The morning sun filtered in through the gauze curtains to gently caress the dark bronze skin of the sleeping woman and her husband. A particularly persistent sun ray seemed to mischievously follow the woman's closed eyelid no matter which way she shifted. Angrily, she awoke and placed her hand over her eyes.
Giving a groan at being awakened so after finally getting back to sleep soured the pleasant feeling she had. Now fully awake, the sudden but pleasant ache grew between her legs was a remnant of her husband's earlier 'awakening'. With a great stretch, the woman then sat up at the edge of their sleeping arrangement and looked out past the blowing curtains.
For a moment, she thought how pleasant it was living this way with her new husband. Looking back at the sleeping man she thought, 'Of course he can sleep now!' Giving him a gentle caress as not to wake him, the woman got up and went to the window.
Right away, she knew something was odd. Moving aside the curtains the woman cast her near black eyes over the sprawling farmlands dotted with adobe and thatch covered homes. Today was an important one as it was the last day of spring and the fields would be irrigated for the last time this season by raising the gates of the Great Dam.
However, there were no voices raised in expectation of the Watering Ritual or the festival to occur afterward. No parents with their exuberant children passed her home on the nearby road on their way to the Dam. No pilgrims bearing offerings to the great Goddess of the Lake nor the Mountain God who watched over this fertile oasis in the vast desert surrounding it. In fact, no bird sang nor insect buzzed about their normal activities. All that existed outside was the sound of the growing wind.
Quickly, the woman shook her husband awake and gathered her everyday robe. Waking with a start the Woman's husband asked, "What is it?" Seeing the concern on her face, he immediately grabbed his tunic and sandals. Just as she tied closed her robe came a frantic banging at their door. The husband with sword and shield at the ready opened the door to see an out of breath youngster startled by his sudden appearance.
"What brings you here boy?" Still winded and frightened the boy replied, "S-sir Knight! T-the s-strangers have gone t-to the mountain! The Elders beg for the Priestess' to come before they awaken it!"
Suddenly, the Knight felt the presence of his wife behind him and stood aside as she came forward. "So the Aesir against the Elder's many warnings have gone to the Mountain to seek the 'Glowing Stones'?" Falling to his knees the boy replied, "Yes Priestess they have!"
Without having to be told, the Knight grabbed the Great War Spear hanging over the doorway and rushed past to get their mounts. The Priestess placed a gentle hand upon the boy's sweaty shaved head and said, "Child, get you and anyone you pass in the village to the Dam. It will be the safest place should the Mountain God be awakened. Hurry!" Giving her hand the customary kiss, the boy flew down the walk and out onto the road.
****
The majority of the Valley Folk surrounded the strange fur-clad and hairy pale-skinned strangers who called themselves the Aesir. They were sea travelers who said they were blown off course by a great tempest and had found the Valley after a hazardous march through the desert. For several weeks they had been welcomed amongst the folk long as they did not ascend the Mountain over watching the Valley.
To their current misfortune, a pair of the Aesir's younger members along with a youth from the Surrounding Valley Rim had found a small cache of the yellow 'Glowing Stones' that occasionally wash down from the Mountain after the Ten-year Rain. Not satisfied with what they found, they decided to ascend the Mountain and search for the source of the stones. Now the Valley Elders stood angrily arguing with the Aesir Chief and his men at the foot of the Mountain as dark clouds formed high above.
It was at the pivotal point of the argument when both sides drew weapons the crowd of angry villagers hastily parted for the two horse mounted riders. Over the growing wind the Knight shouted, "Stay your weapons!" Upon the command, the Elders immediately complied.
Surprised at how quickly the locals backed off at the presence of this lone man and woman, the Aesir Chief went with caution and signaled his men to hold. Looking at the somewhat shorter but powerfully built man carrying a hammered iron shield and spear with a blade long enough to stab a man in the chest then stick out his arse, also gave him pause. The main thing raising the Chief's hackles was the man's near black eyes.
The Aesir had seen eyes like that on many a battlefield. They were the cold emotionless ones of a man who would fly into the face of a dragon without hesitation. Killing men in great numbers meant nothing to the possessor of such eyes. The Chief sheathed his sword and gave the command to his men to do so as well.
