216 - A God, Grateful

Lin

Today was definitely not as productive as I had expected it to be.

Saying that, I think someone had an emergency at the house or at one of the housing association's properties, so that probably didn't help.

Luckily, I did still manage to hear from The Listening Place, despite not being able to travel there myself.

Next time, I will have to go. I'll just have to find someone to go with me in time.

One of my friends might be coming over tomorrow.

I hope they do. They always make me laugh. That, and they're a great person to be around in general.

Frankly, I'm grateful that I have at least one person that can be around during the weekend.

Company is one of the main things I need right now.

Honestly, the other thing, or things, I need right now are my moons.

Before people rush to the comments to start joking about arses, I am referring to spiritual versions of Earth's natural satellite.

Gaul and Breizh had their moons stolen not long after invasion, and until I find them and place them back in the sky, I highly doubt that I'll know any peace.

As finding things like this is dangerous, I won't be going alone.

Hera smiles at me as I pull my boots on.

Where do you think they are?

For a minute, I rummage through my thoughts. Gaul's one could be anywhere.

Wait.

Provence!

She casts me a questioning look, and I elaborate.

Remember that dream I had about that coin?

She gasps, grasping what I'm implying.

Yes! You said that the coin spelled out Aubigny, right?

I nod.

So that's got to be where Gaul's moon is. As for Breizh...

I trail off. Brittany is harder, given that I haven't had spiritual guidance telling me where the Brezhoneg moon is. Though...

I get the feeling we should look in Saint Malo.

Great. But where are we putting it?

Scrolling through webpages about Brittany on my phone, a name catches my eye.

Anne of Brittany.

I look at her Wikipedia page, then the page for Nantes, her home town. All the signs line up, from the unicorn tapestries to the motto with the Roman equivalent of my grandfather's name in it.

Nantes.

Showing Hera said web pages, she grins.

Looks like we're all set. 

We'll get my chariot.

I nod, following her to the nemeton door as I throw my moon harness over my shoulders.

Let's go.

*******

Hera

Lin jumps into my carriage, poring over a map on their screen.

I think we should do Gaul first.

I nod - because I do agree. Gaul's moon being reinstated will affect a wider area than getting Brittany's moon, despite its importance. What's more, is that there is no Breton moon without a Gaulish moon. Meaning that even if we were to try and reinstate the Breton moon first, it wouldn't work, as Gaulish is the progenitor culture of Brittany.

Which way from here?

They check our coordinates.

South by southeast.

Giving our coordinates a look, I smile.

Your orientation skills are improving.

They beam with pride.

I've been practising!

Nodding, I tug gently but firmly on the reins, and my peacocks lift the chariot straight into the sky, wind whipping our hair to and fro. 

The night sky is filled with stars, and Lin's smile seems to brighten the view even further. Before we know it, the peacocks land, and we're in Aubigny.

I need to get into the castle.

They tap their silver timepiece, and everything goes still, apart from them. They run.

*******

Lin

Sprinting down the cobbled streets, I eye the skyline for turrets, and I'm not disappointed. I run across walls to jump from one rooftop to another, until I find myself in the castle courtyard. A silver line appears, and I follow it into what I believe to be the north western chamber.

As I enter, my vision is immediately hit with moonlight, and I grab the moon with both hands, strapping it to my back.

Let's go.

*******

Hera

The Gaulish moon glows in the sky above us as we race towards Saint Malo.

That was a little bit too easy.

I shake my head.

Better easy than difficult.

We find ourselves on the beach, and they tap their timepiece again.

Not long after, they come back running again, fear etched into their face, another moon on their back.

Let's go!

*******

Lin

No sooner than entering Saint Malo Cathedral did I encounter a rabid flock of pigeons intent on taking my eyes out. 

Never doing that again!

I managed to create an electric shield just long enough to take the moon and leg it. We may very well have company.

Gods.

The glow of the Gaulish moon is a comfort to me as we begin to fly down into Nantes. 

If I've done it once, I can do it again.

Hera nods.

For sure.

Where do you need to climb to in order to put the moon back?

Théâtre Graslin.

It's the only place I can think of with a high enough roof that I could stand on.

I tap my timepiece, and set myself to run yet again, searching for ivory columns.

There!

Leaping onto a column, I jog straight up, then bounce into a safety roll to land on the rooftop.

Wizard.

Now I need a pole.

As soon as I say that, I find one, so I attach one end of rope to it. The other, I wrap around and knot over the Brezhoneg moon. I pull them taught, then start tugging at the rope as the moon begins to float into the air.

Hey!

Gast.

What are you doing?

I pull harder, lofting the moon higher and higher until the ropes unfurl and I double over, panting.

Wait, are you putting the moon back?

I turn around, and standing before me is a tall black man in a pea coat, golf cap and shined shoes, speaking in a southern Breton accent.

Ya.

He beams, and I raise an eyebrow.

We've been looking for that everywhere! Ever since France said we weren't a part of Brittany, we haven't had a moon!

He pats me on the back.

Thank you for your service, Sir.

I grin.

Ma plijadur, mignon. Might I take your name?

He stretches out a calloused hand.

Claud. And to which God do I owe the pleasure?

I take his hand and shake firmly.

Litavis. 

Ah! The lightning bolt! We haven't seen you in years! Well, this one is one for the books.

I'll leave an offering at your altar here.

But... I don't have an altar here.

Ah, but you will.

He tips his hat to me respectfully.

Noz vat, Doue vat.

Noz vat, mignon.

He takes his leave, and as he does, Hera's carriage arrives.

It looks like you have a new follower.

I nod.

So it seems.

Do you want to give Nantes something they'll never forget?

I smile, petals falling out of my hands, my wings requesting to be free, just for tonight.

I think I have an idea.

I run, plunging off of the roof, monochrome wings spreading out into the dark. Petals of marigold and purple rose and silver magnolia cascade from my hands. And in my laughter, I cause it to rain like it's not rained for a thousand years.

The clouds remain parted for the view of the moon, whilst I draw lightning bolts in the sky.

I'm sure Claud will be gushing about this to his friends at the bar. He just seems like that kind of guy.

Hera follows on, peacock chariot floating by.

I'm going on ahead. See you there?

I nod.

See you there!