The Princes of Ayodhya-The Ramayan Through Short Stories

Lakshman's Turn!

A/N-So, this is kind of a continuation of the previous chapter? Because more light stuff, you know? 

But eventually, the monkeys did get tired of Ram's emotional storytelling. It lacked humor, romance, action, anything, he just seemed to half fall asleep as he spoke. Finally, Jambavan finished bandaging the scratch on Lakshman's shoulder, and Lakshman did exactly what a healing person should do; he got up and he picked up an extremely heavy human being, also known as the incarnation of Lord Vishnu also known as Ram, and steadied him up. "Bhaiyya!" he shouted.

"Hneuhgh?" Ram asked, before finally blinking rapidly and straightening his frame. "I mean, what is it?" Lakshman gestured towards the army, and his bandage immediately fell off. "You're hurt!" Ram admonished (more like shrieked). "You should not be doing stuff that requires physical activity. I will not allow it! Sit back down and be a good child!" Lakshman began to speak again, and Ram shook his head. "I'll not hear a word more!"

"Aww fine-" Lakshman grumbled, and plopped back down, his bangs now fully covering his eyes as he crossed his arms, making him look like a moody teenager. "It's a war bhaiyya. I can't possibly stop just because I got an eenie meenie scratch. Remember that one time we fought with those two rakshasas? I got crushed underneath a tree, but I still managed to kill one of them! If I got crushed under a tree and managed to survive, how does a little, tiny cut count? I'm telling you, the day that I stop fighting because of a meager injury is the day that the world ends. Period."

"Ahem Ahem-" Angad cleared his throat, and Lakshman quickly stopped talking. "You know, Lakshman bhaiyya, we're still waiting here! It's a vacay day, if someone doesn't tell us stories then we might start partying-" Ram paled. "But, you know what? You can tell us stories." Everyone seemed to perk up at this, and Ram sighed a breath of relief, hightailing it out of there, and to where Sugriv slowly discussed details. Nal grinned and cuffed Angad on the back and looked around.

"See? I knew there was a reason he was declared Yuvraj! Come on, Lakshman bhaiyya!" Lakshman, if anything, seemed to recede more into himself, something he usually didn't do, making it his mission to project himself as this bulletproof, silent warrior. Which he was, but he was also a social retard. "You need to break your shyness yaar! Or else, we still have that coconut water left over from-"

"Uh-no." Lakshman began. "No coconut water. You all could die, and then there'd only be Ram bhaiyya and me alive." he paused. "Uh, I'm not sure how to do this. How does one tell a story?" Silence ensued. "So, do you all not know, or...." Lakshman trailed off as he was met with hundreds of expecting eyes. "Ah, I see. Once upon a time, no that won't work. You all aren't little children." he blanched, gripping his dagger for emotional support as one may grip a stuffed animal. "Okay, well, I guess the only way to tell a story is to have a flashback, so umm, cue the italics Author!" he waved his hands hopefully.

Flashback

The days were ever nearing Ram and Sita's wedding, and even then, Ram did nothing but scare himself with melodramatic thoughts, thoughts that usually either Bharat or Shatrughan would have (melodramatic drama princes as they were), but definitely not Ram. And so, every day, at exactly whatever-o'-clock, Ram kidnapped Lakshman from whatever he was doing and dragged him over to the oak tree in the gardens of Mithila, where no one could see them, and there he would unload all of his worries onto a very unwilling candidate.

"But what if she suddenly had last-minute thoughts?" Ram asked, biting his nails so that they ripped off and scattered around the place. Lakshman grunted. "But what if she decides that she hates me because I've killed so many rakshasas? Death is never appealing to women, I'm sure." Another noncommittal sound from Lakshman. "Yes, yes, Lakshman, you say that you don't agree, but what if she has a long-" he paused in horror. "What if she has a long-hey why aren't you saying anything Lakshman?"
Ram turned towards him, and discovered that Lakshman still had the gag in his mouth, and quickly removed it. Lakshman took a gasping breath of air. "Thank God. You know, you don't have to gag me like some kidnapper. You can just call me, even when I'm doing something with Urmila-