Daughters Of Ryaus

Foreward
It is believed that the Daughters of Ryaus, upon reaching their womanhood, would be called to serve Him and the forests He rules over. His magic fills these five women and grants each of them strong abilities in nature's magicks. The plants and wildlife speak to them and they feel the pain and happiness that the Nost would feel. They are sensitive to this as if it were an extention of their own bodies and souls.

Story
Her hair flowed behind her; an unusual mix of greens, yellows, and browns like a Oak in it's Autumn dress. Her laughter danced across the branches she passed and traveled upward to lighten the heavens with her joy. Shamaar, the wife of Jarenthil, had found joy in her sprints within the forest well into her 8th month. Being so close to the wonders of Ryaus, her small blessing growing inside of her belly, did not exhaust her but instead managed to rejuvenate her by leaps and bounds.

She would fall, gracefully, into a large cushioned patch of moss. Her legs would kick, carelessly, into the air, her fur wrap twisting around them as she relaxed and wrapped her thin arms over her swollen belly cradling the blessing within. The lullaby of the Nost began above her as she lay, resting. The locusts and the tree frogs would begin their evening's song, the breeze would whip through the rustling leaves in the canopy.

"Ah, my beloved. What a surprise to find you here," his brown eyes glittered with the teasing he would give his wife as he appeared from behind her.

"I can think of nothing more relaxing than Ryaus' serenade. Our child likes it, it calms her greatly." Shamaar would slide over a bit to allow her husband room to join her on the forest floor.

Eying the offered seat, Jarenthil would slide down beside her and rest a hand on the curve of her belly. A moment's wait would allow him to find that the child was, indeed, sleeping. He smiled, the wrinkles on the corners of his eyes deepening for a breath before his smile fell, a worried look brushing over his features.

Shamaar opened her eyes and caught the woeful look in his and turned her neck so she could look into them properly.

"My husband, what troubles you? The child is healthy and growing each day. The forest gives us everything we could ask for. Ryaus has blessed us, my love. Why do you look so sad?"

He tried to smile for his wife again but this time it didn't quite meet his eyes. He dropped his gaze, his hand tightening on her stomach as if that was all that was holding him on earth and to release her would let him slip away.

"I am a selfish man, Shamaar. I should be grateful to Ryaus for this child, but I am instead jealous. This is truly His offspring, not mine."

She stared up at her troubled husband and lifted a hand to rest softly on his cheek, "Dear, sweet Jarenth," she said, not using his proper given name to show her endearment of him, "Ryaus has indeed blessed us. How long have we tried to create a family of our own? The ritual allowed us our first child and promised many, many more to come. This one will be just as much yours as any following birth. We must have faith in Him and all He knows. "

Jarenthil wrapped his hand around hers as it lay against his cheek and turned his face down to press lips against her soft palm. His mind wandered back to that night, under the full moon's gaze. A group of five elven couples, devout followers of Ryaus, gathered together in the most dense area of the forest. Not a single child born among the lot of them. They all had prayed to the Woodland God and He had come to them each and told them to come to this place on this night.

One by one, the couple would make offering to Ryaus, would give loyalty, and in turn Ryaus' essence and magic would enter each male as they coupled with their wives, while the rest of the gathering would pray and dance and chant around them. It was savage and public but Ryaus had told them that only if they gave themselves over to Him and His magic fully, would He be able to create a fertile land for seed to grow and thrive. He had also told each pair that their first born would be a Daughter of Ryaus and embody the forest magic deep within themselves. They would be His to call upon as needed. Each couple gave themselves to Him with this understanding, including Shamaar and Jarenthil.

"She will be ours until He wishes to take her away from us," Jarenthil said sadly. Shamaar sat up, holding an arm under the weight of her belly for support as she looked into her husband's eyes, a serene and peaceful smile twinkling in her olive-colored orbs.

"Then we shall raise her in the way of the Nost. In the fellowship of Ryaus and all that thrives for Him and because of Him. We will love her unconditionally and immensely  and give her to such power because of that love. And when it is her time to go to her True Father, then you and I and all of the brothers and sisters that come after her will let her go to fulfill the role she was born for, whatever it may be."