.~Edelsteine~. Cosine's Journal- by midnight_medea

[midnight_medea]

3.LXII

~~ Return of Arctang ~~

[midnight_medea]

3.LXIII

~~ Dazed and Confused ~~

[midnight_medea]

3.LXIV


~~ The Day After ~~

[midnight_medea]

3.LXV

~~ A Gift for Creation 1 ~~

Cosine had been glad of her brother’s suggestion. She had wanted to pay her respects to Creation but had been a little nervous. Her only memory was of Destruction, a side of Harmodius that had been both terrifying and awe inspiring. Still, being in his presence was not something she would have fancied on a regular basis.

If she was to meet Creation it would only be right to bring something, an offering to his good health. Though in the world of nothing such things were not easy to come by. What could Creation possibly want? What did the God of Gods need? Nothing she was sure of that. Still, it seemed proper so she would come up with something.

It was quiet in the rooms she shared with the Spirit Guide. He had left early and Jinx, who had seemed rather unhappy was in her room. Cosine padded out to the kitchen, her bare feet growing cold as they touched the wooden floor. She filled the kettle with water and placed it on the stove. As she lit the gas she thought of all that had passed in the past couple of years. From the moment she had been born into the body of Lien there had been nothing but struggle. She had come so far and learned so much since then. The goddess who had felt lost without her brother had evolved. She had forged a life for herself, found a place where she was happy. Slowly but surely things were coming together.

The kettle whistled, steam poured from the holes in the tip of the spout. She lifted the kettle off the burner, removed the cap and poured the boiling water into the pot of leaves. The awakening of creation came to mind. Such an amazing ceremony, gods together giving everything. She carried the pot and a cup through to the bedroom and the desk. There was already a pile of screwed up paper next to it. She knew she shouldn’t waste such a resource but her mind would never settle.
Her gift to Creation at the ceremony had been Two, balance, the twin crown. A reminder of what had been lost. Numbers were in everything and what would be more perfect than a lasting reminder of the number that represented Harmodius himself.

Though how to represent it? There were infinite worlds with infinite languages, all had a different word to represent the concept of two. She poured the green tea into the cup. Though two was always two, two of something. The goddess sipped her tea and reached for another piece of paper, the symbol 2 did not serve her purpose. It did not mean much when it came to representing the balance. Next she drew a tally. Two lines, that was better but not very attractive. At least not as pencil scrawl. She pondered cultures. Drawing from Lien, one of the languages she spoke used symbols. Cosine drew the lines horizontal and parallel to each other, one shorter than the other. Much better, and also the symbol for equals. She would make a scroll, a hanging for his rooms to represent balance and joy.

[midnight_medea]

A gift for creation 2

*searching* >> Tis written, just can't remember where I put it.

[midnight_medea]

3.LXVII

~~ Laughter ~~

#9900CC
It had been a warm morning after she put the aoidei to task. Jhyett and Arlecchino were arguing again. Yeti was chasing Dat around and creating havoc. Normal for them, but Lisana needed to get away for a short time. Kaelin had been busy and the girls, Una and Nixie, were out somewhere playing. Her creatures were not far away, and she watched Aridai, Rorie, and Jasper for a few moments, simply smiling at their antics. They gamboled around as if they were small again. Both horses and the deer were beautiful when they displayed such attitudes.

Some part of her missed the cove and glade that had been behind Eftemie's property. She planned to return there and restore it, but until she was certain what would happen with the grigori, it was safest for hers at the Pantheon. But still, some portion of her yearned for the bright flowers and small creatures there. She knew that her creatures would love it. At least the ones that had never seen it. Even the stardust were out playing and she began to wonder if everyone had spring fever for a moment.

Turning with a sigh, she glanced at the normal alcove she sat in to avoid her servants. Avoid them. She giggled at the thought. As if she really could. They had found her when she had spent the week with Kaelin without telling them. Maybe she should just go visit a few of the other gods. Get to know them or even visit someone she already knew. Cosine came to mind and she moved back towards the Pantheon doors after another quick amused glance at the creatures still playing.

--
Cosine was sat in the gardens of the pantheon. One of her favourite places to be. She loved the peace and quiet of the grassy space. It was a nice place to escape to if the apartments became too claustrophobic. Not that they did often. More and more it seemed that she was one of the only people living there. Maybe it was time for her to get her own rooms.

Sighing to herself she turned the page of the book she was reading and shifted on the blanket she had spread out. She had kicked her shoes off, her feet were bare to the cool air and she was feeling rather relaxed.

--
Lisana glanced over as the horses made a noise again. They were now rolling in the grasses. A snicker slipped free as she watched. Noticing someone lying on the grass a short distance beyond them, she studied them for a moment. Her lips twitched upwards. She would not have to go find Cosine afterall. She was there on a blanket in the grass.

