It was a normal day in Ayodhya's palaces, let us take a peek inside. Kaikeyi was eating mangoes leisurely on her bed while Manthara fanned her. Kaushalya was praying in the temples, praying for a long life for herself, her sisters, her husband, and her sons and daughters. Sumitra was sitting in her room, sowing a long dhoti cloth, exquisite and foreign, which Shatrughan had managed to tear up.

Ram was busy staring into Sita's eyes as they sat next to each other on their bed, supposed to be reading, but instead having a romantic moment. Shatrughan, after being chased angrily by his mother, was now gorging on the food in the kitchen, laughing tauntingly when Maa Sumitra shook her head in reprimand. Lakshman, of course, was missing somewhere. And Bharat and Shrutakirti had gotten into another fight.

"Painting!" Bharat roared. "Painting is a dignified art that takes time, patience, and skill! Everyone can thread a needle and punch it through a pillow, but not everyone can paint lovely mountains, and perfect landscapes, and immaculate people! Painting takes mastery! For goodness sake, why won't you understand?" Shrutakirti gaped at his arrogant argument, before jutting her chin out stubbornly.

"I won't understand because I refuse to understand ridiculous things!" At this point, Sumitra and Mandavi both stood at the door, not wanting to get into the fight. "And to throw your argument right back at you, anyone can slather paint onto a surface. Painting is messy when you say it is dignified. At least embroidery doesn't get royal blue over all the pristine white walls! And I'd like to see you embroider a flower on a pillow! Go on, go on!" she shouted back in a counter rebuttal, and Bharat pouted.

Shatrughan finally arrived, fancying himself the peacemaker. "Hey! All of you calm down!" he cried angrily, shaking his head. "Personally, I am into ceramics. Not making them, mind you," he continued, when Sumitra went to contradict that sentence. "Just buy them! I pass by the paintings and the embroidery and go to buy the pots, and you know why?" When Bharat shook his head and Shrutakirti raised an eyebrow, he continued.

"I pass them by because I know that two members of my family, my favorite brother and my favorite wife," Shrutakirti smacked his arm. "Ouch! Fine, my favorite brother, and my ONLY wife, happy? Well, they're the skillful ones in those subjects. Besides, ceramics are much better than anything!" he cried happily, and danced away as the fight quieted down. Mandavi sighed. Shatru her enemy had actually managed to deescalate the situation.

Now the entire family sat at the dinner table, conversing lightly. Of course, that all had to end when Mandavi cleared her throat. "I started quilting today!" she squeaked, before bringing up a marvelously crafted patchwork quilt, which was deservedly oohed and aahed over. Of course, Shrutakirti was very proud of her closest sister's accomplishment.

"That looks wonderful, Mandavi! I refuse to believe you started today, such a masterful accomplishment." she smirked, and turned towards Bharat. "And, it could also technically be considered sowing, of which a subcategory is embroidery." Shatrughan groaned as Bharat fumed angrily, before turning towards Mandavi.

"I was ready to congratulate you too, on that. It's quite beautiful, honestly, for only a single day of work. I love the way the colors blend." he exhaled nasally, pinching the bridge of his nose as if in deep, meditative thought. "However, I don't compliment embroidery, needles and threads, messy and impractical." Kaikeyi went to console Bharat as an exasperated Mandavi turned towards Shrutakirti angrily.

"Shruta, did you have to bring that up? Look how it's upset all of us." When Shrutakirti went to respond, she cut her off. "I know Bharat was in the wrong as well, of course I know that, but you instigated the argument! Why would you do that?" Shrutakirti rolled her eyes as Mandavi was caught between the fight once more, a fight between two of the people she loved most dearly; Shrutakirti, her sister, and Bharat, her husband.

"Honestly, I told you all, ceramics should prevail, honestly, none of you listen to my wisdom, not even when you need it." grumbled Shatrughan as Ram laughed. "Come on, this is a stupid fight." he muttered as Bharat and Shrutakirti glared at each other once more. "Stop fighting! It's killing me! My wife is grumpy all of the time, and you're being mean to Mandavi, Bharat!" cried Shatrughan as they walked down the hallways.

"Oh, like the fight you two twins have? Aren't those stupid, Shatru?" Shatrughan gaped at him. Usually, the twins fought about stupid things, but they most certainly were more valid to fight about than which art form was better! That sounded more like a debate sort of thing rather than a full-out family fight! "Besides, Mandavi betrayed me."

