The Bright Mother's Laying In.

 Dear Reader,

I give you a tale of Mother's Night and the time to Nativity, as well as the time from Nativity to Epiphany. From the day of the Daughter's Conception to the day of Mother's Night, the Bright Mother walked upon the waters. The waters were becalmed by the Bright Mother's presence and bore her light tread as if sturdy earth. The cloak of Night settled about the Bright Mother as she drew near to the land, great with her Child.

The creatures of the world knew not that she was among them as the Bright Mother walked over the land to the Cave of the World at the center of a holy grove where once her feet had danced. The Bright Mother traveled disguised by the shifting shadows of Night looking to be of one form at one moment and then of another in the next. The Shining Ones above watched as she walked in awe that she had descended from pure bliss to the world to bear her holy Child. The primordial gods, known as the Elder Kin, the mirrors of Déa's pure light that had descended to keep watch over the mortal children of Déa, put aside their striving and remembered themselves.

They spoke to the mortal children of Déa, known as the children of the earth, and told them to go to the Cave of the World to behold a wonder. A great star appeared in the sky as the Elder Kin spoke to guide all that would go to that blessed place.

A Janya of Déa and one of the Elder Kin approached the Bright Mother as she reached the cave. The pair accompanied the Bright Mother into the Cave for her laying-in. They tended her as she groaned in childbed. The Bright Mother did thirst and the Elder Kin brought her water from a spring that arose at her side. As the Bright Mother drank, she blessed the primordial goddess. For three long days, the Bright Mother labored.

On the morning of Nativity day, the holy Child was born to the joy of the Janyati and the Elder Kin. All sang aloud in their celebration of the arrival of the long awaited Child. Outside the cave, a Janya stood guard and received the gifts of homage brought for the holy Child. Within the cave, the Bright Mother rested with her Daughter in her arms. The Janya and the primordial goddess served their every need as they rested.

Then, eleven days later, the Bright Mother stepped forth from the Cave of the World with her Daughter in her arms. This was the Epiphany of the holy Child. All the world drew breath with wonder and awe at the sight. The Bright Mother bore her Child with her into the the abode of bliss. The star that had shone so bright and wondrously through both day and night faded away into darkness after this. And that was a sign of things yet to come.