The First Sacrifice

Farewell

They knew I was the chosen from birth. As my mother labored through delivery ,medicine women danced around her with flaming sage purifying the room for the birth of the Chiefs first born daughter. Songs undulated on the tongues of elder women of the tribe. With every yelp from my mother came the keen of a choir of soprano voices.

Mother Earth you bless us
Another goddess you have set free
What shall her future hold
Love and Prosperity
We humbly accept your gift
Mother Earth you bless us

When I arrived on this earth the moon illuminated the sky and silence fell in the den where I was born. A hush fell over the village as my mother held me, a babe born in the deepest of sleeps, my skin the color of clay still wet.

Mother Earth you bless us
Mother Earth you also take away
Tonight we have found the chosen one
A gift you gave so freely
To soon to be taken astray

Just as I lay in my mothers arms her tears no longer ones of joy, I slept on unaware of what my life was to become.

20 years

"Eury, Eury! Eurydice-ila!" I groaned burying my face in the bison furs bellow me. My mothers voice trilled above me as she flitted around my den, a cozy little hole at the base of the mount. "Eurydice-ila, you must awaken you have to prepare for the climb to the peak." I rolled my eyes at the proper use of my full title.

"Mother, I loathe the title -ila must you use it." I asked sitting upright. Mother stopped her flitting and sat beside me in the bedding. "Eury, I would give my soul that you would not be called -ila, the title of chosen however is what you are, and as per tradition I must refer to you as such. The night you were born to me asleep I no longer was mother but rather caretaker of you my little goddess, my chosen one. Our savior..." She whispered the last words curling her fingers around my cheek resting them on my chin.

" I do not want to leave Mother." I told her softly flinging my arms around her. My whole life has been trials, archery, art, singing, dance, hunting, yesterday I passed them all. If the Chosen one could fulfill all these tasks to perfection then she truly was meant to be left at the mercy of the Dragon.

"I don't want you to leave, Eury, my flower. However your destiny doesn't lie at the bottom of the mount rather at the top. I have hope that what we don't know is pleasant that the Dragon cares for his treAsures the best of the best of us. The truth is Eury I don't know what awaits you up there." She hummed kissing my cheek.

"Mama... ." I begged. She smiled softly visibly strained by the set of her down cast almond eyes and soft brown skin.

"None of that Eurydice-ila. Come." She said with finality.

Mother bathed me with pumice stone and soap rock. She ground together mint and lavender and cleaned my teeth and tongue. She ran a comb through my curls as she washed my hair. She braided some strands hanging jade beads at the end of them. I hummed as she played with my hair. Desperately trying to hold on to this feeling. My last moments with mother.

Papa entered the den I knew because with him came the scent of wood fire and spices. "Eury-ila." He smiled keeping his eyes downcast warding me from his emotions. I sprung up my jade beads clacking together. I threw myself into his large arms, held me to his chest and for a second I felt like the little girl he used to hold and sing to after my brothers would make me cry.

Tears well up in my eyes again as I traced the black ink imbedded into his shoulder a right of passage for the men in my tribe. His dark skin rough at sight but soft as silk by touch. His long hair smelled of smoke and lavender, he must have been foraging in the valley this morning. "Papa don't let the dragon take me." He grunted tightening his hold before letting me go.

"Eury-ila being the chosen one is a great gift and a burden. If I could fight tradition and a dragon to keep you here with me, don't you think your father would. There is nothing I can do Eury... My hands are bound." He said softly. I looked at my parents the image of strength and resilience and was immediately set to tears at the thought of never seeing them again.

"I thought I'd have more time." I said with finality. Papa nodded. "Your brothers have prepared meat and bread for your trip. Tomas did the meal prepping and Jordan has made you a pack from deer skins, in it he has prepared flint stones and bedding."

I nodded. "I have sharpened your arrowheads and re tied your bow." Papa finished softly handing be the notched bow with the distinct Falcon feathers along lower limb. "Thank you Papa."

He smiled softly bringing. My mother under the crook of his arm. "Lunch is being served, a farewell party awaits us." I nodded following behind them. I looked back at my den as they walked ahead.

I said goodbye to the bison furs and the pictures I drew on the walls. I said goodbye to my baskets and bowls, and most importantly I said goodbye to my home. I let one last tear shed before I walked from the mouth of my home. I slung my quiver over my shoulder and my bow followed suit. I adjusted the sheep skin pants and tried to pull down the shrinking deer skin top over my stomach.

The village was silent as I walked, elders knelt at my feet. Watched as there parents lay prone as I past. Silent whispers of thank you and a few sobs of exaltation. The Shaman and Medicine women surrounded the bonfire throwing sage, basil and lavender into the fire sending an enticing aroma around the village. Their voice undulated in unison words we no longer used nor understood, the ancient language. Their voices were hypnotizing I swayed to their voices overtaken by my surroundings I danced.
I felt my bow and quiver removed from my body but I couldn't stop from dancing to thank that person.

My soul beckoned , to what end, I don't know. But when their voices stopped I was on my knees face pointing to the sky, my hands in the air my chest heaving with exhaustion. I opened my eyes and the stars were out. But when the dance began it was early afternoon. Confused I clutched my arms to myself.

A warm voice came from behind me a chuckle. "Sister you've finally finished...now we can eat." Jordan smiled. I turned to the angular face of my eldest brother his hazel eyes shone bright against the deepens of his dark brown skin. He helped me to my feet and to a chair and then knelt at mine bringing a red paste to my lips. I questioned him with my eyes and he smiled softly, his eyes wet.

"It is customary that the goddess doesn't feed herself in her last meal with the tribe. As your brothers we get to feed you, on last time we get to nurture our sister." Tomas answered bringing bread to my lips. I took the red paste from Jordan's fingers and then the bread. They fed me in silence eyes damp. Tomas, his fingers shook as his brown eyes and tawny hair and eyelashes blew with the wind. They then begun to sing.

Beloved Daughter
Cherished Sister
Tonight will come to an end
Chosen are you and with great hardship we let you go
Beloved Daughter and Cherished Sister
Whom we may never see again
Fellow ship with us on last time
A goddess among us you will be taken away
Our love for you, forever will stay

We wept quietly food forgotten. My brothers held me and wiped my tears. "Eury-Ila my heart will forever be with you, our little bumble be," Tomas smiled kissing my forehead. He stepped away before I could respond. "Eury-ila, our little goddess we love you, thank you for your sacrifice." Jordan said kissing my forehead.

Shaman Titiana came to me next sticking lavender flowers in my hair and rubbing my face. "Farewell Goddess." She said with finality.

Mother and Father brought my pack, bow and quiver and silently kissed my cheek before recessing into the crowd with Jordan and Tomas. My village stood behind me as I turned to the mount awaiting my feet.

Tonight I would climb the mount. Tonight I would meet the dragon.