golden apples of the sun, silver apples of the moon

[pollyladon.livejournal.com]

Who has not seen in imagination, when looking into the sunset sky, the gardens of the Hesperides, and the foundation of all those fables?

- Henry David Thoreau

Tuesday, February 2nd, early afternoon

A bright day it is, sun gleaming in a wintry sky. It's hard not to be optimistic on a day like today, especially when I set out in the morning on the road to town. I have always felt great comfort in travel - at least, travel I have done alone, for the travelling to Excolo was exhausting and depressing. But when I have only my feet or my horse to worry about, my own agenda to pursue, then I am as content as can be. I have felt some guilt in the past over the pleasure I feel in being on my own on the road - it seems a selfish sort of thing - but I console myself that I do my work for my community. Once for my town, now for my new Temple.

It is a good town, this Excolo. I like it well, the two clean busy main streets and the tidy houses. There are some derelict spots, and a rather sad looking carnival (and there might be a good place to look for new members of our family! I have seen that many of the folk look tired and thin), but there is no filth, no polluted water, no sign of widespread disease or poverty. The people in general are slimmer than in Ladon, and it surprises me when it's such an apparently prosperous place, but they do not appear sick with it. And there are two churches - both sites of misguided follies, of course, but it gives me hope for the open mindedness of the population.

I take a walk through the town again, memorising the geography. I'm good at this; I now have a map in my mind of the location of every store and of the layout of the streets. I buy a cup of coffee at the cafe - such a luxury, and yet it seems an everyday thing here - and then I walk to the park. It isn't warm, but I like sitting in the sun when I can, and so I find a bench and tilt my head back and smile.

[OPEN]

Comments

[tereixa-zann.livejournal.com]

It was a quiet day so I headed up past Fiona's when I headed into town, and she wasn't in or else she was in and not coming out so I left my carved wooden kitten on the fence, thought she might like it, and headed on towards Main. But thinking of Fiona and her friend Kitty got stuck in my head and so I wandered up to the park, hands in my pockets and kicking over the dead grass and the sheaves of leaves and the scrims of frost and slush and the eddies of snow. God, what a picnic that was...

The park's mostly empty, but the clear skies keep it from being at all gloomy, and there's someone sitting on one of the benches. I turn so that I'm coming up to her, and I'm smiling as I do because she's smiling, she looks happy.

"Hey," I say cheerfully. "Lovely day, isn't it?"

[pollyladon.livejournal.com]

A young woman walks up. It takes until she is quite close to me for me to realise she's a woman, not a youth, her hair is so short and her body so slim. She has a very bright smile, and I return it.

"Lovely day, isn't it?"

"A fine bright day it is," I say easily. "There's nothing quite like to a sunny day in winter. It's a reminder of life." I shift along a bit on the bench. "Sit, if it pleases you."

[tereixa-zann.livejournal.com]

"A fine bright day it is," she says, words coming out with a sort of pretty rolling, an ease that makes me think of the hillocks and dips of the park in summer. "There's nothing quite like to a sunny day in winter. It's a reminder of life." She moves aside to give me space, and I think of Hux, making her awful tea wine and pouring it out for me and Jay after a particularly good hard day. I never mind the taste, those times. "Sit, if it pleases you."

"Awh, thank you," I say, hopping up and sitting down, one ankle over the other knee. I hold out my hand. "I'm Zann, Tereixa Zann, just Zann is fine. Are you new in town? I've been here since summer, but I don't think I've met you."

[pollyladon.livejournal.com]

"I'm Zann, Tereixa Zann, just Zann is fine. Are you new in town? I've been here since summer, but I don't think I've met you."

I shake her hand - it's not a gesture we use in Ladon, but I know it well enough from my trading days.

"It pleases me to meet you, Zann. May your days be long," I say, for it's what one says to those outside the fold. Without the promise of immortality, they need their lives to be as long as possible. "I am Polly Stesichorus," I continue. "Is it custom where you come from to go by your family name?" I ask, curious. "And yes, I am new here. I have moved with my family to a farm just outside of town. And you've been here since summer? What brings you to town?" I thought she had the look of the carnival to her, but a carnival that spends half a year in one place sounds peculiar to me.

[tereixa-zann.livejournal.com]

"It pleases me to meet you, Zann. May your days be long," she says, and I don't think I've heard that particular greeting before but hey, until Excolo I mostly only got out sometimes in the big cities to look for supplies, unless we were down in Gibtown.

