She is young, barely taller than an adult's knees, and she holds the hand of young man who looks very similar to her. His face is solemn and she watches as he stares forward, until he notices her gaze and looks down. He smiles, squeezes her hand, and then nods his head forward again. She looks, too, to see her father kneeling before a bier, upon which lays the body of a woman. With her free hand, Isra points to the woman and looks up at her brother, but he only shakes his head.
“Listen for now, stardrop,” he whispers. “We will get our turn soon.”
His voice shakes in a way she has never heard before and she does not like it.
On the other side of the funeral bier another woman approaches, this one much older than the deceased. She is dressed in white, the same color as Isra, her brother, and their father. A holographic headdress depicting six stars rises over her head, the light a pale silver. At her presence, the room falls hushed, as if all those gathered – and there are so many, too many to even fit inside the temple – hold their breaths.
She begins to speak.
“Just as those who came before and those who will come after, our beloved Queen now prepares to greet the Great Mother.
When our people first came to this planet, it was She who protected us from the beasts of the sands, and She who showed us where to find water and food. It was She who gave us the knowledge of the crystals and the tools to defend our new home. And it was She who rose up into the darkness and took Her place within the stars, to watch over us and to wait… to wait for when the light of our souls burns out. And when it does, as it shall for us all, it was She who promised to return and guide our souls into the universe… to place them there within the void, where they will rest as new stars, their light rekindling, until it is time to return and begin life anew.”
There is a murmur amongst the gathered, a quiet prayer rippling through the temple.
The Priestess continues.
“The light of our Queen will rest at the Mother's side, at peace, until she is ready to be reborn.”
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yourburden) wrote2024-09-06 06:06 pm
1. A Funeral Rite | My People' History and Religion
She is young, barely taller than an adult's knees, and she holds the hand of young man who looks very similar to her. His face is solemn and she watches as he stares forward, until he notices her gaze and looks down. He smiles, squeezes her hand, and then nods his head forward again. She looks, too, to see her father kneeling before a bier, upon which lays the body of a woman. With her free hand, Isra points to the woman and looks up at her brother, but he only shakes his head.
“Listen for now, stardrop,” he whispers. “We will get our turn soon.”
His voice shakes in a way she has never heard before and she does not like it.
On the other side of the funeral bier another woman approaches, this one much older than the deceased. She is dressed in white, the same color as Isra, her brother, and their father. A holographic headdress depicting six stars rises over her head, the light a pale silver. At her presence, the room falls hushed, as if all those gathered – and there are so many, too many to even fit inside the temple – hold their breaths.
She begins to speak.
“Just as those who came before and those who will come after, our beloved Queen now prepares to greet the Great Mother.
When our people first came to this planet, it was She who protected us from the beasts of the sands, and She who showed us where to find water and food. It was She who gave us the knowledge of the crystals and the tools to defend our new home. And it was She who rose up into the darkness and took Her place within the stars, to watch over us and to wait… to wait for when the light of our souls burns out. And when it does, as it shall for us all, it was She who promised to return and guide our souls into the universe… to place them there within the void, where they will rest as new stars, their light rekindling, until it is time to return and begin life anew.”
There is a murmur amongst the gathered, a quiet prayer rippling through the temple.
The Priestess continues.
“The light of our Queen will rest at the Mother's side, at peace, until she is ready to be reborn.”