Welcome to Gaia! ::

Sweat dripped off her face as she trained with her swords in the heat. V’demhe had carved out some time for herself so that she could stay sharp. Of course she had also made sure that the little ones were nowhere near her so that they wouldn’t accidentally get hurt. Dem’s blades were a whirlwind of steel. It was a wonder that she didn’t cut herself. As she went through all the moves she had trained over the years it was like second nature to her. They came just as easily as breathing did. Her muscles welcomed the known workouts.

The fading light of the sun glinted off the beads of liquid that speckled her skin. Some even pooled in small areas, like the small dibbet just above her collarbone. When the wind blew she felt a chill race from one end to the other. Dem wanted to push her body to it’s limits and then some. And she was well on her way to doing that. Already she was feeling the fatigue in her limbs and her breathing was coming in gasps. This was her motivation! Just when it seemed like her body was going to give out she pushed it farther. V’demhe was a stubborn one and she didn’t want her body to be anything less than what her mind was. She was a dangerous woman.

A shrill sound on the wind caused her ears and antennae to give a twitch but it sounded like something from nature so she ignored it. Likely a bird or some animals fighting in the distance. Pushing it from her mind she continued on. Another several minutes like that then she heard another sound that caused her to stop.

“Demmy!!” It was a desperate cry from her baby sister.

Instantly she paused in her training and turned in time to see Keket burst out of the tree line. She had tears on her face and she was running with her eyes shut. Clearly the little one had seen her big sister and made a headlong dash right for her. V’demhe dropped her swords before Ket reached her so that the youngling wouldn’t get hurt. “What is it Ket? What’s wrong?” When impact was made she had to put a foot behind her to avoid being toppled over.

“Its mom! Demmy! I dunno what happened!” The hysterical way she cried and shouted her words sent a different type of chill across Dem’s skin.

Her mother was elderly. She had been even when V’demhe was little. For the span of a second all she could do was stare at the ground. Then a choking sob from her sibling brought her back to the present. “Keket, I need to you go get a healer.” When she noticed that her sister was too busy crying to listen she pulled herself away from the little one’s arms. “Ket! Listen to me. Go get the healer. Where is mother?”

Her hand came up and she pointed off to where she had come. “We were walking by the creek.” V’demhe knew where that was so she nodded her head.

“Go get the healer and meet me back there ok?” When she got an affirmative from Keket she took off on foot.

Even though her body was exhausted and wanted to give out she pushed it. If ever there was a time she needed her body to be strong it was now. Puffing out breaths as she ran, Dem pushed harder and made her legs move faster. She needed to reach her mother and reach her now! So many things were going through her mind. Had V’denri fallen? Was she sick? Was it simply old age!? Or had she been attacked by something? Dem hadn’t gotten much out of her little sister so everything was left to the imagination. Aisha! Were her daughters there with her? Were they watching their grandmother die? “Nyah!!” The thought spurred her on even faster.

Weaving through the trees of Matori’s jungle, V’demhe was like a whirlwind of her own. When there was an upraised root she leapt over it without a second thought. Her footing was sure and her body seemed to understand the urgency. “Mother!!” She cried out desperately.

When she spotted her mother on the ground near the water she forced her legs to stop moving and slid in the dirt. Her abrupt stop caused her to meet the ground, sliding on her bottom, right by her mother. V’denri didn’t seem to be conscious. Dem feared the worst then and shuffled so that she was on her knees and gently lifting her mother up off the ground to be cradled against her. “Mother…” Her voice cracked. V’demhe didn’t know what to do. “Mother.. Wake up.” Even though she wanted to she had to resist the urge to shake her.

There was no response to her voice though. Her chest felt tight as she looked over her mother to see if she was injured. There was nothing that she could see. So Dem looked up and around to see if there was any clue as to what had happened. There was only one good thing that she noticed; Her daughters had not been there.

Ears and antennae drooped a considerable amount as she brought her eyes back to her mother. V’denri was still unresponsive. “No. No, Mother.. Open your eyes.” Panic was slowly creeping up on her. It was like her mind was freezing up on her. Lowering her head to her mother’s chest she checked to see if she was breathing. All color drained from her face when there was nothing to be felt or heard. No telltale whoosh of air. No rise and fall of the chest. Wide eyed and feeling cold she sat up and looked down at her mother in her arms. “No.. Mother… Moma..” A new kind of liquid pooled from her body now. Tears.

