The Eve of Redemption
Sah'les Ah'selef - The Morning Sun
Gaiae.
That is what she said the humans called her all those many years ago. On that day many thousands of years before Sae’rahsah was born into the light. The Matriarch ma-primae of Clan Paelor’Laer Vaesah Fleas’c Ah. Amongst an enigmatic and capricious people Gaiae was most enigmatic and capricious. One did not question her out of respect for her wisdom, position and devotion to her people. Yet her plans to visit this human had Sae’rahsah concerned for Gaiae, for he was indeed a man of immense power. His martial skills were well known and all feared to engage him, yet did he murder those which tried him as one waves aside the bees near a flower.
“Forgive me Gaiae, for I am young and unlearned, but I fear for this meeting which you plan. This man is a horror, a monster, he is as the soulless ones.”
Gaiae did not speak rather she took a breath amid the cool silence of the morning there on her balcony with the steam from her tea rising up into her strikingly lovely face. She turned slightly to the left and passed the slightest of smiles from the left corner of her radiant lips toward her ward. She returned her gaze to the tea and took a sip warming her mouth and engaging her psychic center.
“My child, your love for me is the greatest honor for its value is without measure and its giving is without request.” Gaiae sat down her tea and rose from her stool floating upon the fresh morning air the energies of her spell washing lightly over her sheer gown and long auburn hair making them to glisten there in the parted rays of the morning light from the giver. She came forth upon the lightest of breezes to near her ward and taking her hand she looked into Sae’rahsah’s deep green eyes. “I spoke to his ancestor on the eve of our woe and did whisper that which is in their hearts till this day. He will receive me and he will hear me and he will not harm me. And you shall behold the beginning of things which you shall consider and strive to understand long after you are my age.” Gaiae, lifting up slightly on Sae’rahsah’s hand began to envelop the girl in those energies which did convey her about upon the air. As the force flowed further down her torso from her hand and reached her legs Sae’rahsah felt it lift her slightly. retracting her legs into a sitting position she closed her eyes and assumed the position of service awaiting her master’s next move.
Gaiae spoke softly yet with bold tone, “Sian’bahllah vellah sah’mierrr – Sehk va sehk um laishk’Ah…”. Sae’rahsah opened her eyes to see where she had been taken, though she could assume before the portation had begun.
Tree Tops. The upper porch of Gaiae’s collossal tree home. The thin air made it difficult to breath so far up, but within the lifting spell there was fresh air circulating, replenishing, uplifting. Gaiae had never taken Sae’rahsah to this place though she knew her master came here to reflect in times of difficulty.
“Sae’rahsah, I came here when our soul was severed.” a tear ran down her left cheek and the light of the new day caught within it shown as a jewel. “I know that our people fear the humans. They fear what these – monsters – might do. But I will share with you something which I have tried to share to others along the span of time. Something which, although none could digest before, yet do I detect in you the capacity to begin to ask if not understand.” Sae’rahsah was stunned and yet honored that her master would share anything with her. All of her teaching had been given by those in service to Gaiae and not by her directly. She did not teach the use of magicks, but she did teach with a word though never was it formal in its delivery.
Sae’rahsah spoke her mind, as was the habit of a Mae, ” I am honored by your grace my Mother.” Smiling slightly and in an obvious nervous tint she looked upon her master for something she feared she was not yet ready.
“I knew Antoni Scarlotti. He was everything which his people are not. Do you remember this name my child?”, asked Gaiae without opening her eyes or casting a gaze upon the young Mae’n female. A silence and then her nod which Gaiae somhow saw despite her eyes being closed. “Antoni gave me a book which belonged to his mother. This book had been in his family for many generations of his line. In fact it actually predated our leaving Maenatae and returning. I was told by him that his mother had read it to him as a child. Upon returning here to my home I brought that book up here at night during meditation and read it. I discovered something quite wonderful and marvelous within that ancient work. I discovered that Gaael is Mindanto. I discovered that he had placed the humans upon a world like ours within a rich and fertile garden. I read on and found that Gaael walked among the male and the female and he spoke to them as he did us when we were new. As he does for yet those of us which find his favor. However, he placed a tree in the midst of their world and within it lie the means to become the confused wretches which you now see. For though He told them never to touch it and warned of their downfall should they eat of it eat they did and were sundered from the graces of Gaael.”
Sae’rahsah was awash. The revelation was powerful. That anyone might defy Gaael was unbelievable, impossible. She felt a tear roll down her cheek. Though she despised the humans she did cry for a people that would defy Gaael and embrace such a dark future.
“Yes, my child. Do not hold back those tears. Cry for this people that has fallen to such a place that they found it within their capacity to defy The Lovely One. For they were cast out of their garden and it withered over time and disappeared from the face of their world. They became vagabond wretches sloughing about the universe seeking a chance to get back that faded glory which they once had.” She continued in a quiet and labored voice. Whispering through tears, pressing on through pity.
“I vowed to help them before He ever called upon me. That is why I asked Jaeoph to give Antoni the seedling to plant in Merriccia. That is why the humans have one of our homes in their midst. That home will become the rest for a clan which is gifted. One day it will be home to gifted and donor alike.” she turned and looked at Sae’rahsah. Both were crying yet on Sae’rahsah’s face was such a look of wonder and confusion. While upon Gaiae’s determination, resolve, conviction.
“Read this book while I am away my child and take care of it for it is very dear to me. We will speak of this when I return, but you will never speak of it to another.”, Gaiae said as she gazed into the eyes of her ward.
Sae’rahsah’s mind raced. Gifted? Donor? A Joining? With the human? Though she would have questioned it she sat silently upon that breeze and forced a smile across her lips. If Gaiae wishes it who was she to question and with Gaael urging her on certainly there could be no disobedience.
“Let us go now. I must prepare your cousin, Sah’les Ah’selef for she too must make this journey.”
