The Princes of Ayodhya-The Ramayan Through Short Stories

I am Coming Along-Part 1

Ram opened his mouth widely to continue, but Sita would not let him. Her voice, which had sounded so angered and strong just moments before, softened. "Are you so forgetful? I promised, on the day that you told me that you would be king, that I would follow you to the Underworld, did you hear me? The Underworld! What is Chitrakoot forest to that, Ram? I love you, and love protects oneself in the harshest of places."

Ram had nothing to say to that. "I suppose it would be nice to have some company. I'm just scared. What if you get harmed? The jungle is much different than the safety of the palace. There is a different law in the jungle. You could very easily get hurt, and I might not always be there to protect you. I might be hunting, or out looking for food, or killing a rakshasa. What would you be doing then, Sita? I am scared, to tell you the truth."

Sita grasped his hands in hers. "God will be with us. You have a large, pious family who wish you the best of exiles. They will pray for you, and God will listen. God will listen, and he will be with us through our fourteen year ordeal. But it won't be an ordeal. Because we will be with each other." Ram smiled at her, and hugged her tightly.

Indeed he could never find a wife so amazing as her, never find a wife so understanding as her! Ram took a deep shuddering breath, and SIta stepped back, her kind smile lingering in his mind as she too, began to pack, began to remove her jewelry and set them all aside. Ram wiped away a tear. Because of him, his wife was leaving behind a life of luxury, a life of regard, a life of happiness and excitement. Could he ever repay her?

The door to the room creaked open, and Ram's heart darted up again. His eyes met the determined ones of his brother, and before Lakshman even spoke, Ram shook his head. "No, no, Sita is already coming along, Lakshman, not you too! I won't let you come along, I won't be swayed, you listen to me! You are not going to be exiled as well, you understand? You stay in this palace-a-and take care of Maa-and-"

Lakshman shook his head as Ram broke off in heavy tears. "No-no. What do I have left here? You very well know bhaiyya, that I too will follow you anywhere you go! You c-ccan't leave me behind here. I would die without you, you know that bhaiyya. I would not be able to stand sitting back and watching anyone else be crowned. Either I would follow you from a distance secretively, or would you have me bringing my own death upon myself?"

Ram hesitated at the mention of suicide, but all his brain could mull over was his brother's previously uttered words. "What do you have left here? What do you have left here?! Lakshman you have a life! You have a family! You have two brothers and an ailing father, a devastated mother on one hand, and a grieving one on the other. You-for goodness sakes-you have a wife!" Lakshman stepped back.

"You seem to have forgotten. You too have a family that you are leaving behind. A mother, two of them, in fact, and a father, ailing no matter if we are talking about you or I. And I also have two brothers who have the same amount of responsibility to said mothers and father. Urmila-she-." Lakshman paused for a second. "I-both of us will be sorrowful, but she could be harmed in the forest. Besides, she deserves a life that does not consist of the heartbreak that will most certainly be there if I am in it. For fourteen years, she will have a life of peace."

Ram stared in disbelieving awe at his brother. Did he really feel that Urmila would be grateful to not have him in her life? Was he so dense? "I-I cannot let you abandon your wealthy and luxurious life-in all of my conscience! You'll be bored in the jungle! You will have nothing to do! There will be no purpose! You will miss your family. You will be miserable! Lakshman, reconsider! I cannot let you come with me! No!"
"What is wealth and luxury without someone meaningful to share it with, bhaiyya?" Lakshman wondered out loud, his voice infused with a bitter sadness. "I will not be bored. I will have plenty to do. Who will ensure that you and Sita bhabhi are well? Who will make sure that you are not ailing? My happiness will come when I see both of you as happy as you possibly can be in the jungle. I could not prevent your exile, at least let me make it bearable for you. I have no purpose here."

"No." Ram stated firmly. "You cannot come with me. I cannot let you! My mind stops me from doing it! It's not in my conscience to deprive my father of yet another son! Another source of his happiness. Another source of pride, of joy for him! That would be downright cruel! And your mothers? Deprive Maa Kaushalya, Maa Kaikeyi, and Maa Sumitra of a son as well? You know how much they love you! NO!"
"It would not be depriving my father of another son," Lakshman stated bitterly. He felt like spitting poison (though he wondered where that instinct came from) when thinking of his father. So easily manipulated. The thin line between right and wrong had blurred when it came to Kaikeyi for his father. He had no sense of moral value left, and Lakshman was not completely sure that if it came to desperate times, if his father would leave behind the rest of his mothers to stay with Kaikeyi or not. He always should be sure of that.

"It would not be depriving the father of another son for we are the same person in his mind. Nothing is a source of happiness for him, bhaiyya, except you, and nothing will stop his ailment other than your return from exile. I am not sure if he will live till then. Maa Kaushalya and Maa Sumitra know that as well. Ram bhaiyya, please take me along," he begged. "You know that I would die, one way or another, if you left me behind."

Ram's barriers had already weakened. He could not live fourteen years without Lakshman either, and he was unsure if he could stay in exile for fourteen years without his brother. Resolve completely crumbled, Ram nodded, sighing. "I-well, I suppose so, Lakshman. If you wish to, come along!" Lakshman nodded, took his blessings from Sita's feet, and backed out of the room with a sad smile.

But every step he took was a slow, hesitant one. His eyes drifted from painting to painting in the hallway. Would they be removed, would something happen to them, once they returned? Would these paintings, all smiling and happy, these paintings that he grew up with, be removed? It was something his mind could not bear, and he ripped his eyes and attention away from the dreary walls.

Urmila...Urmila...Urmila...There was no excuse. Would her miseries ever end? Would her worries ever cease? Why did she have such terrible luck? Why was she forced to marry him, and be confined to such a horrible married life? What had she done to deserve this? Lakshman began to regret a decision he took a long, long, long time ago.

A/N- Cliffhanger!!!! Woooh.