A wide silk scarf was wrapped and tied askew around her hips though she was wearing the gloves and top she had found. The harlequin pattern suited her well and she rather liked the colors of it. Mian had glanced at her in surprise when she had asked for something in that pattern.

She walked up to stand nearby, smiling as she watched Cosine. "Hm... you look like you are enjoying that book. I suppose I could bother you later, Cos. Tempting to toss my shoes off too and join you." Breaking into a giggle, she sat down beside her in the grass. "However, I never really was good about not bothering people." The bubbles spiraled upwards behind her, filling the air around them.

--
Cosine had not heard the laughter goddess aproach. At her tuneful voice she lowered her book and looked up to the virtual stranger before her. It was the bubbles that gave it away.
"Lisana?" She asked, not quite sure if her assumptions were correct. A soft smile spread across her lips and the Number goddess shifted to sit up straight. "You've grown up then?" She joked, wondering if a goddess of laughter could mature.

--
"Grown up?" Lisana giggled, then a bit of mischief slipped into her eyes. "Never. I've simply changed a little. Of course I'm sure Lord Water believes it was due to his efforts. I suppose it was in some fashion. Kaelin makes me happy." A rather dreamy expression crossed Lisana's face at the thought of Kaelin and the time they spend together when he was not out taking care of his duties.

"And how have you been since I saw you last? Well? And Lord Ankou? Is he well also?" Lisana watched Cosine's face. She well remembered the reactions she had seen whenever they were around one another. Hopefully something had come of it.
--
Cosine laughed at her friend's words. Of course, how could laughter ever grow up. To laugh and be cheerful was to remain young at heart.
"Lord water ... I do not believe I have met him yet. Though I have heard of him." her lips formed a smirk at Lisana's dreamy expression. "I have been well. Struggling a little perhaps, to come to terms with all that has happened, but well. Lord Ankou is well too I imagine. We share rooms but ... I do not see him often. the curse of being attached to a Wanderer."

Lisana watched Cosine a long moment. Then she smiled, saying, "Perhaps you need to set some sort of trap for this elusive traveler. A cage he does not ming being in for a week or so."

She began to giggle, adding, "No, I don't suppose that will work unless it's his choice. It worked for Kaelin."

"Of course, Kaelin is.. Kaelin. He warms my heart with poetry he writes for me and brings me gifts from the sea. It is rather interesting swimming with him. His tail is quite beautiful and strong." Lisana explained in amusement at herself. "My aoide think that I spend too much time with him, but I think we fit well."

Sitting cross-legged on the grass, Lisana suddenly snickered, her violet eyes sparkling in extreme amusement. "My bubbles propel me along in the water like a motorboat."

Cosine smiled at her friend's happiness.
"Well, if there is nothing better to do why not spend your time with someone who makes you happy."

Water, she had been stuck around the pantheon for so long that the thought of there being a world outside seemed almost strange.
"I cannot remember the last time I saw an expanse of water. I think, never as I am now. My host may have seen different." She watched the bubbled sparkle in the sunlight. "I do not even know if I can swim. Number does not sound very aquatic. I think I might sink." She added with a smirk.

[midnight_medea]

3.LXVIII

~~ Two Birds a Calling ~~

[midnight_medea]

3.LXIX

~~ Just the way we are ~~

[midnight_medea]

3.LXX


~~ A Social Call ~~

[midnight_medea]

3.LXXI

~~ Learning ~~

[midnight_medea]

3.LXXII

~~ Discovery ~~

Against a sunless sky a murder of crows soared in unison. They soared high then spiralled down through the broken, twisted trees to the buildings of the Pantheon. The group sought one room in particular as they cruised their way towards the private residences of the gods. As they approached a large, stone balcony one broke away, a normal crow in appearance but this one was special. She had had been there in the glory days of the gods, watched their temples and pedestals crumble. She had survived destruction’s reign and helped her mistress to rise. Infinity was the name by with she was known, though like most of the animal kingdom it was one of many.
An object clutched tightly in her beak she soared past the rest of her group, twisting to the side as she ducked through an open window. The crow circled the small room she had entered once, before landing gracefully on a perch built into the wall. Beneath her at a table a winged woman worked, undisturbed by the bird’s entrance. Her pencil scratched against a small piece of scrap paper.
Infinity hopped from the perch to the table. It was low, the woman, or goddess as she would be soon enough sat on the floor. One, pale elbow propped on the lacquered top. The crow dropped the bead on the paper and gave a loud caw. She knew her mistress’ attention was not easy to win when she was working.
At the caw Cosine looked up, a smile forming on her lips at the sight of her oldest companion.
“Welcome back.” She placed the pencil down, her green eyes falling on the small bead. “What’s this?” Her slender fingers reached out to pluck the bead off the table. As soon as they touched it the rhythmic clicking of abacus beads filled the room. For a moment the goddess was no longer in her study, she had been transported to a room of men; they sat on the floor at low tables, focused only on their work. Fingers swept deftly over the wooden abaci, their free hands making notations in ink on scrolls. She could smell the ink, incense, the wood of the building they worked in. To the side of them an alcove was built into the wall. Two scrolls hung side by side painted gracefully in a language she could not read. Below each a small statue, one male made of gold and carrying coins, the other female, made of jade and carrying an abacus. Number and Commerce.

