Married to the Serpent King-A Lakshmila Story

1. Departure Gate, Terminal 5: Intervaikunthal

May 22, 2022

There once was a bed floating on the sea called Vaikunth. In this bed was a god. And this God's name was Vishnu. Vishnu had had a long day. Night. Whatever you called it when you had the entire universe safely stored in your mouth and didn't really keep track of the time. He had killed many rakshasas and bad people this time around. 

But, as always, evil found a way to pop right back on Earth again like a whack-a-mole game. Ugh. It was getting exhausting whacking moles.

"Lakshmi," he sighed. Lakshmi, his wife, had fallen asleep on his lap. "Lakshmi! Wake up na! I have a spectacular new idea for an incarnation that I need you to review!" With two of his four arms, he tried to shake his wife awake, only to have her give a tiny little snore back at him. "Lakshmi! Wake up! Right now! Or I'll be born on the Earth without you! And then you get no nighttime lap to sleep on!"

Lakshmi woke up with a start, rubbing her eyes. "Really? Another incarnation?" she huffed. "Who is it this time that needs to be vanquished on the Earth? Some more angry kshatriyas? Dear Vishnu! Not again! I thought we had already given them enough demons to kill amongst each other! They really like killing, these kshatriyas. Too much bloodshed." she tapped her chin. "They should try baking or something."

Vishnu laughed. "Saraswati would say they should start a book club. Anyways, no. This time, it's actually a demon!" He cracked two pairs of knuckles (he had four arms). "Ravan. He's bloodsucking, mortal killing, flesh eating, disrespectful-the whole villain package. Expect some bloodshed this time, Lakshmi-dear." Exhausted, he rubbed his nose, before lighting up. "This time, I plan to be born as a kshatriya! Too messy last time, as a brahmin. Everybody was so confused why Parashuram swung an axe when he looked like a sadhu."

"Not a kshatriya!" Lakshmi exclaimed. "Why not a psychologist? Or a baker? I bet even Ravan likes cookies!" Vishnu shrugged his shoulders. "Aish. You really like those weapons of yours, don't you? Do me a favour this time, Naryu, take someone along with you. I'm quite tired of you and your solo missions! For goodness sake, you have four arms! And a pet snake!"

Vishnu grinned, before turning around and looking at the giant snake he was lying down on (sorry for not mentioning that earlier). "Sesha!" he exclaimed, and all five heads of the snake looked down at him. "Come along with me this time! It's lonely without you! Lakshmi keeps on telling me to bake whenever a war comes along!" Lakshmi huffed and turned away as Vishnu chuckled over his own joke.

Sesha blinked, before bowing his head. "Do I get to kill demons too?" he asked tentatively. "Because I want to kill demons."

Vishnu waved him off. "Of course! Anything! Just keep me some company this time around!"

~~~

When Vishnu and Lakshmi were finally sleeping, the deity of Sesha went to visit his wife, Ksheer Sagar. The giant sea they were all floating on. It was an interesting union, but it worked for both of them, and they were crazy in love and often gave Vishnu big heart attacks, so everything was alright. Sesha blinked, smiling at Ksheer as she stared at the moonlight which illuminated them all.

Finally, she noticed him, and tilted her head, before turning away, hands folded across her chest. "Ksheer?" Sesha asked, confused. He fidgeted with his fingers confusedly. "Ksheer? What's wrong?" He teetered from foot to foot uncertainly, before finally deciding to pace closer. However, the deity of Ksheer floated on away, still refusing to face him. Sesha sighed, exhausted. "Arrey, you have to tell me na? I'm a stupid husband, according to you? So how am I supposed to figure out why you're mad?"

He paused for a second. "Wait, you are mad, aren't you? Really, I can't figure it out these days. You're huffy all the time. At this point, I can't tell if there's something wrong with me or your respiratory system."