Devi Lakshmi: The Legacy of Wealth

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕾𝖎𝖝𝖙𝖞 𝕾𝖎𝖝

Shiva and Parvati had come over to offer their condolenses to Vishnu and Lakshmi, the two of them understanding how hard it must have been for them. Parvati looked longingly at Amrita and Sundara, adoration evident in her eyes.

"I wish I had a daughter," she sighed. "Not that I don't love Ganesh and Muruga, but... A girl would be nice."

"Did you ever think about asking the Kalpavriksha?" Vishnu asked, causing Lakshmi to brighten a little.

"Who?" Parvati questioned, while Shiva merely smiled.

"She's my sister," Lakshmi said softly. "We both rose from the Churning of the Milky Ocean. She's a wish-granting tree, so I'm sure if you asked her, you'd be gifted with a daughter."

The Goddess of Courage looked at her husband in excitement, a smile slowly making it's way onto Shiva's face as well, her happiness contagious.

Meanwhile, Muruga had picked up a spear and was trying to teach Bhauma to throw it. Amrita and Sundara were cheering on their brother, but were simutaneously amazed by the skill Muruga possessed. Even Lakshmi was impressed. To be a master of weapons at such a young age shouldn't have been possible, but it left no doubt in her mind that he was the one destined to kill Tarakasura.

Suddenly, the spear landed mere inches from Vishnu's feet, causing him to yelp in bewilderment. Amrita and Sundara - sweet as ever - ran over to check if he was okay, while Bhauma smiled sheepishly. Muruga laughed before patting his cousin on the back, congratulating him.

"If that had been a demon, you would have scared him for sure." he told him.

"I think it scared Vishnu either way." Lakshmi giggled while her husband pouted.

Shiva was continuously teasing his friend to which Vishnu strongly protested, and Parvati was thouroughly amused by their ongoing debate as to whether he was afraid or not. Amrita was scolding the spear profoundly while Sudara hit it with a stick.

"Bad weapon," Amrita said, crossing her arms and stomping her foot. "You no hurt my Appa, alright?"

Sundara stopped beating the spear and walked over to Bhauma and Muruga, giving them a sound slap.

"You hurt him too." she declared. "So you have to be punished as well."

"Let's make a run for it." Muruga whispered to the younger boy, to which he nodded and immediately dashed off, the two girls running after them.

Ganesh remained close to Lakshmi and Parvati, mesmerized by the waterfall of stars that cascaded from the vast sky of Vaikuntham. He gently reached out and caught one, surprised by how cool it was.

"It's like ice." he whispered, watching the tiny flame flicker in his hand.

Vishnu leaned down, smiling.

"You think that's cool? Watch this?"

He reached out with cupped hands, letting the stars pool into his palms, before sprinkling it over Lakshmi's hair, causing it to shimmer exactly the night sky. Ganesh bounded up and down before doing to same to Parvati and added a bit more to Lakshmi's.

"Pretty!" he cried, staring at the two women in awe.

Both of them placed a quick kiss on his cheeks, before he went to stand directly under the waterfall, drenching himself with the stars. The rest of the children ran back in, and Muruga grew confused as to what his elder brother was doing.

"Anna? Why are you so shiny?" he inquired, causing everyone to break out laughing.

Sundara climbed into her mother's lap, resting her head on her chest. Lakshmi smiled and stroked her hair while Amrita begged her father to pick her up. Bhauma moved to sit in between both his parents.

Shiva was glad to see that Vishnu's life was starting to restore itself to how it used to be: Happy and filled with love. He just wished it would last.

---

It wasn't long before Lakshmi's children grew to be adults, all of them making her proud.

Amrita was smart and beautiful, though she loved to dress up. Lakshmi didn't mind though, her daughter always looked so ethereal. With her glowing dark skin and raven tresses, she easily surpassed the beauty of nearly everyone she crossed, though that was more due to her peaceful aura. The looks were just an added bonus.

Sundara was very much like her sister in intelligence and looks, but she preferred weaponry to make up. Both Muruga and Bhauma had been very keen on teaching her, and by now she had completely mastered the bow. Her skin glistened like dripping honey, with locks the color of tree bark.

Bhauma's skin wasn't dark but it wasn't quite light either. His hair was definitely from his mother, though his eyes were exactly like Vishnu's. His ability with weapons was something matched only by his sister and Muruga. But unlike them, he wasn't quite sure who to kill and who not to. Being raised by both Asuras and Devas, he was able to hurt any of them without any hesitation.

"Amma, are you going to get us married?" Amrita asked out of the blue one day.

Lakshmi raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I was planning on it... Unless you don't want to. In that case, absolutely not."

"No, I want to." Amrita said, and Sundara nodded as well. "But we wanted you to find us husbands like Appa: Never yells at his wife for any reason."

"That's not true!" Vishnu protested.

Bhauma laughed, placing his knives on the kitchen counter.

"They're not wrong." he said, kissing the tops of his sisters' heads. "You never get mad at Amma."

Vishnu delibrately ignored him.

"Why don't you two pray to marry Lord Muruga? He's good looking, a master of weapons, and virtuous. Just like me."

"And will most likely not get angry with the both of you." Lakshmi added, giggling. "Just like your father."

Vishnu grumbled unhappily but didn't go against them this time.

"Muruga?" Sundara questioned, although Amrita seemed a little dreamy-eyed.

"You'd have to undergo a hard penance in order to fulfill it, though." Vishnu advised them, while Lakshmi's breathing became hard.

Could she really be separated from them for that long?

Uh oh... I think we all know what's going to happen. Triple update today! And the end of Part Five!

Happy Navaratri to all of you!