The residents of the city of Thanjavur were naturally excited. The city wore a festive look. The Princess was coming. There was already a large crowd that was beginning to gather at the gates of the city to welcome the Princess. As much as the people loved Arulmozhi, they loved their Princess even more. Not a day passed, without someone mentioning the beauty or the mental acuity of the Princess.

When the Princess eventually appeared on the horizon, the doors of the fort flew open. A royal retinue from within the fort set out to welcome her. The royal retinue was led by the two Pazhuvettarayars seated atop elephants. Right behind the elephants was the beautiful palanquin that the readers are already familiar with. Behind the silken screens of the palanquin sat the beautiful Pazhuvoor Queen – Nandini.

The retinue stopped. Kundavai got down from the elephant. Nandini got out of the palanquin and went up to the Princess to welcome her. The Princess accepted the welcome with a smile. The citizens of the city took in the sight of the two most beautiful women in their kingdom, smile at each other. A roar went up in the crowds.

While the people of the city almost worshipped their Princess, there had been a bit of resentment towards Nandini from the beginning. But now, having seen her step out to welcome the Princess, the crowds were very pleased. What the crowds did not hear was the stinging conversation between the two ladies.

“Devi! Welcome. We are blessed to have you visit us. We were worried that you might have forgotten about us.”

“Hmm. I was wondering if you had forgotten about me, since you have not visited Pazhayarai either.”

“Moths are naturally attracted to beautiful flowers. People will come to Pazhayarai. But who will come to this ugly Thanjavur city?”

“How can you call this beautiful city ugly? I thought that the city has power and wealth imprisoned within it?”

“That is what I have heard as well. I hear that the Chakravarthy is imprisoned here. But then, you are here now, to save him.”

One could see sparks of fire in Nandini’s eyes when she said these words.

Kundavai laughed sarcastically. “I was not thinking about the Emperor. No man on this earth can imprison Emperor Sundara Chozhan. I was thinking about the beautiful Nandini Devi.”

“Please tell this when my lord is around. He does seem to keep me as though I am in prison. If you can put in a word…”

“What is my word worth here? Also, the prison that you are imprisoned in is the prison of love, and that too, the prison of love of an older man. There is nothing that I can do.”

There was a minor commotion in the crowd near where they were standing. One of the ladies came forward and mentioned that they wanted access to come to the fort during the nine nights of Navarathri. They complained about the strict rules of entry into the fort.

“Rani Nandini, can you not talk to your husband or your brother-in-law, and get permission for these people? Surely, these ladies cannot be a cause for security concern. The Pazhuvettarayar brothers have such control all the way up to the shores of this kingdom.”

“Devi, why do you limit it by the shores? You will soon see that it extends far beyond the shores too.” Kundavai wondered what this evil lady meant.

Meanwhile, Nandini had walked up to the Periya Pazhuvettarayar and communicated the Princess’ wish of letting the women into the fort for the festival.

“Ah. Would anyone object to the wishes of the Princess?” All of them now turned back and went into the fort.

Navarathri was celebrated with gaiety in Thanjavur. The ceremonies were held on a grand scale. The two beautiful ladies joined in the festivities. While the public were regaled by the presence of these two ladies, sparks flew between them in every fiery conversation. Sarcasm and blatant hate became the norm of every dialogue. They resembled two venomous snakes fighting each other.

If there was one person who was affected by all of this, it was the Kodumbalur princess, Vanathi. Kundavai did not have enough time for her. Vanathi sought out a world of her own, and lived in her own solitary thoughts.