The Scorned Queen
It was late night when Senapati Pandiyan took the seat next to his son’s bed, having had a sumptuous dinner with his friend, the chief minister.
He was beyond furious as he looked at his wounded son who was lying in his bed with a high fever. Paranthaman was in such a bad shape that he was mumbling in his sleep—something about a tiger and a dagger.
There was only one tiger in Kongunadu that had the free run of the palace and its gardens. And that belonged to the princess. Pandiyan had a good mind to order it killed. But he bided his time. Just now, it was important to keep the princess happy. That he might want to murder her was another matter altogether.
Out of the servants and guards who had rushed to the venue when Paranthaman had screamed and fallen down in a faint, there had been a couple of guards who were loyal to Pandiyan. They had reported how the princess had a dagger in her right hand that had been dripping blood.
It was that she-devil, Chamundeswari, who had done this to his son. But why?
Marthanda Bhupathi stepped into Paranthaman’s bedchamber. “How is he?” he asked, a worried frown on his face.
“He will live,” said Pandiyan before abruptly leaving the bedchamber to go into the living area. When Bhupathi followed him, he burst out, “It is that Chamundeswari who almost killed my son.”
Bhupathi lifted a hand pacifyingly as he spoke soothing words. “What is this, Pandiyan? Does anyone die because of a wound in his thigh?”
“He might lose his leg,” insisted the commander-in-chief, glaring at the chief minister as if it was all his fault.
“I spoke to the vaithiyar. Your son will be fine, though it will take some time for the wound to completely heal.” Bhupathi was ready to bend over backwards just now, to accommodate the Senapati, all because he was keen that the princess married Paranthaman, who was in the guise of the Chozha prince.
Yes, his spy Ponnan had told him all about the conversation between the Senapati and his son; about how the balance of power might change once Paranthaman became the king of Kongunadu, as Chamundeswari’s husband.
But Bhupathi was not really worried about it. He had the reins in his hands, after all. Only the three of them—Naganandini, Bhupathi and Pandiyan—knew that the man posing as Prince Vijayendra Chozhan was an imposter and was actually Paranthaman, Pandiyan’s son. That information was enough to keep the father and son in control. Blackmail was something Bhupathi was an expert in.
“Are you even aware what kind of a woman the princess is? Your sister has allowed the girl to run wild. Chamundeswari is anything but civilised. Which other young woman of barely seventeen years has a tiger for a companion?” Pandiyan fumed as he paced the living area, his strides getting faster and faster even as his temper rose higher and higher.
Bhupathi was of the same opinion—he believed that the princess could have done with a lot of spanking at a young age. He had even personally seen to her punishment when he had branded her with the red-hot iron rod. But now it was too late. He stepped forward to go and stand in front of Pandiyan, effectively stopping the man from pacing. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he said, “Listen! What is done is done. Once they are married, I am sure your son will know how to deal with a stubborn and rebellious wife. Do you not think so?”
Hearing the chief minister’s words, a glimmer of a smile appeared on Pandiyan’s face, the first one from the time he heard of his son’s stabbing. “You are right, Bhupathi.” But his forehead pleated in a frown soon after. “But what if she refuses to marry him? The princess?”
“Leave that to me. Take care of your son and make sure that he is as good as new. After all, he has a wedding to attend, as the bridegroom.” Bhupathi laughed at his own joke as he slapped the other man on his shoulder.
Pandiyan nodded, though not really convinced with the chief minister’s words. He had better do something about the tiger. But not before the wedding. That was the most important thing!
As for Queen Naganandini, she had her own set of troubles. Adityan was missing from his bedchamber once again. It was way past midnight and she had been waiting for him for at least four naazighais by now. Where the hell was he? Her anger towards her brother increased even more. It was all because of Bhupathi that she was not getting to spend time with the young man.
And then there was the accident with the prince of Chozha Nadu. She still was not clear how it had happened. But it looked like the prince had received a dagger wound in his leg. Bhupathi had mentioned that it was Chamundeswari who had stabbed the man.
“Why did you stab the prince, Chamundi?” asked Naganandini, a shocked look on her face.
Chamundeswari shrugged. “I just wanted to check if he was a brave prince, Chinnamma. Otherwise, he will not make me a good husband. Do you not agree?” The two of them were the only ones at the table for that evening’s dinner; Bhupathi having his meal with the commander-in-chief as they wanted to discuss the repercussions of the princess’s behaviour; stabbing the prince.
“Why did you even imagine he was not brave?” asked Naganandini, a deep scowl on her face. She could not believe her eyes as she watched her stepdaughter eating better than ever. Was the girl bloodthirsty or something? She had maimed a prince who was soon to become her betrothed, but appeared to be enjoying her dinner more than ever.
Chamundeswari looked up at her stepmother. “He trembled when he caught sight of Manu. And my pet was standing at least five feet away.”
