The mahout.

Arulmozhi X Vanathi

"Tell me what to do Lakshmi," Arulmozhi asked resting his chin on his fist. "I can't talk to her, like---" He scoffed and threw his hands in the air. "I get tongue-tied," He confessed to Lakshmi, who titled her head in confusion.

"Oh, I have gone mad! Completely mad!" Arulmozhi facepalmed, as he realized he was pouring all his emotions on an elephant. "I'm saying all these to you like you would understand," He said as he gently brushed Lakshmi's long trunk. But she was smart, she understood Arulmozhi's feelings she patted his shoulders with her trunk.

He fed Lakshmi another banana which she grinded down with her mouth."I know that I'm always thinking about Vanathi, how do I know if she's also thinking about me?" Arulmozhi asked. "I don't know if she could even recognize me now," He muttered. Lakshmi placed her trunk around Arulmozhi's shoulder to comfort him.

"Thanks..." Arulmozhi rested his head on Lakshmi.

Lakshmi reached out for another banana, she wrapped it in her trunk, and tried to feed it to Arulmozhi.

"No, No, you eat," Arulmozhi pushed it back towards Lakshmi who protested by flapping her large ears. Arulmozhi laughed. "I'm really not hungry, girl," Arulmozhi said, Lakshmi withdrew and placed the banana in her own mouth.

Arulmozhi sighed and continued dreaming about Vanathi. His little heart was filled with her thoughts. Even now he could see Vanathi in the distance, walking towards the Kaveri river.

Lakshmi trumpeted and nudged Arulmozhi's shoulders, He turned back and met Lakshmi's eyes.

"You can see her too?" Arulmozhi asked flabbergasted. "It's not my hallucination?" He asked. Lakshmi shook her head. He got up and stood on his toes to get a better glimpse of the Kodumbaloor princess, but she disappeared from his line of sight. Lakshmi pushed Arulmozhi forward making him almost lose his balance.

"You want me to go talk to her?" He asked. Lakshmi nodded, her ears flopping up and down. Arulmozhi hesitated. But what if she doesn't recognize me?

Lakshmi nudged Arulmozhi again, rushing him to go meet her. Arulmozhi shook his head, before he could plop back down, Lakshmi wrapped her trunks around his hip.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Arulmozhi asked, his feet were dangling in the air as Lakshmi lifted him up and placed him on her back. Before Arulmozhi could get down, She rose up from the ground.

"Set me down!" Arulmozhi kicked his legs but Lakshmi shook her head and started moving towards the river slowly.

Arulmozhi never thought, not even in his dreams, that an elephant would be a wingman for his love.

"I'm going to die of embarrassment," Arulmozhi groaned and buried his face in his hands.

Lakshmi reached the place where Vanathi was sitting and trumpeted loudly to get her attention.

Vanathi was startled. She audibly gasped at the sight of an elephant standing mightily in front of her.

Lakshmi nudged Arulmozhi to see Vanathi, Arulmozhi shook his head, without looking up, and pushed away her trunk.

"Are you trying to kill me Iyya?" Vanathi spoke out, her voice was like honey flowing into Arulmozhi's ears.

Arulmozhi gulped and swallowed his shyness."Who would think of killing someone as beautiful as you, Kodumbaloor ilavarsi?" Arulmozhi finally spoke out.

Vanathi perched her tiny arms on her hips and looked at the mahout. "So you know who I am?" She asked.

Arulmozhi felt a little disappointed at the fact that she couldn't recognize him. 

"Who doesn't?" He said giving her a toothy smile.

"Are you flirting with me? Do you know who I am going to marry when I get older?" Vanathi asked, Arulmozhi laughed. Vanathi got agitated."If Pon--Ponniyin Selvar got to know about this, he'll punish you very badly,"

"Aiyo, don't tell anything about me to Ponniyin Selvar," Arulmozhi pleaded in a mocking tone.

"That's right," Vanathi felt satisfied with his pleading.

"What should I do to wash away my sins?" Arulmozhi asked.

Vanathi hummed.

"Fine, be a good yaanai paagan and give me a ride on this elephant of yours," Vanathi finally decided.

"Of course," Arulmozhi boomed. "Lakshmi," He patted her head. Lakshmi bowed down in front of the Kodumbaloor princess and lowered herself down to her height. Arulmozhi held out his hand for his Princess.

