Continue from the previous part......
And Ram got busy with his packing, and Bharat too got busy, and the night fell.
........
And again, a pleasant day broke in Ayodhya. Ram, along with his brothers, went to the Matas, and after meeting them, they directly moved to the court. As only one day has left for Ram's departure to Amarpura, preparetion was needed.
And Sita was with her sisters, busy with the morning chores, and the kids, as always, playing with Hanuman.
......
IN COURT
Ram sat on the high throne. The court was filled with courtiers, and small thrones were lined up for the ministers and the important people.
"Maharaj, agar aapki aagya ho tho kuch nivedan karun?"
(Your Majesty, if you permit, may I request you?)
Asked a man while he bowed to Ram.
"Avashya."
Said Ram calmly.
"Maharaj, aapke anupassthiti mein rajya kaun sambhalega?"
(Maharaj, who will look after the kingdom in your absence?)
"Yeh bhaar main apne anuj Lakshman aur Shatrughn ko saupta hoon."
(I hand over this burden to my younger brothers, Lakshman and Shatrughan.)
He said it with a smile, and the twins bowed to him, accepting his command.
"Itne varsho mein Shatrughn ko iska anubhav ho hi gaya hoga."
(Shatrughan must have experienced this over the years.)
He said it, reminding everyone that during his exile he was the one who had been looking after the kingdom.
"Maharaj, aap is prakar mujhe lajjit na kijiye, main tho ab bhi nausikhya hoon."
(Maharaj, don't embarrass me like this; I am still a beginner.)
Said Shatrughn in a pleading tone, for which Ram smiled.
"Mujhe tum dono par poorn vishvaas hain ki tum dono apne kartavya ko bakoobhi nibhaoge aur mere aagya ka poorna roop se paalan karoge."
(I have full faith in both of you that you both will perform your duties very well and will follow my orders completely.)
Said Ram.
And the twins bowed to him.
........
IN THE KITCHEN
Urmila: Didi, aaj kya banaye kane mein?
(Didi, what should I prepare for lunch today?)
She asked.
Sita: Kofta?
She asked while snapping her fingers.
Kirti: Nahi! Kuch naya banate hai.
(No! Let's prepare something new today.)
Said Kirti, settling herself on the kitchen platform.
Mandhavi: Paalak paneer?
She exclaimed while lifting her eyebrows.
Sita: Haan! Yeh badiya rahega.
(Yes, this will be great.)
She said this while pinching her cheeks and getting busy preparing.
........
And few have passed; the Raghuvanshi brothers were still busy with political, stuff and the sisters were preparing the meal.
........
"Maharani! Maharani!"
Dasi dashed inside the kitchen.
"Oh, ho, ho! What happened?"
Asked Urmila, stopping her.
"Somebody has come."
She said.
"What? Who?"
Asked Sita.
"I don't know."
She said.
"Ok, we will see."
Saying so, the sisters moved towards the palace gates.
........
As they reached there, they saw a large number of soldiers, who gathered around and shipped out the luggage.
"What's going on here, Didi?"
Asked Kirti.
"I don't know."
Said Sita.
And they moved in that direction, and when a person stepped out of the palquine, a beautiful young lady, dressed in light blue, her braided hair falling to her waist, and her anklets jingling.
The sisters stood stunned, as they had never seen anyone like this before.
.
.
.
.
*Clap*
.
"Hello!"
A voice came, breaking their trance.
"May I know who you are?"
The women asked.
"I have not seen you here anywhere before. Are you an attendee or something?"
She asked Sita.
.
Hearing her, Urmila frowned and was about to end her, but Kirti held her arm.
"Didi, control."
Said Kirti, whispering.
And the woman looked away.
.
"Take my luggage inside!"
She ordered, and the workers paced around hurriedly.
And she then turned her gaze toward them.
"Where's my Ram?"
She asked, moving her gaze around, searching for him.
"Do you know about whom you are talking?"
Asked Urmila, mocking her.
"Yes, I do, the king of Ayodhya. If you don't, I can introduce you to him."
She said this and crossed her arms up to her chest.
And hearing her reply, Urmila clenched her fist.
.
.
.
.
"Aree! Tum?" (You?)
A voice came.
And everyone's gaze drew in that direction.
"Ram!"
She exclaimed and gave him a side hug.
"Why didn't you inform me that you were arriving?"
He asked, breaking the hug.
"I had sent you the letter; you didn't see it?"
She asked and made a pout face, for which he chuckled.
But Sita didn't like her attitude and behavior towards Ram, so she stood there silently.
.
"Yah! This is Sita, my wife."
He pointed toward her.
"Oh! She's back?... I thought she was... the blessings of Lord Shiva..."
She said this while making a not-so-happy face.
"Nice to meet you!"
She said it with a smirk.
"And this is Mandhavi, Urmila, and Shrutikirti, my sister-in-laws."
He said, introducing them to her.
"And myself, Kamalnayan; nice to meet you too! I am Ram's childhood friend."
She exclaimed, and Sita, Mandhavi, and Kirti smiled, but Urmila shot her death glare.
And she turned her face away and walked behind Ram.
......
Meanwhile, Lakshman and Shatrughn.
"Ise abhi hi aana tha?" (Was she supposed to come now?)
Shatrughn made a disgusting face.