“How could you, Chamundi? How could you just decide that a man is not brave just because he trembled at the sight of your tiger?” Naganandini would have laughed if the situation was not so dire. “Are you aware that we might have Emperor Rajendra Chozhan to answer to when he gets to know that you stabbed his half-brother?”
“Do you really think so, Chinnamma?” There was no tremor in the princess’s voice as she continued to relish her meal, asking for another helping of the goat’s meat that was on offer. “Will you calm down and enjoy your meal? Let us face the consequences when it actually happens. And I think you should not really worry. It was I who stabbed the prince. It is I who will have to answer the emperor.” She sipped from her wine cup, surprising her stepmother even more. After all, the princess was not all that fond of wine.
“And are you not worried about that?” asked Naganandini, aghast. What if the emperor brought his troops to fight against Kongunadu? They would all of them perish. And why? Because of the princess’s vicious behaviour.
“Not really, Chinnamma. It is a woman’s right, especially in the case of a princess like me, to find out if the man she is considering for her husband, is brave or otherwise. Which is exactly what I did.”
“And what is the conclusion you arrived at? Why do you not enlighten me about that also?” said the queen, half sarcastic as she glared at her stepdaughter. She could not help wondering if her brother had been right and she should have spanked the princess way more than she had during her childhood.
“The prince of Chozha Nadu is a wimp,” declared the princess before getting up from her chair, not really bothered when the queen’s mouth fell wide open. “If you will please excuse me, Chinnamma? I need to spend some time alone. The events of the evening have been truly disturbing.”
“To you?” This time, the sarcasm was heavy and obvious in Naganandini’s voice.
“But of course I am disturbed, Chinnamma. How could I not be? Do you realise that Prince Vijayendra Chozhan’s is the first marriage proposal that I have received? Do you think I feel overjoyed that the only man who offered marriage to me is a coward through and through?” The princess let the queen see her anger for probably the first time in many years.
Queen Naganandini sat back in her chair, having lost her appetite completely. What were they all going to do now?
And now, the queen did not know where Adityan was. In but a few hours, it would be sunrise. Did the man not sleep at all?
She stepped back into her bedchamber and rang the bell for her maid, uncaring that it was the middle of the night. Seetha, who was sitting in the living area of the queen’s quarters, knocked on Naganandini’s bedchamber door before entering. “You called for me, Your Highness?” she asked.
“Ask Muthu to come here, immediately,” she ordered.
“Now, Your Highness?” asked Seetha pathetically. Where was she going to find the manservant at this hour?
“You heard me,” snarled Naganandini, glaring at the maid.
Seetha fled from the queen’s presence. Stepping outside Naganandini’s suite, she was relieved when her eyes fell on the guard stationed outside. It was a good thing that he was awake. But then, Perumal was well aware that it would cost him his job; maybe even his life, if he slept on guard duty outside the queen’s chamber. “Listen, Perumal, Her Highness wants you to find Muthu urgently,” she said, passing the responsibility to him.
“But I cannot leave my post,” he protested, fearing for his life.
“It was the queen who gave the orders. Why do you not give me your lance? I will stand guard here until you return.”
He laughed as if she had cracked a big joke. “You are going to guard the queen? First of all, find out if you can hold this heavy lance.” He handed it to the maid who let it drop, unable to take the weight of it in her slender hand. Perumal managed to catch it before it hit the ground. “Now do you see how difficult my job is?”
She pouted at him. “Do you want to make it more difficult by not following the queen’s direct orders?” she asked him sarcastically, her hands on her hips as she challenged him.
Leaning the lance against the wall, Perumal gave her a nod. “You stand here until I return with Muthu.”
“Good,” she approved, tilting her chin provocatively at him.
It was not long before he returned with Muthu.
Seetha took Muthu’s hand to drag him into the queen’s chamber. “Her Highness wants you to meet her urgently.”
Muthu, who had been sleeping deeply in his quarters, was wide awake by now, wondering what the queen wanted of him. Knocking on the queen’s bedchamber, he went inside when she ordered him to go in.
“Vanakkam Arasiyaare,” greeted Muthu, bowing low, down to his waist.
“You may go, Seetha,” said Naganandini before speaking rapidly to the manservant. “Do you remember Adityan, our guest?” Not waiting for his reply, she continued, “I want you to follow him and find out where he goes, both day and night. I want to know everything you can find out about him. Do you understand?”
Muthu stared at her in awe, wondering why the queen suddenly wanted to know everything about the warrior. After all, the man was not even royalty. But then, it was not on his part to give an opinion. “Yes, Your Highness!”
“I want you to start immediately. To begin with, Adityan is not in his suite of rooms just now. Find out where he is; even if he has gone outside the fort. If he has done that, I want to know when he returns. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Muthu nodded his head vigorously. “I will get to work immediately.”
“Good! Now go and send Seetha in.”
