Despite the Angels (6 page)

“I was enjoying the contest. I still have a strong human streak, don’t you? Even if you were only a human once it must be in there.”

“So there will be two ceremonies, one at dawn on midwinter’s day as usual, and one at dusk. I will use one cup in the morning and the king will close the day with the other.” The queen turned to Rasifi and Bullneck and her gaze swept over everyone in the two family groups, as she gave the tiniest of bows. “I thank you all for your participation. Your rewards will arrive tomorrow.” She turned and swept out of the arena, followed by the king and both retinues.

Back in the courtyard, there was much laughter and teasing and excitement that both families would be paid for their work and neither cup would have to be melted down. They were all frustrated that they could not examine the two cups more clearly, to see how they had differed. Voices were raised as opinions were given.

“Alessia and Danthys know.” No one was sure who had spoken, but all eyes turned to where Alessia and Danthys were sitting. Alessia blushed.

“Yes, you had better both explain,” said Bullneck, “You suggested the idea to me, Danthys.”

“And you to me, Alessia,” said Rasifi, “Why?”

“Well, it just seemed that it would be pretty,” Alessia said helplessly, “Danthys and I were talking about the cups and that idea just came into my mind.”

“And into mine,” said Danthys.

“But I did not tell Danthys my idea, only you.”

“Is this true, son? Did you tell Alessia your idea?” Bullneck’s eyes flashed. Eventually Alessia and Danthys managed to convince everyone that they were telling the truth and had not shared their ideas. As this realisation became clearer to the others, they fell silent one by one and looked at each other in amazement. It was Rasifi who broke the silence.

“We must give thanks to the Mother for guiding their minds, so that we would make two cups for the two ceremonies she needs.”

“Oh, for goodness sake,” muttered Trynor, “they are looking at a miracle of human and soul symbiosis and they ignore it entirely and give the credit to their god.” He sighed and sat back in the wintery sunshine.

“Lighten up, Trynor, at least they have noticed and accepted, and are thankful.”

“Yes, and we are going to have to sit through double ceremonies. We should have foreseen that.”

“You are too anti-ceremony. They enjoy them and so do I, sometimes,” Jotin was watching as Rasifi poured another libation onto the statue’s feet. “Pity I can’t drink that.”

“I have reason to be anti-ceremony,” Trynor shuddered, “it was my two year old blood my tribe were pouring on their statue’s feet. It makes me nervous, I’m always afraid someone will revert to type and grab Alessia.”

“I’m sorry, Trynor, I had forgotten. But this society almost never sacrifices their own people, I think you can relax.”

The two goldsmithing families enjoyed Midwinter thoroughly. They were given front row seats at all the ceremonies and were excited by the rush of the bulls past their faces as the young athletes leaped over the animals’ backs. Alessia was sorry that it was not Hetrion’s bull dancing team, but she learnt some new and different steps for the earth walk by watching intently as the dancers moved through the arena. At the feasting after the ceremonies they were given seats at a long table near the king’s and at last were able to study their cups again as they circulated, one filled with wine and the other with fruit flavoured water. They were not identical, but very nearly, and Alessia and Danthys marvelled together, that they had had such similar ideas without even discussing it. They went to bed happy and lay in the comforting darkness with their hands on each other’s bellies, planning their baby’s future.

When it was time for Elena and her family to return home, Alessia gave her the clay baby to remind the Mother that she hoped for a safe delivery and healthy baby. Elena pointed out that the priestess would ask for an offering of money also.

“Don’t they always,” sighed Trynor, “those priestesses are always taking money, for nothing; we hear you perfectly well without caves or priestesses. But do it, if it makes you happy.”

Alessia was finding work very hot. Although the workshop was gloomy inside, the midsummer heat was beating through the flat roof and gathering in the room, unable to find a way out. They were all doing work that did not need the furnace, so it had been let go out.. Alessia was making wire, pushing a thin cylinder of gold through a slightly smaller hole in a piece of wood, but it was difficult as her hands were constantly wet and the smooth metal slid through her fingers as though it was oiled. She wiped her hands on her skirt and tried again to get a grip on the slippery gold.

