The Princes of Ayodhya-The Ramayan Through Short Stories

Fortune Telling

A/N-I felt like I didn't write enough about Ram, who is the main protagonist of the original Ramayan, so here is one for all of those Sita/Ram lovers. No time like the present! Couldn't resist adding the twins though. They're my favorite part, I'm sorry!

"Princesses?" cried Raja Janak, king of Videha. "Could you come here please?" The enchanting jingling of anklets and bells on dupattas began to echo in the halls near him, growing louder and louder till four princesses stood in front of him, smiling, laughing and giggling, staring at him curiously. As he looked at his beloved daughters and nieces, he smiled, and a bout of pride rushing through him.

Sita, the eldest at 12-years, was adopted, but Raja Janak loved her as his own. He had found her buried in the Earth, and kept her as an auspicious child, radiating holiness. Sita always loved frolicking in the gardens, growing plants, and sitting under trees, and loved the world around her. She was calm, kind, and poised, the very picture of a perfect princess. She was beautiful like a freshly bloomed flower, and Janak reluctantly thought of the day when she would have to marry.

Right next to Sita was Urmila, Janak's biological daughter. She was the third eldest, ten-years-old, and loved to paint. Urmila was very talkative, chatty, and loved by everyone, not shy in the least. She was the shortest of the four, but made up for that with her bright, sunshiny, sunny personality. Urmila loved Sita, and didn't care the least about her adoption.

Mandavi was his younger brother, Kushadwaja's eldest daughter, eleven years old. She was spry, sporty, and authoritative, protective of whom she loved, and bold when she needed to be. She was not shy, and took control, but she also was tender, loving her sisters with a fierce energy.

And then there was Shrutakirti. The youngest daughter of Kushadwaja, nine years old, Shrutakirti was kind, shy, and yet the pillar of strength for her sisters. She was doted upon by everyone, but pure like a pearl. Perhaps she was the most generous of all of them, but also firm. Raja Janak wanted to keep her forever in the palace, and felt that the adventures of the outside world would ruin her.

"Sage Vishwamitra specifically asked for ten boxes of sweets from our palace kitchens," he began, and immediately noticed a reverence in the girls' eyes. "Due to my back pain, I cannot deliver them myself. Sunaina is visiting her father's kingdom. Would you-" He was cut off by an exuberant Urmila.

"Yes, that's so exciting!" she squealed. "We're going to Sage Vishwamitra's ashram! I heard that the gods themselves visit there when yagnas happen! Let's get ready!" Urmila dragged Sita, who was shaking her head at the girl's antics, behind her and Mandavi and Shrutakirti followed. Raja Janak laughed, and laughed, and laughed, happiness bubbling inside him. There was surely no man on Earth who deserved any of his princesses.

"Wow, look at the trees!" cried Sita. Urmila gaped at the scenery. So many things to paint. Sita, however, felt a bit queasy, and it wasn't because of the carriage bumping over some stray pebbles in the dirt path leading to the ashram. It was because she felt that something very important was about to happen. Something very fateful. Sita turned to observe her sisters. Urmila, of course, looked jumpy, excited, and was craning her neck. Mandavi was talking with Shrutakirti, who was laughing at everything she said. Sita sighed. Perhaps it was just her.

They arrived at the ashram excitedly, the archway looking welcoming. They found a bustling place, people running about, carrying stacks of wood, sweeping away fallen leaves, and re-thatching roofs with dry grass. Sita inhaled deeply, and felt calmer in this environment. So much nature surrounding her! Urmila nudged her, and she turned around quickly.

"Happy, aren't you?" Urmila began to impersonate Sita. "Oh wow! So many...trees! Such nice grass! Oh look! Is that a sparrow?" Sita smacked her, and turned a light red as all of them laughed. The ashram's attention was drawn to the four decked out girls standing in the entrance, laughing. Each of them held a few boxes.