Despite the Angels - By Madeline A Stringer Page 0,22
making themselves beautiful. But their mother prevailed, telling them that an hour’s sleep would add more to their beauty than any amount of kohl; so for a short while peace fell over the household.
At dusk, they gathered outside the house and their friends and relations brought their dishes and arranged the food on the tables for later. Two old women, who did not want to climb the hill to the sanctuary, because of bad legs in one case and shortness of breath in the other, were given seats near the tables and instructed to guard the food from marauding creatures, “with four legs or two!” They were given some wine to help them with their duties, and with much laughter about the value of two sleepy old ladies as guards, the rest of the group set off towards the sanctuary hill.
They were met on the way to the hill by Planidi, who called those people who could play an instrument to the front of the crowd and had a brief discussion with them. Then she turned and led the party up the hill, followed by the musicians. She sang an ancient chant to The Mother and the musicians accompanied her. The older people, who had heard this chant more often, were able to join in, so some of the group reached the top of the hill quite out of breath.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Alessia whispered to Danthys. “This is where I got the message that I was to go to Mikolos. It has to be a special place.”
“It will be special for you, Alessia, because you make it special for yourself. It is beautiful. Always be aware of beauty, and teach Armishamai to see it too.”
Alessia lifted Armishamai up to look around her, whispering in her baby ear. Planidi was drawing a circle in the dust inside the sanctuary stones. She called Alessia and Danthys forward to stand with her inside the circle and everyone else jostled around, to get the best view. Planidi held up her double-sided axe to the moon, now rising above them.
“Hail, Mother, guardian of us all, and especially this day of this baby, named in your honour.” She went on with the prayer, mentioning all the spirits who would have a part to play in the lives of the little family beside her. Eventually she came to the actual naming.
“And she came into this world in your light, the light of the moon, and is to be named Armishamai which means Moonsong, so that she may sing your praise and walk in your light always.” Planidi turned to Alessia, “hold her up to the moon, so that she is in front of it. That’s right, up high.” And when Alessia had stretched her arms up to the moon, holding her daughter, Planidi touched the end of the double axe to Armishamai’s forehead and started some ancient incantations. The baby put out her fat little hands and gripped the blades of the axe, causing a ragged cheer from the watchers. Niklon, standing at the back of the crowd, smiled silently to himself.
“Stop reading bad futures into everything. It is not good for you to be wishing bad for others,” Roki was standing in front of Niklon, staring into the smug face. “Come on now, be happy for them and for this baby. Let go of wanting Alessia. She is not yours. Not this time.”
“Why is it good if she grabs the axe?” whispered Danthys to Alessia, who although she was not entirely sure herself, whispered back that it was probably because Armishamai would be more connected with The Mother as she had grabbed her symbol herself.
“Now, the vows” said Planidi.
“Be careful, now. Don’t vow anything you aren’t sure you can fulfil.” Jotin looked around at Trynor, who nodded. “Yes,” he agreed. “we have to be careful here”. They listened as Planidi asked Alessia and Danthys if they would vow to stay together, to look after Armishamai.
“That could be all right. Depends on the wording.”
“So, now that you have named your baby in the light of the moon, you must vow to stay together and care for her until she comes safely to adulthood.”
“NO!” said Trynor and Jotin together. “You can’t vow that. Too much can go wrong. The world is too risky a place. Too many babies and children die. Just say you’ll do your best. No Vow. NO!”
Alessia shuddered, as a sudden cool gust blew across her. Danthys reached out and took her hand. He smiled