Balkhand days

Part 3

There was a blurry sight in front of him. Everything felt so numb. And then it started stinging. He could see his guru and his brothers crowd around him . They had a scared look on their face. His baiyya was telling him something. He tried so hard to listen but he just was unable to .

Shatrughan was shocked. His Bharat baiyya had fallen from the horse. He was hurt . The youngest of the ragu prince started wailing. And then he opened his eyes! Ram baiyya was telling Bharat baiyya that he would be fine. Bharat baiyya simply did not reply. He went near him and started patting him.

"Wha..haped?", Bharat said weakly.
"Oh you are alright.. ", Ram said quickly. He embraced his wounded brother who has been unconscious for a long time now.

Lakshman had been weeping all the while. It was all his fault. He shouldn't have insisted. Now because of him, Bharat was hurt. He did not even have the courage to speak anything all this while. But now everyone's eyes were on him.
"I-Me and Bharat baiyya had gone riding. Baiyya was-was riding fas.. and I was showing him tricks. He was looking at me and—-", Lakshman started to wail. He rubbed his eyes and controlled himself. He was so stupid.
"I'm soo sorry baiyya", he cried

Bharat mastered all the strength he had. Guru Vashishit sighed. He smiled and left the room.

All of the four brothers fell into an embrace. Ram muttered a thank god you are safe now and got Bharat some water.
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It was dusk and after checking on him, his brothers fell asleep. Bharat was moved to happy tears on how much they all loved him. He felt elated. Ram held Bharat's hand, gently kissed him on the forehead and slept. His baiyya was indeed such a motherly figure. Bharat just could not sleep that night. He realised he was not the only one who felt like that when he heard footsteps.  Since baiyya and Shatrughan were next to him, it must have been Lakshman. Maybe he felt sad for what had happened.

Bharat got up. It did hurt a little but, he was fine. His large, innocent, hazel eyes searched for Lakshman. He was sitting out side on a rock, crying. Bharat held his hands."I know you are blaming yourself now, but honestly calm down."
"It all happened because of me Bharat baiyya.. I cant..", Lakshman was pinching himself. Bharat saw that. He knew very well how much Lakshman would blame things on himself. He hugged him.
"What happened to the horse? ", he asked gently. This did not help improve Lakshman's attitude any bit. He sat there about an hour and consoled him.

Both of them had found a friend in another. Lakshman saw Ram in Bharat and Bharat saw Shatrugan in Lakshman.

They might be very different but had three things in common: innocence, jokes and most of all love for Ram.

Ps:thank you for coming so far with me. Have a good day!