Read Online The Weaver's Lament by Elizabeth Haydon - Free Book Online

summoning ritual in the times it was undertaken.
    â€œThe process is actually quite benign: if two entities that have individual souls are willing, free of coercion or duress, to share them, the one who will give ‘birth’ to the child allows the one who will share that child with her to rest his or her hand on her heart. Both put themselves in a state of willingness, of creation, of the desire to bring forth a soul into the world, and a Namer’s incantation is sung over them. It is one of the most beautiful rituals I have ever studied; the namesong is gorgeous. My understanding is that a light appears between the two parents. Then they name the child, and it forms.
    â€œWhen dragons undertook to conjure children, it was because of a dilemma described in an even older legend. In the Before-Time, when the Firstborn races that came from the original five elements—the Seren, from ether, the F’dor, from fire, the Mythlin, from water, the Kith, from air, and the Wyrmril, or dragons, from Earth—were forming, it is said that the Creator—called the Architect of the World by the Gwenen, by the way, I just learned that—offered a model to four of the newborn races that were little more than the formless elements they were springing from. That model was said to be the form that three of those races chose to emulate, the human form with the erect skeleton, the head, arms, legs—that design. The F’dor were not shown the model at all by the Creator, who recognized as they were coming into existence that they were, as a race, destructive and cruel, so that withholding a corporeal form from them was necessary for the continued existence of the world. But the dragons were, in fact, offered to glimpse the model—and refused, not wishing to be told what to do.”
    â€œImagine that,” Cara said, rolling her eyes, eyes whose pupils were vertical.
    Rhapsody laughed. “After some time, the dragons noted an error, or at least what they perceived to be an error, in their decision. Each of the three Firstborn races that had used the model had chosen to crossbreed with the others, resulting in the Elder races and beyond, but dragons had chosen a form that was not compatible with the other three—so they decided to try and use conjuring to expand their race.
    â€œThey sculpted the model that they had initially refused out of Living Stone, and underwent the ritual, which is odd, since it would seem that stone, even if it is alive, does not have a soul or the ability to commit to share one, and dragons believe they don’t have souls, either. But apparently the concept of a soul is somewhat different than it is traditionally understood, which is what I have been studying in the last century.
    â€œSo, if you are still interested, I have learned and committed to memory all the rites and rituals, and I am ready to assist you if you are interested in expanding your family. Summoned children are comprised of vibration, not of flesh, and do not eat or drink the way a child born normally would, but in all other ways, they are very real, with a soul, a personality, and emotions. It seems to me that if you decide to do this, you are in the right family for it.”
    Rhapsody took several deep breaths to replenish her lungs, which were spent from the length of the tale.
    Cara and Evannii exchanged a smile, then looked back at their grandmother.
    â€œThank you, Hamimen,” Cara said, genuinely touched. “But we have been doing a good deal of study and thinking and discussing this during the last year. We have decided to wait on this, and adopt an existing child that needs a home instead of summoning one out of our own souls. We’ve actually already located a pair of children who were orphaned, and who have been waiting for parents for some time.”
    Rhapsody blinked, then broke into a warm smile.
    â€œHow wonderful,” she said quietly but with a glint of excitement in