01/30/2026
The Flowers of Sun and Moon:
Prologue (Draft)
Moonlight illuminated the path to the birthing pool. Dew escaped her furrowed brows. It trickled down the contours of her nightly beauty and lingered at her upper lip. She parted to taste the salt in the air. It was a cool night, one celebrated under the guide of the Wolf Moon. She feigned a smile but was immediately wrought with contractions progressing rapidly. She grasped tightly to her love’s hand as he supported her on the procession followed by shadow spirits.
Loon sensed herself falling ill. Her legs wavered at the weight of her exposed belly, full and round. The night sky and all its stars had begun to spin. Her eyes grew heavy as she felt the world growing dark. Sol held her close. He pulled her into him and with a sweep of his left hand, he placed her head on his right shoulder. She’s not going to make it. Strands of her hair cascaded across her face as her eyes closed. In the distant shadows, a spirit observed. It departed into the domain of the water spirit.
Out of darkness she rose from the murky depths. Her dark flesh glistened under the moonlight. Omi (Mami Wata) sat on the marsh embankment of the bayou. She ran her hands through her braided locs and frowned. Sucking her teeth, she looked out into the distance. Omi could hear the night procession. The world between the living and the dead merged onward that night as the moon granted its night beauty passage to bring forth life into the earthly realm. Her lips curled with slight disgust as vengeful and envious shadows of the deceased annoyed her. She thought them parasitic nuisances. No good comes to those who had wandered the night when the dead entered the realm of the living. Omi witnessed many times how dead spirits would come for mothers and children. They leave behind the living heartbroken and emptied. That night was no exception.
Omi lifted one leg from the water and playfully bounced it about as her scales receded. She ran her fingers along the scales as her serpent familiar, a red bellied banded water snake, surfaced. Leaning forward, she reached for the serpent. It slithered onto her hand, and she stared at the familiar with amusement. Omi rose. The sound of footsteps approached. She glanced the direction of the footsteps as the figure of a woman appeared. Loon’s retainer. She had not lost her youth or beauty. The water spirit gathered up pebbles in tossed them into the murky water. It reflected the regression of the Moon Goddess. She sighed.
“Retainer,” Omi sneered.
“It’s Nayeli,” she returned with acid on her tongue.
“Oh, so you can talk!” Her eyes widened playfully at the revelation. “And here I was under the impression she cut your tongue out.”
Nayeli said nothing clearly annoyed. She turned toward the direction of the night procession. Ice queen. Omi followed.
Sol brushed the dew from Loon’s brows. Poor Moon Goddess. She drifted between contractions conserving as much energy as she could preserve. The night was young. For the Sun God, it felt an eternity. He did not seem to mind. Their unions were limited to twilight. When the transition between the two realms lingered, he took advantage of the opportunity. The night of the Wolf Moon was no exception, except tonight he would become a father. Seeing his beloved in this state, he felt helpless. The Sun God had entered unfamiliar territory.
He guided Loon to the ground and embraced her in his arms. Shadows were closing in on them. The Moon Goddess, exhausted, turned agitated. She opened her eyes. The purple in her eyes ignited as she bared her fangs. The shadows paused. Loon was in no position to fight. That did not mean that Sol couldn’t. He rocked Loon loose of her defense. He didn’t want her to add undue stress to herself. She relaxed. The shadows moved in once again. Sol was ready to set them ablaze when…
“Don’t go a wasting on dead creatures unless you want to incur the wrath of the Baron.”
Flares radiated from his aura killing several of them dead. Nayeli surfaced followed by Omi. Her hand was at her hilt. The water spirit unbothered. She continued toward the couple. Nayeli noted a change in her attire. A white cotton gown. Her breasts were pushed upward and together by an intricately designed lace corset. The vertical red lining showcased the curvature of her waist. Omi embodied water for her gown was flowing with her movement never contacting earth. Her playful demeanor had subsided, and her eyes softened. She secured her locs in the same fabric as her gown and stopped in front of the gods.
The Sun God, a beauty of a man. A warring god. Guarded. He would be the first to look up. His honey eyes burned into hers. She could tell he cared not for her but was willing to accept her counsel for the sake of mother and child. He was stroking Loon’s hair as she rested against him. The Night Goddess lifted her head.
“Night Goddess, we meet again. I hope you have enough strength to be on your feet. The water will be too high. Fret not the earth beneath you. It will be soft but strong enough to support you, but it requires that you give your energy to it. Naturally, as you push, gravity will take your child. The water that will soon flow beneath you will break its fall. Nayeli and I will also be close.” That was the first time the water spirit mentioned Loon’s retainer by name. Her eyes looked past Omi and at Nayeli as she was leaning against a cypress gazing out at the bayou. She’s pouting. Loon restrained herself from laughing and let out a sigh.
