I glare as Elder Kri'va drags me into the tent, the place where her hand gripping my arm red. She lets go and I massage the spot, as she and the other two women bustle around a wooden mannequin centered in the room. The sight of the outfit draped upon it catches my breath, and a smile creeps onto my lips. The ensemble was elegant, comprised of a delicate, pastel bluegreen lowcut corset with beautiful embroidery that showed swirls like the eddies of wind across the desert sand. A sheer pastel teal top was attached to the corset, seemingly stitchless, billowing out from the sides and back, its sleeves drawn down and split to the elbow.
The skirt was a pleated mix of the same sheer material and bluegreen silks, short in the front and which grew longer toward the back, the pleats a reminder of the most delicate of bird feathers. The loin undergarment was studded with a small number of small, beautiful stones shaped like triangular gems. Lastly a headdress with waves of material attached to a whitesilver circlet and small, delicate chain were draped on the mannequin, the headdress made of the same light, sheer material as the top but of a pale blue color. The outfit's pieces seemed to catch the light of the torches, creating a sparkling blue and green haze across the tent.
Elder Kri'va pipes up to the women, her words smudged by her missing teeth.
'Get about now, the ceremony will begin soon. And you!' She points to me. 'Ye best be losin' that attitude. The Lis'ya isn't a petulant child.'
My brow tightens as I look at the woman.
'What do you mean, attitude? I've been manhandled the entire way, as if I were incapable of walking on my own. You expect me to *enjoy* that?'
Elder Kri'va barks out a dry laugh.
'Whether ye enjoy somethin' or not doesn't matter much, Teler'il. We didnae expect the sands teh be callin' this soon, but here we are. All those people out there are
looking at YE to be their voice and their feet.' She places a warm, wrinkled hand on my cheek gently, her voice and eyes becoming softer. 'Teler'il, be calm. Think of
your lad ou' there. He'll be watchin ye, playin' for ye. Just lose yerself in the music.'
Our eyes meet, and despite myself I smile back at her before pressing my forehead to hers.
'Yes, Elder, you're right. I'm just...on edge.' I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.
She takes my hands into hers and the two of us speak in unison, as we had hundreds of times before.
' "Small mercies will guide us
Through the dunes of the Ishar." '
The elder separates herself from me as I shake my head gently to clear it, the beads in my long black hair clicking together lightly. I turn back toward the center of the tent where the women gently take apart the pieces from the mannequin, supervised by Elder Kri'va as she clicks her tongue. I unwrap and unfasten the serviceable dancer's dress from my body, the fabric pooling to the floor. The elder comes to me finally and we step before the mannequin as the women begin to help me into the clothing. They carefully pull the corset onto my frame, the material soft against my bare skin. I exhale sharply as I expect a tug from the back, but the material settled as if it were a second skin, comfortable and light. The sheer top flowed around me, as if the whisper of winds outside were enough to carry it off into the night. Delicately, I take the undergarments and pull them on, the material as soft as the corset, while the women help me into the skirt and headdress. With every move of my head, the headdress almost floats around me.
Elder Kri'va is silent as she steps around me, twitching material here and there, making sounds of approval. The women move to the front of the tent and murmur in hushed tones, their voices in awe against the backdrop of the instruments and sounds from outside. As the elder steps back from me, she speaks up.
'Teler'il, feel for the movement. Tell if anything feels out of place.'
With a slow, deep breath, I nod to her, and begin simple movements with my hands, stepping lightly on the rug underneath me. Keeping my breathing even, I begin to twirl, bending to the side then backward with my arms drawn away from me, then throwing my hands outward sharply as I snap forward again, then begin the more complex of the movements. The material attached to me softly flew, harshly snapped and gently twirled, all to my movements. The skirt flared as the headdress floated around me, my cascading hair flowing around me. I was lost to the music of my body, the glancing of colors striking the walls of the tent like millions of motes of stars.
At last, my movement slows and eventually comes to a stop, my arms wrapped around myself, hands coming slowly to a stop in the air before lowering to my sides. As my senses came back to me, I heard sobs from behind me and Elder Kri'va beaming at me, tracks of tears staining her weathered face.
She opens her mouth as if to speak, closes it again, then tries once more.
'Aye, Teler'il...yer ready. That was...marvelous.'