"To you as well," I answer.

"I am Polly Stesichorus," she says, and that's a pretty name. "Is it custom where you come from to go by your family name?"

"Oh, no," I say, smiling. "But Tereixa's a mouthful, and people keep shortening it to Terry," and I wrinkle my nose at that, "and I'm the only one of my family who really comes into town much," although Sabela's starting to, "so it's just simplest all around."

"And yes, I am new here. I have moved with my family to a farm just outside of town. And you've been here since summer?" and I guess she sure as hell caught how odd that is. "What brings you to town?"

"Oh," I say, waving a hand dismissively, because god knows this is not one of those things that makes too much sense, "Management wanted us to stick around here until late summer, and then with one thing and another we figured it was easier to stay by town rather than travel the roads in winter...." And I realize that's what she must have done, and I look curiously at her. "Did you come far, if you don't mind me asking?" I say, because I don't mind talking but I don't want to push. "And why to Excolo?"

[pollyladon.livejournal.com]

"But Tereixa's a mouthful, and people keep shortening it to Terry, and I'm the only one of my family who really comes into town much so it's just simplest all around."

I smile at that.

"My full name is Polyhymnia Stesichorus, so I understand from where you come, Tereixa Zann," I say.

"Management wanted us to stick around here until late summer, and then with one thing and another we figured it was easier to stay by town rather than travel the roads in winter...."

The carnival management. I wonder what sort of people they might be. But that is a question for later. And then she cocks her head, curious.

"Did you come far, if you don't mind me asking? And why to Excolo?"

She is a sharp girl, certainly, mind as bright as her eyes, and if I were thirty years younger that might stir my interest, for all she is a skinny thing. But she is as young as my - I turn my thoughts away from Rhea and smile at her.

"Far enough and long," I say, "in winter. Though it has been milder than some years past, thank Ladon. And as for why," I say, and I will be careful here, for I have seen earnest street evangelising and it never works very well; better to be cunning as a serpent when seeking hearts, "that is a longish story for a cold day. But the short of it is, I brought my family here to found a new temple for Ladon, Bringer of Life, and in Her name we wish to do good work and live in peace. Long are the roads we have walked for love, but I think that Excolo can be a home to us."

[tereixa-zann.livejournal.com]

"My full name is Polyhymnia Stesichorus, so I understand from where you come, Tereixa Zann," she says, and I think that if I were not looking at her, I would think she was dancing slowly. I'm hearing a rhythm in her voice, a kind of patient turn and dip and swirl. And I smile at what she's saying.

"That's a really pretty one, your name," I say. "Does it... it sounds like it means something musical, does it?" Hymnia sounds like hymns, of course, and poly means many... Of course, I've got music on the brain these days.

She looks wistful for a second when I ask where they came from, but then she pulls herself together to smile. "Far enough and long, in winter. Though it has been milder than some years past, thank Ladon," and I haven't heard that name used that way, although one of Laylah's snakes was named that, four or five years ago. And as for why, that is a longish story for a cold day." I'll happily leave it at that, 'cause you know, there are some things you don't do, and digging around in stranger's lives is up there. "But the short of it is, I brought my family here to found a new temple for Ladon, Bringer of Life, and in Her name we wish to do good work and live in peace. Long are the roads we have walked for love, but I think that Excolo can be a home to us."

"We've found they're pretty decent," I say, thinking back over the fall. "I mean, you get some standoffish people in any town, right? But the butcher's really good people," I say, remembering the cookout he set up, and I'm sure we've gotten a couple of decent prices and not just because of him and Syl. "And the deputy--the tall one--and the lady who owns the general store, they're both pretty good for not being snippy about out-of-towners moving in." I think for a moment, then add "And I don't think Larry--I mean, I don't think Brother Laurence had any real trouble about opening up his church. So that's a good sign, right?"

[pollyladon.livejournal.com]

"Does it... it sounds like it means something musical, does it?"

I smile.

"You are clever, Zann," I say. "Polyhymnia is a Muse of poetry and hymn and agriculture. People often do not think those go together, but farming has its rhythms too." I realise I should perhaps explain the term "Muse". "The Muses are spirits who inspire creation of the arts; and they are in a way also personifications of those arts. It was an honour to be named for one of them. Tereixa, that is an unusual name. Do you know its provenance?"

Zann talks about the town, and I nod thoughtfully.

