Karikalan: Saviour of the Cholas

Chapter 26: The Taste of Freedom

Mara was waiting for Irungovel outside the dungeon. "Is he dead already, Your Majesty?", he asked, a hopeful smile on his face. "That was quick!"

Irungovel shook his head. "Not quite. I couldn't stomach watching him die so I left before it could happen." He shot a look behind him. "I shouldn't be surprised if... it is already happening even as we speak."

Mara looked at him with barely concealed shock. "Is this some sort of a joke, My Lord?", he asked hesitantly. "Did you just say that you couldn't stomach it?"

Irungovel spread his hands, frustrated. "What can I say! Call me foolish, but I simply couldn't stand there and just watch him die! I killed his parents without a second thought but... but I couldn't do this! What kind of foolery is that?" He stared at Mara. "Do you think I've gone soft?"

Mara shook his head. "It is maybe because you think of him like your own son as you said so yourself", he stated. Irungovel raised a brow. Mara elaborated. "You may be ready to kill him because he is like your son but not your son, but that doesn't mean that you don't think him close enough. There is also the fact that he talks like you now." Mara grinned. "Soft? You?" He scoffed. "Never." Irungovel was looking at him, stupefied. Mara frowned. "Wait, did that even make sense?"

Irungovel patted his shoulder, still looking at him wide-eyed. "Believe it or not, Mara, but that did make sense. A lot. When did you become so insightful?"

Mara blinked. "Uh, thanks?" His brows furrowed. "Or was that a joke?"

Irungovel laughed. "There he is. Never mind, Mara. The moment passed. Let's go."

They walked towards the Palace, navigating their way with the help of the moonlight alone as they didn't want to hold fire torches and risk attention.

Midway, Mara turned to Irungovel. "How is he to be killed, My Lord? Is he to be stabbed or something?"

Irungovel shook his head. "No. It is the same as what we planned for Ilamchetchenni."

Mara looked stunned. He then crinkled his nose. "That's so-"

"Not creative? Yes. So I've been told."

"I was going to say unoriginal since we had already exhausted the idea."

Irungovel shrugged. "I chose it for three reasons. One, it's tested and proved effective. Two, it's easy, and well, I guess there are only two."

Mara opened and closed his mouth a few times before he spoke. "But, what about the other prisoners?"

Irungovel looked confused. "What of them?"

Mara stopped in his tracks and shot him an incredulous look. "Lord, in the Palace, we set fire because there were no other chambers around!"

Irungovel stopped as well, still appearing perplexed. "So?"

"So? It is not the case here and the fire could spread and other prisoners may die! We need to evacuate them!"

Irungovel gasped dramatically, a hand flying over to his chest. "Oh no, Mara! The prisoners are going to die and we need to go save them!!" He rolled his eyes. "Stop acting as though you grew a conscience, boy. I don't even care about innocent lives. Do you think these crooked criminals stand a chance? Their deaths would make it appear more natural so let it be." He shrugged. "Wrongdoers deserve to die and I know exactly how ironical I sound. I don't care about that either."

Mara bit his lip. "When you put it that way..."

Irungovel winked. "I do put it that way. Now let's go before the mosquitoes eat us alive like a certain man who is now dead told me once!"