Adithan shook his head, clearing his vision and trying to concentrate on the path in front of him. "Nandini..." He mumbled as he rode his horse through the forest. "Don't be dead," he prayed, drops of tears rolling down his dark eyes. "Nan--" he coughed.

He had set out to search for Nandini and ask her for forgiveness for his stupidity and anger. He doubted if she would forgive him though, it's okay, he must apologize or the guilt would prick his heart for all his life. Nandini could decide what to do with him later.

But now he was scared if he could ever meet her alive, now. He asked an elderly couple about a girl in a hut, they instead wailed in front of him and mourned the loss of their home, which was set aflame by the Pandiyan rebels.

Later they told him about them tying up a helpless girl to throw her in the fire. Adithan's heart jumped out of his ribs.

"No, no, no," He kept mumbling throughout the way, but much to his terror, he smelt something burning, his eyes began to get teary due to the heavy smoke coming out of the forest.

"NANDINI!" He screamed out at the top of his lungs as he approached the source of the smoke. He heard the jingling of anklets in return.

"Nandini?" He breathed out. He jumped down from his horse, almost losing his balance. "Wh--"

"Are you competing with my horse?" Young Karikalan asked following the sound of Nandini's anklets.

"The horse might be yours, but this forest is mine," Nandini giggled softly, stifling back her laughter. Adithan shook his head and laughed.

"Won't you grace me with your presence, Princess?" He asked, looking around.

"I'm no princess, Ilavarase," Nandini said hiding behind a tree. Biting her fingers shyly.

"Well, you sure do look like one," He smirked. Nandini's heart fluttered at his compliments, she looked down at the earth.

"Why hide that beautiful face of yours?" He asked, Nandini felt him getting closer. She took off before he could get any closer. Adithan sighed as he heard the ruffling of leaves afar.

"Well, she's gone," he said, patting his horse. "I'll surely catch her another day," He said looking back.

Adithan snapped out of it, "Nandini," He called out weakly, stumbling in the direction of the smoke. He saw Nandini, well an illusion of her running in front of him, prompting him to follow her.

'Nandini' led him straight to the burning village and turned back to him. He saw the damn hut, where he had killed Veera Pandiyan, which was now flaming, crumbling down from the inside out, the other huts around the village faced the same fate.

"Nandini, I'm sorry," Adithan fell to his knees. "Please," He cried, ignoring the burning village in the background.

"Look what you did!" Nandini yelled, her accusing tone broke his heart.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry Nandini!" Adithan sobbed, pleading for her forgiveness. "I..I shouldn't have, please--" Karikalan panted.

"Aditha!" Pallavan called out, bringing his horse to a stop. "Ilavarese?" He raised a brow at Adithan talking to himself. His gaze shifted to the burning village, Pallavan jumped down from his horse and ran up to Adithan.

"Nandini! Don't!" Adithan screamed lunging himself toward the fire.

"ADITHA!" Pallavan jumped in, pulling back the prince. "Are you out of your mind!?" Pallavan scolded, struggling on to hold Adithan.

"NANDINI!" Adithan screamed, thrashing his legs in the air. "LET ME GO! YOU IDIOTS!" He yelled at Parthibendran.

"There's no one there, Aditha-- stop! Calm down!" Pallavan said holding Adithan in a chokehold, trying to pull him away from the raging fire.

"Nan--Nandini! My Nandini!" Adithan cried out.

"No--There's no use in jumping in the fire Aditha!" Pallavan struggled. "You can't save anyone, the fire--"

"I killed her!" Karikalan let out weakly, finally devoid of energy. "Pallava...I killed her..." Adithan mumbled. "I'm a sinner..." He said, crumbling down to the ground, his legs failing to hold him up.

"Aditha?" Pallavan said setting him down. "Oh Shiva, please don't make me carry him all the way back to camp," Pallavan mumbled.

