Flowing waves

Arulmozhi looked at himself in the mirror, making sure the disguise was perfect. If someone identifies him it would be chaotic. Periya Velar entered his tent, looking confused, why was the prince dressed like that? Was he planning to sneak out?

"Ilavarase?" He called out, The look on Arulmozhi's face confirmed his suspicion.

"Mama?" Arulmozhi called, trying to sound innocent.

"Where were you planning to go?" Periya Velar asked, raising a brow.

"To Lanka.." He mumbled, looking down. Periya Velar looked at him incredulously, was this boy insane? How will he go to Lanka all alone?

"Now? Alone?" Periya Velar asked in disbelief. "Are you hearing yourself right now? if something happens to you, who will answer your family?"

Arulmozhi smiled charmingly. "Nothing will happen to me, I fell in the Kaveri River when I was a baby, I survived didn't I?" He said. "Mama, please! I never got to do anything alone ever, let me do this," Periya Velar's silence scared Arulmozhi. "I can also gain intel on Mahindan's forces on the island. It would be the smartest thing to do before landing our troops on unfamiliar grounds,"

Periya Velar shook his head, sighing. "Not until I know who you are going with,"

Arulmozhi smiled as he recollected everything that happened the other night. "With the most skilled sailor in all of Chozha Nadu,"

**********

As far as Arulmozhi was concerned, he had no idea how he had just managed to convince Periya Velar to let him go to Ilankai alone before the troops arrived there. He wasn't going to complain at his good fortune. But convincing the girl proved to be much harder later.

"Why wouldn't she sail with me to Ilankai," He asked Amudhan, the boy who accompanied her last night. Sendhan Amudhan shrugged. She was always picky with whom she traveled usually.

"Well it wouldn't hurt to try, I guess," He said, leading him to the girl's hut, Sendhan told the prince to wait outside and entered the house. The girl he met the other day walked out a few seconds later.

Arulmozhi waited nervously outside, he heard bits and pieces of their conversation. "Amudha, tell him no," He heard her sweet voice echo out of the tiny hut.

"You go and tell him na,"

He heard footsteps marching their way up to the door, and before he knew it, the girl stood in front of the doorsteps.

"I'm sorry, I can't sail to Ilankai--" She paused as soon as she saw his face. Her eyebrows knitted themselves together in intense concentration, Arulmozhi was scared that she might identify him.

"Have we met before?" She asked, he looked suspiciously like the boy her Aunt drew in those caves in Lanka. Maybe she was just overthinking it.

"No...but...I saw you yesterday....sailing through those rough waters, I must say I'm really impressed," Arulmozhi complimented, but her mind was elsewhere, in those caves. "Penne?" He called out, shaking the girl from her thoughts. "Can you please sail with me to Ilankai?"

"I have work, and I don't usually sail with men alone," She said. "Past experiences," She had grown to never trust men after the cruel things that happened to her aunt.

"Which fool would think about hurting you while in the middle of the ocean?" Arulmozhi chuckled. "I do not even know how to swim, I promise I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to reach Lanka safely,"

"Just find someone else,"

"No--I...please?" Arulmozhi asked desperately. "I-I don't trust anyone else," Damn it, why was he stuttering.

"Why do you trust me?" She taunted, perching her hands on her hips.

"My jaw was literally on the floor after I saw you sailing through the storm that night," He complimented, a small smile played around her lips. "You are the only person I could trust to take me to Lanka in one piece,"

She rolled her eyes and sighed, he did look helpless and desperate. "Fine, fine, but Amudhan will come with me," She said, turning back to him. "Right?"

Sendhan Amudhan shook his head. "No way! I have work--"

"So it's settled, Me and Amudhan would be happy to take you to Ilankai," She said before dragging Amudhan away. "We'll be back,"

Arulmozhi smiled at his own good fortune and waited for her to return. What was she doing to him? Why is he so excited to know about her? He did not know.

**********

It had been a few hours since they departed from Kodiya Karai, the beautiful shoreline of the Chozhan empire was now replaced with endless water. Bored watching the waves passing by for almost half a day, Arulmozhi tried to divert his attention to the sailor.

Arulmozhi rested his chin on his first as he looked at the boat girl tying the sails. Her strong hands tied the knots carefully, Arulmozhi felt butterflies in his stomach when she made eye contact with him for just a split second. Sendhan Amudhan was fast asleep on the other corner of the boat. The poor boy was dragged into the middle of the ocean without any consent whatsoever. Arulmozhi felt a bit pitiful for him having to deal with a girl like her.

Arulmozhi had to mentally prepare himself before walking up to her. You can talk to a girl without stuttering.

"I-I...I never caught your name," Arulmozhi said, sitting down beside her. Wow, great start Arulmozhi.

"Why? Are you going to marry me?" She laughed.

Arulmozhi shook his head, chuckling at that idea. "I already have a girl waiting for me at home," He said, smiling at the thought of Vanathi, what would she be doing now? Would have she eaten yet?

"Why are you going to Lanka?" Her sweet voice shook him from his thoughts.

"I'm a...merchant, I travel a lot," He explained. "Why are you changing the topic? I asked for your name,"

"And why should I tell you that?" She teased, her eyebrows raised with a mocking smile playing around her face.

Arulmozhi shrugged. "If you're not going to tell me your name, I'll give you one,"

"Suit yourself," She shrugged back.

Arulmozhi contemplated deeply. "Hmm, How about Samudra Kumari," He asked. Arulmozhi thought this was perfect. She owns the waves like she is the daughter of the sea. He actually felt pretty proud of himself.

Samudra Kumari blushed at the name. "Okay," She said, getting up.

"Just an 'okay'?" Arulmozhi asked, following her to the other side of the boat. Samudra Kumari sat down at the edge, wetting her feet in the clear water.

"Do you want me to give you an award for the name?" She asked, moving aside for him to sit down.

Arulmozhi rolled his eyes and plopped down. Samudra Kumari looked at the slowly flowing waves and sighed in contentment.

"I'd give anything to live like you," Arulmozhi whispered, in awe of the beautiful endless ocean.

Samudra Kumari snickered. "You can never live like me," She said, leaning back on her arms.

Arulmozhi cocked his eyebrows, feeling a bit insulted. "And why is that?" He asked. "You get to spend your time in the middle of the ocean, all peaceful and quiet. You have a good friend like Sendhan Amudhan, what more could you want?"

"It gets boring," Samudra Kumari said, staring into the night sky, devoid of any stars. "Plus my family is such a nuisance," 

"I wonder what you would call my family," Arulmozhi chuckled.

Samudra Kumari raised a brow. "Is it that bad?"

"They're okay for the most part," He said. "It's just that they are a bit controlling, and all of my extended family wants me to marry their daughters,"

Samudra Kumari burst out laughing like a toddler. "Oh really?" She asked, incredulously. Arulmozhi rolled his eyes and scoffed, clearly offended. "Okay, okay I believe you," She got to admit, the man looked really charming. She could imagine a band of girls just ogling at him. 

"Thank you," Arulmozhi gave her a dimpled smile and looked away, his curly locks brushing his own forehead.

Samudra Kumari caught herself stealing glances at him every few seconds, she shook her head and chided herself. She had to get away from him. "I'm going to sleep," She said, getting up. She saw a tinge of disappointment in Arulmozhi's face but she rushed off before he could even say a word.

"There she goes," Arulmozhi muttered to himself.

A/N

Alright, enough fluff it's time to get serious B) (I say as I write more fluff) but seriously, things are about to go south.