Canticle Blue

69. Shoriel

Music - The Hills Of Home

Rogue world
A carousel
of stars
—Amdahl Erenn

Pewari Amdahl was returning to his people in triumph, a warrior of peace. Prince Aedh had personally conferred the title on him, so he knew it was the real thing. And he was probably the happiest ambassador of any people in history. In the main wardroom of his ship, just outside the door to his personal quarters, were the Lillith, Blue Light, and Spark. In the cargo holds, there was much more: globe lights, scrolls and books, stained-glass windows and doors from Per'sa Island, and even a washroom sink. But, best of all, in the entourage of accompanying spacecraft, was a host of enthusiastic "captives."

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On the way to Shoriel, Terreska was given the Canticle Moon because, as she told her Circle, "It is a wanderer, like me." After she received her gift, she said, "Perhaps, when we reach the warmth of this new place, I will settle there. My moon will journey on and tell me stories."

In the meantime, they travelled and danced together, matriarch and moon, spin with spin, keeping their schedules, yet turning aside to needful places, as if to bless them at day's end.

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One night all of the original Per'sa Island explorers and their families camped around the ring-sea. As Annibet and her husband walked hand-in-hand on the beach, she said, "Elyse tells me there will be an undertow when the tide comes in..."

Devon smiled at her and replied, "I'm not worried. I've already been swept off my feet."

Suddenly there were tears in her eyes, and she was glancing around at her friends. She asked him, "Did somebody tell you to say that?"

"No," he laughed. "You know how it is. When I get emotional, I just can't stop talking."

She took his arm and hugged it as they walked. "No, I don't know. But I'm going to believe you, whether it's true or not."

While the Canticle Moon tarried, they all decided to build a real campfire in the sand. As they stacked the kindling, Ip raised her eyebrows, as if to say: Terreska is not going to like this.

Elyse told her, "Please tell Terreska that it will be very small. We just want to bake some treats for the kids, and," she smiled at Havilan, "for anyone else who is willing to call them good."

Devon added, "We're going to need some new traditions, too."

Havilan had a "brave" notion. "I'm going to show my wife and daughter that I can walk across a portal lake barefoot."

Verit Erenn, the oldest son of Amdahl, joined them and sat next to Maire. "We do have real lakes in our cities too," he said. "They are most popular at night when people like to go sailing. It's always quite a sight. The boats have R-type sails, embroidered with Shil."

"If you take me night sailing," Maire said, "I promise to be your friend forever."

"Then I'll have to make sure to take you at least twice," he replied with a smile.

Ip floated by in front of them, somehow making it look like she was tacking in a regatta.

Syl whispered to Elyse, "I'm glad Devon decided to make the trip in Terreska. Annibet told him it would be more romantic to be vaporized by a comet together than apart."