She wipes fresh tears from her face, then steps toward me and embraces me. Wrapping my arms around her, I hold the elder close, my heartbeat deep and resounding in my breast.
We came to ourselves, heartbeats later, to the sounds of the people outside quieting down. We could hear the sounds of the musicians begin to pluck and drum, flaut and resound. Soon, that also died down until the only sound left was the strings of the Yul'yi being plucked softly, reverently.
Elder Kri'va stepped away from me and ushered the other women to their places, each of them putting on dark silk robes, deep hoods pulled over their faces, their red puffy eyes glittering. The elder pulls her own robe on before taking her place in front of me. The other two took their places at the entrance and simultaneously drew open the tent flaps as the elder and I step forward. As we pass through the entrance, the two take their positions behind me, creating a triangle with the elder, myself in the center.
The sands before us were already quiet, but as we stepped forward it felt as if true silence descended on the commune. The bonfire in the distance had been put out with only the smoke rising from the sands any indication there had been a fire at all. Braziers lined the way up the dune side toward where the nis'yat was located. We stepped slowly toward where the musicians waited, the Yul'yi the only one playing. I looked on toward the Yul'yi who stood to the side of the stone pathway leading to the dais.
Qal'ro was illuminated only by moonlight and stars, and yet I could see every movement he made, every plucking of the ban'lo in his hands, every expression. He showed only quiet pride and love as I approached, his breath catching in his chest as he looked in awe at my appearance. I smile at him as I pass by, and he shakes himself gently before giving me a green eyed wink.
As we reach the steps of the nis'yat, the elder steps to the side and flanked by the two women. I continue on, climbing the stone steps, each swept bare save for the small eddies of sand blown by the desert breeze. I step lightly onto the nis'yat and moved to the middle of the platform, moving with a gentle grace that had been practiced countless times before. The Yul'yi's plucking ends and the last chord echoes along the dunes, the only other sound the snapping of the low braziers behind the throng of people, their light and heat unable to reach my raised stage.
I look about the dunes and sands of the Ishara'ni, its very existence bespoken of tranquility, grace and life. The rolling hills of shifting sand were graced with the silver of the celestial bodies far above. My breath stops in my throat as I feel tears in my eyes, before swiping them away softly. Just as in the tent, I take my stance by leaning to the side slightly, feet crossed with one before the other, hands crossed above me oppositely crossed. The kiss of the wind on my cheeks was cool to the touch, yet warmer than any lover's embrace. Closing my eyes, I breathe the clean night air deeply, then I open my eyes and begin my song and the cadence of the dance as I had started in the tent. Qal'ro follows my movements with quick notes, then slowing again, before the ensemble begins to follow my movements with haunting grace.
The sky waneth with heart of the abandon,
A hope and love of peace long past by.
Hark to me O Spirit of Sand,
My heart doth speak truth to you.
Under the moon's enchanting glow, we gather in the night,
A people united, embracing the starry light.
Our voices rise in reverence, carried on the desert breeze,
As we sing our sacred song, among the ancient seas.
Hale, O Spirit of Wind, hear our plea,
On this bountiful night, we send praise to thee.
With hearts aflame with passion, we seek out your name,
In the depths of darkness, your love we claim.
The moonlight dances upon us, casting shadows in the sand,
We sing to you the ancient songs, passed down by tribal hands.
We seek your guiding beauty, terrible, and sure,
The guardian of the desert, your heart absolute and pure.
O Spirit of the Oasis, hear our hearts and calls,
On this bountiful night, we send praise to your halls.
With passions calling out to you, we seek out your wisdom,
In the depths of light, our souls gain their freedom.
Through barren lands we wander, under your blanket of stars,
With each step we take, we feel your loving arms.
You guide us through the wilderness, with hope and grace,
As we travers the shifting dunes, your essence we embrace.
O Spirit of the Mirage, hear our shifting needs,
On this bountiful night, we send our drifting pleads.
With loves abound through grateful deeds, we seek out release,
In the depths of the earth, our bodies shall know peace.
As life unfolds its secrets, we sing into the void,
The melody of our spirits, forever unalloyed.
O, Spirit of the Desert, in your beautiful grace,
We honor you, our guardian, forever in our hearts embrace.
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