The Inseparable Princes

86. To The Himalayas And Back

"I have killed them!" Everybody in the courtroom froze as they were. They had heard this from their Prince one time before too, but once again? Had he truly done it this time, or was it just false hope again?

Ravana stood up from his throne and stared at his unharmed son for a moment, before he grinned crazily. "Have you killed both those hermits, Indrajit?" asked Ravana in a surprisingly normal voice. Indrajit smirked as he walked towards his own throne, one that was closest the the King's in a slight angle.

"Not only them, Maharaj, but also all those monkey generals along with their entire army." said Indrajit. He was forgetful, unobservant, and not to mention, blind. Why? You'll know.

"I KNEW IT!" boomed Ravana. "I KNEW THAT MY SON WOULD KILL THOSE HERMITS AND THEIR MONKEYS!" Ravana never learnt. Never.

★★★

"Now what, Hanuman?" asked Vibhishana, standing at the feet of Rama and Lakshmana who were lying lifelessly on the pine mats in their camp. He kneeled down. "Is it just me or does it look like they are still breathing? Their chest! It's clearly going up and down, see?" He looked hopefully up at Hanuman who was just looking at the both of them observantly. "Look! Up. Down. Up. Down-" Vibhishana looked back at Hanuman. "Hanuman! Say something!"

"They're totally alive!" Hanuman spoke up finally. Vibhishana sighed, relieved, before he widened his eyes. "What happened?!" whispered Hanuman, before he turned around to see what Vibhishana was staring at. "Maharaj!" Hanuman shrieked, looking at an unconscious Sugreeva being carried on a stretcher into the tents. He knew that it was Rama's plan, and so he decided to move on and do something to help the situation, rather than adding to the despondency. "Maharaj Vibhishan, please come along with me. We shall go and look for Jambavan. He is the most knowledgeable one here, and we must find him." Vibhishana nodded, as they picked up a torch each and walked out of the camp and into the battlefield.

Crores and crores of monkeys and bears were on the ground, some unconscious and alive, while some were dead. They couldn't see a single soul that was fit enough to move or to even say a word to them who were carefully making their way through the blood-soaked earth. It was heart-wrenching for Hanuman to see his people, those with whom he had perhaps spent his childhood, or those whom he had seen grow up lying dead on the battlefield.

"Not a single living soul here, Hanuman!" mumbled Vibhishana dejectedly. But Hanuman did not agree. He thought he felt somebody watching him.

"Not sure about that! Can we look around here? I feel like somebody here is alive." he said. Vibhishana nodded and looked around on one side, while Hanuman did on the other. Suddenly, Vibhishana thought he saw somebody moving. A large, furry something. Vibhishana headed closer to the vague figure, and when he was close enough, he was taken aback. It was Jambavan who was bathed in blood, thanks to all those arrows that were piercing him.

"Jambavan?" he said softly, and the bear was very quick to recognise him.

"Yes, yes, Raja Vibhishan. It's me. I don't see anything, so would you please tell me where Hanuman is?" groaned Jambavan. Vibhishana was slightly surprised about Jambavan not asking about Rama or Lakshmana, but about Hanuman.

"Hanuman is safe. In fact he's perfectly fine, and is right here! He's coming this way." said Vibhishana. "But why do you ask me about him and not about Prabhu Shri Ram or about Raja Sugreev?" he asked curiously.

"Hanuman is the only one who can bail us out of this situation now. You'll know what I mean, Vibhishan." said Jambavan. Vibhishana managed a halfhearted smile, because he was far too worried to grin at the somewhat optimistic statement of Jambavan. Hanuman reached the place just then and heaved a sigh of relief.