The Inseparable Princes

38. For Them To Return

"Bhaiya, I'm here to take you back. To take you back home. Back to your kingdom. Back to Ayodhya, Bhaiya, and you're returning!" said Bharata, looking on the verge of breaking down.

"I am not going to return, Bharat, I'm sorry. Try to understand, I need to fulfil the promise that our father gave to Maa. I cannot break it," said Rama, trying to sound convincing to his brother.

"Putra, I take back my words. Return, please? The one who promised me this has deceased. Why don't you just return?!" cried Kaikeyi desperately. Her son's reaction of breaking all ties with her had completely shattered all her dreams of him being king, or anything remotely of that sort too. It also crushed her otherwise bubbly, cheerful, yet understanding self. The Kaikeyi that everybody loved was gone. The Kaikeyi that she herself loved was gone, and she'd perhaps never be back.

"Maa, I am not going to return, and that is final. I cannot break the promise that my father has given to you. He is gone. You can't quite make a difference by taking the words back now. It's okay, Maa. What you've asked for is natural. Every mother wants her son to be the king, what's wrong with that?" reasoned Rama. The twins looked at each other uneasily. Bharata was most certainly going to cite their example.

"Bhaiya, Sumitra Maa never wanted the throne for Laksh or Shatru! Are they not her own sons? Wouldn't she have wanted the same that Rani Kaikeyi wanted. Anyway, they're both more skilled than me!" said Bharata frustratedly, before the twins looked queasy again. "Bhaiya, you seriously should stop justifying her actions and demands now. When she is herself taking her words back, why don't you just return? Bhaiya please, please return,"

"Bharat, I cannot return, and I've already told you the reason. How many times can I repeat the same thing? Try to understand, Bharat, I need to do this. I need to," said Rama, a hand on Bharata's shoulder. "You must rule as the King,"

"No. I will certainly not rule. Why should I? I do not deserve anything of that sort after having broken an absolutely lovely, perfect family. I deserve nothing but death, to be honest,"

"Bharat, stop! Will you not return? Not even if it's an order from me?" said Rama, his voice echoing commandingly as Bharata looked down in despair. An order it was, and he couldn't disobey it! No, that was something he couldn't do! They'd have to return.

"Bhaiya, please return, please," cried Shatrughna dejectedly. He knew that his pleas wouldn't help either, but Rama's heart melted upon seeing his youngest brother asking him to return that desperately. He knew it was going to be hard for him, for the baby of the family, and he wouldn't even be there for him. Rama walked up to Shatrughna and hugged him close to himself.

"Sorry, Shatru, I'm sorry. I can't come back home, I'm sorry," he cried, as Shatrughna tried not to weep. "Sorry,"

Shatrughna didn't reply, because he didn't know what to say. He wanted his Bhaiya to return, but it didn't look like that would happen.

"Bharat, you need to rule this kingdom. Go back, Bharat, for you're the emperor now," said Rama.

"I'll go back, Bhaiya!" said Bharata as everybody's eyes darted towards him, those except Vasishtha's. Even Rama didn't quite expect his brother to accept everything, but he was happy indeed. "But I want your padukas, your sandals,"

"My sandals, Bharat? What do you suppose they'll do for you?" asked Rama, slightly confused.

"They'll represent you on the throne of Ayodhya," he declared confidently, as his brothers stared at him, both in confusion and in a slight sense of pride. He had the kingdom for him to rule, but he wished to place mere sandals on the throne? "I'll not sit on that throne that belongs to you,"