Eyes Say It All {One Shot Series}

• 5

Sulochana
The last day of her life

The maid bowed entering the chamber of the princess of Lanka, the wife of Meghnadh.

Sulochana turned to see her head maid whom she had sent to collect information from the battlefield.

Evenings were passing quickly, more precisely flying, but mornings and afternoons seemed like they had no end.

The great war between the princes of Ayodhya and the ruler of Lanka was happening at the borders and the ladies at Lanka didn't sleep without shedding a tear.

Her husband a day back had 'killed' Lakshmana but Hanuman had brought the Chiranjeevi for him and cured him.

"Righteous always wins." her father had been telling in her childhood.

She sighed and looked at the lady waiting for her, her head hung low, her hands fidgeting with her saree.

She somewhere knew what her answer would be, righteous always wins, she smiled a bit.

She still couldn't help but hope, hope for another day, where she would still be a married woman and not a widow.

She placed her palms on the head maid's trembling shoulder and smiled a bit to relax her.

The maid sighed, maybe she was the last one to see the princess's smile, she thought.

Closing her eyes, and gathering all the courage left in her body, she started, "Prince Lakshmana defeated and killed prince-"

"Indrajit!" they both heard a terrifying scream, Ravana's voice.

Her hand from the maid's shoulder fell, and a lone tear from her eyes too.

"Eyes are like clouds up in the sky. The clouds, burdened with the weight of the vapour pours down in the form of rain and relaxes itself and the eyes, burdened with the pain, will let out tears." she remembered her mother-in-law say.

She turned back and wiped the tears quickly and dismissed the maid.

She closed her eyes tightly, clenching her palms and pursed her lips trying to take the next step, she had to.

The next moment, she shaked her head and turned to her right, where the big mirror was placed.

She walked slowly to the mirror and smiled, memories rushing in her heart.

"Sulochana, you are not centralising it." Meghnadh had complained about her vermilion.

"Wait, I will make it right." he got up and took the pinch of vermilion and applied it accurately on her forehead.

Tears brimmed her eyes, and she tried to control her trembling hands.

In a second, she with her still trembling hands wiped off the vermilion, which was applied by her husband before going to the war.

.

"Did you realise it now? Happy now?" Sulochana saw her mother-in-law cry in front of Ravana.

But Ravana didn't reply, his eyes were fixed on his son's wife, his daughter-in-law.

Mandodari turned observing Ravana's expression and became numb seeing her daughter-in-law in a pale white saree, her forehead empty, her puffed eyes red.

"Sulochana," Mandodari cried.

Sulochana pursed her lips tight, not wanting to break down in front of her mother-in-law who was already weak, both physically and mentally.

"Mata, pitashri." Sulochana started, her voice cracking.

"I think it's time." she said, tears rolling.

"No, no." Mandodari screamed at the top of her eyes. "This can't happen."

Sulochana ran quickly to her mother-in-law and held her arms. She looked at her father-in-law who stood, crying silently.

"Mata, please." Sulochana sobbed.

"Mata, I have decided. And there is no way of stepping back." Sulochana hugged Mandodari tightly.

"My- son left me Sulochana. Will you also follow your husband?" Mandodari cried.

Mandodari had treated Sulochana as her own daughter from the first day, Sulochana stepped to Lanka as Indrajit's wife. She was the only one who had been with her through whatever Mandodari had gone through.

It would be precise if we say that Sulochana had been Mandodari's backbone.

"Ravana, get ready, we have to leave." Kaikesi said in her broken voice.

.

"Pranam." Sulochana stood in front of Rama and Lakshmana.

The brothers returned the gesture as all of monkey army eyed at the widow of Meghnadh and the brother duo.

"I know it would be awkward for you too, but I will not stretch it long." Sulochana smiled a bit.

"It was a a crime of abducting Sita. And it was great to know that a prince who could marry anyone else too, came in search of his wife." Sulochana paused.

Taking a deep breath in, she said, "In today's battle, without thinking of anything, one fought for the happiness of his brother and another fought and died for saving and bringing a smile on their father's face."

She smiled in remembrance of the brave face of her husband, "We can't point fingers anyone because no one is wrong in this. But before going I would like to say that let the righteous win."

"Accept my final greetings." she bowed horrifying everyone.

.

"Rama!" Ravana shouted.

"Remember my words, today you have seen my family's grief, but soon, your family also will drown in their own tears." Ravana screamed, echoing in the three worlds.

Sulochana shaked her head, "What may ever happen, the generations should remember that a drop of tear from a pious lady's eyes always causes nothing but destruction."

The pyre was lighted by the angered yet emotional Ravana.

Sulochana smiled, "Maybe we couldn't have come to the world together, but I will not let you alone now, when I have an option to come with you."

She closed her eyes, but instead of the dark black background, she saw her husband's smiling face as if he's saying, "I am waiting for you, Sulo."

"I am coming soon dearest husband." she smiled and jumped to the pyre in a second as the fire engulfed both the husband and wife.

Lanka might have been darkened by the demon's rule, but still few lamps were lighted with pious, and courageous lamps.

***
This was all about the part of Sulochana. I hope you liked it.

Do share your reviews in the comments and let me know what you want to see in the coming parts.

| Vote • Comment • Share • Follow |

Bhuvi