My One true love

This is one of my favorite stories. The reason why is because I met my beloved wife in this story.

It all started when Rama was trying to cross the ocean to get to Lanka to rescue Sita from the evil-doer Ravana. The night when we were almost halfway through completing the bridge for Rama to get across to Sri Lanka, sea monsters came up from the abyss and destroyed the bridge.

Rama told me, "You have to find out who was responsible for the attack."

I asked Rama, "What do you need me to do?"

Rama said, "I need you to go to the underwater Kingdom of Nesha to speak to their mermaid leader, Queen Suvannamaccha, to see if she had heard anything."

"Of course I will go," I told Rama and left straight away.

I stepped into the water and began to swim towards the bottom of the ocean where the castle sat. Later I would find out that as soon as I stepped into the water, Suvannamaccha put a spell on the outside world. When I finally reached the castle, to my surprise, there was a merman guarding the entrance to the kingdom.

"I need to speak with Queen Suvannamaccha," I told the guard.

The merman obliged and took me to meet the queen.

As soon as I gazed into Queen Suvannamaccha's shimmering emerald, green eyes, I knew she was the one for me. I immediately fell in love with her and knew that it was love at first sight. I shrugged off my feelings and asked the queen if she knew who destroyed the bridge trying to reach Lanka.

Suvannamaccha guiltily said, "It was my people who destroyed the bridge. I had strict orders from Ravana. Since I like you so much, my people will help you rebuild. I only ask that you take a swim with me around the kingdom."

"Absolutely. It would be no problem at all," I explained.

"All right then. Let us be on our way," said Suvannamaccha.

The two of us took a swim around the kingdom, and Suvannamaccha pointed out some facts about her kingdom. On our swim, she confessed that she put a spell on the outside world which made time stop.

I was shocked and asked her, "Why would you do that?"

She said, "Ever since you stepped foot into the water, I felt your presence and immediately fell in love with you. I wanted you to become mine."

Intrigued at what I had heard, I told Suvannamaccha, "I felt the same way as soon as I saw your beautiful, emerald eyes."

"Would you stay here and rule the kingdom beside me?" asked Suvannamaccha.

I contemplated but finally said, "I made a promise to help Rama rescue Sita."

"You would not be breaking your promise because when you decide to leave, you can leave and time will resume as if you had never left," explained Suvannamaccha.

I agreed to stay, but I never forgot about Rama's mission.

Suvannamaccha and I got married and ruled the Kingdom of Nesha together. Not long after, Suvannamaccha became pregnant, and the whole kingdom threw a celebration. She gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, and we named him Macchanu.

We enjoyed every moment together. I taught Macchanu how to shoot arrows and how to fight. Suvannamaccha taught Macchanu all of the royal duties. All the while, I never forgot about the mission Rama sent me on and that one day, I would have to leave.

Years passed, and on the eve of Macchanu's 14th birthday, Suvannamaccha and I sat down with Macchanu and told him of the mission Rama had sent me on. I told Macchanu that I had to go complete it tomorrow and that I would be leaving and may not come back for a long time. Macchanu was shocked!

He then asked, "Can I come with you and help you on your mission?"

I said, "You need to stay here and help your mother rule."

"I understand," said Macchanu.

The next day before I left the kingdom, I told my wife and son, "I love you, and I will be back one day."

I left the kingdom with Suvannamaccha's people and headed to the surface where Rama waited for my message: Who destroyed the bridge?

I hated to leave Suvannamaccha heartbroken, but I knew that she would be all right because she had Macchanu by her side. I consoled myself by remembering that she and Macchanu would rule the kingdom in my absence. Swimming towards the surface, I hoped that one day, I would be able to return to her side once again.