Ramayan: Untold Romance

28. The Proposal part- 4

Bharat squinted his eyes as the sun rays from his room's window fell on his face, the light unbearable. He bit back a groan and said 'Pls shut the curtains bhai. I wanna sleep some more, be a little merciful on this poor soul and let me.' There was no response to Bharat's pleading words, just more and more sunshine as if ready to blind him.

Oh it was probably Shatru! Maybe he had decided that there couldn't possibly be a better way to start his morning than nagging his elder brother.

'Ugh..pls' his tone irritated while his body still trembled from the touch of the icy cold waves.

There was no use throwing pearls before a swine.

He rolled around in his bed, atleast that's what he tried and slammed his head into his pillow.

Which was suddenly as hard as a rock!

The bang on his head was quite affective, driving away his peaceful slumber. The sun still show bright on his innocent and fragile eyelids, who had his hands as their protecters. Bharat attempted to block the rays of Surya dev with his palm, failing miserably. Now fully awake, Bharat took a look at his surroundings. That's when reality hit him hard. The sun didn't peek inside his room's window, for there was no Window.

No room, no windows, no pillows, no Shatru! All rocks and sun.

One thing that was present was a rope, tightened around his hands, they made their presence very clear. He was not in his room or any where around the boat, his hands were tied.

'OH MY GOD! AM I BEING KIDNAPPED.' Bharat yelled. Frustration married his face as a sign left his lips. What the hell did people think of him? That he was some fragile rose bud that Maa Kaikeyi tucked behind her ear(left ear mind you). You can't just randomly come and be like- 'Ah yes! Nice white prince with a shade of pink..lets steal him.' It wasn't that easy...it can't be! Bharat was a fighter. Although he wasn't very fond it but it was an inseparable part of his Kshatriya identity. He was Ramanuj. It wasn't like someone as important and dear as Bharat would be in danger and Ram won't come to his rescue. And all the other several reasons not to mess with him, still? Still, these people had the guts to kidnap him. They had highly underestimated him and his brothers, hadn't they? Thinking the second prince was nothing but a old piece of furniture they could sneak away with. How wrong they were!

Oh, he shall show them.
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'I don't understand.' Ram's voice was laced with concern and hint of anger.

'You are telling me that firstly two people jumped from your boat in front of your eyes, and now, two people are missing.. probably kidnapped from your boat in your presence. And you did nothing! I didn't expect to you to stop them or fight but..

COULDN'T YOU ATLEAST INFORM US!' Ram finally lost his cool, irritated my this  irresponsible behaviour.

'Well, I could have but I was asleep. My dog tofu, however was awake and had seen the whole thing. He says that no one entered the boat last night but three people exited it. Two boys and one girl.' the man infront of Ram spoke without any care or fear. Ram shut his eyes for second, allowing the disappointed to set in, before he dismissed him with a flick of his wrist. 'If he was asleep who the hell was conning the boat?' Shatrughan signed in  disbelief how could someone be so careless? Ram rubbed his eyes, desperately trying to think of a solution. 'I feel like we can trust the dog. What did he say about the dog?' Ram's eyes brimmed with hope, among the boatman and his dog..the dog was obviously more trustworthy.

'Something like no one came and three people left.' Shatrughan said shrugging as nothing made sense anymore.

'Three?' A new sense of terror unfurled in Ram's heart.