The Inseparable Princes

37. Chitrakuta

A/N: Guys, didn't proofread this, really sorry for any typos, errors and nonsense.

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"We've almost reached Chitrakut," said Bharata slightly happily, as he felt the presence of his Bhaiya.

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"Bhaiya, I hear something. And also, do you see the amount of dust out there? Some huge army or procession must be coming towards us," said Lakshmana, as he wondered who it would be. An enemy of Ayodhya, perhaps, to capture the place while everything is vulnerable? Or just a simple procession of a whole caravan of merchants and travellers or something? "Can I check and come back, Bhaiya?"

"Why, Laksh? Just relax!" said Rama, chuckling.

"Bhaiya, I just feel the need to check. Please?"

"Oh god! Do what you like!" he replied exasperatedly.

Nodding, Lakshmana quickly ran to the tallest tree in the vicinity and climbed onto it in no time. Reaching the topmost branch he could sit, or even stand on, he looked around, towards the direction where he heard the noises and saw the dust from. He squinted to identify the flag that came along with the large group of people, which looked to him seemingly like the citizens and army of Ayodhya, and the flag of Ayodhya too, and-and the newly crowned King of Ayodhya, that was what he thought, and rage took over his thinking abilities. Instantly, he jumped down from the tree heroically, before he grabbed his bow and quiver full of arrows, and marched towards the procession, before Rama pulled him back.

"Hey, what happened, Laksh? Who are they?" he asked.

"Leave me!" roared Lakshmana before he stormed past Rama and Sita to get close to the procession, to Bharata, to the conspirator, to the new king, he thought.

Having reached the procession and standing before it, fury almost emanating from him.
"Go back, Bharat!" he shouted, before his brothers, Bharata and Shatrughna got off their horses to come forward.

"Lakshman?" said Bharata, his lips curving into a smile that wasn't seen for a while.

"I said go back, Bharat! Go back, right now!" he yelled.

"Go back, Laksh? I'm here to meet Ram Bhaiya, to meet Bhabhi and you, and to take you-"

"Stop! I'm not going to listen to your lies! Return to Ayodhya and rule your Kosala very well, Bharat. Don't even dare to come close to my Bhaiya," he countered, his arm raised and a finger pointed to him in warning.

"Your Bhaiya, Laksh? What is wrong with you?" asked Bharata confusedly.

"Yes! Don't move!" shouted Lakshmana.

"Laksh, have you lost your mind?" asked Shatrughna, his eyes narrowed in disbelief as he tried to understand the thought process of his twin.

"You too, Shatru? How could you? You support this man?" asked Lakshmana.

"This man, Lakshman! This man is your brother, for god's sake!" yelled Shatrughna.

Laughing dryly, Lakshmana continued. "He is Rani Kaikeyi's son more than my brother, Shatru,"

Bharata could feel his world come crashing. Really? Was it really his brother, his little Lakshmana who was telling him that he wasn't his brother as much as he was his mother's son? Was he really having to hear this, from that brother of his who cared for him so much, all because of his mother and her maidservant? Why?

"I'll kill you, Bharat, if you come forward!" yelled Lakshmana.

"Laksh Bhaiya, stop it! Stop it!" countered Shatrughna.