The Inseparable Princes

22. Laksh vs Shatru

"Go to hell with your damn sculpture!" he roared.

"Shut up, Lakshman! You're just overstepping now. Why did you break it?!" asked Shatrughna.

"Because you did the most laudable thing in this universe! You broke my bow!" countered Lakshmana.

"It's laudable, isn't it? If it's laudable, then why do you feel bitter about it, you idiot?" screamed Shatrughna.

"That was sarcastic, you donkey!" said Lakshmana.

"Hello boys?! Your volume is a little too high! Stop fighting, damn it!" screamed Bharata.

"Oh just forget it Shatru!" murmured Lakshmana, before he stormed off angrily, and Bharata followed him.

★★★

"What happened Laksh?" asked Bharata.

"He broke this bow!" said Lakshmana, crestfallen. "This one, bhaiya!"

"Oh come on, Laksh. It's okay," said Bharata, trying to pacify an angry cum upset Lakshmana. "Why did he break it?"

(Flashback)

"Shatru, no! No, Shatru, stop it!"said Lakshmana, chasing his brother all around the practice arena.

"Never bhaiya!" said Shatrughna cheerily, before sticking his tongue out to make fun of his brother.

Lakshmana increased his running speed and reached his twin in no time. "There! I've caught you! Now give me back my bow," he said.

"No!" replied Shatrughna, now seriously tensed. He quickly ran into his room and kept the bow on the table there. It was broken! Before he could lock the room door, Lakshmana came in and saw the bow, shattered into two pieces.

(Present)

"He broke it bhaiya!" repeated Lakshmana, as he looked at Bharata with an expression that displayed his sheer disappointment, but also his burning anger.

★★★

"I heard you fought with Lakshman," he said.

"Yes I did. So now what?" asked Shatrughna, looking at Rama with the corner of his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked.

"He doesn't want to talk to me, so he must have sent you as his spokesperson. Don't you think this is too simple for me to be confused or something? If he doesn't want to talk to me, then so be it! I won't talk to him either!" he said adamantly.

"What happened, Shatru?" repeated Rama, this time his hand on his baby brother's back, bringing a cooling effect to him.

Shatrughna's tone immediately softened, and he narrated everything.
"Bhaiya, I accidentally broke his favourite bow. The one which you gifted to him. I was using it, and when I shot one arrow, it broke into two bhaiya. It's about a fifteen years old? Or twelve years old or something, but I do know that it is very old. At least more than ten years old,"