The season of gloom towered over the huge city of Ayodhya. The loss of their king and their beloved Ram had spread a sheet of misery on the people and even the flower decorations had dried out.. This was the sight that welcomes Bharath and Shatrughan as they entered Ayodhya. The people would not meet their eyes and their hearts constricted with worry as the feeling of the upcoming doom that awaited them in the palace. Mandavi and Shrutikeerti held hands at the stares that came their way. Mandavi especially looked bewildered at the angry stares thrown her way "What has happened here ? I don't have a good feeling about this." Bharath urged the charioteer to move faster towards the palace. They were welcomed by a deserted corridor. They departed to separate ways - Bharath-Mandavi to Kaikey's chambers and Shatrughan-Shrutikeerti to Sumitra's chambers. Shatrughan and Shrutikeerti were welcomed by a saffron-clad Urmila who was devoid of any ornaments except her nuptial chain and the pinch of vermillion on her forehead, her eyes without the ever-present sparkle. Shrutikeerti was shocked at her sister's attire.. A series of questions were running through her mind yet she could ask nothing.. Urmila's eyes clouded with tears at the sight of her younger sister but she blinked them away as she got reminded of the promise she had made to her Soumitra. Shatrughan was confused when he saw his beloved sister-in-law dressed like a forest dweller "Sister Urmila.. What happened here ?? Why does the entire city of Ayodhya look as if it had been washed by the sea of despair ? Why are you clad in robes of a forest dweller ? Where is Brother Lakshman ?" At the mention of her husband's name, Urmila's eyes paved way to a forlorn look as she led them inside the chambers where Sumitra and Kausalya were seated in robes of white. The sword fell from Shatrughan's hands and the only sound that resounded around the chambers was the sound of metal dropping to the floor and a gasp from Shrutikeerti. Her knuckles had turned white as she gripped the nearby table for support with her another palm covering her mouth while Shatrughan's eyes widened at the sight of his mothers dressed as widows. Sumitra and Kausalya turned towards the people in the chambers. Sumitra stood and went over to her son who could only stare back at his mother with an unfathomable expression on his face. He was broken out of his reverie by his mother's faint voice "Shatrughan.." She was taken into an embrace by her younger son and she burst into tears of misery. Shatrughan patted his mother's hair comfortingly as tears threatened to spill from his eyes. She lamented in her youngest son's arms having lost her half hope when her hear Rama and Lakshman left but she was strong for Kausalya.. The sight of her youngest son in front her eyes broke her reverie and she coudn't hold it up anymore. Shrutikeerti was crying silently as she went to Kausalya who looked ashen and unreactive. Urmila was already by Kausalya's side and Shrutikeerti shooted questions at her "Urmila.. What happened here ?? How did Father die ?? Where are Brother Ram and Sister Sita ?" At the mention of Ram, Kausalya jerked and turned towards Shrutikeerti "Where ?? Where is my Ram ?? Where is he ?? Are those agonizing fourteen years over ? Where is he ??? Why hasn't he come to meet me ? Where is Sita ? Where is my Lakshman ?" Urmila gathered the old queen into her arms trying to give her as much support as she could.. Kausalya looked towards Urmila "My dear child !! Why are you still in your saffron robes ?? Go and adorn yourself for my Lakshman would want to see his beloved Urmila." The oldest queen had lost her mind. Urmila could only gather her in her dainty arms to offer emotional support. But only that much could be given from a person who was too broken from the inside by trying to be strong from the outside.. Shrutikeerti panicked "Urmila.. What is Mother Kausalya saying ?? Fourteen years ?? Where are Brother Ram, Sister Sita and Brother Lakshman ? Why aren't they here ?" Shatrughan still had his mother in his embrace "Mother... Please tell us Mother.. Where is my Brother Ram.. Where is my twin Lakshman.. Where is my Sister Sita ? Please Mother... What is this I am hearing about fourteen years.." Sumitra stopped shaking due to tears and looked at her younger son "Your Brother Ram, Sister Sita and Lakshman have been sentenced to an exile of fourteen years" The grip loosened from around Sumitra's shoulders and Shatrughan took a step back, his eyes wide and mouth slighly ajar. It was just a matter of seconds before those wide eyes turned to one with anger. He looked like Lakshman at the moment and Urmila truly believed Lakshman and Shatrughan were twins.. Lakshman always showed his anger while Shatrughan hid his behind his playfullness but when the time arrived, he could be as fierce as his twin. She shuddered at the intensity of anger in his eyes. His voice boomed around the chambers "Who was it !!! Who was it that sentenced by beloved brother and sister into such a predicament !!!" Sumitra answered "Your father on the manipulation from Kaikeyi." Those were the words he wanted to hear and he turned towards the main door until he heard a voice from behind "The real culprit would be Manthra, Shatrughan.. The old woman is the reason we are all in this situation at the moment." Shatrughan turned to look at th source of the voice. It was Urmila who had Kausalya in her arms.. Urmila was scared at the anger his eyes beheld and she felt sorry for Manthra for one moment but it was all gone when she remembered her husband, brother and sister who were at the moment traversing through the dangerous demon filled forests.

