The Inseparable Princes

20. Back Home!

"You'll all be leaving for your home, your Ayodhya today, as I already told you," said Janaka, his voice choked with emotion and eyes moist. Sunayana hugged Shrutakeerti crushingly, as she cried softly. Kushadhvaja caressed Mandavi's hair emotionally as Chandrabhaga kissed Sita and Urmila on their foreheads, trying hard to curb her tears.

"Can we not stay here for a few more days?" asked Mandavi, as she wiped the tears off her cheeks.

"No, putri," replied Janaka affectionately. "You have to go there, don't you?"

"No, we don't!" squealed Urmila tearily.

"Don't say that, okay!" said Chandrabhaga. "At least you'll have each other for you. And besides, your in-laws are all great people, aren't they?"

"They are," Urmila couldn't deny it. She really felt a great bond with the twins' mother, when she spoke to them the other day. It was like they were a mother and daughter, the way she wished to speak to her.

★★★

"Boys, we're leaving for Ayodhya today, and you all have to behave, alright? No drama in front of the girls, okay?" said Kaikeyi, as they all got ready to leave.

"Maa!" whined Shatrughna. "I just thought of unleashing my infinite talent at acting, in front of the girls, but you..."

"Shatru!" said Sumitra. "Behave! You aren't a two-year-old, understand?"

"I've known that for so long, Maa!" he replied.

"Good!"

"I'm actually a one-year-old!" he completed.

"Shatru, nobody can save you from Maa, now!" said Lakshmana, before he gesticulated Bharata to save his baby brother.

"Maa!" he said, intervening in the to-be episode of Tom & Jerry. "Let him enjoy na. Anyway, Keerti isn't going to let him continue this any further, once we're back home,"

"Bharat! You just love saving this devil, but perhaps you're right, this time," she said. "After all, he's no more just my son. He's also a h-husband. Why will he ever care about me further?" she cried, as Kaikeyi giggled silently.

"Maa," said a deeply saddened Shatrughna, as he came out from behind the shield of his Bharat Bhaiya. "That is not true," he said, holding Sumitra's hands apologetically. This dialogue invited quite a lot of attention, as Lakshmana's right elbow found its way to Bharata's shoulder, as his furrowed eyebrows and confused eyes stared at his mother perplexingly. And Bharata too, almost baffled by the reaction of his dear mother, crossed his arms, not knowing what else to do, as his eyebrows went up and eyes widened, as did his mouth. Rama, although calm otherwise, looked flabbergasted, as his jaw dropped at the verbal exchange, and his eyes conveyed nothing but confusion.

And there! Sumitra had unleashed her prowess instead! She caught her youngest son by his waist, and she tickled him to her heart's content, for she knew that he really wasn't just her son anymore, and that was the truth. He was also the husband of a girl who entirely deserved someone as righteous, as magnificent, as marvellous, as hilarious, as exceptional as her son.

"Maa?" asked an astonished Lakshmana. "Y-you act too?"

"Absolutely! Only very rarely, like you," she said, her hand brushing against the elders twin's cheek.

"Woah! Maa, I thought you were serious!" said Bharata, while Rama suddenly went from behind and hugged her.

"What happened, Ram?" she asked, caressing his face.