FALLING RAIN

“He was so handsome,” she sighed. “Nay, that is not the right word. He was splendid, magnificent in form and feature. His voice poured over me like liquid silver to pierce my heart with longing every time he spoke. His eyes penetrated the depths of my being, and I felt no secret could ever be kept from him.” Her words stunned me. Never had I heard her speak so of any man. In fact, I thought it strange, my mother so beautiful, that she had never shown the slightest interest in the advances of several young men in our village. She would dismiss their pursuits prettily, careful not to injure their pride. Always friendly, but not flirtatious, she sent them away disappointed, yet flattered by her charms. She had always seemed perfectly content to lavish her affections upon me alone. At that moment, I realized there existed a deep rending of my mother’s heart—something raw and unhealed. She spoke; her eyes were lost in poignant memory, her voice an echo from a long-forgotten tale. “It was during the clan wars. Much unrest had spread throughout our village, and the constant threat from invaders, who had been our neighbors and friends only a short time before, kept us ever fearful. Greed and a rush for territory divided brother against brother, father against son. It was a tragic time for all here in the North. My family did not remain unscathed. My father and uncle feuded over some issue about the rites of worship and had parted ways with great bitterness in both of their hearts. We left our tribe and moved to an unsettled region near the Valley of Arba. I was lonely for my many cousins, aunts, and uncles, and longed to sit on Grandfather’s lap and hear the stories of his youth. I did not understand the rivalries that had sprung up and caused such ireful sentiments in my father. Being very young, no disagreement seemed important enough to tear me away from my large and beloved family. “Time passed, and Father and Mother worked steadily to build our home and sow our seeds. Other families followed by and by, also to build and plant, and we eventually became a small community. I grew accustomed to our new life and finally embraced it as my own. There were no near settlements, and it took several days to reach the marketplace. I ofttimes traveled with Father when he journeyed to trade for supplies with the oxen and trap. On one such trip, in my fifteenth year, I first laid eyes on Beltaine.” She paused, and I let his name sink into my soul—Beltaine. It resounded in my mind like a familiar lyric, though I had never heard it before. “Father and I had camped along the path, and I ventured a short distance into a nearby meadow to fetch water from a spring. The day had begun to wane, so I hurried lest I become lost in the dark upon my return. When I reached the spring, I was warm and thought how delightful it would be to bathe. With enough time for a short dip, I shed my tunic, shift, and sandals and lowered myself into the refreshing water. Alas, not wishing to leave I tarried overlong, though I knew Father would begin to worry as twilight drew nigh. At length, I reluctantly climbed from the spring and reached for my garments, but could not find them. “I had left them in plain sight atop a flat rock next to the spring, yet they were missing. I began to search about in vain, cursing my decision to linger and wondering what I should do. Suddenly, I heard someone say in silky baritone, ‘Why cover such splendid beauty, my pet?’ I gasped in alarm as I swung round in the direction of the voice. He had apparently sprung from the ground where he stood. I had neither seen nor heard his approach, yet there he was—clutching my clothing in his right hand. “He gazed upon my nakedness whilst I stood, stricken and immobile, before him. My wet hair clung to my skin, and I felt at a complete loss as to what to do or say. Unabashed, he showed no sign of easing my embarrassment with a timely departure. Instead, his stare roamed over my body from head to toe, and he smiled in pleasure, it seemed, at what he saw. When I regained my composure at last, I summoned what courage I had and addressing him forthrightly said, ‘Sir, please return my garments at once, for I can see you are a person to be reckoned with, and I would hope to continue this interview properly arrayed.’ “At this, he inclined his head charmingly, bowed slightly, and held out my shift and tunic at arm’s length. He, however, remained fastened to the spot. I gathered what remained of my dignity, and, determined not to allow this lecherous cad to reduce me to a cowering waif, strode proudly to snatch my clothing from him. I hastily retreated some distance and turned my back to quickly dress. I turned to face him, but he had vanished. Not a trace of him remained. I hurried back to my father’s camp and did not breathe a word about the incident. I hoped I had seen the last of this strange creature, but it was not to be.”