"So the church of the Christ-god is new?" I say. That is interesting, and promising. "I hope to build a temple, in time," I say. "For now our services are held in our orchard, or the house. If you are ever interested, you should come along," I say. "Is there any worship at the carnival? I have seen tent revivals go hand in hand with carnivals on my travels."

[tereixa-zann.livejournal.com]

She slips in a quick compliment and then goes on to explain, "Polyhymnia is a Muse of poetry and hymn and agriculture. People often do not think those go together, but farming has its rhythms too."

"I can see that, I think," I say thoughtfully. I mean, we have never actually been in the habit of farming, but we've seen it enough, and there's a pattern to it... "I think most things do," I say. "People, we like patterns, we're good with finding them and making them. It gives us a place to start from, knowing something familiar, you know?"

And then I'm about to ask a question but she answers it, explains muse and goes on to ask "Tereixa, that is an unusual name. Do you know its provenance?"

"It was my great-aunt's, too," I say, "and it's from Galicia, but that's way way away, over the sea. I've never been. It's something like Teresa, but there's no-one specific there, I think. Just a few ladies who generally go out of their way to help people." Like redheads in Excolo, I guess, and I smile a bit.

"So the church of the Christ-god is new?" she says, and I nod. "I hope to build a temple, in time. For now our services are held in our orchard, or the house. If you are ever interested, you should come along."

"I think I'd like that, sometime," I say, and I think I will, 'cause... well, she seems nice, and I'm curious, and Bringer of Life who's about doing good work and living in peace sounds a hell of a lot nicer than a certain god dragging his sorry drunken ass around this town. If Ladon shows up too, it'd be nicer to meet her. "When are they?"

"Is there any worship at the carnival? I have seen tent revivals go hand in hand with carnivals on my travels," and I know it's a perfectly normal question but it brings Genny to mind and I can feel my face falling, all quick and sudden as if I'd been slapped. I hike a smile back up but it's thinner, I can feel it.

"No," I say, "I mean, not really, no. There's-- one of my old friends, she's gotten-- she's started worshipping a god, and she's kind of getting lost in it." I try to put a lighter spin on it, but I don't know how well it's working. "Worse than a girl with a new crush. But she's the only one who ever gets way wrapped up in it, and there's nothing organized or anything, you know?" I shake my head and manage a shrug, and realize I'm fidgeting a bit, one foot tapping at the air. "Uhm. Would you like a smoke? Mind if I do?"

[pollyladon.livejournal.com]

"People, we like patterns, we're good with finding them and making them. It gives us a place to start from, knowing something familiar, you know?"

"I think you have the right of it, Zann," I say, smiling.

When I mention the services Zann says:

"I think I'd like that, sometime. When are they?"

"Every day, but I think the service the public is most likely to come to is the one on Saturday morning. We'd be glad to see you."

When I ask about worship at the carnival her smile slips down, and there is a story there.

"No, I mean, not really, no. There's-- one of my old friends, she's gotten-- she's started worshipping a god, and she's kind of getting lost in it. Worse than a girl with a new crush. But she's the only one who ever gets way wrapped up in it, and there's nothing organized or anything, you know?"

I wonder if the way she says old friend means someone she lay down with. No matter, though.

"It can be like that, when one finds a god," I say gently. "It can be like falling in love. Usually things level out, and one can balance life and devotion." I wonder if this girl left Zann for her god.

"Uhm. Would you like a smoke? Mind if I do?"

I shake my head.

"I do not smoke. But go ahead," I say. "Though tobacco is poison, you know." Not everybody does know. "A slow but steady sort of poison."

[tereixa-zann.livejournal.com]

"It can be like that, when one finds a god," she says, and I kind of smile, a ragged little thing, because yeah, I guess it can, but usually the god isn't around trying to make sure you stay hooked. "It can be like falling in love. Usually things level out, and one can balance life and devotion."

"Yeah," I say, sighing, "but it's not... I don't know if it's going to go that way. Still waiting to see if she'll balance out, but..." I run my hand through my hair and shrug, and oh, Genny. Even before you had all those years slapped out of you, it was bad, I said it was gonna be bad.

Polyhymnia shakes her head at the offer of a smoke, but doesn't mind. "Though tobacco is poison, you know," she adds. "A slow but steady sort of poison."

