#aeternalsims

I loved the smooth shick of a steel against wood almost as much as I loved the crisp smell of pine shavings. For a few hours a day, I didn't have to think about anything except my thumb against the spine of a knife as I made each slow, deliberate cut, watching something useful appear out of nothing.

Theo shrugged. He was clearly less enthused about me being there than even I was, but again, I wasn't really in any position to turn down hospitality at the time, welcome or not.

"The honor is mine, Rosea," I said awkwardly. No matter how well-meaning the comment, the pity was uncomfortable to sit in.

"Oh, just Roe is fine," she laughed, brushing off my awkwardness. "Supper is almost ready. Will you be joining us, m'lord?"

"I wouldn't want to impose," I said, though I couldn't help but notice that whatever she was making smelled delicious.

"A guest?" his mother asked, her voice chipper as she turned toward me. Her eyes widened in surprise for a moment as they found my face, but she softened immediately, smiling at me as if there was nothing odd at all.

"This is my wife, Rosea," the father said. "And I'm Gritty, by the way."

"M'lord, what an honor!" she said, taking my injured hand. I winced as she grabbed it. "Oh, sweetheart..." she said under her breath, her brows furrowing slightly as she took my other hand much more softly.

The Myth of Aeterna

Long ago, two stars fell in love and collided in a stunning embraced. They loved each other so deeply that a beautiful being was born of the dust, and so the stars raised her and named her Astra. As Astra grew, she watched her parent stars and grew lonely, yearning for a love of her own.

She set out and traveled for an eternity, visiting each star, searching for another like herself. When she reached the very last star, she discovered that no one was there. She was alone, the only one of her kind.

Astra returned home to find her parent stars had died, and in her grief and loneliness, she wept and wept. She wept so long and so deeply that her tears filled the dust cloud, and from her grief, a being was born that looked just like her. She named him Altair and loved him dearly.

To show her love, she traveled the eternity again and took the most beautiful piece of every star she'd searched to find him. She made a world of their own and gifted it to him, and named it Aeterna.

On Aeterna they lived, and eventually, they had four daughters: Lyra, Eira, Aurelia, and Verna. Before they died, their parents decided to gift each one a piece of Aeterna to look after and care for, so that Astra's gift of love may live on for another eternity.

Lyra chose the rolling hills and tall grass that swayed like waves in the wind, and named it Summer.

Aurelia chose the rain and forests that changed from green to red, and named it Autumn.

Eira chose the cold air and mountains of snow that sparkled in the light, and named it Winter.

Verna chose the newly opened flower buds and early morning dew drops, and named it Spring.

Astra took some soil from the ground, formed it into small beings that looked just like them, and named them humans. They were her final gift to her daughters, so that they would never know the loneliness that she had felt.

And so Aeterna and the Mother Goddesses came to be.

At least that's what we tell the children.

Now, on the longest day of every year, we celebrate Midsummer to thank Lyra for her love and our prosperity. We have always known a great deal of that here in Summer. It seems she has always been pleased with the Midsummer offering.