Time... Time is something that can be counted in two ways - either as a friend or an enemy. That night was being too torturous upon Bharat who couldn't wait to start his journey to bring his brother back. He had wanted to start right away but was coaxed back by Sumantra who had voiced out that the forest was too dangerous to travel during the night.No matter how many times he tossed in his bed, sleep wouldn't come, neither was he ready to fall asleep. His mind was swirling with thoughts and questions. Thoughts on how his brothers would react upon seeing him. Will they shun him away because of his mother's boons ?? His heart immediately chided him for even thinking that his brother Ram would even do something like that. However he was thoughtful about Lakshman's behaviour. He knew his brother's anger treaded at a very thin string and one snap would invoke the fiercest form one would ever see. Whatever the situation would be, he couldn't wait for morning to come and cursed the time for being too slow. Mandavi on the other hand couldn't sleep either. Unlike her husband, she wasn't thinking about the upcoming journey but about the talk she had with Urmila few hours ago in her chambers.

Urmila had retired to her chambers after tending to the two Queen Mothers. She wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead and seated herself on the straw mat she had laid for herself. A bowl of fruits was delivered to her chambers by Sumitra through on of the maids. She offered her prayers to Mahadev and had her fruits thinking of her husband who at the moment she thought would be doing the same thing. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. She saw Mandavi standing outside the door. Urmila smiled "Since when did we sisters start knocking on doors for permission ?" A stern Mandavi with pursed lips entered and sat beside her on the same straw mat. Mandavi asked "What have you done to yourself Urmi ?" Urmila gave a confused glance to Mandavi "What have I done to myself Mandavi ?" Mandavi glanced at Urmila from top to bottom, dressed in saffron robes and at the half eaten bowl of fruits "These saffron robes and fruits.. Oh Urmi.. You love food so much.. How can you be like this ?" Urmila smiled sadly "I don't regret this decision of mine, Mandavi. I am following the promise I gave Lakshman." Mandavi's face turned angry at the mention of Lakshman "How can he leave you like this Urmi ? Has he forgotten her has a wife ?" Urmila defended her husband "No Mandavi. Never question his priorities towards me. Remember me telling you in Mithila of what transpired between the Prince and I ? This was what I was talking about Mandavi. He had made it clear to me on that very day that his Brother Ram means a lot to him. I knew what I was getting into when I accepted his priorities." Mandavi asked "So you knew something like would come up ?" Urmila answered "No.. I never thought this would be the situation where I would have to make such a difficult choice. I would never accuse him of not telling me before hand. It was I who chose this.." Mandavi could not answer her cousin back. She was right in her own way. Lakshman had taken her aside and made his points clear. Mandavi again was torn between anger and respect for the man, this time the respect was more because had it been some ther man, he would have not voiced out and made her cousin suffer later. Mandavi slowly started "Are you ready Urmi ?" Urmila threw her a confused glance " For what Mandavi ?" Mandavi continued "For tomorrow Urmi.. Aren't you anxious to meet Lakshman ?" Urmila's face spread into a painful smile " I don't think I will be joining you, Mandavi." Mandavi exclaimed "But why Urmi ?? Bharat is going to persuade Brother Ram to forfeit the vanvaas and come back home. Don't you want to be with Lakshman when he returns ?" Urmila continued ruefully "Mandavi.. If there is something that I have understood very well about Raghuvanshis is that Raghuvanshis are known for their promises. They are firm with their words.. Their first dharma was, is and always would be their given word. They would never back off from it." Mandavi defended her words "But Urmi. The person for whom Brother Ram left for vanvaas himself is going to visit him to bring him back.. Then why not ?" Urmila wisely explained "No matter what Mandavi. it doesn't matter who is going to talk and who is going to listen. What matters is that the word was given by someone who isn't in this world anymore. And that someone happens to be Father Dashrath. His words matter since he has reached God's abode now. And if I know Brother Ram he would make sure he would abide by the words showered upon him be his late father And by that means, they apply to Sita and Lakshman too since they had given word to join Brother Ram in his exile." Mandavi stared at her cousin. Her words hit straight where it had to. Hope was always something that Mandavi had held on to, no matter what the situation was. But right now, Urmila's words made her question the predicament of her own words.. She knew Brother Ram enough to conclude that what Urmila said was indeed true. Mandavi meekly asked "But you will come with us to meet Lakshman, won't you Urmi ?" Urmila looked at her cousin with a sad face "I am not that strong, Mandavi ?" Mandavi exclaimed "What !!! But Urmi.. You are the strongest amongst us.. You let your husband go into exile with his brother for fourteen years while we have our husbands with us. No one can be as strong as you are Urmi." Urmila continued softly "I took a decision that moment and I made myself strong for the repercussion of the predicament. I locked the string of my heart and pushed the key so deep that no one would be able to find it. But I know that if I see him once, the key to my heart will find its way towards that heavy lock and let all those emotions out. I don't think I would be able to leave him again Mandavi.. I just can't. I am not such a strong person Mandavi. I am sure to let my tears betray me. Lakshman wanted to take a smiling Urmila's picture with him. I don't want to ruin it Mandavi." She lamented without tears into her cousin's arms. Mandavi caressed her hair, holding her in a strong embrace. Mandavi broke the embrace and looked into Urmila's eyes which looked dull and lifeless "Won't you cry Urmi ? Tears bring out the grief. You will feel light." Urmila shook her head "No Mandavi. I promised Lakshman I would not shed a drop of tear during these fourteen years. He wanted to take with him my smiling face. And hence I would keep up my word." Mandavi looked at her with admiration is her eyes "You really are strong Urmi. You don't know it.. You are very strong Urmi. You just don't know. I wish I had half the strength that you have." Urmila held Mandavi's hand "Leave me.. How are you Mandavi ? How are you coping up ?" Mandavi gave her a tearful glance "I don't know Urmi. I am so confused. When I entered Ayodhya, I was confused when people threw hateful glances towards Bharat and I. It was a bigger blow when I came to know what had transpired in the palace while we were away at Kekaya. Bharat was so broken. He was so grief-stricken, Urmi. And I wanted to throw Manthra out for bringing us all into this situation. I had a talk with the old maid before I left for Kekaya Urmi. She was trying to poison my mind against Sita. The woman couldn't understand that raport we sisters share with each other. I warned her before leaving for Kekaya. I never thought she would devise such an evil plan." Urmila comforted her "You didn't know Mandavi. Infact no one knew she could cook up such an evil plan in that mind of hers." Mandavi apologized "I am sorry Urmi. I am sorry that indirectly I have been the reason for your misery." Urmila chided her "No Mandavi. You are not the reason for all this happening. You and Bharat are as much victims as we all are." Mandavi wiped her tears "Urmi... Do you want me to tell anything to Lakshman.. I might as well be your messenger to him." Urmila looked at the pillar behind Mandavi thoughtfully.. Did she want to send a message to her husband ? Oh yes she did. She wanted to tell him a lot of things. She wanted to break down in his arms and lament over how she found it difficult to stay away from him even for a moment, how she hated the four walls of the chambers which brought nothing but memories they spent together. She wanted to touch him, feel him and hug him to her heart's content. But all that came out of her lips was "Nothing.." Mandavi asked incredulously " Nothing ??" Urmila came out of her reverie "Uhh.. I mean... Do let him know that the mothers are in safe hands with me. I will take care of them as much as possible from me. Do ask him to take care of himself and fullfill his responsibility to the T." She went towards her dresser and took out a clay miniature of a woman. She gave it to Mandavi "I had made this long ago when we married into Ayodhya's royal household. I meant to give it to him as a remembrance of me when he goes out to other kingdoms. It slipped my mind when he left since the situation called for a freeze of thoughts. Do give it to him and ask him to look at this for this will remind him of me and that would give him confidence." Mandavi took the clay doll into her hands and smiled tearfully at her cousin "I would say this again Urmi. You really are the strongest woman I've ever met."

