The Inseparable Princes

83. The Vanara Heroes To The Rescue!

Ravana stumbled. Kumbhakarna, his beloved brother, was he dead? Had he heard it right? Was he just imagining things on his own? His brother couldn't have been killed by a hermit! It was impossible. It was not even practical that a hermit could kill a giant, perhaps the biggest demon of all time! "No!" whispered Ravana shudderily, before he collapsed into his throne. This time, his anger did not have enough power to surpass his grief. For the first time, perhaps, the heartless Ravana was overcome by grief and not by anger. 

As always, Mandodari watched the scene from her seat, silent. Silent as the darkness that she knew was about to engulf them all. As quiet as the deafening silence of death. She had eventually become somewhat heartless. It was as if she had nothing to care about now, because she had already done her level best. But this was only for the world to see, the queen who wanted to be just the queen. Inside her was also a virtuous woman, who had tried her best to save her sons' and husband's life, that which she knew was now impossible. What she did not understand was if her brother-in-law could be killed, the massive giant who had wreaked havoc in the abode of Indra, why couldn't her sons and husband? Her question remained just a question. For if she voiced it, her husband would only yell. She had decided that she was done with her begging and pleading. She was just going to watch, and watch and watch and watch, until it all killed her on the inside. 

"He couldn't have been killed!" cried Ravana, his eyes filled with tears for the first time in ages. Even when his youngest son had died, he had had the feeling of rage and vengeance overpower his sorrow, but this time, he just wasn't able to hide his true emotions. Indrajit looked at his father from the corner of his eye, his head bowed down, as Devantaka, Narantaka, Atikaya and Trishira looked vengeful, just as their father would have been otherwise. 

"Pitashree!" began Trishira, his voice hoarse, not because of anything in particular, but because that was how his voice was (yep, I've lost it XD). Ravana looked up, trying to look like he was unaffected. "Don't grieve, Pitashree, for the death of your brother shall be avenged. I shall kill your foes, I shall kill the man who dared to kill your brother." Ravana did not respond, seemingly because he wanted some more reassurance. 

"He's right, Pitashree." said Atikaya, standing up from his jeweled throne. "Don't worry. We have the ability to kill them." Mandodari sighed and turned her head away in absolute annoyance. How could each one of them be so equally thick skulled? How could each one of them think that they were the best, although somebody, who was perhaps a better warrior than them, had been killed earlier at the hands of the person that they vowed they would kill? How didn't a single being understand a thing? 

"We both will go too, Pitashree!" said Devantaka and Narantaka. "We will either return after our victory, or after we have turned into corpses." Ravana shook his head as Mandodari tried not to react. She knew that it was going to be the latter, and if it wasn't, their victory was going to come from unfair means. 

"My sons, don't say that. Think only about your victory." said Ravana. Well, it is always a good attitude to believe that you can win every battle that you have to be a part of, every single duel that you are challenged for, for if you don't believe in yourself, nobody will, but not thinking about the other possibilities even after you have been shown glimpses of actual death is nothing but stupidity. "My blessings are with you. Victory shall be yours." 

★★★

Rama leaned onto Lakshmana, as he looked at the army that had started assembling on the battlefield a while before dawn. "Isn't that a lot of people, Laksh?" he asked, straightening up, as Lakshmana nodded. "I never thought anything like this would ever happen, you know." 

"Bhaiya, we have had so many things that we never thought would happen. It's best that we don't recall any of them right now. The battle is about to resume, isn't it?" Rama smiled, as his brother strung his bow.