The Mermaid's Egg

15 -- The Stars

Meara and Kiandra walked out into the dark forest as they looked up and watched as the Balor was moving away from the old city, towards the mountains. The twilight that rippled like dark water opened wide as the heavenly ocean cleared. And from the darkness, the heavens revealed their secrets that caused the two Merrows to stand in awe.

Above, the missing stars revealed themselves as Meara had never seen the stars in Tír fo Thuinn. Only those seeking death usually gaze upon the heavens in awe. Those that survived the night, returned changed.

Now, Meara understood why!

***

"So many blue stars here...I have never seen so many in my entire life!" Kiandra commented as she then recalled "I wonder if what my grandfather said was actually true?"

"Explain." Meara politely asked, curious.

"Well," Kiandra studied the heavens "my grandfather said that before Humans, the Spirits came from the stars and settled in Ireland. He said that they came from a place where the skies were filled with millions of blue stars! Advanced being of golden light. And aquatic beings of beautiful songs."

"These skies are filled with so many blue stars, I cannot count them all!" Meara whispered "Did he ever say where these Spirits came from?"

"Yes." Kiandra nodded her head, smiling. "From the Stróilín. Or also called the Pleiades. That star cluster is almost 444 light years away from Earth. The druids called these stars the gateway stars into the Otherworld. Many sacred sites were created to pass down the memories of the ancients...but they have mostly been forgotten. Many humans believe that their ancestors came from the Pleiades."

"Otherworld." Meara commented.

"It would explain why I cannot find a single constellation that I know. And if this place is a planet amongst those stars...it might be a water world circling one of the seven major stars." Kiandra was amazed.

"Where are you going now?" Meara followed Kiandra as she followed glowing sprites towards the forest. They stood before the woods as the entire forest flowed with brilliant light. Meara was amazed as he entire time, she had always been fleeing from the Balor to realize her world might be far more mystical than any Merrow would know.

She watched as the friendly woodland sprites danced around Kiandra's body as she giggled and seemed to dance amongst them. Their purple, green, and blue lights glittered amongst the green pollen that floated in the air.

Meara gasped as a green glowing serpent slithered in the tree's branches.

"No way!" she gasped "I thought all the snakes had been driven out of Murias!" She was fascinated with the slithering serpent.

"Is it important?" Kiandra wondered.

"Highly!" Meara nodded, thrilled "Every snake has a medicinal value to treat and cure disease. I have not seen a snake here for almost three hundred years!"

"Then it is settled!" Kiandra smiled "I will go capture it for you!" She climbed the tree swiftly as Meara worried that she might hurt herself.

"Kiandra!" Meara worried "Get down right now! I do not want you to get hurt!"

"It is okay, Meara. I used to do this back on Earth!" she said as she captured the snake, grinning. "See!" she smiled, looking down at Meara. With a snap, the branch that she was holding onto broke and Kiandra came on down with the snake in hand.

Before Kiandra could hit the ground, Meara moved in to catch her in her arms before she hit the stony earth below. Meara held Kiandra gently as she bowed her head, looking into the startled eyes of her mate.