"Ab jo hoga swayam, Mahadev hi jaane."
(Now only Mahadev himself knows what will happen.)
Lakshman said while nodding his face negatively.
.......
"I will kill her! Is this the way to talk to anybody?!"
Urmila roared.
"Leave it, Urmi."
Said Sita, consoling her.
"You don't see how she was flirting with Jijashree?"
Urmila spat back.
"She's his friend."
"It doesn't seem like."
Said Urmila while crossing her arms.
"Urmi!"
Sita warned.
......
And after a nice meal, the sisters served kheer to everyone.
"Lakshman, where's your Bhaiya?"
Asked Sita while holding a bowl of kheer.
"He must be in the garden, with that Kamalnayan."
He said this with disgust in his tone.
"Ok."
Saying so, she left in search for Ram.
.......
She paced towards the garden, stopped at the entrance, and turned her gaze around.
"Where's Arya?"
She mumbled under her breath.
.
And she heard someone talking and moved in that direction.
.
And as she reached there, she found both of them sitting on the bench. Kamalnayan sat close to him, leaning on his shoulders.
"Ram, you had told me that you would be marrying me after we grew up."
She said this while punching him lightly.
"Umm... I don't remember anything like this..."
"Don't lie!"
She interrupted him.
"Really, I don't remember anything."
He chuckled.
.
"And from where did you get her?"
"Whom?"
"Sita."
She said it in a disgusting way.
.
"I am not a toy or something that he picked me up from the streets."
Sita thought.
.
"I won her hand in Swayamvar."
"Oh!"
"Can't you marry me and keep her as a co-wife?"
"I can't."
He chuckled.
"Why is it so?"
"Because I had promised her that I would never marry again."
"Why did you do that?"
Hearing her rubbish questions, Sita was turning angry at how she was trying to seduce him.
"That..."
.
.
.
"Ahem... ahem..."
Sita cleared her throat.
And both of them turned to her.
"Sitae?"
He asked in surprise.
"Arya, your kheer."
She said while forwarding him the bowl, holding a wide smile.
.
His gaze flicked between her and the bowl, searching for an answer.
"I am full."
He spoke,.
"Full?"
She asked in concern.
"Yes, she had brought Gajar ka halwa, so I have no space in my tummy."
He said it while rubbing his tummy.
"Oh!"
She said it in a low voice.
.
As she was about to leave, Kamalnayan called her.
"Hey, listen to me!"
She called, and Sita turned to her.
"Give that bowl to me."
She said so, and Sita forwarded the bowl to her.
"You can go now."
She said it while commanding her.
And with a pale smile, she left from there.
.
As she reached halfway, she looked back to catch his last glance.
She saw her forwarding a spoonful of Kheer to him, and he refused with a nod, but she insisted, and he took just a single bite, and he ate from her hand.
Which broke her from inside, and a single tear slipped her eyes, and she rushed out from there.
.......
"Didi! What happened?"
Urmila asked her as she met her in the corridor.
But she zoomed out without uttering a single word.
"Didi! Wait!"
Screamed Urmila.
And she followed her along with the dasis, but she reached there a bit late, and Sita had locked herself in.
.
.
.
*Knock*
.
"Didi, open the door!"
Called Kirti.
"Didi?!"
Urmila called her, but she got no reply.
Urmila knew the reason behind her sadness, but she remained quiet.
And the night fell.
......
Ram paced back to his chamber, as his departure was for the next morning.
He reached the door and pushed it open, but it did not.
"Is it locked?"
He asked himself.
"Anybody inside?"
He asked.
But he got no response; as the corridor was so quiet, he heard faint sobs. And he scrunched his brows in concern and placed his ear on the door.
"Sitae!"
He panicked.
"Sitae, open the door!"
He said it, but she did not.
.......
RAM'S CHAMBER
Sita was lying on the bed, her face buried in the pillow, and her cries echoed in the chamber.
.
*Smash*
.
Hearing the sound, she lifted her face, and her gaze ran in that direction.
"Arya!"
She gasped.
He was lying on the floor.
"Mmm..."
He moaned in pain.
"Arya, how did you come in?"
She asked.
"Through the window."
He said that and moved towards her.
.
"What happened, Sitae?"
He asked her, taking her into a warm embrace.
She didn't even reply to him; she just sobbed while burying her face in his chest.
"Sitae."
He said this under his breath and rubbed her back, consoling her.
.
.
.
.
And an awkward silence lingered between them.
.
.
.
.
"Arya!"
She broke the silence.
"Hmm..."
He hummed while lovingly pecking her hair.
"You love me, na?"
She asked innocently.
"Yes, I do more than anything else in the world."
He said this, making her smile.
"Really?"
She asked, looking at him.
"Of course, Sitae. You are only mine."
He said this while pecking her cheeks, and she smiled.
.
And then he moved toward her ears.
"Janaki Vallabha." (Janaki's husband.)
He whispered into her ears and kissed her neck.
She blushed and hugged him tight.
.
.
.
.
.
"Now, please don't cry. I am leaving tomorrow. I want to see you smiling."
Ram said, and she smiled brightly.
.
"I love you, Arya."
"I love you too, Sitae."
And he hugged her as they drifted into sleep.
......
"I will see you!"
She whispered under her breath and paced towards her chamber.
........
Update soon!
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