******

Pallavan entered Adithan's tent, quite nervous about yesterday's events. The guards outside told him that the Prince didn't sleep even for a second yesternight. What was he doing in the forest? why did he lunge him toward the fire screaming her name? Parthiben did not know, and he was not going to ask the Prince right out. He knew it would just devolve into warmongering.

He called out his name. As usual and got no reply. He shook his head and entered the tent regardless.

He sighed in disappointment, seeing Adithan slowly taking a sip from his liquor. He's drinking already. That too early in the morning as if he wasn't passed out in the forest not long ago. Pallavan bit his teeth and approached him.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. Adithan looked up at Pallavan. "Good, I assume?" He asked dropping the olais in front of him. "You seem to be enjoying yourself,"

Adithan hung back his head and groaned. "What is it this time?"

"What happened? Are you planning to tell me or...?" Parthibendran trailed off, seeing Karikalan's expression. The Prince's body tensed.

"Nothing," He mumbled, his voice stone-cold. He ignored his friend and took another sip.

"You can lie to me but you can't lie to yourself!" Parthibendran said. "It'll only worsen if you keep bottling up your feelings Aditha, I'm here for you, tell me," Pallavan begged.

Adithan shook his head. "No, it's my problem, let it go with me," He said bitterly. Pallavan rolled his eyes. "What are these?" He asked pointing at the olais.

"Messages, letters," Parthibendran answered.

"I can see that, anything important?" Karikalan asked, picking one of them up.

"That one is from the Chakravarthy," He said.

"You read the letters my father sends me?" Adithan asked as he removed the seal.

"You refuse to read them, who knows if there's something important?" Pallavan asked. "Someone must message them back telling him that you're still alive,"

"Then you must've read the letters from my sister yes?" Adithan smirked. "Do you write back to her too?" He asked, squinting his eyes, trying to concentrate on the letter in his hands.

"Don't try so hard, he's calling you back to Thanjai to crown you as the Prince formally," Pallavan said. Karikalan hummed and placed the olai back. "Do you have any idea of going back to Thanjai?"

"You didn't answer my question," Karikalan leaned back on the Dhiwan. Pallavan stepped back and groaned, Adithan looked at him and raised a brow. "Do you or do you not?" He asked, trying to sound playful, but it was nothing less than intimidating.

"No, I don't write back to your sister," Pallavan spat out, Adithan nodded and reached out for another drink. "Well, Answer my question,"

"I don't have to answer you, Parthiba,"

"Answer to your father at least?"

"Tell him I'll come soon," Karikalan sighed.

"You've been telling me that for three years, Aditha! Three whole years,"

Adithan clicked his tongue, annoyed at Parthibendran lecturing him at every turn. "Shut up," he said massaging his temples. Pallavan looked down at the ground and frowned.

"Fine, What you say goes," Pallavan said turning back to leave, but was stopped by Karikalan's commanding voice.

"Get ready, we're going hunting after lunch," He said calmly.

"Hunting? like in the forest?" Pallavan asked. Adithan looked around him first, then down the cot searching for something.

"I don't see any animals here," Adithan said. Pallavan rolled his eyes at Karikalan's terrible sense of humor. "Yes, Parthiba, we are,"

"No, we are not, there are Pandiyan rebels roaming around, and at this time we--" Adithan rose his hand, interrupting him.

"Don't talk back to me," He warned.

Pallavan bit his tongue and nodded reluctantly. Who the hell goes hunting after lunch? people lay back down and relax, Pallavan muttered to himself. "I'll take my leave," He sighed.

"Please do," Adithan gestured for him to leave. "Don't forget to feed the horses before we leave," He shouted as Pallavan walked out. Adithan laid back down and rested his leg on the handrest. He tried to catch some sleep, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't. The moments from the past few days haunted him.

"Please, I beg you, spare his life," Her bloodshot eyes were engraved in his brain. He rubbed his face in frustration and groaned. He smashed the glass he held in his hands and screamed.

What's the use of screaming now? She's dead. His consciousness pricked him. You killed her.

******