It had been a few days after the swayamvar. Dasharatha had heartily accepted the proposal of Ram and Sita's wedding. The wedding dates would be decided after a few days when Dasharatha along with his family arrives.

All these days went by Urmila and Rama teaming up and teasing Lakshmana. And as always, Lakshmana used to tease Urmila for her nose and speak to his sister-in-law who would always support him.

Urmila enjoyed teasing him. His thoughts always brought a red tinge to her chubby cheeks. But she always used to ignore it and her feelings. "A mere attraction maybe.." she used to think.

Another day like this. Rama and Lakshmana had come to the palace as ordered by Janaka. Rama and Urmila were sitting under the tree while Sita, Mandavi and Shrutakirthi had been to the temple.

"Brother-in-law! Let's tease him na!" Urmila said pointing towards Lakshmana where he was practicing sword fighting. Rama's eyes twinkled with mischief as he nodded. They went towards where Lakshmana was practicing.

"Urmila, my dear sister! I just wish I had a sister like you, cute bubbly and not getting angered on small things" Rama teased, Lakshmana who was practicing, heard this but decided to ignore it.

"Ohh brother! I don't know how you handle him! He's so rude!" Urmila said pouting.

"And after all your my sister! Calm like me!" Rama said. This hurt Lakshmana more than anything, after coming to Mithila his brother Rama had  changed, he always sided with Urmila now and always teased and taunted him, though it was in a playful manner it did hurt Lakshmana sometimes but he always covered his emotions.

"He's a very rude person sometimes" Rama said, this line hurt Rama as well.

"And you my brother! Not his brother" Urmila said hugging Rama.

"Brother Rama, very mean." Lakshmana whispered to himself as he let his thoughts flow from his mouth.

"Very mean, brother." Lakshman said with a tint of hurt in his eyes.

"You are meaner!!" Urmila argued.

"And he is my brother! Not yours!" She said. Lakshmana looked at Rama hoping he would say that he's both Urmila and Lakshmana's bhaiyya.

But he too did something weird. "Yes! I am her brother!" Rama said.

"Wow, okay" Lakshmana said shrugging, he turned around tears glistening in his eyes as he left towards the forest.

"Was he hurt?" Rama asked now actually tensed about his brother.

"I don't know brother." Urmila answered.

"We will see. Let's wait till the evening." Rama said as Urmila nodded.

Evening,

The sun set but Lakshmana did not come back to the palace. "I'll go and check! Maybe we stretched the teasing game a bit too far." Without waiting for a reply Rama went towards the forest.

Forest,

Lakshmana was sitting on a boulder staring into unknown, he was upset very upset. He felt he was wrong for his brother Rama. He used to get angry on small things, a small tear escaped his eyes and suddenly a hand brushed on his cheek.

He looked up to see, it was his brother Rama. He wanted to hug his brother, but Rama's words echoed in his mind.

"Yes, prince?" Lakshmana asked. Rama was confused by this, why was his Lakshmana calling him 'prince'?

"Prince? I am your brother, Lakshmana-" Rama started but was cut off by Lakshmana.

"No..you are princess Urmila's brother" Lakshmana said frowning. Rama realised, their teasing had hurt Lakshman rather than teasing him.

"I-I am sorry Lakshmana. We didn't realise our words hurt you. We thought you ignored our words." Rama tried to explain.

"It's totally okay brother! You always side with her, that's also okay! You play with my emotions that's also okay! But if I tease her it is wrong! Everything's okay brother!" Lakshmana said as tears rolled down his eyes.

"Everything's okay, right?" Lakshmana asked sarcastically. Rama realised their teasing game had gone too far, it was hurting Lakshmana rather than teasing him.

"I am sorry Lakshmana. I am very sorry. I really am. Please don't hurt your brother by ignoring me. It was just a teasing game. Please, please don't ignore me." Rama said his eyes filled with tears.

But for the first time, Lakshmana didn't reply anything to Rama and started to go away from him. He was hurt. Very much. And now he was hurting himself more by ignoring his bhaiyya.

But the statement of Rama made him turn in a swift. "You can keep ignoring me Lakshmana. Just the result would be that you will not be able to see me ever. I will die that very moment beloved brother!"

"Brother!" Lakshmana whispered a lone tear escaping his eyes. Rama's face had drained it's colour. He looked blank. Rama was nothing without his Lakshmana and Lakshmana was nothing without his Rama.

In a swift, Lakshmana ran to Rama and held his feet and cried, "Don't ever speak like this brother. Never ever. I am sorry for hurting. Please brother. Please forgive your brother."

"It is me who should be asking your forgiveness Lakshmana. It's me."

"No brother. You are not at fault. It's not your mistake brother. I took your teasing seriously. That's all. Now leave this. Come let's go back. Everyone must be worrying for us." Lakshmana said wiping his tears.

Rama smiled a bit and hugged Lakshmana as if there is no tomorrow. The two brothers then started proceeding back to the palace. They both can't be far for long. They can't fight for long. It's all just for a moment and the next moment, everything becomes normal again.

On the way, Rama asked "What about Urmila? Is she forgiven too?"

Lakshmana thought for a while and said, "Right now not. But, she may get forgiven if you join me in my plan."

"And what is that plan?" asked Rama. Lakshmana quickly explained his plan but Rama was not happy with it but was obliged to accept his plan.

The brothers reached the palace to find a worried Sita and Urmila at the gates. "Where were you both been? We were all tensed not seeing you in the palace." exclaimed Sita.

"We were just having a walk in the city sister-in-law. Let's go in now. All must be waiting for us." Urmila raised an eyebrow at Rama asking what happened to which Rama serenely blinked his eyes and smiled in assurance telling that all is well.

They all had their dinner together. Urmila was trying to get the attention of Lakshmana but all in vain. Lakshmana who knew that Urmila was trying to get his attention ignored it and enjoyed his plan.

Post dinner, all the elders retired to their rooms to have a good night sleep while the youngsters were roaming in their palace garden in order to digest the heavy food.

Urmila who found Lakshmana walking alone went towards him and said, "Done? Always with brother Rama! His shadow! Rude shadow!" Urmila said in an attempt to tease Lakshmana, but for her surprise he just gave her a pleasant smile and left.

"Brother Rama!" Urmila squeaked as she saw Rama coming.

"Yes?" He asked the same pleasant smile playing on his lips as well.

"Why was he smiling?" Asked Urmila pouting.

"Who 'he' ?" Ram asked though he knew the answer.

"I mean your Lakshmana, your brother from whom you can't stay away!" Urmila said trying hard not to blush.

"Stop it Urmila. I am not going to tease or go against him, now" Rama answered serenely.

"But-" Urmila said.

"No buts! Its final no more teasings! Or else I'm not going to stop Lakshmana from teasing you for your cute nose" Rama said mischievously before running away near Lakshmana. 

The confused Urmila was dragged to her chambers by the sleepy Mandavi. "Demoness, why did you drag me here? You could have gone and slept if you were feeling sleepy." Urmila furiously said.

"I am elder to you by a month. So it's my responsibility to make sure that you are not roaming like a ghost in the night and troubling others. For Godsake, leave the younger Dasharath Nandan to himself. Can't you have peace without troubling him eh?"

Without waiting for the answer, Mandavi started to walk to her room when Urmila hissed, "No never. Never ever!"

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Bhuvi