by M. D. Grimm
All except one. He rode back, told his king everything, they sent out another troop of soldiers, but the soldiers could never find the place.
Generations of daughters had been the stone’s keeper, each taking possession of it when they became an adult. A box had been made for the stone, and it had been buried at this spot since the beginning.
“So now do you understand?” she pleaded. “We need that stone -- it is part of our heritage. Please, please return it!”
“Well,” I cleared my throat. “While I found all that fascinating -- and it actually answered a few questions I had about this place -- I really didn’t need to know all that.”
She blinked. “What?”
“I didn’t steal the stone,” I said easily, helplessly amused by the misunderstanding. “I have it now, actually.”
I held up the pouch. Kyla just stared at it, like it was a snake. “But--”
“But?” I said. “Aishe, would you do the honors?”
“Certainly.” He grabbed the pouch from me and knelt beside the hole and the box. He opened the box, tipped the stone inside -- careful not to touch it -- and then stuck the box back in the hole. He pushed the dirt over it, patted the mound down, and then stood, wiping his dirty hands on his coat.
Kyla stayed silent, staring at Aishe in wonder. “You -- you’re returning it? But why?”
I shrugged. “I like having a village I can terrorize.” I smiled sharply. “Without you all, where would I find my entertainment?” With that, I turned around, and together Aishe and I walked away, back toward the hill.
“You think she’s still standing there?” I asked quietly.
Aishe casually glanced over his shoulder. “Indeed, she is.
She’s staring at us, then at the hole. Then back at us.”
I chuckled. I liked keeping these villagers on their toes.
I carefully removed the crystals around the village that held up the dome, and took the magick back into myself.
I sighed in relief, feeling stronger, my mind clearer. Aishe and I stood on the hill that led back into Vorgoroth and gazed down at the village.
“You think she’ll come to herself long enough to activate the stone?” Aishe asked.
“I hope so, or we might have to do it ourselves.” I didn’t look forward to that.
But as we stood there, I felt a warmth press into me, one back over the village; the rainbow arched over the buildings and the citizens. The transformation was remarkable. happily, as if nothing strange had happened. They began to help each other even more than before -- and cheerfully.
I got the feeling that winter no longer penetrated this little section of happy paradise. I shook my head in wonder.
“What do you think Nanna wished for, when she held it?” Aishe asked.
“I don’t think she ever did,” I said. “I don’t know that she ever touched it. But I wasn’t going to take the chance and blast at her only to have it rebound on me.”
Aishe nodded. We turned to Vorgoroth, and my shoulders slumped. “Two weeks. Two weeks, and then I have to go through that torture again.” I sighed deeply. “Let’s go home.”
“We will.” Aishe shocked me when he lifted me in his arms. I struggled instantly but only embarrassed myself at my weak attempts to get free. I stopped, defeated, and felt “I’m not going to enjoy this,” I said, scowling.
“I am.” Aishe laughed.
Reign of the Mother
Note to readers:
Song modeled after the poem “The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes.
Tune used: Loreena McKennit’s rendition of “The Highwayman.”
Part One
I
The Beginning was a torrent of darkness; it was the endless Night, It was full and complete and empty, and there was no light, But it was far from lifeless, there were creatures there, Yet they held no form --No form -- form --They held no form and were nameless there.
II
They twisted and yearned in the darkness, with their cunning grace, Their voices a crimson river and their eyes were of liquid gold, They glanced and gazed with a twinkle, malice was in their eye, And they churned with a twist and a slither, In the Night they were phantoms that slither, Their eyes with their gaze that wither, was the only light on high.
III
Over each other they coiled and clashed in the eventide, They devoured the other with wicked glee, nary a place to hide, They whispered tunes to each other, never knowing someone heard, Never thinking their gloom could be shattered, Gloom to be shattered, Their doom to be written when She first arrived.
Part Two
I
She came with a trumpet of Light; She came with blood to fight, She pushed them back with Her yellow gold, and threw open the Night, She smote them before her, and locked them up in a cage, Then She began to Create, She was the first to Create, She started to Create, despite the First Ones’ Rage.
II
She rose up high with a sparkle, Her face a blazing charm, Claret velvet and purple blaze, splendor in every arm, Her eyes a glimmering starlight, took in the inky black, And She realized what it was missing, (Oh, what the twilight was missing!)
She raised Her arms with Her Magick, and set Fire to the lack.
III
The Fire was the first at the dawning, the colors sprang forth from the light, Pristine blue and rich deep red and yellow with all its might, Then came the green, the purple and the crimson looping a maze, Then the Rainbow Host came marching --
Marching -- Marching --The Rainbow Host came marching and set the Heavens ablaze.
IV
She set right forth to the jeweled sky; the planets, the stars, and sun, She formed them all with Her splendid shine and before she was even done, She weaved and twirled the constellations, pushing back the Cage --The Foul Ones put up a battle --
They never ceased to battle --They wanted the return of the Darkness, the Shadow and the Rage.
Part 3
I
She named Her planet Karishian and from it all Life sprang forth, Mountains and streams and oceans -- south, west, east, and north, She formed them all with beauty, Her voice spoke forth to say:
“Now there will be no resistance,
Because of my persistence, With my due diligence, all will be as I say.”
II
She weaved Her hands before Her, the first creatures sprang forth, They were dumb and majestic and quick, and She delighted when She sent them forth, They hunted and pounced with instinct and She was enchanted by their life, She looked upon them with joy,
And though Her heart was filled with joy, She could not abide Her loneliness, and so cut Her hand with a knife.
III
Drip-drop, drip-drop, spilled Her blood. It hit the ground with force, Drip-drop, drip drop, it echoed clear. She would not feel any remorse, And there before Her appeared a blazing and shining being, He said His name was The Hunter --Hunter -- Hunter --The Hunter became Her companion! He was Her Heart and Meaning.
IV
“Mother,” He said in the summer night. “Mother, I must now say, Let us create now children, of our Heart and Soul.”
Together they wove their Magick, molding it with Their hands, With a spark and a burst came the payshthas,
Large and fiery were the payshthas, Intelligent and magickal were the payshthas, the First-Born of Their Hands.
V
But the Mother, She was not satisfied -- She wanted more to love, So They set Their Magick to the jeweled orb and out spread forth Their love, Out sprang then more creatures: sturdy, astute and true, And She filled Her home with children, So colorful were Her children, In such variety came Her children, and they loved Her as was due.
Part 4
I
Clang! The First Ones clattered, shrieking against Her Light --With their cage coiled tightly around them, they fought Her with all their might, Black terror were thoughts for her children, should the First Ones break through, So from the seelas She cre
ated the mages,
True children of Hers were the mages, For inside them She planted Her Magick, Her power to Create.
II
True children of the Mother were they, and to Her defense they came, And the Seven of them from their hands they made the Stones of their fame, They fought and caused their world to tremble; the stars jittered in their fear, But they won and the First Ones receded,
(The First Ones receded), Then the mages decided to scatter the Stones from them.
III
Now there is peace and bounty, growth and prosperity, The Mother often wanders far, writing our destiny, She whistles a tune as She journeys and often Her children hear, And we know that we are guarded and protected,
Karishian is always protected, She and the Hunter watch over us, and banish all our fear.
