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?”
“It is a very pretty name. And she chose it herself.” He put his hand out to touch the tiny form. “May the Mother always bless you, who sang to her in your first moment, my little Armishamai.”
“A noble sentiment and a fine name. Now go away and let Alessia sleep. She has worked hard. Go and tell the good news.” Rasifi shooed him out of the room and set about tidying up, not forgetting to whisper thanks in the direction of the moon.
“Thank you, too, for your help,” said Mohmi, Armishamai’s guide, who was sitting close to the baby, ready to soothe her if she woke and wondered what she was doing trapped in a body. The first few days were always the hardest, until they forgot and allowed themselves to become a baby.
Chapter 7
When Armishamai was a week old, Alessia started to discuss her naming ceremony and of course, the handfasting. Now that the baby was here, safe and well, it was appropriate to link her parents together formally, to work together to provide for her. Danthys suggested visiting Elena’s sanctuary cave, but Alessia was firm. She wanted to go home to Tylissos and ask Planidi to perform the swearing ceremonies.
“After all, she’s the reason I came here. If it had not been for Planidi, Armishamai might never have been born, we might never have met.”
“We’d have got you here, don’t you worry. We have Hetrion on our side, he hears his guide, so we only have to talk to her. Don’t you worry, he’d have offered to bring you here anyway.”
“I wonder if Hetrion is going that way soon, could we travel with him…” Alessia began to think about the phases of the moon, wondering if it might coincide with her
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?”
“It is a very pretty name. And she chose it herself.” He put his hand out to touch the tiny form. “May the Mother always bless you, who sang to her in your first moment, my little Armishamai.”
“A noble sentiment and a fine name. Now go away and let Alessia sleep. She has worked hard. Go and tell the good news.” Rasifi shooed him out of the room and set about tidying up, not forgetting to whisper thanks in the direction of the moon.
“Thank you, too, for your help,” said Mohmi, Armishamai’s guide, who was sitting close to the baby, ready to soothe her if she woke and wondered what she was doing trapped in a body. The first few days were always the hardest, until they forgot and allowed themselves to become a baby.
Chapter 7
When Armishamai was a week old, Alessia started to discuss her naming ceremony and of course, the handfasting. Now that the baby was here, safe and well, it was appropriate to link her parents together formally, to work together to provide for her. Danthys suggested visiting Elena’s sanctuary cave, but Alessia was firm. She wanted to go home to Tylissos and ask Planidi to perform the swearing ceremonies.
“After all, she’s the reason I came here. If it had not been for Planidi, Armishamai might never have been born, we might never have met.”
“We’d have got you here, don’t you worry. We have Hetrion on our side, he hears his guide, so we only have to talk to her. Don’t you worry, he’d have offered to bring you here anyway.”
“I wonder if Hetrion is going that way soon, could we travel with him…” Alessia began to think about the phases of the moon, wondering if it might coincide with her
Similar Books
