LAKSHMAN PRIYA

HEART TO HEART

The night of Swayamvar...

Whole mithila was celebrating the union of Ram and Sita, including the royal family. There was a ceremony going on and both Ram, Lakshman were welcomed.

Janak had written a letter to Dashrath by explaining the situation and Ram winning the swayamvar. Everything was looking fine, no problem was there. But still Janak was a bit anxious about the reply letter. Will Dashrath support this victory of Ram?.... will he give permission for the marriage?.... Will Ayodhya's royal family accept Sita as her daughter in law... ?

Sita was sitting beside Ram, because they were the centre of the celebration. Mandvi and Shrutkirti were becoming friendly with Ram and Lakshman and narrating the childhood stories of Sita. The celebration hall was not too crowded but there were many people, except Urmila. Once again she had vanished from everyone's sight.

Lakshman was getting bored, since he was not that good at making friends like Ram. So he left the hall inorder to spend some time outside.

Lakshman was slowly walking in the campus of the palace. The scenes of the swayamvar were dancing in his mind. How miraculously destiny turned and his brother got his desired woman. A small unnoticeable smile bloomed on his face. He was about to go back but stopped by seeing a similar figure from far, in the Mithileshwar Mahadev temple.

It was Urmil, silently sitting on the stairs of the temple. Lakshman had no idea when his feet took him there and Urmila saw Lakshman coming towards her.

Urmila's asked in a shakey voice - " Raj... rajkumar Lakshman, are you looking for something? "

" No.. nothing. I was getting bored in the celebration so I came out to get some fresh air. By the way why ain't you in the celebration. You are supposed to be dancing happily right now. But...... (Lakshman took a step closer to Urmila and looked into her eyes) I can't see the happiness anywhere... " - lakshman replied confidently.

" No no... it's not like that. I am happy. I am very much happy that I can't even describe... but the thing is.... " - Urmila couldn't complete her sentence.

Lakshman asked- " the thing is....?? "

Urmila- " umm.. nothing.... it's just..... that actually...... i mean..... I'm saying that..... actually...... "

Lakshman- " Relax... Relax rajkumari. Take a deep breath and then tell me the exact reason. "
Urmila did as Lakshman suggested by taking a deep breath.

" honestly... i don't know how to say it"- Urmila replied while looking down.

Lakshman sat on the stairs as well. - " if you are not okay with telling me, then it's fine. It's totally your choice. But.... if you trust me, then you can tell, what is bothering you even after seeing your sister with her desired man. "

'if you trust me' this line of Lakshman just unleashed somthing inside Urmila and she bursted out in tears. Lakshman was surprised by seeing suddenly crying like a child.
" what... what happened rajkumari Urmila? Why are you crying? Is anything still wrong. "- He asked in a concerned tone.

Urmila answered in her sobbing voice - " This day was totally devastating. By the grace of Lord Shiva everything is fine now. But anything could have happened today. I'm not as strong as my Sita didi. I can't handle these much extreme emotions in oneday.
In one moment i was broken, on next moment I was anxious, then became extremely happy, then extremely terrified, then joyful and now I'm just blank.... My heart is still scared Prince Lakshman. "
(Then Urmila's voice became a little louder)
"And what if something would have happened to you Rajkumar Lakshman? If Lord Parshuram's axe had chopped you right at the moment when you fearlessly stood infront of him... Had you thought... what could be going inside the hearts of those people who love you. You know about his anger issues, so everybody was talking to him peacefully but you just jumped on him like a storm. It was really your great luck, that you came out safe from Lord Parshuram and his raised parshu. I can clearly understand your love for Rajkumar Ram. But had you even think of him while jumping into this well of lava ? What could have happen to Rajkumar Ram after seeing you....... "
Urmila couldn't utter the next word and cried loudly.