Pazhuvetarayar went to see Nandini with a measure of hopefulness. The confidence with which he had set out for Kadambur had not, until now, borne any fruit. He had believed that if the young Aditya Karikalan could be detained in the Kadambur palace, he could, through persuasion or intimidation, be made to act according to his wishes. He was certain that, at the very least, the prince would have to yield to the commands of himself and Sambuvarayar. Pazhuvetarayar was well aware of the dangers in immediately crowning Madurantakan as the sole ruler of the Chola kingdom. In the north, Malayaman would oppose it; in the south, the Kodumbalur Velan would stand against it. If Karikalan joined forces with them, civil war would be inevitable. Who could predict how such a conflict would end? The majority of the common people would side with the sons of Sundara Chola. Even Madurantakan’s own mother was opposed to him. Could one rely solely on the Kalamukha faction and plunge into a civil war? If rebellions arose in Pandya Nadu, Chera Nadu, or in the lands north of the river, they would only multiply. Therefore, if for now Madurantakan could be given half the kingdom—especially if that half were the southern Chola realm with Thanjavur as its capital—then, in the future, things could be managed as they unfolded. The influence of the Kodumbalur Velan could be dealt with in some way. Later, they could turn north and try their hand against Malayaman of Thirukovalur. Karikalan was nothing but a reckless youth; one day, he might act rashly and lose his life in some foolish adventure. If that happened, all worries would be over. For the present, it was best to arrange for half the kingdom.

It was after much consultation with the young queen Nandini that Periya Pazhuvetarayar had arrived at this decision, and only then had he come to Kadambur. He had summoned Karikalan there as well. But nothing had happened as he had expected. Instead of submitting to the elders, Karikalan had been browbeating them, making long speeches, and mocking them at every turn. Pazhuvetarayar could not tolerate the prince’s jests and double-edged words. Most hurtful of all was Karikalan’s frequent reference to him as an old man, and his habit of calling the young queen “grandmother”—each word was like a poisoned arrow to Pazhuvetarayar’s heart.

To make matters worse, Sambuvarayar’s conduct was far from satisfactory. Instead of standing by his side and helping to restrain Karikalan’s insolence, Sambuvarayar mostly kept his mouth shut and maintained a sullen silence. When he did speak, he did so hesitantly, stammering and mumbling. Karikalan’s... Since he had come as a guest to the palace, perhaps he is conducting himself with such caution so that nothing untoward or improper might occur! Whatever the reason may be, the conduct of Sambuvaraiyar was in no way satisfactory to Pazhuvetaraiyar.

How much of what Karikalan said today was genuine, how much was mockery, and how much was deceitful speech with one thing in the mind and another on the lips—it was not easy to discern. After having summoned Madurantakan there as well, who knows if he is planning to commit some great misdeed? Could he not even arrange for Malayamaan to march with a great army, besiege the Kadambur palace, and surround it?...

Thinking of all this, it seemed best to return to Thanjavur at once. The younger Pazhuvetaraiyar was a prudent man. He could consult with him as well. If Madurantakan were to be brought here, it would be wise to have Kalantakakandan assemble a large force and keep it ready on the riverbank, prepared for any situation. Whatever may happen, it would not do to let the young queen remain here any longer and be subjected to the mockery of these fools. It was absolutely necessary to take her away and leave her in Thanjavur. Now, an opportunity for that had arisen—why should he let it slip by?

Having thus come to a decision, a certain enthusiasm arose in the heart of the elder Pazhuvetaraiyar. With a brightened face, he made his way to Nandini’s private chamber. As he approached the threshold, he heard the sound of laughter ringing out from within. For some reason, that laughter irritated him. Nandini never laughed like this in the Thanjavur palace. What sudden joy had come over her now? Why was she laughing? And who was laughing along with her?...

Upon entering, he saw that the woman with her was Manimekalai. This brought some clarity to his mind. The moment Manimekalai saw him, she tried to stifle her laughter by covering her mouth with both hands. Yet, unable to contain herself, she ran out of the room, laughing still.

Nandini’s laughter ceased the instant she saw Pazhuvetaraiyar. Her face regained its usual dignity.

“Sir! Come in! Have your deliberations reached their conclusion?” she asked.

“Nandini! Why was that girl laughing so? Why did she run out, laughing all the while?” Pazhuvetaraiyar asked.

“Is that what you want me to say? Very well, I shall say it. Some of the conversation that took place in the assembly hall seems to have reached the ears of Manimekalai, who was in the adjoining chamber. She recounted how Prince Aditya Karikalan spoke mockingly about your grandfathers and grandmothers, and then she laughed…”

“Ugh! Wicked girl! And you—did you laugh along with her?”

“Yes, I laughed along with her. When she left, I felt like crying. But before I could, you arrived!” said Nandini, wiping away the tears that had welled up in her eyes.

“Ah! It was my mistake to bring you into the midst of such fools. At dawn tomorrow, we shall depart for Thanjavur. Bear with it just for tonight!” he said.

“Must we leave for Thanjavur? Why? Has the purpose for which we came been accomplished?” Nandini asked.

Pazhuvettarayar then recounted to Nandini the outcomes of the discussions that had taken place in the assembly hall that day.

After hearing everything,