"Lakshman... Please stop..."

Cried Ram. They were moving towards the middle of that dense forest.

The path was filled with darkness. Shadows of the trees masked the sunlight.

His little legs were paining... But Lakshman didn't reduce his speed. He wished to run away from everything as soon as possible.

Even though Ram was following his brother he felt a change happening to the surroundings...It was the first time they are being away from the palace, with out guards.

The forest was completely silent. There were neither the sound of any animals nor the cry of any birds...

'Danger is on the way...' Ram felt his heart beats as thunder.

It was like a small piece of the lighting...
Silent and swift. It was aiming Lakshman.

It was an arrow...

Ram took a deep breath and rushed like a tiger.

Lakshman felt the warmth of his brother just behind him. Before he could turn, Ram pulled him towards his chest.

Lakshman collided with Ram.

"Bhaiya..."

"Lakshman... Don't move..."

Before Lakshman could ask anything, Ram covered him with his entire body.

"Are you alright Laksh..."

Lakshman hugged his bhaiya. He felt his hands being wet...

"Are... you... Alright..." Ram asked again.

"Bhaiya... What is this?" Asked Lakshman and broke the hug to find the reason for the wetness of his hands.

With a great effort, Ram focused his closing eyes on Lakshman. He was gasping. His vision was being darker...

"You... are.... fine..." Ram smiled a little before falling on the ground being unconscious...

Lakshman glared at his hands... They were covered with blood... His brother's blood...

"Bhaiya... Bhaiya open your eyes..."
Screamed Lakshman sitting near Ram.

For the first time his brother didn't respond to his cry...

"Prince Ram..."

The Royal army of Ayodhya roared in greif. He was lying on the soil... Their Prince.

Lakshman moved back while the soldiers picked up Ram and ran towards the chariot.

His eyes followed his brother, whose path was being marked in red...

"Take the prince to the palace... As soon as possible..."

Ordered Sumantra. Then he stared at Lakshman who was standing there numb.

"Prince... What happened?" He asked patting on Lakshman's cheek.

"I... I don't know..." He replied some how.

"Please... Take me to my bhaiya..."

.................

The palace of Ayodhya startled by his yell. Any of them never saw their King this much angry, not even in battle fields...

"My son is attacked! The heir of Ragukula is attacked! How dare you to apologize... Where were you all?"

Dasharath collapsed on the throne.

"My Ram..." He cried like a child.

Sumitra embraced him. She also was crying.

"Forgive me Maharaj... We don't know how the princes reached the forest. Security guards were present at the entrance of the palace. No one saw Prince Ram and Prince Lakshman crossing the border..."

Replied the army commander of Ayodhya.

"Who was the attacker?"

They all heard a sudden shout. Kaikeyi walked towards the King with heavy steps.

"Who was he, my Lord?"

Dasharath sighed. The praised army of Ayodhya failed to find the culprit.

From the silence Kaikeyi sensed the answer. She was breathless. It was her failure too... Both as a mother and as a queen...

Sumitra wiped her tears. She has to be strong for her family.

"If there is anyone who can give us an answer, that is Lakshman..."

...................

Kausalya again kissed on the cheeks of Bharath while the later embraced her more tightly.

"He will be alright, Bharath... Nothing will happen to your bhaiya..."

Whispered Kausalya. It was a prayer...

Shatrughan who was sobbing sitting on Kausalya's lap again stared at the door of the room of Vaidhya raj. His brother was lying there...

King and the other two queens entered the room by running.

"Didi... How is Ram?"

Before Kausalya could reply Vaidhya raj opened the door.

"Maharaj... "

"What happened?" Cried Dasharath. He was unable to hear any unpleasant news about his favourite son.

"Nothing to worry, Maharaj... He is alright..."

All the mothers thanked the God. Ram was their life.

Bharath hugged Shatrughan. "Bhaiya can't leave us..."

Vaidhya raj smiled at the Royal family. Their happiness was beyond words.

"The wound is not deep. But there was a kind of poison present in that arrow... We removed it but that made the prince unconscious..."

Kaikeyi and Dasharath looked each other. Being warriors they both had a great knowledge about weapons. No one in Aaryavartha use poisoned arrows for enemies. It is usually done by tribals to hunt the animals...

"He is conscious now... " Said a maid.

"Ram... My son..." Kausalya couldn't control her self. The whole courage she gathered vanished away at the moment when she saw Ram lying on the bed, pale and tiered.

"Maa... I am alright... Please don't cry..."
Said Ram holding her hands.

Sumitra placed his head on her lap and ruffled his hair with a smile. She didn't wish to break down in front of the children.

Dasharath and Kaikeyi sat on two sides of the bed.

"Bhaiya... " yelled Shatrughan and tried to embrace him but stopped by Bharath.

"You will hurt his wounds..." Bharath scolded him while Ram shook his head with a smile.

He invited his brothers for a hug while the other two cried on his shoulder.

"I was afraid as hell bhaiya..." Said Shatrughan.

"Hey... You know I can't leave my brothers that much easly... "

"Bharath bhaiya also told the same..."

Ram glanced at Bharath who was holding both his brothers by his two hands.

"I trust you bhaiya..." Said Bharath.

Ram felt a gap in his soul... His eyes searched for Lakshman.

He was not there.

"Where is Lakshman?" He asked.
Ram couldn't believe that he didn't realised Lakshman's absence until that moment.

Bharath and Shatrughan gulped. They both totally forgot about him.

Ram couldn't hold his tears.

"How could you all leave my Laksh alone..."

