Chapter 19 – The Marriage Proposal That Lightened My Steps
The marriage proposal didn't arrive like a storm.
It came like a ripple.
I was practicing a grounding circle on the dark riverbank when Maruthini approached me. She didn't interrupt my work immediately. As she always did, she waited until the last line was established and the form naturally faded away.
Only then did she speak.
"Athiraivan," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "A marriage proposal has arrived."
I blinked.
"A.. marriage proposal?"
She nodded. "Yes."
My heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason, and I instinctively straightened up. "From where?"
"From the Nilathirai Temple," she replied. "The divine temple between the mountains and the dark river region."
That made me catch my breath slightly.
Divine temples didn't involve themselves in ordinary matters. The Nilathirai Temple, in particular, was known for its restraint. It governed not fire or victory, but balance—of earth, water, and peace.
"For whom?" I asked, though I already suspected what the answer would be.
"For you," Maruthini said simply. "A marriage engagement proposal."
For a moment, the world… seemed unreal.
"For me?" I asked again.
She smiled faintly. "Yes."
I don't know what expression crossed my face then, but I felt a kind of warmth spreading in my ears. Suddenly aware of my hands, my posture, my breathing, I quickly averted my gaze.
"A woman?" I asked, my voice thinner than I intended.
"Yes," Maruthini replied. "Her name is Azhagiyal."
The name lingered in the air longer than it should have.
"She belongs to the temple," Maruthini continued. "Not to a clan. Not to a tribe. She is blessed, not bound."
My thoughts were muddled, but I nodded slowly, feigning composure.
"Oh," I said. "I understand."
In truth, I understood nothing clearly.
To understand why such a marriage proposal was significant, one must understand the shape of the continent and its borders.
The Sea Pearl Continent was not surrounded by land.
To the west, beyond the territory of the Dark River Clan, the sea stretched endlessly. To the south, the sea embraced the domain of the Sea Clan.
That water was not ordinary.
No practitioner no matter their strength could fly over it, walk upon it, or swim freely through it. That sea was a forbidden place. It mercilessly rejected any intrusion.
Only two clans were touched by it.
The Sea Clan, born of the waves and currents.
And the Dark River Clan, whose waters met the sea and learned its control.
Only those two clans could interact with the sea without perishing.
Even they could not command it.
They could only navigate it by boat. Only those blessed by water those sanctioned by the Temple of the Water Mother, the divine temple of water could navigate ships across the sea. Not by force. Not by dominance.
By permission.
That is why this continent never fully fell.
Land can be conquered by fire.
But fire cannot cross water that does not welcome it.
Even the Fire Emperor knew that.
I cleared my throat, still processing what had happened.
"Why… why now?" I asked.
Maruthini watched me carefully. "Because the world is shrinking," she said. "And you are no longer invisible."
I frowned slightly. "This isn't about alliances, is it?"
She shook her head. "Not in the way you fear."
"That's good," I murmured.
Her lips curved slightly.
"This proposal is not to control you," she said. "It is to acknowledge you. And perhaps to give you something you haven't had much of."
I looked at her. "What is that?"
She hesitated. Then she answered softly.
"Someone your age."
It struck me deeper than I expected.
I felt my shoulders relax without my permission.
"What is she like?" I asked, then immediately regretted asking so quickly.
This time Maruthini smiled openly. "Quiet. Observant. Curious. She listens more than she speaks."
My heart beat a little faster.
"When will I meet her?" I asked. "Soon," she replied. "If you agree to meet her."
"I agree," he said immediately.
"Yes," I said.
Then, realizing how eager it sounded, I added, "That is yes. I would like to meet." Maruthini smiled softly. "I will inform the temple."
That night, I couldn't sit still.
My meditation was disrupted. My breathing was erratic. The mantra circles I tried to create faded halfway through. Even the sea seemed to be distracting me.
I turned inward.
The Mist Mother noticed immediately.
"You are restless," she observed.
"I am not," I replied instinctively.
She didn't respond, which meant she didn't believe me.
A moment later, she said, "You are anticipating something."
I sighed. "Is that wrong?"
"No," she replied. "It is human nature."
In the deep meditative state, the Mother Tree swayed gently.
Growth is not just power, it is a connection, she gently conveyed.
"This shouldn't become a burden for me," I said softly.
"It won't," the Mist Mother replied. "Because you are not seeking any gain."
"And also because you are embarrassed," she added dryly.
Even here, I felt my face flush.
The next morning, I walked faster than usual along the dark riverbank path.
I noticed myself doing it.
I slowed down.
Then I sped up again.
I felt foolish.
And strange.
was happy.
The proposition hadn't come with any threats. It hadn't demanded allegiance. It didn't ask me to choose a side.
It simply said this:
We see you.
And perhaps
We want to get to know you.
I don't know what the future holds. I don't know if this connection will deepen into something lasting and profound, or if it will remain a gentle acquaintance that fades with time.
But I do know one thing:
For the first time since my rebirth, my steps felt light for reasons unrelated to cultivation or survival.
I was shy.
I was curious.
And I found myself eager to see her again.