Chapter 3 - Paranoia

The stars were twinkling in the sky. The crescent moon was sailing like a silver boat floating on the blue sea.

The wind was strong. The sea raged; The white wave stretched out its arms and tried to draw the people on the shore towards it.

"Why are you standing? Hurry up and wash off the mud! You must go home at once. Otherwise I wont get rice today. Sister-in-law will overturn the rice pot!" said Poongkuzhali.

"Is the sea deep here?" asked Vandhiyathevan.

"I've never seen a coward like you. There is no depth here. Even if you go far into the sea, there will be waist-deep water. That's why the lighthouse has to be lit every night!"

Vandhiyathevan hesitated and got into the water. He washed the mud, washed his hands and feet and climbed ashore. At a distance he saw the doctors son mounting a horse. Vandhiyathevan's horse also came nearby. "Oh my God! The horse is going to get into the mud!" said Vandhiyathevan.

"Not landing; Horses are more intelligent than humans!" said Poongkuzhali.

"But there's a man on a horse? He's dragging my horse along, isn't he?"

"That's a little dangerous! Run and warn me!"

"Wait! Stop!" shouted Vandhiyathevan as he ran and stopped him.

Poongkuzhali joined them in a little while.

The three walked towards the lighthouse.

"Why don't you get on the horse?" asked Poongkuzhali.

"No; I'll walk with you."

Poongkuzhali went near the horse and stroked its face. The horse shuddered and neighed slightly, as if pleased with it.

"My horse has caught you! It's very good."

"In what way is it good?"

"I want to go to Sri Lanka. I intend to leave this horse with you. Will you take care of it?"

"Oh! I'll take care of it. All the animals will soon become friends with me. It's only people who don't like to see me."

"Why do you say that? Senthan Amuthan on you..."

"I, too, am fond of animals; I don't like people!"

"What have people done to you?"

"Humans are wicked. Lies and fabrications are their job!"

"You can't include everybody. Senthan Amuthan is good. Here comes the doctor's son, he is very good ..."

"How about you?"

"I'm good too. I shouldn't be proud of myself, should I?"

"What are you two here for?"

"The emperor is ill, is he? Some herbs are needed to cure his illness. There are rare herbs in this forest, aren't there? That is why the doctor's son and I have come..."

"Didn't you just say you wanted to go to Ilankai?"

"Herbs that are not available here have to be brought from Sri Lanka. Is the Sanjeevi Parvatham brought by Hanuman still in Ilankai?"

"Yes, there is, that's why thousands of people are dying of typhus right now..."

"Is that so? I don't know? Even the palace doctor who sent us doesn't know that..."

"I have never seen anyone lie like a boy. Two people came here two days ago. They lied in the same way. But what they said was a little believable."

"Who are they? What lies did they tell?"

"They said they were sent by some magician. They said that they wanted tiger claws and elephant tail hair to tie the emperor and that they were going to Ilankai for that. My brother has sailed with them to Ilankai ..."

"Oh! Oh! Is that also so?" said Vandhiyathevan. He remembered Ravithasan, the dreaded magician. I remembered the desolate night and the horrible experience I had in the hall.

"Oh my God! Why did we get caught up in such things? You have to fight the enemy face to face on the battlefield! Then we have to show our bravery and bravery. Why did we get caught up in such tricks?'

'Who could have gone to Ilankai by boat before us? How far can this woman be trusted? Perhaps she, too, belonged to that group of conspirators... No, there won't be! She is an innocent woman. It's better to make friends with her somehow.'

"Poongkuzhali! Ill tell you the truth. I told you just now that I had come to fetch herbs, which was a lie! I am going to Ceylon on a very important and confidential matter. I want to tell you that."

"Don't! Don't you know that important and confidential things are not to be told to women? Don't tell me anything..."

"They say that about ordinary women. Nothing of that sort will happen if I tell you a secret."

"How do you know I'm not an ordinary woman? It's not even an hour since you saw me."

"Poongkuzhali! I liked you the first time I saw you on the temple wall. Let me ask you something. Are you answering that truthfully?"

"Listen and see!"

"Is it true that Senthan Amuthan is not your lover? Aren't you going to marry him?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Senthan Amuthan is my friend and I should not do anything against him. But if he's not your lover..."

"Tell me! Why are you hesitating!"

"I'll see if I can apply for that position. Poongkuzhali! I don't like it when you talk less about love. There is no greater divine power in the world than love. Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar have all sung with God as their lover. Tholkappiar, Valluvar and other great Tamil poets have sung about love. Kalidasa has sung about love. In Vrindavan, Krishna fell in love with the gopis..."

"Sir! Let me tell you something. Listen to it well and take it to heart!"

"What's that?"

"I like you too. You don't have the hatred you felt when you saw those who came two days ago..."

"Oh! Oh! I'm a yogi!"

"But don't just talk about love and song!"

"Why? Why?"

"Senthan Amuthan is not my lover. But I have other lovers..."

"Oh no! Damn! Other lovers? Who? How many?"

"I get up from home in the middle of the night. If you follow me, I will show them to you. You can see for yourself!"

Saying this, Poongkuzhali laughed 'Hahaha'.

That laughter did something to Vandhiyathevan's heart.

'The poor girl must be paranoid! It is useless to expect any help from her for our cause! It's better not to say anything to her."

They approached the house by the lighthouse. An old man and an elderly woman who were in the house came out. The old man was stunned when he saw Poongkuzhali, the other two and the horses.

"Poongkuzhali! Who are these people? Where did you catch them?"

"I don't like them, Dad! These are the ones who caught me!" said Poongkuzhali.

"It's all the same. ' You don't listen to me when I say, 'Come home before daybreak'. The day before yesterday you brought two people. You have brought two people today. What are they here for?"

"They have come to fetch herbs for the emperor's treatment, father!"

"Why sir, is what this woman says true?" asked the old man looking at Vandhiyathevan.

"Yes, old man! Here's the card!" said Vandhiyathevan and took out a leaf from the roll of cloth tied around his waist and gave it to the elder.

At the same time, another leaf fell to the ground. He hurriedly bent down to pick it up and put it away.

"I am a big fool! I didn't come to my senses once!" he muttered under his breath.

The old man took the letter. He looked at it carefully in the light of the lighthouse. He beamed. He said to his wife, "The junior stateswoman has sent a letter. They need to be fed. Go inside and tell your daughter-in-law! She is going to overturn the rice pot and roll it over!"