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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Skanda took Valli directly to his abode, Tanikai. She looked pale, but nothing that couldn’t be revived in his palace. He was happy that she agreed to go with him. In a way, they had eloped. That made him smile. However, Valli shook her head and cried.
Worried by her reaction, he asked what was wrong.
“My family! You killed them!”
“Oh!” Skanda realized his mistake. “Don’t cry, my love. Your family will be alive and healthy. Just asleep. I promise!”
“Really?” Valli asked in a hopeful whisper.
“Yes. I’m sorry I didn’t think of it sooner and caused you this pain.” He wiped her tears and kissed her cheeks.
“Can I see them alive?”
Skanda nodded. “In fact, you can revive them yourself. First, why don’t we go inside? Everyone is waiting for you.”
Before Valli could answer, Narada muni appeared beside them. Valli hastily stepped out of Skanda’s arms and bowed to him.
“May you always be radiant and happy,” he said and turned to Skanda. “What is this, son of Shiva? Is this how you bring your wife home?”
Skanda knew the muni was going to bring up an extra complication. “What have I done to offend you, celestial muni?”
Narada shook his head, suppressing a smile. “Not me. All of us, your parents, and Valli’s family. Was there a reason to elope with her when you could have asked for her hand like a true deva?”
“Doesn’t eloping go hand in hand with romance?”
“O son of Parvati! Don’t act like a child now. Your father had sent the sapta rishis and Arundati maata to King Himalaya when he wanted to marry your mother. And you simply bring your wife away like this? Not befitting your family!”
Skanda let out a soft sigh. “As always, you added to my work, but you are right. I shall do as you say, daiva muni. We will return to Merpati immediately.”
Narada gave him a satisfied nod. “Valli, are you happy now, child? Once you accept your powers, I can no longer call you a child, so I will do it now.”
Valli’s teary chuckle was the answer. “Svami, please treat me the same as before.”
“If you say so! But now I have to leave. I abandoned an important task to prevent Skanda from making a mistake. My job is done, so I take leave. We’ll meet again at your wedding,” Narada muni said with a cheerful wave and plucked the string of his veena as he disappeared. The single musical note sustained in the air for a few seconds and settled into the atmosphere.
Skanda turned to grin at Valli and extended his arm. “Shall we, my love?”
She placed her hand in his and nodded.
They were back in the forest clearing the next instant. A large rooster was still there, as if standing guard over the fallen men. Valli teared up again, seeing the people she loved lying lifeless.
“Shh, they’ll be waking up in a moment,” Skanda leaned to whisper in her ear. He waved at the rooster, and it vanished.
“Revive them, Sundaravalli, daughter of Vishnu.”
“How? I don’t know what to do!”
“Yes, you do. Close your eyes and think of your wish. Visualize them alive in your mind and channel that energy towards them.”
Valli took a deep breath and did as he instructed. She could feel a warm light glow between her brows and become brighter and brighter. When she opened her eyes, the light shot out from her toward the bodies.
One by one, the men stirred and groaned, as if abruptly woken from an enchanted slumber.
“They are alive!” she whispered and laughed in relief.
