Dasharath, Kaushalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra were out visiting another kingdom, leaving their four sons back in the palace, completely bored. Kaushalya had smiled and said that they were perfectly ready. She had too much faith in them. Kaikeyi had just warned them not to touch the swords or else they could get hurt. Did she really expect them to follow the rules? Sumitra had given each of them a knowing look and pinched her fingers together in a way that said that if she found something important disturbed, she would twist someone's ear-most likely Lakshman or Shatrughan's.
Ram had smiled serenely (as he always did), nodded, and said that they deserved a good trip and waved at them and promised that he would watch his brothers (even though he was only two years older, and they were all in their late teens). Bharat had warned them not to expect too much from the twins, beamed widely all the same, and wished them a good trip. Lakshman simply gagged when Dasharath kissed Kaikeyi, held two thumbs up, and gave a glare when Shatrughan made kissy faces. And Shatrughan, of course, had just given his parents a twinkle of the eye before making some more kissy faces.
All Bharat wanted was a nice dinner, and then some sleep. Was that too much to ask for? Apparently it was, because Ram and Shatrughan were fighting, and it was too loud for him to even stand anymore! Ram and Shatrughan fought very rarely. Usually it was Lakshman and Shatrughan, or Lakshman and Bharat, or occasionally, Bharat and Shatrughan, but never Ram and Shatrughan! The reason for that-was that Ram laughed at the idea of fighting Shatrughan.
But laughing no more-here they were, fighting. "Bhaiyya!" Shatrughan chuckled, popping a sweet into his mouth and setting his crown away in proper protocol for beginning a fight, "Admit it! I could definitely earn my own keep! I could do without this palace! But none of you could! I could be a shop owner, have a little shop in Ayodhya's markets! I should be so successful, bhaiyya, I'd be even richer than you, and you're richer than almost everyone else in this entire kingdom!" he laughed.
Ram opened his mouth widely. "Absolutely not! You're staying right here where I can see you! You troublemaker! Besides, I would never forget about you! Whatever put that heinous thought into your mind? Well, whatever it was, I want you to pull it out and throw it out of this kingdom, because you all are my brothers and are the first thing in my mind! And what about Maa Sumitra and Maa Kaikeyi and Maa Kaushalya and Papa? How do you think they would feel, Shatru? Terrible!"
Lakshman interrupted as Bharat nodded along to Ram's words. When time came, even if he usually was the one to start a fight, now he had to be the one to end it. "Actually, Ram bhaiyya, Maa Sumitra, Kaikeyi, Kaushalya, and Papa would not feel terrible at all! They'd just miss us for a second, and then they would be done! Besides, it isn't a terribly bad idea to start a shop. Some side money, you know?"
Bharat looked at him angrily. "Lakshman! Why would you say that! You should not take his side! I don't think Shatrughan is nearly responsible enough to run his own shop in the city! Besides, this is useless talk! Why did we get here in the first place?" But now-the topic was much different. Was Shatrughan responsible to start his own shop? Ram and Bharat were on one side, and Shatrughan and Lakshman on the other.
Finally, Shatrughan slammed his fist on the table and stood up, his figure towering over the table, casting a dramatic shadow on the wood. "FINE!' he roared angrily. "None of you believe in me except my most virtuous twin-" Lakshman stood up as well and waved to no one in particular. "And so I shall prove myself! We are going to open a shop in Ayodhya!" ANd with that, Shatrughan grabbed lakshman's wrist and pulled him out of the palace.
-----O-----
"HEY HEY HEY, WAIT!" cried Lakshman, skidding to a stop as Shatrughan tried, in vain to continue pulling his wrist, eventually stopping and giving his elder brother a big glare. "How are we going to do this, Shatru? Besides, I've barely ever fought with Ram bhaiyya before! Also-what if someone steals my bow and arrow?" Lakshman half-fainted, before Shatrughan elbowed him, and he quickly regained his senses. "Also-Ram bhaiyya could easily issue a royal order to have us arrested! What if we're arrested?!"
YOU ARE READING
Fleeting Moments-Ramayan Oneshots
Historical Fiction"Things end, but memories last forever." Before he defeated Ravan, before he became the saviour of the world, before he sat upon the throne of Kosala, Ram was a simple prince. Before his wife, Sita, was abducted, before he had to endure endless har...
