AERIE: Book 01 Part 05

"Well?" She finally grumps. I laugh remembering a million times she has put her hands on her hips and demanded I explain some nuance of human social behaviour. "Are you going to tell me what that bullshit was all about?"

"Hahaha." Merler cackles, "Humans have so many good words for when you are cranky. Eric liked the 'fuck' word. He also used this 'bullshit'. We will speak as we share a meal. I am still turning things over in my head and being guided by the Mother's wisdom. I am not being deliberately enigmatic. Come child. Let me show you some things while this finishes cooking. Not you, Todd. You stay and stir."

Obediently, I take up the ladle and occasionally stir the fantastic smelling meal. Eris and Merler wander about the flat grassy part of the plateau behind her hut and Merler points out the many plants and other things of interest in her extended garden. They seem deeply lost in conversation and like a very wise male of any race, species or style of being, I do as I am told and stir the meal.

"So..." Merler starts and then cackles to herself as we all take a mouthful of the food in our bowls. It is bloody fantastic. I would have no idea what it is called or how to reproduce it, but it is fish and roots and fruit and whatever mix of spices Merler used, and it tastes like a hug from your grandma.

We both glance up at her expectantly.

"What did you think your vision meant, sister?"

"I don't know... It's so frustrating. I've been trying to figure it out all evening."

"I have something that will help." I watch as Merler runs her fingers over her sternum and holds a closed fist out to Eris. "Here... Hold this and relax. Wander on your thoughts with no direction and let the Mother guide your way."

When she opens her fingers, I see a stone much like the one that Mavisk gifted me for a short time. This one is larger and shaped like a bean. It is the same white fiery stone that seems to writhe beneath its surface with light.

Eris plucks it gently from her fingers and says, "Oh... It warms."

"Shh child. Just eat and relax."

I need no encouragement to eat. The food is profoundly good.

"Oh..." Eris says quietly. "The flocks of young... and old... You?"

Eris stares sadly at Merler for long moments. Merler swallows and nods.

"And I?" Eris shakes her head and Merler smiles.

"You will be enough. Shh... Eat."

Eris complies briefly. She's never one to have enjoyed being told what to do. "I have two mothers. My Arcadian Mother and my Earth Mother."

"Yes child."

"I must return to my earth Mother soon. She requires something of me."

"Perhaps she has a gift?" Merler smiles to herself.

"I don't know. But I know she calls. Besides Todd's parents need to... Oh no."

"What?" I ask a little abruptly.

"I am not sure, but I am sure we need to arrange another portal. We need to return to earth and share our new love with your parents. This has been very hard on them."

She hands the rock back to Merler who stares at it for long moments. "Here child. Come here."

Eris walks on her knees to sit near Merler who mimics the thing Mavisk did and scratches lightly at Eris's sternum and presses the stone under the skin. As with me, it appears Eris knows no pain and the wound heals before my eyes.

"My own dreams told me that the place with the moths will be perfect. There is a stream and a waterfall. Behind that waterfall there is a little grotto."

Eris nods and I think they have both gone crazy. Perhaps there is something in the spices. In any case our meal is finished, and we are all weary. I wash our utensils in the lake and when I return, Eris is crying quietly and holding Merler's hand. They are ready for sleep and so am I.

In the morning, I wake to find myself beneath two beautiful avian women. One softly weeping Eris and one cold Merler. Her face is peaceful, and a smile curls the corners of her mouth. Her talons are wrapped in the hair on my chest.

We fly her body up to that place of the moths and as she said, there was a cave behind the waterfall. We arranged her sitting cross-legged as she always did and left her still smiling, watching the waterfall. Outside, the moths and ratlike things, the six-legged foxes and some very large slugs had gathered in a quiet group at the pond. They watched as we walked to the edge and left Merler at rest in that little slice of utopia.

Not a word passed between us all the way back to the Vogel's home. Our grief was deep but buoyed with Merler's peace.

~*~

Our return was expected and made awkward by Ornkeh's presence. Srianne was stern looking and distant with him. His children not so. They were glad their father was home and had no need to understand the drama. Mr Vogel asked me to walk with him. Eris and her mother spoke in avian and busied themselves with household matters.

"Ornkeh is full of shame. I am full of anger. Ernst is full of worry for his brother and for you. It is not avian to apologise and seek forgiveness as Ernst did with you. That is of his human upbringing. Ornkeh wants to repair things but is afraid that it is far too broken. With you. With me. With his flock. I have no wisdom for this thing. What did you do on earth when you disappointed your parents?"

"Oh... I apologised, but apologies are empty things. Just words. The hurt feelings took a long time to repair."

"How did you repair them?"

"I didn't. Time did. We did small things together and over time we rebuilt trust. Love never left. Just trust."

"It is the same with Ornkeh. We love him. But his wrongdoing is big. He would have had his own sister raped... I still bristle with anger."

"Find small things to do then. Listen..." I smile remembering it. "One day I stole Dad's car. They were away for the weekend and April wanted to go on a date. I had my licence, and I was allowed to use Mum's car, but Dad's was off limits. Do you remember it?"

"The Mustang. He had to have a special licence to be allowed to use it on the roads. It had no driver assist at all."

"Yes. April was very impressed. I was showing off and skidded into the gutter. There was not much damage. Just a nasty rash to the alloy wheel. But I had broken my father's trust and his heart."

"You were grounded for quite some time. I remember Eris was very frustrated that you didn't visit for some weeks."

