By: Ripley Posted on: June 30, 2013
Waking suddenly from her sleep,
She gave a startled cry,
Stopping the feet of an ancient dwarf,
As he was passing by.
Concerned, the dwarf asked the girl,
"My child, what drives you from your sleep?"
She said, "Good sir, behind closed eyes,
'Tis the company of nightmares that I keep."
The dwarf looked closely at the girl,
As he absently stroked his beard,
He said, "Many horrors haunt this world,
But dreams and nightmares aren't to be feared."
Seating himself upon the ground,
He said, "Perhaps it would be best,
If you knew a bit about the Lady,
Known to me as the Jewel-Eyed Goddess."
Taking a small knife from his belt,
And from his sporran, some darkened oak,
He began whittling away with purpose,
Shaping the wood as he spoke.
"Long ago there be wars,
And rumours of wars, you see.
And one such war was brought to an end,
But not before grave injury befell the Lady."
"Beaten and battered, they found Her thus,
At the Pillars of Heaven where She lie,"
And here his working hands paused a moment,
As he wiped a tear from his eye.
"But hope was not lost," he continued on,
"For many would unite.
Family and Dreams, the driving force,
To restore the Lady's sight."
"Many died lending their aide,
Yet they continued on with success,
And all that was required soon found its way,
Into the hands of my Father, Lord Phaestus."
"Father retreated to the worldforge,
And the outcome was no surprise,
For all gathered witnessed the creation,
Of living sapphire eyes!"
As pride overtook the humbled dwarf,
His eyes began to glisten,
And the girl leaned forward, curiosity piqued,
As she eagerly continued to listen.
"Some were summoned to witness the gifting,
And from afar many more would rejoice,
For the Lady not only had sight again,
But would also receive a new voice!"
"Such strength the Lady must possess,
To survive all She had to endure,
And it's this Lady who watches over you,
As you pass through sleep's door."
"It's there you will find She gifted us,
With solitude and worldly reprieve,
To restore our bodies and heal our wounds,
And learn of ourselves through dreams."
Returning his knife to his belt,
He pondered the girl once more,
He said, "Remember to trust in those sapphire eyes,
And the nightmares will come no more."
Rising slowly to his feet,
He tossed her a tiny swan,
The colour of the deepest night,
In the hours just before dawn.
"My gift to you," he said to the girl,
Hold it close to your heart when you rest,
And may your dreams be guided by,
The will of the Jewel-Eyed Goddess."