'And Bradan?' Chaturi answered her question before anybody else could speak. 'Bradan's destiny is to wander until he finds his truth, whatever that may be.' She smiled, with wisdom in her eyes. 'Perhaps he has already found it.'
Bradan looked confused. 'I am sure I would know if I did.'
'Perhaps your destiny, wandering man, is to be with Melcorka.' Chaturi handed over a small bag. 'There is sufficient gold in there to buy horses for your journey. It is a long distance to Thanjavur.'
'Thank you.' Bradan salaamed again, much to Kosala's amusement. He glanced at Melcorka. 'Perhaps that crazy woman is my destiny. I do not know.'
Melcorka gave a little bow. 'We will bid you farewell here, Chaturi.'
'May Shiva go with you,' Chaturi said, 'and whatever god you worship.'
'And may Shiva be with you,' Melcorka replied and turned away. She heard movement behind her and knew that Kosala was watching. She wondered if he would settle in Ceylon or follow the warrior's path. Well, he was a grown man and had to make a choice. His destiny lay at the end of a road, as did hers.
* * *
'Whoever runs this Empire knows what he is doing.' Bradan tapped his staff on the flank of his horse. It was not the rowan staff that he had carried halfway across the world, but it was serviceable enough to support his weight.
'It's like Fidach,' Melcorka said, 'but on a much larger scale.'
Each road was marked out and well maintained, with smooth surfaces, marking-stones giving directions, and rest-houses for weary travellers. The villages were neat and orderly, governed by the headman and a local council. Farmers diligently worked the fields, and the animals looked sleek and healthy.
'A lot of nations could learn from this Chola,' Melcorka said.
Bradan fondled his horse's ears. 'We've ridden for three days across the Empire without seeing a single soldier or warrior. Nobody has threatened us or demanded tax or bribes to cross their land. This is one of the best-run countries we have ever visited, Mel.' He looked around at the fields and villages between the swathes of forest. 'They do like their temples to Shiva, though.'
'Their architecture puts anything we have to shame.' Melcorka nodded ahead. 'Here's another temple coming up now.'
As she always did, Melcorka stopped to admire the sheer scale of the temple, with its myriad carvings of unfamiliar gods. 'Any nation that has the skill to build a temple like this is far in advance of Alba.'
They saw their first soldiers the next day, a small troop of horsemen who trotted up to them as they passed between two copses of trees.
'Good day, travellers.' The captain saluted them with a smile on his face. 'Are you journeying far?'
'Good day, Captain,' Melcorka replied. 'We are riding to your capital city of Thanjavur to seek an audience with Rajaraja, the Emperor.'
The captain surveyed them, curious more than unfriendly. 'You are strangers in these parts,' he said, 'yet you speak our language.'
'We have been in the area for a few months,' Melcorka said, 'long enough to learn the languages and something of the culture.' Her smile was not forced. 'We don't wish to embarrass ourselves in front of the emperor.'
The captain met Melcorka's smile. 'Rajaraja is a tolerant man,' he said. 'He is always willing to meet strangers in his domain as long as they come in peace.' The captain's glance at Defender was significant. 'That is an interesting sword you carry.'
'I will only draw it for the good of Rajaraja,' Melcorka said.
'That will reassure him.' The captain's smile widened into a grin. 'It will save his guards the trouble of killing you.'
'Then we will both be happier,' Melcorka said, 'for I have no desire to be killed.'
'I'm glad we have that settled,' the captain said. 'We happen to be returning to Thanjavur. We'll show you the way.' When he lifted his hand, his men formed around Melcorka and Bradan. On a single word of command, the troop started at a slow walk, increasing the pace to a trot as soon as the captain was sure Melcorka and Bradan could keep up.
The cavalry moved as a single body, in silence except for an occasional word of command. They stopped at a small river to water the horses, shared their rations with Melcorka and Bradan, moved aside for the occasional caravan of merchants and passed through a country of fertile fields and industrious farmers. Two hours before dark, they reached the gates of an impressive city.
'This is Thanjavur.' The captain's voice hinted at his evident pride. 'The capital of the Chola Empire.'
Melcorka nodded her appreciation of the array of temples that peeped over the surrounding walls. The gate to the city was tall and impressive, surmounted by circular turrets and with four stalwart guards who snapped to attention when the captain barked at them. The cavalry clattered into a place where camels swayed along wide streets and men and women haggled with merchants over merchandise from half the known world. In the centre, as expected, an elaborate palace dominated everything. 'You have a fine city here.'
'It suits us.' The captain did not try to hide his pride. 'Come this way.' The sound of the horse's hooves echoed from streets of low, mud-walled and flat-roofed buildings with small windows and round-headed doorways. Men and women in colourful clothing looked up as they passed and hordes of naked children screamed and shouted to them, with a few running to keep pace with the horses.
They passed three ornate temples, decorated with the usual figures of men and women and gods that were still strange to Melcorka, all painted and bright in the late evening sunshine.
'This is a prosperous place,' Bradan remarked, as they passed through a wide market square where people crowded around a hundred stalls and shops.
