The Inseparable Princes

94. The Lap of Victory

Rama had just remained silent ever since Hanuman had left, seemingly lost in the endless world of memories, occasionally giving a little smile before it would falter, and he would realise that it was all in the past, and that his brother, no matter how many times he thought of the older memories, would not be back because of them.

Rama just couldn't stop himself from just retreating into himself, finding solace in the memories of the past, of the days when he used to have his brother by his side every time he found himself in tears. He just couldn't come to terms with the fact that his brother hadn't come to console him even after he had practically exhausted all his tears. He still had tears flowing down his weary lotus eyes, but those eyes of Lakshmana, bold, black and deep, were all Rama wanted to see. He just wanted to look into those eyes, eyes which would show him his own reflection so clearly.

He thought of every single sort of memory of his and his brother's. Their birth, their infancy, their days with their Guru Vasishtha, their days killing demons, and sparing one that came right back, more than a decade later, to haunt him. And then were some of the most beautiful weeks he had ever experienced, when he explored a new colour, a new world in his life, and where he saw his brother, somehow, explore that too. Love. Not the brotherly love they had known for more than a thousand years, but love in the romantic sense.

It was all so perfect, just what they had wanted. Moreover, it was just what Lakshmana had wanted. The coronation of his Bhaiya. It was all so colourful, so bright, the sun shining cheerfully. It was all only until suddenly, a cloud of black passed, dampening all the spirits. A cloud of black that still remained in the lives of all those who were involved. A cloud of black which changed the lives of so many people almost irreversibly.

Rama forcefully shook himself out of all those thoughts, things that wore him down so much. He couldn't go through the pain of thinking of what had happened after that once again. But what he did think of, almost inevitably, was the fact that even through that part of his life where he thought he would crumble, when his wife, after thirteen years of a rather peaceful exile, had been abducted, his brother stood by him, holding him up on his feet. Through thick and thin, this brother who had been with him, now seemed to be going away from him.

★★★

Sita wasn't quite able to hold herself back. Trijata was giving her updates constantly, telling her that Lakshmana was looking paler and paler by the second, looking like life was slowly being drained out of him. Sita did not want to hear constant updates of depressing news. She thought it was just making her worry so much more and overthink about ever single thing. She was starting to overthink about everything. And she didn't particularly like that feeling.

She ultimately told Trijata to stop telling her every news that came in. She thought it would help if only good news, if any, would be told to her. But she was perhaps wrong.

"Is Lakshman okay yet?" she asked impatiently, and Trijata shook her head in the negative hesitantly. Sita actually slammed a fist on the platform she was sitting atop. "That Ravan! He is going to meet his end as soon as Lakshman is up. I'm telling you, Ram is going to be so vengeful..." she trailed off, simmering. She felt more of anger, after a point, than sorrow of any sort. She wanted to see Lakshmana desperately, but she didn't want to see his chest bleeding and him lying on the battlefield unconsciously. She considered him her very own son. Jaganmata wouldn't really be able to see Adisesha in that state, would she? Which mother would? Besides, she wanted to get that Ravana, who had dared injure Lakshmana so fatally, killed.

"Hanuman has gone to get the herbs, though, so I guess you can calm down, Putri." said Trijata, trying to comfort Sita. It wasn't quite working.

"I know he has gone, but will he be able to return on time? No, no, no. H-He will return. He has done things nobody else ever has. Why won't he do this one?" cried Sita, her brows furrowing in concern. She was seemingly unsure of whether she was right or wrong. But then she straightened up suddenly, shaking her head and mumbling to herself disappointedly. "I need to stop doubting their abilities. Stop thinking so negatively, Sita!"