Villainess From the Stars

28. Song-giver

Despite the homesickness the place beyond the portal brought, it also brought a feeling of lightness to Vienna's soul. As if she was no longer so alone, as if she had friends always nearby just a portal away. Friends that made her feel like Pop's embrace. The call to the portal had quieted as if it knew she would always find herself back to it.

Vienna had lost the concept of time in Secret Garden and had begun to suspect that time perhaps didn't exist within the space. It was like how she had seen so many Elem grow from their Inheritance naming day into adulthood. Aelius and Eirlys had been just like that young when she first met them, best friends sticking together who then grew before her eyes into adults who gazed longingly into each other's eyes.

Vienna knew their vow day would be soon and so she made her way back to the meadow where they had built the home they'd lived in alongside Vienna.

When Vienna arrived back to the meadow she found the Elem setting up for a celebration at what they called their "Širdghedh-plat" which roughly translated into their Meeting Place.Eirlys arrived in a pretty light blue dress sown with fine embroidery along its edges.

"I'm not too late am I?"

Her friend welcomed her with open arms, "We would not have started without you."

Vienna laughed, "And how did you know I was coming?"

A long arm swung over her shoulder as the warm voice of Aelius laughed near her ear, "Our fellow Elem that have traveled to the edges have spoken of you traveling back this way. We estimated you would arrive soon."

"Would you have truly waited?" Vienna looked at the two.

"How could we not have our Namesaker at our vows?"

Vienna smiled, "What can I help with?"

Aelius swept his hand toward the Elem decorating the trees and the Meeting Place's platform with vines and ribbons."Our people enjoy celebrations. All you need to do is join us in the Kweləmynd song, it permits the vows to be said."

Vienna felt her cheeks blush, "Like a parent giving away their child."

"We are not sure if that is the equivalent but it is more a binding. The one that sings the song is forever tied to the new family, just as the two are forever bound to each other."

Vienna could feel her eyes mist over, "You want me to be part of your family?"

Aelius and Eirlys hugged her on either side, "You already are, Bhelfl'ōr."

"You can call me by my birth name if you wish. I'm sorry I never told you it, I was..."

Eirlys put a finger to Vienna's lips, "You were young then too. It is alright to hold things dear to you closer and not wish to share them."

Vienna cleared her throat, "So there's a song I need to sing?"

—

"But there are no words?" Vienna looked curiously over at the Mapmaker who was the one who usually was the Song-giver in the ceremonies where there wasn't another.

The Mapmaker leaned back on his hands in the grass, "It is not meant to be heard so much as felt." He placed a hand upon his chest and closed his eyes, "It is felt from the core of our beings."

"A heartfelt expression turned into music? So I must hum a melody that reminds me of them or come up with a new one on the spot?"

"It is said the Song-giver was a position borrowed from a race long gone. We are told since we were young that it is a precious position for someone who can feel things more strongly than others."

"Do you?"

The Mapmaker gave a wry smile, "I've never quite felt it just right. Something always seems to feel missing."

—-

The celebration was beautiful. Eirlys walked down an aisle that rained down soft snowflakes that melted when she came to stand next to her soon-to-be partner for life, Aelius.

They held the hand of each other while their other hand was laid upon the wide clear stone that framed the Meeting Place.

"Nōs es nes-sirt""Nes leubh esti roche"

'We are our center or heart' and 'Our love is a rock or unbreakable.' Vienna translated in her mind as the voices of her friends rose in the clearing.

They turned their heads toward Viena who stood in front of their hands, she placed a slightly shaking hand upon theirs. A glance up was all she needed to gain confidence as she saw their reassuring smiles. She opened her mouth and out came a low sound, her cheeks blushed as she heard how wobbly it sounded, she closed her eyes and focused on how she felt when she saw the two before her together and she let the melody take her wherever she felt it she could go as she thought such thoughts. As she opened her eyes she placed her other hand at the bottom of their clasped hands. Her voice quieted into a soft sweet hum and she smiled at the two of them as she felt a surge of pure happiness.

Along with her, the whole company of Elem had joined in the song, their renditions sounded uniquely their own and as the hum came to unite, the two Elem at the front shared their first kiss sealing their forever bond for all time.

—The excitement from the celebration would not leave Vienna's bones; it had resonated so deeply into her very being. It felt as if she was still feeling echoes of its joy even days after. She would find herself at the Meeting Place humming the melodies that had been drifting through her mind since the first time the Old One had hummed to her as she danced across the stone. For the first time in her life, overcome with emotion and not caring what anyone would think if they came across her.