For several days, the heart and body of Emperor Sundara Chola had been greatly weakened. When the Young Princess told the Prime Minister that the Emperor had not slept at all on the stormy night, it was no exaggeration. That entire day, his mind had been restless and unsettled. In the afternoon, the Younger Pazhuvettarayar came and only increased his agitation. Most importantly, he leveled many accusations against Prime Minister Aniruddha. He claimed that ever since the Prime Minister had arrived in Thanjavur, all the strict regulations regarding who could enter the fortress had been broken. He said that many people, pretending to come to see the Prime Minister, were gaining entry into the fort, and that this could endanger the Emperor’s very safety.

Hearing these two accusations, the Emperor merely smiled to himself. He did not consider them of great importance. But he could not so easily dismiss the further allegations made by Kalandhakandar. He reported that, that day, a dispute between the people who had come from outside and the Velakkara guards had nearly erupted into a great riot in the streets, and that it was only by good fortune that he happened to be present at the time, and was able to prevent any disaster by pacifying both sides and sending them away.

He went on to say that, though the entire land knew of Aniruddha Brahmarayar’s impeccable reputation, his recent actions seemed contrary to that. He alleged that the Prime Minister had forcibly brought a woman from Kodikkarai, and had used the Pazhuvur palace’s palanquin and men for this purpose. He added that, not knowing the reason, he had sent his own men and palanquin, and that if any disgrace were to arise from this, it would fall upon the head of the Pazhuvur clan.

Finally, he spoke of yet another suspicious incident. “I had heard that some magician was frequently visiting the palace of the Elder Pazhuvettarayar, and this had caused me concern. Since I learned that he was coming to see the Young Princess, I hesitated to take any action. Nevertheless, I had appointed a spy to keep an eye on that palace. Today, the spy came and reported that someone had climbed over the back wall into the garden of the Treasurer’s mansion. I immediately sent some men to capture him. They caught a man red-handed in the garden of the mansion. When they discovered who it was, it turned out to be none other than Alwarkadiyan, the beloved disciple of the Prime Minister.”

“Why did you climb over the wall and jump down?”—when asked this question, he refused to answer. “It was the order of the Prime Minister,” he said.

Emperor! If this Aniruddha Brahmarayar continues to act in this manner, how can I be responsible for the security of the Thanjai fort? Since my elder brother is not in town, I am compelled to bring all this to your ears!”

Thus, when the Younger Pazhuvettarayar voiced his complaint, it only deepened the emperor’s inner turmoil.

“Very well, Aniruddhar is coming here this evening. I will inquire into all this. Above all, the matter of ordering a woman to be forcibly brought from Kodikkarai has wounded my heart. That is true, is it not, Commander? There is no doubt about it?” he asked.

“None at all! The palanquin bearers and the soldiers who accompanied them came to me at midnight yesterday and told me everything. When they neared the Thanjai fort, they were caught in a storm. A tree by the roadside was uprooted and fell, causing danger to some. They said it was a great blessing that the tree did not fall upon the palanquin. Fortunately, the ill omen of a woman’s misfortune was averted! Along with investigating this, Your Majesty must also conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter of Azhwarkkadiyan!” he declared, and with that, Kaalandhaka Kandar took his leave of the emperor.

The Younger Pazhuvettarayar did not wish to be present when Aniruddhar arrived. He feared that the Prime Minister might ask him some unrelated, confusing question and put him in a difficult position. Most importantly, if Aniruddhar, in his presence, managed to obtain an order from the emperor to open the treasury to aid the people afflicted by the storm, it would become a great nuisance. How would he face his elder brother the next day?

From that morning itself, the emperor had been expecting Aniruddhar’s arrival. But it was only at sunset that the Prime Minister came. Even his steadfast heart was now somewhat unsettled. The careful plan he had laid had gone awry. He had hoped to receive some news about Mandakini, and only then go to see the emperor, so he kept postponing his visit to the palace. In the afternoon, Azhwarkkadiyan came and conveyed some troubling news. He suspected that the Mute Queen might have left, that he had followed a narrow passage where she might have gone, and that he saw a woman climbing over the garden wall of the Pazhuvettarayar mansion, whom he thought could be the Mute Queen. He too had climbed the wall, and before he could begin searching the garden, the Younger Pazhuvettarayar’s men had come and apprehended him.

“I could not tell them the real reason, sir. That is why I had to use your name to secure her release!” he said.

This news caused great anxiety to the Prime Minister. “With so many palaces within this Thanjavur fort, must she enter only the residence of Periya Pazhuvettarayar? We cannot even order a public search for her. Still, let us see what can be done. In one way, it is fortunate that Periya Pazhuvettarayar is not in town. We can station guards around his palace. I also have a man inside that palace; I will send word to him as well! Even so, how much trouble this boatwoman has caused!” said the Prime Minister.

“Swami! Even if the boatwoman had not interfered, it is not certain that