Fleeting Moments-Ramayan Oneshots

Master

    "Master of emotions!" People called him. Lakshman laughed at that, but no one could ever see his joy other than his brothers. No one would see his happiness other than his brothers. No one would see his good humor other than his brothers. He couldn't let them.

"Why?" Shatrughan asked him one day. "Why do you mask your emotions, twin? Honestly, I think the more you show your emotions, the better. I mean, look at me, I'm practically the most handsome man on Earth!" Shatrughan stood for a pose, and forgot all about his question.

Lakshman didn't though. And he had an answer should his twin ever want it. "My emotions are a burden upon other people. Don't the subjects have enough to worry about? Do not you all? I am so heavy with my feelings, that I will distract you. I can't do that!" Lakshman knew exactly how his brothers would react to that as well.

"Oh no! You are no burden to me! Laksh, you are my dear, dear brother, and you must not hold your emotions in. Never consider yourself a distraction." Ram bhaiyya would murmur, enveloping him in a hug. His bhaiyya was such a good liar, Lakshman knew that following him around was a great distraction. But he couldn't help it if he feared that his brother would be injured!

"Lakshman. It's bad for your health. Do not hold in your emotions." Bharat would say seriously, sitting him down for a deep talk. "We are here to help you, you are Ramanuja and Bharatanuja, and being our younger brother, we have a duty to help you!" A duty, not a want! And Bharat made the greatest paintings in his free time, something he liked to do, and Lakshman did not want to disturb him by pestering him with his stupid feelings. Good riddance to them!

"Ah bhaiyya. I am the greatest when I show my emotions!" Shatrughan would proclaim, looking far off into the distance like the statues of past kings did in their large courtyard. "I am free, and ready to conquer the world when I myself am not burdened upon by them!" Weird, that his single younger brother had the most convincing argument. What if, one day, he faltered in his errands as the third prince because of his suppressed emotions bubbling up like a volcano? But no. That would not happen. He'd better use his title to the fullest, and master his emotions.

"Bhaiyyas!" cried Shatrughan one day. "Look at the great storm outside!" Lakshman rushed towards the window, staring out at the grey, rumbling sky, filling rapidly with clouds not fluffy like usual. He swallowed hard, looking out into the courtyard. Into the thick, dense woods. Perhaps the forest, filled with falling missiles otherwise known as trees, was not the best place to build a meditation house.

"Maybe that willow tree will finally fall!" laughed Ram, looking over to see if his brother would make some joke. He didn't, just stared out woefully, his dark eyes clouded over with some untold worry. Ram wanted to ask him, right then and there, what the matter was. He didn't.

"Oh wow! The storm is really going to be heavy in rainfall, isn't it?" asked Shrutakirti, eyes wide and scared later that evening in the dining hall, hearing a dramatic account from Bharat. Shatrughan laughed, his bubbling joy filling the dining hall.

"Ah dear wifey. In case you ever need a beacon of hope....Laksh is there! I'll be busy checking myself in the mirror." He drifted off, staring uncertainly at his twin brother, who was grasping his goblet tightly.

"Swami?" asked Urmila, poking his shoulder. He did not respond. "Swami?" she tried again, poking him harder. Lakshman stared at his goblet as if about to burn it, but was still unresponsive to the world around him.

"SWAMI?" she cried, waving a hand in front of his eyes. Lakshman did not respond, thinking of his little building house, a small project really, stuck in a clearing in the woods. It was far away from the trees, far enough away from them that they would not break it if they fell, right? Urmila was getting increasingly agitated, and eventually topped it off with a...