Prince Aditya sat in solitude, staring at the raging river that reflected his own agitated mind. The inner strife he experienced paled compared to the grave wounds on his war-torn body.

Pounding his fist on the sandy shore, he gazed at the idol of Lord Shiva that the locals had installed in the shade of an adjacent tree. “Where on earth did they hide him? How will I fulfill my vow and do my duty?” He lamented, recollecting his recent turn of events.

Not too long ago, he had trounced the army of the neighboring Pandya Kingdom and captured their land. That monarchy had dared to launch an attack on the mighty Choḻa Empire, and Aditya had wiped them off the map. Still, the battle was far from over.

His nemesis, the Pandya King Veera, had vanished for the second time. Aditya, the Choḻa Crown Prince, was under oath to end that slippery eel.

The Crown Prince shook his head, astounded that he had let the Pandya ruler’s bodyguards rescue their injured king. Dejected and uncertain of his next steps, Aditya stood up groggily and dragged himself toward his military base.

Unawares, a voice startled him out of his thoughts. “From here, you can see the temple of Lord Vishnu7. Go to the cottage next to it. You will not be disappointed,” it directed.

“Who is talking?” Aditya growled, shattering the quiet around. He searched in the direction of the voice but found nobody there. “God! Have I started hallucinating? Am I losing my mind?” He grumbled, scrutinizing his surrounding.

Suddenly, his eyes spotted the tracks of a lone horse on the shore. Wondering how he had overlooked it, the Crown Prince began following it. Those led him to the same charming cottage next to the Vishnu temple.

Walking like a cat, Aditya snuck through the entryway and crossed the lush green yard. Standing before the serene home, he gently pushed the main door. Left ajar, the door opened effortlessly, and he peered inside.

A dazzling woman sat on a cot. Her saintly clothes of yellow and white enhanced her unearthly radiance. The Crown Prince was stunned to see a known face from his past.

“Aditya!” The woman shrieked, shocked by her unsolicited visitor. “You scared me!”

“Sorry… I’m sorry to disturb you. Do you live here?”

“Yes. I serve Lord Vishnu,” she said, still dazed from the shock, pointing towards the Vishnu temple.

Unwilling to cause any further trouble, Aditya bid her goodbye. He closed the front door and smiled at finding her by chance. Feeling light at heart, he started exiting her home.

At that moment, the purpose of his visit came back to him. He returned to the cottage with renewed vigor, searching for King Veera. “Who else resides in this house with you?” he questioned the frightened woman.

“Just an elderly person. He is sleeping. Please don’t disturb him,” the woman requested. Her breathing became rapid, yet she spoke softly.

Respecting her words, Aditya walked out and closed the door behind him. Nevertheless, suspicion had crept into his mind. He peered through a window, and his worst fear came true. That woman was assisting King Veera. Her face glowed with love, and Aditya burned in a fury.

Kicking open the front door, he stormed inside like a hurricane. Confronting the woman, he gave her an intense stare. He turned his back on her and raised his sword to slay his foe.

Preventing the Crown Prince from moving ahead, the woman rushed forward and kneeled in front of him. With sorrowful eyes, she looked up at his face. Pressing her palms together, she shed tears. “He is fighting for his life. Please don’t murder him now,” she pleaded.

Aditya moved a step back from her. “What are you doing with King Veera? Who is he to you?” The Crown Prince roared, then writhed.

“He is my beloved. My God,” she replied, her voice quivering in terror.

Her love for the Pandya king inflamed Aditya’s temper and sapped his compassion. He shoved her aside mercilessly. Becoming iron-hearted, he brandished his sword. With one mighty swish, the Choḻa Crown Prince beheaded the barely alive King Veera.

The woman screamed and buried her face in her hands. Distressed, she collapsed to the floor and broke into a violent sob. She abruptly stopped crying and stared at him with eyes that spewed fire.

Stepping out of the cottage, Aditya glared at her. He had fulfilled his oath and served his empire, but his association with the woman had ended. Forever.

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That’s the first chapter of my book, The King of Kings: An Abridged Retelling of Ponniyin Selvan. The book is available for you to read on Amazon Kindle Unlimited. Links to buy:

• Amazon. com
• Amazon.in

Love,
Sri Devi Om