Together, In All Things

Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky. It had been almost ritual for a few weeks. Though many spectators would gather to watch, something just didn’t seem right to Aella. The colors simmered as the stars behind them twinkled. Every movement was intense, yet delicate. The clouds oscillated with expert precision, each one twisting and tangling with the next.

Aella gave a disappointed hum.

“Now don’t tell me you’re still unimpressed. The humans have never loved anything more than these nights you’ve given them.”

Aella didn’t need to turn to know her sister was coming up behind her. “I just don’t feel I’ve gotten the colors right.” Aella said.

“I think they’re beautiful.” Danu replied as she indelicately plopped to the ground. “Nothing we create will ever be perfect.”

Aella let out a breathy sigh as she allowed the clouds above to dissipate. “Says Danu, creator of the very Earth she sits upon.”

“And it’s not perfect!” Danu exclaimed. “Without our sisters help, we’d have a large, empty rock.”

Aella hummed, still dissatisfied with what she deemed a lackluster performance.

Just then, Danu sprang to her feet and darted behind a nearby bush. She pointed toward the lake just beyond them.

“Surely you must be joking,” Aella said.

Danu let a devilish smirk form on her lips as she carefully held three small pebbles, just above her palm. The rocks floated there with ease, spinning slowly at first, then faster and faster until they shot out one at a time, perfectly striking the exposed skin of their elder sister. Sirona turned around with a gasp, redness covering her face, and her brows furrowed.

“Danu! I know you’re there, come out!” She hollered.

Danu stayed ducked behind the bush, using all of her might to contain her laughter. Aella rolled her eyes and blew a small breath of air that was just strong enough to rustle the leaves Danu hid behind. Sirona smiled and with a wave of her hand, sent a splash of water crashing down over Danu’s form. The latter let out a loud shriek as she shot up from her hiding place to reveal exactly how drenched she had become.

Sirona let out a hearty laugh, and Aella followed soon after. Danu couldn’t stop herself from joining in even if she wanted to.

“What fun did we miss?” Tana called out as she and Inanna rounded the corner of the cliffside.

Aella floated ever so delicately over the ground until she reached a patch of grass near where Tana decided to sit.

“Danu is attempting to play pranks on Sirona again.”

“But I can’t be fooled that easily,” Sirona nodded towards Danu, who was standing close to the water’s edge wringing out her clothing.

Tana laughed. “What fun is having sisters if you can’t attempt a litany of tricks?”

Sirona let out a sigh and rubbed the spot on her shoulder where the pebbles hit her. “I just wish the tricks didn’t have to be so painful.”

“Well I wish they didn’t have to be so cold!” Danu called back.

“And I wish they didn’t have to be so loud.” Aella said, sending a small gust of wind towards both of her sisters.

“Oh come now, it’s all out of love!” Inanna said gleefully, gently pushing Aella’s shoulder. “Embrace it, I know I heard you laughing before Tana and I arrived.”

Aella’s cheeks reddened, which only served to widen Inanna’s smile, which then prompted a chain reaction of laughter from all three of the other girls. Inanna never failed in her abilities to spread the feelings of love throughout all of them.

“So,” Sirona started, “is Cybele back? I’ve missed our eldest sister.”

Tana’s smile faded just the slightest bit. “I’m afraid not.” She said. “She’s still perfecting her creations. Olwen and Selene are with her, they’ve even agreed to help, I think.”

Danu plopped down next to Sirona, leaning close to her older sister. “That does not sound like Olwen or Selene. Those two never agree on the same thing. Ever!”

Sirona shoved Danu, who only chuckled in response.

“Olwen of Light and Selene of Dark are closer than any of us.” Sirona said.

“They were born at precisely the same time afterall.” Inanna added. “Just moments after Cybele of Life herself.”

Danu let herself fall backwards, pulling Sirona with her until their backs hit the ground with a gentle thud. Danu’s smile fell just the slightest bit and Sirona wrapped an arm around the younger. Aella and Tana moved to lay next to their sisters, Inanna almost immediately crawling on top of all four of them as soon as they were all next to each other. They erupted in laughter that soon turned to a comfortable, love-filled silence that served to ease all of their minds.

“I miss them all.” Danu said after a short while of silence. “It’s not the same when the eight of us aren’t together.”

Inanna pressed herself closer to Danu, stamping a gentle kiss against the younger's forehead. She smiled widely. “They are not gone, Danu. We are all within each other, as we are in all things that we have created; on this Earth that you have forged, the water that Sirona has provided, the fire that Tana yields.” Inanna paused for a moment and turned towards the sky. “In the Sun that Olwen commands, and the night that Selene weaves.”

Sirona reached over Danu to grasp Inanna’s hand. “In the love we share for each other.” She added.

Inanna’s smile grew impossibly wider as she squeezed her sisters even tighter. “And in every breath of everything is the breath of our eldest sister. In my heartbeat, and yours. Even in the humans she is guiding right now. We are all a part of each other, and we would not exist alone.”

Danu smiled softly as she thought of all seven of her older sisters breathing one breath.