With the sunset's golden light coming in through the window, I thought the Great Sun God was going to guide my mother to her place of rest. My mother's tired golden eyes studied me, no longer sparkling like the sunrise, her reserve hiding any pain she felt. I sat by her sickbed and held her hand, "Don't go, Mother." I whispered, all the dignity of my young twelve years gone as the queen, the beautiful avian Tuuli Thea and my mother, was dying.
Mother coughed and I winced inwardly at how weak she sounded as I put a cup of water to her dry and cracking lips. She sipped the water and closed her eyes for a moment and I began to panic, opening my mouth to call for a doctor, when my mother opened her eyes and my nerves relaxed, slightly.
She turned to me and I was taken aback by the heartbreaking sadness in her eyes, "Become who you are Alasdair Shardae. La 'aleya'gen innocence 'la 'ra, my ra. La pray gen don't grow up too fast, and always heasha 'gen 'keyi for tomorrow, Alasdair." She whispered, her eyes betraying her pain.
"I don't understand what you want." I said, in truth I didn't know the language she spoke.
"May you never need understand."She replied.
Suddenly she gripped my hand and smiled a rueful smile, "My prayer is simple, my dear one, my dear one…Live it well and this life can be grand."
I saw my mother lie back into her pillow and turn to face the setting sun, eyes closing and face becoming ever so pale in the last rays of sundown. I willed myself not to cry, to not dishonor her, as her grip on my hand lessened and the sun finally set. I had dreading this day ever since I had been only a small child wrapped in my mother's arms. Death was not quite alien to me, for I had lost a father to the wolves and for all my twelve years, my mother had supported me and although she became more distant as I grew, I saw she remained strong as a Tuuli Thea should be.
But today, Ahnleh had passed.
Fate had passed.
Suddenly, people dressed in robes of white and gold, priests of the Great Sun God, took me down to the temple of the God and instructed me to kneel at the altar and sing something called the hawksong lullaby. As I knelt, head bowed, voices spoke to me of long ago of the creation of Anhamirak and Ahnmik, of Mehay and Ecl and of all the places in-between. I felt a fire burn around my chest and coil around my middle, and the cool, feathered hand of reassurance: Anhamirak and Ahnmik. The blackness beneath my lids chilled me, it was as others described it, the night on ice: the void of Ecl.
Suddenly a soft melody filled my ears, one that lulled me and beckoned me to the peace of slumber, it was like a river flowing over stone, smooth and sweet. Words came to me, the words my mother spoke only moments before, words she sang to me years ago when I had been frightened:
I wish to you sunshine, my dear one, my dear one.
And mountaintops for you to soar past. I wish to you innocence, my child, my child.
I pray you don't grow up too fast. Never know pain, my dear one, my dear one.
Nor hunger nor fear nor sorrow. Never know war, my child, my child.
Remember your hope for tomorrow. My prayer is simple, my dear one, my dear one. May you never need understand. My prayer is for peacetime, my child, my child.
Live it well, and this life can be grand.
It was the hawksong lullaby. The awebre of hawks as some said.
I suddenly felt a searing pain in my back and arched my back in pain as it only intensified, it was like fire and ice, burning and cold. My throat, tight from swallowing my cries of agony, finally let out a shrill shriek as I fell to my knees, gasping and speaking a strange tongue. The priests were shocked, as large golden wings sprouted from my back and the wind began to pick up, blowing dust around the temple, and as I faced them, eyes determined, they backed off slightly, as I spoke, the words sounding mystical to my ears:
she'hena-o'she'hena-a'she'hena
We are, we were, we will be.
I knew the language of the birds; I knew what I had questioned before.
A'she'hena…
The rest is in the future's hands…
I raised a tentative hand to brush the feathers that now grew at the nape of my neck and nodded to the head priest who took my hand and led me to a large room where my mother had supposedly been crowned. I was rushed to a smaller room nearby where a maid changed me into a gown of bronze and fawn-brown silk, embroidered with intricate beadwork of solid chestnut. The gown had a sensible neckline and allowed my golden wings to grow if need be.
I was led to a wide, circular dais where a few priestess' waited, some holding important things for the blessings, and others just waiting patiently.
The ceremony went by in a blur, a series of sworn vows and the promise of a prosperous kingdom to my people. The Royal Flight guard re-swore their loyalty to the new queen and the priestess' blessed me with the sanction of the gods and before I knew it, I was pronounced no longer Princess Alasdair of the Hawk's Keep, but as Queen Alasdair, Tuuli Thea, of the Hawk's Keep.
That night as I lay in bed, I saw a shooting star and smiled as I made a wish:
"La' Leona-is avian as la am, La will not solilei' kyirsh as-kyirsh' mana."
My kingdom is avian as I am, I will no fail them as their queen