Submission #14 -- Horologii, "Mother of All"
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Title: Mother of All
User ID: Horologii
Rating: PG-15
Characters/Pairing: Seishirou/Subaru
Warnings: AU
Summary: She has watched over them all, they and their children and children's children. Yet only now... can she say that she has a family of her own.
Mother of All
She is waiting. Something important has happened recently but she does not know what it is or when it occured. If there is one thing she has learned since she was a sapling, it is that Time does not flow for humans as it does for her.
In the Beginning, before she understood she was a she... there was only emptiness. An emptiness so deep and vast, she could not reason at all. Until The First came and offered her his Words. She learned there were a few, different humans who could see her and speak to her but at the time she understood little of human speech. The First spoke to her in Words old as the World itself. Protection for him and his kin in exchange for the same for her, and he gave Name to the emptiness in her. It was called Hunger. She understood those Words and reached for him and Sealed the Words in blood; the currency of the world since it was born.
Time would pass before Her Human was known as Guardian. She learned the importance of Names when other humans whispered and called her guardian Sakurazukamori. Names have power but names freely given are doubly powerful. The last name created a bond between her and her guardian. She learned much: learned that humans gave a female gender to objects they found dear and so she became a she, learned how a she acts and feels, learned to control her hunger and retain reason, and learned of human matters such as Life and Death, and Love and Betrayal.
She does not remember all her guardians. Some are more memorable than most, some kept only to the terms of the Seal, while others tried to reach her and learn of her but she often found them wanting. She has learned they perish swiftly and she does not wish to know them. The worn rock in the river of time, that is her. Until the Woman Who Smelled Like Camellias came. She did not like her and the Camellia Woman did not like her, but once on a full moon night the Camellia said she was bearing offspring and that she would like them better. So she waited and time seemed to flow differently when one is waiting, she learned the human concept of yearning. The male child did not disappoint her. He was a splendid guardian and he would often whisper to her saying Sakura; it was her name but it was different when he spoke it, she liked him to utter it. She wished she could stop time like Shirahime stops the world in Winter; she does not wish for him to die. But the time comes when he dies too.
A new guardian comes to her and for the first time in centuries, she does not believe he is her guardian. The Boy With Green Eyes is now the Man With Green and Gold Eyes; she does not understand. He does not seem pleased with her in the beginning of their time together but they grieve over her former guardian and it soothes them both. She learns fascinating Words from him, the opposites and companions to her former guardian's thoughts. The Guardian With Golden Eyes spoke to her of Possession yet her new Guardian's mind speaks of its opposite and companion, Protection. And so it goes: Love and Hatred, Desire and Aversion, Happiness and Sorrow. His dreams give her more emotions that have no rhyme or reason like Amusement, Wonder, Embarrassment, Guilt, Satisfaction, Distress...... So many emotions they overwhelm her and yet she drinks them all in, no different than the blood which nourishes her roots. She understand now why her former guardian desired this one human and she regrets being jealous. For if the Golden One had this child, she could have had them both. It would be so sweet to have the sun and moon in her grasp.
More time passes before she knows the meaning of Happiness. She feels it through her guardian when the other returns from the Darkness Beyond. She does not understand how it was done but decides not to dwell on it. She has them both and that is enough.
She waits.... Time has flowed differently for her since her former guardian returned. She has two guardians now and bonded to both, she could see the World as she never could. She feels time as humans do and it is enlightening. She wonders what brings her guardians to her today....
....... they come! She wakes more fully and shakes the little insects and birds from her branches; she likes to be beautiful for her guardians. Her petals fall slowly in welcome. Oh, they did not come alone today. The Twins are here as well. Excitement makes more of her pink petals fall. The Twins did not come often, not often enough for her liking. They used to come more often when they were little and play together beneath her branches but they are almost grown now and do not visit like before. She thinks she should send them a nightmare to remind them of her dues.
"Seishirou-san, are you sure?"
A chuckle. "Subaru-kun, we went through this when the boys were born. It is a ceremony as old as my clan. We can't avoid it."
She knows their human names are Seishirou and Subaru, understands the necessity of human names, but they have True Names and she guards those most fiercely.
Seishirou raises a swathed bundle to her and she reaches with her branches to discover the object hidden within. She is a bit alarmed when the bundle makes a cooing sound and grasps one of her tendrils.
It is... a human little one?
"I think the Sakura is a little surprised, Father." One of the Twins says and laughs.
