Sikva, capital city of Kavish

The view from the Aker tower offered a perspective only distance could provide. Carts and carriages moved about carrying people and goods to their destinations, indicating a smooth transportation system in the city. Markets and stalls were crowded as always showing remarkable progress of economic just as their ministers reported in the meeting.

Everything in the city that falls under his control had been ceaseless with no interruption yet something troubled him. Something to do with his sister, her silence and the story she told him. The story. It disturbed him the most, the story did not seem to be a story written by their Achi rather a made up one. Connecting the dots, he could only come up with one thing and that did not sound good to him in any way.

A light slap on the back of his shoulders broke his train of thoughts. Parthiban turns to find his younger brother standing with a big grin and two glasses of sherbet in each of his hands.

"What's troubling my brother?" Nathan asked, handing a glass to Parthiban as the younger one leaned against the sill.

"A matter that might trouble you too," he winked and continued. "It's about Nakshathra." Parthiban took a sip of the sherbet. He looked around, this could be the best place and time to share with his brother on what was going on in his head. Sharing with either Nathan or Nakul would help him ease a little.

"Is this how you call someone to have a talk, Nathan?" a third voice boomed from the staircase and Nakul walked in unusually with a similar glass. "Leaving a glass of sherbet outside of my chamber with a note, 'meet me in Aker tower?" asked the eldest brother as he playfully threw a crunched note at Nathan.

"Trying to make things livelier, anna. See, the note got you curious and brought you here in no time." Nathan gave a lopsided grin and added, "Well, the reason I called you here is Parthi."

"Me?"

"Yes, look at you. You are a growing to be the second version of Nakshathra now. Quiet and lost," answered Nathan as he dramatically moved his hand in the air and turned to Nakul. "You noticed this too, right?"

The older brother nodded in agreement. "Yes, I did. Tell us Parthi. What is disturbing you?"

Parthiban looked around once again, making sure no guards stay close to them. Satisfied, he shared what was troubling him for past few days. "I have been thinking about Nakshathra. Remember when we were in Mount Gaja and she spoke about how the people were sad for their losses?" her asked.

The brothers nodded. "What about it?" Nakul's brows narrowed.

"I think that had to be the starting point."

"Starting point of what?" Interrupted Nathan.

"I am coming to the that, Nathu. From the moment we left Mount Gaja till we returned to palace and a few days after, she was quiet and confined in her room. Everyone noticed her change, even father grew concern of her. So, I spoke to her and she kind of covered up with some made up story. I don't think such story exist in Achi's library, though," Parthiban explained as they observed the city's activity from the tower.

"What was the story about?" asked Nakul, pulling his falling shawl over his shoulder.

Parthiban disclosed about the story Nakshathra had narrated to him and he raised his concern of it possibly not being just a story. "She asked me, what I think about it and when I talked about the marriage alliance might have hidden agenda. Her face turned pale."

"I don't get it. Why should she worry about a story Achi written long back?" asked Nathan as he emptied the glass of sherbet.

"I'll help you clear the doubt," said Parthiban and elaborated, "Let's replace the two families with two kingdoms." He paused and let it sink in them. "Now, say if the story is actually taking place in real time. One of the two kingdoms would be us and the other, Durja. It's obvious because the entire Lambodara knows we are the only kingdoms that don't go along. So, there might be someone or a group of people who wants to genuinely put off the enmity or have some other intention behind it and could have put the thought to Nakshathra. I think you both could have guessed it and I don't think I like what is going on in Nakshathra's head."

"You mean to say, she wants to settle the dispute by giving herself to Durja into marriage?" Nakul muttered and leaned forward placing his elbows on the parapet. A small quarrel between a vendor and buyer caught his eyes. "It doesn't tickle my fancy either," he said after a long pause.

"Why would she want to do that? The choice of marriage never came to her mind before. All she wanted was to declare war for the injustice they had caused us. This is strange," wondered Nathan.

"And when I think about what I told to Nakshathra on the possibilities of the marriage going wrong. . .," Parthiban shuddered imagining the event coming true. He saw his brothers' growing concern for their sister just like him.

But that was not all, he had another piece of news he wanted to share, he waited till his brothers unwind themselves before he gives it out. Parthiban walked back and forth covering a short length. Anxious, he kept rubbing his moist palm, things in the palace have been growing intense especially for their sister.

Taking in a deep breath, he blurted. "I have one more thing to share, it's about Nakshathra again. Ahalya told me the other day that, father wants to give off Nakshathra's hand in marriage to the crown prince of Pareen, prince Abhimanyu." Parthiban gasped for air as he spoke in a breath. Matters as such gives him stress and keeping it in him way too long has been quite difficult for him lately.

