The Princes of Ayodhya-The Ramayan Through Short Stories

The Weightlifter

A/N-Warning! This chapter is a bit sad, angsty, and has some self-blame. Do not read if you need a pick-me-up. My next chapter will be happier!

"Ah bhaiyya." Shatrughan caught up to Ram, breathing heavily. "The ceremony is starting in minutes. You must come quickly." Ram inhaled, and exhaled, sitting in a criss-cross under the willow tree in the garden. He was in the middle of meditating, he should be done in a few minutes. "Bhaiyya, are you alright?" Shatrughan asked, tapping his shoulder. Now if only Shatrughan would move away. "Bhaiyya?" he hissed, poking his shoulder. Enough.

"Shatrughan, I am meditating!" Ram cried, turning around. Shatrughan slumped a bit, but then shrugged it off, waved, and ran away. Ram sighed. That probably came out harsher than he intended. The ceremony was going to start, and if he did not hurry up, he might miss it! His meditation had been disturbed already, and Ram picked himself up.

Ram walked into the hall with a weird feeling in his stomach. As if something bad were about to happen. He felt a bit dizzy, and the twins were blurred out a little bit. He managed the walk towards his brothers, but the feeling only grew stronger. He didn't even notice the cheers, or the queer man in the black rags. Black rags were not a good sign.

Ram walked up on the prince's podium slowly. "Bhaiyya, are you alright?" asked Lakshman worriedly, sensing his brother's uneasiness like he usually detected Ram's feelings, holding a hand to his forehead, but Ram waved him off quickly, annoyedly. What would the court officials think, if he was sick? That too, his brother checking his temperature so obviously? He missed Lakshman's confused look, and Shatrughan whispering in his ear.

"Welcome, my friends, my subjects! We are honored to have you here for our annual court ceremony!" declared Dasharath, as his queens sat on the three thrones next to him, waving as they were introduced by the chief minister, Sumant on one slightly below. "As you know, here are my sons, Crown Prince Ram," Ram waved uneasily as a loud cheer erupted from the crowd. Dasharath looked taken aback by the sound, but continued.

"Prince Bharat." Slightly less, but Bharat did not mind; his brother was the favorite, and definitely should be. At least he got cheers, since he painted everything he could see from the window, and Dasharath often boasted about his son's artistic prowess and gave away the paintings happily.

"And the youngest twins, Princes Lakshman and Shatrughan!" They both also waved, although Shatrughan, Ram noticed, looked frustrated. As always, Ram thought. Because they were not introduced individually. Lakshman, for that matter, looked unusually angry as well. Normally, he masked his feelings very well, but this time, the elder twin seemed agitated, teetering from foot to foot.

"Let the festivities begin!" cried Dasharath. Bharat awoke from his trance. Something did not seem right, and at times like this, he always had to look to Lakshman. His younger brother's observant eyes were directed towards a man. Wearing coal black clothes. Bharat froze, and employed his artistic eye carefully.

Black eye, so he got into fights. Beard, and mustache, Bharat couldn't really get anything for that as his father had a beard and mustache as well, and was a most respectable man indeed, being the king and all. He walked with a slight limp, which was fake, most definitely fake, as limping people did not change feet upon which to use randomly.

"Crown Prince Ram!" came a cry from the audience. It was not heard by anyone except Ram, who turned towards the woman curiously. "My fields are experiencing great drought, what do I do?" Dasharath looked over interestedly, wanting to see how the next king interacted with the people.

"Well, if you do not have much access towards water, if you live in the Southern District of Ayodhya, there is a well near the center of the district. You might also have a problem with locusts, and to stop that, just place some mint leaves near your farm, that stops the pests." Ram said calmly, and the lady just stared as he smiled and walked away.