Seconds before the branch fell on top of the princess, who had fallen down, Lakshman bound forward and caught it on his back, while Shatrughan stayed behind, wholeheartedly hoping for it to kill the princess. From above, Dasharath breathed a sigh of relief, and Raja Vanshik dashed down the steps towards the garden.

"Ahem, Shatru?" Lakshman winced. "Don't just stand there! Help me!" For even if he could catch a flying branch, he was only nine-years-old.

"Sure! Anything to help." Shatrughan grumbled, lifting up the other side of the branch, and the Princess Phooljani crawled out. She didn't even look shaken!

"See? This garden is horrible! Falling branches, bees everywhere, and not enough gold!" The twins dropped the branch simultaneously, and scowled.

"I really should have let the branch fall." Lakshman murmured, kicking the gate wall. Shatrughan nodded. "Yes, you really should have. But at least the King-Sir-Raja will thank us now."

Quite the contrary. "Phooljani!" cried Raja Vanshik, picking up his darling princess, and brushing off layers of invisible dirt. "Look! There's a scratch on her arm! Raja Dasharath, this really was injustice!" Ram and Bharat, who had reached the area by now, were busy making sure that the gate wall that Lakshman had kicked was still intact.

"I'm very sorry," King Dasharath lamented. "Please forgive my sons." King Vanshik humphed. Rajkumari Phooljani humphed. Even their carriage driver seemed to humph.

"Forgive us?" Lakshman asked incredulously. "But we-" Ram cut in quickly before Lakshman lost his temper. "Yes, do forgive them." he nodded sadly, and even seemed about ready to cry. This display of apology seemed to overwhelm the king as he quickly turned away.

"We'll have to return back to Mahisthami immediately to assess this injury. We'll talk later Dasharath!" He stalked off, the royal family in procession,and loaded himself into the carriage. Phooljani turned around, nose scrunched up.

"Your kingdom has not enough gold. That branch scratched me. You ought not to have allowed that" She nodded towards Lakshman, who looked like he could kick a wall again, and even managed a head jerk that might have been a nod towards Shatrughan.

"See, father?" asked Shatrughan after the carriage had left. "This is why you don't ask Lakshman and I to do important things! We mess everything up, willow trees break apart, princesses get little boo-boos, I act like a mass murderer who wants everyone to die, and Lakshman might kick the gate down!" He pointed towards the broken stone wall, which still seemed a little flimsy.

"Well, on any terms, it was good of you, Lakshman, to grab that branch." Dasharath thanked the elder twin, who looked a bit pale for anyone's satisfaction, and was gripping into the palace walls for support. .

"Um, forget about princess scratches, does anyone have a medic for princes?" asked Bharat worriedly, pointing towards said prince. "Lakshman's back is bleeding all over the floor." Just like Raja Vanshik had rushed Princess Phooljani back to Mahisthami for a check-up, the entire royal family rushed a protesting Lakshman ("I don't need medicine, you idiots, I'm fine!") towards the doctor.

The next morning, the entire family was breakfasting when a royal messenger walked right in holding quite a large scroll. Dasharath's hand paused halfway through grasping a glass, all words stopped, Shatrughan squirmed, looking very guilty, and Lakshman looked about ready to kick a wall again. Ram and Bharat looked very composed, as usual.

But the message was not a declaration of war from Mahisthami as everyone had thought, and feared. No, this was a message from the Malla Republic next door!

"Oh good residents of Ayodhya,

This is King Divya Dutta from the Malla Republic. We would like to propose an alliance between our kingdoms. The reason for this is that we are very aware of the drama that took place between you and King Vanshik of Mahisthami. You proposed an alliance, and he was in the middle of negotiating when a branch from your willow tree in the garden struck the Princess Phooljani. Thanks to your sons' actions, she was saved.

However, she still did suffer a long scratch, from what we have heard. The truth is, we dislike Mahisthami heavily. They have always troubled us by creating terror and unorder, by attempting to divide our citizens over going to war. They also steal our supplies and increase taxes upon merchants, slowing trade. So, any trouble to them, or their family, is a definite win for us. Thankfully, she didn't die, or Mahisthami would have increased the thefts tenfold. So, we propose an alliance between our kingdoms as a thanks for this heavenly favor.

We'll visit sometime later, me and my sons, and negotiate a friendship. Do not worry, my sons are not troublesome and they will require no visit to the willow tree in your garden. I wish you and your family good health, and thank the twins, both of them, for not starting a war, and for making sure that the princess didn't go unharmed.

Best regards,

Raja Divya Dutta"

All was silent for a second, and then Dasharath beamed towards Lakshman and Shatrughan who looked relieved.

"Thank you, messenger." he nodded, and once the man had walked away, he shook Sumantra's hands over and over again. "Oh rejoice! We are making an alliance with the Malla Republic! You know, they have great mining and tourism wealth, and I've been hoping to introduce you all to the king for ages!"

"Wait," Lakshman, in all of his pessimistic glory, intervened. " they're coming here? How about me and Shatru stay away from the princes?" Shatrughan snorted.

