Storytelling, Week 4: The note left on a wall

"Of all my years alive in the city of Ayodhya I have never felt more peace than in knowing that our Rama would be king. When king Dasartha announced this would finally become so, the whole land rejoiced because we knew Rama’s heart. Dasartha was a great king and he ruled with no fault but his son was everything a leader should be. He was the one who should take Dasartha’s spot as king because he did not seek it, it sought him. One who does not yearn for power such as this is most deserving of it. The day I found out Rama was to be king was both the best and worst day of my life. The exile Rama faced was unfair and brash. Dasartha knew this to be awful but his hands were tied in the fate of his honesty. He was compelled to keep his promise to his queen. Rama had no such declaration to any man and thus he would be an even better ruler because his actions would be pure, free of contempt. When the gates opened and Sumantra guided the chariot that held Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana I felt my heart go with them. I think all the elders knew what we had to do. We followed the tracks left behind them. All was lost if we could not bring Rama back to his throne. It was his destiny. We thought it was our duty to try and repair what was breaking. We used all our will power to command the river of Tamasa to thwart their path and she had obeyed, further evidence of Rama’s destiny to come back and be king. When we finally caught up to the camp where they had rested, night had fallen and we were exhausted. Damn our ill fitted bodies. Sleep was our mission’s only demise. After pleading Rama to return with us to Ayodhya, he kept declining. Even brought up his brother in his argument and said that he would be a solid leader. But we knew Rama and Bharata both the same and Bharata was not who should be king. As Rama fell asleep, I thought for sure morning would clear his mind of this journey. I was wrong. When we woke the chariot and all of Rama’s closest followers were gone. But they left a trail and we followed with quick feet as we did not know how long they had evaded us. They knew of our minds and that we would follow, so they thwarted our journey as we had done to theirs and threw us off their track. I know Rama has good intentions but we need him. Does he not know that? The whole city was on the brink of death with mourning on our arrival. In my hut I can hear the weeping of the people and animals as they do not know what is to become of this once beautiful land of strength and hope. Our own king has fallen in agony, our destined king is exiled by the strength of a promise, and our new king has yet to receive knowledge of his newly obtained power. I sit here writing this to whomever may read it on my wall. As I leave this realm tonight I wish that my life taking is justified in my words. My old age was never the enemy or the reason for me to leave, but it is my fear of the unknown life ahead in the days I do have left. I leave now while I can still remember what it is like to have a harmonious city around me."

Castle of Darkness by Deviantart.net

Author's note:
I wrote about when Rama left the city of Ayodhya and the old men followed his chariot trying to persuade his return when they catch up to him and finding false hope as they follow a trail trap when they wake up the next day and returning to the city. I did this through the eyes of one of those old men and was so overcome with sadness that he takes his own life after 'justifying' his action by writing this letter on the wall of his hut. I realize this is a very severe reaction to Rama being exiled but I felt like this is a way I could exert the powerful emotion that seemed to sweep the land. I chose this picture because it depicted a dark kingdom but the heavens are still bright because there still is hope, even if the people do not know it yet the gods do: all will be well with time. 

Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way.