Although her own son, Bharatha with Shatrughna, was away at her father's place, Rajagriha in the kingdom of Kekaya, Kaikeyi was not upset, as she loved Rama like her own son.
When she saw Manthara rush into her chamber with a gloomy look on her face, Kaikeyi laughed, "What has become of you, my old one? Isn't news of Rama's coronation reason for you to forget all your worries for a day?
Just cheer up and imagine what good fortune awaits Ayodhya in the future, to have Rama as king, after his great and noble father, King Dasharatha!"
"O my young queen, Kaikeyi! What a fool you are, to rejoice at the good fortune of your rival, Kaushalya! She has managed to make the king choose Rama as Yuvaraja.
Do you know what this could mean to you? Your son Bharatha and you will be banished by Rama after King Dasharatha's time.
Till then, you will have to be like the maid servant of Kaushalya. She is very angry now that you have said so many things to her in your pride of being the favourite of the king.
But she is waiting for a chance to get back at you and will not lose the opportunity with Rama's coronation."
Slowly, like a poison that fills the body and makes it useless, Manthara's words killed the love that Kaikeyi felt for Rama. Soon the queen was plotting with the old woman on how to stop the coronation of Rama the next day.
Manthara reminded Kaikeyi of two boons that Dasharatha had offered her when she saved his life once in the battlefield. Kaikeyi had not asked for those boons at that time and had said she would ask for them when she needed.
Manthara told her to ask for them now and the two women planned how to make the king grant these boons.
When the king visited Kaikeyi later, he found her in a very bad mood. She had scattered her jewels all over the floor and was crying.
Her eyes were swollen from crying and when he tried to find out why, she said to him, "If you want to please me, your favourite queen, grant me the two boons you had offered me when I saved your life."
The king was only too happy to do anything to cheer up his queen. He said, "You know very well, Kaikeyi, that if there is anyone as dear to me as Rama, it is you. Upon my love for Him, I swear to grant you whatever you want."
Kaikeyi felt the thrill of victory when she heard these words. She continued, "You are a man who keeps his words. You have made preparations for Rama to be crowned Yuvaraja tomorrow. Let the preparations remain, but instead of Rama, crown my son Bharatha as Yuvaraja.
Secondly, banish Rama to the forest for fourteen years so that He will not be a threat to His brother's rule as king."
When Dasharatha heard these words from Kaikeyi, he felt like one who has been struck by sharp arrows that pierced his heart. He fainted and remained senseless for a long time.
When he awoke, he cried, begged and tried to reason with Kaikeyi to not be so cruel. But she would not give in. Finally, the broken-hearted king had to agree to fulfill her cruel desires.
Rama readily agreed to go to the forest and Lakshmana insisted that He accompany Rama. Sita also joined them.
Although She was a young princess and had lived in a palace all Her life, She could not think of being away from Rama, even if it meant having to wander in the forest with Him and face so many dangers.
So it was, that Rama, Lakshmana and Sita said goodbye to the old and broken-hearted King Dasharatha, the three queens and all the people of Ayodhya and left on their fourteen-year exile to the forest.