She didn't want to believe it. It couldn't be possible, her Shatru could not have forgotten her birthday. But it was true. Everytime he looked at her excited face, his brows curved up into a confused expression, a frown, almost. She knew her arya was good at acting, but this was the truth, reflecting on his face. The absolute, positive, complete and utter truth.

Shrutakirti never was forgotten amongst the family, though many evil villagers tried to tell her that. Yes, sometimes overlooked, but she loved her in-laws too much to even think about that! Sumitra Maa always gave her and Urmi didi the same amount of attention as each other, her husband only paid attention to her, and Raja Dasharath practically doted on her. So why would any of them forget that her birthday was tomorrow?

Shatrughan sometimes forgot about things, and that was okay, but not something as important as his wife's own birthday! Urmi didi only forgot the unimportant things, but she didn't seem to have a clue about it either! Mandavi, her best friend, always forgot everything, so she didn't count on her much, and Sita didi was enjoying her marriage too much to pay attention to anything else. Bharat bhaiyya was too immersed in his painting, and only Kaikeyi Maa and Mandavi didi could rouse him from his trances. Lakshman bhaiyya had the best memory, in order to hold grudges, among them all. He never forgot anything! But he too had forgotten her birthday was coming.

Shrutakirti felt tears coming to her eyes as she stared across the room. Everybody was conversing happily, and though her husband sometimes squeezed her hand, or talked to her about their next sweet-stealing escapade, he never even came close to asking her when her birthday was. Was she really forgotten? Were those poor, gossiping citizens, who had nothing else to do, was it really possible that they were correct? No, no, that was stupid. It couldn't possibly be right!

"Hey, we have a celebration coming up!" cried Ram, and Shrutakirti looked up hopefully. Yes, reliable Ram bhaiyya would always remember her birthday! Why wouldn't he? How could she have ever doubted him? "Maa Kaikeyi and Papa's anniversary is coming up! Isn't that exciting?" He slapped Bharat's back as everyone laughed as Maa Kaikeyi smiled graciously as Dasharath blushed in lovestruckness. Shrutakirti slumped again. It would be completely naive of her to think that they could remember her birthday.

                                                                                    ---------O--------

"Hey, what's wrong?" whispered Shatrughan, as they both stood on the balcony, staring at the stars, and giving them names. He wiped a silvery tear that had inched its way down her cheek. "Kirti, what's wrong? You never cry, are you alright?" Shrutakirti sniffled, taking in a deep breath. She had heard these things from Urmila didi, how people pretended to forget, and then threw a surprise party for them. However, the Raghus didn't do such things, they didn't hurt their family so much.

And she wouldn't be so dumb as to purposefully not tell them that it was her birthday. "It's my birthday tomorrow, did you forget?" she snapped as the emotions boiling in her overflowed, reaching the top of the volcano. "Did you forget your wife's own birthday?" she ended in a whisper as she looked back up at the stars. Shatrughan's silence answered her question.

"I-I forgot." he swallowed hard, swallowing the lump full of guilt that threatened to make him sob loudly into the emptiness of the night sky. "I-I forgot." he took another deep breath. He had been fortunate enough to marry a kind, understanding one like Shrutakirti, and he couldn't even pay enough attention to her to at least remember her birthday? "I'm sorry." he mumbled, but he knew it wouldn't make it any better. There had been a time in his childhood where this had happened to him too.

Flashback

"Maa! Maa! It's my birthday today!" squealed a five-year-old Shatrughan as he ran down the corridor. "Did you know, it's my birthday today!" Maa Sumitra walked up to him, her hands brushing over the top of his head as she kneeled down and looked him in the eyes, smiling closely. It was her son's birthdays, the best day of the year for them.

"Yes, yes. Shatrughan, it's your birthday, how could I ever forget? It was the most painful day of my life, you know how much your twin's delivery hurt? But not you, you're my sweetheart!" Lakshman closely followed him, his eyes darting everywhere before he too barrelled into her with a hug, looking up at her in a confused, and slightly hurt look.

"It's my birthday too, Maa. It's our birthday, isn't that right Shatrughan? Besides, everything in life comes with a little pain." he asked, his black eyes piercing into his brother's. Shatrughan rolled his eyes and nodded, turning back to his mother with a charming, albeit one tooth missing, smile. "Maa, how come no one has wished us Happy Birthday?" wondered the elder twin, as Sumitra marveled at his previous philosophical declaring.