“I wish I had a piece a bit further advanced,” she grumbled to Rasifi, who was beating a little sheet of gold with a tiny hammer. “It would be easier to get a grip if it was thin enough to bend.”  Rasifi grunted assent and wiped the sweat off her forehead.

“It’s not really working weather at all, we never get much done in midsummer. But there’s no point in wasting the time totally. Might as well do something.”

This time it was Alessia who grunted, but it was with surprise. She put a hand to her apron, but could feel nothing out of the ordinary, apart from the huge bulge that sat on her lap like a soft boulder. She stroked it gently and as she did, she felt it change from a soft boulder to a hard one and she grunted again. Rasifi looked up.

“Is it starting?”

Alessia nodded, stunned into silence.

“We had better get you home, then. No baby wants to be born in a workshop. Come on, it is better to go while you can still walk.” She explained to Mikolos and the boys what was happening, setting up a flurry of excitement, so they hovered about fussing while, Rasifi went to tell Danthys and his family. Although Alessia now lived with Danthys’ parents, it had been decided that she would go to Rasifi’s home for the birth of her baby. Rasifi had more experience of delivering babies than Danthys’ mother, who had found her own experiences of delivery rather alarming and did not want to be too closely involved where, as she said herself, she was more likely to fret than be helpful. Rasifi on the other hand was a woman whose very presence was calming and other women of the town often called on her to help.

Danthys ran in from the shop next door, his young face pale. He grabbed Alessia’s hand and stared into her face, his lips quivering.

“Oh, Alessia, my love, what have we done? I must be crazy to have put you in danger!”

“What danger, you ridiculous boy?” Rasifi bustled in behind him. “A baby is arriving, that’s all. Danger indeed. If we do what we must and trust in the Mother, all will be well. Now instead of regretting what’s past, which you don’t regret anyway, you fraud, get your arm around your woman and help her back to the house.”

They made slow progress back to the town, having to stop every now and then to allow Alessia to lean on Danthys and wait for the waves of pain to pass; and stopping more often to explain to passers-by what was afoot and to receive their good wishes for a safe and easy delivery, “and a healthy baby, if it is the Mother’s wish.”  When they reached the house, Alessia refused to go inside, but sat outside in the shade where there was a small breeze making its way up the narrow street.  There was still heat in the day and Alessia’s face was red and damp. The three of them sat together in front of the house and in between Alessia’s pains they talked of many things, including the little accidents of life that had brought them together at this time.
Trynor sat near Alessia, his hand out towards her, smoothing her energies, and not for the first time, wishing he could have a stronger effect on the breeze.

“I should spend more time learning how to manipulate the physical world,” he said to Jotin, who was sitting back observing, having made sure that none of his other charges had a greater need of him.

“It’s hard. But you should work on wind. Occasionally I can get a gust to blow a bit harder, or in another direction. Not often helpful, but I did blow out a candle once. My person got away from an attacker as result. One of my high points.”

“It looks so uncomfortable, being in pain, and hot as well.”

“They are more used to it than you think. Lots of little pains all their lives, like a training, you could say. You really should take another body, then you wouldn’t worry about a lot of it and pass less anxiety on to them.”

“I’m not worried, really, Jo.  I know it will all go fine, wasn’t I with you at the meeting where it was arranged? Mohmi is waiting to join in. I just feel it would be nice to smooth it for my Alessia, make it easy.”

“Not our job. We just guide them into it and through it. They have to work out how to make it easier, if they can; and they have. Rasifi has some herbs well stewed up that will ease the pain if it gets too much. The physical world provides a lot of the answers to its own problems.”

“Quite the philosopher today, aren’t you? Are you always this calm? Or is it just because it is Alessia going through it and not your Danthys?”