"What?!" his brothers burst in unison.

"That. That Abhimanyu?" exclaimed Nathan. "I don't like it. I don't like it. No news regarding Nakshathra is pleasing to the ears," he pointed to his ears angrily.

"I can't weigh which of the two is considerable." The older brother shook his head. The marriage matter of their youngest sister had become a headache they did not anticipate. Nakul wasn't ready to give his sister off to any of the two princes mentioned by Parthiban. The matter of Durja's crown prince could somehow be controlled but to stop the talk with Pareen meant he would have to go against the king's words. Nakul pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Anna, you should talk to appa. We all know Abhimanyu isn't suitable for Nakshathra, the reason is not something we don't know. Although he is my wife's brother, I can't see him as Nakshathra's husband," said Parthiban, dropping the heavy responsibility on Nakul's shoulders. No doubt Nakul is their father's favourite yet asking the king to withdraw his words given to the king of Pareen would raise question of their father's pride. He will have to be careful when he opens up about the Nakshathra's marriage to his father.

A palace guard greeted the princes and announced that the king wishes to see them immediately. Nathan guessed it would be about Prince Abhimanyu and Nakshathra however, Nakul suggested not to expect their father to talk about it.

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Ilyadari

The only non-nature sound rang in the forest were the crunches of twigs and crackles of fallen leaves under the footsteps of four Durja knights. They were heading towards the settlement of the Parigosh tribe in the forest led by a young villager. Advancing deeper into the forest, stench of bad odour filled their nostrils.

"How far is the settlement? The smell is unbearable," asked one of the guards holding his breath.

"It's close by, we should be reaching in some time," replied the villager. Hint of fear hovered over him as they moved closer to the tribe's camp wondering how the tribals would react to their unannounced presence.

Dhruva and Megavannan remained attentive of their surroundings, scanning around and above the huge and tall trees for spies or for incoming surprise attacks while ignoring the rotten smell. Amidst the gushes of water stream, distant sound of human interaction fell on their ears. Each one cautiously stepped on forward towards their destination.

As mellow their footfalls were, as swiftly an arrow hit the ground a few feet away halting them on their track. The mighty valorous warriors stood rooted and waited. Men dressed in what looked like animal furs with spears and axes in their hands marched in their direction with immense aggression. "The Parigosh tribe warriors," the villager whispered.

"Stay put. Do not rush to defend. Swords should remain sheathed." Dhruva instructed while he maintained his calm composure against the threatening tribe.

Dhruva had only one intention to come to their place, to make peace and without causing damages and bloodshed. Although the mayor of Ilyadari and other brigadier suggested they declare war against the tribe, he found no reason to do so knowing the native would want nothing more than a peaceful life. He would find out why the peace-loving tribe chose violence once he encounters them but first, he needed them to trust him.

The leader of the tribe in charge of the tribal troop slowed down on noticing no advancement from the opposite side. Surprised at the nature of the young warrior in comparison to the other representatives of Ilyadari, the leader stopped his troop. He watched as the young warrior whispered to one of the guards behind him before sending him off to their side.

"Greetings to the tribal leader. The Yuvaraja of Durja, Prince Dhruva Vinayakam would like to have a peace talk instead of battle. If you permit, allow us to settle the dispute without bloodshed," informed the guard.

The leader had his gaze on the crown prince while the guard passed the message. He took note of the calmness and serenity emitting from Dhruva and it was enough to convince the chief that there will be no attacks from the prince. The leader who called himself as Meiyappan, sent his message through the guard to follow them to their camp and would have their conversation there among his tribes. The leader also assured to maintain peace and will not attack Dhruva and his guards unless provoked.

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"Yuvaraja, I would like to show you something before we proceed. Please follow me." Meiyappan guided the prince and his companions to a place further into the jungle where the bad odour grew stronger.

"Meiyappan, what's this odour lingering in the forest?" asked Megavannan as an attempt to make conversation and to genuinely know the reason. It has been a question they all wanted to ask.

"Great warrior, you shall find out soon. I might need to warn you, it may smell fusty as we go in," cautioned Meiyappan as he held up a long tree branch crossing their path to allow his visitors to pass through.

Meiyappan only smiled and shook his head in negation when one of the guards asked, "Has there been a massacre or were human bodies left to decompose without burial or cremation?" Meiyappan took a glance of the crown prince, impressed on how the crown prince did not show any sign of disgust. He presumes that the crown prince not only well mannered but also respects ones living place no matter how bad it may look. Meiyappan hoped his analysation on the crown prince would not go wrong that the crown prince of Durja might shed some light into their lives.

