As he entered his room,it took him a few minutes for his
eyes to get used to the darkness and he looked around for his wife. Had she
ensconced herself in a corner, weeping her heart out?
At last he found her- sleeping blissfully on his- no, he
corrected himself- on their bed.
Lakshmana debated whether to leave the discussion till morning- but though it
better to resolve it then and there. He couldn’t take the tension anymore. Yes,
he would wake her up. It would be the best thing to do.
It turned out to be the worst thing he ever did.
Startled out of her sleep by someone shaking her shoulder
and calling out her name, Urmilla could only make out the dim outline of a man
in the darkness. She held he hands to her ears and shrieked ay the top of her
voice “Help…. Help….” Her cries rang out in the darkness
Lakshmana tried to cover her mouth with his palm to muffle
her shouts, but it only made matters worse.
Urmilla tried to dig her nails into
his arms in an attempt to free herself- but the hands holding her were too
strong.
“Sh….Urmilla…Don’t shout.. It’s me, Lakshmana…”
Eyes widened , Urmilla looked at the face above her and
recognition dawned. Lakshmana eased his grip on her and stood in front of her
glowering.
Urmilla hurriedly got up and whispered “Aryaputra?”
Lakshmana nodded and still glowering, pointed to the nail
marks on his forearm “A fine welcome from my wife” Urmilla looked abashed.
By now, however, Urmilla’s shouts had attracted the security
and they were pounding at the door Random shouts of …Open….Princess…Are you
safe… could be heard.
Lakshmana realizing that the door would soon be broken down,
asked Urmilla to open the door. Urmilla shook her head, pointing to her
disheveled appearance. Lakshmana gave an angry snort and went to the door where
the guards were still hammering for all they were worth.
Lakshmana jerked open both the doors and asked nonchalantly
“Yes?”
The Chief of Palace Guards was standing in front of him, a club in one hand
and surrounded by a dozen soldiers. They
seemed taken aback on seeing him there. “Oh Prince” said the chief, lowering
his club, “We didn’t know you had arrived. We thought we heard some screams.
Arya Sumanta had informed us that you had been called on some important mission
and that special security should be provided to your rooms since the princess
was all alone. Security has been tightened all over, you know”
“ Thank you Sumanta”
thought Lakshmana mentally and spoke to the Chief, “No, it’s all right, I have
returned” trying to close the doors.
But the Chief was not so sure. He put in his foot between
the doors Lakshmana was trying to close and peered inside. “Are you sure
Prince? We distinctly heard a woman’s scream”
The way she screamed,
the whole Ayodhya must have heard thought Lakshmana. “Umm.. it was nothing….just that ….”
Lakshmana racked his brains furiously for an explanation, “it was just that we
were sleeping and my wife had a nightmare…” Lakshmana tried to force the doors
shut.
To his surprise (and annoyance) the Chief burst into
laughter and the rest of the guards were unsuccessfully trying to hide their
smiles. The Chief removed his foot and began to retreat. Just before the doors
were shut, he turned back and winking at Lakshmana said slyly “Good attempt at
explanation Prince, but tell me does anyone sleep
on their marital night? The chief guffawed loudly and left.
Lakshmana swore softly under his breath and made a kicking
movement with his leg at retreating Chief’s back. He slammed the doors shut and
walked back in to the room, his temper none the better.
“Why did they come, aryaputra
? asked Urmilla innocently
Lakshmana glowered at her and rubbing his forearms replied,
“To express their appreciation over your singing abilities.”
“Oh, but when did I sing?” wondered Urmilla missing the
sarcasm completely.
Lakshmana looked like he would like nothing better than to
wring her neck.
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