The days pass without incident and it isn't long before we are all called to a meeting. I fly to the palace and find the twins, Claesus and Anset, huddled in a corner speaking in hushed tones. I make my way over to them and sit in their company where we enjoy mindless prattling even as her brother tries to steer the conversation toward macabre subjects.
Cleus steps forward, marking the beginning of the meeting and all sounds cease. She places a jar on the table. "I have an announcement," she booms for all to hear. "A new creation of my own design and what's more..." She removes the cover. "Completely female."
In the container is a strange creature and I step forward to get a better look. It's a little girl with long, bright hair and a fish tail. It swims about in the constricting environment using what little freedom it possesses to try and break the boundary in futile fashion. It's a fascinating spectacle that has everyone speechless.
"She is a true companion," Cleus carries on and taps the glass, annoying the lone occupant. "One who can follow me wherever I go."
Creus steps forward. "Except on land," he scrutinizes as he points out the fish tail.
"What?" Cleus shoots back and turns to face the speaker.
"Anywhere except on land given her lack of legs," Creus clarifies and twists his chin. "And the sky, now that I think of it."
Cleus is crestfallen, her great achievement has been reduced to nothing.
I decide to cheer her up. "Are there more?" I ask and advance to her side.
Cleus' face suddenly brightens. "Loads more," she declares and throws an arm around my shoulder. "They just keep laying eggs without the assistance of a male. A purely female species."
An applause erupts from all gathered with Creus being noticeably without mirth.
"Come with me child," Cleus speaks directly to me and practically scoops me off the floor. "You'll be the first to see my creations swimming in the ocean, near my islands." She grabs up her jar and flies me off to our destination.
We soon land upon the shore and my grandmother opens the jar, pouring its content into the water. The little fish girl splashes about and is soon joined by a myriad of her kind, all splashing about. They look as though they are having fun with the innocence that can only belong to creatures who have only just been born.
"Great goddess Cleus," a woman addresses her superior as she approaches with bowed body. "All is prepared."
"Good, I shall be there momentarily," the water goddess speaks to the woman who hurries off before focusing on me. "Stay here dear. I shall only be a moment and you won't want to miss what comes next."
"Thank you grandmother," I respond with a bow of my head and watch her walk away.
I return to the mermaids who are gathering closer to the shore. I sit down upon the ground and allow my feet to dip into the water as I reach out and stroke their hair and scales. They start to pull at my body. It would seem they'd like me to join in the fun they're having and I have no reason to refuse.
I'm just about to jump inside when a strange liquid begins pouring out of a hole in the nearby rock. The aquatic creatures swim with intense energy and fight each other to drink up every drop. I have a sickening feeling I know what is pouring into the ocean and it isn't helped when red chunks flow from the hole.
The mermaids' fury intensifies and they display sharp claws and teeth which they employ against each other as well as the morsels pouring upon them. I'm still in the midst of wondering over the strange contents when a man's head pops out entirely dispelling all other probable solutions.
I am nearly sickened watching the aquatic monstrosities tear the meat into tiny pieces and fight each other over the morsels. I start to physically withdraw and can feel my stomach churn in the wrong direction. I need to get away from here and now. I prepare to take to flying out of this nightmare.
A hand claps on my shoulder and a shiver runs down my spine as I check my step. "Beautiful," aren't they?" Cleus, the possessor of the hand asks. "So wonderful in their sheer savagery, wouldn't you say?"
I crane my neck. "Yes grandmother," I reply despite not agreeing as I swallow at a hard lump in my throat. "They certainly are wondrous creatures."
After that we both fall silent. The goddess of water is simply too proud to speak and I'm trying to keep from retching. I'm only too happy that I don't consume food else I'd likely never eat again. As I stand there, not daring to move under the weight of the hand still on my shoulder, I notice something from the corner of my eye.
A drip of red runs down Cleus' lip. I don't dare ask about it for fear of the answer and return my eyes to the feeding frenzy still taking place in the water below. The more I watch the less I am enthralled and would have given anything for an excuse that would have taken me away, even a planet wide crisis.
