Goddess of Song

 

Many things began before the time of man when all the worlds were full with magic. The elementals of fire and wind and such held the most power and sway when new things were created. Sprites, fairies, gnomes, and even the ghosts and goblins of the night had tasks to do. The sprite Alcea stood guardian over the smaller creatures, to help keep them safe on the great waters. She mentored Adlena who helped bring forth the moon and its guiding light at night.  Adlena’s mother, Airis, goddess of the rainbow, used her mastery over the hews of her own aura to color wildflowers and the ocean’s coral. Fairies toiled beside each of them and others, seeking only laughter, beauty, friendship and love in return. Aindris was one such mentor. She walked as few sprites did, in both the times of sun and moon and in between. Her fairies were “Alseides” or nymphs who, in time, became the spirits of groves and glens when their work was finished. Alseides were either of the day or the night, but never both. At the rarest of “in-between times,” day and night fairy groups could join to play and dance together in the twilight. 

Two of her Aindris’s fairies, Daylin from the day and Aeleen of the night, were well known by all other fairies and gnomes. Daylin and Aeleen met one spring twilight in a high mountain meadow. The wildflowers had bloomed early and Airis spent the day painting them in the pastel colors from her rainbows and deeper hews from her aura. A celebration dance began with much revelry. Daylin and Aeleen danced and laughed, each enjoying the company of the other until their parting.

And so it was, whenever a twilight or dawn brought them tighter, Daylin and Aeleen danced and talked, always holding hands.  More often however, they were far apart, having only their memories to dance with.

Their time apart began to fill Daylin’s heart with sadness. He spoke with Aindris, but she explained there was nothing she could do.  She could not move Daylin to the night nor Aeleen to the day. One crisp summer morn, Andris heard a soft melody, not from the call of birds, nor peepers calling from the ponds.  Notes drifted soft, long, then faster, giving a sweetness to the wisps of meadow wind.  She looked overhead and saw the air elemental move his clouds to reflect more sun to fill in shadows. When she asked why, the elemental said he was using clouds to prolong the in-between time of dawn. It was only during that time that Daylin made his lovely sounds to call out his love for Aeleen.

 

“You must help me, Elemental of the wind,” Aindris called out. Together they spoke to the sun and then to Mother Earth. They all met at the meadow late that day and listened to Daylin’s call. 

“I name that sound as Song,” said mother earth, her eyes filling with mist. 

“I will use my clouds to reflect your light,” the Elemental told the sun. “I will make the sunset linger and a false sunrise rise early to dance with the songs.” 

“And of you, Mother Earth?” Aindris asked. “I plead for your help.”

The earth smiled. “Your fairies become gnomes. Then in time, gnomes become tree or flower spirits of my land. Aindris, you are now my goddess of song. Make Daylin and Aeleen gnomes then spirits of this meadow. Whenever the softest wind stirs, have them together sing their music and remind us all of their love.”

And so it became true. Daylin and Aeleen became spirits and guardians of a flowering meadow where they sang in the light of the sun and danced in the light of each moon.
Watching over them and bringing more joy to Amerath was the new Goddess of song, Aindris.