For story continuity, please check my previous blogs.

      Mamallar looked at the servants who were serving the food and said to Mother, "Mother! After the meal, we are going to upstairs and I tell you all the details. But I will ask you only one thing right now. From now on, you should not expect that you will have dinner only after I come. You must stop that custom from now on."  The Empress looked at her son with loving eyes and smiled but did not say anything in reply.

        Lunch at Kanchi Palace is lavish with royal formalities.  Great imperial officials, dignitaries from foreign countries, Lord Shiva devotees, Lord Vishnu devotees, famous artists, Tamil poets, vernacular scholars etc. are invited as guests.  So it was impossible for the palace residents to spend time with each other at lunch time.  And all day long the emperor and his son are engaged in royal affairs.       

         Therefore, the Emperor had arranged for dinner time for mother and child to meet.  After that, it was customary for the three of them to meet and talk on the terrace above the palace.

         After today's meal, mother and son went upstairs and sat on the marble platform on the balcony.  

         The city of Kanchi, which was bathed in the milky moon, had unprecedented peace that night. 
Narasimhavarma's mind went to the east fort gate of the city.  Now the palanquin will pass through the castle gate.  Ayanar and his daughter will be seated in that palanquin.  Ah!  What a great danger has come to them today!  Who is that hero who saved them by throwing a spear on the elephant?...

          Bhuvanamakadevi waited for a while for her son to speak.  Knowing that he was deep in thought, she said, "Child!"

        Immediately Mamallar suddenly looked at his mother as if he had lost his dream.

         "Mother! Mother! I am asking you for my desired boon. Please don't call me 'child'. Am I still a baby? Even after defeating all the famous wrestlers in the Pallava kingdom and earning the title of 'Mamallan' (Great Wrestler), You call me ‘child!' ‘child’ What should I do? Father still treats me like a baby in a cradle! I am caught between you two…”

         "What can we do about it? A son is always a child to his parents," said the voice, both mother and son looked back.  Unbeknownst to them, they both stood up in reverence knowing that Empire,  Mahendran   was standing behind them.

To be continued....