"Speak for yourself, bhaiyya, I'm welcoming them. Shatrughan, the reason that Rajkumari Phooljani got an injury, and initiator of the Malla-Kosala alliance!" Bharat smacked him around the head.

"Be humble, Shatru. Besides, you didn't think a small cut was a big injury before, now did you?" Shatrughan squirmed some more, and turned bright red. The happy family was interrupted by another messenger clearing his throat. He was wearing a shimmering gold vest.

"Go ahead," Raja Dasharath nodded, and he opened the scroll.

"Greetings,

I am Raja Vanshik, of the great kingdom of Mahisthami. While the last meeting wasn't satisfactory, I am glad about how courteous and kind your elder two sons, Bharat and Ram are.

Said princes blushed, while Shatrughan laughed, and Lakshman ruffled Bharat's hair.

Even if my dear princess got hurt, the medic declared that it was a minor injury, and it would get better soon. Thanks to the quick thinking of Lakshman, she was saved from the rogue branch.

Mahisthami is hailing him as a hero today, as he saved my little girl's life from an evil willow tree. Hopefully, he won't have to again.

So, thanks to my princesses' safety, I propose an alliance. We can negotiate this when I visit tomorrow. Of course, I hope that all four princes will be there to welcome Phooljani and I, as she was very excited about the last meeting, and wanted to come again this time. I'm sure that will pose no problem.

Also, she was quite perturbed by the amount of gold. She needs more, so accommodate as well, please. I hope that the tour around the palace will resume with the same two princes as well. She was quite enjoying it until it was disturbed.

Sincerely,

King Vanshik the Great

Silence again. Then a BANG! Lakshman had hit his head on the table, and sat back up, looking not very happy. The messenger quickly hurried out of the room, and the entire family stiffened at what was looking to be one of his infamous tempers.

"There. I have a head injury. I am not going to greet that pompous king and that stupid princess. If anyone needs me, I will be kicking the gate wall. If anyone tries to heal my head injury, you will have to fight me to." he stormed out of the room, followed by Shatrughan's speech.
"Do you think they'll mind if I accidentally spill a pot of boiling oil in the pathway when they walk? I am quite bored, so I think I will do just that." And he walked out too.

"If you don't stop those two, they will do as they say. You never know with Laksh and Shatru. Meanwhile, I think I'll paint something. Maybe a pot of spilled oil and a random princess named Phooljani walking towards it." Bharat stated matter-of-factly, before walking out as well.

"Father, I think that you might want to keep an eye over the twins. And Bharat too, make sure he never shows that painting to anyone. I'll go sit in my room now," and Ram set down his goblet, and excused himself.

When the King and Princess of Mahisthami did visit again, Lakshman was forced by the queens to greet them.

"Nice weather today, isn't it?" asked Dasharath, awkwardly trying for some small talk. Suddenly a bang echoed, and they all stared at a fallen gate wall. Shatrughan walked out of the mess.

"Lakshman bhaiyya just almost accidentally killed and simultaneously saved Princess Phooljani when a gate wall fell after he kicked it. Lakshman himself doesn't look very happy though. He told you he had a head injury yesterday.. None of you believed him! " Shaking his head, he walked away, and Lakshman emerged from the rubble.

"I was not in my right mind!" he roared. " I had a head injury!" Princess Phooljani came out too, looking extremely shaken.

"Father, I'm-" "-Fine!" interrupted Shatrughan. Dasharath sighed in relief, the alliance was made, all meetings ended, and Lakshman was treated for his head injury, while architects tried in vain to fix the gate wall.

Needless to say, the next day Ayodhya was flooded with alliance proposals from kingdoms who were wronged by Mahisthami. Princess Phooljani and Raja Vanshik continued writing letters, which resulted in Lakshman almost strangling their messenger, and only Ram, ever the follower of dharma, bothered to stop him. Bharat painted endless sinister paintings that he only showed the twins. Shatrughan didn't really care anymore if the princess lived or not ("If they visit again, I really am throwing that pot of oil all over her.") And Lakshman never readily agreed to be a tour guide again.

Bonus Scene

After the Mahisthami royals had left again, and people were trying in vain to fix the gate wall, Dasharath worriedly had his 3rd son get checked by the royal medic.

"He has no head injury, Raja." The medic diagnosed confusedly. Lakshman smirked, while Shatrughan snickered, Bharat looked as if he was trying to hide a smile, and Ram raised his eyebrow.

"Well imagine that." The patient murmured, as Dasharath walked out of the room. "I guess I was in my right mind after all."

A/N-This chapter honestly had no purpose. I just wanted to give the twins some spotlight, and I felt like it was a great time for character development. Unintentional Alliance is the title because all of those kingdoms offered their friendship because the twins somehow caused the pompous brats from Mahisthami to be harmed. Sadistic, yes, but you must understand that they are really evil. They steal from other kingdoms, try to initiate war and create terror amongst citizens, etc.

Happy New Year, everyone! I was planning to create a New Year's Special chapter, but I'm postponing that, unless any of you want to see it.

Shoutout to:

ShraddhaKonde- My very first follower, voter, and commenter. You're the best! :)

IMPORTANT EDIT: I have reconsidered. These chapters will be important later, when the princes will marry. :p