Sol stood and assisted Loon up. She observed her surroundings. She must. Afterall, she was in the bayou somewhere near Vermilion Bay. The area was thick with cypress trees. Moss hung from their branches and blurred the lines between the living and the spirit realm. It had given illusion to ancient spirits dancing with their gods. Loon was seeing things. You had to mind your steps at night. The dense fog that settled to earth hid black calm waters. It’s a wonder the gods hadn’t fallen through during the night procession. Loon reached for the low hanging moss above them. They were light to the touch but held no strength to support a pregnant goddess. She felt a calmness wash over her. Her eyes were fixated on the moss as thin channels of light had begun to glow. That caught the attention of Sol. He swatted at the moss. A shadow spirit scampered away to nurse its wounds.
A wave of contractions had sucked the air out of the Moon Goddess. Loon fell backwards as Sol caught her in his arms. She looked into his eyes in despair. Her breathing had pulsated on exhale. Breathe. She was telling herself. Sol careened and kissed Loon on the forehead. She took in air slowly as the wave of contractions began to calm. Sol watched her searching her eyes to see if she was okay. She nodded. He helped her regain her balance but did not entirely let go of her. His eyes looked up at the same low hanging moss. He noticed a sturdy branch that had since split from its other half. Sol had height. He pulled downward to see if the branch would give. It refused him. Satisfied, Sol begun to disrobe from his upper silk garment. He tossed one end over the branch while maintaining hold of the other end. He caught the other end and pulled his body upward to validate once again the branch’s strength with his silks.
Well I’ll be damned. Omi could not hide her amusement over Sol’s husky physique. Loon flashed a glare at the water spirit. Jealous goddess, this moon goddess. She snorted withholding her desire to laugh.
A distant floral scent familiar to Nayeli brushed her nose. She looked up at the night sky as a cast of clouds had shrouded the blue moon. The aroma was a gentle relief from the lazy, cool scent juxtaposed from the bayou’s dark undertones. It was a sweetness that almost felt welcoming, like ancestors calling their people home. Nayeli’s eyes closed. It was a warm scent compounded by the scent of a metal ore. Iron. Nayeli’s eyes flashed open. She turned her head to see if Omi had noticed. She had.
Omi looked around to identify it. No shadow spirits would dare give away the location. A strong and delicious, sweet scent of lilac entered directing Omi’s nose to Loon. The Night Goddess wore flowers of wisteria and gardenia interlaced in her braided silver hair. It was said that the scent of flowers could change, but that scent, while beautiful, had an unsettling presence to Omi. She looked down at the Moon Goddess and understood why. Her water had broken.
Loon had grasped hold of Sol’s silks. He stood behind her interlocking his fingers with hers. Omi took the piercing rod and struck the ground. It initiated a shockwave that caused the shadow spirits to pause. Silence. She struck the ground again plunging the piercing rod deeper. Another shockwave. Again silence. Omi could sense the anxiety of the shadow spirits around them. They were ready to charge in on the Moon Goddess. The veil between the two realms had begun to move just as the winds had shifted. Specks of light rose and danced around them. As it had, fresh water had begun to surface and break through both ground and the black water flooding Omi's domain. The dense fog broke away revealing the water’s depth as it gathered midthigh around the Moon Goddess. Her flesh had begun the transition. Asleep the entire procession, the little life inside her became highly active. Loon could feel it violently thrashing about. She gritted her teeth.
She writhed in agony at the assault her child inflicted on her. Demon child. She had wanted to kill it. However, Sol would have intervened so the thought of terminating she kept to herself. Her belly ran hot, but this would be behind her soon. Loon would be meeting the little demon child for the first time. She paced her breathing as her child continued to move about. Then, it stopped. Loon felt a hand on her belly. It was Omi’s. She leaned into the Moon Goddess and whispered in her ear. Breathe. Thus, the descent into childbearing began.
With each push came a harrowing scream. Loon gripped tightly as she exhaled. Breathe. She inhaled and lowered herself further into the water and pushed. Exhaling, she had fallen back into Sol’s chest and felt his warmth on her back and neck. He consoled her, stroked her partially braided silver curls. Tears streamed her cheeks, flushed and warm to touch. He brushed away remnants of her frustrations and licked the back of his hand hiding the taste of his own blood and wrapped Loon in his arms again. “You’re doing good, my love.” Breathe. Tautness escaped her as she closed her eyes waiting for the next wave of contractions. Loon bared her fangs and pushed.
Omi had reached into the water and lifted an infant girl. Her scream was indeed fierce, frustrated that she was evicted from her comfort. Shadow spirits shielded their hearing. Those who were unsuccessful were deafened by the ringing that followed suit. The infant began to fight Omi. She threw her head back flailing her limbs about. To where she was trying to go, Omi did not know but she was certain the child was trying to escape her.
Nayeli approached from the cypress tree. She must have seen the water spirit struggling with the infant. The child wanted nothing to do with her nor did Omi want anything to do with the child. She had gladly passed the child off to Nayeli. The screaming had suddenly stopped as Nayeli coddled Loon’s girl. Omi remained steadfast near the Night Goddess as she descended again.
Sol traced every inch of her body, but her eyes were eerily distance. Sol’s eyes followed the direction of Loon’s and grew intense. A water snake was drifting in the water. Sol bared his fangs. The serpent responded with its forked black tongue tasting the heat that radiated off the Sun God. It flicked its tongue again and began to approach the couple. A few shadow spirits attempted to follow suit. The snake rose up and revealed its red underbelly. Baring its fangs, it slapped the water surface with its tail as a warning. The serpent then turned to make its way toward the couple.
