29.

Aathiyan opened his eyes from the small nap he had taken after the long day of travel. He had a dream, more like a visual where he's with Kayanangai, she's holding his hand and smiling at him. In her presence, he felt peaceful and when she suddenly disappeared from his sight, he became agitated and there his sleep was disturbed.

He's still in disbelief that Kayanangai lied to him. He saw her talking to Veera, then she needed to say she was alone in the garden.

Maybe it's because of you, his mind hinted.

That's true, he always warned her to never go near him so she must have felt afraid to say the truth. He's failing somewhere, she's going away from him, and if he doesn't stop that happening he's afraid to lose her love.

Ever since she came into his life, she made him happy that he realized he lived a miserable lonely life. Now he can't let the only happiness slip away from his hand. He wants to hold her for the rest of his life.

Aathiyan rubbed his eyes and looked at his companion Narenthiran standing near the river. He's deeply thinking about something and his face looked dull.

"This is why I asked you to stay in the palace, besides my sister," Aathiyan said. He can understand Narenthiran is worried about his wife, who is going to give birth to their child.

"No," Narenthiran stutters.

Aathiyan placed a hand on his friend's shoulders, "You are worried sick. I can see that in your face,"

Narenthiran huffs in defeat.

"Don't worry about me," he said.

"How can I not do that?" Aathiyan smiles.

"How can I allow you to travel alone, Aathiya?" he said. "We were together as long as I could remember. If you have any problem then it's like my problem," Narenthiran said. Aathiyan knows Narenthiran will do anything to save his life.

"How am I going to repay you for this loyalty and friendship?" Aathiyan asks.

"You don't have to," Narenthiran nods with a smile.

"This relationship, this has to be followed by the people who come after us," Narenthiran wished.

"It will happen," Aathiyan assures.

"When are we going to find the siddhar?"

"We have just arrived in the forest and we have to walk up to that mountain. That's what the merchant said earlier," Aathiyan replied.

He left all his court duty behind, his pregnant wife, and everything in the hands of Veera. He had no other choice either. He stopped trusting his brother long back and now he's compelled to do that again. This is all for his father.

Who's on the deathbed in the palace and Aathiyan is looking for medicine to cure his ailment. His father had contracted a disease some months before and it got worse over time. The palace physician got puzzled to see the contradicting symptoms so Aathiyan summoned many healers from all around the kingdoms but no one could find an actual explanation for his disease. He always has a high fever, vomits blood sometimes and his entire body is covered in red rashes. They have also warned that it might be contagious so the queen didn't allow Kayanangai or anyone to visit him.

Aathiyan doesn't want to let his father die like this, seeing him in pain each day is so traumatic. He loves his mother and father, he can never see them suffering. There he decided to do something for his beloved father -who's the reason why Aathiyan is a King now. His history shouldn't be like he got incompetent sons who couldn't save him.

So that's why he's inside this enemy territory in the hopes of finding the siddhar who he believes could save his father. Even if that didn't go by the way he wishes, then he's going to accept his father's fate.

He couldn't have asked anyone to do this, but Aathiyan wants to do this on his own so just informing his mother, he came here to this vast forest along with Narenthiran who insisted that he won't let him travel alone. In his absence, Veera will look after everything, Aathiyan is slightly anxious but more than that, he wants his father to be alive.

He can't deny that there isn't selfishness. His father's death might weaken his position and Veera will go to any extent to get what he desires and Aathiyan has to keep him alive or he has to take a rough path that might change everything upside down.

"When are we going to find the healer in this forest?"

"We will find him soon. We have come this far without getting caught in anyone's eyes. I have a strong feeling that we were on the right path," Aathiyan answered.

"We should rest here for the night and continue our journey early in the morning," Narenthiran said.

Aathiyan agreed and they both sat on the comforter.

"I wish my brother was like you," Aathiyan expressed his frustration.

"Leave that guy, he's never going to understand the value of being together," Narenthiran said.

"But I don't understand what else he wants?" Aathiyan huffs.

"What else is your place," Narenthiran says.

"I knew that already, he wants much more," Aathiyan gulps. He's so disgusted to even say that his brother has eyes for Kayanangai.

"What else he wants, Aathiya?"

