The four brothers were sitting in
Bharath's room. It was a dark night...

"Bhaiya..." Bharath whispered to Ram "I think you should speak to him once..."

Ram shook his head. "He may be angry... That is why he is behaving like this..."

Lakshman was completely silent and quiet after that evening. Whole family was surprised by that. According to them it is impossible to see him sitting idle and calm.

Bharath glared at Lakshman who was sitting opposite to them. His face had no emotions.

"He can't be angry with you... I am sure."

Ram doubted. "There is something more..."

Shatrughan who was silently listening to them suddenly shook Lakshman by holding his hands.

"What is the matter now?"

Asked Lakshman in an irritated voice.

"Bhaiya... My question is the same. What is the matter?"

Both Ram and Bharath stared the youngest one. Irritating an angry Lakshman is almost same to a suicidal attempt.

"Nothing."

"Why are you lying bhaiya?"

Lakshman stood up and gave him a death glare.

"Yes... I lied. That means I am not willing to share it with you. So don't ask further."
Then he walked out of the room.

Shatrughan turned to Ram.

"He is not angry bhaiya but he is sad... Really upset..."

Ram smiled at Shatrughan. How easly he captured his twin's real emotions.

"Bhaiya... He won't share it with anyone, but you... You are the only one who can read him..."

Ram took a deep breath. He was trying for the same but Lakshman never gave him a chance for it.

"Let me try once again..." Said Ram and ran to outside to catch his brother.

"Laksh... Laksh stop..."

Lakshman turned back to see Ram standing there.

"What can I do for you bhaiya?"

Ram smiled in surprise.
"Why are you using this official language Lakshman... It feels that I am not your brother but the crown prince."
He joked.

Lakshman gulped. His reason wasn't that much far from it...

"Let's go to our room... I want to sleep..."

Told Ram and dragged Lakshman while the other stood there like a statue.

"Come on..."

"I want to sleep alone bhaiya..."

Said Lakshman closing his eyes. He felt Ram's grip slowly losing on his hand.

Ram, who was already guilty for hurting Lakshman tried his best to control his tears.

"I am really sorry Lakshman... I am really sorry..."

"Bhaiya no... You didn't hurt me... You could never do that... Please don't apologize..."

"Then why are you trying to be away from me Saumitra... It really hurts..."

Lakshman slowly moved towards his own room leaving his brother alone.

He could understand the pain suffered by his brother. He also was going through the same...

"I know... It may hurt... But it is for good bhaiya..."

Ram looked at his brother's figure with a blurred vision.

"I can't... I can't live without him... Why doesn't he understand...What made him hate his Ram bhaiya..."
............................

Ram and Lakshman, both were gloomy since the morning so that Kausalya ordered the servants to get mangoes for them. It was their favourite fruit.

"Only two... " questioned Kausalya while the maids apologised.

"Forgive me your highness... It is not the mango season. We couldn't collect more than two..."

"Leave it didi... They can share it..." Said Sumitra who was busy with checking and correcting the court orders. She helped King Dasharath in ruling the kingdom. She was almost like the minister of financial and law sections.

Kausalya nodded in agreement.

"We have only two mangos... Let me divide them. I will give each half for each of you..." Said Kausalya and started to cut the mangos.

Lakshman glared at the mangos as if he saw them for the first time.

The knife was slowly piercing them into two... They were united till that moment. They were one, not two... But it took just half of a second to make them separated.

"It is half... Half can never be a real,complete one... Like me..."

Lakshman ran from there.

"Where are you running? " Asked Kausalya with a confused face.

"I think he is not well didi... He didn't sleep yesterday too..."

"There is something more..." Ram whispered in his mind. Now he has no doubt in it.
....................

"I hate it... I hate the word half..." Yelled Lakshman while running to the practice ground.

Kaikeyi was practising archery. She startled by that sudden voice.

Lakshman, who was running madly collided with his mother.

"Lakshman... Don't you have eyes?"

Lakshman sighed in relief. Kaikeyi is angry. It is the only time she fails to understand others.

So Lakshman took that opportunity to mask his worries from her and change his own mental state.

