It had been more than a month and a half since the coronation of Madurantaka Uttama Chozha Devar. The winter season had departed more swiftly than usual. Mounting the divine chariot of the southern breeze, the season of spring arrived. Parakeets pressed their coral-hued beaks against the saffron-tinted new shoots of the mango trees, admiring their own beauty. The golden-hued leaves of the royal trees swayed and sang in the gentle wind. From the punnai trees, pearl-like buds fell as the cuckoos called out in joyous chorus. Nature herself shivered in delight. Mother Earth overflowed with exuberance. On trees that had shed their leaves and stood bare, buds suddenly burst forth and blossomed. The bowers of madhavi vines and the jasmine and mullai bushes struggled under the weight of their abundant blooms. The rivers, their flow diminished, ran clear as crystal along their banks, murmuring softly.

The people of Chozha Nadu bloomed with joy, their faces and hearts radiant. The red paddy harvested from the fields had been gathered into the granaries. The uncertainty and anxiety that had gripped the land’s politics had now vanished. In both cities and villages, the people prepared to celebrate the festival of Kama. Arrangements were underway in the temples for the festival of spring. In every street and public square, stages for plays were being erected.

Beholding all these delightful scenes, Vallavarayan Vandiyathevan journeyed towards the city of Pazhaiyarai. This time, he did not enter that great city in disguise, nor did he hide or sneak in. He entered freely through the open main city gate and reached the palace of the young princess Kundavai Devi.

Princess Kundavai, surrounded by Vanathi and several of her companions, came to the palace entrance to greet him with a bright smile. After he had rested from the fatigue of his long journey, she asked him to meet her in the palace gardens and recount the details of his travels, then departed.

Vandiyathevan did not take long to recover. He quickly finished his bath and refreshments and went to the palace garden. There, the young princess awaited his arrival. It was impossible to say who was more eager for their meeting. Both were filled with anticipation to hear each other’s news. But was that the only reason for their excitement? Their future... Is it not possible that the desire to find certainty about life itself was the reason? The youthful spring that stirred even the inanimate objects—could it not have awakened a flutter of excitement in their emotion-filled hearts as well?

"Sir! I have come to know that you did not achieve complete success in the task you undertook. Is that true?" asked the Young Princess.

"It is true, Devi! In which of the tasks I have taken up so far have I ever achieved complete success?" replied Vallavarayan, letting out a deep sigh.

"Do not say so! Did you not bring my brother safely back from Eezha Nadu? Was it not only because Arulmozhi Varman returned at