When they reached to the place Meiyappan brought them, they were speechless and shocked. Before them stood a mountain of trashes accumulated from perhaps the entire Durja. Rotten food scraps were piled up with files flying over it, worms wriggle through the spoiled vegetables, crows and rats digging in and monkeys rampaging the piles. The sight had to be the most awful sight Dhruva had ever seen in his life and the stench got so unbearable, he ended up throwing up. He wasn't the only one, his companions including Meiyappan were seen doing the same each behind a tree. Meiyappan however, gathered himself in a swift and ushered them away from there as quick as he could.

Meiyappan fell on his knees before Dhruva seeking forgiveness for causing them to go to the awful site. He also handed a bag of water to the prince.

"My apologies, Yuvaraja. But I had to show you the condition of the jungle caused by your people so you could understand our anger. I'll explain to you further."

"Please, don't. You are older to me," said Dhruva and helped the tribal leader up on his foot with a comforting smile assuring Meiyappan to ease up. "I understand and I'll do better if you could tell me what happened."

"Those waste you saw are not ours but yours, Yuvaraja. Those are the waste generated by people of Durja and that is the evidence of how well Durja's municipal of waste management have done their work. You have destroyed our forest, our place of living. Our air is polluted terribly, children are falling sick. Our waterways are contaminated too," complained Meiyappan. They had reached the camp and the Parigosh tribe stood around them witnessing the discussion. "They could have buried the waste to let it compost but no. Even that they did not do!"

"When we complaint to the mayor of Ilyadari, we were humiliated and chased out. They put the blame on us for polluting the forest and streams. Your people have disturbed our peaceful livelihood, blamed us for the damage they did. In return, we rampaged the village to show our anger. We kidnapped your guards and officials so they would know how bad it is to live in such condition," added another man named, Raayappan.

Dhruva was dumbstruck as he perceived the domestic happenings of his land. He was ashamed to think they have the perfect system of maintenance in Durja. Those working for the kingdom have been clever in covering up and in fact swindled the money provided for maintenance for themselves. "This is embarrassing. How could they?" infuriated Dhruva and rose on his feet, he headed to a smaller camp where a few Durja guards and officials were tied up.

'This is injustice, we have caused them more trouble than what they have done to us. What the officers have done to the people who came to seek justice was wrong. There is no way we can imprison any of the Parigosh tribe. I will handle this my way.' Determined Dhruva scanned the camp and took note of each face that troubled the natives.

"Mama, send a message to the palace that these officers and guards are sacked. They will now join the waste management team. These people will be responsible of cleaning the forest," ordered Dhruva and turned to Meiyappan.

Impressed with Dhruva's swift management and a resolving their problem, Meiyappan was glad he did not let his anger do the talk. The thought had him question if Dhruva had already been informed about the matter and that he had come with a solution beforehand. However, before more questions could steam up in his head, the crown prince came to him.

"I know this arrangement isn't enough. Please tell me what else could I do to fix this issue?" he asked, the tribals' innocent and hopeful eyes were on him.

Meiyappan observed their settlement and his tribe. He had sick children, elders who were suffering from an unknown disease caused by dirty water and air. "We are grateful to have the crown prince resolve the matter. We might need medical help for the unknown sickness that have affected our children," said the tribal leader.

Dhruva gave an assured smile and held Meiyappan's hands in his. "Along with providing medical aid, I would also like to invite the entire tribe of Parigosh to live in Ilyadari. You will be given access to every facility available in Durja. That way I'll be happy to know we have provided you the best compensation for the misshape done," offered Dhruva.

A moment of consideration later, Meiyappan agreed to move his tribe to Ilyadari as their new home and promised to not trouble the villagers as they have done before. "I am ready to apologies to every single villager for the trouble we had caused. I'm sorry Yuvaraja. It was an act of impulse to destroy the food crops. We should not have done that. It a sin, I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. I should not have initiated the attack." Joining their palms to together Meiyappan and his tribe seek apology from the crown prince.

"I understand your plight and anger. And that is enough, Meiyappan. We are now a family. By the way, it should be us who needs to be forgiven for the mess we have created. We are sorry."

While the crown prince settled the dispute, Megavannan watched the proceeding silently. Dhruva had handled the issue with extreme excellence without a fight and bloodshed compared to the king who only prefers otherwise. The way the matter between the Parigosh tribe and Durja resolved had only increased the confidence in him that there can be no prince as eligible as Dhruva to be the future king of Durja. Megavannan smiled as he witnessed the crown prince and the tribal leader embraced each other for the new relationship they have built.

"I could certainly see a peaceful reigning ahead," beamed Megavannan, feeling the goosebumps on his arms as he caught a glimpse of the late queen Brinda he had once served.

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