"Urmi," said Sita, entering the room of her sister.
"Ah, Didi!" she replied, a smile devoid of any emotion on her face. Sita immediately engulfed her in a hug, for she knew exactly what her sister was going through.
"Why did you let Lakshman come along with us, Urmi?" she asked, stroking Urmila's back comfortingly.
"He told me long back that he'd always prioritize Ram Bhaiya," she smiled. Sita stared at her in astonishment. Was Urmila really being serious? How did she agree to Lakshmana's demands?
"How do you think you're going to live without him?" asked Sita.
"HOW DO YOU THINK I'M GOING TO LIVE WITHOUT YOU?!" yelled Urmila. Guilt ran up Sita's spine. Lakshmana had informed her, at least, but she? Sita prioritized her husband, Lakshmana prioritized his brother. Was Manthara right, after all?
(Flashback)
"Kumari Urmila, you realise that nobody loves you, right?" said the vicious woman.
"What are you blabbering, Manthara? Do you realise that nobody takes you seriously?" replied Urmila angrily. She was a kind woman, but messing with her wasn't the best of ideas.
"I'm serious, okay? You'll thank me when you see it happen in front of your eyes. Everybody loves Sita more than you. You don't get as much importance he-"
"Stop it, Manthara!" she squeaked angrily, before storming off.
★
"Oh Mila, you're so innocent," said Lakshmana, giving her a comforting hug.
"What does that mean, Laksh? Is Manthara not right? Nobody loves me! You prioritise Ram Bhaiya, and I have no complaints about it, let's be honest, but that doesn't change the truth. Who prioritizes me, Lakshman?" she cried, tears streaming down her face, as Lakshmana's heart ached, but Urmila was right in what she said about him.
"What do you mean by 'nobody loves me'? Don't act stupid! I love you, Mila, and you can stop feeling this way, thanks to that woman! Manthara is insane, so please, do not even take her seriously. The respect that she gets here is only because she came along with Maa, from Kekaya. Otherwise, she is nothing but mad!"
"But she isn't wrong, Laksh, by any means!" she cried. "You still haven't answered me! Who do you think loves me? Nobody does! I'm just like an unwanted person here!"
"What nonsense, Mila! I love you! And you know what? There's someone who loves you even more. Doesn't Sita Bhabhi love you? Why? Why do you say such things, Urmi?"
"But everybody loves her more than me!" she cried innocently, clinging onto him.
"Who says that? That vile Manthara? And you fell for it? I'm telling you, Mila, that she is just the most poisonous person here. Poisoning people's minds is her job. She's tried doing that to Shatru, ever innocent Shatru. And he fell for it, just like you are. She never liked the unity that we brothers shared, and she doesn't like the unity you sisters share either. She, overall, doesn't like the family in its peaceful, united form. She wants fights and quarrels and what-nots all the time! Will you let her succeed?"
YOU ARE READING
The Inseparable Princes
Historical FictionRamayana. An Indian epic that has lived through the centuries and has only grown even more in the process. An epic that shows ideal characters, many of whom we worship, and other characters from whom we learn what we shouldn't be at any cost. But...
