After her son had left the table she moved her focus to morning prayers.  With Sasha gone, they were becoming harder and harder to perform alone.  It was as though the very moon had left her to fend for herself in darkness.  The stone hallways were cold and disinteresting to her despite being adorned in brightly embroidered tapestries.  The great works of her ancestors hung all around her but she couldn't bring herself to marvel in them like she had before.  They, too, reminded her of her daughter and her young curious nature.  Of how often she would ask about each tapestry, one after the other.  Always seeming so determined to further what she knew.  

Reaching out, she ran her hands along the tapestries as she walked. The first being a war scene where Hal's grandfather was ripping the leader of another house in two.  Though there was blood and carnage, only the other leader was depicted as having a mortal wound.  The next was a scene of one of her ancestors commanding a pack of trained wolves to hunt and herd a group of humans.  The final one before her chambers was of the great mother of her kind, Bali.  Seated and accompanied by a red forest lion, both figures were illuminated by the moon as they seemed to stare into the eyes of those that looked upon them.

With purpose, she reached out and stroked the stitched arm of Bali and swore to do better.  Sasha was sorted, but as it stood, her son was on a dangerous path.  She only hoped that Bali would give her the guidance to save them both.  The last thing she wanted was to have to bury either one of her children.

Letting herself into her chambers, she moved to the wall by her side of the bed.  Feeling for the telltale movement in the masonry, she pressed and the wall slid and pivoted to reveal her hidden hideaway.  It wasn't much but she entered it all the same when she felt the need to commune with Bali and give prayer.

Lighting a series of candles illuminated the sacred symbols that had been painted all along the walls of this small shrine.  Little tapestries that she had stitched herself hung alongside the symbols.  

To the left upon entering was a series of candles.  Each had been carved with a sacred symbol and filled with different colored waxes.  Some had waned clear to their stand whilst others appeared to be untouched.  The stands also had various embellishment combinations depending on which symbol they were tied to.  Lions were always red or golden, never silver.  Stags were gold or silver, never red.  

A small altar had been erected furthest from the door that had a small effigy made of stone on a heavily decorated wooden pedestal.  The statue, carved of glowing white moon marble, stood with a hand outstretched towards the viewer whilst the other hand carried a spear up and back at the ready.  The only blemish across the entirety of the statue was the outstretched palm of the figure which had been stained a dark brownish black color.

To the right of the statue was a bookshelf full of parchments and blood filled jars.  Some had the paper and markings associated with Moonlight whilst others denoted something even stronger.  There was also a small set of golden goblets.  Each one was a different size ranging from little more than a sip all the way up to one that would take several gulps to empty.  Though they varied in size, they all had the same engraving; a silver moon, a golden spear, and a ruby teardrop.

After ensuring that the door was properly shut and latched, she bowed her head to the statue.  Holy mother of all I come to you again to seek peace and guidance in matters.

Moving to the goblets, she took up the smallest of them and grabbed the Moonlight she was so used to consuming.  It was the weakest, but it always allowed her to move into her visions much easier than the others.  Uncorking the bottle, she took both it, and the cup, to the statue.

"Bless me with sight to see and wisdom to understand."  

As she spoke the words, she poured the Moonlight down upon the outstretched palm of the statue.  Quickly, she moved the little goblet beneath it to catch the now blessed liquid.  When the little cup was full, she carefully returned the jar to its place on the shelf and capped it once more. Kneeling before the statue, she bowed her head once more before quickly drinking down the sanctified liquid.

By the time she set the small goblet down beside her, she could already feel the effects beginning to course through her.  It was a humming vibration as though Bali were all around her and growling from within the very heart of her.  Closing her eyes, she surrendered herself to the feeling and allowed her mind to wander and convene with the mother goddess.

She focused on her breathing as her mother had taught her.  Thoughts were held gently within her mind until she finally had one she truly aspired to pick apart and discern.  Was she making the right choice?  The signs had all been there but she needed proof that this was the intended path that Bali was trying to lead them on.

The darkness she was kneeling in gave way to a grassy moonlit filled meadow.  This was often a place that her prayer sessions entered first.  Standing, she looked over the flowers and basked in their sweetness.  The forest that surrounded the meadows groaned as though it were made of boughs near breaking.  

"Please!  I know I have returned sooner than you have asked but..."  

She was hesitant with her words, even here in the most private and intimate setting with her goddess.

"My daughter...  I need to know she will survive this...  I need to know she is alright..."

The groaning in the forest turned into a roar all around her and she fell to her knees.  The deep roars and groans seemed to shake her to the very core and left her humbled there upon the grasses.  

"Please..."

Hot tears welled and flowed down her cheeks as she quietly bent her head and begged.  They were tears of fear for herself and for Sasha.  Doubt spread within her like winter chill; cutting through her.  The flowers around her slowly began to wilt and die out.  The wilting spread out towards the forest but she dared not raise her head to watch it.

Slowly, the roaring stopped and the groaning eased.  A breeze, gentle and warm despite the night enveloped her gently and she began to calm in its embrace.  New buds began to form around her in response as the die off and wilting was halted just short of the forest itself.  

Eventually, she raised her head to look upon the forest and was taken aback at the sight before her.  Animals of all shapes and sizes stood at the edge of the forest.  Some of them she didn't have names for.  Others she was almost certain were from stories in her youth.  

