(lol, I totally just forgot to post it, here it is! Thanks @altogether_quite_impossible_to_describe ! )
Erion -
Kraiotan was sitting at the base of his mother’s tree, his little head buried in his knees, shoulders shaking. I went and sat next to him, “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No,” he said, muffled by his knees.
“Alr – ”
“Natiselle punched a town boy for me today,” he said.
I sighed and pinched my nose, that little girl was going to be the death of me.
He finally looked up and wiped his nose on his sleeve. “We were all playing at the lake and Lorcas was trying to get to find out who Nati favors. When she refused to play, he turned to me and asked who I favored and I told the truth.”
“What do you mean little Sun?”
“When he was asking Nati, he listed all the boys in town and when he was asking me he kept listing all the girls. So, I told him that I favored some of the boys too.” He turned to look at me, his eyes ferocious and hurt. “He started calling me really rude things. I couldn’t move, I just looked at him, gaping like a fish.”
He rested his chin back on his knees and grumbled, “I just froze. Nati jumped up and started punching him before I could even do anything. I couldn’t be there anymore, so I came here.”
“I don’t understand. Why is it okay for Nati favor a boy and not me? I like Prios just as much as I like Talina.”
“Let me tell you a story about one the greatest warrior of the cosmos; Plenon, God of Choices.”
Plenon was one of the great heroes of the old world, the world before the twelve houses came together. And in that time of chaos, Plenon was instrumental in fighting off the Kicrion invaders as they swept across the north. He was easily the most skilled swordsman in on any battlefield and it is said that he fought with a deadly grace that would cause any onlooker to stop in their tracks to watch.
As is the case in war, beauty fell to ruin, women took to hiding their glory to save themselves from the invaders, monuments and temples were destroyed in the Kicrion’s wrathful wake, the people burned their lands in an effort to starve the enemy. And so, with the beauty gone, there was little use of Jesimae and she fell into a deep slumber. She would only stir when there were collective thoughts of beauty occurred and as this only occurred when Plenon was fighting, her power was connected to him. The larger the battle, the larger the crowd that saw his grace, the more that she stirred, until one day the battle so large and the crowd’s admiration so powerful that Jesimae awoke fully. And when she did, the only thought on her mind was to find the source of her new-found power.
When she finally did find Plenon, she too fell in awe of him. In a land devoid of beauty; every elegant slash, every enemy that fell away from him, every drop of blood that dared to mingled with the sweat of his brow spoke of liberation; both for his people and for her. She fell madly in love with him – as much as a goddess can. When the battle was done, and he was nursing his wounds, she came to him in the form of a beautiful woman and tried to spirit him away to live as her consort. But Plenon already had a wife whom he loved dearly, for she was the only one who truly knew his heart and was equal to him in wit and courage. When he denied Jesimae he told her about his wife and Jesimae fell into a jealous rage. She found his wife Aeda in their cottage and indeed found her to be beautiful in a certain point of view. Jesimae tricked Aeda into leaving the cottage by pretending to be Plenon, and then sold her to the kingdom that would become Stricia. For Stricia had made an uneasy agreement with a vengeful sea serpent: the sacrifice of a true love in exchange for a year of safe sea passages. But if the kingdom missed one sacrifice, all ships would fall to the wrath of the sea serpent. So Aeda was tied to Ahitbe Cliff with unbreakable chains to await her death.
When Plenon heard of his wife’s disappearance, he left all of his men behind to try and rescue her. Lehion fell into a rage as he watched his favorite warrior leave the battlefield and swore to smite him for his cowardice and selfishness. But Yiela had been watching the entire situation –”
“Papa! Yiela is the goddess of peace and pure hearts! Wouldn’t she be in a slumber too? Wouldn’t all her powers be drained?” Kraio asked, all his tears gone.
“Most men of the battlefield yearn for peace as they clash against their enemies. Both sides have their own ideas about ideal peace, and usually they both think the other is so abhorrent that they are willing to fight to prevent it from coming to fruition. And there are those who fight to protect those who cannot protect themselves, who would rather find any other means but have realized that the only way left is to fight. With such thoughts of future peace and willingness to sacrifice for good, Yiela is almost more powerful in the instances of just wars than she would be in times of actual peace. Does this make sense?”
“Because in times of peace you don’t pay attention to it and in times of war you think of it and seek it on purpose?” He said, looking at me with a slightly furrowed brow.
“Precisely.”
“Okay, but what does this have to do with me?”
I poked him in the belly and said, “If you would be patient and let me finish!”
He giggled and swatted me away, “I’m to old for that Papa! But finish please, I promise I won’t say anything more.”
Yeila had been watching the entire situation and stopped Lehion, reminding him to not act hastily and she asked him to let her handle the situation. He reluctantly agreed, as long as Plenon returned to the battlefield within three days. Yeila, knowing that three days was not enough time to complete the task with mortal tools, she said that she would ensure he returned if Lehion lent her on of his godly steeds, imbued with the ability to teleport. Grumbling, he gave over Hent, his most mild tempered and shooed Yeila away.