Maa Sumitra smiled, and shrugged. "I do not know, Laksh, Shatru! I really do not know. Come on, let's go to the breakfasting hall! There must be presents galore for you there, I'm sure of it! They must be surprising you two, isn't that right?" Each of the boys clasped a hand of their mother's, and they paraded down in style towards the breakfast hall, peeking in through the door before throwing them open.

"Happy Birthday!" squeaked Bharat, running forward and hugging Shatrughan. Ram did the same, jumping off his high, plush, golden pillowed chair and hugging the elder twin. Maa Kaushalya smiled at the entire scene, and Maa Kaikeyi did too, albeit a smaller one. Both of them looked a little dazed, as if they hadn't expected it. Sumitra's eyes darted in between them, before they widened a little bit, and she turned towards Dasharath, hoping, praying.

He looked completely confused. Shatrughan peeked through his brother's arms, looking towards his two big mothers and his father. None of them seemed very excited, only guilty, and very squirmish. The fact dove into his large, young, forming heart like a glass shard. His father and two big mothers had forgotten his birthday.

"Maa, you said there would be presents..." he trailed off, his voice slightly hurt. "You said that there would be mountains of presents, you did." he sniffled as his twin's eyes narrowed into malicious little slivers of black, darting between the three squirming presences on the table. "Where are they, mummy? Where are my presents?" Maa Sumitra was not ready for this. She was not ready for her husband and two sisters to forget her sons' birthdays. No woman should ever have to be.

"They forgot," she whispered, before clearing her throat as Shatrughan slumped, having received confirmation of his fears. A tear trailed down his cheek as he burrowed his face into Bharat's shoulder as Ram bit his lip. "I mean," she squeaked, trying to look upbeat. "They forgot to put the presents here! It's all in the treasury, hidden, so you little thief wouldn't find it." She turned towards Dasharath. "Isn't that right?" Her growl awoke the eldery king from his trance.

"Yes! Yes! Presents galore!" he laughed. "All hidden in the treasury..." he trailed off, wincing. "Yep! Maa Kaikeyi and Maa Kaushalya both have hugs, though. Happy birthday!" Lakshman didn't speak to the three for two months. Shatrughan, more forgiving, left it for a few days. But not the presents, not the hugs, not even Maa Sumitra's playful scoldings could make it better. Nothing could make it better.

Present

Shatrughan was jolted out of his memory by Shrutakirti gentle words. "I am not mad at you, I never could be. Everyone makes mistakes, I know, and you already didn't have much of a dependable memory." She turned towards him, smiling. "I think I will name that red star Shatru-Kirti. For the love that we share, enough at least that you feel guilty." Shatrughan turned towards her, his brows creased into a frown.

"I prefer Shruta-Ghan." he whispered, sitting up and hugging her tightly as they both ran through the memories in their heads. He felt guilt, oh guilt, guilt, guilt surge up his spine like a raging tsunami. He had his twin to share his burden of birthdays long forgotten, but Shrutakirti had no one. No one. No one to support her, and he, having faced it before, was supposed to be there for her. But he wasn't.

                                                                                     --------O--------

Shatrughan wasn't one to dwell in misery or anger, or any negative emotion for that matter. He had a mindset, ready and set, to make everything better. If he dwelled in misery, it would do no good to the world. Shrutakirti had accepted that no one remembered her birthday. He put his head into his hands as he turned around in a circle. No one, much less the youngest princess of the royal family of Kosala, should have to accept that.

Now, he needed to convince his brothers to throw her a surprise birthday party. Not as easy as it looked. Ram bhaiyya would most certainly tell Sita, who would tell Mandavi, who would tell Urmila, who couldn't keep her mouth shut, and would speak to Shrutakirti. Bharat bhaiyya hated surprises with a loathing, and would most certainly want to ruin the surprise for his artistic enemy.

Papa was too jolly to not blast out to the entire kingdom that they were throwing a surprise birthday party for Shrutakirti. Spoiler Alert; Shrutakirti was part of the kingdom. It was no use telling Maa Kaushalya or Maa Kaikeyi, both of them would be so wallowed in misery that they had forgotten yet another birthday that they wouldn't help him plan at all. Shatrughan grumbled angrily. When times got desperate, apparently he always had to turn to his twin and his mother. And when times were even more desperate, those two would be off somewhere.

