The Princes of Ayodhya-The Ramayan Through Short Stories

The Return of Phool Jani the Great & Powerful-Part 2

Behold...a second chapter 😰

Everyone was behaving very weirdly in the palace. Janak's face was somber, dark, and Rani Sunaina didn't go around scolding everyone, just sitting in her chair sorrowfully. Ram didn't smile, or banter with Sita. Bharat did not pick up his palettes, or even glance at them forlornly. Shatrughan did make jokes, but they were weak, and didn't even make Shrutakirti laugh. Urmila packed away all her personal things out of sight.

Even weirder, it seemed to the entire grand palace of Videha, that Lakshman had hurt himself. Dasis turned around to stare at him as he limped heavily down the halls, refusing a crutch and help. It wasn't unusual for Lakshman to get hurt, quite normal in fact, he was almost prone to it. However, it was unheard of for him to limp. He insisted upon walking normally, wincing when the pressure got too bad, but refusing to show weakness.

"Hey, what's got into you! I didn't do anything this time!" exclaimed Shatrughan, catching up to his brother as he limped towards the breakfasting hall. All heads looked up as the twins, one of them apparently severely hurt, walked into the room. Urmila, swallowing, cleared her throat, hoping that he wasn't hurt.

"Um, what has happened? To your leg? You never limp." Lakshman sat down, leaning back with a sigh, and taking a long drink of the juice in the goblet in front of him as Ram took his temperature from his forehead, as if he would limp because he had a fever. Bharat looked from across Ram, and began nervously diagnosing any condition his brother might be afflicted with suddenly that would be painful in the leg.

"No, no, you all worry in vain. I'm perfectly fine, my leg isn't hurt. I figure if I limp now, that maybe it won't be any worse when the princess arrives." Lakshman shrugged as the rest of the hall contemplated his weird reasoning, but figured it was ridiculous enough to match the ridiculousness of the royal family that was about to arrive.

"I wonder if the family has changed at all. Maybe the princess has matured and will be a good companion for bhabhi, or one of her sisters." added Bharat hopefully, and Shrutakirti agreed, the two always trying to see the best in people. "And we have never met the queen, perhaps she is kind." she mentioned.

This statement was met by unassured mutterings in the hall, for the entire palace, from the servant maids to the cooks, to the very residents themselves, did not want to welcome the royal procession of Mahisthami. They were like a nuisance, a fly, but one that you could not afford to kill. Perhaps a fly laden with gold that could possibly poison you if you tried to kill it, but otherwise would just buzz around one.

"Must we welcome her? I mean, we already had to deal with her once before, maybe we can just hide away, you know?" asked Shatrughan, pointing between himself and Lakshman. Ram smacked the back of his head.

"Nope, not a single chance, Shatru. We're in this together, no matter how liable you are to be able to pass over it." Shatrughan, rubbing the back of his head, scowled at Ram and Bharat as the rest of the hall slumped. Perhaps Lakshman should have finished strangling that messenger after all.

3 hours later....

"Aww, come on Laksh, it's no use waiting!" whined Urmila, dragging the poor man out of his room and in front of the opening gates, where the rest of the family had assembled. The golden gates were thrown open grandly, for the carriage to arrive, in it, seated the three royal family members. Raja Janak let out a shuddery sigh. If they accidentally offended any one of them, war would be waged. A war that they, perhaps, even with Ayodhya's help, might not be able to win. Such was the intimidation power of Mahisthami.

"They're late, aren't they?" grumbled Urmila, a stickler for time. "Can't we just go back inside without this grand welcome? They'll feel even more at home if we act happy. I say that Laksh can just secretly murder all of them, and then we stay in peace." Ram looked over at her hilarious proposal.