The Inseparable Princes

21. The Vow

"First time you guys are having dinner here," announced Dasharatha joyously.

"Yeah yeah, what a world record, isn't it?" asked Shatrughna, least interested because he was really hungry. "Can we please eat now?"

"Today's task, for my boys is that you'll serve the food to us!" announced Kaushalya, as the three girls giggled at the fate of their husbands. Urmila, however, looked like she didn't find anything too funny.

"Maa, please, can we do this task tomorrow? I'm too tired now, and if I don't eat, I'm going to pass out!" said Shatrughna, as his drama continued.

"Why don't you do that, Shatru? At least you'll be successful in getting more attention than these people," said Lakshmana, pointing at the girls. "Only Sita Bhabhi requires the attention, because she did help in the kitchen, if you know,"

"What? But why?" asked Kaikeyi. "You arrived just today!"

"Maa, actually she's the perfect girl, the perfect person, who wants to do all the work in the world. She's just being normal," assured Shrutakeerti. She was already starting to get over her initial doubts about the family.

"Laksh, she isn't shy. I think Shatru should learn his lessons now, na" said Bharata, as he'd seen Shatrughna make fun of Shrutakeerti as shy, a lot of times, but if it got to her and if she happened to blurt it out to Sumitra, then Shatru was going to have a tough time.

"He is mad! Look at him!" said Lakshmana. Shatrughna was trying to do some work with the dishes, as he tried to serve it inefficiently. Shatrughna was usually a good boy, who could do his work very well, but today, he was in a mood for some overacting.

"Urmi, are you fine?" whispered Sita, as she saw her otherwise talkative sister sitting quietly like never before.

"Umm... Nothing, didi. Just, you know, getting used to everything," she said guiltily. Guilty of lying.

★★★

Urmila sat on the bed silently as Lakshmana entered the room humming a sweet song.

"Hey, Mila!" he said. "Do you like the room?"

"Umm... Yeah," she replied, not making contact with his eyes.

"Are you okay, Mila?" he asked as he sat next to her.

"Here," she said. "Take your sword back. You forgot about it in all the crying the other day,"

"Ahh, thanks!" he said gracefully, taking it back.

"I came to know what you were saying to Ram Bhaiya the other day," she said.

"What did I say? I don't quite remember," he confessed.

"You said that you can't share him with anybody, didn't you?" she said, their eyes making contact.

"Ah, that!"

"That. What does that mean?"

"I was just being a cranky two-year-old that da-"

"So does it not matter to you?" she asked.

"It does. He is my brother, and-"

"You can't ''share'' him? Laksh, listen to me. I respect Ram bhaiya like you respect my Didi. And I know that you don't mind him being my brother,"