Lakshman's Daughter

The Announcement

"Luv! Kush!" Chandra shouted panicked, as he shook them awake. "Wake up!"

"What happened Chandra?" Luv asked as he sat up rubbing his eyes. "Why are you shouting early in the morning?"

"The arrow!" Chandra exclaimed "It's gone!"

"What do you mean it's gone?" Kush asked as he too got up. "It should be under the bed! Did you check properly?"

"Yes!" nodded Chandra. "And Angad is looking again under the bed!"

"It's not here!" a muffled voice came from under the bed, and within no time Angad crawled outside with something inside his tiny clenched fist. "But I found this! A red stone from Ma's anklets!" he said as he revealed a tiny ruby in is hand and put it inside his dhoti pocket.

"What are we going to do now?" Chandra asked panic struck. "If father gets to know that one arrow is missing and we took it, he'll punish us! And when he asks for the arrow what are we going to say?"

"Tell him that it's back in his quiver!" came a reply, and they turned to find Urmila in the entrance of the chambers. She was wearing a pink sari which had a brilliant gold border. She wore a ruby studded nose ring on her nose, and a beautiful pearl necklace around her neck. Her hair was neatly braided and tied at the end. She was glowing like a freshly bloomed rose.

Luv and Kush immediately got off the bed. Urmila walked inside.

"I returned it back to him last night" she said. "And your father doesn't know who took it. But I need to know- Who took the arrow from him?" 

Her eyes focused on her little boys Angad and Chandra, but mostly on the notorious little Angad. Her strict gaze changed from one child to another until both were equally getting tensed.

Chandra looked at his mother. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his soft palms and stammered. "I-I-I took it Ma!"

Luv and Kush were equally taken aback. Angad looked at Chandra, stunned, wondering why his twin is taking up the blame for something he didn't do.

"He's lying!" Angad shouted pointing his finger at Chandra. "Chan don't lie! Or else God Agni will set your pants on fire! Ma, I took Pa's arrow. It was me!"

"No!" Chandra said. "It was me!"

"No! It was me!" Angad shouted louder.

"No! It was me!" Chandra screeched.

Angad was about to shout back but Urmila held her hand and commanded silence. "One of you is lying and the other is telling the truth." She knelt down and held on to each of their hands and her voice softened. "Now tell me, who took the arrow?"

"I did." Angad said, looking at the floor. "I'm sorry"

"You don't have to be dear." she said smiling, and lifted his head to meet her eyes. "Your father has told you not to take it right? Then why would you do that? Is it because you like archery?" she asked as she held Angad's face and felt him nod.

"If your mother gets you an archery set made just for children, will you stop taking from your father's?" she asked and he nodded as a smile magically conjured up on his little face.

"I won't Ma! I promise a zillion million billion times!" he said and threw his chubby arms around Urmila's neck, hugging her in the process. Urmila's eyes went to Chandra.

Urmila gently tore free from Angad's hug and held onto Chandra's hand.

"Why were you lying?" she asked gently. "I know you love Angad and you would do anything to save him from getting into trouble but don't lie dear, because one lie will make you say a million lies"