An uneasy silence prevailed in the chamber and for few seconds the tension was such that one could slice it with a sword. The next few moments were filled with bewilderment as the youngest prince marched out of the chamber with a furious look in his eyes. His hands were shaking with fury and his fingers etched to sheath out his sword on those who have wronged his brothers and sister-in-law. The sight that welcomed his as he barged into the old maid's chambers was pure silence. Manthra was no where to be seen. Instead her assistant Mrunganayni was ther arranging few things here and there, looking breathless.. Shatrughan was no fool to understand where this assistant of hers had been.. He had known for long that Manthra had her assistant eavsdrop on their conversations and he knew for a fact that she had been just outside their chambers listening to his conversation with his mother and sister-in-law. Being the loyal help that she was, she had rushed in inform Manthra about the developments.. He cleard his throat and was welcomed with greetings from the meed maid. Shatrughan did not have the patience to deal with pleasantries at the moment as he had matters to settle. In a gruff voice that had never been heard in the palace from the youngest price he asked "Where is Manthra ?" Mruganayni started to fumble with her hands and when he had roared out loud at her, she shivered badly and pointed a shaking finger towards one of the chambers whose doors were locked. He marched to the door and banged his fists on it. When the door refused to open, he kicked the door open and found the old maid crouched near the armrest of a cushioned chair. Manthra for a second thought that it was Lakshman infront of her and not his twin. The maid was terrifeid of the anger that shone in his eyes and the furious shivering of his body. He proceeded further towards the old maid who crouched even further into the armrest feebly trying to speak "You dare not do this to me youngest prince.. I am Queen Kaikeyi's handmaid. I am like her mother. You cannot raise a hand on me." Satrughan gave a little smile. But that was not a smile of anything happy but a smile that meant danger " Mother !!! Don't you ever speak that word again, you despicable woman !! The word nor the emotion devoted to it do you any justice.." Manthra gathered some confidence and spoke back "You can do nothing, little Prince.. My Bharat will soon be king and then you will see." There was a mirthless laugh that escaped Shatrughan's lips as he stared back at Manthra. He felt pity for her at her foolishness "You foolish woman !! If only you ever paid attention to the bond us four brothers share, you would have understood this long ago.. mLet me show you what exactly will happen." And he held her by her elbow and dragged her out into the mail hall. Manthra's screams were going unheard of.. None of the guards or the maids came forward to help her. They were furious too about the exile of their beloved prince. Manthra spoke out breathlessly "You cannot raise a hand on a woman Shatrughan.. It is against your values. I am older to you." Shatrughan dropped her elbows for a moment and bellowed "It is the values that my mother instilled in me and the goodness of my heart that my Brother Ram taught me that I haven't raised my sword on you, Manthra. Do not teach me of my values." Saying that he again dragged her by the elbow and marched towards Queen Kaikeyi's chambers. Meanwhile the sight in the middle queen's chambers explained a situation of pure agony.. Bharat was sprawled against the white wall of the cambers with an expression of heavy grief on his face. The stains of dried tears made a mark on his fair skin and his eyes held something that one could not decipher. Mandavi had an angry face with tears and Queen Kaikeyi looked like she wanted to move towards Bharat. The mother in her couldn't see the pain her son was going through and she took slow steps towards him. As she placed a hand oh his slumped shoulders, the effect was immediate.. Bharat shrugged her hand off his shoulders and stood up facing the middle with such wrath that she recoiled few steps back. The ever