Mandavi sat on her bed, thinking about life as she continued her quilting. This time, it was a mango covered one for Maa Kaikeyi, who had been dealing with all of their fighting surprisingly well, trying to calm them down and everything. It was at this point that Shrutakirti paraded in, beaming. "Thank you for joining the embroidery coalition!" she cried. "I was thinking, we could have a full-on family duel." Mandavi looked up, bitter at her husband for not siding with her, she nodded. It was time for real payback.

Bharat walked up to Shrutakirti in the courtyard, where the entire family was trying to have a peaceful discussion. Well, so much for peace. "I bet more of the family would side with painting rather than you and Mandavi's stupid sowing!" Shrutakirti rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips as Maa Kaushalya's eyes darted between the two normally most peaceful people in the family amusedly.

"Yeah right. They're a civilized, tasteful, royal family, and painting is too common for them!" Bharat rolled his eyes as well, and crossed his arms across his chest. "Well, then, if you don't believe me, let's see!" cried Shrutakirti, and they both turned towards the rest of the royal family, who looked most reluctant to get into this promisingly scary duel between the two.

"Hey guys, calm down!" Ram laughed, shaking his head and diving between the two before they could start their crazy shouting again. "What is this fight about, which art form is better?" When both of them nodded furiously, he laughed some more. "Well, then Shatrughan gives a great point! We should just agree to disagree, you know?" When both of his younger siblings tossed him a scary look, he quickly backed down.

"Ah, the quarrels of children," mumbled Dasharath, shaking his head as he watched the fight with Guru Vashishta. "Soon they will realize that there are many more serious things to fight about. Like the fact that someone has been stealing all of my mangoes, how about it Kaikeyi?" When his wife pouted at him, he relented. "Fine, fine, keep my mangoes!" he groaned.

"I think that it's good that they are finally fighting." mentioned Sumitra. "I was beginning to worry if they were supernatural or not, they never fight with anyone, honestly! This fight is a little bit stupid, if only they listened to what some of the villagers, poor and desperate before Dasharath ruled, had fought about! Food, and water, and everything in between-" she was cut off by an angry Bharat.

"Oh, you want to go, woman? Let's go, right here, right now!" They both adopted fighting stances, and Shatrughan finally found it the time to intervene as Lakshman criticized their stances amusedly, seeming actually interested in who would win the duel. "Why did you stop us, Shatru? I would have shown her that painting is the best after all!" cried Bharat. Shatrughan scowled at him.

"I don't want my wife bruised up, thank you very much, Bharat! I am perfectly fine with her remaining in pristine condition with you having zero say in it." He took a deep breath. "Come on, let's vote. Whoever gets the most votes wins automatically." When he received no words of the contrary, the voting began.

"Painting is better!" cried Sita, running over to Bharat as Shrutakirti gaped in offense. "Painting," agreed Urmila, walking over to Bharat. "I think painting," Kaikeyi murmured, also taking Bharat's side. Dasharath looked between the two groups, at loss for words. "Well, Bharat's paintings have always brought me much popularity among the villagers, I'm sorry dear." He too, old and only slightly weak, ambled over to Bharat's side as he beamed triumphantly.

"Sewing, actually." muttered Shatrughan, wanting to support his wife, and receiving a sweet and promising smile from said wife, walked over to her side. "Sewing," agreed Kaushalya. "It has proved quite the pastime for me, whiling away the hours sewing pillows and quilts." she smiled encouragingly at her group. "Sowing for me as well." smiled Sumitra. "It requires a fine motor skill that perhaps some other forms of art don't." she too walked over to their side.

Guru Vashishta cleared his throat. "I think painting would be my thing." he murmured agedly. "The mountains and landscapes of beyond have always enchanted me with their calling, and I wish I could capture them as beautifully in mind as Bharat and Urmila do on canvas." he walked dignifiedly over to their side, and just as Bharat looked ready to snobbishly declare victory, Ram winced.

"I am sorry Bharat. It would be unfair for me to make a decision, but just this once, I must support Shrutakirti." Sita glared playfully at him as he walked over to the opposite side. "This may be the first time Sita and I have disagreed," he muttered to Shatrughan. "It feels horrible, honestly. Never say I did nothing for you, brother, understand?"

"Oh no!" squeaked Mandavi, as she continued quilting. "We're at a tie, now what?" she turned towards Bharat angrily. "You and your stupid diplomaticness! A good old fashioned fight would have been what was right in this situation, honestly!" she shook her head as Bharat crossed his arms as well.

"That quilting will be the death of me, honestly! You do it when you eat, you do it when you sunbathe, you even do it in your sleep! You sleep and talk at the same time about quilting while you quilt! It's killing me from the inside! There truly is a traitor in our midst, and that horrible traitor is you, wifey! I shall never forget this! Never!" he cried dramatically as Mandavi scowled back at him.

