Luna's Chosen Beloved

A Child

Lydia~~

"Lydia are you okay?"
I wanted to say no but nothing came out, my ears are ringing, sounding like people chanting. Alaina went to reach for me and the stasis broke, I began walking towards the opening surefooted as if I knew the path by heart. I could hear Alaina behind me but I really didn't register her presence. Something or someone was calling for me and when the temple rose before me I knew that it was calling me. This temple stood hidden from the world, it was complete, no destruction, no overgrowth of vegetation just pristine, but silent. The priestesses that occupied this place long dead, but it called to me. Alaina was telling me to stop and wait that something may be wrong, but a richer voice drowned hers.
"Come, you must become one with this temple, then you must send the child and a guardian with her back here. My priestess needs a home."
I stopped in the middle of the temple and was awestruck. It was as if it had never been abandoned, as if people still roamed its halls today. Alaina placed her hand on my arm and I turned to look at her.
"I need to send the child and a guardian here, the temple needs a new priestesses."
She nodded and took my hand, slowly leading me back to the cart. Once there I helped her inside and we continued our journey quietly.
"The village, we will be there soon."
I nodded towards where her gnarled finger pointed, the thatched roofs of houses peaking up from the valley. I walked alongside the horse as she rode in the cart, I could have rode alongside her but it seemed she was conversing internally and I didn't want to intrude. We entered the village, several people came out to speak with Alaina, some few to gawk at me. Alaina stopped the cart in front of a shop and I helped her out.
"Eric will be here shortly, he will see that the horse is taken care of. Take this and ask him to go with you to buy food stuffs. He will know what we need. I will be done shortly, and Lydia I know you do not know anyone but do try to socialize."
She gave me a smile to which I smiled back and nodded. It wasn't long after she entered the store that Eric was there.
"Hello, do you remember me?"
I smiled and held out my hand which he hesitantly took. I shook his hand and introduced myself
"Yes Eric I do, I am Lydia and I would like to say thank you for your help yesterday."
He smiled a sheepish smile and took to unhooking the horse. I watched him take the horse to a stall and once settled he came back over to me.
"Is there anything else I can help you with?"
I nodded  and held my other hand and showed him the pile of coins Alaina gave me.
"Alain said you could help me with the shopping?"
His laugh was sexy and his blue eyes crinkled in his face with his smile.
"I'd be delighted to, follow me."
I smiled back and we both walked over to what I'm guessing was a food vendor.
"Ahhh Eric, what can I do for you today?"
Eric motioned for me to hand over the coins and as I did he spoke to the vendor.
"I need double of the usual for A-mah also ask your wife if she has any clothes that can fit Lydia here, she is A-mah's guest."
The mans smile wavered as he looked at me, but then it was back.
"Not a problem, Helga, come here there is a lady that needs fitting."
A busty woman came from the back of the stall a smile on her face and an excited look in her eyes.
"Oooo someone new, nice to see you Eric,now introduce me so we can find something for this young woman."
After the introductions she got her measuring tape and took what seemed to be a billion measurements.
"Perfect, I can have something whipped up by the time my lout of a husband has the order ready, we will have the boys bring everything to A-Mah's cart."
Eric and I smiled a thank you and started our return to the cart. Once there we saw a woman having a heated argument with Alaina.
".....he's dead and I can not remarry with a brat on my hip. Please take her, I have no use and his family won't have her. "
"I will not take a child who is not an orphan...you know the ways."
Alaina's tone was one that offered pain upon continuation but the woman was adamant.
"If you don't I will leave her street bound. I will be with Gabriel and without a child to my hip, so help me goddess I will.."
"NOOOO, that is my brothers child, you can't just give her away like some toy you are tired of. I told you I would care for her."
The girl that walked up to join the conversation could not have been older than 16. The three women argued and the child wandered over to me. Her doe eyes were big and innocent, she couldn't be more than 3. As she got closer my ears filled with a ringing sound and I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She walked confidently over to me and held her hands up asking for me to pick her up. As soon as I touched her I knew who she was and what destiny awaited her.
"I'll take her."
The conversation stopped and as the younger woman went to protest I looked at her and said
"But she needs a guardian, you. Will you come with her? "
The young woman nodded cautiously as Alaina came over to me.
"Is this the child?"
I nodded and looked back at the child. Her smile was contagious and her purple tinted eyes shone. Alaina looked at the mother and sneered
"You will be barren, for you have forsaken a Luna priestess for your own wanton gains. Go, be with the man you want but you will never bear any more children."
The woman looked aghast and went to grab the child from my hands, my hand came up on its own as a voice that was not mine spoke
"No, she is mine. You will never see nor touch her again. If you continue to try my Beloved will kill you."
Everyone stopped and kneeled towards me, a whole town square and vendors kneeling. Alaina had Eric help her up as she walked over to me.
"Now I know why you are here. Come Lydia."
She turned to the younger woman
"What is your name child, and this child's name?"
"I am Kadence and my nieces name is Dana."
Alaina smiled and nodded her head and then touched Dana's cheek.
"Kadence run home and inform your parents the Luna has chosen you to be a guardian, meet us by the elders house and we will go from there."
The girl nodded and ran towards her home while the child's mother slumped to the ground and wept. Alaina snorted at her and then she hooked her arm in mine as Eric escorted us to his father, the elder, home.
"Alaina so nice of you to come see me, I thought you may have been upset with me. It's been so long."
He smiled and hugged her and from out of the house came a very angry woman.
"Are you here to try and steal my husband again?"
Eric groaned as his father chuckled.
"Mother A-mah has never tried to steal your husband, what they had was long before you and father were ever introduced."
The woman glared at Alaina and went back inside, the elder chuckled and offered us a seat at the table outside of his home.
"Now tell me what troubles you have stirred up today."
Alaina chuckled in return and told him about her meeting me and what has transpired from my dream to the temple and finally to what had just occurred in front of the shop Alaina had come from.
The old man looked at me, his face serious
"Welcome Beloved and I am so sorry."