Part Five – The Pinnacle of Sacrifice

“Aiyo! A ghost!” cried a voice filled with terror, and Vandiyathevan rushed toward the direction from which it came. Even as he ran, his mind raced: “Isn’t that Manimekalai’s voice? Why has she come here at this hour? What did she see that made her scream so? There can be no such thing as a ghost. Then what could it be? There was real fear in her voice. Will any trouble arise if I approach her now? Her brother is eager to tear me to pieces. Aditya Karikalan is in a frenzy. Who knows what treachery the Queen of Pazhuvoor harbors in her heart?…” Such thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind and vanished. Because of this inner turmoil, he became distracted and careless. Suddenly, the root of a paneer tree caught his foot and he fell to the ground. The end of his upper garment became entangled in the flowering bush beside him.

He tried to compose himself, sat up, and gently attempted to free his garment. What so many enemies and conspirators could not do, this small tree root had accomplished! It had brought him down! Was this an omen of ill fortune? Or was this root restraining him to protect him from danger? Vandiyathevan smiled to himself at the thought.

At that moment, a voice called out, “Amma! Amma! Where are you?” It was Chandramathi’s voice.

“I’m here, dear. I’m near the Alli pond! Come quickly!” replied Manimekalai.

He heard the sound of footsteps, and the sweet tinkling of anklets on their feet. The “Alli pond” Manimekalai referred to was the small marble tank near the ornamental mound in the center of the garden. The pond had been constructed in the shape of an Alli flower. There were a few Alli creepers and red lotus vines in it. At that moment, some flowers floated on its surface. Vandiyathevan had seen this Alli pond before. He must have fallen very close to it! Fortunately, the two women had not noticed him. If it had been daytime and they had seen him fall, they would have burst out laughing and made a mockery of him. Now that Chandramathi had joined Manimekalai, he could slip away unnoticed by the women. In the meantime, the conversation of those women reached his ears.

“Amma! What frightened you? Why did you scream like that?” asked Chandramathi.

“Child! Look at that wall! I saw something upon it. A figure appeared—hair matted atop the head, beard and mustache upon the face. Around its neck—oh, it frightens me even to say it!—there was a garland of skulls! The moment I screamed, it vanished!” said Manimekalai.

“Well and good, Princess! It’s only your mind playing tricks on you! There are no ghosts or demons here! Who could possibly climb and sit atop such a high wall?” said Chandramathi.

“No, girl! My mind does not usually conjure up ghosts or demons…”

“Oh yes! The only face that appears in your dreams and waking thoughts is that of the handsome prince who looks like a god!”

“Shame on you! Even now you make fun of me?”

“Then when should I jest? In the early evening, you come and wait by the lily pond in the flower garden. The scent of jasmine drifts gently through the air… But alas, what happens? While you wait in hope for the Prince of Vallam, a demon with a beard and mustache appears instead!”

“As if it weren’t enough, now you arrive as well!”

“Perhaps it was after seeing me that the demon took fright and fled! Is it not well known throughout the world that ghosts, spirits, and fiends all take to their heels when they see Chandramathi, the maid of Kadambur palace?”

“Chandramathi, enough of your foolish talk for now. Truly, I saw a dreadful figure upon the wall. If you do not believe me, so be it! Tell me, what happened with your errand?”

“My errand did not succeed, Princess!”

“Why? Why?”

“The Prince of Kanchi and the Prince of Kadambur are together, deep in conversation. There is no sign at all of the Prince of Vallam.”

“Perhaps they have sent him off somewhere else?”

“I’m not entirely sure. Your father and the Pallava have gone to confront the Malayaman king. I asked Idumbankari. He said that this evening, Karikalan flew into a rage at Vallatharasan!”

“He’s gone mad, that’s all. He rages at everyone. And then?”

“‘From today, do not show your face to me! Come back after dawn tomorrow!’—he sent him away with those words.”

“Where would he have gone after that?” asked Manimekalai.

“He must be wandering somewhere within these palace walls. That’s why I said—perhaps it was he himself, disguised like a demon, who tried to frighten you.”

“No; I know there are many masqueraders in this palace. But he is not one to deceive others in disguise…”

“This is how women like us, trusting men, end up being deceived.”

“So be it. You go and search again! He must be somewhere within the palace walls, mustn’t he? Tell Idumbankari to look for him as well!”

“Princess! I don’t like that Idumbankari at all, the way he stares and stares. I even feel afraid of him…”

“You’re not afraid of ghosts and demons, but you’re afraid of Idumbankari? Let it be. It’s better not to say anything to him. You go and search once more yourself, and come back!”

“Until then…”

“I’ll stay right here…”

“What if that demon comes here again?…”

“I’ll shout your name and chase it away!”

The soft tinkle of Chandramathi’s anklet signaled her departure.

Vandiyathevan, who had been listening to the conversation, was assailed by a multitude of thoughts. He wondered who the ‘demon’ peering over the wall could have been. He remembered how Alwarkadiyan, disguised as a Kalamukan, had come to his rescue. Perhaps that valiant Vaishnavite himself… Could it be? Has he come from Thanjavur bearing some important message for her? Has he disguised