She appeared before Plenon, looking like a simple stable girl, and when he saw her, he immediately fell to his knees. Yeila told him that she had seen the goodness in his heart, in all that he fought for and in staying true to his beloved wife. And she also told him of Jesimae’s jealous actions. Hearing of this he fell deeper into his depression – to the point that Los, the god of lost things and of sadness, turned his attention to the exchange. Yeila told Plenon that there was only one way to free his wife, by tricking Jesimae. There were three mortal treasures that Jesimae had wanted above all things, but gods and goddesses cannot just take from mortals, things must be given, and as much as Jesimae had tried to trick these treasures away from their hosts, theses three items eluded her. For a moment there was a spark of hope within Plenon. But then Yeild told him that the treasures were the first laugh of a baby, the first blush between soul mates, and the happy tears of a mother on the wedding day of her favorite child. If he could procure these things and give them to Jesimae, she would be compelled to grant him a wish.
Plenon recognized how much Yeila was helping him by giving this information, however he could not help the heaviness in his heart. With such intangible treasures he felt that the gods were playing a trick on him, giving him a moment of hope and then wrenching it away. Feeling Plenon’s sorrow growing, Los appeared as well and offered him a waterskin. It was plain in appearance but Plenon knew what it was instantly – Los’ fabled waterskin made from the bladder of the last Kicrionian war dragon, capable of catching and holding beloved items.
Yeila then gave him Hent’s reins and one more gift. She gave him her ability to sense the true desires of hearts. And finally, she warned him that he had three days to complete his tasks and return to the battlefield, for his borrowed gifts would return to their owners and Lehion would smite him if he was away for a moment longer.
With renewed hope, Plenon quieted his mind and let Yeila’s ability flow through him. When he opened his eyes, he was at a cross roads. One road led to a wealthy district of a town that seemed to be in the midst of a celebration and the other to an orphanage. He went immediately to the orphanage and asked to be taken to the infants. He found many there, but one called out to him with pudgy arms and a pitiful cry. Plenon knew in his heart that no one had held the babe and rocked it to sleep, there were too many babes for the paltry staff to care for all. He picked up the little one and rocked her gently, halting her tears in their tracks. Carefully he sat with her in a rocking chair and doted on her until they both fell asleep. The next morning, the babe started to slip from his lap and startled Plenon awake. In a fright he leapt to his feet and accidentally tossed her into the air, realizing his mistake he lunged to catch her. He caught her before any harm could befall her and delighted by her brief moment of flight, she began to giggle with all her might.
Plenon hurriedly opened the waterskin and the sound slipped inside. Ever aware of the time slipping away, he went to put her back in her crib and the babe lifted her hand and happily patted Plenon’s cheek as if in farewell. With one gift procured, he went again to Hent and open his mind to Yeila’s ability. This time he was transported to a road where that again diverged into two paths, one lead the same wealth part of town where festival music and cheering could be heard and the other lead to a river and a broken bridge. While Hent made a move towards the village, but Plenon chose to go to the bridge instead. Just before the ruins Plenon came upon a young weeping woman with a child on her back. When he asked what was wrong, she told him that she was fleeing the man who had kept her hostage and forced her to bear his child. She had planned to cross the bridge and go to the village across the river but she did not know that a storm had destroyed it recently. She would swim across, but she did not trust herself to swim with the babe on her back. The river was much to deep to ford and Hent did not seem to like the squirming babe. Plenon then took off his boots, cloak, and all his possession save for Los’ godly waterskin and gently took the babe from his mother. Together they entered the river and swam across. The waters were swift but they made it to the other side eventually, tired and shaking but otherwise alright. He built them a fire away a little way from the village and as they were warming themselves, a young man happened upon them. He had his swords drawn, expecting to find ruffian, but he dropped it instantly when he saw the woman. Even with her sopping wet hair, he had never seen such a beautiful sight as the young woman, happily bouncing the babe on her lap. A blush crept to his cheeks and looking up, the woman blushed as well. Plenon open the waterskin and in flew a lovely pink hue, sucked from the soulmate’s cheeks.
They were lost in each other and did not notice as Hent appeared and Plenon left to search for his last treasure. He opened up his heart to Yeila’s gift again and once more Hent transported Plenon to a cross roads, this time one was on the way to a grand castle and the other led to the same village as before, with the sounds of cheering and music. Hent again tried to go towards the music, but instead Plenon guided him towards the castle. For Plenon felt a great weight in his heart and knew that he needed to go to it. When he finally made it to the palace, he found it decorated beautifully with gold, red, and white banners but the air of the people was mournful and what should have been the happy march to the alter sounded more like a funeral dirge. Plenon asked a tinker what was happening and found that the youngest princess, beloved by all was getting married today to a Kicrionian prince. The prince known for his cruelty and many wives, but he had threatened to raze the city if he was not allowed to marry the princess. The king gave her over with the promise that the country would be spared.