"I don't know but he's planning something big this time. I just wish someone could control him,"

"My father can't do that and my mother won't believe any of these accusations. It's just too complicated right now,"

"Whatever he tries, he can't do anything," Narenthiran assures. Aathiyan smiles hoping that and lays on his muddy comforter. He doesn't look like a King at all. Aathiyan still thinks that he didn't deserve to be the King except for the fact that it's his birthright. He has fought in battles, did whatever his father asked him to do, and enjoyed the little palace life and luxuries. But that's not enough for him, he has to prove to himself that he's meritorious for this place. So he's being careful in whatever he does and making sure not to make any mistakes.

"I hope it doesn't rain," Narenthiran says.

Aathiyan looks at the sky devoid of stars. "It will rain,"

Narenthiran left out a tired sigh.

"What if we can't find the Siddhar?"

"Why are you destroying my only hope?" Aathiyan chuckles.

"I am thinking about all the possibilities,"

"We will find him tomorrow. Right now that's the only option I got," Aathiyan says.

"I can understand that you want to save Uncle, but you are risking too much by coming all the way down here. If we get caught then there's no one to save us here," Narenthiran rolled his eyes.

"I won't let anyone touch my precious brother-in-law, so don't worry. We will return to the palace safely with the healer," Aathiyan says without giving up. "This journey is going to be a test for everyone," Aathiyan said.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing," Aathiyan smiled and handed a fruit to him. He has experience in living in extreme conditions but Narenthiran doesn't have that. His overprotective mother didn't let him leave the palace after his father's death.

"Aathiya, I heard there are people who have white skin and white hair since birth. Have you met any of those people on your travels?" Narenthiran asks.

"Yes, I have met all kinds of people, you can't even imagine how many different faces I have come across," Aathiyan said and laid back seeing the skies. He likes darkness more than light. The world looks more different in the dusk. Since all his life, he's been searching for light in the dark, so he likes this. One day he will find the purpose of existence.

"I miss your sister," Narenthiran admitted. He's more chatty today and Aathiyan is grateful for his company.

He thought about Kayanangai, he has seen many beautiful women in his life but no one attracted him as Kayanangai did. She has something in her eyes that's hard to forget about her even for a few minutes. He thought about what Kayanangai must be doing now. Probably sitting in the garden and looking at the moon just like how he's doing now or sitting in the painting room and looking at his scribbles. She adores everything about him, it's not because he's the King. She loves him not because of his attractive traits but just as a person and that includes all his mistakes.

"I totally forgot to tell you this. Veera has a mistress now," Narenthiran said.

"What?" Aathiyan's eyes shot in surprise.

But then realizing it's his brother, he said, "It's no wonder if he has one,"

Aathiyan asked himself whether he will ever get a mistress just like how Veera did. That's something impossible.

He was offered to marry the princess of the neighboring kingdom but he refused that proposal, everyone thinks his marriage with Kayanangai wasn't a great choice but Aathiyan only knows how great she is. He's lucky to get someone like her.

Kayanangai knows everything and ever since that, she's staying away from him. In the future, he might marry someone else if he's under compulsion and Kayanangai knows that too.

He made a promise to her and he will never break that but the trust she had in him has shaken because of that incident. Many wondered why he declined that proposal and that has hurt kayanangai.

"Have you ever wanted a mistress?" Aathiyan asked Narenthiran and he looked back at him with a frown.

"Why would I want a mistress when I have my beautiful wife," Narenthiran said, "Besides, your sister will kill me if I do such a thing," he chuckles.

"Yes," Aathiyan nods.

"But why did you ask that?"

"Just wondering," Aathiyan says.

"You better don't have such thoughts. It's unfair for the woman we love," Narenthiran says.

"Yes, I know. I am wondering what's going on in my brother's mind. Why is he being greedy? I pity his wife, she risked everything to be with him," Aathiyan said.

"It's still a rumor, she might have not heard it yet," Narenthiran says.

Aathiyan nods.

Then they talked about the rumors surrounding the palace, they were all quite interesting and Narenthiran eventually fell asleep.

Aathiyan couldn't close his eyes and kept wondering about all these hanging dots and couldn't find a way to connect all of them.

Who might be the reason? he asked and he can't think of anyone else other than Veera.