Jotin said nothing, as he let his memory go back over time, in Crete and before, and looked at his reactions to the troubles he and Danthys had gone through. At last he stretched slowly and said, “Yes, I think you’re right. It is easy to be detached when it is someone else’s pain. The same when I was a human, easier to bear another’s misfortunes than your own.”

Alessia groaned and clutched at Rasifi. Her eyes widened and she stared into the older woman’s face, looking for reassurance.

“Come on, now. It’s time to go indoors. It’s cooler now and we can get you comfortable.” She put her hand on Alessia’s belly and stroked, waiting for the contraction to pass, before helping the frightened girl to her feet and into the house.

“I want my mother!” the helpless wail echoed in the narrow street. Danthys looked at Alessia and ran away, disappearing around the corner.

“Danthys, don’t leave me, come back!” Alessia stared down the road.

“He’ll be back soon, I’m sure; he’s hardly running to Tylissos at this hour of the evening.” Rasifi was business-like as she manoeuvred Alessia through the house and settled her on her sleeping mat, making her comfortable with cushions. In a few minutes Danthys panted back in.

“I didn’t bring your mother, but I’ve brought your whole family!” He held out the clay picture Alessia’s mother had made. Alessia smiled and ran her fingers gently over the faces, thinking she could feel her mother’s spirit caught in the clay. She relaxed back on her pillows and allowed Rasifi to persuade her to take a sip of a herbal drink.

Hours passed and the room grew darker. There were sounds in the outer rooms as Mikolos and the boys returned from work and set about preparing food. They came in, one at a time, to see how things were going and to make cheering remarks. Alessia smiled to see them, but she was growing tired and she clutched her family picture to her and muttered to it occasionally.

“She is confusing her own mother with the Mother,” said Rasifi to Danthys. “I think the herbs have befuddled her mind.”

“No matter” said Trynor. “We’re all listening to her intent, which is ours anyway. Why do you all think you have to pray for a safe delivery? We already know you want one. I suppose for the same reason that you tell your friends to take care on a journey, as though without your warning they would deliberately risk their lives. It’s all an expression of caring, isn’t it? And I care for you, I really do, my little one. Your baby is going to be just fine, as are you. Just keep going.”

Alessia suddenly became agitated and tried to get up from the bed. When Danthys tried to stop her, she thumped feebly at his chest and raged at him that this was all his fault, that she had changed her mind about the baby and was going for a walk on the beach instead. Danthys stepped back astonished, but Rasifi laughed.

“It means the baby has decided to come. They are always like this when the baby joins them. The baby’s energy and spirit has joined with Alessia’s and shared with her the determination to get out. But the baby means out of Alessia, not out of the house. Go and fetch me a clean cloth and some warm water.”  With Danthys out of the way, she explained to Alessia what would happen next.

As Danthys came back into the room, the yellow light of the oil lamps was joined by a soft grey light, which fell across Rasifi from the small window. They all looked up, but Alessia could not see the moon from her place on the bed, so Danthys described it to her- nearly full, shining Mother Diktynna’s good wishes down on them all. Alessia was cheered and calmed by the knowledge that the Mother was here and when the call came in her body to push her baby into the world, she obliged without any difficulty. The little girl rushed into the world on a stream of warm water and looked around quietly with big eyes. Rasifi lifted her up to the light from the window and as the moonlight fell across her face, she cried softly and waved her arms. Then she took another breath and roared. Danthys laughed, as Rasifi put his daughter on her mother’s breast and he looked at his wife.

“She is shouting to the Mother! What is she saying, do you think? I hope it is polite.”

“She is singing. Praises. So am I, inside.” Alessia shut her eyes and stroked the baby’s soft skin, unaware of Rasifi’s activity as she cut the cord, delivered the afterbirth and then wrapped up the baby.

“Armishamai. Moonsong.” Alessia opened her eyes and looked up at Danthys. “Would that be suitable?”