Certainly she is surprised. She still does not understand the way two males may produce offspring but Seishirou explained that humans have a special kind of magic called Science and that it could do many things Nature could not. It seems wrong that humans can do things Nature can not but she does not care to dispute it. But why did her guardian bring this little one to her? It is too small to be an offering.
He exposes more of the little one, what humans call infant, and there are four tiny, round golden bells tied in ceremonial, red silk thread around the infant's wrists and ankles.
She experiences a good measure of surprise today. Another one? She did not think Seishirou wanted another since she knew he left the raising of the Twins to Subaru and this one is female.
"I offer you blood of my blood, flesh of my flesh. May you find it pleasing. May it serve you. May you take its True Name into your being and allow it shade beneath your branches," he intones the ancient Words.
She does not understand but she can never refuse her two precious guardians. She knows Subaru is not happy, he does not like this ceremony, but he also fears for the infant because it is too little and weak to defend itself and her guardians and their offspring are limited in their power to protect themselves. It may be that only her protection is sufficient until the infant grows bigger and stronger. She touches the infant's mind and pricks its finger for a drop of blood and accepts it as Her Own.
The bells ring sharply without aid of any wind and when the bells are silenced, the humans are all relaxed and smile to one another. They know she could have refused. They come forward to touch her body. The Twins chuckle and jest about having a little sister to annoy and promise to visit her soon. Subaru leans his forehead for a moment on her trunk and whispers "thank you", she sprinkles a few petals over his head; at times such as these she thinks she indulges him too much but she knows he would grieve if anything should befall his offspring, unlike Seishirou whose true concern has only ever been for his Subaru-kun. Seishirou is the last to step forward and he allows the infant to slap its tiny fist ineffectually against her bark. He tells her, "The child's name is Setsuna."
Ah, Setsuna. Another name....
They take their leave of her and walk out of the maboroshi.
She watches them until they leave the boundaries of Ueno Park which is her domain.
Another name. She adds Setsuna to Seishirou, Subaru, Akihito, Amaru. They are all hers and she watches over them.
Today is a good day, that is what a human would say. She has lived for centuries and will live for centuries more, eternal and powerful and ever blooming. She has had many guardians and has watched over them and their families since the beginning of the Seal. Today, this moment in Time is different though. Now she can say with truth and equanimity... she can say she has a family of her own.
~ End ~
Title: Mother of All
User ID: Horologii
Rating: PG-15
Characters/Pairing: Seishirou/Subaru
Warnings: AU
Summary: She has watched over them all, they and their children and children's children. Yet only now... can she say that she has a family of her own.
Mother of All
She is waiting. Something important has happened recently but she does not know what it is or when it occured. If there is one thing she has learned since she was a sapling, it is that Time does not flow for humans as it does for her.
In the Beginning, before she understood she was a she... there was only emptiness. An emptiness so deep and vast, she could not reason at all. Until The First came and offered her his Words. She learned there were a few, different humans who could see her and speak to her but at the time she understood little of human speech. The First spoke to her in Words old as the World itself. Protection for him and his kin in exchange for the same for her, and he gave Name to the emptiness in her. It was called Hunger. She understood those Words and reached for him and Sealed the Words in blood; the currency of the world since it was born.
Time would pass before Her Human was known as Guardian. She learned the importance of Names when other humans whispered and called her guardian Sakurazukamori. Names have power but names freely given are doubly powerful. The last name created a bond between her and her guardian. She learned much: learned that humans gave a female gender to objects they found dear and so she became a she, learned how a she acts and feels, learned to control her hunger and retain reason, and learned of human matters such as Life and Death, and Love and Betrayal.
She does not remember all her guardians. Some are more memorable than most, some kept only to the terms of the Seal, while others tried to reach her and learn of her but she often found them wanting. She has learned they perish swiftly and she does not wish to know them. The worn rock in the river of time, that is her. Until the Woman Who Smelled Like Camellias came. She did not like her and the Camellia Woman did not like her, but once on a full moon night the Camellia said she was bearing offspring and that she would like them better. So she waited and time seemed to flow differently when one is waiting, she learned the human concept of yearning. The male child did not disappoint her. He was a splendid guardian and he would often whisper to her saying Sakura; it was her name but it was different when he spoke it, she liked him to utter it. She wished she could stop time like Shirahime stops the world in Winter; she does not wish for him to die. But the time comes when he dies too.