patient Bharat, the ever-calm Bharat and the ever-shey Bharat took a backseat and in his place stood a brother wronged, a furious prince and a heartbroken person. When he spoke, the intensity of sorrow was so thick taht Mandavi thought her husband would swallow himself in dejection. She had never seen her husband in such a situation. When they had visited the middle queen, she was shocked to see her in robes of white.. The middle queen had extended her arms to both of tem who ran into her embrace and she held them tight in her arms. Moments later when Bharat had asked what exactly happened during their absence, the middle queen spoke of how they were planning to crown Ram as king and how she had intervened and saved his honour. That was enough for Bharat to break down. Mandavi herself was shocked at the behaviour of her mother-in-law. Wasn't she the person who had always held Ram above all ?? What had happened to cause such a change in her.. Deep down she knew it must have been Manthra for she had not forgotten her conversation with the old maid before she left for Kekaya. She watched as her husband shrugged off his mother's touch and looked at her with disgust. Bharat spoke with a broken voice "Why ?? Why did you do this ??" Queen Kaikeyi spoke with a plain voice "All I did was for you, Bharat.. YOu don't know.. They were planning to make Ram the king of Ayodhya.. I wanted to make your place secure in the palace." Bharat spoke in the same dejected voice "How do you think you have made my position secure, Queen Kaikeyi ??" The middle queen flinched when her son addressed her as Queen rather than mother but she held her vigour "They were planning to make Ram the king while you were away. How do you suppose I react to that ? When my son is equally rightfull to sit of the throne.." Bharat spoke out in exasperation "Did you not think for once that it might be due to the fact that Father was of old age and that the people's thoughts have been taken into account that they want Brother Ram and king ??? Are you not intelligent enough to understand how it works, having helped Father in them yourself, Queen Kaikeyi ?" The middle queen snapped at him "Bharat !!! Watch your words.. You are talking to your mother... And you listen to me. Your coronation will take place tomorrow and you are to be king." Bharat stared back at her with the same anger "If you think for one moment taht I will accept the throne then I might as well advice you to shun those thoughts away for in no way am I going to accept something that has and will always be my Brother Ram's. I shall take my life before I do any such thing." Saying that he grabbed the nearby knife from the fruit bowl. Mandavi rushed towards her husband trying to pry the knife away from his hands. She knew he was a man of words and he was in grief and a person in grief can do anything. She tried to whisper words of comfort to his ears "Please don't do this... Now is not the right time." She looked at the queen who looked shocked at what had just happened and she could see her eyes carry a little sense of having done something wrong. Bharat stared back without any emotion "No Mandavi.. Unknowingly I have become a sinner against my father like Brohter Ram. Unknowingly I have sinned against my mother like Sister Sita. Unknowingly I have sinned against my dear Lakshman. And also against dear Sister Urmila" The name of Urmila brought the time to a standstill for Mandavi. In all the chaos, she had forgotten about Urmila who was also suffering the predicament. Bharat looked back at his mother "How !! How did you get the heart to commit such a sin ? Didn't your conscience warn you anything !! How can you do this !!!" The conversation was interrupted by a booming voice "That question I believe is to be asked to this old woman here... Seeing as she was the one that poisoned the queen's mind against our brother." Bharat and Mandavi turned to look at a furious Shatrughan dragging a weak Manthra by the arm into the chambers. The wails of the old lady did nothing to melt any hearts except for the queen who meekly asked Shatrughan to let her go. But he was not to be deterred.