"Ah, I could watch these creatures all day," Cleus gushes and pats my shoulder. "Alas we are goddesses and have responsibilities to see to."
I give a nod that in no way shows my appreciation over being released and fly away at a respectable speed until I'm far enough away and blast myself to the moon. Here I let myself decompress and do my utmost to wash all the images out of my head while I gaze upon the stars and I stay there till another meeting is called.
We all gather and this time it's Creus who has a surprise. "Dear family," he announces to all and takes center stage. "I have come up with my own creation, a miracle if you will, far superior to that of a simple fish girl. One that can cross both earth and sky."
"Well," Cleus says as she steps forward. "Where is this miracle of yours?"
A wide smile crosses Creus' lips. He whistles and a strange being flies into the midst of us. It's a man, as is evident by his nakedness, with massive wings. "A true companion," he continues as he displays the specimen. "One that can follow me anywhere."
"Not under the sea," Cleus snips and crosses her arms.
"And why should I want to go there?" Creus throws the notion back in her face and fixes her with a hard gaze.
Cleus is silent. She'd fallen for his trap, twice.
This time I don't have any words to cheer her with and watch as she slowly fades away while others approach the anomaly. I follow after her as she retreats to her part of the world. I follow after and catch her, just as she's about to delve beneath the waves where her inner-sanctum lies, away from prying eyes.
"Grandmother," I address her, my hands taking hers. "It may be true that grandfather's creation is superior when it comes to walking or flying, but it's simply not a pretty creature. The hard features of a man, the ugly wings of an ugly bird. It simply cannot compare."
Cleus throws her arms about me. "Thank you," she says, tears in her eyes.
We hold each other tight for some time, till both our tears run dry. Then we part company and I head for the moon. I need to do some thinking and there's no place better for it. I'm surprised to find someone already there. Slowly, I approach and stand beside them, as they gaze into the outer recess.
"It's wonderful, isn't it," Rajesh speaks without looking away.
"Most beautiful," I return, but there are matters other than the stars on my mind. "Great aunt, where did you come from?"
Rajesh sits me down. "We come from far, far away, on a distant planet, but don't ask me about it since, from the moment I was able to conceive a proper thought, I along with my siblings were pushed out," she relays her tale as she gazes into my eyes. "We flew through space, encountering stars and comets and planetoids. Then we came here and took the planet from its native giants. Four of us stayed behind, you know them as the other gods and I was preparing to leave." Her eyes moisten. "Then your grandfather, Creus, had his way and I was forced to stay behind, forced to give up the stars, to never sail through the galaxy again. All I can do is fly to the firmament, the boundary which I can't pass, but that was going to change. I had a vessel." She pats the ground. "This vessel, but again, it was Creus who denied me."
"Why not use it to fly away now?" I ask and focus on her.
"Because it's no longer mine it's yours," Rajesh explains and paces about. "Your grandmother, Descarta, provided the rock and I provided the otherworldly power, but then it was taken away."
I look into her sullen face. "Are you saying that you are my mother?" I query as I stand up while a storm roils within me.
"I am," she declares as she nods.
"Why then have you never declared me?" I demand while quietly seething.
Rajesh steps up to me and lowers to her knees. "Because I was a selfish goddess who thought of no one else but myself," she lays bare the truth as she looks into my face. "But your indomitable spirit has changed me."
I gaze upon the goddess kneeling before me while the storm rages within. I want to forgive her, but I can feel a gap widening before us. I feel betrayed by one who should have loved me from the start. All I can do is keep from railing against her with a tempest comprised of my time in isolation, but I am losing the fight.
"I need time alone," I blurt and turn away.
"I, I understand," Rajesh responds and I can feel her head droop. "I will give you your space."
I turn around.
Rajesh reaches out for me, but checks her step. "I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me," she implores while holding herself still. "You will find me in my palace. I only hope you visit me soon." With that she flies away and leaves me to myself.
My solid wall crumbles and I drop to my knees. "Mama, mama," I blubber and slap my fist against the ground. "Why did you leave me?!"