"Maa... Let's practise..." He said picking a wooden sword from the shelf.

Kaikeyi ruffled his hair.

"Sorry dear... I have to accompany Maharaj in the next battle. This is my first war after your Bharath bhaiya's birth so I can't avoid preparations. But you can revise yesterday's lessons..."

"How can I maa? I want an opponent..."
Said Lakshman.

"I will fight with you..." Exclaimed Ram. His tone was stiff and sharp.

"Great... If you are with him then I don't have to worry about his safety..." Smiled Kaikeyi. "And don't give him a metal sword Ram..."

"Sure Kaikeyi maa..."

Said Ram and indicated Lakshman to follow him.

They both moved towards the end of the royal pathway and stood behind the trees.

"Fight with me..."

"I can't..." Said Lakshman. He was literally burning inside.

"Why can't you... " Asked Ram.
He was expecting a loud cry from his brother at any moment.

Lakshman didn't reply.

Ram moved his sword directly to Lakshman because he was sure that his brother will defend it.

The mere sound of the air cuting by a swift metal sword fired Lakshman's veins... He was a warrior by his birth...

He defended it.

Ram praised his little brother in his mind. But like Lakshman,he also didn't wish to continue this drama. He was actually trying to get Lakshman alone and speak with him.

So Ram smashed his opponent's wooden sword with his real metal one.

"Lakshman raise your head..."

Lakshman glared at the ground.

"Lakshman I said look at me..."
Ram roared...

It was a command.

Lakshman never disobeyed any of his brother's commands.

"Yes bhaiya..." He replied facing Ram.

Opposite to Lakshman's expectations his eyes were filled with love... The hardness which was present in his voice never reached his eyes...
They were still smiling at him...

Lakshman stepped back. He may break down right now. His inner strength and braveness was nothing in front of his bhaiya.

"Saumitra..." Ram slowly touched lakshman's cheek. "I know you can't hate me for avoiding you for a moment...What is the problem..."

"Nothing bhaiya... I was upset with you."

Ram smiled. "But I know you better than that my brother..."

Lakshman forgot to breath.
His brother was asking about the reason.

Ram widened his hands for a hug.

Lakshman felt his heart directly breaking into two.
One part pleaded him to fall on his brother's hands, it was the safest zone.

But the other part warned him about Manthara's words.

"A half brother is always a half brother... You can't be his real brother, ever..."

"You usually say that your Ram bhaiya need no words to understand your mind... If he can then why doesn't he?"

"If you think so then why are you trying to be close with him? If he doesn't want his half brother to be close with him, then why are you trying to hurt his wishes?"

Once again he looked at his brother's eyes.

He was confused as hell.

He felt the loss once and he wasn't dare enough to feel that again. If he tried to be close with his bhaiya again then may all end with the same conclusion...

"A half brother is always a half brother..."
He murmured.

Ram couldn't believe what he heard. It was terrible... It was more and more scary than a misunderstanding...

Sometimes truth can be threatening than lies.

"Who told you this all?" Asked Ram with a shivering voice. It was a known truth, but it was hidden due to their love... They were more than half brothers...

Lakshman was more than a brother to Ram... He was more than anything to him...

"I am sorry bhaiya... I can't disappoint you... I can't hurt any of your wishes... No matter you told them to me or not..."

With out a second thought he ran towards the forest behind them. As always his cloudy mind made him reach at the very wrong decision.

"Lakshman!"

Ram followed him with a fear filled heart.

His brother was approaching the danger... He was running towards the darkness, leaving the whole light of his life behind...

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

Hi friends...

Here comes another happiness...

'The Broken Prince' is selected as the second best book under the category Ramayana in 'The Shelf made awards 2021...

With happy tears,let me say... I am in love with this book now...

Not only because it gave satisfaction to my 'writing dreams' but I feel that it is being a different yet memorable experience to my readers...

Thank you again friends... Let's continue the journey like this...❤️

With love - Vaikarthana

📌 I may have exams on next week, so I can't give you an assurance about the next update. Sorry for that but I hope I can be free with in a week. If there is any change I will surely update the next part as per schedule.📌