The Princes of Ayodhya-The Ramayan Through Short Stories

The Return of Phool Jani the Great & Powerful -Part 1

Am back from my 1 day absence....

Ram paced about in front of Bharat's Guest Room. His brothers, all except Lakshman who didn't really care what he looked like, all took so much time to get ready! Of course, Lakshman always ended up with tangled hair and dishevelled clothing, but looked alright nonetheless. Bharat would spend his dear sweet time brushing his hair slowly, all while humming a lullaby Maa Kaikeyi with golden chords used to sing in his childhood, making sure his clothes didn't have even the tiniest wrinkle, and woe be that wrinkle should it exist, rolling his arm muscles to prevent soreness while he painted, something which without, he would not consider the day done, and sometimes, secretly, under the cover of getting ready, he would make a quick sketch of a self portrait. Shatrughan had caught him a few times in the act, and the rest of Bharat's days were to be filled with teasing and taunting.

Speaking of Shatrughan, he took even more time. He would take ages just to make sure his hair looked unruly, but not too unruly, that his clothes were placed just right, and he would practice his smile in front of the mirror for ages, a flirty one with raised eyebrows, his 'nonchalant look', his glare, which he promised himself someday would match his twin's. He would practice speeches, charming and deceitful, but definitely not filled with truth and earnest as Ram's were. Oh woe to whoever was his wife someday; that is, if the self proclaimed "player" ever married.

Much to Shatrughan's defeat though, it was Ram who was Ayodhya's kind sweetheart, the crown prince shining in excellence, and radiating all the blessings he received. In addition, Bharat was the handsomest, and Manthara made sure that everyone knew that at the top of her lungs every single morning, waking up everyone but the sound sleeper Lakshman. Finally, there was Lakshman who, cursed with the worst luck, was the ladies' reluctant charming heartthrob, a part everyone but he wanted to play, and the latter would have been happy to hand his position off to his twin had he ever asked.

Creak! Ram looked up quickly as Bharat stepped out, wincing at the unoiled hinges of the wooden door. "What happened?" Bharat asked, eyes darting between Ram and Lakshman, who also had been waiting impatiently. "Are you all alright? Why do you have that urgent, twinkling look in your eyes, reflecting in your face, Ram bhaiyya? What's up?"

"Tell Shatrughan to hurry up! We're late for breakfast, I knew we shouldn't have stayed up late yesterday, what will Raja Janak think? What will Sita think? What will my future mother-in-law think? That we're always late? Maybe they will think that I will be late to Sita's wedding as well! Oh no! Oh no! What do I do?" And so, the usually calm Ram began to sob dramatically on Lakshman's shoulder as Bharat stared.

"Aw Ram bhaiya. Don't worry, you know Raja Janak, Rani Sunaina, and Sita Bhabhi think the best of you. I don't believe that the thought you mentioned will ever even speed through their mind once, forget influence their decisions. And Shatrughan is pardonable in his offense, though I do wonder what's taking him so long. Since when do you behave like Shatrughan in drama? Has Sita's love touched you so much that you want to become an actor?" Lakshman uttered comfortingly as Bharat nodded along, looking down the hallway this and that for the presence of the youngest of them.

"You called?" The door to Shatrughan's bedroom opened, and he swaggered out, smirking. "It's good to know you all value me, someday when I am dying on a battlefield, my decaying body rotting away, pecked at by vulgar vultures and callous crows will you realize my worth! Until then, I must suffer as an underdog among all you other underdogs!" Bharat smacked him as they all laughed and headed towards the dining rooms gladly.

Raja Janak welcomed them all without question at their timing, for which Ram profusely apologized. "Oh, it's no problem son, 'twas nothing urgent, just a bit of boring material that Sunaina," here, he spared a withering glance towards his studious queen, who tittered, "requested I read out. No objections, I hope?" When he received not a reply in the negative, he began to speak.