As she though of her conversation with her cousin, she couldn't help but think of the uneasiness that spread over her regarding their upcoming travel to Chitrakoot. Bharat's sources had brought in the news that Ram, Lakshman and Sita were now residing at Chitrakoot. She did not know what the feeling was but it was definitely not good. Urmila's words about the Raghuvanshis ran through her mind and those thoughts gave her a very disturbed sleep. She knew her husband was in the same situation as she was, though he had different thoughts but it was regarding the same situation. She looked at the clay doll places securely on the table and couldn't help but smile... Lakshman and Urmila's love was definitely going through the test of time but she had full confidence that it would come out stronger in the end. She drifted into an uneasy sleep.

The next morning, there was a hustle around the palace. Queen Kausalya's teary eyes shone with hope at the prospect of meeting her beloved sons and daughter-in-law. Bharat and Shatrughan were making sure all the arrangements were perfect. Mandavi and Shrutikeerti were in Urmila's chambers with Shrutikeerti trying to persuade her sister into accompanying them. Urmila repeated what she had told Mandavi the previous night to Shrutikeeti and she had no choice but to agree to it. The time had come for the party to depart to Chitrakoot. The middle queen announced that she would be coming along with them to persuade Ram but Bharat had put him foot down on the suggestion. Eveyone could see that Queen Kaikeyi was repenting her decision but Bharat had strongly denied her presence at Chitrakoot. Queen Sumitra had kindly asked Bharat to allow her to come along and wisely advised him that the person who is at the brink of repentance is always the person that would make all the ways possible to correct her mistake. The middle queen joined her hands infront of Sumitra to ask for forgiveness. Sumitra had declined her folded hands by saying that she was misled by a woman no less than a wicked soul. Sumitra had always been a very wise person who trusted people's actions rather than their words.. She had spent her time in Ayodhya with people and she knew by their actions whether their repentance was true or not. Queen Kaikeyi folded her hands in forgiveness infront of the oldest Queen Kausalya. Kausalya was a kind woman with no expectations except for a good life for her sons. She was not angry at the middle queen. She also knew Kaikeyi repented for whatever happened and she was reaping the punishment for it for there could be no bigger punishment than a son disowning his mother. She felt sorry for her but Bharat was firm in his stance. After pleading words from Kaikeyi and Sumitra, Bharat had agreed for the middle queen to accompany them. Urmila stood at the entrance to send them off. Bharat noticed the simple Urmila and walked to her "Urmila.. Aren't you coming with us ?" Urmila smiled "No Brother.. You people go." Bharat tried coaxing her "But Lakshman will be there. Don't you want to see him, Urmila ?" Urmila replied "No Brother.. Lakshman will get my message even though I am not there. He will understand why I am not there. Come back safe Brother." Bharat smiled at Urmila and the party left for Chitrakoot.

