Ponnan searched the empty pavilion multiple times. He could not fathom how his king could have disappeared. He even started wondering if he had imagined the whole sequence of events since he saw Vikraman cross the wild river. The cartman and the physician started pestering him. He paid them off with a gold coin from his emergency stash.
He wondered if Vikraman might have walked away in delirium. The
thought induced panic. He started running back and forth between the river and
the pavilion, hoping against reason as he peeked into the pavilion every time.
In his agitated state, he searched the makeshift hay bed repeatedly and made a
few trips down the road to Uraiyur, only to return to pavilion to resume his
search.
On one such trip, he saw a figure disappear behind a tree. The
figure appeared to be that of a dwarf. He recalled the two men he saw in Kolli
Hills and concluded that Vikraman had been captured by the members of the cult
of human sacrifice. This thought distressed and angered him. He approached the
tree and got hold of the dwarf, who had not realized that Ponnan had
discovered his presence. He shook the dwarf.
The dwarf recovered his poise and asked, “Why are you so angry?”
“Where is the king?”, cried Ponnan.
“King? What king?”
Ponnan realized his mistake, bit his tongue, and asked, “Where is
the man who was lying in that pavilion?”
The dwarf took off his waistband, pretended to check it, and said,
“I had hidden him here. He seems to have vanished!”.
Ponnan had no patience for this banter. He raised his hand to slap
the dwarf. If he had landed a blow with his muscular hands, the dwarf might have
been in trouble. As it happened, the dwarf skillfully wriggled out of Ponnan’s
grip and ran away.
Furious, Ponnan ran around, searching the wooded area. It was
getting dark, and he could not see beyond ten feet. After a while, Ponnan was
frustrated, and was turning around to get back to the pavilion. He heard a
sound like the hoot of an owl, looked up and saw the form of a dwarf on the
tree.
Just as Ponnan was considering uprooting the tree, the dwarf said,
“You fool! You think you can harm the devotee of mother Kali?”
An idea was forming in Ponnan’s head. Just as he was polishing it,
the dwarf continued, “Hey ruffian! Do you want to join the league of Kali
devotees? All your troubles will vanish!”
Ponnan laughed out aloud. “You are asking me to join the
league of Kali devotees?”
“Such irreverence! You will incur the wrath of Kali!”
“You misunderstand me. I was implying that I am already in the
league. But I could not execute the orders that Kapala Bhairavar gave me. How
am I going to face him?”
Surprised, the dwarf asked, “What sort of orders?”
“Last night he met me here. He commanded me to bring the man in
the pavilion to the Kolli hills. I failed in the mission”, said Ponnan in a concerned
voice.
“You should have told me this sooner! The emperor’s son and
daughter were traveling by this road. They stopped by that pavilion. They got a
man on a palanquin and took him away. I didn’t recognize the man. Do you know
who he is?”
Ponnan had stopped listening. He recalled having seen the royal
entourage on his way. He had hidden behind the cart to avoid being recognized
by Kundavi. He had not paid attention to the palanquin. It all fit. The dwarf
might be right!
The dwarf asked, “Why have you fallen silent?”
Ponnan said, “I’m debating how to sacrifice you to Kali!”. He
picked up a rock and threw it at the dwarf.
The dwarf made the eerie sound that he had made when Vikraman had
brandished his sword. The noise made Ponnan’s hair stand on end. He fled the
spot and ran towards the road to Uraiyur.
He reached a town called Parantakpuram, which was about
fifteen kilometers from the pavilion. It was three hours after sunset when he
arrived at the town. He saw that the town was all aglow with torches. He could
hear celebratory musical instruments as well. When he enquired as to the
reason, he was told that the prince and princess had camped just outside the
town for the night. The residents were holding a reception at the temple in
honor of the visitors.
Ponnan hurried to the campground where the prince and princess
would be camping, with the intention of completing his investigations before
the festivities at the temple ended. As Mahendran and Kundavi were at the
temple, not many members of the royal entourage were at the camp site. A few
men stood guard at the site. Servants and maids were furnishing the tents.
Ponnan was standing near a tall hedge at the periphery of the ground. He could
hear two maids gossip.
“Maragatham, do you know why we camped here? Were we not planning
to camp at Thiruvennai Nallur tonight?”, asked one of the maids.
“The royal physician advised against carrying the patient too far.
The early stop is for the patient’s rest.”
“Who is this important man? All this fuss for a single patient?”
“He is a gem merchant from Senbaga island. They say his name is
Devasenan. I heard that he met our princess at the streets of Mamallapuram. He
was on his way to meet his mother, who lives in Uraiyur. Our princess saw him
lie alone and unconscious in a traveler’s pavilion and decided to take him along
with her to Uraiyur.”
“Maragatham, there is something fishy in this story!”
“Fishy?”
“Why would a stranger receive this kind of royal treatment?”
“What a disrespectful thing to say!”
“Yes, could he not have been treated in this town? What’s the need
to get him on a palanquin all the way to Uraiyur with the royal party?”
“Thangam, there is a reason. But it’s confidential!”
“Ok, be that way. Don’t tell me. I won’t talk to you either!”
“No need to get upset. I will tell you. But come a bit closer.”
“Go on!”
“The prince of Uraiyur is also in Senbaga Island. As you know, our
princess saw him first at the streets of Kanchi. She pleaded with the Emperor
to pardon the prince. The princess wants to find out more about the Uraiyur
prince. That is why she insists on taking this man along with her.”
“So, he is going to stay at the spring palace as well?”
“Yes.”
“Maragatham, have you seen that gem trader?”
“I give him his medicines. How could I do that without seeing
him?”
“I hear he is young?”
“Yes, so?”
“I also heard that he is handsome!”
“So what?”
“I don’t like the sound of all this. Why would our lady keep such
a man near…”
“Watch what you say! I will burn your tongue if you speak ill of
the princess!”
“When did I speak ill of the princess?”
“You just started saying something.”
“I was not casting aspersions on our princess. I was just asking
why she would ask someone like you to give him medicine. He is handsome, and
you are crafty. I’m worried that you might give him…. Ouch!”
The conversation faded as the maids seemed to move away.
Ponnan had listened carefully. He felt a sense of elation that he
had not felt in a long time. He walked farther along the hedge until he saw a
tent that was well lit, with movement of people. He peeked through the hedge.
He could see Vikraman on a bed. The physician was feeling his pulse.
After watching the scene for a while, he turned around and started walking
Parthban Kanavu: The Tamil version of the novel is in the public domain. Copyright for the translation is reserved by the translator..
Art by Sujatha, unless otherwise credited.
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