Long ago.. when I was just a child and running free among the people.. playing games that future Ubar's and Ubara's do... I came across an old Tuchuk Man sitting on the steps of His wagon. The rest of the kids I played with just staired.. taunted and teased this Man... pointing to His wrinkled skin and bent over torso. He looked at them and simply smiled. They all laughed and ran away... I stayed. The old Tuchuk looked to me.. then the direction my friends ran off in. He again smiled to me and spoke... "Why didnt you run off with your friends young one?" I didnt have an answer... nothing I could say.. instead I just moved to sit on the steps below Him and looked up at Him. My eyes must have spoken volumes because He laughed lightly and nodded. "So.. its a story you seek from one so weathered and knowledgeable as I" I nodded and turned further to face Him.. and His knotted, twisted fingers came together and the wrinkles in His forehead drew deeper into His flesh until He pointed up with an exclamation.. "AH Ha!!... The circles... I will tell you about the circles." And so began His tale.....
" I was young and in love with the most beautiful Woman in the Harigga. I thought She too had eyes for me. We shared little stolen glances.. secret smiles and a few kisses behind the wagons now and then. I had planned upon my 18th turning to ask Her Father for Her bride price. In the mean time.. I had a special ring made... it was fashioned out of 3 different and totally seperate oddly shaped circles. Each one on it's own was very unattractive... plain and not pretty in the least. Yet when all three were joined.. they formed the most stunning ring one had ever seen. I waited and waited for my 18th turning to come and when it did.. I woke early that morning and rushed to the wagon's of Her family. I sought out Her Father and dressed in my best leather's and my most Manly voice.. I asked for His daughter's hand in mating. Her Father smiled a moment and then clapped me on the shoulder. He used the hand on me to guide me into a walk with Him.. and I listened as He spoke. He told me that His daughter had been claimed by someone else only days eariler. His daughter had protested the joining.. She didnt love the Man... and that there was nothing He could do. The Warrior had met the bride pride and His daughter was now gone. So.. my young warrior heart was broken and I sat back and watched my beautiful mate live..love and have children with another Man. Ohhhhh I eventually joined.. several times infact and so did my beautiful love. She had lost a few Mate's to war and battles over the years. Somehow we just never seemed to come back together at the right time. But each time I heard She had lost a Mate... I secretly sent Her one circle of the ring. One day... I had heard my love's most receint Mate had died... and I myself was not mated.. so I quickly put on my best Tuchuk leathers and headed out to find Her. And find Her I did. Sitting beside the stream.. Her face tear stained.. Her body shaking... ahhh but how beautiful She is and still was. I felt all the love I held for Her all the years swell within my chest and I dropped to my knees and cried with Her. She clung to me like a jit to a tem branch and soon Her trembling eased. I wiped Her tears away wtih my thumb and kissed Her cheeks. But my love pulled from me... saying She could not return such affection... Her Mate, whom She loved had just died. I understood this... but I would not let my love go again. I simply reminded Her how life among the people is so very precious and valuable. And while She needed time to greive.. She also needed to live. We spent many nights walking.. talking... from that point on. It had been a few hands since the death of Her last mate... and I took Her to the stream where our second beginning took place. Under the light of the three Moons... I told Her the story of the Circles of life. The first circles power was known to be Birth. It signifies a new beginning and a time to learn and grow. The second circles power is Life... we never know what is going to happen, but we learn to accept and trust that things will come as they should. And the third circle's power is Death... because it is a beginning and an ending. Seperately none of these powers can exsist... but together.. they form a never ending circle. All lives on these plains are guarded by these circles... and most importantly.. no circle stands alone for long. As I told my love this.. I removed from my pocket the third ring to the set... my love's eyes widened and tears ran from Her eyes. Then to my surprise She pulled a chain free from Her tunic and there hanging on it were the two rings I had sent to Her prior. I carefully removed them and then before Her eyes.. joined them together. The ring was now complete and as lovely as She was. I placed the ring to Her finger and asked Her to be mine.. forever and always. That was many many children.. grand children and great grand children ago. We have seen dozens of Ubar's come and go.. we have seen many die and many be born.... but our circle remains unbroken and we do not stand alone."
I listened to the old Tuchuk enthralled in His story and I swear each word was embedded in my mind so that someday I might tell my own children this lesson of the power of the circles. He gave me a blue bead that day... and Ive kept it ever since in a small box within my wagon. It was only a few turnings ago I heard the old Man had passed to ride the Winds.. and only days after His beloved Mate followed. I was not sad.. for the their circle never did stand alone for long. I hope He is watching me and remembering that I was the one that stayed behind to hear His tale. And I hope He see's that I also did not let my circle break. That I allowed one to show me what life I have to give and receive.
Last night.. Shi tossed me over His shoulder and announced to those at the main fire.. that I am His. I am His Mate. And now.. Our circles are one.
I see life within Him and the desire to teach me further into this journey we call life. It is odd to comprehend Shi as my Mate.. being I have known Him all my life. We fight constantly... we bicker about everything.... I push Him till He snaps... but one thing I never realized... until now...
He always came back.
Everything... comes full circle
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