In the deep forests of Chitrakoot, in the midst of the lush beautiful forest a hut was situated. The hut looked beautiful and the man standing infront of him looked at it with a proud smile on his face. Lakshman had a proud smile on his face as he looked at his work of art. Years of teaching young children how to make simple huts for their play helped him a lot. He was waiting for his brother and Sister Sita to come. He thought about what Urmila would say when she saw him make such a beautiful hut. He remembered she always teased him that the only creative vein in him was with his bow and arrow and he used to sulk infront of his wife like a child who was denied his favourite sweet. The thought of his wife brought a gleam into his eyes. How was she.. Was she taking care of herself.. He missed the feel of her fingers through his thick hair and the sound of her tinkling laugh and her twinkling eyes full of mischief. He missed watching her with a paintbrush under her chin, her frowning eyes scanning the blank canvas with various thoughts running in her mind as to what she would paint and the wide smile that would spread across her lips when something would come to her mind. He missed the way she would work her arms with the paintbrush across the canvas and turn the blank canvas into something beautiful. He missed the expressive way her eyes would move as she would recite to him the stories of her childhood at Mithila and the various pranks and games she played with her cousins and the kids of the maids. He missed the times they had discussions over the vedas and the languages and even matters of the court. He missed his fiesty wife who would turn an amazing shade of red when in anger and even a deeper shade when she blushed. A sigh escaped his lips as he remembered her smiling face when he left Ayodhya. Fourteen years, it was. He heard footsteps behind and turned around to see his brother and Siter Sita standing there with fruits and roots in their hands. He rushed towards them and looked to the ground "Brother Ram.. Sister Sista.. How is the hut ? I hope you find it comfortable.. Forgive me for I could make only this much." Sita placed her hand on top of his head "Lakshman.. Its so beautiful.. I could have never asked for a better hut.. And has it ever been possible that you have managed to make me feel uncomfortable even for a moment in the course of this vanvaas ?" Lakshman's cheeks tinted a faint shade of pink at the compliment by his Sister Sita. It was not the kind of pink that would color a lover's cheek but the color that would spread its hue at a compliment received by a son from his mother. He looked at his brother "Brother Ram. Did you like it ?" Ram pulled his brother in for a hug "Its beautiful Lakshman. I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful place to stay." Lakshman smiled into the hug. His brother and sister-in-law were happy Hence he was happy. He broke from the hug and looked at their hands.. He immediately took the fruits from his brother's hands and placed them on a small stack of hay. He requested Sita to give him the roots in her hand and placed in on the hay. He volunteered to get firewood to get the fire started and went into the deep jungles for firewood. Ram spoke "Lakshman is indeed a blessing." Sita smiled " Definitely Raghunandan. He is the son Mahadev presented to me in the form of a brother-in-law. Urmila is indeed lucky to have him for a husband." Ram spoke "The honour would be Lakshman's, Sita. Lakshman is lucky to have Urmila in his life. Dear Urmila is a strong woman whose sacrifice would remain one of the most strongest ones ever." Sita smiled fondly at the mention of her little sister. Indeed it was true. Lakshman was blessed. Infact both were blessed to have each other. These fourteen years would be difficult but definitely worth their love. Their love was going to take the most difficult test of time but she was confident that time would lose to their love.

Lakshman found a strong tree and cut it into logs of wood for fire. As he was tying the logs with a piece of cloth, he noticed something out of the corner of his sharp eyes. It was a procession. No It was not a procession, but a party of people. By the look of them, they were heading towards where their hut was situated. He moved towards the nearest tree and tried to look for any familiar faces. What he saw made his blood boil and his eyes filled with furious anger. It was Bharat with a party of people. Lakshman's thoughts went haywire. He thoughts Bharat was there to annihilate them and take the throne then. He would not let that happen. He placed his stack of arros to his back and with a bow in hand, he marched towards Bharat.