, the others become sharper? Mandakini could not hear; she could not speak. But her eyesight was all the keener for it. While Alwarkadiyan and Poonguzhali were both intent on watching Mandakini Devi, Ravidasan, who escaped their notice, did not escape hers.

Mandakini also possessed that innate instinct which enables one to sense approaching good or evil before it arrives. Thus, she immediately understood that Ravidasan had come here with some wicked purpose. Had she not already known that Ravidasan had tried to kill Arulmozhi Varman in Eezha Nadu? Therefore, as she moved along the streets of Thanjavur with the crowd, her gaze never left Ravidasan.

At the height of the confusion, when Chinna Pazhuvettarayar rode in on horseback and the crowd scattered in a rush, Mandakini saw Ravidasan and another man hastily slip away into a side alley. At once, she too hurried in that direction and entered the same alley.

All this happened in the space of a minute, so that Thirumalai, who had been jostled and pushed by the crowd, and Poonguzhali, could not keep track of Mandakini. When they looked again, she was gone. Mandakini, after entering the alley, turned back once or twice to see if Poonguzhali and Thirumalai were following, but she did not see them. Still, she thought it more important to follow Ravidasan.

At the beginning of this tale, it was along this very path that Vandiyathevan had escaped from the men of Kaalandhakandar. Now, Ravidasan and his companion took that same way.

We have met Ravidasan’s companion before as well. He was none other than Soman Sambavan, whom we saw at the midnight conspirators’ gathering in the Thiruppurambiyam monastery.

The two of them hurried swiftly through the winding paths, darting into the thickets. They leapt over fallen trees without a care, paying no heed to the trunks strewn across their way. They crossed muddy pools formed by the rainwater, unmindful of the slippery ground. The wind still blew gently, causing the branches to sway and dance. From time to time, droplets of water fell from the leaves with a soft, splashing sound. Not for a moment did they imagine that anyone would follow them. Therefore, they did not look back, but pressed on with haste. Even if they had turned, they would not have seen Mandakini Devi.

At last, their hurried journey ended at the rear wall of Periya Pazhuvettarayar’s palace garden. A tree, uprooted by the storm, had fallen across the wall and lay broken upon it. Ravidasan and Soman Sambavan easily climbed over the tree, crossed the wall, and leapt down into the garden beyond. Watching them, Mandakini Devi too, after a short while, climbed onto the same tree and descended into the garden on the other side.

Ravidasan left Soman Sambavan at a short distance and approached Periya Pazhuvettarayar’s palace. As both Periya Pazhuvettarayar and the young queen of Pazhuvoor were absent, the palace appeared deserted. Yet, the voices of women could be heard. At one point, two nursemaids came to the rear portico of the mansion. They saw the many trees in the garden that had fallen and lay broken.

“Ah! Does it not look like the Ashoka grove destroyed by Hanuman?” said one.

“If our Sita Devi had been here at this time, she would have been greatly distressed!” said the other.

After conversing thus for a while, as they turned to go back inside, Ravidasan pursed his lips and made a sound like the hoot of an owl. Both nursemaids turned and looked back. Ravidasan was well concealed. One of the nursemaids said, “Look! An owl is hooting in broad daylight! The storm that raged yesterday has addled even the owls’ wits!” The other said nothing.

After a short while, the one who had said nothing returned. She came to the Vasantha Mandapam, which stood between the Pazhuvoor palace and the treasury chamber. Readers may recall that it was in this very mandapam that Vandiyathevan met the queen of Pazhuvoor. The maid looked intently at the garden. Again, the owl’s hoot was heard. The woman walked toward the direction from which the sound came. From behind a tree, Ravidasan stepped forward. With eyes that seemed to possess magnetic power, he gazed at her.

“Sorcerer, have you come? Even the Young Queen isn’t here! Why have you come?” she asked.

“Girl, it is the Young Queen who sent me here!” replied Ravidasan.

“Even where you went before, you didn’t leave the Queen alone? Why have you come here? If anyone finds out…”

“If they find out, what will happen? Will you drown?”

“Don’t say such things! The Younger Pazhuvettarayar already suspects us. He called me and warned me harshly one day. He has ordered that if the sorcerer comes again, I must go and inform him at once…”

“He’s a wretch, let him be! Their time is drawing to a close! You need not worry about anything! I need the key to the treasury chamber—bring it quickly!” said Ravidasan.

“Oh no! I won’t do it!”

“Look here, your mistress’s ring!” Ravidasan showed her the signet ring of the Young Queen.

“Who knows where you stole this from, or what you’ve done?”

“You wretched girl! Do you call me a thief? After seeing how the Young Queen herself trembles at my presence, do you still speak like this? Listen! Tonight, nine spirits will come and carry you alive to the cremation ground…”

“No, no! Let your spirits stay with you. What do I care? If you show me the Young Queen’s ring, I’ll bring you what you asked for. But don’t be hasty!