The room faded back into that of her study, Cosine stared down at the bead for a moment.
“Where did you find this?” Her green eyes moved from the bead to her companion. They communicated mentally, or so it seemed to the goddess, she certainly did not speak crow and the crow did not speak human. Recently their interactions had become clearer, almost as though they were talking into each other’s minds.

Infinity tilted her head to one side and hopped closer.
“Through the tree.” She answered simply. “There is a place there, I could feel you.”Cosine placed the bead on the table and stood, she smoothed her skirts and wandered to the window.
“Was it abandoned? Were there people there?”
“There was life. The fire was warm. I watched them for a while. There were three of them, men. They looked thin, I do not know if they will survive longer.”

Cosine breathed in and sank back to her knees.
“Then we should do something. Would you be able to remember the way to the place?”
The crow stretched her wings and hopped back to her perch.
“Yes, I should think so. It is not an easy journey though.”
“We will take Phirren, an aoide too. These men, they were my followers once, I saw a statue. If we can bring them here, maybe I can restore their faith. They may be useful.”
“I did have a strong sense of Number there.”
“Well, then it is decided.” Cosine picked the bead back up and examined it once more. “I will consult Ankou, if I can find him. He knows more about these things than I do.”

[midnight_medea]

LXXIII

~~ On the Road Again ~~

[midnight_medea]

0

~ All Change ~

You know that if you cross your fingers,
And if you count from 1 to 10,
You can get up off the ground again,
It doesn't matter the whole thing's just a game.*

Cosine wandered through the halls of the gods, Infinity perched in her shoulder. her mind was buzzing with thoughts of travel and exploration. She wondered if the goddess she had once been would have been so exhilarated. Probably not. She could vaguely recall, through Lien’s memories the desk in the library. The perfect hiding place for someone who did not set foot outside her comfort zone. Hours spent writing records and keeping ledgers until slowly she faded from people’s minds and existence. Surely though it had not always been that way. She must have had temples, followers, else she would never have existed in the first place. The answer, or at least part of it must exist within this place Infinity had found.
The goddess found herself outside the door nestled between mystery and laughter. She pushed it open and smiled as she was greeted by the sounds of humanity. Laughter from the children as they played, cries of babies that showed the world was once more on the mend. There were smells too, cooking food, fresh washing, incense all mixing together to create a perfume that gave her hope. She found the Nomads from the world of Baadris as usual sat around a fire, the smoke drifted up and out through one of the many open windows of the hidden city of people that lay behind the simple door. They were doing well, when she had met them many had been thin and undernourished, now however they were healthy, laughing and telling the stories of their people to the younger generations.

Closer, in a large open space away from the fire the children played. Not just the sun browned children of the Caravan but others, different races, species all playing together. Infinity soared up into the high, domed ceiling and settled in an alcove, watching her mistress as she approached the young ones. they were playing the jump rope game she had learned before. Two children held a long piece of rope between them and swung it round in a large circle. A line of others moved into the circle two at a time. All of them together chanted a rhyme.

“one for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy.”

The game stopped as soon as the rope had hit one of the jumpers and they were out.
“Lady Cosine!” A rather scruffy little dark haired boy came charging up to her, his thick black hair falling in his eyes. “Come and play with us!” He pushed his hair out of his eyes and reached out to grab her hand.
“Hello Ziya.” She replied dutifully following after him as she was dragged. He had certainly grown from the little boy she had first met in Baadris. They joined the back of the line as the chant started up again.

“Five for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret never to be told.”

“I’ve been learning more sums.” He told her, fidgeting on the spot as they waited. “Baba says when the sky returns he’ll teach me how to use them to travel by reading the stars and the sun.”
“Useful skills.” Cosine replied, giving him a nod. “Very useful. Will you return to your homeland?”
Ziya nodded. “Yes, if we can find it again. We miss the sand and being able to travel. Our people are not comfortable staying in one place.”
Cosine nodded and smirked a little, moving forwards. Just like Kou. She could tell when he was yearning for travel.

“Eight for a wish, Nine for a kiss, Ten for a time of Wedding Bliss.
When? One, two, three, four.”

Cosine smiled as she watched them count up. After twelve the rope hit the girl’s foot and they fell about laughing.

“Twelve years! I wonder who?”

