Devasena - Bride of the War God

Chapter 11

"You know" whispered Malathi, "You look happier these days" 

Devasena impatiently clicked her tongue, "Nothing of the sort" she whispered back, "Get back to work"

Malathi pulled a face and went back to treating the Deva patient. 

Devasena wrote down the herbal remedy for the patient on a leaf and asked the patient to get the medicine from the Ashwini Twins Pharmacy. 

There was a sudden sound and the wall between both the offices collapsed. After the dust cleared, Devasena saw Skanda standing right opposite her. She averted her eyes when she saw him. "I will get Mayasura to fix this" Skanda said and walked away. 

Devasena exhaled slowly and told herself to take deep breaths. Skanda returned and said, "Mayasura is on leave" 

Devasena's head snapped up, what?! He was almost never on leave! So, why now?  

Devasena narrowed her eyes, Father. 

She started briskly walking towards her father's court, Skanda followed her. The court had just concluded for a lunch break that day. She went straight towards her father's throne. 

"Father, Mayasura is on leave right now. The wall partition has collapsed. Is there anything that can be done soon?" she asked. 

"No. My dear, Mayasura has not been feeling well. He will be absent for a week" replied Indra, with a broad grin 

"Skanda, I need to speak to my father alone. I request privacy" Skanda nodded and left. 

"Father, please have some dignity. It is beneath you, the King of Heavens, to try such a desperate matchmaking tactic" said Devasena, angrily. 

Indra kept an innocent face with puppy dog eyes, "I don't know what you are talking about, child. What tactic?"

Devasena sighed, "Father, please get the wall fixed at the earliest' 

"I will" said Indra, "I promise" 

Devasena nodded and went back to her office. She sat at her desk and glanced to her right, Skanda was engrossed in going through the files. There were nearly thousands of palm leaf manuscripts stacked neatly. 

Devasena had always wanted to know what the job of a War God entailed. She impulsively asked, "Skanda, can you please tell me a bit about your job" 

Skanda smiled warmly, "Sure." Devasena felt her insides melt but kept a serious face. 

"I receive requests from warriors across the world for victory in war. These requests are collected by my assistants and these are compiled into written format on palm leaves by my assistants. The palm leaves on which I put my seal are meant for victory and the other for defeat" 

"On what grounds do you decide who wins and who loses?" asked Devasena, out of curiosity. 

"That is again collaborated with the God of Death, Yama. Yama's department, the Death God's Department sends me a list of people who are meant to die. If any of those names are in the War God's list, I am not supposed to put my seal for victory" 

Skanda pointed to the two stacks of palm leaf manuscripts on his left and right, "The ones on the left are the list from Yama and the ones from the right are the list compiled by my department. I crosscheck both and only then, stamp my seal"

Devasena nodded, interestedly, she had always been a person curious to acquire more knowledge. It took a few seconds to realize that Skanda was intensely gazing at her. She cleared her throat and busied herself with her work. 

Days passed by and Mayasura was absent for two weeks. However, Devasena was now used to Skanda's presence and neither of them said anything about this to Indra. 

After more than two weeks had passed, Devasena and Skanda felt more comfortable with each other. They often exchanged small talk during breaks. Devasena felt she was beginning to enjoy Skanda's company. She felt as if she was once again interacting with a teen Skanda who once truly enjoyed her company. 

In the Deva realm of Amaravati, there was a balcony overlooking the clouds. Skanda and Devasena often met here during their break time for small talk. One day, Skanda requested her to join him for a game of chess and Devasena agreed. 

While they were playing the game of chess, Sachi arrived there, "Devasena, Dhanwantri wants to ask your father for your hand in marriage. He approached me for permission to court you" 

Devasena nodded, "Yes, Maa. Please tell him I accept his suit" Devasena glanced at Skanda and she was surprised to see a look of pain in his eyes. She dismissed her concern for him quickly and looked away. 

Sachi gave a nod of satisfaction, gave Skanda a death glare and left in a hurry. 

"Devasena" said Skanda, "I am sorry" 

Devasena looked at him in surprise, what?!

"I know I rejected you once but please give me one chance to explain why." he said. 

Devasena scoffed, "I moved on, Skanda! The why does not really matter right now! I think it was evident you did not consider me a suitable life partner. You decided that Valli is the better choice for you! It does not take a genius to figure this out" 

"NO!" Skanda said vehemently, startling Devasena, "That is not true! I LOVE YOU, Devasena. I always have! Since the day I first saw you as a child, when you visited me at Mount Kailash" 

Devasena stared at him, too stunned to speak, "Then, why would you reject me?"

Skanda sighed, "Indra was trying to use you as a pawn since the very beginning. I did not want to give him that opportunity. It should be your choice to accept me or reject me. Your choice only. I can only imagine the amount of pressure a Princess of the Devas would suffer in a political marriage."

"If that was the reason you rejected me" said Devasena furiously, "What about your relationship with Valli?"

"I tried to move on, to forget you. I could not, not even for a moment" said Skanda, sadly "I am truly sorry, Devasena" 

"Even so" said Devasena firmly, "Five years is long time, Skanda" 

Skanda sighed and said, "Devasena, you are capable of being so much more than a pawn in a political marriage. Back then, I saw a vulnerable girl playing a mediator between her permanently fighting parents. I saw a younger sister who was never acknowledged by her older brother. You may claim otherwise but you wanted your family to acknowledge you as a capable person. You were jealous of my family, Devasena. I did not want you to marry me, feeling like a tool, used by your family to secure their position in heaven"

Skanda said, "I wanted you to meet me again not as a vulnerable and helpless pawn but instead as a confident woman. A woman who believes in herself. A woman who refuses to let even the King of Heavens himself use her as anyone's pawn"