A/N-This chapter is going to focus on the princesses, kind of. Just....see!
Arya Sumant, loyal adviser in court to King Dasharath, and confidant of the queens, even sometimes partner-in-crime and father-figure to the princes was one of the most trusted people in Ayodhya. He would never betray that trust, and he was universally loved. Sumant, however, had a daughter. Her name was Trivati Sumant.
Trivati was great friends with the princesses of Videha, in Mithila. They admired her for her engaging stories and contagious bubbliness, and she loved them for their kindness and compassion. Due to their parents' closeness, she was very well acquainted with the princes of Kosala, and was especially good friends with Bharat and Lakshman. It just so happened, that one day when she was visiting Videha, she found herself talking about them.
"You know, I am good friends with the princes of Ayodhya." she stated matter-of-factly. Sita looked up quickly. Ayodhya...that felt like a name she should memorize. Ayodhya...prince...friend...
"Oh, you've taken long enough. You've been talking about random people for ages, some Bhrata, Ghana, Laksh. What are they like, we've heard many stories about them?" asked chirpy Urmila, leaning forward eagerly as Mandavi listened, interested, and even focused Shrutakirti removed her attention from her embroidery pincushion, excited to hear about their personalities for once rather than their escapades. .
"Well, there's Ram," Sita turned pale. Ram. That name seemed familiar. "He's the oldest. He's got dark skin, and lotus eyes. He usually leads his brothers wherever he goes, and is very calm. He's one of those people who won't stray from dharma. " She clapped her hands together, and Urmila managed to catch Sita's face right before she hid it; she was blushing.
"Then Bharat," Mandavi froze. Where had she heard these names? She couldn't quite pinpoint it, and it was so annoying. "Really light skin, and light hair. The opposite in appearance, think, from Ram. He's the most handsome, and loves to paint, and is very kind and calm. He often is a peacemaker. " Urmila giggled.
"The exact opposite of our demoness Mandavi, then!" she snickered, and Trivati tilted her head as if considering it. "Actually, that's correct. The only similarity in personality between them is that you are both selfless." Mandavi swallowed.
"We now come to the saumitranandans. There is Laksh, short for Lakshman, I mean." Narrowing her eyes, Urmila clenched her fists. Laksh, Lakshman. Where, where, where had she heard these names, she wanted to figure it out! "He's the tallest of them all, and loyal to his brothers. I'm probably the closest to him. He's very muscular and short-tempered, but usually stays quiet. He's funny, but shows it rarely, and has an aptitude for getting hurt. He looks scary from the outside, and can be very scary when he gets angry, but he's cute once you get to know him." She smiled a bit when thinking about him, and Urmila did too.
"Lastly, there is Shatru, short for Shatrughan. He's the younger twin of Lakshman, and very mischievous. He insists upon pranking everyone he finds, but is very protective of his brothers. However, usually when Laksh gets hurt, it is Shatrughan's fault. Shatrughan is very funny, and flirty. He and Laksh are identical twins, and they look similar to each other, but they behave so differently! The only thing same in their characteristics is their love for food, and humor."
She stopped her explanation, and stared at the four entertained faces in front of her. Shrutakirti had completely abandoned her sewing in horror when she had heard the description of Shatrughan. How, she wondered, can someone be so misbehaved? She had thought that he could redeem himself when she heard that he was protective, but if he hurt his twin brother, whom she had gotten quite close to through the stories, then maybe not!
Sita was still hiding her face; this Ram's description seemed very familiar. He seemed like the perfect prince. Never straying from the path of dharma, Sita wondered if there was an exception. Even her father would sometimes commit some mistake. He was a natural leader, just like she was to her sisters.
Urmila was glad to have finally heard who the mysterious people about whom Trivati would continue talking about were. Laksh seemed very similar to the boy from the hermitage. Short-tempered, tall, strong, but quiet, only talking when he had something necessary to say, and that was usually spoken in a funny way. But it couldn't be! Princes didn't go carrying around firewood. She felt a bit jealous that Trivati had gotten close enough to him to open his funny world up.
Mandavi, however, was feeling a bit angry. Where had she heard these names, she wished she could remember. Bharat was the exact opposite of her, she would admit silently, and so why did she feel so similar to him? Selfless, that was how Trivati said that they were alike. Interesting.