As she gathered her mother up and hugged her close she felt her body rocking back and forth as tears made their way down her cheeks. Dem shook her head over and over as she tried to deny what was in front of her. There was no way. Aisha wouldn’t take her mother away. Not like this. Not so soon. She had Keket to look after. V’denri was needed. “Aisha!! Ahhhhh!!” She threw her head back and screamed for her Great Mother to hear her. Water filled eyes stared up at a canopy flecked with sky. “Please! Aisha! Do not take her yet..”

Silence filled the air and V’demhe closed her eyes. Was she too far away from her Great Mother to be heard? Was that why her mother was leaving her? A sound off to the side that was suspiciously like breaking twigs caused her to turn her head. It was Keket. And she had brought the healer. However, even the healer knew from looking at Dem that there was nothing to be done. They looked stricken by the thought that they hadn’t gotten there fast enough. When V’demhe shook her head at them ever so slightly they seemed to understand the silent communication. There was nothing anyone could have done.

The healer turned to leave and let the two of them mourn in peace. Keket timidly approached, her eyes wide and glued to her mother. If it hadn’t been for Ket’s presence Dem likely wouldn’t have put her mother’s body down. But she did, gently. Then she wrapped her arms around Keket when the youngling tried to go to their mother.

“Mother!!!” Ket’s cry pierced through the air ad Dem’s heart.

“Shhh..” She tried her best to calm the girl, stroking her hair as she held her tight. V’demhe didn’t know what else to do. Death was not something she’d had to personally endure. Life, she had gone through. The joys of being given Galene and Masika and then of knowing Keket. That she was familiar with. But this… this was something new to her altogether.

“No! Demmy! Do something! Save mother!” The little girl fought with her sister tooth and nail. “Do something!” Keket struggled against her sibling until she was too worn out to put up much of a fight anymore.

The whole time Dem could only bear to shush her sister and stroke her hair. It was all the comfort she knew how to give at the moment. Feeling and hearing Ket’s struggled made it more and more difficult for V’demhe to remain in one piece. Once the child had calmed down enough to only marginally put up a fight Dem moved back so that she could look at her sister’s face. “I’m sorry Ket. Mother has gone to join Aisha.” The words were final and to the point. Something she wasn’t sure she really wanted to say but she needed her little sister to understand that V’denri was gone. “Aisha will take care of her.” V’demhe forced herself to smile as she nodded her head at her own words. "She will be embraced and loved by our Great Mother.” She had to be the picture of strength in Keket’s eyes. It tore her apart inside but she knew she couldn’t let Ket see her break down.

“But.. I didn’t get.. I didn’t..” The little Alkidike couldn’t get the words to form on her lips.

“I know. I’m so sorry Keket. You didn’t get the time I did with her.” Dem laned down and placed a kiss to her siblings forehead. “I will tell you all about her. Everything I remember.” It would in no way make up for the time she didn’t get with V’denri but it was all Dem could give her. The memories she had of their mother.

The despondent look on her siblings face made her pull Ket close again. They would go through this loss together. With one another, with the girls, and with Virain. Dem would learn how to deal with losing her mother. She would help her sister through it too.

“I’m sorry Ket.” Beyond words! V’demhe had gotten something that Keket had not and she now felt guilty.

“Demmy… will I have to live with someone else? Will the elders put me with another Alkidike?” Those quiet words had Dem freezing in place. She hadn’t thought about that. Would they take Keket away?

Instantly she shook her head. “No, Honey. You will stay with us. I will protect you and love you just as our mother would want.” Both mothers. V’demhe couldn’t accept that Aisha would take her sister away from her too. That wasn’t how she worked.

When it seemed like she had calmed her sister down enough she let go and shifted her focus back to their mother. V’denri’s body needed to be tended to. And she would need to be taken back to Aisha. V’demhe thought about the trip and wondered if her mother’s remains would make it there before they started to decay. Or could she hold the ceremony here and send her off into the water? Aisha would not be nearby but hopefully the Great Mother would understand. V’denri deserved to be sent to her looking as beautiful as she did now, not later. On top of all of that.. She had to explain to her daughters that they no longer had a Grandmuma. It was going to be a long night.