"I saw him entering the palace with the prime minister Sumantra. He wasn't hurt. I will call him to meet you..."

Said Kaikeyi and stared to walk but Sumitra stopped her by a nod.

"Didi... I will go..."

........................

Sumitra walked straight towards Ram's room. She was sure that she could find her son there.

"Lakshman..."

He was sitting on the floor. Just like her expectation there were no sign of tears on his face... He won't cry, unit he feel that his listener can bear it...

With shivering hands she slowly touched on his shoulder. He was burning like a fire...

Lakshman felt his mother's touch.

"Don't you wish to meet Ram? He is conscious now..."

A single drop of tear fell on Sumitra's hands.

"I can't maa... I can't..."

Sumitra embraced Lakshman. "Why?"

Lakshman turned his head away from his mother. He didn't want to share it with anyone...

"Don't you trust me, my son?"

"Yes maa... Don't feel bad... I am sorry for hurting you..."

"Hurt?" Sumitra raised her eyebrows. "What did you mean by that?"

Lakshman sighed.

"Maa... Did you ever feel that I chose Ram bhaiya over you?"

Sumitra gasped. She never thought that her son will ask such a question.

"Maa... Did you ever feel sad when I always stuck with bhaiya... I always slept with him... I always shared everything with him only... I..."

"Lakshman... Before answering I have another question for you... What made you think that loving a person can hurt another one?"

Lakshman shook his head. He couldn't digest his mother's words.

Sumitra smiled.

"I know... I know you don't like anyone being close to Ram like you... I have noticed your restlessness..."

Lakshman placed his head on her lap.

"I am afraid maa... I can't accept the fact that I am only his half brother... Please tell me that is a lie..."

"It is true, Lakshman... As we all know Lakshman is half brother of Ram."

Lakshman chocked. He felt the whole world tumbling down.

Sumitra cupped his face. She looked in to his eyes.

"But What difference does that make?"

It was a question... A question he never asked to him self.

"In this whole world Ram love you the most and vice versa... The only difference is that you express it with all intensity while he hide it in the depth of his heart... You both can't live without out each other... Then how could you believe that you are not his real brother because some one told you?"

"How could I?" Lakshman gasped.

Sumitra made him stand facing her and placed her hand over his heart...

"Tell me... Who told you this?"

"Manthara..." Lakshman murmured. He didn't find any reason to tell her name adding 'ji'.

"Avoid her... Never try to be close with Manthara..."

"Yes maa..."

"What happened in the forest? "

Lakshman narrated every thing.

"Fault is mine... I failed as a brother... I lost the trust over my self..."

Sumitra hold his hands and walked towards the window.

"Lakshman... A fault is always a fault... A failure is always a failure... A loss is always a loss...But it doesn't mean that you can't overcome it all..."

She pointed towards the sun, which was slowly coming out of the dark clouds...

"You can't change the past... But you can change the future..."

Lakshman glared his mother with wide eyes.

Sumitra didn't smile.

"Lakshman... Give me three promises..."

Lakshman placed his small hand over her's.

"First...Believe in your love... "

Lakshman couldn't understand anything. But he replied.

"I promise you maa..."

"Second...Believe in your self... "

"I promise you maa... I will..."

"Finally... Be the protector... Protect everything and everyone which are close to your heart..."

Lakshman glared at the sun... It was fully out of the darkness now...

The sun rays was strong enough to make one close his eyes... But he didn't... Instead of that he loved that shining... He loved that heat...

He never thought twice before selecting the one who was dearest to his heart...

It was his Ram bhaiya... His soul...

He failed today, but never tomorrow...

"I promise you maa... Nothing in the world will touch my brother if I am with him... I will be his shield, I will be his strength... I will be with him, until my last breath..."

Sumitra closed his eyes with her hands.

"I hope, now you can understand it... I hope now you can understand that I can never be jealous on your love towards your brother."

Lakshman removed her hands and kissed on them.

He was nothing in front of the greatness of his mother.

"Maa... I am blessed,that is why I born as your son... I won't disobey you in my entire life... By my life I will prove this world that I am worthy to be your son...
Worthy to be called as Saumitra..."

Both Sumitra and her Saumitra never knew about their future at that moment...
But through a single promise she changed the whole destiny of Aaryavartha... One of the greatest mother ever lived... The victory was written by her hands also... No matter we remember or not...

..........................

"Bhaiya..." Called Lakshman standing at the door.

Ram felt his heart being filled with joy... He was waiting for him so long... No matter how many people he has around him, but Ram is always alone with out Lakshman...

"Where were you..."

He asked but instead of a reply Lakshman hugged him tightly.

Ram felt his wounds paining a little but being close to his younger brother was an unexplainable delight...

"Don't apologise my Laksh... It was not your fault..."

Lakshman smiled a little. 'Sometimes promises are valuable than apologies '

"No bhaiya... The fault is mine... I didn't obey your words. That made you suffer..."

Ram started to say something but was cut by Lakshman.

"I failed to protect you... And I am sure, this will be the last time."

Ram couldn't believe what he heard. His little brother was speaking like a soldier.

It was an oath...

"I am your brother bhaiya... I will be there for you always. I will die for you "

Ram tightened his grip on Lakshman's shoulder and smiled.

"My brother... You won't die for me... But you will live for me..."

"Five Kingdoms... Five cultures...

Five Kings... Five Ethics...

Five Princes... Five Priorities...

Five Paths... Five destinies...

But Only One War..."

- The Broken Prince

Pls check the prologue and the characters...

I think it may help you to feel the story deeper...

Yes... The story plot is going to be widened...