"A Cosmology"

In the age before the elements were born, the Mother mourned because she had no children in her image. She and the Prince had created animal companions, but their unions were not fruitful. Their existence was powerful and beautiful, but the Mother mourned because she had no children in her image.

Of all of the animals, the falcon was the Prince’s first creation and, therefore his favorite of all animal companions. Gifted with speed, wisdom, a keen eye, and sharp talons to watch the kingdom, the falcon, named Sudhir or “good and wise,” boasted that he was the most powerful of animals.

“The Prince finds good in me and favors me above all others,” Sudhir told the other animals. “I am the Defender of the Kingdom! Without me the Kingdom would fall and chaos would overtake our creators.”

The animals all nodded except for the snake. As the Mother’s first creation – and therefore the first animal – she was named Shivali, or “beloved,” signifying that the Mother loved her above all other animal companions. Shivali disapproved of Sudhir’s pride and hissed at him menacingly.

“S-s-sudhir! You may be gifted, but your talents-s-s are not the only foundations-s-s for the Kingdom! Control your pride, or you will shame us all!”

Sudhir laughed, his bird-voice warbling darkly. “How dare you belittle me, serpent? I, the first born from the hands of the Prince!”

“S-s-sudhir,” reprimanded Shivali, “you may be the Prince’s favorite, but your talents-s-s are not the only foundations-s-s for the Kingdom! Control your pride, or you will shame us all!”

Sudhir laughed again, but felt his anger growing. “Shivali, you just believe yourself to be more powerful than the rest of us! How can you be when you have no limbs? My wings and talons were built to protect the Kingdom! Without them, the Kingdom would fall and chaos would overtake our creators!”

“S-s-sudhir,” reprimanded Shivali, “I will not remind you again. You may be the Prince’s favorite, but your talents-s-s are not the only foundations-s-s for the Kingdom! Control your pride, or you will shame us all!”

This time, the falcon was enraged. He screeched with wrath and lifted himself into the air with one great flap of his wings. Seeing that she was in great danger, Shivali turned and began to quickly slink her way to the Mother. Sudhir swooped, his sharp talons extended to tear Shivali’s flesh. Her speed and twisting kept him from catching her, but one talon broke her flesh. Bleeding and in great pain, she climbed into the Mother’s womb to seek healing.

In her mourning for children in her own image, the Mother didn’t notice that Shivali had taken refuge in her womb. The Prince then came to comfort the Mother. They lay together, hoping to conceive a child in their images. Instead, the Prince impregnated Shivali. The snake climbed out of the Mother’s womb and immediately gave birth to four great children: Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. The Mother was pleased to see these children. She named them the Elements and placed them where they would be most useful, instructing them to freely mingle as they chose. But even with these new children to protect, the Mother mourned because she had no children in her image.

After she left the Mother’s womb, Shivali found she was fully healed. Knowing Sudhir would only bring shame on all if his pride was not restrained, she sought him out. Again, she found him boasting to their fellow animals, this time assuring them that he could battle any force and win. Again, she entreated him three times: “S-s-sudhir! You may be gifted, but your talents-s-s are not the only foundations-s-s for the Kingdom! Control your pride, or you will shame us all!” After the third time, Sudhir was enraged. He screeched with wrath and lifted himself into the air with one great flap of his wings. Seeing that she was in great danger, Shivali turned and began to quickly slink her way to the Mother. Sudhir swooped, his sharp talons extended to tear Shivali’s flesh. Her speed and twisting kept him from catching her, but one talon broke her flesh. Bleeding and in great pain, she climbed into the Mother’s womb to seek healing.

In her mourning for children in her own image, the Mother didn’t notice that Shivali had taken refuge in her womb. The Prince then came to comfort the Mother. They lay together, hoping to conceive a child in their images. Instead, the Prince impregnated Shivali. The snake climbed out of the Mother’s womb and immediately gave birth to four great children: the era of Gain, the era of Loss, the era of Battle, and the era of Balance. The Mother was pleased to see these children. She named them the Ages and placed them where they would be most useful, instructing them to govern time – each in their own turn. But even with these new children to protect, the Mother mourned because she had no children in her own image.

After she left the Mother’s womb, Shivali once again found that she was fully healed. Knowing Sudhir would only bring shame on all if his pride was not restrained, she sought him out. Again, she found him boasting to their fellow animals, this time assuring them that he could battle any force and win. Again, she entreated him three times: “S-s-sudhir! You may be gifted, but your talents-s-s are not the only foundations-s-s for the Kingdom! Control your pride, or you will shame us all!” After the third time, Sudhir was enraged. He screeched with wrath and lifted himself into the air with one great flap of his wings. Seeing that she was in great danger, Shivali turned and began to quickly slink her way to the Mother. Sudhir swooped, his sharp talons extended to tear Shivali’s flesh. Her speed and twisting kept him from catching her, but one talon broke her flesh. Bleeding and in great pain, she climbed into the Mother’s womb to seek healing.