But first she needed to make sure that her mother had a sending off befitting an Amazon warrior in the service of Aisha. Dem would show Aisha what a loved woman she was getting back. As well as the heartache that was caused by V'denri's departure. The pain was more than anything she had experienced before and she had been shot with a crossbow in the chest as well as sliced open in the back. Physical pain, she decided, was nothing in comparison to what was balling up inside.

She had introduced Valharii to Masika and things had gone smoothly. Truly she was blessed with loving children. It seemed her waterbug had been just as concerned about the little girl as she had been. So now she sat, waiting for Masika and her friends to finish up their shopping, with Valharii sleeping in her arms. Or more accurately the girl was draped over her and clinging tightly. It was as if the little one thought that Dem would disappear if she didn't hold on. The thought made her worry about what would happen when she would have to return to Matori.

She couldn't just set the girl down somewhere and walk away. Physically, yes, she could. But there was a strong motherly instinct that screamed against the idea. Even if she hadn't been a mother already she couldn't see herself doing such a thing. So what were the remaining options? Trying to find someone to take the child in? V'demhe knew no one in Oba. There was Eleina, her daughter's friend, but she couldn't just hoist the youngling at her and be like “Here, home this.” Though, her eyes dropped to look at the sleeping girl, Valharii did share a general likeness with the other hybrid. They both had fire and water attributes. Though she was amazed with the fact that the smaller of the two girls had more prominent water markings on her skin.

Valharii whimpered in her sleep and that spurred Dem to reach up and stroke the girl's hair as she shushed her. Whatever was going on in her little mind had clearly scared her and V'demhe hated that even while she was safe in her arms the child felt that way. She slowly started to sway to and fro to help sooth the child back into a peaceful sleep.

There had to be something that she could do to help the girl. It was a shame she couldn't simply take her home with them when they left. Or could she? V'demhe had more or less adopted Draven. He was part of the family even though she had not beseeched Aisha for him. That boy was her son no matter what anyone else said. And she had a fierce protective streak when it came to her children. Valharii would certainly be well cared for if Dem were to bring her into the family. But there was the fact that Virain was not there to give his opinion about the situation.

Truly, the Amazon hated making family decisions like this without her mate there by her side. It effected him as well. Another mouth to feed and make sure was clothed. Since she wasn't sure what to do V'demhe started to chew on her lip ring. It was a habit she'd developed as a girl and still continued to do today. The Alkidike did it whenever she needed to think about something serious. It was a dead give away for her really. One that said, “Hey I'm over here considering something important.” If ever there was something that could be called such it was this. Not only would it change the child's life but it would alter that of her families life as well. Could she do that without first speaking to them all?

Masika had seemed okay enough with the idea that she didn't worry about her. Draven was surely not going to have an objection. Though if he did then Dem would sit down and listen to it. Never would she want him to feel that he was less than any other member of the family. How would Galene feel? Would her other daughter be alright with having a younger sister? One that was so different than her? And Virain? Would he be alright with such a turn of events?

With her twin girls being so different from each other to begin with she didn't think that Galene would have an issue with the way that Valharii looked. She might worry about not getting enough attention though. Not that Dem would ever ignore one of her babies. They were Aisha's gifts to her. Even Draven. Aisha had made sure that he was put in her path. So that left Virain. The mate that had captured her heart. V'demhe could only hope that he would want her heart still after she took in a child that was in need.

That was decided then! V'demhe would take Valharii with her when she made the trip back to Matori. Of course there was a lot to be done before they set out now. She needed to find a place to wash the little girl up and also get her new clothes. The dirty rags that she was in now wouldn't work for travel. And since Valharii seemed a bit light to her she wanted to see about getting the girl a decent meal in her before they set out to anywhere. When Masika came back she would let her know about the choice she was making then ask her for a little help. Since the child was clinging to her and sleeping, for what could be the first time in how long, Dem doubted she would get any actual shopping done if she went. So her daughter and her friends would get to go shopping yet again after they returned. Something that would surely make them happy.

V'demhe chuckled as she shook her head. Now that Valharii had calmed down in her sleep Dem moved her hand down so that she could rub at her back. The mother kept swaying, not wanting to risk waking the sleeping youngling. From now on she would ensure that Valharii's nights included this. A tight hug from someone that cared for and loved her. Safety. It was what all children deserved and she would make sure this one had it too. Just as her girls had. Just as she gave to Draven. Though the older boy didn't get rocked to sleep. He was a bit big for that. Though the idea was an amusing one.