A man, wearing the mantle and glowing garb of a true king, along with his red forest lion stepped out from behind the line of onlooking animals.  In his hand was an elegantly carved golden tipped spear.  Its manner of construction led one to believe it had been crafted for him given its length and how it seemed to fit just right in his hand.  His long dark hair flowed in the wind as though it were made of shadow, black flame, and a foggy darkness all at once.  Everytime it would catch the breeze it would drag out as though it had no true ending.

By the time she was able to realize just who she was seeing, the man drew back and launched the spear into the air.  She watched as the spear quickly gained height and arched towards her.  The tip glinted a moment as it caught the moon light before rapidly falling down towards her.  Her heart began to race as she tried to come up with a plan of action.  While she fumbled, the spear continued to fall ever closer.  

Just before it hit her, she closed her eyes unwilling to watch it pierce through her.

But then nothing happened.  The breeze continued to flow around her.  The forest continued to groan on occasion.  Nothing had changed.

Opening her eyes, she took in the sight of a red lion like the one beside El.  It had taken the spear to its heart in place of her.  Her shock turned to sadness and she wept openly for the animal.  Reaching out, she laid a hand on the soft dense fur and quietly apologized to it.  

"I will try to see it through to the end.  I will...  Try to not look away."

The embedded spear suddenly flashed a bright gold and seemed to burn to ash before flashing back into existence in El's hands.  The red lion suffered the same fate as it too turned a radiant gold color before seeming to turn to embers and catch the breeze.

She watched once more as El threw the spear.  As her tears continued to fall as she humbled herself in the knowledge of where it would land.  She forced herself to remain focused and see this through to the end.  When it did land, it cut clean through her and embedded itself deeply into the grass behind her.

Every breath was agony as her lungs were now competing with a spear in their cavity.  While she had lost all feeling below the cut, where it was severed was a fresh new sensation of pain.  It was as though fire and ice were made of some horrible combination of knives and intense pressure.  The urge to cough left her tasting her own blood and she scanned the area for El.

But there was no one, save for the red lion from before.  It stood right before her now, powerful and strong.  It watched her intently as her body began to get cold.  It took a step towards her as her the edges of her vision lost focus and eventually turned dark.

Gasping awake upon the floor of her shrine, her first reaction was to grasp at her chest to make sure that the spear wasn't there.  Though it was truly well and gone, the ache remained.  Laying back against the wooden floorboards, she looked up at the outstretched hand of the Bali statuette.  The little figure was her connection to the gods and they had made it very clear that there was to be no more prayer walks today.

A soft shuffling near the hidden door made her go very still until the voice of her handmaid filtered through the cracks.  "A visitor has come for you my lady.  It's Hador's wife, Kora."

Sighing softly, she pulled herself off the floor and went to the door.  Sliding out, she was careful to keep the inner part of the shrine hidden from the servant.  Not that it really mattered as the servant was quick to go to work and begin addressing any fashion issues on her person.  Hador's wife wasn't exactly a small person in their social group and it was in her best interest to look as illustrious as possible.  

The servants tugging and fussing eventually grated on her nerves.  First El spears her and now this?

She motioned casually to the dresser in the room as she spoke.  "Enough.  Bring me the teardrop necklace and the green overdress."

Thankfully, the servant was quick to do as she was told and returned promptly.  

"Now go and see her into the sitting room.  I will be there momentarily."

With a little nodding bow, the servant was quick to leave the room and do as she was told.  Running a hand over the teardrop necklace and the emerald stone it held, she gave a silent prayer to El.  Should these talks be fruitful, there would be an arranged marriage cemented for Tekor and they would be able to rule over a larger section of their world.  She only hoped that Tekor would one day grow out of the weakness that his open displays of anger brought him.

Once she was dressed and ready, she set herself on the path through her home to the sitting room.  It had been several years since she had seen Kora.  Though Hador came regularly, it seemed that Kora was indeed intensely focused on matters within her own home. Fondly, she remembered some of the times they had had before children had been too heavily involved in their lives.  The evenings spent chatting over blood as their capable mates were off hunting or talking in private.  But ever since the children arrived, those moments began to slow and then appeared to stop. The moments that did arrive seemed sterile and almost cold.  Her love for the other woman had slowly left her and she was now merely one of the other women of status.  

Walking into the room she was taken aback at the sight of Kora sitting in one of the many sitting chairs, thoroughly and heavily, pregnant.  It wasn't as though Kora was too old, perhaps somewhere in her 400th year, but the thought that El had graced her not with three children but four was difficult to swallow.  All the same, she wore her trained mask and congratulated her.

"Another one on the way? Truly you are blessed."  Her words were soft and pleasant as she slid down into the opposite chair.

She could do little more than watch as Kora pet her immense belly lovingly.  "Yes.  It will be two this time provided they survive the birthing.  I can hear their hearts strengthening with each day.  I don't think it will be long now."

Two...  TWO!?  The sting of this knowledge was like a slap in the face.  Here she was being as devout and possible and she had only been given two children.  Yet here was this.... this slip of a woman and she was being given five!?  She couldn't stop herself from hoping that one of them died on the birthing bed; Kora included.

"I do hope you will invite us to their nameday."  Malora did her best to ensure her tone was cordial.

"Of course.  It would be irresponsible not to, given your intentions."  

There was a hint of a smirk in Kora's tone and Malora knew that the woman had seen through her smile to some degree.