Six years later

The afternoon sun shined in the cloudless sky with all its might. The mantis's prayer was mingled with the cheerful laughter of a six year old girl. She was fair with deep black eyes and black braided hair was as fine as silk. She wore a purple skirt that reached her ankles and a yellow blouse with puffed sleeves.

"Even harder!" the six year old girl shrieked happily as one of her handmaids, or rather one of the few companions appointed by Maharaja Ram, pushed her on the swing that was made for her underneath the big mango tree of Ayodya Palace's Royal Gardens. Her aim was to pluck the big ripe mango above her head.

"Be careful Sudha!" another handmaid, Nisha, in her teenage told to the handmaid who was pushing the swing as her eyes focused on the thin strand of jasmines she was weaving. "Who will face Prince Lakshman's fury if she falls?"

"That won't happen" Somada added happily as she kicked her legs in the air as she tried to reach out, with one hand extended to pluck the mango hanging on the tree and succeeded.

Sudha pulls the swing back to a halt too annoyed as the pitiless sun, even under the genuine shade of the mango remained a threat to her skin. "Princess, can we please stop playing and go inside? It's too hot! I think I'm becoming dark!"

"Even I should be going inside Princess" said another handmaid who sat under the shade the shade of the tree, throwing beseeching looks at Princess Somada, as she fanned herself with the hem of her sari "If I get dark in this sun then my betrothed and my in laws will call off the marriage that is to happen in a month's time!"

She stood up and walked away haughtily towards her quarters to spend hours soaked in turmeric and curd to counter the ravages caused to her skin by the sun. Sudha too walked away with her, leaving Somada and Nisha alone.

"Don't mind them, Princess!" Nisha smiled.

"I don't Nisha!" Somada said as she shook her legs again and smiling as the grass tickled the soles of her little feet. "True love knows no beauty and distance. It's about what you feel inside your heart and accept someone for who they are."

"Not everyone is lucky enough to find true love, Princess!" Nisha smiled and stood up.

"Are you going Nisha?" Somada asks looking up at Nisha as she nods. "Keep this mango in the kitchen please. Devansh likes mangoes"

Somada hums a lullaby to herself as Nisha walks away. She carefully sits crossed legged on the swing and reaches out to her ragged doll, Pipi, her only companion ever since her brothers left the palace to a Sage's Hermitage for studies. They would be coming twelve years later. The palace used to be lively and active before the boys left and for the past few months it has been dreadfully quiet without the boys around. Somada had no one to play with. She nestled Pipi on her lap "It's you and me as all way, I guess." "I think we need to buy another doll, Pipi. Well! Don't be upset! I was just joking! Isn't it boring anyways since don't have any real person to play with?"

Somada hums the lullaby to herself as she slowly rocks herself in the swing. Suddenly she hears a whistling tune. It was a little boy in a sky blue dhoti who was passing through the gardens. He had short black hair that went well with his lightly tanned skin. He was holding a blue lotus in his little hands. Somada's eyes fell on the blue lotus he was holding and as she recognized the boy "Devansh! Devansh!"

Devansh stopped and a quick smile formed on his face as he saw Somada, his best friend. He ran towards her as fast as he could. "Did you call me Somu?"

She nodded and beckoned him to sit beside her on the swing. He sat beside her and she asked curiously "Where did you get that flower from?"

"I brought it in the market square for you when I was coming from home. I was looking for you in the palace to give this to you! Isn't this your favorite flower?" he saw how her eyes were glued to the blue lotus.

She nodded excitedly and as he gave her the flower, her face lit up like the lamp in the Lord Vishnu Mandhir. The blue lotus, she remembered her father, Prince Lakshman, tell how it played a significant role in falling in love with Urmila.

"Do you know Devansh? Lady Gargi, my tutor, told me once that it's really hard to find a blue lotus like this in Ayodya. You only get the pink and the purple ones here. The blue and the rare coloured ones are found in kingdoms across the Saraswati River. Rumors say the Pallava Kingdom has golden coloured lotus flowers." Devansh was purely impressed by her knowledge on lotus flowers. Somada caressed the petals of the sapphire hued flower "Have you seen a golden lotus? I have never seen it. I wonder how it looks like"

"It must be looking like a normal lotus but gold coloured" Devansh said shrugging.

"You really are a walnut Dev!" Somada said giggling and Devansh smiled. "I think it'll have shiny petals and hundred dozens petals with a fragrance much aromatic than the smell of freshly fried Jalebis. I really want to see and hold a golden lotus one day! Devansh decided to get one golden lotus for her someday. "Ma and Pa would be happy seeing this! Do you know where they might be, right now?"

