The Inseparable Princes

42. Time

"What is he doing, Ram?" asked Sita, walking up to her husband, eyes narrowed, as she spotted her brother-in-law doing something nearly strange, simply because that was not what she expected. 

"Just wait and watch," said Rama, chuckling at his wife's expression.

"Bye, guys! I'll be back. I'm going to get the firewood," shouted Lakshmana at a distance, before he zoomed past the jungle to get the wood.

"What was that, huh?" asked Sita, perplexed. "I thought you went along to bring the firewood too!"

"Yeah, I've always tried to go along with him but-"

"But he denied, and you couldn't do anything? How cute, Ram! You're just such a toddler. I mean, your little brother doesn't let you go along with him!" she said, giggling, as Rama glared at her playfully.

"Sita, you're a very bad girl!" said Rama, mock anger on his face, as he crossed his arms across his chest. "Meanie!"

"Oh Ram!" she said, her giggles filling the air, as she brushed her fingers against his cheek.

"Oh but Sita, that guy is going to have to bring so much firewood all by himself? I-I'll go and help him, yeah, I should do that," said Rama, picking up his bow.

"Ram,"

"Haan? What happened?" he asked. 

"Don't go na, please," she said. "I'll get boreeeeed!"

"Arre, but Laksh-"

"He got it on his own the previous week, didn't he? He'll manage, I-I guess? Won't he?" said Sita.

"I mean, Laksh did it for years together in Gurukul. Everyday, you know? And he used to carry so much by himself. Now he's even older and muscular," said Rama, nearly beaming in pride. He was proud of his Lakshman for the smallest of things, literally, but he also knew that his brother could achieve things that nobody else in the world could.

"He carried everything by himself? Really? Everything that Gurudev's Ashram needed? Wow!" exclaimed Sita, eyes widened. "Hey, actually, Ram! Why don't you tell me some stories of you guys? That would be amazing! I'd love to know about you four!" she squealed, exhilarated.

"Oh, sure! Hmm... So once, we had gone for what you could call a field trip."

(Flashback)

"Laksh, Shatru! Will you guys walk faster, please? You're getting on my nerves!" shouted Bharata, as the twins walked far behind, cracking jokes, hi-five-ing, and laughing like literal maniacs, as Rama and Bharata walked together, Bharata trying his best to call the twins close to themselves, protective of them as he was, and Rama enjoying the complete entertainment package he had got in the form of three brothers.

"Bharat! Just let them come at their own pace! What's the big deal? Seriously, you're the one who will have to suffer when they come here, because they'll tease you to no end at all," said Rama, before bursting out into giggles, earning himself a long-faced Bharata. "Okay, okay! Do what you like!"

Walking a long way, they finally reached the foothills of the mountain they were supposed to trek.
"This is the mountain we're going to climb, children. Aim for the peak, and you'll get there in no time," announced Vasishtha, as the students looked up at the peak, beaming.

Rama looked the most determined. His eyes were narrowed in concentration, and it was known that he wouldn't give up no matter what came his way. Bharata looked like he wanted to run quickly to get there in an instant. Of course, the view would be splendid up there, and he, most definitely, wanted to capture the image in his mind, so he could get back to the Ashrama and paint a masterpiece. Lakshmana knew that reaching the peak was what he needed to do. His Bhaiya was going there, so he had to too. He had this surety in himself that he'd reach the peak anyway, because his Ram Bhaiya was going. If his Bhaiya reached, he reached too. He knew that. Shatrughna, on the other hand, was just playful, jumpy, excited, energetic and that energy would take him up to the peak of that massive mountain.