Tears of a Goddess

“Elon!  Come quick!  There’s snow falling!”  Young Ilan called to her twin.  Elon ran to the same window and pressed his nose against the pane.
“Wow!  Maybe we’ll be able to make snowmen tomorrow!”  Elon exclaimed excitedly.  The snowflakes were now coming down in a flurry of pale white outside the thick windowpane.
“Bedtime, Ilan, Elon.”  G’ma Aylen said from her rocking chair by the warm fire.  G’ma always seemed to be cold, even in high summer.
“But G’ma! It just started to snow.”  Elon protested as he pressed his nose harder against the pane.
“You heard Aylen.  Bed.  Now.”  G’pa Zurel said in a no-nonsense tone of voice by the table where he was whittling something.  Ilan walked slowly towards the bedroom her and Elon shared, with Elon close behind, rubbing his frozen nose.
Once the door was closed to the twins’ room, Aylen got up and walked over to Zurel.  Zurel was saddened to see that her walk had a slight limp to it.  He looked into her cool grey eyes and saw them twinkling with amusement.  “The first snow of the season deserves a new story,” Aylen was saying, “will you help me?”
“It has been a long time, hasn’t it?”  Zurel replied, knowing the exact story Aylen wanted to tell.  “Yes, dear heart, I will.”  His liquid brown eyes were vague as if he was summoning a long lost, or perhaps long suppressed, memory.
Just at that moment, little Ilan opened the door clad in one of Aylen’s old tunics, cut down to size.  “We’re ready for our story.”  She announced.  Her long red hair was in a braid that hung over her left shoulder and her grey eyes were sparkling with anticipation.
“Thank you for telling us, Ilan, G’pa and I will be there in a minute,” Aylen said, drawing a deep breath and letting it out slowly.  She then started towards the door, carefully hiding the limp as she usually did around the twins.
                Once in the twins’ room, she sat down on Ilan’s bed and Zurel settled himself on Elon’s bed.  “This is a new story in honor of the season’s first snow.  Some say that it is a true story, and some say it is just a myth.  Zurel and I believe in the myth.  What you believe is up to you.”  Aylen started the story.  “Once, long ago, when there was no rain or snow or even ice, there was a people called the Villagers. In one of the tribes of the Villagers, there lived a girl named Aysleen.  When Aysleen was about sixteen, she was sent out on a quest, like all the other sixteen-year-olds, as was the tribe’s decree.  So, Aysleen’s parents, Josiah and Mariah sent their only living daughter on the quest.  They had had three sons and another daughter, but none of them had returned from the quest.  So it was a sad day indeed when Aysleen was sent off…”
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“Bye, Momma, bye Poppa!  I’ll miss you!”  I cried as she rode away from her tribe, the Flying Clouds.  I rode on for days and days, hoping to get a vision from the Goddess.  None came, so I wandered around the Plains of Passage.  There I met up with another on the Quest of Adulthood, but, according to the Rites, we were not allowed to communicate in any way with others on the Quest, so I continued on.
Three months after leaving the tribe, I ran out of food and started hunting.  One day I found a trail that only those with the sharpest eyes could see.  About two days on the trail, I realized I was on a great Grak’sha’s trail.  I would have to hunt the Grak’sha until either I killed it, or it killed me.
Five days later, I found its lair.  I discovered a place that would make a good blind near by and settled in, turning my horse loose, in case I didn’t come out of the fight alive.  The Grak’sha was larger than I had anticipated.  As it lumbered into view, I prayed to the Goddess for luck and strength.  But, just as I was about to leap onto the animal’s back, it looked straight at me.  Hunter, be still.  Hunter, I no harm.   Have vision-dream.  Come, receive. A voice said in my heart.  When I finally comprehended what had happened, I looked up and realized I had walked into the Grak’sha’s lair.
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“What happened next, G’ma?”  Ilan said impatiently when Aylen paused to take a breath.  “Did Aysleen die?”
