Star-Crossed Lovers

Rama and his brother, Lakshmana, wandered from the wilderness filled with beasts into a bustling city full with vegetable markets, corner shops, and many interesting-looking people. These people were not as dirty and worn down like the usual townsfpeople Rama and Lakshmana had visited. Their skin was clean, without a speck of dirt in sight. These people's wealth showed on their skin. As they made their way from the entrance toward the city's square, they noticed more and more people in fancier garments with silly-looking hats with a multitude of different bird feathers and wide brims.

"What town might this peculiar place be?" asked Rama.

"Why, it must be Verona," Lakshmana answered as they passed what looked to be a large amphitheater. They caught a glimpse of a man on the stage looking solemn, making large gestures and speaking loud verses. "To be, or not to be, THAT is the question," he spoke to the crowd watching him.

Rama and Lakshmana continued on. They went into shops, walked around the plaza, and stumbled into a few bars, making friends and seeing pretty women along the way.

Night finally came and they had made their last stop in a pub not too far from the inn where they were planning to stay. Lakshmana spoke to a few travelers from Rome at the bar, while Rama listened to a woman play the fiddle. Throughout the night, fair women had come up to Rama and declared how dark and mysterious he looked sitting alone and unperturbed. Some offered to accompany him back to his room, but he politely declined and said he'd be on his way soon.

After some time, Rama became fidgety. He told his brother he'd meet him back at the inn, and wandered out into the moonlit night.

He walked down cobblestone streets, passing by dimly lit stores and homes. Cats pounced after scurrying mice, and dogs barked in the distance. He was watching two cats run after each other when his eyes fell on a large limestone archway.

He slowly entered through it, thinking it might be a back alley, but he didn't want to accidentally stumble into someone's home. Rama heard the slightest tinkling noise, and his eyes caught a shimmering figure.

A woman was sitting on a marble bench near a small koi pond. Her dark hair was up but fallen strands accented her beautiful face, and the white marble bench complemented her maroon silks. She was petting a white furry cat while it drank milk out of a golden saucer. She heard Rama's footsteps approach, and looked up at him with her dark brown eyes.

Rama gazed at her with immediate adoration. He had never seen such a vision.

"Sita! It's late, my dear. Come in, come in," a woman's voice bellowed from the nearby house. Sita stood up, still looking at Rama. She gave a small polite smile that made her eyes twinkle, and she flowed like a dream into the house where the woman's voice had come from.

Rama breathed for what felt like the first time since he stumbled upon her. He walked back through the stone archway and to the cobblestone street, all while smiling to himself. He looked up at the crescent moon and said aloud, "Sita. No one, not even the moon, is quite as fair as you."

As Sita readied for bed, she peered out her window at the moon. She opened her doors that led to the balcony and walked out onto the landing. She leaned against the railing, and looking at the moon she asked, "Oh, Venus, is this throb in my heart what I think it ought to be?" A sudden gust of wind blew, and the rose garden below shook. Rose petals sprang into the air, dancing and twirling together in the moonlight before gracefully ending their show on Sita's balcony and around her feet. She picked up a rose petal and held it to her chest, smiling.

***AUTHOR'S NOTE***

Rama and Lakshmana wander the city where Sita and her family is from. They go to markets, sports, and streams. Toward the end of their day they go and pick flowers and end up in the king's beautiful garden. Sita also happened to be wandering the garden with her maids. One of the maids spots Rama and Lakshmana and returns to let Sita know of the beautiful youths. Rama hears Sita's bangles, and looks up stating that "I know of a surety that there comes hither a lady whom I shall love beyond all things else in the world." The maids tell Sita it is time to go, and they leave. On the way home, Sita enters the house of Bhavani, who is considered "the giver of life," and asks if this person is truly what her heart wants. Flowers from Bhavani's hands fall to the ground, and Sita knows that is a sign. When I first read this story, I knew that I wanted to create it like when Romeo and Juliet first meet, or at least have that same Italian feel. I love romance and think that Rama and Sita's story is a perfect romance story.

Bibliography: Sita - from PDE Namayana, Original story told by F.J Gould in The Divine Archer

Banner Info: Rama And Sita As A Couple (Wikipedia Commons)

Picture Info: (Juliet's House. Wikipedia Commons)