Kaikeyi

by Vaishnavi Patel

“You wrestle in the dirt, you like weapons and fast horses, you’re smart,” Yudhajit listed off. “I’d say you’re more man than woman.” I rolled my eyes. “That’s idiotic. Women can be all of those things. Intelligence doesn’t make me less of a woman, and I would think that you knew that.” The contentment faded. His words hurt, more than I could tell him. “Don’t take offense,” Yudhajit said. “It’s a compliment. Who wants to be a woman?” The words were callous, careless, a joke. He was my brother, my twin, and I thought at the very least he believed me his equal.

“Because those who are good question themselves. Because those who are good always wonder if there was a better way, a way that could have helped more and hurt less. That feeling is why you are good.”

Before this story was Rama’s, it was mine.