Ponniyin Selvan-Untold

Dearest | Arulmozhi-Vanathi

Arulmozhi was carrying Vanathi to a stone mandapam right in middle of a milk-white pond.

She had fainted, yet a faint smile was visible on her soft lips.

The mandapam was inaccessible and didn't have a bridge, yet the young prince didn't seem to mind. He just walked on the pond, ignoring the laws of physics.

Inside the mandapam was a lounge-bed. He gently placed her on it and sat near her feet. He started massaging her legs while she was peacefully asleep.

"My dearest Kunjaramalli..." He whispered. Her smile grew slightly wider.

"How I wish I spent all my time with you."

His palms resplendent with the Sankam and the Chakaram stopped the massage.

"But I can't."

He sighed.

"So let's just make all the time we spend together special. You've passed out now, but that's okay."

Something in Vanathi's mind told her to wake up that instant.

And so she did.

•••

It wasn't even midnight yet. She had snapped out from her sleep.

"So it was a dream..." She said to herself. Obviously she wouldn't have let Varman touch her feet.

Only one lamp glowed in the room. She wasn't able to have a clear view of her environs.

"I better go back to sleep." As she thought so, the loud 'Thump!' of some metal object resounded around her room.

"Who's there?" Vanathi asked startled. No reply.

She grabbed a brass elephant lamp and walked carefully into the dark corner of her room. "I am from the brave Kodumbaloor clan. Do not think of me to be a coward." She mustered all her courage.

"Oh it's just the Kodumbaloor princess." A figure said emerging from behind the pillar. Vanathi dropped the lamp.

"Ilavarasare?"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to barge into your room!" He apologized frantically. Vanathi started to light a few other lamps. Now they could see each other clearly.

His hair was messy and he was in his night clothes. Nevertheless, he looked just as handsome as ever. A bewitching smile played on his lips.

"It's fine." She said and turned to pick up the lamp. As she arose, a pair of strong arms hugged her from behind.

"You thought I'd say that?" He said, burying his face in her hair, which was let loose.

"Wha- what are you doing? Someone-"

"Someone might see us? The whole palace is asleep."

Vanathi stopped panicking after he said that. For some reason, that thought did not occur to her.

"Am I disturbing you?" He asked, his breath feeling hot against her skin.

"No..."

"Very well then." He said and released her.

"Why did stop hugging me?"

He laughed.

"You were shaking. I didn't want you to faint."

"I see...Wait. What would've you done if I was asleep?"

"I would've admired those petal like eyes closed and your honey-like face."

"Well you're rather poetic today."

"Tamizh is a beautiful language." He shrugged.

Arulmozhi plopped down on the bed. "Can I stay for some more time?"

"Stay forever."

He suddenly rose up and hugged her tight."Why does my ilavarasan want to embrace me so many times?" She mused.

"Sometimes, I feel like I want a hug. It's been too long since I had one, and why does one need a reason to embrace his loved one? Besides, we're trapped. The guards might've woken up, who knows? So I'm kind of stuck here." He said rather casually.

"The guards were asleep?" Her eyes widened.

"How else do you think I snuck in? Through the balcony?" He joked.

They chuckled and broke the hug.

"So...what shall we do?"

"I know." Smiled Kunjaramalli, looking at a empty wall.

•••

"Are you sure that this is a good idea?", Arulmozhi asked, moving a small stool to the other side of the room.

"Yes! I've been thinking about it for ages. And besides, when I was allotted this room they did tell me to customize it however I liked." Vanathi replied, mixing the last small bowl of paint.

He dipped a finger in the yellow paint and looked at the wall, still feeling uncertain.

"We'll just draw a woman and her child. Like, the woman is carrying the child on her hip and is pointing at...this window, so that when the moon comes at a certain angle it will look as if she's pointing at the moon." She sounded enthusiastic.

Arulmozhi felt more at ease after sensing her contagious excitement. He started to paint with his finger.

Minutes turned into hours as they worked on it together.

"My contribution doesn't look that great...I really like this idea, but I'm not that good at painting."

"Same here. The parts I painted look even worse honestly. The mother's hands are too chunky."

"It's kind of imperfect. Oh, I didn't mean to offend you!"

"It's imperfections make it more perfect. It's something we made together, Malli."

She smiled.

"Ilavarasare, can you please lift me up. I just have to paint the top of Amma's head." She asked.

He lifted her rather effortlessly. She quickly started to paint.

"It will be morning in a few Nazhigais I guess." He said, looking at the window.

"...And done! It won't look horrible from afar."

He placed her down. The two sat down on her bed and started to admire the mural they made all by themselves in a few hours.

Arulmozhi put a arm around his dearest. She rest her head on his shoulder.

"Don't leave, please."

"I will look after you even after I die, Vanathi."

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(A/N): Kunjaramalli (குஞ்சரமல்லி) is Vanathi's original name.

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