Daughter of Three Suns

Chapter 12

Rosalie and I walked in silence for a long time. Grandmother's breath gradually changed from hitting our backs to blowing on our left sides. When we came to the top of a tall dune, we rested there and ate our mid-meal. I was very thirsty and drank all the water I carried in my kowi gourd container. My sister offered me some of hers, but I declined.

"What will I carry with me on my journey? Will I be allowed to take any food or water?" I asked.

"When you emerge from you Metanora, you will be very hungry, so normally you would be allowed enough for one meal. It would be your responsibility to find food and water at the islands along your path. You would also have to make your own clothing. It means a much longer journey, but it's a way of testing your knowledge and survival skills."

Rosalie regarded the terrain around us. It was sometime before she spoke again. "I loved my journey," she finally continued. "There was something so amazing about being alone in the desert with only myself to depend on. I saw things I had never seen before. I think …" She stopped again and smiled softly to herself. "I think there are many secrets and wonders just waiting to be discovered. After my girls are grown, Emmett and I will probably take many journeys together. I want to see more of our world."

"I understand," I said nodding. "When I was angry and ran into the desert, I saw some winged animals fly overhead. They were headed toward the deep desert. I wondered what they could be. Do you think they were basherti, Rosalie?"

She frowned and pursed her lips. "Wild basherti? I don't know. Where would they have come from?"

"There were many in the wall picture. Perhaps they survived Daughter Sun's arrival."

My sister shrugged, then laughed. "Perhaps we will explore together someday." She stood and began gathering our things.

"You didn't answer my question," I reminded her.

"Oh, yes. Well, none of us were in a hurry on our journeys. They were meant to take time, but time is not our friend right now. We need … you need to return to that world quickly to free our women. I think you will probably be given clothing, food, and water to help shorten your journey. You'll have your weapons, too."

I nodded. Her words made sense, and I understood the need for haste. I fell into step beside her as we resumed our journey. "Rosalie, will Jessica, Lauren, Rachel, and Angela ever be allowed to go through their transformation into women? Will they be able to find a basherter?"

"Yes, eventually. After you return and the opening is closed forever. We can't risk losing any more women."

"And if …" My words stuck in my throat, and I had to swallow before speaking again. "And if I do not return?"

Rosalie grasped my shoulders and stared at me. Her face was set with determination when she spoke. "Do not even think such a thing, Bella. You will return. You will bring our people with you."

"Sister," I whispered to her. "And if I do not return?"

With a sigh, she turned from me. "Then I will train another girl, and then another. We will not leave our women to die in that world."

"Good," I said. "That is a very good thing."

We resumed our walk back to our home, but we were both very quiet.

…..

Mother was waiting at the overhang when we reached the island. She pulled me into her arms and squeezed me against her. I was surprised to find my head reached almost to her shoulders. "Daughter," she whispered. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too."

She stepped away and held me at arm's length while her eyes examined me. "You've grown taller."

"And stronger," I added.

She laughed. "I can see that. Come. Emma and Elise are waiting in our home. They will be glad to see their auntie and their mother. Emmett and Charles have missed you both, too."

There was someone else waiting for us when we entered our gathering room. Alice sat on one of the floor pillows with Elise in her lap. She stood when we entered, and I was struck with how small she seemed. Stepping carefully around the table, she reached out and took my hand. Her fingers traced a path over my nails, which had begun to harden into points. Then she trailed them up my arm to my shoulder and over to my face. They skimmed my nose, my cheekbones, my forehead.

"No longer a girl," she whispered.

"But not yet a woman," I replied.

"Do you hate me for what I did?"

"No, I could never hate you, sister mine. I was angry, but no more. I just want this to be over. To have a home, a basherter, and daughters. I just want to be happy again."

Alice nodded. "I understand," she said. "Grandmother Spirit knows the wishes of your heart. All things will come in their time." She stepped away and headed toward the door. "We'll talk more later," she added before she left.

Rosalie, her daughters, and Emmett left as soon as we finished the meal Mother had prepared. We talked for a while. She asked me about the knives, the throwing disks, and the sheath that held them. I spoke of my training, the things I had learned from Irina, and the pictures that were drawn on the wall. I was tired, though, and kept yawning. Scooting closer to me, she patted her leg, and I laid my head there and stretched out on the floor. Her hands roamed through my hair, claws gently scratching my head. It felt wonderful, and I sighed.

"You are tense, my daughter."

"I know. Too much has happened, and I don't know what to think about everything."

"You said you are no longer angry with Alice. Have you forgiven me for agreeing to what Rosalie did?"

Another long yawn escaped me before I could answer. "Yes, Mother. I understand all of you did what you thought was best. Rosalie and Irina told me the seers agreed, too."

"Yes," she replied, "but still …"

I fell asleep before I heard what else she said.

…..

"Bella, Bella. Wake up." I was in my bed, and Mother was gently shaking me.

"Wha …"

"The seers have called for you. We must go now."

It was much darker when we stepped outside our home, and I followed her to the stairs that led to the lower caves.

"Is Mother Sun almost gone?" I asked.

"Yes. The Anamnesis will start soon."

We passed the level where the bathing pools and sleeping quarters were located, then the food storage levels. As we descended, it became darker and colder. Mother walked with confidence, but I stumbled often. She took my hand to steady me, and we finally came to a stop.