Bharat looked at his brother and then at the woman whimpering his name. His eyes softened at the predicament of the of the old maid but the next words that Shatrughan spoke drove away all those feelings "She is the woman that is responsible for all this chaos. She is the one who poisoned the mind of the queen against Brother Ram. She is the reason they are on exile. She is the reason our Brother Ram is spending fourteen years as a hermit. She is the reason our Sister Sita followed her husband into the dangerous forests. She is the reason our dear Lakshman had to follow our Brother into exile living his life away from Sister Urmila.. She is the reason our sister Urmila will be spending fourteen years of life away from her husband in the palace.." He finished those last four words in a broken tone. Bharat slumped against the wall once again pulling Mandavi along with him. Mandavi was in a similar state. Her Urmila was left behind in the palace alone... She was going to spend fourteen years of her life as a hermit. Fresh tears made way down her cheeks as she saluted Urmila's strength and sacrifice. Her cousin was really a one of a kind strong woman with a mountain size sense of determination. But will she be able to cope up with this was one question that ran through her mind. Shatrughan's voice resonated through the chambers "Now I will make sure this wretched woman is not left alive.. I will personally see to that." He unsheathed his sword from the cover and raised it on her.. Mantha's screams and Kaikeyi's pleads echoed through the walls of the chambers. Bharat's voice stopped him "No Shatrughan.. Don't !!" Shatrughan looked at his brother with an unbelievable expression "Brother.. This woman here.." Bharat interrupted him "I know what she is.. I have been blind since childhood taking her sweet words towards me as love but not anymore.. I know what kind of a woman she is and I will not have her here anymore.. We shall send her back to Kekaya. Uncle will know what to do with her. We shall not stain our hands with the blood of a woman.. It is against our values and Brother Ram will not like it." Kaikeyi heaved a sig of relief "Bharat.. My sin.." Bharat interrupted "No Queen Kaikeyi.. Not anymore.. You lost your son the day you sent my brothers into exile.. You have got what you wanted.. The Royal Queen of Ayodhya.. Enjoy all these luxuries to your heart's content, My Queen.. I must attend to my dear Kausalya Maa and Sumitra Maa." With that Bharat left the chambers, followed by Mandavi.. Shatrughan let the old maid go and left the chambers.. For the first time after the day her mind was poisoned, Kaikeyi looked at her handmaid with a flickr of disgust in her eyes. The situation was not good in the older queen's chambers. Kausalya had fainted and right now was being tended to by Urmila and Shrutikeerti. She had gained consciousness and now lay against the headboard of the mattress with a lost look on his face. Bharat and Shatrughan entered the chambers. Bharat rushed towards Sumitra and engulfed her in an embrace. Sumitra ran her fingers through his hairs.. She knew Bharat was Ram's brother more than being Kaikeyi's son, having spent most of his time with him. Bharat's life resided in Ram and he would not take up anything that was against his beloved brother. Sumitra was whispering words of comfort to him patting him like a baby. Bharat broke down in her arms. Shatrughan stood behind watching the scene with tears of his own. Mandavi's eyes stayed fixed on a solemn Urmila who was staring back at her. Her eyes lacked that mischeivous twinkle that she always carried with her and her full smile was absent from her lips. The neck and hands that were always adorned with jewels now looked plain bereft them. Bharat looked up from his embrace into Sumitra's eyes and whispered apologies as she patted his hair and pointed towards Kausalya who still had a faraway look on her face. He slowly walked towards her and laid his head on her lap.. He closed his eyes at the comfort that provided him. His body shook with his silent sobs. The older queen caressed his head and Bharat felt warmth course through him. She held no contempt towards him nor anyone. She was just a woman who lost her husband and her son. She loved all for of them equally and right now Bharat needed his mother and she was there. Mandavi walked towards Urmila and laid a hand on her shoulder "Urmi.." That was it and Mandavi envelopped her cousin into a tight embrace, tears streaming down her face. Urmila felt her emotions run up to her neck and she wanted to cry out loud to her sister but Lakshman's words passed through her mind. The hug broke and Mandavi looked at Urmila up and down "Urmi... Why are you in robes of saffron ?" Urmil calmly replied back "I am just following my duty as a wife Mandavi.. I couldn't follow my husband to the forests so I am following my dharma as a wife in the palace." Mandavi cupped her cheek in her hands "I have never seen a stronger woman in life Urmi.. You sense of determindation is uncomparable." They heard Bharat's voice from Kausalya's lap. He sat up with a determined look "I will bring Brother Ram, Sister Sita and Lakshman back. I will go to forest and bring them back. They deserve to be here, their rightful place." The look of determination on Bharat's face brought a sliver of hope to Urmila's heart but she dared not hope..