Lifelight: Calypso Returns

16.

Memorial day was a holiday to remember the great war and celebrate the gains made by Saire since. Preparations started early with prayers to and for Calypso. Hera actually felt them like a shot of whisky every time someone invoked her.

There would be a party (Hera refused to say royal ball) at the palace in the capital. A dress had been chosen, Mika had laughed so hard she fell off her seat. Hawa had her on regime of nasty potions to undo Diira's cloaking.

"Must you go?" Hera asked.

"Yes, the does cannot be alone too long." Wouleck said.

"Send them my best. Thank you for your tribute and your kindness." Hera said.

"It has been our greatest honor." Wouleck said.

"Go well, Wouleck."

"Thank you, Sithera."

There was a buzz in the air the night before Memorial day. Guests were arriving from all of Saira at the invitation from the king and queen.Hera waited to hear that nobles from the Court had arrived, she wanted to see Ardan.

Lam was leaving the cottage for the holiday. He said that he needed the break to visit his home but she sensed that he was lying. The Guard was on full time duty so Hera spent the day alone.

Hawa came in to make sure that the cloaking was gone. There was no probing, something to be grateful for. She then started on her hair without saying a word. Hera sat quietly and tried not to wince. It felt so much like Sunday afternoons with Khatya that her tears stung.

"Am I hurting you?" Hawa asked.

"No."Hera said.

"What is it Hera?" Hawa said.

"I don't know. I feel this kind of slow panic at something. Everyone keeps saying that something horrible is coming and I don't want it to but I can't stop it and I don't know what to do. And I hate the stupid sea green dress and the stupid ball." Hera said, "Aunt Khatya would know what to do. She was always so solid, so sure."

"Khatya was pure light, I remember. Kai said you would feel this way and he said to tell you that if you make it through the night, you can have all the rum cake and coconut cotton candy that you want." Hawa said, "Clio and Diira will be attending as well."

Mika was her personal guard for the night. The official uniform was black,cream, and royal blue. It made her look lethal. She was all business that night. The cloak was off, danger lurked just around the corner.

The Sol Saira palace was magnificent, like walking into Olympus. The mood changed when she walked in, not a Cinderella at the ball change, but enough for her to start sweating. The food was amazing, the music superb, and the people lovely. She could not wait to leave.

"Everyday of waiting has been worth it to see this day, your highness."

"Your exalted holiness, accept the Dylano Family's tribute and promise of loyalty."

"Bragath of the Court, in service to your holiness."

It was crazy. With Wouleck and Jilo, the exchange had been sincere, she had been grateful for their promises even though she was not sure what they were talking about. With the people at the party, it was all thinly veiled bullshit.

Clio and Diira flanked her as noble after noble promised continuing loyalty. Clio thought it was all hilarious, Diira was less amused.Hera felt Calypso more powerfully that she ever had. It was as though she was standing right next to her too.

The meet and greet was interrupted by the music picking up. The guests scattered to dance and Hera gulped down her drink. All the cotton candy in the world was not worth this. The doors opened as a new song started, three men walked into the hall. They were thin and pale,like the man at the tent who bragged about catching leviathan.

Her circle of guards drew closer to her. She knew them. Hera caught herself sniffing and thought how absurd it was for her to do it. The dark cloud was right above her, the storm starting to swirl. They mingled with the crowd and appeared to be very popular. Awkward glances were thrown her way by a few of the pledging nobles who now seemed to be at a loss.

Mika was with her as the master of ceremonies started to speak. He was talking about Memorial day, welcoming everyone, making jokes only rich people laugh at. He asked everyone to take a moment and respect the glorious dead. She was nearly home free when the band started to play the dirge.

They were playing the siren call of the nymphs. This was not a memorial,it was a celebration. The victors, cowards, and traitors congregated here to glory in the spoils. Hera turned at the sound of the music,shock and pain coursing through her.

She remembered that day, Azmythica was falling. Surkha and her nymphs were first. Their fires held the demon hoard back for days but they died at the obsidian tips of noble arrows. The Gauzhir clan's archers could not reach the water nymphs, so they paved the way for the demons who took the villages. Men and women who had refused to abandon their queen jumped into the water or were murdered by the demons.

The water nymphs stood. The enemy ships could not reach the temple island. There the queen sought guidance from Calypso. The goddess was keeping the planes closed, the hoard was reaching for earth. It was enough that Saira was falling, earth could not die as well.

News of the covenant came to the queen through the earth and air sprites.If Calypso lived, the demons would be held back. The queen made her choice and she called on the nymphs to help. They stood around the altar and the passed the blade among them, the queen drew her blood last. Their lifelight left them slowly, they died on the temple steps having saved their goddess.

Hera died a thousand deaths. Those who had not been murdered were drowned.The nobles and demons tore through her land and destroyed it. Her queen, her people...all gone. The storm made landfall and she thought it would kill her. Grief like she had never known sat on her heart. The earth sprites, her sisters, had been executed. The air sprites were captured and kept as pets. The water nymphs gave their last to Nia Balarios and sent her to earth, then they took Azmythica into the sea with them.

Pain clawed at her. There was nothing, there was no one. Darkness beckoned, it promised release. She would die of a broken heart.