'Respect is one of the greatest expressions of love.'
Iniyal had a huge amount of guilt in her heart when she lost her husband in her arms. His lost words still rang in her head.
'There was no one in my life except you, Iniya'
She punished him for a long time. He left them so soon. Her pillows know the trails of tears she left. She was not even allowed to wail and weep for her husband. She lost all the time she could have talked to him. She believed he would live with her forever. She never realised by pushing him away she was pushing him away from this world. Guilt killed her immensely. She wanted to leave the world he was no longer part of.
However, the country was in chaos and her son was young. She wanted to protect everything Satyadev built. Her responsibilities weighed huge on her shoulders.
She stood in front of that door in A country with so many memories flashing before her eyes. A teenager opened the door for her.
He bowed in front of her when she looked at him.
He called her, 'Your highness, Queen Mother'
Iniyal was shocked to see his face. His face resembled her husband's. She touched his head.
Ramdev: Please enter this humble servant's abode.
Iniyal: Ram, please... You're a Crown Prince.
Ramdev: After whatever my mother and her family did to your family, I don't think I deserve the title, your highness.
Iniyal: You just talk like your father. He used to be like you. Wisdom beyond his age. Understanding beyond his age.
Mahadev turned out to be the way he was when he became a ruler. But you resemble his highness in his youth.
Ramdev: Your highness loved his highness dearly.
She smiled at his words and hid the way it hurt her inside.
Coughs heard from inside and Ram excused himself as he entered the room next to the living area. Iniyal looked around the house. It was simple and well-maintained.
She also entered the room when he didn't come out for sometime.
She got shocked when she found him helping Sena to her bed. His mother was just thirty eight. But she looked much older. Iniyal came closer to the bed.
Iniyal: Sena, what happened?
Ramdev: Mom had a stroke when she got to know about father. She lost her ability to move and speak.
Iniyal: She loved him truly.
Ramdev: Her love destroyed three of your lives.
My father is no longer in this world. She is counting her days and you're ruling a country against all the hawks that are trying to overthrow you.
I'm sorry, your highness if I had crossed my line.
Iniyal: Never mind, child. Your life also got spoiled and I was one of the reasons. I want to correct everything. Everything that was part of him.
Tell me something. How do you know all these things??
Ramdev: All her life, Mom used to tell me the same story. She entered your life forcefully, wreaked an havoc and destroyed everything with her own hands because of her naivity.
Iniyal: She was young. We were young. We didn't know better.
Adhellam pogattum. I want you to come back to Z country. You can ascend the throne. You're the crown prince.
Ram smiled at her offer.
Ramdev: I'm an illegitimate son, Queen mother.
Iniyal: I'll say you're Mahadev's twin kept away from the media's eyes.
Ramdev: That shows your benevolence. However, I'm not willing to take my brother's throne, Queen mother.
Iniyal: Dev isn't fond of throne.
Ramdev: He should be. Because our father gave his word.
My father didn't give me the position not because of my illegitimacy but because of my mother's deeds.
He just gave me only one order and I want to follow it for all my life, Queen mother.
I and my lineage will never wish for the throne. That's my word to you.
He notarized and gave her a copy of the document from his lawyer.
Ramdev: Epdi indha copy eh ready ah vechirukken nu paakuringala?
I prepared this when I learnt of father's death. Ennale andha crown Kum throne kum endha issue um Vara koodadhu.
Iniyal had tears in her eyes. He reminded her of her husband. She hugged him as a tear escaped her eyes.
Iniyal: Sena raised you properly.
Ramdev: She always reminded me that you were the reason I lived. If not for you, I would have been dead.
Iniyal: Don't talk like that. Your father would have liked you. He just despised what your mother did.
Ramdev: I would have done the same thing if I was in his place.
Iniyal: You don't deserve this, Ram. Unaku enna veanum nu sollu Ram. I'll do anything.
Ramdev: I want to study, Queen mother. With my mother in bed, I had to drop off college. Please help me back to college.
She sent him to college and arranged staffs to take care of Sena. She always kept in touch with Ramdev.
Mahadev ascended the throne back in the country.
At forty years of age, Sena left the world. Ram lost his only relative. Iniyal stood by him and helped him with the funeral ceremony.
She was an Empress dowager. With her came paparazzi. Ram asked her to stop meeting him in A country. He soon got married to Latha in A country and informed Iniyal of the news.
She was delighted to know that her other son started family. Madhana got married to Mahadev in the Z country.
However, her happiness short-lived as her son, Ramdev, got killed. She reached A country to find Ram surrounded by his wife with a kid in her arms and two men around her.
That man yelled 'She was the one who killed your husband'
Iniyal later came to know that old man was Ambrose accompanied by his son, Dikshan.
Latha believed in their words. Iniyal had no proof to prove her. She didn't want to reveal the documents she had as that might put Latha and her kid's lives in danger.
She learnt that someone stabbed her son, Ram, to death in an alleyway.
Her husband's resemblance left the world just like her husband. She became rigid when she returned. She never told anyone about her pain and wounds. Latha hurt her whenever she got a chance by Ambrose and Dikshan's insinuations.
Iniyal of younger years became a rigid Empress dowager who ruled the country with an iron fist until her son became an age to rule.
Her smile returned the day Madhana gave birth to Aditya. The spitting image of her husband.
With him, her faith returned.
Rajeev was raised by Latha with all the false information fed by Ambrose and Dikshan in A country. They provided her enough money. Ambrose passed away in a few years. Dikshan became king and helped Rajeev to build a business.
He helped him whenever Rajeev failed on something. Rajeev was never told about the connection between him and L country. They worked through so many channels which made it impossible to learn their connection.
Dikshan always posed as his benefactor. Rajeev did everything against Z country that helped L country and his king.
He never realised that they were the ones who destroyed his grandmother and killed his father. He resented Iniyal and her family as he thought that they were the ones who killed his father.
After revealing all the truth, Adi looked into Rajeev's eyes...
Adi: You were always a puppet to them. You're helping someone who killed your father.
#Author's note: Thank you for reading upto this portion. I'm working on the remaining and will post them during next weekend. If I get time, I'll post in the interim. Happy Monday and have a great week ahead, folks!