It was completely dark. I knew we had to be far underground, much farther than I had ever been. I could almost feel the crushing weight of the ground above pressing down on me, the stone walls closing in. A chill shook me and I realized I was cold. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my breath wheezed in my throat.

Mother squeezed my hand. "Do not be frightened, my daughter," she whispered. "Darkness is only the lack of light. It does not mean the light is gone forever."

Something gleaming bobbed its way toward us. As it neared, I could see it was a fish oil lamp held by a seer. She beckoned to us, and we followed her into a large round room.

More oil lamps were placed in niches cut into the stone walls. Their flickering light illuminated a large circle incised into the stone floor. Three sitting pillows were evenly spaced around the circle, and one occupied the middle. "You will sit here, Bella," the seer said, indicating one of the pillows. "And you will sit there, Renee." There was a rustle of fabric, the sound of footsteps, and all the seers entered and stood around the edge of the circle. In the dim unsteady light of the lamps, their white robes seemed to shift and waver. I looked for my sister but could not find her.

More footsteps approached, and this time, Alice stepped into the circle leading the oldest seer I had ever seen. Gently, and with great care, she led the seer to the third pillow and helped her sit. Then, she moved to stand in front of me. Softly, the seers began to chant the three stages of womanhood, and I realized what this circle signified.

"You sit as the Maiden," Alice said to me. "You represent the freshness of beginning, the possibility of new life, the power of youth. Your magic is still growing and developing. We look to you for the future of our race."

Next, she stood before our mother. "You sit as the Mother. You represent the fullness of strength and power. You are the caregiver, the nurturer, the life-giver. Your magic has reached its complete potential. We honor you for the children you bring forth."

Finally, Alice moved to the seer. "You sit as the Crone. You represent the culmination of a long life of dedication and service to our people. You are wise and forgiving, a mediator in disagreements, a counselor in time of troubles. Your magic is deep and powerful. We esteem you for your wisdom."

When she finished, Alice seated herself on the middle pillow facing me. Another lamp was placed in front of her, and the seers began to chant the three blessings. I could hear my mother murmuring along with them. Then, Alice took a handful of crushed leaves from her pocket and threw them on the open flame. Smoke billowed up when they burned. She did this twice more until the room was filled with smoke.

My eyes watered, and I coughed when I tried to breathe. The room reeled around me. The smoke cut off all light and sound until all I could see before me was Alice and her large white eyes. She seemed to sway, and I found myself following her movements. Then there was nothing but two yawning black pits, and I fell into them.

…..

I gazed upon a large pond of water, bigger than any I had ever seen. It stretched out to the horizon, sparkling in the golden light of Mother Sun. A being, tall like a woman, yet not a woman, stood on the edge of the water. It turned and smiled at me before it began to change, dissolving away until it became a basherter. It stretched its wings and leaped into the air. I heard it call, and then I was beside it, riding the thermals in the sky.

Joy filled me as we flew over the world below us. It was green with living plants: vines, flowers, and tall trees. There were animals everywhere. Great herds of shaggy four-legged beasts whose hooves drummed against the hard earth as we flew over them. I saw sand lizards and other crawling animals, tiny flying things that zipped from plant to plant, a sand cat and other animals that leapt, and climbed, and ran. Everywhere was life—abundant life.

Then everything began to change. Suddenly, the sun was no longer warm on our wings. It was hot—scorching hot. It burned with a fierce, glaring heat. The trees began to smoke, the plants blackened and withered away. The great beasts bellowed in pain and fell to their knees. All the animals that flew, or leaped, or climbed were trying to find a shelter in which to hide. Steam billowed up from the great span of water, and it grew smaller and smaller. The air was thick with smoke, ash, and the screams of dying people.

Ahead of me was a huge rock island, taller and bigger than any I had ever seen. I beat my wings, struggling to reach the safety that I knew lay deep beneath it. My companion began to falter, and I turned back, desperate to help it. "Go," it said. "Save yourself and our daughter. Always remember that I love you." Then it fell in a flaming bundle to the ground.

The scene was gone, dissolved away into the smoke that surrounded me again. Figures flitted past me, gone before I could see them clearly. Faces appeared then melted away into the shadowy darkness. Voices rose in a crescendo of noise, yelling and arguing, screaming and crying.

Then I was deep underground. It was still hot, but the heat was bearable. There were great stores of food and water, stockpiled there in advance of the rogue sun's arrival. I stared into the face of my daughter and mourned the loss of my mate. The women around me did the same. I lived, I died, I was reborn. Over and over for generations we existed deep in the ground. When we finally emerged, we were very few. Our world was changed, and we were very different.

I was back in the room, wrapped in thick smoke and gasping for breath. I sobbed in despair, crying for all we had lost.

"Daughter." The voice was a whisper in my head, and my bones, and my blood. It wrapped me in love and tenderness, and I longed to be one with it. "You are my chosen. You will restore balance to this world and repair that which was broken. Know that when you feel alone, I am there. Know that when you despair, I will bring hope. Know that when you falter, I will give strength. You will wear my sign to remind you that I will never desert you."

I could feel the presence pulling away from me. "Stay," I begged.

"I'm always here within you," it answered.

It settled deep inside me, a soft, warm presence that radiated comforting affection. I blinked, and then Alice was before me once more.

"Two," I heard her say. Her eyes were white again as she stared in my direction. "There will be two, and then a third. One who hates, one who helps, and one who will betray. Beware them all. A great sorrow, a price to pay, and then everlasting joy."

.

.

Thank you for reading and reviewing.