“Of course not, Ilan.  What would be the point to the story if she died?”  Elon said.
“I will, I will.  I just have to… remember, that’s all.”  Aylen said, her heart beating fast as she continued with the story.  Help me hold on, Zurel.  Help me.
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I was trembling when I heard the Grak’sha ‘speak’ again. Tremble not.  No fear.  No eat you.  Lie, sleep-rest.  Have vision-dream.  <i/>Going against my better judgement, I curled up on a place that was obviously where the Grak’sha rested and fell sleep.  I have no idea how long I slept, I can’t recall what the vision-dream was about, all I know is this: when I woke up, I knew what I had to do.  As soon as the Grak’sha allowed me to venture outside, I climbed up onto its broad back and we raced to the ends of the world.  Night came, and still we raced on.  For five days we travel thus, only stopping for me to eat and to relieve myself.
When the Grak’sha stopped on the sixth day of travel, it had told me all of the lore that its kind knew, and I, in turn, told it about my people’s lore.  From that day on, I lived with the Great Knowledge that only Grak’sha’s had known before.  I was also made an honorary Grak’sha.
The Grak’sha, called Fral’thin, deposited me at the bottom of a stairwell, and faded into the bleak white forest.  With nothing to guide me by but my newly gained knowledge, I started to hesitantly descend the stairs.  The stairs were made of the finest pearl and the handrail of the highest degree of marble.  It was fit for a God.  The stairs went down forever.  When I reached to bottom of the stairs, I was greeted by the loveliest being I had ever seen.  He had long flowing mahogany hair and emerald eyes.  He was clad in a graceful gown of green silks and wore brown cloth slippers on his feet.
“Fral’thin gave you the vision?  Good.”  He said in a musical voice.  It sounded like wind blowing across a lake.  “Follow me and don’t touch anything or speak.  I am Winterthel.”  With that, he led me down corridors and hallways and through numerous doorways until I was quite lost.  
“You are now in the Palace of Ceiridwen, the Goddess of Bardism. The reason for you not speaking it that she knows every voice in the Palace and regards strange voices as a threat.”  I nodded.  “She has taken captive Zuriel, the God of Life.  You are among the few who can set him free.  We have heard of your talent at singing.  Though how Ceiridwen has missed you, we know not.  You must act quickly.”  As he was speaking, Winterthel was leafing through a wardrobe full of clothes like what he was wearing.  “This will do.”  He muttered as he pulled out a gown of silk with all colors of blue in it.  “Springtide will be in shortly to help you bathe and dress.”  With that, Winterthel left the room.
As I stood there not knowing what to do, I heard a voice coming from behind me.  I quickly turned around; it was another of Winterthel’s people.  “I am Springtide.  I see Winterthel has already picked out something for you to wear, please follow me.”
As we walked, I examined Springtide.  She seemed younger than Winterthel and was about a head shorter.  She had fiery red hair pulled back into a half bun, and her eyes were the color of the deepest lake.  Her skin was tanned and she was clad in burgundy tunic and skirt that was highly decorated.  I half expected her to sprout wings at any time.
We arrived at the bathing room where I quickly stripped down and slipped into the waiting pool of water.  The water, to my surprise, was very warm.  I almost let out an exclamation, but remembered Winterthel’s warning and remained silent.  Springtide helped me scrub off all of the dirt and grime that had accumulated on my skin during my journey.  After I was bathed, Springtide called for several other young ladies and they helped me into the dress Winterthel had picked out.  Once they were done, all the girls disappeared.  I found a mirror on one of the walls and looked at myself, shocked.  My long red hair was done up in an intricate style and my eyes seemed to be more blue than usual.  I started to turn to get the full view of what I looked like, when- suddenly- I was in the Great Hall standing in front of the Goddess herself.
“What is it you seek, Aysleen?”  Ceiridwen asked, her voice was indescribably beautiful. “I have been seeking you out, but you were always blocked.”
