Karikalan: Saviour of the Cholas

Chapter 25: The Dungeon

Alli and Poovazhagi were seated on the bed. They were currently occupying a room at the inn they were staying in Urayur. They had arrived disguised.

Alli had seen Valavan atop the Royal Elephant from her window with a smile on her face. She had also seen the citizens of Urayur cheering on in awe. This had taken place in the morning. The afternoon had already come to pass.

Poovazhagi was idly dangling her legs from the bed. She seemed bored. "Well, the Prince has already arrived this morning. Nothing bad has happened yet so far. I don't think anything will happen either. Can we leave already? Just being cooped up here is driving me nuts!"

Alli shook her head. "Nothing good has happened either", she pointed out. "Irungovel has not yet renounced his position and declared publicly that Prince Valavan is to be crowned as the next King. That means he's planning something bad, right?"

"Please!", exclaimed Poovazhagi rolling her eyes, utterly exasperated. "He had come only this morning! You can't expect him to announce anything like that this soon! I don't think Irungovel would dare harm the Prince anyway."

Alli still wasn't convinced. Something seemed to be bothering her. Her mind ran over what happened a few days back.

Alli had just arrived, utterly exhausted. She still felt a deep sense of satisfaction though.

She had managed to persuade the Prince to return home.

She fell on her bed, utterly exhausted. Unbidden, his image rose to her mind starkly.

She recalled how his once shiny curls were tangled. How his whole body had been covered in soot. How dark circles had ringed his eyes. How his dusky skin had turned a shade darker.

How he still managed to be handsome despite all that.

Those black eyes of his, though haunted, still seemed no less piercing.

The slightest peek of his nefarious lone dimple had instantly wiped away the raggedness of his face, amplifying his gorgeous features.

She was pulled away from her thoughts as her mother and father entered her chamber. Poovazhagi was also with them. She shot them all a tired smile.

The Nangurvel smiled at his daughter. "I'm sorry I couldn't come along, sweetheart. I'm still swamped with work!"

Alli waved him off. "It's okay, Pa. I managed just fine."

Poovazhagi, from behind her father, winked and nodded her head tauntingly. She glared at her in return.

Her mother took in her tired form and shot her father a reproachful look. "You give her too much freedom! A young unmarried Princess going after a Prince all on her own!" She looked distressed. "What would people say!"

Alli resisted rolling her eyes. The Nangurvel laughed. "It's alright, honey!", he told his wife jokingly. "It's better this way as we know that no Prince will chase her if he knows her!"

Alli punched her father in his arm. Her mother shook her head. The Nangurvel laughed heartily before looking at his daughter in earnest. "Where's the Prince, Alli? Did you show him to one of our guest rooms? Is he resting?"

Alli shook her head. "No, Pa. He's not here."

The Nangurvel's brows furrowed. "What do you mean he's not here?"

Alli shrugged. "Exactly what I said. I did manage to convince him to quit running. But he said that Nangur was not where his place is and returned to Urayur."