The Princes of Ayodhya-The Ramayan Through Short Stories

The Obituary

       Bharat walked down the corridor, holding a long piece of parchment. Following him closely, but unbeknownst to him, was Mandavi, who had her narrow eyes fixed on that paper. Just as they entered the courtyard, she bound forward, jumped onto him, and grabbed the paper, pushing him to the ground and studying her newest acquisition with a large smirk.

"Ouch!" cried Bharat, holding his elbow and pouting. "Hey, give it back!" Mandavi shook her head, rolling her eyes and pulled the parchment out of his grasp, wondering what it was. What could it be? A paper filled with secrets, a diary perhaps? Maybe a sketch, ooh, maybe one of her? Was it an extension of a hand for an alliance? Mandavi scowled. If it was, they had better not target her husband! She would get very mad if a random beautiful princess from some small village showed up, grabbed her husband, and made off with him.

"You know, if you wanted that, you could have just asked me." he grumbled. Mandavi looked up, raising an eyebrow. WIth how desperate he was looking, did he really expect her to believe that he would have just handed the paper over if she asked for it? Sometimes, men really did take women to be fools. "Just, please don't read it out loud?" he tried. Mandavi frowned. Well, that was exactly what she was going to do. Revenge time.

Flashback

"Mandavi, what's this? Green sambar? When did the chef get so creative?" wondered Bharat quietly as he sipped the sambar from the plate after dipping a piece of dosa into it suspiciously. "It tastes a little bit too salty. And-" he choked. "A lot of spice!" Mandavi's eyes widened as he gulped down kegs of water, and she sat next to him tentatively as his eyes followed her movements.

"Um, well, Bharat, I actually tried my hand at cooking today. I'm not very good at it, you know, but I wanted to impress you?" Bharat's eyes softened, before turning merry again, and Mandavi anticipated correctly the look he had in his eyes. "I know, I know that Sita didi and Shruta are much better cooks than me, or even Urmila, but I tried." she shrugged as he made to get up. "Oh, please don't tell anyone!"

Bharat chuckled hoarsely, and her heart began to beat erratically as he shook his head, a wide grin spreading across his face. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Maan. This is too hilarious!" he shook his head again, walking towards the doorway, clearly trying his best not to burst into loud, clear laughter. "You substituted golgappa water with sambar!" he finally burst out, clutching his stomach as he rolled on the ground Shatrughan-like.

Mandavi groaned as she put her head into her hands. No wonder the sambar was green, unlike Sita's lovely burnt oranges. Bharat grinned at her again before throwing his head into the hall and shouting down. "HEY SHATRUGHAN! MY WIFE SUBSTITUTED GOLGAPPA WATER WITH SAMBAR!" Silence, and Mandavi slumped in complete and utter relief, before loud mocking laughter could be heard.

She stood up angrily,and Bharat's smile disappeared. "Goodbye." she muttered angrily. She did not sleep in the same room as him for an entire week, seething with the rage that Shatrughan's quietly muttered jokes would bring. Waiting for a chance to get revenge.

Present

"AHEM!" she cleared her throat, and the entire family assembled in the courtyard, staring at her as she climbed up a stepstone. Bharat groaned, leaning back into Kaikeyi's arms as she smiled in amusement. Shatrughan's eyes danced with excitement and Shrutakirti could barely restrain him. Lakshman and his Mila eyed the parchment warily, and a flash of recognition seemed to echo in the prince's eyes before he looked away.

"Bharat would like me to read this parchment he found out loud, isn't that right, Bharat?" Before the poor, well-meaning prince had a chance to speak, she grinned feral at the audience. "He says right. This is my revenge!" cackling evilly as everyone laughed, she unrolled the parchment, cleared her throat again, and began to read in a hoarse voice.