"Bharat bhaiyya!" cried Shatrughan. "Where is my mother and my brother? Where are they? Are they hidden in some corner somewhere, out of site? Are they hidden in the kitchens? Are they together or apart? Give me all your details!" Bharat was well used to all this drama from Shatru, close as they were, and put his finger on his chin, tapping it.

"Well, that depends which mother and brother you are talking about-" Shatrughan quickly cut him off. 

"Warrior Prince and Angry Mother! Where are they?" Bharat rolled his eyes, sighing. How Lakshman had managed to spend fifteen years in the same room as this idiot really got past him. Maybe that was why he was so hardened. Hmm, now that was a thought. 

Before he could get carried away, however, Bharat stopped himself. "Your angry mother and warrior prince are in the courtyard."

Shatrughan thanked him and raced towards the stairs, before stopping. Why should he do the work of walking down the stairs when they could walk up. "HEY!" he roared, and the two looked up. "MEETING IN MY ROOM RIGHT NOW!" He could hear a quiet muttering before Lakshman picked up Sumitra and carried her up the stairs into their room, and turned towards him, raising an eyebrow.

"We forgot Kirti's birthday." he took a deep breath as his mother paled, collapsing on the bed. He turned towards Lakshman, his twin. Whenever someone would ask him who he was closest to, Shatrughan had to say Bharat. Second? Ram bhaiyya of course. So, then they would say that he was the least closest to his twin brother. When Shatrughan would go to contradict that, he had to stop himself. Because that was the truth.

"Oh no! That poor dear! Today's her birthday, and we didn't even-" Maa Sumitra fainted, and Lakshman put his head into his hands, as Shatrughan ran towards his mother, sprinkling some water onto her head to calm her down.

"We need a grand feast of some sort. And some presents, Shatru, you know best when it comes to Kirti. I can make sure everyone gets there, and decorations." he blanched as Shatrughan visualized him putting up streamers on a door while standing on a ladder, and completely cracked up, bursting into laughter and rolling on the floor. Perhaps this was why he was not very close to his twin brother. He burst into laughter at any thought of him doing something that wasn't mutilating monsters, because it just seemed so weird.

"Hey, what type of food do you think your wife likes?" wondered a recently awoken Maa Sumitra as Lakshman had gone off to decorate. "I mean, I know sweets, but her favorites?" When Shatrughan shrugged, Sumitra sighed. "She's your wife for goodness sakes, she knows you from head to toe and you don't even know her favorite foods? You're lucky you found a wife in her." When Shatrughan nodded again, she started to speak.

"What is it then? Gulab jamun, jalebi, omrithi, shondesh, milk cakes, barfi, ladoo, muttar ki sabsi, aloo ki sabzi, roti, rice, paratha, dosa, idli, sambar? Does she like chili or not? Hot or cold? And drinks? Sharbat, water, what?" Shatrughan groaned and collapsed on the floor. At this rate, he was done. He didn't even know that many foods even existed, forget made in the kitchens. Sumitra's droning voice echoed in the background as he stared at the ceiling.

                                                                               -----O------

"Where are we going, Shatrughan? Out in the village to watch the stars, that sounds nice! Maybe an art gallery, ooh I love those! What is it, tell me quickly, what is it?" Shrutakirti squealed as Shatrughan put his hands on her face and led her towards the dining hall. Lakshman threw open the doors, and he grinned. There, assembled, was the entire smiling family, table full of presents and food, not a guilty face in sight, and decorations everywhere.

Lamps were lit dimly, lights were strung, dias lined the floors, streamers hung from the ceilings, and the food looked divine. Somewhere in his heart, he finally found closure for that day, fourteen years ago, when they had all forgotten. This was how it would have looked on his fifth birthday if they had remembered. Shrutakirti seemed to get more jumpy by the minute, and Shatrughan finally removed the hands from her face.

                                                                                  --------O-------

I blinked a little bit, before a long string of bright lights hit me. I swallowed hard, before looking around, my eyes finally able to take in the entire sight. An entire hall full of my family, smiling back at me. Mandavi, her head tilted, Sita, face wide with her divine, pearly smile, Urmila, practically begging to speak, but keeping her mouth shut. They arrived. They eventually remembered, no matter how long it took.