Ziya looked up at Cosine and smirked a little.
“That means they’ll get married in twelve years. Stupid girl game.” he looked down at the floor and poked his bare toe at a stray piece of rock. “But jumping is fun.”
Cosine laughed and nodded, she breathed the scented air in deeply and looked over to the walls. They had been painted, she realised in repeating patterns and colours. geometric shapes made to form stars and flowers. As the chant continued she stared at them, feeling something, she was not quite sure what. A tension, or build up of power as though she wished to run and run.

“your turn!”
Number blinked out of her trance and glanced up, they were at the front of the line and it was indeed her turn. Smiling she gathered her skirts up in her hands and moved to stand next to the rope. It tapped her ankles twice before the children whipped it up. As it swung back down with a woosh she jumped and the rhyme began again.

One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret never to be told.
Eight for a wish
Nine for a kiss
Ten for a time of Wedding Bliss.
When ... One, two, three ...

As the count began she felt the feeling of tension build and build as though she was rising high, up out of her body, out through the roof and into the atmosphere. She was still jumping, over and over. A sudden rush of air blew through the dwellings, whipping up the dust and smoke, it spiralled, enveloping her. With a snap of air the goddess seemed to dissolve into the air, tiny particles spiralling as the count went higher and higher, the children watching with a mixture of confusion and excitement. Then, as it reached fifty the air stopped, the particles, millions of them came back together, one by one to make the shape of a woman, a goddess similar to the one that had been there before. Slowly they grew more solid. The winged form landed from her jump, the rope dropping to the floor, the count stopping.

As the dust and scraps of dress landed on the floor they revealed a winged woman of dark, green tinged skin. Hair, the colour of a crow’s wing fell around her face, tousled, the charm she wore in it clicking together as the tendrils settled. She was naked, bright green eyes taking in the audience that had gathered. She took a deep breath, blinked and slowly a smile spread across her lips, a giggle bubbling up from within escaping through them.
“Ooops.” She said with a laugh.


*From Blood Brothers by Willy Russell >> awesome musical, don't know if it's on Broadway but if it is go and see it!!
]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYYqSZScrhs

[midnight_medea]

4.I

~ The Kindness of Mortals ~

For a moment the entire caravan was silent, the children gawped at her. Cosine breathed in again, the scents were stronger somehow. She looked down at her arms, her skin was darker than before, browned with a shimmer of green. She flexed her wings, the span larger than before. She felt funny, stronger, whole. More confident and ... something else too. Somewhere a baby cried out for attention.
"I should go and see your parents." She said to Ziya who looked suitably shocked. Cosine turned, put one foot forwards then crumpled to the floor as her legs turned to jelly. She laughed at the stupidity of the action. She was really on her way to true rebirth and she couldn't even walk. Drunk, that's how she felt.

Isra was one of the first to move. As a judge and therefore a tribal elder it was her job to act. She picked up a cloak from the floor next to her and hurried over to the fallen goddess.
"Here." She said, wrapping it around her bare shoulders. "Let me help you."
"Thank you." Cosine replied, leaning on the taller woman a little as she stood, then hugged the cloak around herself. "That was rather unexpected. Do I look very different?"
Isra smirked and nodded. "Yes, quite different, though not unrecognisable."
"I was coming to see you about something, I'm sure that's why I was here."
"We'll get you some tea."

Moments later Cosine was sat in the comfortable surroundings of Isra's home, a blanket wrapped around her and a cup of steaming tea in her hands. A dark haired little girl watched her with interest, her doll forgotten. Cosine smiled at her. Isra's daughter, she had been just an infant when they had met in Baadris.
"I think I'm remembering slowly." She admitted as she sipped the tea. "I'm going on a journey ... with Ankou. Somewhere." Maybe more tea would help, she blew on it and took another sip.
Isra sat down next to her and handed her daughter a cup of tea mixed with water to cool it down.
"A big journey?"
"Hmm, yes. Oh, yes, into the world tree. Infinity found some people and a place that may have been something to do with number. We're going to find it and bring the people back." She laughed and shook her head. "Gosh, imagine forgetting something as important as that. I wanted to borrow some clothes from you. For travelling, if you have any to spare."

Isra smiled at the absurdity of a goddess borrowing clothes from a mortal.
"We really must find you a seamstress. But yes, of course you can borrow some things from me. You'll need a nice thick cloak, I have several, I'll show you how to wear it properly to give yourself a hood too. I'll also give you something to go home in, we can't have you wandering naked through the pantheon."
Cosine giggled at that thought. "Why not? I am a goddess after all." She winked to show she was joking. "Thank you, though Isra, you're very generous."
"No, I just believe in helping. In times like these it's important. Very important. You finish that tea and I will find you some things."
Cosine nodded and sipped her tea happily. She liked being surrounded by the warmth of these people. They had little left yet they were willing to give what they did have to those who needed it. It was just sad the world had to almost be destroyed to bring a sense of community back.