Airthai Legends: Alaila’s Daughters

Last week I wrote of one of the legends of the Midlands of Airthai – Whythe Tellerassar’s cry is so sorrowful. This week I’m continuing the story with a second legend – that of Alaila’s Daughters.

To read the first part, click here.

Alaila’s Daughters

Just as some believe that Alaila died on the fateful day Ikaira and his followers became the Tellerassar, so many believe that she was spared; even though she would never be able to return to her people. It is told among the people of the Midlands that, even as Alaila fell pierced by an arrow of King Markus’s soldiers, she did not change back into a mortal woman, but became the first of the water women. Able to breathe under water as easily as in the open air, she was able to escape from the soldiers into the deep waters of the river.

Frightened and hurt, Alaila hid in the dark waters of the gorge for many days. The soldiers left the gorge and retreated back to their lands south of the Great River. But Alaila still hid, until she heard a single cry sounding above the water. In the mournful song she recognised her name and went towards it with all haste. An eagle swooped down, changing into the form of Ikaira. He walked along the bank of the river, ever calling her name with the hope that she had not perished.

But even when she went to him, she could not leave the water entirely. So they would still be apart except when the moon was full, for, on that night, Alaila was able to leave the river and walk again on the green banks of the river. Ikaira returned to her as often as he could and the road towards the river was safe for travel. In time Alaila bore a child – a daughter who could live in water like her mother and was also bound to the river.

Rumours of the water women filtered to the people living close to the river and soon other tales were told of other women becoming water women themselves when pity was taken on them by Alaila and her daughter. Soon the water women were all called “Alaila’s Daughters”. But not all lived in the deep waters of the gorge and some took to living in the deep waters where the Great River flowed slowly. And it was through one of these women that evil came to the water women. 

Dalath was one of the Vídolf, servants of the Lewjan who held dark magical powers. She sought out one of the pools where a water woman had been spotted and searched for her on the night of the full moon. She dressed herself in mourning clothes and wore a mourning veil to hide her face as the Ciph did. In this manner she walked along the bank of the river and wailed about the awful lot which had befallen her. One of the water women went to her and, after hearing her story, gave to her the gift of being able to breathe under water. As soon as Dalath had entered the water, however, she murdered the one who had taken pity on her. One by one she made five of her sister Vídolf water women, but, instead of being benevolent towards others like the other water women, they lured men and children to their deaths in the water.

Rumours of these happenings reached the Keepers of Théotriewe and, from there, Ikaira who hastened to Alaila. For a whole day and a whole night he waited on the bank of the river, calling her name. But she did not answer and she did not come to him. At last, when the day was dawning once more, he gave up hope of finding her and wept where he sat.

Next week: Alaila’s Daughters, part 2

One of the Tellerassar plays an important role in the short story “ADragon’s Freedom”, which can be downloaded and read here.