Of course there is no answer and I roll onto my back and stare up into the infinite as I pour myself out. The stars twinkle for me all the more as I gaze upon them throughout the deluge that dapples my eyes. I bring my emotions under control and let the inky, star spackled blackness soothe my soul.
I gaze upon the twinkling lights and find my sorrow being replaced by anger that threatens to spill over into rage. I fly off to the world below and hover over the trees as I gaze upon the land below. It isn't long before I spot my quarry. Descarta is busy overseeing the farmers planting a new crop.
I land and walk right up to her. "Hello mother," I address the goddess of the land while injecting as much venom as I can into the second word and giving a hard stare.
"Daughter," Descarta returns in a cold voice and looks down on me from her higher stature.
"Then you knew," I accuse her while trying to hold back my surprise.
"I have always known," Descarta puts to me and folds her arms.
"And you abandoned me?!" I blurt as I can no longer hold myself back.
"I did not abandon you," Descarta defends herself while maintaining a calm composure. "I simply did not correct Heliot when he declared you had no parentage."
"And how do you feel about me now?" I proceed while riding the intensity of my roiling emotions.
"I feel nothing for you," Descarta chooses her harsh words, but remains a degree above ice cold.
"You gave me life and left me to the coldness of space?!" I persist as I remember those first uncertain days.
"I merely gave a gift to my sister so that she might fly through the stars," Descarta deflects while softening her stance. "And since you weren't born immediately following the sharing of our powers I thought that you might never be born."
I want to say something, but I can't find the words. I'm still angry but the cold logic put before me has me checking my step and I can't find a thread that will allow me to retort. I'm frustrated to say the least and find myself huffing in sheer futility as I cross my arms and gaze with all the intensity I can at the woman who should have been my mother from the start.
"Don't sweat it little one," the land goddess speaks to me and pats my head. "I've been around a lot longer than you and have learned a lot more than you can dream." She doesn't wait for me to respond, she just walks away.
I'm still completely stymied, but recognize that I won't change it by hanging around here. I take to the sky and fly by at top speed hoping the fresh air will help to declutter my mind. It doesn't but it does yield the location of Heliot. He stands upon a cliff gazing off into the expanding blue and watches the fish splashing below.
"Father?" I address him as I land within arms reach of him.
"Daughter," he acknowledges my presence as he turns around and embraces me. "It has been far too long since last we held each other."
"I quite agree," I breathe as I look into the eyes of my benefactor. "Father, there is something I need to discuss with you, a matter of some delicacy."
"Speak to me child, I will listen," Heliot entreats me and puts me to arm's length.
I give a nod. "I've just come back from speaking with Rajesh and Descarta regarding my lineage," I proceed with the utmost caution as I choose my words carefully. It is not my wish to level an accusation. "And they had quite the tale to tell me."
"You are their daughter," Heliot lets the words slip from his lips and is noticeably forlorn.
"You knew?" I utter and find it more and more difficult to keep from an accusatory tone.
"It shames to say that I did not," Heliot admits and tears start to pool in his eyes. "But the pieces you have brought to me could only be connected as such. And now that I think on the matter with a clear head and concise purpose I can see that such a parentage would be the answer." He goes weak and collapses into me as he sulks. "Can you ever forgive me?"
I take his full weight upon myself. "There is nothing to forgive, father," I assure him and give a squeeze to allay his sorrow. "You did not know, therefore none of the blame rests with you."
"You still call me father, even after I estranged your parentage?" Heliot queries as he lifts his eyes a few degrees.
"Of course I do," I assure him and wipe a tear from his eye. "You were there when I needed you the most and that's all that matters to me."
"Daughter, you know exactly what to say," Heliot gushes and gives a squeeze.
The two of us break from our embrace and sit ourselves upon the edge as we lean against one another. We gaze at the fish below and watch the sun sink lower as darkness grips the sky and twinkling stars dapple the firmament. It's absolutely perfect and we allow time to march at a slow pace as we enjoy the scene and I drift into a half conscious state.