This week I decided to share a scene from my WIP. The main character, Maria, is a teenager in the process of being adopted by the Aliannon family, who are an elder race that live for centuries. To prepare she must spend time alone at the ancestor shrine to present herself and listen for their message. This is a snippet, and it is still very rough. I hope you enjoy.
Maria Alone at the Ancestral Shrine
“It is time for you to be alone with the ancestors, to listen for any messages they have for you,” Tiger said.
I knew it was a part of the ritual, but my heart still clenched as Tiger rose and left the room, closing the heavy wooden doors behind her. Listen, huh? As if I was good at that.
Karakat was trying to teach me to meditate, which wasn’t really going too well. The entire shrine hummed if I listened, like when I had been captivated by the ancient sword in the museum. Did the Aliannon ancestors truly welcome the family foundling? The statue of Aliannora stood, beautiful and smiling. She had built Avalon out of nothing, it was said. She had helped perform the Banishing, which had almost killed her. Now all of her descendants may have a bit of a stick in their ass, but they had something to be proud of.
I got up and paced. Rows upon rows of small name plaques were neatly assembled on every shelf in the room, except where parted by statues of gods. Names all in calligraphy, which I could barely read. But the small plaque for Ash’s mother was burned in my memory, from the first time Ash had shown me. She had died so tragically. Ash dutifully attended the ancestral rituals, despite not being required to as a male. Because his parent’s marriage wasn’t blessed by the elders, his father did not have a plaque. But his little sister had her own little plaque next to her mother.
I stared at the name for the long ago little girl that I could not read. Was I here to replace her? What did she feel, even though she hadn’t been raised for what little life she had among the Aliannons?
Her name was odd on my tongue. All these great women and men, and I could only think of the little girl that had died. Babies and young children dying among the Aliannons was a rarity, along with women dying in childbirth. Avalon focused on preventing those deaths when it could be done. I had only glimpsed his sister when Ash sang of her to me, and he spoke of her little. He was so young at the time, maybe he didn’t remember her very much? But the few memories I saw of her through him she was clear. A small child who loved the sea and cuddled with her family.
Ash had felt his mother die, but hadn’t been able to stop it. It was too much of a burden for a child to be there when their parent died, to be the one help them cross over.
Did Sarah get comforted when she crossed over? Derek? My mother? Graciela?
I looked down and clenched my fists.
I had died too. Now I was back. What was I supposed to do with my second life? Why me and not any of the other people who died? Why was I not on the other side? I had no family that would offer me honor as an ancestor.
Standing over all the statues on a pedestal, was Nifhla. The flickering lights revealed only her corpse side. I don’t know how long I stared a her before I saw eyes on the statue were glowing like emeralds.
-My mother chose you to be her body- I heard the same voice from my dream, of the fall wind that chills to the bone. – You have the strength to carry Her-.
“To do what?” I said out loud. “What am I supposed to do carrying a God that a God can’t do on their own?”
My perception shifted. The humming changed, and the flames flared. The statues all had glowing eyes. Aliannora looked at me like she knew my every thought.
-You are very much like Makke. She was the first.-
“The first of what?”
-The Justice. She who carries the Darkness.-
“How?” I croaked. None of this made any sense.
-It was a decision made before the Banishing. When an era ends, the darkness finds a vessel.-
“Lucky me, huh?”
-You can do good now. Help all those you left behind.-
It was such a cruel tease. I wanted to be a knight, and save the day. But I was so weak. I had so many doubts.
-You are an Aliannon now.-
“You’re not mad that I’m human? Or was?”
It was like listening to a whispered conversation. A few voices sounded tense, but in a moment they were hushed up.
-You are our family now, Little Bird.-