Two years  had passed since the Sabha and Urmila had nothing to look forward to. But that did not bother her. Her sisters were her constant companions, if not, one  of Ma Sumitra or Ma Kaushalya or Ma Kaikeyi kept her company. She enjoyed herself in the library, swam in the lake inside the palace grounds,anything to distract herself from the ache of Lakshman's absence.True, they had been seperated longer than they had stayed together,but his presence had been so reassuring and blissful that she had become addicted to him. Their times together seemed like a distant dream to Urmila. 

It was the nights that were difficult. She always used to think what Lakshman was  doing then. He would have gone past his limits to protect his bhaiya and bhabi. Was he safe and comfortable? Was he awake? Was he thinking of her? She pulled his angavastram around herself. It was as if Lakshman himself  had wrapped his strong arms around her. A  strong  breeze brushed past her.Even though scent  of Lakshman had long faded from his clothes, she sniffed it hoping to catch a trace of  his familiar fragrance.

Hours later,that night,when Shrutkirthi had come out for a glass of water, she saw Urmila sleeping fitfully by the large windows. She didnot have the heart to wake her up nor did she want her sister to sleep in such discomfort. She brought a large blanket from her chambers  and spread it on the clean floor. Slowly she rolled her sister on it as she laid herself down next to her. The four sisters used to sleep together everyday when they were young and in the gurukula too.  Five years, Shrutkirthi told herself,Five years and everything will be alright again. 

After a  little over four years , Urmila looked younger than twenty five as she skipped across the garden, singing. 

" She looks the same as thirteen years ago" whispered Kaushalya. " She is extremely happy, her sister,husband and jija are coming back in a year. But her singing, I must say, is getting on my nerves a bit. I prefer Shrutkirti's voice. " replied Sumitra smiling . " Yes, they will come back" said Kaikeyi quitely. Her guilt had only increased with time as she saw Urmila's carefully concealed sorrow, Mandavi's situation, Kaushalya and Sumitra's sadness and  Bharat's absence.

Within an hour, Urmila's happiness was shattered to bits. A message had reached them that two months ago Sita was abducted by Ravan and had been taken as a captive to Lanka. The messenger said something that Lakshman had cut Shurpanaka's ( Ravan's sister's) nose but all Urmila could hear was Sita was abducted. By Ravan. She had seen Ravan during the Swayamvar of Sita. To Urmila,he was one of the foulest,most uncivilised man. He might  be an ardent devotee of Shiva but he paid no respect to women nor to anyone including his own wife Mandodari. She seemed to tolerate  his affairs with each and every woman he could get his hands on, willingly or forcefully. Urmila could not think of Sita's fate in his cruel hands. What were Lakshman and Ram Jija doing then? Could'nt they stop him? Was Sita lured away? Many questions were unanswered. All they had to do was wait. Bharat had told them that Ram and Lakshman with an army of the vanaras were attempting their best to get into  Lanka and fight Ravan to get Sita back. Sita didi,pure,delicate,beautiful,brave woman that she was, she  would not fear Ravan and would defy him. This was what worried Urmila. She stopped her train of thoughts. Ravan would never lay his  filthy hands  on her. Ever.

That night neither of the sisters could sleep. They sat huddled together in Urmila's chamber just staring into space." It happened  two months ago!". Shrutkirti sobbed." And at that time we did not know anything. We lived peacefully for those months while Sita didi was captured, kidnapped,tortured  perhaps.." 

" Stop it,kirthi" cut in Mandavi crossly. 

" Sita didi  cannot be dead. She will be safe. She will come back. Ram jija and Lakshman will rescue her and bring her back" said Urmila confidently, hugging Shrutkirti. Urmila prayed everyday, almost every second of her life for her sister. She saw her sister in her dreams, reassuring she was alright. In some dreams,she saw Sita burning. Silent screams wracked her body when she dreamt such things. She would never survive if she lost her sister. 

Days went on without any news except that Lakshman and Ram were safe and were crossing the sea to Lanka. All Urmila could do was pray for her loved ones. Reassure them that everything would be alright. She kept the palace alive with her radiating positivity. Without her, the residents of the palace would have been broken with the emotional assault life was putting them through. Urmila knew that her husband would die before he let anything happen to Sita didi. She wasn't sure if that thought was a comfort to her. Only hope  and prayers could get them through.