"Thank you," Vanathi thanked as she got on the elephant.

Lakshmi got up and started strolling around the river.

"So...You're going to marry Ponniyin Selvan?" Arulmozhi asked.

"Maybe," Vanathi said enjoying the view.

"Why the uncertainty?" He asked.

"I don't know if he likes me too," Vanathi said sadly.

"Oh I--I'm pretty sure he does," Arulmozhi blurted out. Vanathi turned back to him.

"Oh, how are you so sure?" Vanathi asked mockingly.

"I--" Before he could reply, He heard Kundavai call out his name.

"Arulmo--" She came to a dead stop as she saw him and Vanathi. Together. On an elephant. She arched her eyebrows and stomped towards them.

"Akka!" Vanathi exclaimed, her ears turning red in embarrassment.

"Arulmozhi! What is this behavior?" Kundavai scolded.

Vanathi almost fell off the elephant on hearing the news. She looked back at Arulmozhi who was just smirking like a fool. Vanathi gulped, She had just called him a yaanai paagan a minute ago.

"Akka, I was just playing around," Arulmozhi mumbled as he gestured for Lakshmi to lower down. She obeyed.

As soon as Lakshmi's belly hit the ground Vanathi shot up from her and ran off. Her anklets jingled like temple bells.

"It was going so well," Arulmozhi whined in disappointment.

"You're even worse than our brother," Kundavai laughed as she ruffled Arulmozhi's hair. He crossed his arms and huffed.

"Okay, come, it's time for lunch," Kundavai said as she huddled her brother towards the palace.

****

Later that day.

Adithan and Nandini laid on the ground next to each other star-gazing as usual. Adithan turned his head towards Nandini and smiled.

"Do you know what Sembiyan Amma said?" He asked, his dimples poking out. Nandini looked at him and shook her head. "She told me that she'll discuss about our situation after I come back from Kanchi," Adithan said. He ran his fingers through Nandini's long hair.

"You are going to Kanchi?" Nandini asked with concern.

Adithan nodded. "I'll be back in a day though," Adithan rested his cheek on his palm with his elbow digging into the ground. Nandini sat up.

"Oh..." Nandini sighed, She had a bad feeling about this. "Can't you not go?" She asked Adithan with a pleading look. She wanted Adithan to be on her side, she knew that they'll try to do something to her after all the things which happened recently. If Adithan wasn't going to be on her side, she would be a goner.

Adithan was taken aback by her request. "Why?" He asked, snitching his eyebrows together.

"I..." Her eyes trailed down to the lake.

"You're worried that they might do something to you?" Adithan asked. Nandini nodded immediately. "They won't, Nandini, I trust Sembiyan Amma's words," Adithan said.

Nandini nodded and turned back towards the lake. Adithan saw that Nandini was not satisfied with his answer. He placed a finger on her chin and turned her head towards him.

"What else is troubling you?" He asked, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"I would miss you," Nandini said holding Adithan's hands which were cupping her face. "A lot,"

Adithan smirked and looked down. "I would miss you a lot too, even if it was just for a day," He kissed the inside of Nandini's palms and looked up. "Wait," He said, he removed his hands from Nandini's face and plucked out a ring from his finger.

He placed the cold golden metal in her palms and closed her hands in a fist.

"Karikalare, it's not necessary," Nandini said trying to return back the ring, but Adithan shook his head.

"Keep it, you'll get reminded of me whenever you see it," He said. "You'll feel like I'm always there with you," He winked.

Nandini opened her fist and took a look at the ring. The ring had the Chozha tiger engraved on it.

"I gave you something no?" Adithan's voice boomed. "Give me something that'll remind me of you," he asked cheekily. Nandini knew exactly what he was asking for.

Adithan took her face in her hands and pushed back the hair falling on her face. Nandini gently kissed Adithan's cheek, her eyes trailed back to his eyes. Which were drowned in love.

The look which Adithan gave to Nandini, like his soul had left his body, made her heart melt.

He rested his forehead on Nandini's, their noses brushed against each other's as the lovely moon blessed them with its silver light.

"I love you," Adithan muttered, careful not to break the calming silence between them.

"I love you too,"

A/N

A light-hearted chapter before the story takes a dark turn.

Btw which brother does romance better?

Arulmozhi or Adithan??