Every Glistening Night

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Many moons pass. The light in the sky goes from faint slivers to a candle snuffed out, then back to a bare flicker. My routine returns to normal as I collect materials for dyes and weave extra swathes of fabric, mainly to help out the younger weavers who haven't quite gotten a hold of their queues. I continue to visit Mother, often bringing her more than half of one of my meals. There's fewer fruit to scavenge in the forest, so additional sacrifices are in order. She seems to be faring better. A lively shine has returned to her eyes, one I haven't seen in years.

Another packed day flies by, and I end the evening with Hannei and Yefto, as I so often do as of late. We sit in an alcove sunken into the rocky cliff. Airy notes ascend from Hannei's ciwien pipe. I pluck a few gentle notes, allowing the final one to dissolve into the night. Yefto sings a few lines from a traditional Nuotomin ballad. The laivo slots in between the words, weaving in and out of harmony.

"All shudder at the enchanting river,
A single touch for ice to enter
The beating heart at the center,
A shard is enough to make one shiver."

Fatigue pulls at my eyelids, and I lean back against the rock. Except for the stars and slivered moon blinking overhead, we're surrounded by darkness.

"A figure rises from mist and foam,
Clothed in blue and face serene,
She is but a glorious queen,
Admired as she sits upon a watery home."

A yawn parts my lips. Somehow, my fingers keep finding the perfect pitches to accompany Yefto, even when he improvises on the chords, embellishing the straightforward tune.

Yefto's rich voice sings the last lines. "Until tides rise, and the depths consume her." His voice descends while I favor the upper register of the laivo. A puff of sound from Hannei concludes the melody.

"That was lovely," Hannei says. "Any modifications for the tribal gathering?"

"We could blend a little more in the beginning," Yefto says. "Separate more slowly."

Hannei nods. "Celisae, any comments?"

"You both sound great," I say. If anything, I'm the youngest and most inexperienced of our small band. In other words, I need the most work. "Is there anything more I can do? Am I too loud, too soft?"

Yefto gives me a few, gentle comments. He even demonstrates some technique on the laivo. I drink in everything he tells me. Not only do I enjoy playing with Hannei and Yefto, it's a great opportunity to learn from those more experienced than I am.

"If you bite the notes just a little more at the beginning," he says, plucking the strings. "You can achieve a cascading effect while preserving each pitch's unique sound."

"Yes, thank you." I take the laivo back onto my lap, fingering some notes to get a feel for his suggestion. I add a little more articulation than usual to each one, but it disrupts their flow and comes out slightly choppy.

In the faint light, an encouraging smile spreads on Yefto's face. "You'll get a hang of it. All it takes is some practice."

"Yes." I grin in response.

"We'd better head to bed now," Hannei says, threading her arm through her husband's. "Good night, Celisae."

Hannei and Yefto leave, disappearing along the mountain path. I linger a moment longer on the cliffside, face craned toward the sky. So many stars watch me from above. I wonder if I'm as mysterious to them as they are to me. On occasion, I think of the starlight beam I spotted on the mountain peak. What would have happened if I had tried to catch it?

I push the thought away, and with it, a twinge of remorse. I know what would've happened. It either would've coiled into a tight ball that I could weave into a strand of thread, or I would've messed up the song and destroyed it. I'm pretty sure I know which of those two options was more likely.