Again the Aesir Chief was surprised for the Warrior stood aside and the most striking of women stood before him. Her head was crowned with a shining cascade of thin black braids that would make a raven envious. Her face was an exotic combination of soft yet chiseled features with full lips. Skin the color of fine aged leather covered a shapely frame that could not be hidden by the simple white-linen robe she wore. The mere sight of her caused his loins to rouse abruptly!
In a gentle yet authoritative voice the woman addressed him. "I give greetings to you Chief of the Aesir travelers. I am the Priestess of this land and have come to ask why are you and your people at this place when you were strictly warned against it?"
The Chief's hackles ruffled at the thought of being addressed so by a woman, but he had endured such things in his own land with the Witches of his tribe. Normally he would just cut this foreign savage down, but they were badly outnumbered and there was still the Warrior to contend with.... Swallowing his pride the Chief replied in his best approximation of the local language, "We no come Mountain. We look for lost ones who disobey."
The Chief waited for the Priestess' reply and suddenly in perfect Aesirean she countered, "You should have asked for the Valley Folk's help. This place is very dangerous. You do not know what your people's actions may have done."
Amazed at her ability to speak his language but skeptical the Chief replied, "What could be so dangerous woman? It's just a mountain. I'm only concerned they haven't gotten themselves killed falling into a cave or something."
Shaking her head the Priestess snapped back, "You do not understand. The Mountain sleeps. If your people awaken it, things will go badly!"
Incredulous of these savage's superstitions, the Chief and his men all laughed uproariously. The Chief then guffawed and said, "Ho? And how can the mere tread of a man on the back of a mountain awaken it?"
The answer came abruptly as the sky grew dark from the black clouds gathered over the strange curving mountain peak. The wind grew to near gale force and the earth beneath them trembled! Knowing what was to come, the Priestess turned and gave a sharp look to the Knight.
To the screaming Valley Folk the Knight yelled, "Everyone get to the Dam!"
Turning back to the Chief the Priestess then said, "If you wish your people to survive, send them on with the Valley Folk. If you want to find your lost ones, you alone stay."
With the earth now cracking beneath them, the Chief looked to his men and then back at the Priestess. "You men follow these folk to safety!" One of his senior warriors grabbed him by the arm and shouted, "We're not leaving without you!"
Yanking his arm away the Chief snarled, "By Odin's Iron Codpiece! You do as I say!" Suddenly the Chief smiled wickedly and then said, "Besides, if things go bad I'll need someone to sing a proper song about how well I met my end!" Nodding, the Senior Warrior replied, "Aye! I'll see to that! Save me a seat in Valhalla!"
The Priestess watched as both the Valley Folk and the remaining Aesir fled the Mountain and then turned to the rumbling summit now covered in black thunderclouds. She could see the fear on the Aesir Chief's hairy face but felt his courage holding. That was good. He would need it for there was no doubt those young men of his and her adopted people had roused the Sleeping Mountain.
Long, long ago when she came to this place, she intervened in the war between the River and Mountain as they prepared to destroy the world. The battle she fought with them created the Valley and Lake which made life in so lifeless a place possible. The conflict was resolved with an agreement between the once River now turned Lake, the Mountain and herself who would stay and act as peacekeeper. Long as it was left undisturbed, the Mountain agreed to take its rest. Long as it was allowed to flow across the Valley during the spring as it always had, the River agreed to be dammed.
Over time, people came to live in the fertile Valley Region and as payment, all abided by the conditions of the Lake and Mountain. They came to honor her as the 'Priestess' and every so often brought forth their strongest warrior to be her husband and protector.
After generations of silence, the Mountain was waking up! The ground trembled again and with her husband the Knight and the Aesir Chief flanking her the Priestess said, "If you have never looked upon the powers of the world, you shall now!" The crust of the Mountain fell away as great boulders, ancient trees and clouds of dust flew into the sky.
From the very roots of the world burst the head of a creature long unseen in the racial memory of men! The peak of the once mountain was actually the scimitar-like horn of an ancient creature known as an Elder Elemental. Its roar skyward blew away the center of the thundercloud bank and a wide single shaft of sunlight burned its way through to the ground beneath it. Echoing far and wide across the vast landscape came the indignant thunder of the Elemental's voice, "WHO HATH DARED DISTURB MY SLUMBER?"
© 2010 H. Wolfgang Porter. All Rights Reserved.
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