The Princes of Ayodhya-The Ramayan Through Short Stories

The Great Forest Escapade

         The entire royal family of Videha along with the Princes of Ayodhya sat in the dining room, laughing at Shatrughan's jokes, eating, and making merry. Lakshman and Urmila were speaking again, and much to Urmila's relief, he hadn't caught onto anything unusual. She was still itching to reveal her feelings to someone, and she had come close to confiding in Sita, but something stopped her. Was it fear? Was it apprehension?

"Well, now we've all gotten to know each other, it's been a few days since your brothers arrived, Ram, how about a nice horse ride? Around the state, you know, we're known for our green fields and waterfalls, and even our abundant forests, filled with life and teeming with exotic flowers. We get a lot of tourism." Raja Janak mentioned, looking up from his food.

"Ah yes, Ram bhaiyya may be more in love with the fields than Sita bhabhi, honestly brother. You talk about them day and night!" Ram sent a playful glare towards Shatrughan as he laughed, and Bharat and Lakshman both snorted into their food. Urmila, as expected, quarreled day and night with Shatrughan, competing for the title of "Speaker Supreme", much to Lakshman's exasperation.

Flashback

"No, you idiot! I said my room was off-limits to visit! Why on Earth was there a bullfrog there if you didn't do it? I don't keep bullfrogs as pets!" shrieked Urmila, grasping her hair as Shatrughan stood in front of her proudly, beaming.

"Haha, the screams, the best day of my life, honestly! I'm so happy. Besides, I didn't hear your little off-limits speech, sorry, my ears are a little bit quirky, you know? Just like your nose." Urmila was always a little bit self-conscious about her nose, though everybody agreed that it looked perfectly fine, and as soon as Shatrughan had caught onto this little piece of information, it was talked about endlessly.

"Haha. Very funny, you know? I think you're the sleaziest, most self-absorbed prince out there! May the devil shower all sorts of atrocities on you! And you know why I thought immediately that it was you who placed that bullfrog?" Shatrughan started to get angry at this point as well, much to the aghast of poor Bharat, who was trying to break up the fight, and the almost-deaf Lakshman, whom the duelling duo followed around all day.

"No, why? Is it because I'm the only one here who has the capabilities to prank?" he asked snarkily, making Lakshman whirl around and glare at him, reminding him angrily of the prank-war back in Gurukul.

"No, because only you are so immorally and physically disgusting and unapproachable as to own a bullfrog as a pet! I wonder how many people you had to boss around to get that amphibian! Are you attached to it? Did you name it? Oh wow, kya pyaar kahani! Shatrughan aur Mendhak." Shatrughan turned bright red as Bharat started to laugh and Lakshman, anticipating the quick escalation of sound after that statement, tried to run away.

Present

"I think a nice horse ride would be nice, you know, just to get some fresh air. We've been cooped up in the palace for a while, and I would love to paint some birds and trees." Bharat looked wistful, and Mandavi felt a bit of her prejudice softening. "That is, if you want to, Ram." Bharat quickly hastened to add. Ram nodded along, having gotten over his momentary mortification at Shatrughan's joke.

"Ram bhaiyya has his horse, and Bharat and Shatru each have theirs, but I need a horse, please." Lakshman asked meekly, still not having gotten over his little habit of not asking for things until he very much needed them. It was so severe in his childhood that instead of asking for a new sword once his old one broke, he just made along with a fractured weapon for years until the pampering Maa Kaikeyi noticed, and gave him an entire set of swords.

"Ah yes, we brought along Shaurya, your childhood horse. He still hasn't died, you know? A bit old, creaky, but not very dead." Bharat stated nonchalantly, as if it was no big deal, continuing to eat his food. Lakshman dropped his spoon, and fixed Bharat with such an angry look that he choked.