And then my extended in-laws as well. Maa Kaushalya, Kaikeyi, and dear Maa Sumitra, all grinning back at me, the last was the most tender. My Father-in-law beaming proudly, arms spread wide open, looking similar to my uncle, Raja Janak. My brothers, Ram bhaiyya smiling hopefully, Bharat bhaiyya managing to look not as mean, and Lakshman bhaiyya even managed to smile, just because he knew it would make me happy.

And then I turned towards my husband. Shatrughan, the forgetful, but the great. He was smiling, beaming back at me, in a way that clearly said 'Just for you'. I let out a tiny sob, crashing into his side and feeling his arm around me. Just for me. They remembered. They remembered. I was not the forgotten princess. Not the forgotten princess.

I take a deep breath. Papa Kushadhwaja and Maa Chandrabhanga were doting, and kind, but Mandavi was always in the public spotlight. They never had to worry about me acting up! I was always close to Mandavi, and she overshadowed me, and somewhere, in my tiny, six-year-old mind, I worried if that would always be the case. Now I am married, I have a husband dedicated only to me, and I am not overshadowed by anything, nor anyone.

Mandavi did her own thing, as did Urmila didi and Sita didi, and I do mine. It's nice to be free of that North kingdom, I am not as homesick as my sisters. Freedom is what I am now experiencing, pure freedom from the clouded and biased judgment of the North Videha kingdom I grew up in. Kosala is a clean slate, and I believed that with Shatrughan, we would shine on our own, without the aid of previous beliefs and biases.

I barely remembered anything about that night except the love I experienced, pure and fulfilling, and completely believing. I never felt bitter again about how they had forgotten my birthday, only excited about how they had tried to redeem themselves, and amused when Shatrughan told me that Lakshman bhaiyya had decorated. And then there was the food, divine of course, and I had to thank Maa Sumitra for that, because Shatrughan was apparently ready to order rice and daal, my least favorite. Everybody had arrived, which, I learned from a very confused Lakshman bhaiyya, that all it had taken was one look, a single glance from him. I don't think he realizes how angry his "looks" are. I wiped my tears away. What a wonderful day it was. What a wonderful day.

                                                                                 --------O-------

I look back on that day, just a year ago, as I stand out on the balcony. Shatrughan stands next to me, staring at the stars, and I can tell, wondering, if his brothers and sister-in-law are looking at the very same twinkling slivers of silver in the sky. I take a long, steady breath of the cold air, cleansing my spirit, before I grasp that hand of Shatrughan. He looks towards me, leaning into my shoulder, and swallowing hard.

"You know that star, Shatrughan?" I whisper, pointing into the sky. "That star is called Shruta-Ghan, red in the color of love, a vivid red, just to show how strong our love is. How our love can survive this tsunami that will rage on for fourteen years, I know it." I smile as Shatrughan shifts a little bit, nodding. "But you know what, Shatru, stealer of my heart, enemy of my enemies, target of my devotion?" I can hear a muffled 'What?', and I continue, running my hands through his hair to calm him down. "I prefer Shatru-Kirti." His hands start to tremble as he remembers that night, and I know he is only seconds from breaking down into heavy, tortured sobs. "You before me."

A/N-This chapter was meant to be funny. This book was meant to be funny. What on Earth did I do? Have I gone crazy? THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY. So, obviously, AyodhyaKand might be a little dark, but I'll alternate dark chapters with light ones, so at least the next one might make you laugh. Or...it might not, and it might turn out to be dark as well. We do not currently have enough information to make an inference. I will do my best to continue writing chapters until I get one nice, calm, fluffy, hilarious one out. Even if I have to write 100 dark chapters just for 1 nice one. I am a dedicated author. Thank you for your time.

This is the first, and probably one of the last times I will use first-person POV in this book. I enjoyed writing this part from Shrutakirti's perspective, because she really is an overshadowed character in the Ramayana, and she deserves some luv. Tell me in the comments if you liked the first person. I'm not switching to it, however. 3rd person is good enough for me.

I've finally gotten serious about less Lakshman and Ram and Urmila and Sita and more of Shatrughan, Bharat, Mandavi, and Shrutakirti. Maybe not serious, but I will include an occasional chapter centered around the latter four characters instead of using them as just side characters. Hey! Each to their own, alright?