"I was in the Royal Library with Pa, when I saw your father, Prince Lakshman heading towards the Arena." Devansh said and Somada got off the swing and started to run towards the palace, in one hand she held Pipi and in the other the lotus. Devansh too got off the swing and started to run after her.

Lakshman, clad in armor, dust and sweat, let out a victorious laughter, which echoed throughout the open Arena. He aligned the tip of his sword to the opponent's throat, who now was pressed to the ground.

"Do you accept defeat?" Lakshman asked and his opponent nodded. Lakshman smiled as he put his sword in his scabbard and offered a hand to his opponent. He took his hand and stood up. "You put up a good stance, soldier."

He bowed and walked away.
"Isn't there anyone brave enough to defeat me?" he roared victoriously amidst the thundering applause from all the soldiers who were watching.
Ram, who sat on the finest cushioned divans underneath the canopy on the farthest corner of the arena smiled as he rubbed his rough palm over his peppered beard "My Lakshman is indeed the finest swordsman in Aryabhoomi. No one can easily defeat him."

Somada and Devansh came running into the Arena and into the King's canopy. "My dearest Somu, what brings you here?" Ram asked lifting her and settling her on his lap.

"My King, I got this blue lotus for Ma and Pa" Somada said showing him the flower. "Devansh and some other maids told me that Pa would be here"

"He has been here sword fighting all day, Somu" Bharath said as he caressed her cheeks "He faced more than fifteen duels and hasn't even lost one"

"There's no one in Aryabhoomi who can defeat your father" Ram said as he looked at Lakshman who was preparing for another duel.

"I know one such person who can" Shatrughan smirked as another warrior walked into the Arena. "Whenever this warrior fights against Lakshman the duel will go on for days"

"Isn't there anyone to fight me?" Lakshman asked again and no one replied.

"I want to fight you" an audacious voice called over and Lakshman's eyes widened seeing the warrior infront of him. It was Urmila, his wife. She was wearing an armor suit and a magenta shaded dhoti that reached up to her ankles. Her hair was tied to a neat bun at the nape of her neck.

"Against the one who killed the man who defeated Lord Indra?" Lakshman asked smirking as he admired his wife.

"That was more than a decade ago, when you were in the prime of your youth, Prince" Urmila countered, a teasing smile playing on her face.

"Does your statement imply that I am incapable of defeating him at this age?" Lakshman added smirking as he became excited to have a duel with his wife after so many years. "Summon him from his graves and see how I kill him again within a split of a second"

"Don't go to such extremes, Prince" Urmila smiled as she took her sword to hand. "Defeat me and I shall consider you a capable man. And don't forget how I defeated you in our first ever duel"

"But still I emerged the ultimate winner" Lakshman whispers huskily into her ears as he takes his sword and observes how her cheeks become red. "Let's begin?"

Swords clashed one against another and the sound of the metal echoed throughout the air. Somada watched excitedly. Lakshman struck his sword towards Urmila, but she managed to block it with her sword before his came an inch next to her. Urmila succeeded in pushing away Lakshman's sword. Urmila took a deep breath and attempted to thrust her sword towards Lakshman's shoulder, but he skillfully blocked again. Every time she tried to bring his sword closer he pushed his sword behind, both shoving each other. The process went on and Urmila, noticed Lakshman press all his weight to his right foot, while left leg remained submissive. She gave a smug smile and swung the sword into a firm arc that slashed with great force to his left. He tumbled to his left on the ground, the sword falling from his hand.

Urmila poised the tip of her sword to his neck, huffing with satisfaction "Do you surrender?"

"I already have" he said as he admired her. She was sweating and tiny strands of her hair had managed to come free from the hair bun at the nape of her neck, above all that there was a smile amidst all the applause and the cheers. Urmila tried to hide her blushing face and she extended his hand to him. He held on to her hand and stood up.

"Did I hurt you, Love?" he asked as he held her cheek and she shook her head. Urmila smiled as she held onto his hand.

"And you?" she asked.

"I think I sprained my ankle in the previous-"

"Ma! Pa!" Somada shrieked happily as she ran towards them as fast as she could. Devansh came running behind her.

"Somu?" Lakshman exclaimed seeing his daughter come running to him. He walked towards her and pulled her to his arms, thus carrying her. He pressed a kiss to her cheek "What is my baby doing in here?"

"I got this for you and Ma!" Somu said offering the blue lotus to him. Urmila and Lakshman exchanged surprised looks. They knew a blue lotus was hard to find in Ayodya "Take it! It's for you and Ma!"

Urmila took the lotus, her eyes refusing to believe she was holding such a rare flower. Her mind raced to the incident that happened in her hometown, beyond the shores of the Saraswathi River, almost thirty years ago.

