Shades of Purple
A Tale of Two Moons
Shades of Purple
Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky.
And every night, the young woman and the white mare stood at the edge of the water to watch he waltz in the sky, serenaded by the gentle waves slapping the shore. Mesmerized by the nightly ritual, they stared as the clouds cleared to reveal the brightest star and two shining moons, brilliantly lighting the beach and the path they would follow tomorrow. Based on the alignment of the moons and single star, it was time to pick up the quest. Time to return to their home. Time to make their claim, as promised.
This was the darkest the nights ever got on the island - a magnificent dark purple twilight, as the indigo shade encapsulated the daytime blush.
The white mare turned to the young woman astride.”Rhiannon, it’s time to go in.”
Rhiannon pulled her gaze from the night sky, looking toward the cave instead. She loved losing her thoughts in the moonbeams, but needed to keep vigilant to avoid the dangers that came with dusk. “Yes, Macha. Let’s get to the cave.”
Macha strode over the pink sand. Even in the twilight, it shimmered like crystals beneath the moonlight. When they entered the cave, Rhiannon slid down from the horse’s wide back and climbed into her soft, grassy bed. It was like a nest, built out of items gathered from the island. She admired her small collection of amethyst crystals. She had made one small stone into a necklace by wrapping it with a string of long reedgrass. She would wear the stone tomorrow. She also had one to braid into Macha’s thick mane for the the mare’s protection.
The young woman felt the nervous energy gripping her body in anticipation of the task head. Rhiannon took a bite of the special root to help her fall asleep. As her eyelids grew heavy, she heard Macha’s soothing voice “Sleep well, Princess, for tomorrow will be an adventurous day, requiring your strength.”
With eyes closed, Rhiannon thought about how they would ride to the center of the lush jungle to meet up with the mighty group of warriors, heading forth to meet their fate.
She heard Macha shuffle to the cave entrance. Her job was to stand watch over the young woman in her slumber to keep her safe from dangers lurking in the purple shadows of twilight. On this night, nothing unusual captured her attention, though.
When the morning sun lit the cave, Rhiannon opened her eyes to find her more was already outside. The muscular mare kept fit by eating the plentiful sea-grass throughout the days, Rhiannon satiated herself with the variety of tropical fruits and edibles growing naturally on the island. A brief, but substantial, rain fell daily to supply them with fresh water, and nurture the vegetation on the land.
Even though the sun shone brightly, the rain started coming down. Both Rhiannon and Macha took shelter in the cave to escape the predictable torrent. The woman grabbed the deep bucket they used to catch the rain water they would drink.
The shower ended with a rainbow arcing over the island jungle. The scent of purple electrified the air, always strong after the rains.
Macha and Rhiannon drained the bucket, drinking some, but also filling bottles to carry for the journey head. Rhiannon fastened them to her think belt, alongside her dagger. She glanced up at the horse with her violet gaze.
“Are you ready?” Macha asked, kneeling down so the girl could sit herself upon the mare’s back.
“Yes, I suppose I am,” replied Rhiannon as she settled herself astride. The mare stepped from the cave toward the path, proudly carrying the Princess of Epona.
About the Creator
KJ Aartila
A writer of words in northern WI with a small family and a large menagerie.
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Peanuts and Crackerjack
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Comments (5)
Great job on both challenges. Well done.
Ooo, intriguing, magical, and immersive! I love the relationship between Macha and Rhiannon. I hope you'll tell us more about their story and their claim! Thank you for sharing!
This is creative and the elements of the story remained me of old favorites like the Black Stallion or the Never Ending Story!💜 Nicely done combining the challenges too.
I really like the classic fantasy feel of this piece. Well done merging the two challenges!
I really like your pace and immersive writing. 🥰