When the non binary planet fell in love with a gender fluid deity <3
source: the Hindu mythology tales according to which Ila gave birth to Chandravanshis (the lunar dynasty) and Budh was the Mercury planet
"Do I know you?" the prince batted his long eyelashes, furrowing his eyebrows
Budh sighed. Their heart broke every time their lover didn't even recognize them.
Budh had been cursed by their maharishi (sage) father to be born as a gender neuter when he had come to know that Budh was an illegitimate child.
"You have betrayed me!" He had shouted at his wife "May your child be born neither as male or female. Be it be outside just as you're neither here nor there!"
Budh had been often made fun of because of that. It used to hurt them all the time but their mother used to say "Don't worry, child. You will find your purpose, too." gently patting and kissing their forehead
They weren't as convinced of that, though
Not until they met Sudyumna
As soon as they laid eyes on him, they knew their destiny had come walking right to him. As soon as he had entered that forest, Budh had hid behind a tree, biting their lips and frantically thinking of calling out to Sudyumna to warn him that this was no ordinary forest but a magical one woven by Shiva himself called Shravana. Any being who'd enter this forest of Shravana would be turned into a female. It was a special place where Shiva and Parvati made love but Parvati was furious one day when males used to enter and intrude them so Shiva granted the forest the ability to turn anyone who'd enter it, to a female
Sudyumna had already started transforming into a woman. He looked around at his body slowly changing but before he could react, it was done
Budh's eyes had widened. Sudyumna had turned into the most beautiful woman they had ever seen. The jewels and clothes were still the same but now a female body inhabited the prince's attire.
"Who am I?" Sudyumna had been confused after having forgotten everything about when he was a male
Suddenly Sudyumna's gaze had fallen upon Budh
She had blinked her long eyelashes "Please help me. I think I'm lost" she had whispered in broken tones, afraid that she was all alone in this vast forest and she didn't even remember who she was "I know it sounds absurd but I- I don't.. Do you know who I am?"
Budh had been so pained to see Sudyumna this way but they still couldn't just help but fall for Sudyumna even more
"Ila" Budh said the first name that came to them
"Ila" she echoed, relishing the sound of the name, making it settle in her heart.
A month went by and both had grown deeper in love with each other, living happily in the forest together
Budh had told Ila about what happened to Sudyumna, about who she really was. They didn't want to hide anything from her. And Ila listened in awe. It was hard to believe at first but as soon as Budh showed her other male creatures entering the forest instantly turning into females, she was dumbfounded
On the last day before the next month, Budh told Ila that now she'd change again into the male body as Sudyumna, losing memories of everything during when she was Ila. And this is how it would go on. One month as Ila, one as Sudyumna and so on.
That is the law of Shivshakti's Shravana
Ila closed her eyes and nodded slowly. When she opened them again, there were tears in them
"I will forget you, too?"
Budh nodded, unable to form any words because of the grief. Grief of losing the only one who had understood them, who felt so connected to them. Gender had rolled a dice and played a game with both of them so they were similar but Budh didn't fall for their lover just because of that. Gender was never the determinant because Budh loved regardless of when their lover's body was of a man's or woman's, whether it was this birth or any other
They loved Sudyumna/Ila. Always
"I don't want to," Ila continued, lowering her eyes, averting them away from Budh. Suddenly, she looked up, a wistful glint in her eyes "Make me remember again. Like you did. Please, I can't afford to forget you" she held Budh's hands tightly, as if clutching an anchor of her memories with them. She caressed Budh's face, as if to memorize each atom of their skin, their soul. So reverently, praying that nothing would be ever able to forget her of this. "Make me remember us. Every time. Promise me, please."
"I do" Budh kissed her eyes
Ila smiled and dissolved into a light as her body started transforming again. Budh stood back
Budh turned around and started walking away, seeking shelter behind the trees as he did before Sudyumna came in their life. They will always keep a protective eye over their lover from there
Budh stopped in their tracks, heart banging against the chest. Maybe Sudyumna did still remember them, after all! Budh turned around
"Do I know you?" The prince batted his long eyelashes, furrowing his eyebrows
Budh sighed now "I am Budh"
"Nice to meet you, Budh!" Sudyumna held out his hand
Budh smiled politely and shook it, their eyes falling on the scar visible on his palm
"Oh, that's just another battle mark. Badges of honour, ya know? I have many!" Sudyumna beamed
They remembered tracing and kissing all scars on Ila's body. There were actually a lot of them. And Budh knew exactly where each one was
"Maybe someday as Sudyumna I could tell you the stories behind each one of them" Ila had whispered, kissing Budh back
"You know about my scars?" Sudyumna said now "Isn't it the first time of us meeting.. umm? OH, where are my manners!? I didn't even introduce myself. My name is Sudyumna and-" He suddenly looked around at the forest "Wait, how much time exactly have I been HERE? I'm sorry but I really need to rush back to my kingdom right now. Again, it was a pleasure to meet you, Budh."
Budh looked at his silhouette going away
So, somewhere in the midst of it all