Karikalan: Saviour of the Cholas

Chapter 9: Indra Vizha Part 2

Irungovel surveyed the assembled ministers with a predatory look on his face. "That's it?", he asked, addressing Gunaseelan.

"What do you mean by saying that's it?", retorted Gunaseelan, annoyed. "I have almost half the ministers behind me. They would never cross me. What more do you require?"

Irungovel smiled lazily. "Ah! But half doesn't equal having every single minister's support, does it?"

Gunaseelan rolled his eyes. "I've every minister whose word matters. The rest are all weaklings who will easily sway when the right time arrives. Chembian might prove to be a problem perhaps, but that shouldn't be too difficult to handle."

Irungovel gave him a sharp look. "Why would Chembian prove to be a problem?"

Gunaseelan waved him off, unperturbed. "That dog is loyal to a fault. You can't do much about that man. Power, riches, women, you name it, we could offer him." He shrugged. "Nothing would sway him. Nothing."

Irungovel brooded over it, clearly unhappy. Gunaseelan grew impatient. "Are you going to tell me why you have invited us in the middle of the night to the backgrounds of the palace or do we have to simply stand here admiring your face while getting eaten alive by mosquitoes?" Saying so, he slapped his arms and thighs fervently, scratching away like a mad man.

Irungovel looked at him, irritated. He resisted the urge to smack him across the face. He cut straight to the point. "It's time to kill Ilamchetchenni."

Gunaseelan instantly paled. His cronies shifted from foot to foot. Irungovel distantly wondered if that was because they were nervous or because of the mosquitoes before he focused back on the task at hand. "Well? Cat got your tongue?"

Gunaseelan stared at him incredulously. "I thought you were over it", he whispered.

Irungovel gave him a coy smile. "Over what?", he asked innocently, pretending to not understand.

Gunaseelan gave him a look. "Killing the King."

Irungovel covered his mouth with the back of his palm, barely attempting to rein in his laughter. God, he really was dumb. He faced the scowling Gunaseelan and laughed some more. "If I had given up the idea, why would I still be with you? Of what use would the support of these ministers be?" Gunaseelan didn't reply. Irungovel stared at him. "Although why", he asked, raising a quizzical brow, "would you think that? Whatever gave you that impression?"

Gunaseelan shrugged. "Our attempt to kill him failed years back. You have not made any further attempts thence. I assumed you had given up the idea but found my friendship profitable." Irungovel resisted making gagging gestures. Gunaseelan gave him a sideways look. "Besides, you seem to love that boy as if he was your own."

Irungovel's eyes darkened. "Do you not know", asked Irungovel, his voice dangerously low, "that a tiger which is lying low is waiting to pounce?"

Gunaseelan gulped. Irungovel continued, "In any case, what does love have to do with this?"

Gunaseelan looked perplexed. How would one kill their own loved ones?

Irungovel answered his unasked question. "Just because I wish to kill him doesn't mean I don't love him." He shot him a wink. "It's nothing personal, you know? No one asked Ilamchetchenni to be born to the right brother. No one asked him to be born before me." He laughed humourlessly. "Thirumavalavan was not supposed to be part of this." He shrugged. "Well, no one can do anything about the casualties of war, can they?"

Gunaseelan stared at him. He really was mad.

Irungovel caught that look. He stifled a chuckle. He didn't expect him to understand. No one will. Certainly not this dim-witted simpleton. The fool must have presumed that he wanted to kill Ilamchetchenni because he hated him. It was not Ilamchetchenni he hated. It was the unfair system that made his blood boil. Why should only the older brother get to rule even if the younger was no less than him? How does being born first entitle the older brother to the throne? He felt his mood getting darker by the moment. He took a deep breath, calming himself. Irungovel really did love his brother. Just not as much as he loved the crown.

Gunaseelan interrupted his thoughts. "I don't understand one thing, though." Irungovel bit his tongue to keep himself from asking 'just one?'

"Why now?"

Irungovel merely smiled. "Killing him immediately after the rains had come would have been a bad idea, my good man. I wanted to give time for the dust to settle. Now will be a good time. Talk of the rains has died down." His eyes glittered."No better time to kill than in Indra Vizha, isn't it?"

Gunaseelan sighed. "What do you have in mind?"

Irungovel gave him a demonic grin. "I'm glad you asked."

......................

"Did you know that there is a Prince around our age here?", asked Poovazhagi.

The Princess gave a non-committal shrug, her eyes not leaving the new bangles she had purchased. "I have heard that King Ilamchetchenni has a son. Apart from that? Nothing about him."

Poovazhagi looked incredulous. "Have you forgotten the stories? Twelve years back, the lands had not seen a drop of water, remember?" Her voice dropped to a hushed whisper. "It is said that he was the reason the empire got rains." Her voice dropped further. "He is called the Saviour of the Cholas!"

"Mm-hmm", replied the Princess, admiring her new necklace, not interested in the least. Poovazhagi pouted. "You are not even listening to me. You are no fun!"

The Princess looked up and laughed. "Alright, alright. Tell me about this boy. Although", she said, her eyes narrowed playfully, "you want some new company, don't you? Tired of me already?"

Poovazhagi pouted some more. "You know that's not it. He was born the day the rains came. Do the math! He's only two months younger than you!!" She clapped her hands, excited. "We rarely see anyone around our age. He even has a friend four years older than him!! It'll be so much fun if we could all be together!!"

The Princess laughed harder. "You did your work well, didn't you?"

Poovazhagi looked away, embarrassed. The Princess gently turned her face towards her. "It's a great idea. Let's go talk with them." Poovazhagi instantly brightened before her face fell.

"What now?"

Poovazhagi wrung her hands, agitated. "I don't know where they are!"

"What do you mean?"

"I have searched the whole palace in search of two boys to no avail. They are not here!" She sulked. "They are probably still in the stalls. How we missed them is beyond me." She rolled her eyes. "What eludes me is what two boys could possibly be buying still. Even we have returned!"

A beat of silence passed before they both said "Boys!", disgusted. They looked at each other in surprise before they dissolved into fits of laughter.

After their laughter subsided, the Princess eyed her friend. "Are you really that sad that we didn't meet them yet?"

Poovazhagi considered. "Not really. As you said, we didn't meet them yet." She grinned. "Besides, tomorrow is the day the archery contest is to be held. We will definitely meet them then. Meanwhile, I'll ask around."

The Princess laughed, shaking her head. "You are incorrigible."

Poovazhagi batted her eyelashes. "That I am."

.............................

Siiiigghhhhhh.

Thoughts?