V'demhe hadn't been home to the isles is such a long time that she hadn't quite left when she'd slipped away from the gathering of sisters to figure out what was going on. Instead she had made a trip to see Aisha. The sight never ceased to amaze her. Their goddess was truly beautiful and provided so much for them. In fact she could still remember when she and her husband, Virain, had come to Aisha with their pleas for a child. They had both been so nervous.

Dem was worried that her lover would be harmed during his trip to this sacred spot but no one had dared to touch him. She would have readily cute off the arm of anyone that tried to hurt him. He had been so much for her. He still was. Virain was her heart. It didn't matter that he was gone now, he still held her heart.

As she stared at the place where they had sat beneath Aisha's leaves she felt prickles at the backs of her eyes and knew tears were starting to form. Before she even had a chance to blink or close her eyes they dripped from the bottom lids and onto her cheeks. An uncontrollable response to the emptiness of her heart. Dem missed Virain. She wanted him and her other daughter back more than anything in the world but she knew by now that if they had not been found or returned on their own that there was little chance they would return in the near future.

A strangled sound of heartache escaped her and she moved toward the spot she had been staring at. It held one of her most precious memory. The moment that she and her lover had had such faith in one another that they had called upon Aisha to bless them for the rest of their lives. When she reached that spot she stopped where Virain had sat and lowered herself to the ground. At first it was to tell herself that she would never lose those memories but the tears grew more bountiful. V'demhe placed one hand on the ground and the other to her chest where her heart ached. [clor=darkgreen]"Virain... Galene..." A gut wrenching whisper of pain spoke their names and she sat for a long time afterwards in silence.

When a few hours had passed and her tears were dried and only the sound of rustling leaves could be heard she took a deep breath and raised her head to look at Aisha. Her pain was known by her goddess, she knew that, not only did she believe that Aisha could sense it she had just displayed her grief at her mother tree's very feet. A breeze moved her braid along her back and kissed the salt that clung to her cheeks, coaxing her to shift her position and lower her head to the ground. Once she was humble enough she lifted up just enough to speak to her goddess.

"Aisha.. if it please you to help the ache I feel from their absence.. I beg you to bless me with a child in his image. My sweet Virain was worthy of you once." Dem knew that her plea would likely fall on deaf ears since Virain's voice was not added in. She would not get a bloom like she had gotten before. There would be no other waterbug gifted into her life. Still... she had to try. "He is gone from me, Aisha. I cannot find my love but surely you can tell I am sincere. Grant me another child like him so that my pain will lessen." Her hands gripped the grass in front of her tightly as if she were grabbing onto her mother's robes, though she did not pull. Instead V'demhe rested where she was, the ache in her heart laid out before Aisha, and stayed vulnerable as she waited for some sign that her great mother had heard her cries.

In truth she did not think that her mother tree would respond to her. Not only did she lack her mate, the very one she wanted to have a child made from his image, but there was something weird going on in the world and it might not be safe for blooms. Let alone a youngling. Not that she couldn’t keep a child safe, she had been doing so for many many years and not just her own but those she chose to adopt. In the long run she guessed she could always adopt more kids who were in need but they would not be like her Masika and Galene. They would not have traces of Virain in their looks. V’demhe never looked at her other children differently but she knew deep down that wished for her mate to return to her. The family she envisioned having with him was too far out of reach now so she wanted to make more of a family that fit her.

She felt selfish for even asking for another child since she had so many already and there were more out there that had lost parents due to conflicts but Dem couldn’t help it. Being home, being back on the isles, and seeing the very place where she and her lover had begged for the start of their family, for the validation from Aisha that they were worthy… it all came back to her and made her want to seek the very same blessing again. Perhaps it was wrong of her but she couldn’t help the strong pull that she felt. After all these years without Virain she wanted to try and heal the gap that was left by his absence.

V’demhe rose her head once more to look at her mother tree. “Please, Aisha, end my suffering.. Grant me a bloom with the likeness of my lost lover.” In this private moment she felt a sense of weakness that she had never felt previously and knew that if it were seen by any of her sisters they would likely look down upon her. Still, after giving one last vocal plea Dem closed her eyes and lowered her head back down to deal with her feelings in silence.