"Enough Kausalya maa... I can't eat more..." 

Cried Bharath covering his mouth by his hand.

Kausalya sighed. 

"I don't know what can I do with you my Bharath... Alright , I won't feed you more but you have to drink the milk..."

"Milk... Oh my god... Sumitra maa please save me..." Bharath started to run away from Kausalya while Ram caught him.

"Make him drink the milk didi... He always find an excuse to avoid that..." Complained Kaikeyi, who was feeding Shatrughan.

The situation was three Vs one, so Bharath accepted the defeat.

"If my Lakshman was here... He would have helped me to escape from you all..." Said Bharath with a cute pout.

The two mothers laughed on his statement.

"But where is he? I didn't see him since the morning..." Kaikeyi asked to Ram.

"I don't know maa... " Replied Ram glaring at his plate.

"What?" exclaimed Kausalya. It was the first time Ram saying that he don't know where his Lakshman is.

"I slept with Bharath and Shatrughan yesterday..."

Kaikeyi began to ask him something but she was cut by Sumitra's loud shout.

"If you repeat this once again, I swear, no one can save you from the punishments..." 

Sumitra entered with a screaming Lakshman... She was twisting his ears.

Kaikeyi ran towards them and picked him up while Kausalya scolded Sumitra for hurting her baby.

"Didi... Before scolding me please ask the reason..."

Kaikeyi kissed the sobbing Lakshman.

"What did you do my Laksh that your mother got mad like this...!"

"Nothing Kaikeyi maa... nothing..." Replied Lakshman in an innocent tone.

"Perfectly right... He did nothing from the morning itself... When I went to their room he was sleeping on the bed... No morning prayers, no suryanamaskar... If I didn't notice he would sleep till the evening. How can you be this much lazy and irresponsible Lakshman?"

"I am not lazy... But I was sleepy..."

Kausalya glared at him but Kaikeyi could not control her giggles. 

"Oh my naughty little prince..." She kissed him again and started to feed him but Lakshman denied.

"Kaikeyi maa... Do you know... It is not my fault... Actually all this happened because of Ram bhaiya..." Said Lakshman and gave a mischievous grin to Ram while the latter glared him with shock.

"How dare you to blame him for your fault?" Sumitra rolled her eyes.

Kaikeyi was also a little shocked but she indicated Lakshman to close his mouth otherwise he will surely get some rewards from his angry mother.

Ram who was sitting silent through out the conversation took a deep breath. He was still angry on his brother because of yesterday's incident.

 But he got the meaning of Lakshman's words...

............................................

Kaikeyi was still confused on Ram's behaviour. After Lakshman's birth this must be the first time they sleeping in different room. So she decided to speak with Lakshman about it.

Lakshman was most comfortable with Kaikeyi among his three mothers. Because,she was just like him... Naughty and a prankster also... She was afraid of nothing... And he also admired her warrior skills... 

"What happened Laksh? Did you fight with Ram yesterday?"

"No maa... I never fight with Ram bhaiya... What is the need of fighting with him when I have Shatrughan to fight with me?" Replied Lakshman in an easy tone.

"You are impossible... " Whispered Kaikeyi. "Ok leave it... Why did you say that Ram is the reason for your mistake?"

"Yes maa... I was waiting for him the entire night but he didn't come... I can't sleep without him... I tried but I couldn't... I don't know how but I fall asleep in the morning and then Sumitra maa caught me..."

Kaikeyi looked at his face. There were dark circles beneath his eyes... And the same was present on Ram's also...

Lakshman was sitting quiet and that hurt his mother. Kaikeyi wanted that lively Lakshman back so she decided to tell him that...

"Saumitra... I have a surprise for you..."

"Maa... What is it?"

"Guess my boy..."

Lakshman bit his nails for few seconds and started to guess.

"You are going to give me a new horse... or a new toy... or a full jar of spicy mango pickle..."  (Unlike other children Lakshman was in love with spicy food. He doesn't like sweets that much  :)

"No... None of these..."

"Are you going to complete my homeworks for me maaa..." Asked Lakshman scratching his head. He couldn't guess anything which may give him that much happiness.

"I am going to give you a sword dear... We will start our first lesson of sword fighting tomorrow..."

Lakshman jumped and hugged her. It was totally unexpected.

"I love you maaa..."

"Love you too my son..."

"Let me share this with bhaiya..."

Exclaimed Lakshman and ran from there.

Kaikeyi's eyes were filled with happy tears...

"How adorable he is..."

....................................................

"Bhaiyaaaa..."

Lakshman almost screamed entering the room.

Ram was sitting alone there reading something. Lakshman rushed to him and hugged him from the back.

"Bhaiya I am going to start sword fighting tomorrow... Kaikeyi maa promised me..."

"Nice... All the best..." Replied Ram in a very formal tone.

Lakshman shocked and broke the hug. He couldn't believe his brother's reaction.

"Bhaiya... Didn't you hear me properly?"

"Yes Lakshman yes. I heard everything." murmured Ram.

Lakshman was totally confused. That three and a half year old child almost forgot yesterday's incident.

"If you don't mind we can talk later... Actually I am a little busy now... " Said Ram and turned his head to wipe his flowing tears.

"Sure bhaiya... "

Lakshman stepped out of the room. He couldn't understand that what his brother meant by the word 'everything'.

But he was sure about one thing...

'His bhaiya is not like this... Something happened to him...'

................................................

Lakshman stood behind Bharath who was busy in painting his latest drawing.

It was a picture of four princes , sitting on the bank of Sarayu... It was their picture...

A single tear drop fell on it and caused spreading of the colours.

Bharath raised his head to find Lakshman standing there with a gloomy face.

"What happened Laksh? Are you alright..."

"Bharath bhaiya... Ram bhaiya is upset with me... I don't know why but he is..." Said Lakshman. He was biting his lower lip tightly to avoid the sobs.

Bharath patted on his cheek.

"He can't be upset with any of us... Especially with you..."

"No bhaiya... He is."

"Lakshman... please don't overthink..."

"No...He is. He is . He is..." Yelled Lakshman at the top of his voice.

"Ok... Calm down... I will talk with him about this... Enough?"

"Please bhaiya... Do it as soon as possible..." said Lakshman in a chocking voice.

Bharath stood up from there immediately and walked upto his elder brother.

....................................................

Lakshman was sitting in the garden with his Bharath bhaiya.

"Laksh... This is the tenth time... I am not lying... He told me that he is not upset with any one..."

Exclaimed Bharath. He was trying to make his brother understand but that stubborn kid was not ready for that.

"I never said that you are lying bhaiya..." Lakshman replied in a tiered voice.

Before Bharath could say anything Shatrughan came and dragged Bharath towards the palace.

"Where were you? I was searching you for an hour..." Complained Shatrughan with a pouted face while Bharath smiled at him.

Bharath turned back and called Lakshman to join with them while the latter just nodded.

Lakshman stared at his brothers...

He missed his Ram bhaiya... He really missed him...

"Why doesn't he speak with me? Is there any reason for his behaviour ?" Lakshman asked to himself.

"Yes...there is."

Lakshman glared at Manthara who was walking towards him.

"There is a reason behind it my prince..." Said Manthara with a wired smirk on her face.

Lakshman's mind warn him to move away from her. He was never close to her. This was the first time they having a speech alone.

But he was very curious about the reason. It may help him to pacify his brother.

"Mantharaji... What do you mean?"