The first rumble of power brought her attention back to the here and now. She was close to the tree of the god.
Beneath the thick canopy of the forest, the thin morning light was nearly non-existent, yet Aveta could see clearly. A golden glow pulsed in front of her in time with the throb of the tree’s power.
However, as she drew closer, it was the brook that called to her. The water sounded as though it were calling her name.
Trusting her instincts, Aveta moved to the stream and knelt on the bank. She lowered her left hand into the water, the hand that bore the mark of the goddess.
Suddenly, she felt as though she were being pulled under, yet her body had not moved. She sank into water that was not as it appeared. It was not liquid, but light.
“My daughter.”
She turned, squinting against the brightness, and found a woman standing in front of her. The illumination seemed to come from her skin. Aveta lifted a hand to shield her eyes and the glow dimmed.
She gasped at her first glance of the woman. She was incredibly beautiful. Her skin was pale and flawless, completely untouched by the sun. Her black hair swayed against her shoulders and back, the color shimmering with an undertone of the deepest, darkest blue. Her eyes were the same color, yet they shimmered like the surface of a body of water in the moonlight. They were fathomless, holding all the knowledge of the universe, all the joys and sorrows. She seemed familiar yet Aveta could not place her.
Aveta fell to her knees, bowing her head, for she knew she was in the presence of the goddess. “Goddess.”
A slender, pale hand lifted her chin so that their eyes met once again. “You shall call me Mother, for I am the mother to all life.”
“Yes, Mother,” Aveta agreed.
“Rise and tell me your troubles, my daughter, for I can see them written on your very soul.”
Aveta stood on trembling legs, her heart suffused with warmth as the goddess used the same words as her own mother often had.My daughter. It had been an endearment rather than a title. “My beloved has been cursed, Mother. He is dying.”
The goddess gestured to Aveta’s abdomen. “And he is the father of your babe,” she stated.
Aveta nodded.
The goddess cocked her head to one side and studied Aveta. Her eyes seemed to look straight into Aveta’s soul. The harsh expression softened into one of tenderness.
“Do not look so frightened, my daughter. You have come seeking my help and, in this instance, my help you shall receive. There is one in league with the darkness and I cannot allow evil to win this particular battle.” The goddess smiled gently. “Lie down, Aveta, mother of a new age, and I shall show you the oldest of magic. I have no doubt that the knowledge will be safe in your hands.”
The goddess led Aveta to a large rock, its shape smooth and worn by years of water running over its surface. When she lay down, the surface was soft and comfortable rather than hard and cold as she expected.
“Mother?” she asked.
“You will be safe,” the goddess promised.
Aveta nodded, reclining back on the rock.
“Close your eyes,” the goddess prompted.
Once she had done as she was told, Aveta felt the cool touch of the goddess’ fingers on her forehead and the press of her hand over her heart.
“The old magic has been lost for generations,” the goddess explained. “My mate and I have searched for many years for one such as yourself, Aveta. One who has both the strength and wisdom to possess our power. One who can temper that power with compassion and love. Too many seek our blessings for whattheywill gain from it rather than what they cangive. As mother and father of this land, the god and I care for all its people as our own children.” She paused. “Yet children must sometimes be deprived if they do not appreciate the gifts they are offered.”
Aveta stiffened slightly and the hand over her heart patted her gently.
“Do not worry, my daughter. I have seen into your heart. You appreciate the gifts the god and I gave you years ago. You have used them to help many, even those who are ungrateful and cruel. I think you will use any blessings we bestow upon you for the good of others.” The goddess laughed softly. “And I would not mind if you used them for the good of yourself once in a while.”
“Yes, Mother,” Aveta replied, uncertain how to respond to the goddess’ words.
“Are you ready to begin?” the goddess asked.
“Yes.”
Aveta was unsure of what to expect. Then the goddess’ cool hands began to warm on her skin, growing hotter and hotter until sweat dewed Aveta’s skin. She grew dizzy as whispering voices murmured incantations in her mind, echoing quietly. Then there were words of knowledge that filled her ears, information that she had never thought she would possess.