"I know," I say, and it's not said guiltily, exactly, but with a kind of what can you do shrug in the voice. "I didn't smoke for the longest time, but... it helps in the lean patches, you know? Keeps you from feeling hungry, and then it just came to be a habit." I'm suddenly a bit proud of Mom and Da, that none of us ever needed to smoke for that before--well, before we weren't kids, I guess, although the exact when of it is a bit fuzzy. It was never a big deal or anything, just nights where we'd come in and they'd say they'd already eaten, go ahead, little things like that.

Guess the when was when we noticed it and started saying we'd had something already, go ahead.

"It's awfully pretty though," I say, lighting the smoke and watching the ember on the end creep up, the threads of smoke going skyward. "Which doesn't make it better, I know, but..." Well, if it's going to be as bad as it is, it's at least worth stopping and taking a look, I guess.

[pollyladon.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but it's not... I don't know if it's going to go that way. Still waiting to see if she'll balance out, but..."

Zann's smile is like crumpled paper, and I can't help patting the back of her hand. Once a Mother...

"I hope for her sake and yours that she does. Our lives are sacred - so my Temple believes - and we must respect our bodies, our minds, not give them over to excess. Even love can be a kind of death."

"I didn't smoke for the longest time, but... it helps in the lean patches, you know? Keeps you from feeling hungry, and then it just came to be a habit."

I feel sorry for her, then, but I don't wish to show pity. No one wants that from a stranger. So I nod, and let it pass.

"It's awfully pretty though. Which doesn't make it better, I know, but..."

I look at he smoke rising.

"There's a beauty in fire," I say, "of creation and ending, life and death. It let Woman walk out of the cave, and it fed wars." I smile, because it is a fanciful train of thought for conversation with a stranger. But I have found, in my travels, that my most philosophical conversations have sometimes come out of chance meetings. "Do you have family, in the carnival?"

[tereixa-zann.livejournal.com]

"I hope for her sake and yours that she does," Polly says, patting my hand, and I don't mind at all, 'cause it feels honest. "Our lives are sacred - so my Temple believes - and we must respect our bodies, our minds, not give them over to excess. Even love can be a kind of death."

"Yeah," I say sadly, and I'm thinking of Genny, sure, but Daiyu too. "Maybe it'll get better in spring, I guess." Maybe not, but... if she's all messed up with Tez, and he does that dying-and-rebirth crap, maybe she'll pick up a bit come spring.

"There's a beauty in fire," she says as I'm watching the ember at the end of my cigarette, "of creation and ending, life and death. It let Woman walk out of the cave, and it fed wars."

"Like a crucible," I agree, "or a forge. You know that if you heat up metal, you can keep it stronger, limber, keep it from breaking?" I laugh a little, because this kind of reminds me of that pie-in-the-sky conversation I had with Johnny, once, about cages and growing out of them and understanding them. "Of course, too much of it'll get the metal bent outta shape. So... I guess it's potential, right? Energy, change, something waiting to be." I think of Kent, then, the heat and shine hammered into the world like the shout of a star. I wish he could have heard the Heterodyne sing.

"Do you have family, in the carnival?"

"All of them," I say smiling, because that's true, "and blood-family, too, my Mom and Dad and Essa and Sabela and Xay..." I laugh a little. "The names all come from my dad's side," I explain. "We've been flyers for generations, see," and my hands are trying to sketch it all out, the sweeps and tosses and catches, and the way they're handed down, generation to generation, hands catching hands on a leap through the air, "and Mom was a flyer too before she married in, from the Phantasia. Usually she sees her folks again in the winter, when we make it down to Gibtown, but like I said, we're staying here this year."

[pollyladon.livejournal.com]

"Maybe it'll get better in spring, I guess."

"Spring is a time of renewal," I say. I like this Zann, her kind heart shown in her love for her friend and bright curiosity running through her. It would be well to win her to Ladon. This impression is strengthened as she continues.

"Like a crucible, or a forge. You know that if you heat up metal, you can keep it stronger, limber, keep it from breaking? Of course, too much of it'll get the metal bent outta shape. So... I guess it's potential, right? Energy, change, something waiting to be."

"We are each of us a crucible of creation," I agree, "sum of all potentials and none within us, or so I believe. There is so very much we can become."

She talks about her family, and I smile.

"You say you are flyers, and if you swing as well as your words fly then I wager you are as fine an acrobat as any I have ever seen. I should like to see more of the carnival, I think. For if people there make their bodies fly, or dance, or bend to different shapes, then so to might their minds, and it is pleasing to me to meet women and men of flexible thoughts."