Mistress of Siren Cove

Chapter 21. Mistress in Training

Three years had passed since the events in Peru, and Elysia was nearing the age of thirty. Her mother was still the Mistress but was happy to cede more and more control over to her. Her mother had held the position of Mistress from the age of seventeen, and now she was fifty. The responsibilities were great, and the decisions hard. There were still things that only she could do, such as communicating with the old ones in the pool below the palace. But she was glad to hand the day-to-day work over to Elysia, who thrived on it. Although Elysia did look back fondly on the short time she was a field operative, she loved running the Palace and the island.

One evening, the Mistress sat in front of her fireplace with her daughter, trying to comfort her after a long day. "You will learn, daughter, as I did."

"How did you do it, mother, at seventeen, all alone?"

The Mistress was thoughtful, and said, "I was not alone. I talked to my mother often, and the old ones. Some days, at first, I would go down to the pool for counsel three times in a day. My mother scolded me, telling me I was hiding from the people who were there to help me, but I told her that they sometimes just helped themselves and made it harder for me."

Elysia was surprised, "But, in the pool, it wasn't your real mother."

"She seemed real to me," said the Mistress, "scolding me like I was ten or something, and bullying me to get back up there and face them."

Elysia shook her head slowly, "I just can't believe you did it. Maybe because I'm not the Mistress, they think they can run all over me."

The Mistress looked at her, sympathetically, "You are going to have to let them run sometimes, but also let them know when they have run too far. You have authority, and your own personal power, as long as you know where you are going, they have to follow. And I will back you up. When they see that I always support you, they will have to follow your lead and help you."

She continued, "And you, daughter, have spoken directly with the Mother Goddess. You touched her hand and took power directly from her. Few women have had that privilege. It shows the Goddess favors you, and it changes you. I also changed that night when we both held her hands."

"I dream of that night," said Elysia, "and how afraid I was for Connor. Sometimes, I tell myself it was just a dream, and things like that don't happen."

The Mistress looked at her, and said with certainty, "You know it was not a dream. It was as real as anything in this world."

"I know, mother. In my heart, I know, even if my American mind and education say it could not have been real."

"There is magic here," said the Mistress, "that is deep and old. Part of our work here is to protect and save that magic."

"And, mother, part of my job is to make sure I have plenty of daughters to follow me." She smiled at her mother. "I have a little surprise for you. There's another daughter coming."

"I knew that, daughter, as soon as you sat down. Your energy speaks clearly of a new being inside of you. When did you learn of it?"

Elysia smiled, remembering, "Last night, I knew I was fertile and told Connor it was time. We joined with each other for hours, both of us bathing my body in our love, and I knew immediately when I woke up this morning. As you say, the energy around me speaks clearly."

"Tonight, child, we will sit in the garden and give our thanks to the Mother. We need nothing from her right now because she has given us enough. Let us sit and give thanks to her from both of us, and from our people."

That night, the two women sat once again by the small fire, their faces, breasts, and wombs covered with the signs of the Mother Goddess. Their hearts were full of thanks for the good life they enjoyed, and the privilege they had of helping to protect the world in which they lived. As they sat, it seemed that one star grew bright, and they knew that their message of thanks had been received.

The End