A new guardian comes to her and for the first time in centuries, she does not believe he is her guardian. The Boy With Green Eyes is now the Man With Green and Gold Eyes; she does not understand. He does not seem pleased with her in the beginning of their time together but they grieve over her former guardian and it soothes them both. She learns fascinating Words from him, the opposites and companions to her former guardian's thoughts. The Guardian With Golden Eyes spoke to her of Possession yet her new Guardian's mind speaks of its opposite and companion, Protection. And so it goes: Love and Hatred, Desire and Aversion, Happiness and Sorrow. His dreams give her more emotions that have no rhyme or reason like Amusement, Wonder, Embarrassment, Guilt, Satisfaction, Distress...... So many emotions they overwhelm her and yet she drinks them all in, no different than the blood which nourishes her roots. She understand now why her former guardian desired this one human and she regrets being jealous. For if the Golden One had this child, she could have had them both. It would be so sweet to have the sun and moon in her grasp.
More time passes before she knows the meaning of Happiness. She feels it through her guardian when the other returns from the Darkness Beyond. She does not understand how it was done but decides not to dwell on it. She has them both and that is enough.
She waits.... Time has flowed differently for her since her former guardian returned. She has two guardians now and bonded to both, she could see the World as she never could. She feels time as humans do and it is enlightening. She wonders what brings her guardians to her today....
....... they come! She wakes more fully and shakes the little insects and birds from her branches; she likes to be beautiful for her guardians. Her petals fall slowly in welcome. Oh, they did not come alone today. The Twins are here as well. Excitement makes more of her pink petals fall. The Twins did not come often, not often enough for her liking. They used to come more often when they were little and play together beneath her branches but they are almost grown now and do not visit like before. She thinks she should send them a nightmare to remind them of her dues.
"Seishirou-san, are you sure?"
A chuckle. "Subaru-kun, we went through this when the boys were born. It is a ceremony as old as my clan. We can't avoid it."
She knows their human names are Seishirou and Subaru, understands the necessity of human names, but they have True Names and she guards those most fiercely.
Seishirou raises a swathed bundle to her and she reaches with her branches to discover the object hidden within. She is a bit alarmed when the bundle makes a cooing sound and grasps one of her tendrils.
It is... a human little one?
"I think the Sakura is a little surprised, Father." One of the Twins says and laughs.
Certainly she is surprised. She still does not understand the way two males may produce offspring but Seishirou explained that humans have a special kind of magic called Science and that it could do many things Nature could not. It seems wrong that humans can do things Nature can not but she does not care to dispute it. But why did her guardian bring this little one to her? It is too small to be an offering.
He exposes more of the little one, what humans call infant, and there are four tiny, round golden bells tied in ceremonial, red silk thread around the infant's wrists and ankles.
She experiences a good measure of surprise today. Another one? She did not think Seishirou wanted another since she knew he left the raising of the Twins to Subaru and this one is female.
"I offer you blood of my blood, flesh of my flesh. May you find it pleasing. May it serve you. May you take its True Name into your being and allow it shade beneath your branches," he intones the ancient Words.
She does not understand but she can never refuse her two precious guardians. She knows Subaru is not happy, he does not like this ceremony, but he also fears for the infant because it is too little and weak to defend itself and her guardians and their offspring are limited in their power to protect themselves. It may be that only her protection is sufficient until the infant grows bigger and stronger. She touches the infant's mind and pricks its finger for a drop of blood and accepts it as Her Own.
The bells ring sharply without aid of any wind and when the bells are silenced, the humans are all relaxed and smile to one another. They know she could have refused. They come forward to touch her body. The Twins chuckle and jest about having a little sister to annoy and promise to visit her soon. Subaru leans his forehead for a moment on her trunk and whispers "thank you", she sprinkles a few petals over his head; at times such as these she thinks she indulges him too much but she knows he would grieve if anything should befall his offspring, unlike Seishirou whose true concern has only ever been for his Subaru-kun. Seishirou is the last to step forward and he allows the infant to slap its tiny fist ineffectually against her bark. He tells her, "The child's name is Setsuna."
Ah, Setsuna. Another name....
They take their leave of her and walk out of the maboroshi.
She watches them until they leave the boundaries of Ueno Park which is her domain.
Another name. She adds Setsuna to Seishirou, Subaru, Akihito, Amaru. They are all hers and she watches over them.
Today is a good day, that is what a human would say. She has lived for centuries and will live for centuries more, eternal and powerful and ever blooming. She has had many guardians and has watched over them and their families since the beginning of the Seal. Today, this moment in Time is different though. Now she can say with truth and equanimity... she can say she has a family of her own.
~ End ~