The Inseparable Princes

61. Explaining The Unexplainable

The monkey brothers continued their duel. Again. But this time, the one who wasn't to be killed was wearing a garland.

And Rama was at the edge of the arena kind of place, where the brothers were fighting. His arrow was placed on his bow, and all he needed to do was take aim and release it. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the bowstring to his ear, eyes narrowed to take aim, before he let the bowstring loose, and the arrow struck the king of Kishkindha.

He dropped down with a groan, but did not die as yet. Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman came in front of Vali and Sugreeva, where Vali had fallen and Sugreeva looked like he was going to die of the guilt.

"Why?" cried Vali accusingly. "Why did you do this? You do not have enmity of any sort with me. Then why did you?"

Rama sat down and gestured for his brother to do so too. Vali did not wait for the response.

"Why did you have to? What reason do you have to do this-this wrong to me? I haven't done anything of this sort to you or anybody!" he continued. Lakshmana raised a brow. Like he hadn't wronged anybody at all. Keeping your brother's wife in your palace while you banish him is certainly not wrong. Oh not at all.

"Did you not banish your brother even without giving him a chance?" asked Rama calmly. Vali fell silent. "Is his wife not in your palace? Did you not chase your brother to make sure he wouldn't come as a supposed threat to you and your throne?" It silenced him. Vali did not have a response to that, for he had indeed wronged his brother. His brother with whom he should've shared a good relationship. It was wrong, and he knew it.

★★★

"How many demons do you think Ram Bhaiya and Lakshman would've killed by now, Keerti?" asked Shatrughna curiously.

"Thousands. Many, many demons." she said, her eyes wandering off in the distance, as the couple stood in the terrace all by themselves. "Why do you ask, though?"

"When they return, I'm going to ask for the count. And see if I've guessed correctly. Tell me a proper number, and then we'll see who gets closest to reality!" he said excitedly. "It will be a fun game..."

"I guess about nine thousand three hundred and twenty four?" she said with a gleam in her eyes and an adorable grin.

"Wow! What numbers are those?" exclaimed Shatrughna. "Let me guess. By now, I think they would've killed about a rounded off fourteen thousand one hundred and three demons."

"That's rounded off, Shatru?" she laughed, as he nodded playfully. "But why are you so fascinated by this? All I hope for, now, is that they return safely. They will, won't they?"

"Of course they will! Obviously. It's not like one of them-just-wouldn't return or anything." he tried, forcing in some courage. "Yeah, they'll be fine, Keerti. Just chill, please!"

"Chill. That reminds me, the summer is dying down! Finally! We are going to have our rains back! Yay!" said Keerti, springing up and down on her feet.

"Ah! Really? What is that good about the rain? Except for, of course, dancing and playing in it? Bhaiya, Bhabhi and Laksh must be doing just that. Where do you think they are, now, in Dandakaranya? That jungle is vast. If they're down south, then their monsoon would have already started a little, but if they haven't gone that far, then it will still be pretty hot for them too, wouldn't it? Whatever it is, Maa won't let me go out in the rain here. So, I hate monsoons so much!" he ranted.