Road To The Moon [one-minute stories]

The Child of Sky and Sea

Grey clouds moulded with the waters reflecting their shades, creating a union between the sky and the sea such as only existed in the tales of the elders. They swirled above in a tumult of stormy air, mirroring the blue-grey waves below. Every wave seemed to be making enthusiastic haste to the shore, with long stresses streaming from its tops, all rolling until nothing but a fringe of white foam spread out over the beach. The air vibrated with the rhythmic pounding of waves, blowing a salty wind through sand-coloured hair.

"Pryder! Get down from the roof!"

Eyes as blue as the sky and deep as the ocean looked down at the woman who called his name. His hands glided through the wet grass, brushing against the cold stone walls until his feet touched solid ground. Brushing the mud off his palms the boy looked up with an apologetic smile, "sorry, mother."

Brushing her hazel hair out of her eyes, the woman sighed with a unexpected tenderness. "Will there ever be a day where you don't make me worry so much?"

"The day my name stops meaning worry will be that day," Pryder chirped back. She chuckled, brushing her rough hands to his sandy locks, ushering him inside the stone house built into a midden of scraps and shells, overgrown by grass. The interior of the house was arranged by two beds on either side of the entrance, stone drawers against the wall, a simple stone fireplace in the middle and that roofs above, supported by whalebone. If you walked through the back door an underground path would lead you to all the other houses, creating a labyrinth of tunnels that connected the village.

Around the fire, elder Halga was entertaining the twins, Deanna and Arawn with her stories as her bony fingers bound the fur skins together with an ivory needle that was almost as white as her skin. The twin's mother, Fianna, looked up from her pottery work once her sister entered with Pryder at her side. "Rhiannon, are they back yet?"

Pryder felt his mother's hand tense at her sister's question, "No, and a storm is fast approaching."

"I warned them not to go fishing when Balor is feasting with his Fomori," Halga crooked, her eyes squinting till they disappeared beneath her wrinkles.

His mother's hand balled into a fist as she snapped in anger. "You've been saying that for weeks, mother! Does Balor intent us to starve to death!"

"The Sea Demon would find much more furrow methods if he wishes us dead. He's just testing us." The elder replied calmly.

"And you're testing my patience, old woman."

"Wil papa, come back soon?" Pryder wondered softly upon hearing his stomach rumble.

Rhiannon knelt down beside him, desperate pleays flashing through her eyes. "Of course, my dear, he and the other men will come back with fresh food for all of us."

"I'll go stand on the lookout," Pryder smiles determined. But Rhiannon holds him back, "No dear, you have to stay inside until it's safe."

"But I want to help!"

~~~

It happened all so suddenly. As clouds blotted out the moon and stars, the wind arose to push the once still waters into a choppy mess of angry waves, which morphed to the size of mountains in the blink of an eye. Even as three veteran fishers, none of us were prepared for this kind of storm. A wind so strong, it slammed the rain into our faces like tiny stones. Waves so high they blocked out every sight of land, pushing our boat up to fly with the seagulls only to bring us crashing down a moment later.

"If only we had listened to elder Halga," Rothgar mourned as he held on to the railing for dear life.

Teyrnon could see the despair in his friend's eyes, "Even at the height of the summer the rain can be driving and the wind bracing, but even though the mists the sun will shine," he proclaimed, hoping it would give them both some courage.

As if by divine request the waves spin the vessel sideways into a blanket of fog, reminding the fishers that they were at the mercy of their Gods.

"Don't provoke Balor any further, you idiot!" Denok, the oldest of the three, spat at Teyrnon. "Think of your family. Think of Pryder."

"What do you think I've been doing! We're out here for our families!"

Another wave crashed against the boat forcefully, it became hard to hang on. "We're going to die!" Rothgar cried, his knuckles white from gripping the railing so tight the splinters were edged in his skin.

"No! I refuse to go down like this," Teyrnon shouted back. A bolt of lightning struck near. Finding his footing on the slippery deck, Teyrnon made his way to the bow of the boat. "If you hear me Balor, king of Demons, I will not let you kill us all without delivering our catch to our family! Take me, I'll become your servant, but let them return to Skara Brae."

As the world was once but a single point so was his soul in this stormy sea. Although the waves rocked the ship to a tipping point and his friends shouted for him to come to his senses, Teyrnon was numb to all. He could only hear his beating heart, only feel the wind calling to him through the fog and as he opened his eyes, he saw him. A being, floating over the waves, at first, it was nothing but a silhouette, but the longer he looked at it, the more features he could make out. It was no larger than a child, pale like the moon, wind brushing through sand-coloured hair and two eyes, blue as the sky looked at him apologetically.

Another bolt of lightning brought Teyrnon back to his senses and soon his weariness washed away as the waves come to calming rocking before the sand eventually brings the boat to a final stop. The fog dissolves, revealing the houses in the distance and before long the light of dawn announces the end of a nightmare.

Upon the sand, the rain is almost silent, enriching the hue from cream to ears of summer maize. No one dares to speak until the cry of the women brings their attention to their wives and children running towards the beach. Both Rothgar and Denok spring back to life, their cheeks a rosy red, their laughter never-ending as they embrace their families. But Teyrnon stays frozen on the sand, even when Rhiannon stands before him, embracing him with bitter tears streaming down her apple cheeks.

"Where is Pryder?" Teyrnon stumbles.

Rhiannon shakes her head, tightening her embrace as she feels Teyrnon's tears run down her back. They both knew this day would come, both knew Pryder would one day go back to where he came from. But that didn't mean this made parting any easier, it didn't make it right to ask a child for such a sacrifice.