Suffered in silence ~~ Legend of Sumitranandans

Ramanuja

Shatrughan just couldnt sleep. Even after the awefully tiring day, both physically and mentally, He just couldnt sleep.

Whenever he closed his eyes, all he could see was his brothers dressed as hermits, his Bhabhi, who is the daughter in law of the Suryavamsha and deserved no less than the best, dressed as a Sanyasini. His father laying dead in a tub of oil-

He shut his eyes tightly and let out a shuddery breathe. He was roaming around in the corridors like a zombie, and he actually looked like a zombie as well, he thought. His eyes dint hold any sort of expression, not even any tears. He looked aimless, as if just woken up after a deep slumber.

He sighed. However he might have looked, he honestly couldnt care less, for the state of his heart was far worse.

He recollected with another sigh about how he had lost his temper in the morning, while handling Manthara. He even remebered how Mandavi had whispered Lakshamn's name at that moment.

He shut his eyes tightly, neither his tears flowing nor his steps stopping

Shatrughan dint know what to think of Kaikeyi Maa, at this moment. 

HOW could she even think that Bharat would accept the throne?! How could father grant those two boons, couldnt he have thought a bit more straightly? How could Ram bhaiyya just LEAVE? Dint he find it important to atleast inform him and Bharat? How could his twin leave as well, instead of Stopping bhaiyya? DID THAT MAKE ANY SENSE?

While a part of him held so many questions, the other one had answers as well. Kaikeyi Maa was instigated by Manthara, Pita was forced into this, Ra bhaiyya had the responsibility of Maintaining the Raghukula Reeta and Shatrughan knew he would have done the same if he was in place of Lakshman and Bharat was leaving on an exile even after being entirely sinless.

Bharat. His Bharat bhaiyya.

Shatrughan's eyes flew open as the thought of his bhaiyya struck him. If HE was feeling this terrible, what must Bharat be feeling?

His bhaiya, His dear Bharat bhaiyya who was entirely sinless, and yet faced the wrath of SO many people he considered his own. Oh, how broken he might have felt!

He still remembered the absolutely crushed look on Bharat's face the moment Kaikeyi disclosed the matter to him. All Shatrughan wanted to do, at that moment, was to crush Bharat in a bone cracking hug. But he just dint trust himself to be able to give any sort of comfort to his Broken brother, as he himself was in pieces after hearing what he never expected in the worst  of his nightmares

*************

Bharat. That was his name, the name by which his near and dear people knew him.

The name by which Maa had shushed him, while patting his back, when he fell down during playing. 

The name which Pita used to proudly announce with the title of 'Kaikeyinandan' every time they met someone new. 

The name Lakshman used to scream down the corridors of this very palace, asking him to help to hide from Maa Sumitra.

The name Ram bhaiyya used to whisper lovingly, while hugging him close to his heart. His Ram Bhaiyya.

Bharat let out a shuddery breathe. He had lost all the people above, in one way or the other, hadnt he?

Oh yes, he had. Pita is dead, Ram bhaiyya and Laksh are exiled, and he could never view Kaikeyi as his beloved mother again in this life. What was he to do?

Bharat clutched his hair in absolute confusion and anger, and thats when his Bhaiyya's words came back to him

"We all need to make choice at one point or the other, and I trust you that You will take your decisions wisely"