“I seek the one you hold captive, Goddess.” I replied in my best voice, somehow knowing my life hung in balance.
“I know not of who you speak of, young Aysleen.  Perhaps you have the wrong Goddess?”  Was Ceiridwen’s amused reply.
“The one I seek is the God of Life, Zuriel.  You do hold him.  A friend has told me.”  I countered, trembling.
“Oh, very well.  Bring him out.”  The Goddess said in a very bored tone.  I gasped when I saw the God; he was ill looking and weak.  His clothes were wrinkle and his hair mussed up.  “How do you intend to rescue Zuriel, young Aysleen?  You are but a puny human and he, God.”
“I will do anything you command, my Goddess.”  I said bowing low.
“Well, a trusting soul, are you?  Very, well.  You must sing, but not just any song.  You must sing a song that will relieve my boredom.  You have two days to prepare.”  The Goddess paused, seemed to think about something. “If you fail, you and Zuriel will be my puppets forever.  Deal?”
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“Is she going to do it, G’ma?  Oh!  Please tell me!”  Ilan cried, grabbing hold of Aylen’s hand, which was trembling.
“Be quiet, Ilan!  Or we won’t hear the rest of the story!”  Elon said.
Just a little longer, Zurel.  Let me hang on just a little longer.
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“Deal, Goddess Ceiridwen.  But I don’t need two days to prepare.  I will begin now, if that is okay with you?”
“Trusting and brash! Oh!  This is too sweet to pass up!  Fine then, girl, you may begin, but, I will silence you when I grow bored of you.”  The Goddess conceded.
I began to sing a song that Fral’thin had passed onto me from its narration of its lore.  The song was about a Grak’sha, called Cam’doon, who had fallen in love with a girl named Celeste.  Cam’doon endured many trials in his pursuit of love, but was killed by a mighty hunter, Celeste’s eldest brother.
I sang the song with all my heart and soul.  I sang with every fiber in my being, and only became aware that the Goddess was weeping when I heard a gasp come from Zuriel.  I continued singing until the song was done.  I stood there gasping for breath.  I had sung for one full day.
“Very well, Aysleen.  You have won.  Now leave this place and never come back!”  Ceiridwen managed to gasp out between sobs.  Before I could move, someone picked me up.  It was Zuriel, though he was still sick and weak, he helped me escape from the Palace.
When we got outside, Fral’thin was waiting for us.  There were also cold, white things falling from the sky.  “You did it!  Aysleen!  You did it!  You beat the Goddess of Bardism at her own game!”  Zuriel exclaimed, picking me up and whirling me around, he seemed to have made a miraculous recovery.  “You made the snow fall again!  Oh, marvelous snow!  And rain!  In the spring and summer!  Thank you, Aysleen!  How can I ever repay you?”
“By letting me return safely to my home where my parents are worried sick about me.”
“Yes!  Anything that you wish!”  With that, he swung me onto Fral’thin’s back and climbed aboard himself.
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“Fral’thin returned Aysleen to her tribe and Zuriel decided to remain with her.  And every year after that, whenever it gets cold outside, Ceiridwen’s tears turn to snow.”  Aylen concluded the story.  “And now, it is time for bed.  Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.”
“But G’ma!  What happened to Aysleen and Zuriel?  Did they get married and have kids?”  Ilan implored, now more awake than asleep.
“That is a story for another night.”  Aylen rose held out her hand for Zurel to take and they left the room together.
“I believe in the myth.”  Ilan whispered quietly when Aylen and Zurel closed the door.
“Well, I don’t, now go to sleep!”  Elon said, turned over and fell asleep.
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In their room, Aylen smiled tearfully to her husband from where she lay on the bed and said, “Thank you Zuriel.  Take care of Elon and most especially Ilan.  She will do great things.”  Then Aylen slipped into oblivion.  
Zurel finally realized how cruel he had been, keeping Aysleen alive for all those years.  Sometimes not even the God of Life can extend life long after it is meant to go.