In her mourning for children in her own image, the Mother didn’t notice that Shivali had taken refuge in her womb. The Prince then came to comfort the Mother. They lay together, hoping to conceive a child in their images. Instead, the Prince impregnated Shivali. The snake climbed out of the Mother’s womb and immediately gave birth to four great children: Order, Chaos, Light, and Dark. The Mother was pleased to see these children. She named them the Balance and placed them where they would be most useful, instructing them to always remain closely tied. But even with these new children to protect, the Mother mourned because she had no children in her image.

After she left the Mother’s womb, Shivali found she was fully healed. Knowing Sudhir would only bring shame on all if his pride was not restrained, she sought him out. Again, she found him boasting to their fellow animals, this time assuring them that he could fight these twelve new children and defeat them single-handedly. Again, she entreated him three times: “S-s-sudhir! You may be gifted, but your talents-s-s are not the only foundations-s-s for the Kingdom! Control your pride, or you will shame us all!” After the third time, Sudhir was enraged. He screeched with wrath and lifted himself into the air with one great flap of his wings. Seeing that she was in great danger, Shivali turned and began to quickly slink her way to the Mother. Sudhir swooped, his sharp talons extended to tear Shivali’s flesh. Her speed and twisting kept him from catching her, but one talon broke her flesh. Bleeding and in great pain, she climbed into the Mother’s womb to seek healing.

In her mourning for children in her own image, the Mother didn’t notice that Shivali had taken refuge in her womb. The Prince then came to comfort the Mother. They lay together, hoping to conceive a child in their images. Their passion was great, and their act of generation powerful. Instead of impregnating the Mother, the Prince impregnated Shivali. The snake climbed out of the Mother’s womb and immediately gave birth to four great children, all encased in perfectly white eggs. Shivali proudly guarded them for seven days and seven nights until they began to shift and shake with the impatient children encased inside. Two of the children exploded out of their eggs, and aided the other two more passive children to break free from their shells. Shivali named the first, passionate male Hedon? and the first, violent female Gytha. She named the second, wise male Solon and second, loving female Charis. The Mother was pleased to see these children. She named them the Danae and placed them where they would be most useful, instructing them to always care for the Kingdom. But even with these new children to protect, the Mother mourned because she had no children in her image.

Shivali, knowing that another attack from Sudhir could mean her end, went to the Prince and told him the story. Angered at his falcon, but restrained by the love he felt for his first creation, the Prince simply confined Sudhir to his arm as a bonded servant until his lesson was learned.

“Beloved,” the Prince said softly, “I do not wish to keep you chained. If you restrain your pride, I will not restrain you. But until then, I must keep you safe from your own fallibility.” The falcon bowed nobly and promised to serve his lord humbly.

The Mother, happy to see her beloved companion the mother of sixteen beautiful children, consulted Shivali to find the secrets of her fertility. They spoke at great length, and after many seasons of debate they discovered the root of the Mother’s inability to produce children. In her great love for Shivali, the Mother had transferred her fertility to her first creation, saving none for herself. Touched at this unintentional display of love, Shivali vowed to do her best to return her fertility to the Mother.

“I will enc-c-circle your wais-s-st at all times-s-s of day, until the Princ-c-ce comes-s-s to lay with you in four days-s-s. When he returns-s-s to your bed, I will leave you, and you will finally have a child in your own image.” Delighted at her companion’s willingness to help, the Mother agreed and helped Shivali wrap herself about her waist.

For four days, Shivali encircled the Mother’s waist. She softly held her tail in her mouth, resting her chin over the Mother’s womb. After four nights had passed, the Prince came to the Mother’s bed and Shivali left the Mother’s side. That night, existence rumbled with the passion that the Mother and the Prince shared. Finally, the Mother conceived four great children in her own image: Mire, Mead, Frost, and Flame. The Mother, the Prince, and the sixteen great children of Shivali, and all the animals were pleased to see these children. The Mother loved them above all others and commanded them to learn the ways of all beings, so they could one day ascend to her throne and govern existence.

Shivali, honored above all animals because of her miraculous children and the aide she gave the Mother, no longer hung about the Mother’s waist, but in her place, the Mother wrapped a leather band as a constant reminder of her returned fertility and the great service her companion performed. Sudhir soon learned to control his pride and offered his services to the Mother’s great children as their messenger and companion. With the help of the Mother, sixteen great children of Shivali formed a permanent kingdom, creating worlds for the animals to inhabit and the Danae to govern. The children named the Balance and the children named the Elements held hands and mingled throughout the kingdom. The Ages sat with the Mother and the Prince in their great palace, lazily allowing time to pass slowly in through the first age: Gain. The Kingdom prospered, and the Mother smiled upon it.