OPENING
Jesse
This is a story that took place somewhere between the birth of this universe and its final breath.
Perhaps it truly did.
MAIN STORY - LULLABY READING
When Mama was little, Grandmother often said:
*"Once, the sky held a dazzling light called the Sun,
and the heavens shone in blue."*
As a child, Mama thought it was just a tale.
And you would think so too, wouldn’t you?
For in your sky there are only two moons,
and a wash of deepening black.
At the center of this city stands a sanctuary,
a symbol, watching over all.
The priest there was a man of warmth,
beloved by the people.
One day, a small infant was left at the gate of that sanctuary,
wrapped in a white cloth.
When the priest heard the child’s cry and rushed outside,
no trace of anyone remained.
He was a guide for the people,
a devout servant of the divine,
who had vowed to dedicate his life to God and remain unmarried.
What, then, was the will of heaven
that entrusted this child to him?
In the end, the boy was taken in as the priest’s son.
He was cherished,
showered with love from everyone around him.
Though illness sometimes visited him,
he grew strong, blessed by the divine.
And so came his tenth birthday.
The boy—whose name was Asteres—
was about to face the Rite of Coming-of-Age.
Perhaps that was where it all truly began.
In that same city, another quiet coincidence was unfolding.
A girl of ten, taken in at another devout household,
had been raised with equal care and devotion.
She was named Satella.
And on that very same day,
at the very same hour,
she too stood ready for her own Rite of Coming-of-Age.
Looking back now,
perhaps that as well was the will of heaven.
And so the story of Asteres and Satella began…
CLOSING
…Listen.
The Time-Telling Deer is calling.
That is enough for tonight.