"You know, Laksh got a new horse a few days ago." Urmila and Shrutakirti leaned in, eager to hear about either one of the twins. "He named it "Mirch". It only listens to him, and tries to kill everyone else. It seems to be fine with Bharat feeding it however. Bharat is just so calm, radiates calmness. I just wish he were more outgoing." Mandavi felt herself feeling sorry for the prince. It must be hard, being surrounded by violence and expectations.
"You know, Laksh and Shatru gave me this." she held up a small wooden carving, and Urmila grabbed it jealously. It was so intricate, beautifully carved, and looked just like Trivati. She wished she had something like it. Or could at least meet the person who made it.
"Lakshman carved it." Trivati stated, and Urmila held onto it even more tight, although she didn't quite know why.
"The golden work on it is just beautiful, Tri." Shrutakirti complimented. Trivati nodded, taking it back and holding it as if it were the most precious thing in the world to her. "Shatrughan did that." Shrutakirti turned back to her pincushion, smiling. Perhaps this Shatrughan wasn't so bad after all, having some knowledge of the arts.
"Arey, Shruta!" cried Mandavi, chasing after the giggling sister. "Give me back my hair comb!" As Shrutakirti, holding tightly onto the intricate comb, ran past Urmila, Sita stopped her mid track, and held her hand out for the comb warningly.
"Ah, didi. You are so mean." Shrutikirti grumbled, handing her the comb. "It's an ugly comb anyways, Mandavi." She walked off frustratedly, leaving Urmila, Mandavi, and Sita there.
"I wonder what those princes Trivati is friends with are doing." wondered Urmila out loud, hoping that Trivati had told the princes about them as well.
She hadn't. "Arey, Shatru!" Laughing meanly, Shatrughan ran through the palace, being chased by an outraged Bharat. "Give me back my paint brushes!" Shatrughan turned around and stuck his tongue out, just as he passed Lakshman, who decided not to interfere, and was calmly brushing away wood chippings from his shoulders.
"Shatrughan," Ram stated warningly, standing in front of the youngest, holding his hand out for the paintbrushes. "Give Bharat back his stuff." Shatrughan pouted, but returned Bharat's prized possessions most reluctantly.
"Why didn't you help me, twin?" he asked Lakshman, who was calmly carving something out of wood. "We're blood brothers, you're supposed to help me!" he wailed, stomping a foot. "When I get a wife, she will help me get out of sticky situations." Bharat raised an eyebrow as Lakshman stood up.
"Accha. And what will you do for her, seeing as she'll be working day and night?" Lakshman asked, finally finishing his horse. Shatrughan thought about it for a moment, and then said very cleverly.
"I will detail all of her things with gold. I think my wifey will love that. You just have to carve everything for me." Lakshman snorted.
"Ah yes, good prince. Scary serpent chili-consuming Lakshman is at your service." Shatrughan froze, and smiled sheepishly. So, Lakshman had caught on. He was about to apologize, before being caught straight with a death glare. It would take ages to heal from a straight-on Laksh death glare.
Sita and Shrutakirti, the hopeless romantics, often dreamed about their prince, except neither of them knew exactly whom they were thinking about. Sita had put a face to him, dark skin and lotus shaped eyes, but she thought that such a person would not exist. Shrutakirti wanted a person who would be obedient and not mischievous, and yet still thought about the prince who had done the golden detail on Trivati's carving. Mandavi often thought about that shy boy from the hermitage whose name she couldn't quite remember. He seemed very nice, and would be a good friend. Mandavi just didn't know why she blushed when thinking about him. And Urmila wondered when Trivati would come back so she could steal that carving.
She really wanted someone to do something like that for her. Urmila was not a thief, she was just jealous of Trivati, to be friends with such a craftsman. And all four of those princes sounded like great fun, good people to frolic with. She wondered if the princes were the same boys from the hermitage often, but each time, her logical mind would shoot it down. Princes didn't carry around hundreds of logs like that tall, funny, quiet, handsome- no stop Urmila!
A/N- I have centered this chapter around the princesses, mostly. I love how Shrutakirti loves gold, and Shatrughan is particularly good with working with it. And of course, Urmila wants to take that little carving, her future husband made it, of course!
I'm planning to post every alternate day because this story is going too quick!
One thing I would like to ask is, should I incorporate jealousy? Part of me just wants to be happy and make it love at first sight, but another part of me thinks that jealousy should be added in the romance. By the way-the next transitional chapter is going to be in 3 or 4 chapters. Introducing...ROMAAAAAANCE. <3
Shoutout to: lakshmila4ardi Thank you for the comments and replies!!!! 🎀