The Inseparable Princes

114. I've Given Up On My Ability To Think Of Titles

Kaushalya ran her fingers over the silken robes that had arrived for her Rama. No, for King Rama. They were for his coronation, and Kaushalya couldn't stop grinning at that thought. Her son was finally going to get every bit of what he deserved.

Or at least that was what she hoped.

She selected the finest of all the clothes and set it all aside, caressing the silk while doing so, when Rama entered.

She smiled at him adoringly, inviting him to sit next to her. Rama did so, smiling amusedly at why his mother was suddenly brimming with all the love in the world. Well, she always did, but this seemed a little too much to him.

"You look beautiful with such a wholehearted smile on your face, I must admit." he said, chuckling. "But what makes you smile so much?"

Kaushalya shook her head, laughing at how he simply couldn't hide his curiosity despite a few attempts. "Guess?" she asked, crossing her arms. "Mind reader, aren't you?"

"Guess?" he asked, pretending like he was alarmed. "Um, okay. Is...it your birthday?" he said, hiding a smile, knowing for sure that he was completely wrong.

Kaushalya had to give that smile of annoyance to him. "Yeah. You're so right!"

"Oh, come on! What's it? The coronation?"

"Obviously!"
She noticed Rama's eyes wandering all around the room. "What are you looking at?" she asked.

"Everything!" he exclaimed. "Maa! I'm not going to wear all these coloured clothes! I'm going to look like-"

"You're going to wear these clothes and that's final-"

"But these clothes are so overly colourful." he whined.

"You're not going to wear all of them on one day." she explained, giggling. "They're different sets, Putra. What's your problem with them? They're all of great quality and they'll look good on you. In fact anything will look great on you."

Rama sighed almost defeatedly. "Fine. I guess I'll just wear them. It's just a touch gaudy, though. That violet, that's kind of my problem." He made those innocent puppy eyes when his mother tried glaring at him. "Please, just not that one?"

"Okay, I guess. What other choice have I got?" she said playfully. Rama's eyes narrowed.

"What does that mean?"

"You're king now." she said, hiding a playful grin, as if reminding him. "And we'll all obey our-"

"Oh Maa, please!" he huffed, suddenly sounding slightly exasperated. Kaushalya raised a brow.

"What happened?"

"Everybody already says enough of that. Not you too, please."

"What do you mean?" she asked. "Everybody says they'll obey you?" Rama nodded. "Then that's good! Everybody will follow the path of Dharma, because that's what you do. What's your annoyance about?"

"It's..." He fiddled with his fingers uncertainly.

"Go on?"

"What if I end up doing something that's wrong and they still decide to obey it? Or worse, appreciate and support me in something that's wrong?" he asked. That made no sense to Kaushalya, who stared at him with quizzical eyes. "No, it's just a possibility."

Kaushalya smiled as she caressed his hair. "Don't worry." she assured. "You won't make such a mistake."

He leaned his head against her shoulder. "How are you so sure?" he asked.