"Now you've got a good taste of what it feels like to have you painting all of the time! Painting, day and night, night and day! For goodness sakes, do you do nothing more? I wonder if there ever has been a time where you have been separated from your palette. You must love the paints more than you do me!" she shrieked.

"Well isn't this interesting?" murmured Lakshman, and they all turned towards him. "Your battle over art forms has turned into a romantic matter. How about this? Both of you accept it as a tie, and then Bharat, stop painting as much and start spending some time with your poor wife, and Shrutakirti, spend less time with sewing and instigating fights, and more with your supportive husband! See, problem solved!"

Not so easily for poor Lakshman. "Hey wait," muttered Shrutakirti as Bharat slumped and turned towards Mandavi apologetically as she turned away, wiping a tear. "You haven't chosen a side, have you?" Lakshman froze, pointing to himself quizzically. "You're our tiebreaker!" she cried giddily. "Come on, choose a side, choose a side, be quick about it too!" Lakshman jutted his chin out.

"I will not do such a thing! I can't decide between my bhabhi and my bhaiyya! I choose warfare! All of your stupid artwork has gotten to my head! At least warfare is simple. Kill, wound, mutilate. And then you're done!" Wrong choice, as he found himself on the end of Team Shrutakirti and Team Bharat's glares.

"On the other hand," he muttered, glancing quickly at his murderous looking wife. "I think I need some fresh air." He began to run as everyone followed him, right on his heels, from Dasharath to Vashishta. Everyone except Bharat and Mandavi, who stayed behind, looking at each other guiltily.

"I'm sorry!" Bharat burst out. "I've been a horrible husband, and now that I think about it, it's true, it really is! I spend more time with my paint brushes and palettes than with you! I have not been fulfilling my duty!" He paced about as Mandavi's eyes followed him, before he lifted his head again. "The truth is, I thought that I didn't deserve you. You're so honest and reasonable, and here I am, with my head in the clouds, and nothing to my name, and-" Mandavi cut him off with a finger to his lips.

"Listen, the reason I was mad was because I was jealous of that canvas that got to spend so much time with you. You're so loving, and kind, and ever so loyal! I couldn't possibly not deserve you! We make a perfect couple, you see? We fit together like puzzle pieces. Yes, we fight sometimes, but that is overpowered by the times we don't fight." she took a deep sniffly breath. "I felt left alone. I felt that you were bored of me. That you were going to leave me someday, and this was the beginning of the end of our relationship, our marriage."

Bharat shook his head adamantly. "Never! I could never leave you! Truly, I never would! You are my one, my only wife! You shouldn't think such things! I would leave my brushes, my palette for you! Useless things, they are meant to capture scenes in time when I can't even make the most of moments that are passing me by as I try to stay in ones of the past."

Mandavi smiled at him. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I truly hate quilting, I'm just good at it." Bharat turned to her, joy filling his eyes. "Truly, yes." she answered his silent question. A loud shout disturbed their romantic moment, and they found Urmila digging her long nails into Lakshman's arm as he glumly looked around.

"I voluntarily," here, he glared angrily at Urmila. "Take back my words. I fully support the arts but-argh that hurts woman!-but, I do not like painting nor embroidery! I appreciate the art....of warfare!" A rare, joyous, proud laugh was pulled from his throat, one that lit up his entire face, one that seemed to startle even Ram at how unfamiliar it sounded, he ran away from his astounded wife.

A/N- There you go. Finally, my goodness, a Bharma-centric chapter! I have been waiting for this day since I wrote the first Bharma centric chapter. I am sorry for delaying it so much, guys! It has been a long journey to finally get here, my goodness. I have written like 10 chapters for Lakshmila, 5 for SiRA, and two each for Bharma and Shatru-Kirti. Yep, my bias is clear. Sorry about that. It's my bad. Which ship would you all like to see more of? I still want to write Lakshmila, which is BAD on my part.

Wow, coming up with prompts is harder than I thought. Every night, I lie in bed and stare at my ceiling, and I wonder "NOW WHAT?" As you can all see, till now, I have gotten an answer, every single night. Which is great. But someday, that good luck may end. And that will probably be the day I start my hiatus, which, unlike all of my other ones, will probably last for more than two days. Maybe even a couple weeks.

Anyhoo, I have been seeing that people have been giving authors prompts of things that they would like to see. So, could you please, just down below in the comments section, give me some Lakshmila or other prompts you would like to read? Just one rule please, no other pairings other than Lakshmila, or you can give me a non-romanI So, please send me some prompts about what you would like to see, preferably open view, as I might not fully fulfill them, just parts I think I might be good enough to write for. That would be really nice, thank you!