“Mind not the serpent. He patrols these waters, but tonight, he is in your service as a form of protection.”
Sol calmed and withdrew his threat. Loon was not yet out of danger and the water spirit could sense it. Loon gripped tightly to the silks once again. Her breathing was slow but labored.
The night winds had shifted again. The shadow spirits were uneased. The Moon Goddess had transitioned once again; her form, however, would awaken something much darker than the darkness itself. She was present yet absent. Her eyes blackened and became further distant. Breathe. Loon took in air just as the tide rose. She paused. Closing her eyes, she inhaled a bit more and pushed.
Something was wrong. Something felt absent from this realm as if it had just recently departed. It was a presence familiar to all who were connected to it. Loon opened her eyes. Tears ran down her face. Grasping the silks, she released a harrowing wail and lowered her head. Why does she suddenly feel a heavy sense of loss? Loon shook her head and composed herself. She felt movement in her belly. It was subtle but indicative of another life on its journey into the realm of the living. Loon postponed her inquiry and inhaled. Had the little one been hiding behind its sibling the entire time? Loon placed a hand on her belly half-expecting the child to respond. She could not shake that somber feeling, yet she could not stop the contractions either. Tears had begun to well once again. The heaviness of this loss was unbearable. Aside from Sol and Creator, Loon seldom expressed sorrow over severed connections. But this was someone who was loved and highly favored.
Across from Loon on a distant embankment, the silhouette of a spirit entity stood. In their possession was a bouquet of night flowers in full bloom. All of Loon’s senses abandoned her. The strength in her legs failed her. She would not hear the panic in Sol’s voice nor would she feel the presence of her second child. Omi had rushed in and plucked the infant from the water. For there were no sounds or struggles for breath. Their life was diminishing fast. The water spirit began working the infant in tandem with Sol attempting to rouse Loon from her state. He burned the silks and loosened her grasp, but Loon’s eyes remained distant and fixated. He repeatedly called out to her, shaking her, and receiving no response. He lifted her body and carried her to the embankment sitting her at the base of the cypress. Before her, he placed a hand on the side of her face. Streams of tears escaped her blackened eyes.
The bouquet of night flowers’ bloom had now spread around the party opening the veil to the spirit realm. Loon could not move. Her eyes refused to look away from the spirit. They looked down at her belly and smiled an apologetic smile saddened by the notion that their physical presence no longer exists to give their celestial sister comfort. They had been close since the collision that brought forth the Moon Goddess’s creation. Solace was attained as they witnessed the birth of budding immortal souls. As a parting gift to the Moon Goddess and her newborns, they bestowed upon her the flowers of the realms, a gift once given to them by the Creator. The spirit then turned toward the veil. Loon had wanted to speak to the spirit but was sealed from doing so. The spirit summoned the shadows to follow it into the spirit realm. With the last of their existence, they spirited their soul into their inheritor.
Omi was still working the infant. It was as she had feared, a child spirited away. However, she was not willing to let go of the listless child. She continued to work the child in hope its spirit would return. Loon’s form receded as she regained her senses, however, left were the wounds she felt from the spirit’s departure. Her heart was heavy, but she, too, felt guilt at the sight of her beloved holding her face with fear in his eyes. There was a long moment of silence between the two before Sol pulled her into him and held her tightly. Loon truly did give Sol a fright. He was fighting to maintain his composure, but Loon felt his hands shaking as he stroked her hair. She kissed his neck. The smell of oud filled her olfactory. It was warm, earthy, and pleasant much like Sol himself. She gently tapped his shoulder blade as Sol pulled back much to Loon’s disappointment. Sol looked into Loon’s eyes once more for confirmation of her well-being. She nodded with down casted eyes.
Loon realized she had yet heard her second born. Sorrow turned to worry. She mustered up the strength to stand. Sol aided her by wrapping his arm around her. With her free hand, she slipped it into his. He guided her to Omi and their second born. Omi did not let up, but she felt Loon’s presence towering over her. The child, a boy, remained still. She picked him up, jostled him, and patted him on the bottom. No reaction. She did it again and again. Placing the child down on his back, she rocked him side to side in rapid successions. Finally, the baby flinched. He stretched out his little body and yawned. A dim light glowed in Loon’s eyes. Omi stepped aside as Loon reached for the boy. Holding him close to her, she fell to her knees and rocked back and forth sobbing uncontrollably. His little spirit had returned, yet his eyes remained closed.
Sol furrowed his brows. Nayeli approached. The baby girl was still sleeping soundly in her arms. A flower petal landed on the embankment followed by another and another. Sol presented an open palm to the sky as more petals began to fall. They were petals from a night flower but one he could not associate with Loon. Moonflowers. But why? It was then he realized along with moonflower petals were black rose petals as well. Death. Beloved Ala had died and and gifted Loon's baby boy the flowers of the Moon, thus his baby girl would inherit his Sun.
