Secrets and Sad Goodbyes

Check out the theme here: A Retelling of Valli and Karttikeya’s Love Story

This post is a part of BlogchatterA2Z Challenge 2026.

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Several days passed with Valli and Skanda spending their time together, traveling to distant lands, making love, swimming in the rivers, or resting in the forests. Skanda had wanted to know everything about her childhood and life in Merpati. Valli asked him endless questions about the devas, their consorts, Indra’s celestial city, Amaravati, the gardens, apsaras, and anything she could think of.

During their conversations, Skanda had admitted his role in frightening her with the animal.

“It was no strange beast. He was my brother Ganesa, who came to help me,” he said with a sheepish grin.

“Skanda! How could you? I was so terrified!”

“I know, but I had to do something. It worked, though.”

Valli tried to be angry at him, but who could do that with a deva? She forgave him for his attempts to get close to her. However, she warned him not to try something like that again.

“I don’t have to since you are with me,” he grinned.

On another day, Skanda told Valli the story of Vishnu’s two daughters, the sisters who performed tapasya to get a boon that they would marry the same man and be together always.

“One of them is you, Valli,” he said, weaving a strand of colorful flowers into her hair.

“Me?” she asked in wonder. “Does it mean… Devasena is my sister?”

“Yes.”

“Then why was I born here on Earth, away from her?”

Skanda chuckled. “Ah, so now she becomes your priority?”

She gave him a mock glare and giggled.

“In your rebirth, the two of you had to take different forms because Kaala decided so. Devasena represents the sky and Indra’s army. You represent Earth and everything this land provides. Together, you complete the world. With me as your partner, I bring and hold everything in balance—the elements, creation, and dharma. Every deva has to balance energies to ensure the universe is steady and alive.”

Valli marveled at Skanda’s explanation. She hadn’t thought of herself as a representation of the earth.

“Why do you think you are green, the color of fertility and life?”

Valli nodded. She had wondered many times about her unique skin tone. While people were in varying shades of white, cream, brown, and black, she didn’t know anyone with green skin like hers. Her parents said it was because she was born in a forest.

One day, as the sun peaked high in the sky and sweat poured down everyone’s faces, Valli walked into the field with a sad face.

“Why so depressed, my love?” he asked, hugging her.

“Today is the last day for us to meet, Skanda.”

“What do you mean?”

Valli gestured to the field. “Look at it, all golden and ripe. The harvest starts tomorrow. I have to be with my family and neighbors. We have a lot of work to do.”

“I could…” Skanda trailed off when she shook her head.

“We have to do our duty. It is our task, not yours.” Valli replied and told herself to cheer up. “It is only for a few days. We can meet again after that.”

Skanda agreed, though he was determined to meet her even during the harvest. That evening, he accompanied her toward the village borders. Valli protested only a little. She, too, wanted to prolong the moment as much as she could.

However, Nila appeared out of nowhere. Though Skanda became invisible, she had seen Valli and demanded to talk to her. She was upset that her friend no longer had time for her.

“What’s going on, Valli? I can see you in the field, but I can’t come closer to you. You haven’t visited me in so many days!”

Valli felt sad about ignoring her friend. She had been so happy with Skanda that she made her dear friend feel lonely. She promised to work with Nila from the next day. “We will harvest and clean the crop side by side.”

Nila agreed with a pout and walked with Valli to her house, so Skanda had to stay invisible.

Later in the evening, he met Nila disguised as a hunter and asked her to help him meet Valli.

“She has been spending time with me. That’s why she was busy. Now, she can’t do it during harvest, so you have to help me.”

“Why should I?” Nila asked.

“If you don’t, I will perform matal in the village,” he shot back. Matal was a ritual of sorts in which a love-struck man would ride a toy horse around the village, professing his love for a certain woman. While some found it endearing, others found it embarrassing.

“I will help only if Valli agrees to meet you,” Nila said and strode away.