Monkey God Love

"Hanuman, we really need to talk about this."

He didn't hear her.

"How do I look lovely one?"

He was disguised as a royal harem dancer.

"What are you up to now?"

"Using this guise I am going to get the Sultan drunk, get invited back to his room, and under cover of his dark room, I am going to change places with an untouchable girl with a nasty case of lover's itch!"

"Oh Hanuman, can't that wait, there is something I really would like to discuss."

"Sorry prize, dusk is nearly here, and his court is just getting going, see you at sunrise!"

---

She nearly fell off her branch the first time she saw him. She had been so young.

He appeared at the top of her family's tree, swung lazily and impossibly gracefully down the branches. He was terribly handsome, and barely seemed to be looking where he was leaping, his eyes locked on her the entire time.

He swung past her father with the barest of nods, and with a mighty leap and triple flip, ended up hanging upside down by his tail, right infront of her. He produced the finest fruit she had ever seen from somewhere, and extended it to her.

She knew his reputation well enough to know there was surely more to this, but she couldn't have reached for the apple if she wanted, so frozen was she by the awe of his presence.

"My hand is not a vine mylady, this is wilting even now."

Her mother swung up from a lower branch, and faced the monkey god.

"We have no interest in your trickery today Hanuman, go bother another tree."

"Oh, no trickery today I assure you, I have come with a proposal," he seemed to purr the last word, making her tingle.

"If it is my daughter's tail you are after than you needn't bother, she is promised to another, it'd be great trouble for all involved to undo that."

"Quite right, I wouldn't have her if you'd have given her away so easily anywhere, for that'd certainly be a sign she shared her mother's regrettable mite condition. I propose a game."

"Of course you do" the matriarch snorted.

"It is simple enough, I shall make a statement, and you are to tell me if it is the truth, or a lie. If you are correct, I will leave you with the fruit and begone, if not..." He flashed a grin her way.

"Go on then, I dare not deny you a game, I know how you love them so."

Hanuman clapped and swung a full loop on the branch he dangled from.

"You are both honor bound not to repeat the revelation that I am about to impart. For too long I have guarded a quite embarrassing secret, you see, I have no tail."

Her mother snorted, and her own heart sank. For a second there she had thought the great god had come to court her, that she had picked her as the most desirable mate in the land, but his obvious lie revealed that he was just her to mock her, to mock the idea that anyone would want her. She had to try hard not to bare her teeth in anger.

"Lie. Honestly, given your reputation I expected something more difficult. Can we be rid of you now?"

"Oh you may certainly be rid of me now madam, but not before I take my prize. You see, my words were the truth."

Her mother adopted an aggressive stance, put her face to his upside down face, white beginning to show.

"Well, if you have no tail Mr. Hanuman, may I ask what is allowing you to hang as you are?"

Hanuman's a wider grin and raised eyebrow were his only response.

Her mother understood well before she did, gasping, and then immediately becoming docile.

Her words was barely audible. "My daughter, you now belong to this man, I wish you both happiness." And she swung away without another word.

She was very confused while they traveled together, she was worried that it was still all some sort of mistake. It wasn't until an hour later back Hanuman's palace bedroom where she learned the surprising and happy truth of the matter.

---

"Hanuman, let's play a game."

This got his attention.

"What do you have in mind my flower?"

"I will make a statement that is either true or false. No matter what you guess, right or wrong, you win. Otherwise I win."

She now had his full attention, possibly for first time since their initial night together.

"And what do you get if you win?"

"One wish granted."

He laughed heartily, and seemed to be enjoying the game so far.

"Agreed, by all means, let's play!", he clapped excitedly.

She took a deep breath, stared into his eyes and said "I don't love you anymore."

His smile faded. He opened his mouth, and closed it without a word.

After a while he asked, not looking at her, what wish she would have.

"To go home Hanuman. To go home."

 

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