She was sixteen and on her way to a veneration when she needed a lotus from the pond nearby. There was only one lotus the pond, a little far from the shore. Urmila walked a few steps in and as she stretched her hand to pluck the lotus she felt a hissing sound come towards her. It was a huge snake. She was unarmed hence she turned back to swim ashore but then she felt her right foot stuck in between two rocks.

She tried to pull her leg but nothing happened, until a brave man came in between her and the snake. It was Lakshman, the brother of her sister's fiancé who never missed an opportunity to argue with her. He was staring at the snake, his eyes seemed to be glued to the snake's. He waved his hand and the snake swam away. Lakshman smiled as he pluck the lotus and turned to her. She took the lotus from him, their fingers brushing lightly and a blush creeping on her cheeks. He freed her leg and pulled her into a tight and secured embrace. They remained tangled in each other's embrace until they heard Sita's voice. Urmila tore herself and walked away, grinning.

They started to spend time together and soon they realized they loved each other. A month after that incident they met near the same pond on a breezy evening. Lakshman went down on one knee offering her another blue lotus as he confessed his love for her and asked for her hand in marriage. Urmila nodded with a yes and he pulled her into his arms, sealing their lips with a chaste kiss.

"This flower means so much to us" Urmila said dreamily "That day still remains a golden day in my life."
Lakshman smiled and turned to Somada "Did you watch us duel?" Somada nodded. Ram and his brothers have come towards them now.

"Lakshman, I think it's time to teach Somu the art of warfare, as discussed earlier." Ram suggested and turned to Somada "What do you say, little one? What weapon would you like to specialize in?"

"I want to fight with a sword like Ma and Pa!" Somada said excitedly "Will you teach me, Pa?"

"No dear" Lakshman said refusing to her disbelief "You have a higher tendency to get injured when you use a sword, because you have to be standing close to the enemy. A bow and arrow is always the best weapon because you can defend yourself without going too close to the enemy. It's a safe alternative and you won't get scarred the same way as your Pa."

"Then I'll learn to use the bow and arrow like Bade Pa!" Somada said to Lakshman's relief.

"And your Bade Pa will train you to be the one of the finest archers of Aryabhoomi" Ram said.

"Did I hear something I wasn't supposed to hear?" a voice came and they all turned. It was Grand Aunt. "What were you saying, Rama?"

"I was saying-"

"Bloody murder!" Grand Aunt wailed. Lakshman made Somada stand on the ground, and she scurried away towards Devansh. Grand Aunt's eyes were on Urmila who was wearing an armor and a dhoti, instead of the silken sari and the sixteen different golden jewelry "What have you done to yourself, daughter-in-law?"

"I was-"

"How dare you talk back to me?" Grand Aunt yelled. "How dare you dress in such an indecent fashion and appear with your hair exposed like this, in front of all your brothers-in-law and your daughter? Didn't you even have an ounce of shame when you stepped out of your chambers dressed in such an ingloriously shanty manner? Go inside for God's sake and get dressed without staring at my face!"

Lakshman, who was forced to keep shut, noticed Urmila's fist tighten and her head dip down in embarrassment. Urmila murmured a quick apology and walked away towards her chambers.

"Such an obscene woman she is!" Grand Aunt quipped, purely displeased. She turned to Lakshman who was offended by all the harsh words hurled at Urmila "What kind of a woman have you married, Lakshman? You got yourself committed to a wild cat! Didn't her parents teach her any manners before getting her married off to a man like you from a royal bloodline? Shame!"
Her eyes fell on Somada who was standing next to Devansh.

"And you!" Grand Aunt pointed a cold finger towards Somada "How many times have I told you to stay away from this motherless boy? You are disgracing and disobeying your own mother by associating with a boy was born claiming the life of his mother! Go and beg for mercy from your mother, right away! If I see you talking to him then see what I shall do to you!"

Somada nodded and walked away, with Pipi in her hands. Devansh walked away too.

Ram, who was quite angered, especially towards what Grand Aunt told to Somada, looked at her "Was it necessary to say all that, Aunt?"

"Of course" she said "Somada should know her place and associate with people of her caliber. Not with poor motherless sons of ministers and soldiers who would entice her into their love trap for her riches! Rama, we must do the needful before this boy does something to our girl. And I have made arrangements for it"

TO BE CONTINUED

Glossary
Dhoti- a garment worn by men that resembles a baggy pair of trousers

Mandhir- Temple

Jalebis- An Indian sweet

Pa- Father

Aryabhoomi

Ma- Mother

Bade Pa- The elder brother of ones father or mother

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