Satataharitam - Short Stories On Narayana

सूर्यचन्द्रौ (short)

Rama stepped into the chariot that was ready to take him to Dandakaranya, where he would begin his exile. Commoners and his family alike thronged around the chariot, barely letting the horses keep their feet on the ground.

He stood inside the chariot and turned to his left to see Lakshmana climbing in too, just a small piece of cloth made into some type of makeshift handbag, and slung on his right shoulder. It seemed to be filled with a couple of extra pieces of clothing, the bare minimum that one would require.

Rama's accepting eyes crinkled, suddenly turning sombre as his gaze shifted from Lakshmana's head to toe. "You don't have to, Laksh, please." he murmured, shaking his head ever so slightly.

Lakshmana heard it, even amidst the roaring of the crowd. "Okay, I won't come along." he said, just as softly, wondering if he had made a mistake.

Rama smiled at him, but felt another kind of emptiness fill his heart as his little brother stepped down from the stairs of the chariot. How would he live without him?

"But that's if you promise me that you'll never think about me again." he said, his teary eyes fixed to those of his brother's.

Rama wondered why his dumbo brother was trying to act so smart. What was his problem? "I'll think about you if I want. You can't deny me my own thoughts, my own memories!" he protested.

"Then how can you deny me my very existence, Bhaiya?" asked Lakshmana, stomping his way up the chariot. "If you don't want me to accompany you, then I'll stay back. But if you think that you'll miss me, even for a single moment, then please let me come along without another round of debating, please. You know I don't like being against you and your wishes."

Rama rolled his eyes. "I know you don't. That's why, you ensure that you somehow draaaag me to your side, right?"

Lakshmana grinned. "No. This time, I'll actually follow you like a diligent student."

Rama smiled at him, his hand on his shoulder. "You always have, Laksh, for some reason."

"This time, I'll do even better. You'll feel very much at home in the forest, Bhaiya. Now that you've decided that the palace is too boring and that you want the adventures of the jungle to live with on a daily basis, it will be me who gets to do all the adventure, and you, who gets to enjoy an extreeeeeeeeemely long vacation with Bhabhi."

"Are you sure you don't need a certificate proving that you're not utterly insane to enter a forest?" Lakshmana chuckled, sounding like a second grader, while Rama shook his head. "Are you really so happy you can come along?"

Lakshmana smiled and turned around to face the blazing sun, eyes squinting. "You see that, Bhaiya?" He turned back to his brother. "That's what you're to me. Bright, brilliant, great, soaring high in the sky, a superstar - literally. You're amazing, just like the sun." Rama shook his head. "You tell me, who can live without the light of surya? Without the loving warmth he provides? Without the blessing of vision he gives us?"

"Just like one, or I, can't survive without the moon. My moon." said Rama. "That provides light even when it's so dark that the sunlight can't reach it. Chandra does what Surya cannot. Illuminates the darkest of nights." Rama's smile widened as Lakshmana looked down. "My Laksh can do the most extraordinary things. Just like the moon."
The fact that, at this time of adversity, there was a beaming smile on the face of the elder of the brothers, was enough evidence.

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A/N: idk! I just needed Rama-Laksh in my writing after that FANTASTIC Mochu chapter! And it wasn't full on angst so don't complain, people-
I mean, you're free to, but still 😂

Tell me if you guys liked it.

Thanks for readinggg! Byeeebsbdjagakwo! 💖😁