The Inseparable Princes

80. Rousing The Giant

Ravana was back in his room, gasping and trying to catch his breath, and also trying to stick together the shards of his shattered ego. It was probably not going to happen very easily, but because ego meant so much to him, he would find a way for all of it somehow. He had to. For otherwise, all his pride and reputation that he had created in his subjects and everybody else, even the Devas, it would all go for a toss. 

Everybody in the court stared at their King, who was for the first time, not sitting up straight, with his head looking up at an angle. Instead, he had just walked into the court, shoulders slumped, and had collapsed into his throne absentmindedly. His pride had been tamed for the first time in his life. His ego had been shattered.

"I have been defeated by that Ram." he mumbled under his breath, and his favourite son, Indrajit, sitting on the throne very close to the King's, was the only one who could hear it, and he shook his head vigorously. "BUT MY BROTHER WILL KILL THEM!" he roared all of a sudden, and all the courtiers straightened. Ravana looked murderous even after all that had happened. "I want Kumbhakarna to be roused! Right away!" he yelled, and a few demon's immediately rushed out of the courtroom and into the palace premises. "If Kumbhakarna is roused and he goes to the battlefront, the enemy will be depleted in less than a few hours." He still had it in him to grin maliciously. "Those two hermits and thousands of monkeys, all of them will be crushed and their skills will break open, under my brother's feet. All he would have to do is take a walk on a battlefield!" he said, before he erupted into thunderous laughter. Mandodari shuddered as she always had to end up doing, thanks to her husband. Why wasn't he trying to understand the magnitude of the situation? Which "mere hermit" could ever defeat Ravana in his own kingdom?

★★★

"Who do you think will come next?" asked Lakshmana to Hanuman, who was one of the few people the former would talk to without being overly reluctant. "Bhaiya literally scared Ravan away. Most of his generals are done. I think it has to be his sons. I mean, who else could it be?"

"It could also be his grandsons, right?" Nala randomly chipped into the conversation and asked. "I'm pretty sure he has grandsons!" he continued, nodding assuringly. Hanuman chuckled.

"Are you sure of that? I mean, yes, he is aged and all, but does he really have grandsons?" asked Hanuman, eyes narrowed incredulously. Somehow, he just didn't believe it. Nala sprung up excitedly.

"Look!" he began, pointing at Vibhishana, who looked like he had dozed off, from the distance. "Let's go and ask him! He knows best!"

"Oh god!" grunted Lakshmana, punching Nala's arm lightly. "Let's ask him a better question. Come on!"

They walked all the way to the to be King of Lanka, who had definitely dozed off, but had also woken up upon hearing some people approaching him.

"Maharaj, we actually had a doubt!" began Nala. "How many grandso-" Lakshmana pushed him away in an instant and smiled sheepishly, when Vibhishana raised his eyebrows, confused.

"We wanted to know who could possibly come next. Ravan has gone back, defeated badly. Who do you think will come now?" asked Hanuman. Vibhishana thought for a moment.

"Perhaps Meghanad again?" he said a little doubtfully, as Lakshmana gritted his teeth, rage filling him when he thought of the man who had dared to injure his brother before his eyes, unethically of course. "No, I don't think he would be sent again right away. Maybe Atikaya." He paused, as his eyes widened in horror, and the three, including Nala who had returned after the not so harmless push, stared at him, waiting for him to speak. "No!" he said rather loudly, as Lakshmana narrowed his eyes in confusion and curiosity.