"Yes well, I asked Mum the same questions. The worst thing was the look in my father's eyes when we spoke. I wished that he had lost his temper at me, but he was just hurt."

"I know this feeling. It is the same."

"Mum suggested going to help him with things. Little jobs he was doing. It felt really awkward. I helped him with some yard work the first day. We didn't speak at all. I hurt the whole time and hated myself. The next day I helped with the swimming pool cleaning. Again, we didn't speak, just short grunts and looks. It hurt but I kept at it. One day I was helping him paint the laundry when he just broke down and hugged me. We both cried. It was embarrassing but needed. We let go of the anger and no apology was necessary. He knew my pain. I knew his."

We sat on that spot where the Mother-stone came to the surface for a long while. Neither of us speaking, until with a laugh, Mr Vogel said, "Haha. One day you will be a wonderful father. I'm not sure how. Teela cries with Eris about it. But you have too much father in you not to become one. Have you thought about where you and Eris will start your flock? You must have a home of your own now you are mated."

"I have. At the end of your valley is a tall plateau where I found help in my journey to Eris. Merler, taught me to fish and-"

"I know this Merler. I've heard the story many times now, son. This is the place? It is a good place. Not too far away. Not too close. Private, but close to my daughter's home. We will start planning tomorrow. It is a good small thing to get us all working together. Ernst is good with planning and drawing. Ornkeh is strong and smart at building. We will work together... until we work together. I am very happy. Come, let's tell the women."

Dinner that evening was awkward. Especially as Mr Vogel explained his plan for our new dwelling. Eris was excited at having her own home to fill and Srianne and Teela had many suggestions on decorating. An undercurrent of tension was acknowledged by all but unspoken of. We men sat on the grass outside beside a winter fire and drank small cups of flower essence.

We each contributed thoughts and plans for a home and even Ornkeh had things to say about resources and design. When we took our leave of each other to find our spouses and beds, I was gifted with a tentative nod from him.

The following week was awkward. There were many times we each spoke our frustration into the problems at hand. I remember dropping a beam and having it slide down my shin and my cursed anger at the physical pain was my expression of anger at Ornkeh's betrayal. We each had those moments of vicarious catharsis.

I remember Ornkeh looking at the plans Ernst had drawn and violently tearing them up when he could not get an arch to appear as drawn or walls... "Why did you have to have walls!?!." We three watched quietly as he released his own fears and doubts for Eris and my own plans for a future that was bound to be difficult, and we all knew our truths.

Then one afternoon we had finished thatching the roof. We stood back as men from every life-form do after having completed something and admired our handiwork. Ernst's imagination had been brought to life. The women's furnishing had been the touches of home. Our sweat and banged fingers, our rage and quiet redemption was complete.

"I believe this is how humans do it." Ornkeh said and pulled me into a hug. It was overlong and awkward, but it was good. "I am-"

"Shh." Mr Vogel said. "There is nothing to say. We are flock."

Apparently, it was an Arcadian custom for a flock to sleep the first night at their son or daughter's new home. Teela and Eris cooked that dish that had been Merler's last meal and I thought long about her that night. Was she still sitting up there smiling out through the waterfall at the world below her?

Eris had candled two more eggs earlier in the week and then her laying was over. She no longer cried at the unfertilised eggs, but smiled and volunteered them from our evening meals. That evening in our own home, in our own newly thatched nest, we celebrated the end of her laying as quietly as we could with her family all asleep around us.

The following morning over breakfast, Ornkeh broached the subject of the letter he carried. "Mavisk was insistent. You know what the woman was like... Haha. We must make a journey to the Arkhaven soon. Perhaps your Eris has shopping or things to do as well. Srianne is desperate for some medicines and things to occupy the young. I need to see the doctors still as well."

And there it was. The moment when we could speak openly of his injuries and not feel painful blame and hurt.

"I want my hair cut." Eris offered. "It is so long, and I still don't feel like I've washed all the filth out of it after that cave."

"Then I will make arrangements when I am able." Ornkeh smiles.

Happy family moments followed and reminded me of my home many lightyears away. Erry's feathered hand brushed my face. "Soon we visit. Father is arranging a portal. There is the possibility of one being available by early next month. First, I feel called south. What do you know of Lyrin's people?"

"Nothing. They are smaller. Pretty with-"

"Tch Tchat... I don't want to hear about you perving on her when she was displaying for you." Erry's mother laughs beside her, and Eris continues, "There is some trouble with them. Perhaps you can come with me if your business in the Arkhaven does not clash. I leave on the tube next Monday."

"Oh..." I had no other plans, but I was a little miffed I had not been consulted at least.

"I was going to tell you last night, but we got distracted." She smirks.

"Twice... Bravo, Toddy." Teela has taken to using Erry's nickname for me. "We heard."

My face is the same colour as Eris's lyre brows.

"Maybe you can catch up with Tching and Lyrin." Teela suggests, "It will be nice to see some more of Arcadia, don't you think?"

"Yes. It will."

~*~

Book Two of AERIE is a work in progress. It will outline Todd's journey back to earth and how he becomes an ambassador. It follows a trail of corrupt officials and mirrors (hopefully) the racist corruption in some of our real communities. It may take a long while to complete. I am working full time again now.

Thanks for reading. This was an exercise for me in writing outside my comfort zone. I am open to plot ideas. Shoot me a message or email via the forum.

Rollinbones.