A visit from a goddess

[Miri]

I sat on my couch, my eyes closing of their own accord, no matter how hard I tried to keep them open.
The light was fading outside throwing my sitting room into varying shades of grey and purple, the shadows flowing around my furniture like water around rocks.  It was comforting, homely, something I had known for so long.

I had lived most of my life in the shadows, only coming out into the light for trade or an assignment.  From my very first days in the Caverns of the Houseless, to the over six millennia later that I had finally given up that life to become a wife, always had my existance been in shades of grey.  I knew the shadows and they knew me.  They were old friends.

I blinked once more, knowing that I should get up, that I should be out in the night, stalking the land and searching for the next bit of useful information, but I could not bring myself to move.  I knew also that I should not go out this night, that I should rest and regain my strength.  After all, overuse of my peculiar gift could easily kill me.  Yet, the last thing I wanted to do was stay still.

I was running myself into the ground.  Pushing myself too hard in an effort to get what I wanted, what I needed.  But it was the only way.. the only way to stop myself from thinking, from feeling, from truly allowing myself to realise my utter desolation.

I had heard the news, of course, that Abraxius and his minions had won the scuffle.  That only served to remind me that I needed to work harder, to learn more.

It wasn't over...

The shadows flowed around me, over me, comforting me with their velvet touch, soothing my aching bones with their inaudible whispers as they slid across the silk of my dress.
Sleep, they said.  Rest now Varani, I will still be with you on the morrow.
Their voice, so light and caring, so sweet to my ears, sounded like hers, like the dulcet tones of my Goddess.
In my minds eye, I saw her there, standing before me.

Much as we argued, much as I told her off on occasion for forgetting that I was mortal and thus taxing my strength with her seemingly endless stream of tasks, I could never refuse her.

I slept.