Chapter 9

Miriam's eyes opened suddenly. She had been sleeping for several hours, and it was now in the middle of the night. Something had awakened her, but what? She lay silently on her pallet, listening.

A clear night in Aeral is a beautiful sound. In our world, the stars are distant, cold, and silent. In Aeral their voices peal through the darkness and warm the heart. They sing beyond comprehension, their tuneless hymn more beautiful than anything the human ear has ever heard. Some sing in high twinkling voices, others have deep and throbbing voices. The song of the stars is in perfect harmony with the far off river sounds, the nearby brook's laugh, the deep cry of the sea, and the sweet whispers of the wind.

Miriam sat up startled. A deliciously cool breeze had swept over her face, but that was impossible. All of the curtains in the pavilion had been closed. Something, or someone, was calling to her to come out of the tent. Without really knowing why, she wrapped herself in a blanket and walked out into the night.

It was even more beautiful to see than to hear. The moonlight and the starlight had transformed beautiful Havillah into a magical wonderland. The sky was filled with some sort of creature that she had never seen before. They were as delicate as a butterfly, shone like a firefly, and flew with the grace of an eagle. Miriam stepped through the dewy grass and watched the pretty creatures. The star song and the lovely night filled her with joy. She lifted her hands to the sky and laughed. She barely noticed her blanket slide to the ground.

She had to dance. She simply had to. With lifted hands she laughed and spun. She ran through the grass and chased the bright creatures. But they were not afraid. It was a game and they knew it. Finally Miriam fell breathless to the ground. She didn't notice when the flitting creatures stilled; she didn't feel the wind stop blowing, and she was not aware of the dramatic change in the star song. The she heard a voice.

"I have waited long for you to meet me in this place."