Recap

Urmila slowly touched on his swollen eyelids... Hot tears were still flowing through his face.

Lakshman collapsed on her hold.

"Lakshman..." She cupped his face.

"Whom should I choose, Mila?" He asked in between his sobs.

"Lakshman..."
At last, Urmila decided to speak to him. They were sitting silently for almost an hour.

"Whom should I choose?" He asked again. As he believed, she was the only one who could help him now.

"Ram bhaiya... He is the one who deserves you most..."

"But he doesn't need me..." Murmured Lakshman trying his best to avoid breaking down again.

"He never meant so... The love he has for you made him say those words. How could you even imagine like that?"

"I don't know..." Lakshman shook his head. "Only thing I know is that I can't live without him... I can not survive in his absence, neither in the palace nor in the forest."

Urmila didn't reply. She knew that. But the only thing that hurts her is he didn't even think about herself. But she was strong enough to mask it from him, otherwise, it will make him more guilty.

"Mila... Can you help me?"
Lakshman asked her avoiding eye contact.

"What do you mean?"

"Can you speak with Ram bhaiya?"

"Yes, I will..." She replied walking out of their room.

Urmila bit her lower lips to kill her sobs. She couldn't help but smile at the irony of her fate. They were married, vowed to live their lives together. But now they both are trying to be separated, for fourteen long years.

But she was ready for that. She was ready to sacrifice anything for her love. Because once she said to him that 'he has her word'.

Promises are meant to be kept.

************

"Sita... The exile is only for me..." said Ram. He was shocked when she declared her decision.

"If it is yours, then it is mine too..." Sita replied with her usual smile.

"Why anyone can't understand me?" Cried Ram hiding his face with both his hands. He was neither sad for losing the crown nor for being exiled. The only thing that bothered him was his loved ones. First from Lakshman and now Sita also.

"I know you, my love... I know how much tensed you are thinking about Ayodhya and our parents. But that can not stop me from fulfilling my duties towards you. I am your wife, and I will be with you in your good and bad..."

"You are a princess, how could I..."

"I am the princess of your heart, Ram..." Sita cut him in middle. "I am with you, always..."

Ram nodded. It was impossible to win her in a quarrel.

Sita wiped his tears.
"No one here can bear your tears... Let's move together to fulfil our fathers wish... Ayodhya will be proud of their Prince..."

"And of their Princess also..."

***********

"Don't know why, but I felt something weird while talking with Uncle Yudhajith..."
Said Shatrughan while Mandavi nodded in agreement. Both the brothers and sisters were spending their time together in Bharat's room.

They reached Kekaya three days ago to meet their grandfather Ashwapathi.

"He was talking about the crown of Ayodhya... And that scares me..." Whispered Bharat in a cold voice.

"Bhaiya... What do you mean?"

"I never felt this much restless Shatrughan... I think we should go back... As soon as possible..."

Mandavi gasped looking at his wet eyes.
"Bharat... Relax... Nothing will happen..."

"Yes bhaiya... Don't overthink..."
Said Shatrughan.
He sensed how much disturbed his brother was. Since childhood, Bharat hated any kind of comparison between him and his elder brother Ram. That's the only thing that made him keep a slight distance from his Uncle.

"It's Ram bhaiya's birthright to be the King, and also he is the only person capable of it. I am honestly happy about that." Bharat continued.

"We all know that bhaiya... We know how much you love him..."
Said Sruthakeerthi with an ensuring smile. Her brother was really sensitive.

Three of them looked at each other and Bharat, who was sitting with a gloomy face. Understanding his brother's condition Shatrughan decided to leave to his room to avoid any more conversation on that topic.

"I am feeling sad for Bharat bhaiya..." said Sruthakeerthi while walking. "He is being worried for no reason..."

"Not only him, Keerthi... Me too..."

Sruthakeethi glared at Shatrughan with wide eyes. He seemed to be composed but wasn't, actually.

"But why?"

"I am not sure about the reason... Actually I don't know... but Sumitra maa always told me to be alert whenever the Crown of Ayodhya being a discussion topic between us, brothers. And today it happened... for the first time..."

Now Sruthakeerthi also started to feel something wrong.
"What can we do now?"

"I am sending a messenger to Ayodhya dear... He will reach there within two days. And I hope, I am not late..."

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Updating after a long time... Hope it wasn't boring...

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