Spurred on by the injustice and by the urge to face his enemy, Plenon stormed into the castle. The Great Hall’s doors flew open just as the high minister called and asked if anyone objected to the marriage. Plenon did not say a word as he galloped up the aisle and just before the alter, Hent rose up on his rear legs with a ferocious cry. In fear the Prince fell backwards, the princess, who would have preferred death to the marriage, stood still in the face of the godly steed. Plenon leapt from Hent and stuck down the Kicrionian prince with a single blow from his sword. And the audience rose up with a triumphant roar and began to drive out the Kicrionians in attendance. Happy for her daughter’s freedom, the queen began to weep. Again, Plenon opened the waterskin and the tears flew into it and as its purposed was now complete, it felt heavy in his hands.
Plenon did not need to use Yiela’s gift for the last part of his journey, he bade Hent to take him to the town with the celebration. They were transported once more to a road, but this time it led only to a great feast. There was the most beautiful music, all of the townsfolk where dancing and clapping to the beat, streamers flowed through the air, and heavenly smells wafted all around them. At the center of it all was Jesimae, sprawled on a throne, laughing as men fed her fresh strawberries. Plenon quickly dismounted and hid from her behind a ginormous barrel of ale, he trying to find a way to stay hidden when he spied an old beggar. Plenon traded the beggar his warm wool cloak for his ragged and torn one and then rubbed dirt and mud all over his face, beard, and hair so that his previously golden hair was as dark as the Bordon woods. Plenon then hobbled up to Jesimae, each step closer he made to her, the festivities drew quieter until there was nothing but silence and they were no more than three feet apart. Jesimae laughed at him and asked who dared to be so bold as to approach her looking as he did. Plenon did not say a word but handed Jesimae the waterskin. She could not stop her curiosity and opened it greedily. When she did, the treasures escaped and flew around her, and she began to glow with a happy pink light that seemed to twinkle. Jesimae laughed and clapped her hands in delight, her face took on the look of ecstasy, and the entire town began to sigh happily. She then proclaimed that he would grant him a wish in return and the town began to sing her praises. Even more enthralled by the admiration she said she would even grant him a joint wish, that as long as the two were connected, she would grant him two wishes. Plenon asked her if she swore it on her godly essence and laughing, she swore it without a second thought.
Plenon then threw off his hood and wished that the sea serpent that had been plaguing the land had never come to terrify the waters and that his wife Aeda be returned to him. Before Jesimae could protest, there was a loud crash and Aeda appeared before them, shaking and exhausted, but bearing no sign of bodily harm. Plenon ran to Aeda and was about to sweep her up into his arms when Jesimae let out a horrendous, jealous, screech. But what was done was done, she could not whisk Aeda away again. But Jesimae was as clever as she was beautiful and had listened to all the whispered that Aeda had said to herself on Ahitbe Cliff. For a fleeting moment, on that cliff Aeda wished that she had been born a man so that she could not be the object of Jesimae’s jealously. Jesimae granted that wish and in Plenon’s arms, Aeda transformed into a man.
Jesimae had expected Plenon to leap away from now Aedian, but Yeila’s ability sang within Plenon’s heart and he could feel that the love they shared was still true. He did not care the body that his now husband had, only that he was safe. He kissed him anyways. In that moment Yeila, Los, and Lehion appeared behind Aedian and Plenon and their gifts flew back to their rightful owners. Jesimae found that she could do nothing more and vanished with a huff. The townsfolk were released from her spell and fell down in exhaustion for they had been reveling for the past few days.
Plenon after having rested and telling Aedian about his quest, returned to the battlefield and was instrumental in beating back the Kicrionians. Aedain went to the orphanage and adopted the babe who’s laughter had been so instrumental. And when Hent returned to Lehion, he told him of the brave princess who had refused to move at the crashing of his hooves and was willing to sacrifice herself for the good of her people. Moved by her bravery, he gave her the ability to command respect over men and she went on to rule her people as queen without the need of a king until she married for love many years later.
When it came time for Plenon and Aeidon’s time in the realm of mortals to be finished, the gods offered Plenon a place among them as the god of choices, strategy, duality, and all those who love beyond the opposite gender. Plenon agreed only so long as Aeidon could spend the rest of eternity with him. And so that is the tale of Plenon’s pure heart.
“So, papa you’re saying that it is okay to love both?” Kraio asked.
“What I’m saying, dear child is that you have the profound ability to love someone for the contents of their soul and the kindness in their heart, not for the body that the gods have given them. What you have is a gift that you should never feel shame over.”
The sky turned from blue to orange, pink, and purple as the sun set and I could hear Nati calling out for us.
“Are you ready to get some dinner? Or do you want to stay here a while longer?” I asked him and I was glad to see that the sorrow was gone from his eyes. He shook his head and jumped up to greet Nati as she came around the house.
She did not say a word, she just hugged Kraio tightly, took his hand, and they ran inside.
