Sun and Moon are as old as the Earth itself. They have seen the beginning of life and they will live to see the end of it. Endless changes will occur, and countless lifetimes will pass them by, but one thing will remain constant: they will always have the sunrise and they will always have the sunset. Those minutes every day let them bask in the beauty of the mortal world shrouded in a blanket woven with golden rays and silver beams. Each day Sun and Moon work together to bring the days and nights to the Earth. Each day they see each other and are awed by what they can do together. And each day they lament that they cannot be together or feel one another’s embrace.

Eons have passed with the Moon watching the Sun, counting down the minutes until her warm glow fills the sky and shimmers on the oceans below.  Moon has seen the creations of the most astounding pieces of artwork, literature, and music, the kinds that sit in your mind long after you have finished looking at them or reading them or hearing them and actually make you feel something. But in her eyes, nothing, no painting, statue, poem, or song, will ever come half as close to Sun’s transcendent beauty. Her heart aches to be able to be with Sun, to be able to talk to her and touch her.  One night, in a moment of deep desolation, Moon decided that she would be with Sun no matter what it took.

With the daytime swiftly on its way, Moon had to find a way to get a message to Sun. She called upon one of her most loyal servants, the ocean. With haste, Moon told her plan to the glassy waves below and asked them to relay her message to Sun.  They undulated in response as if nodding an acceptance of their task. Moon could see the pale rays of Sun’s beauty cresting over the Earth’s edge signaling another sunrise’s start. The sky they shared became like an artist’s palette, tinged with warm pinks and oranges and reds. Sun brought life to the world and Moon’s heart swelled with every passing moment. The waves glinted and blinked in conversation with Sun, telling her the plan that would hopefully soon come to fruition.

Moon waited anxiously for sunset. She hoped with every ounce of her being that Sun would follow the instructions the waves told her.  The daytime, which to Moon is but a blink in her existence, passed by as slow as ever with each minute stretching across what felt like an eternity. Finally, Sun could be seen slipping past the Earth again. Moon reached within herself and felt for the magic that lay within. It was the oldest thing to exist, older than time itself. It was what created everything that came to be. With every ounce of want and desperation and love that she held, Moon willed herself into a new form.

The universe around her went dark as if everything ceased to exist and then Moon was consumed by a ravaging twister of shadows and wind.  Pressure built up around her, forcing her to become just a fraction of the size she once was.  She felt herself being stretched and molded into another being. The wind and shadows around her slowly faded to a faint whisper and Moon was left curling in on herself, eyes squeezed shut, laying on a hard surface. She stayed that way briefly, sucking in the cool, sharp air and filling her newly formed lungs.  With a groan, she unfurled herself, arms and legs ached with a pain she had never felt before. I did it, she thought, and it worked.

On shaky legs, Moon stood up and began to walk around. Her new body felt completely foreign yet oddly familiar all at once. She cast a silvery glow that coated the woods around her in a soft luster. Magnificent trees so tall she had to crane her neck to see the tops surrounded Moon. The only light illuminating her surroundings was that which came from her skin and the streams of the pale yellow cast by the stars that mottled the ground below her.  As she wandered, slowly but surely getting used to walking on her own two legs, she came across a small pond. Peering down she could see herself completely now. The face staring back at her was not one she knew. She had angular features as if she had been roughly hewn from stone; a harsh beauty, but beauty nonetheless.  Her hair was as dark as the night sky itself and flowed down her back, resting on top of a cloak woven with silver threads that glinted as they caught her glow. Moon cast one more glance at herself in the pond’s reflection, spun on her heel, and walked away.  She could not waste any more time getting used to her human form, she had to find Sun. 

The surrounding woods proved to be difficult terrain for one inexperienced in walking on two legs. Gnarled roots crept out of the mossy forest floor, catching Moon’s feet and causing her to stumble about. The sounds around her fit differently in her now human ears. What once sounded so pleasant and full of life, brought fear. Moon had never had to worry about her well-being, but now she was painfully aware of how at risk her safety was. But alas, the heart often trumps all and so Moon pushed onward, despite the growing pit in her stomach and the rapid beating of her heart.

With no idea where Sun might be, Moon resigned to simply following her gut. Turning left, and then right, around this tree, over that log, crossing this stream, avoiding that boulder, Moon traversed the unknown territory.  Deep in her heart, Moon knew she would find Sun soon. It was as if there was a chain wrapped around her torso, pulling her towards the one she loved most.  She wished she could call out to Sun, to say “I’m here, please come to me! Please show yourself!”, but her fear kept her mouth clamped shut and her lips glued together.

At some point, though Moon didn’t realize it, the wind had picked up and the cold had started to seep into her bones.  Even with her cloak drawn tightly around her, she couldn’t help from trembling.  Soon fat droplets fell upon her head, soaking through her cloak and seemingly straight into her bones. Lightning cracked in the sky casting shadows around Moon, while thunder shook the very ground on which she was standing. Again, that pesky fear crawled into her chest, beating at her ribcage as if that was the only way it could warn her of the imminent danger she was in.  Walking as fast as she dared for fear of slipping and seriously injuring herself, Moon traveled on. 

Her hair was now plastered against her face, obscuring what little vision she had left from the raindrops pelting against her eyelashes. Moon could see something up ahead; what was it though? It looked like a floating orb of light, bobbing up and down. She could hear something in the breaks from the thunder but she couldn’t quite distinguish what it was. “Hello?” she called out, “Is someone there?” Only the wind howled in response. The closer she got, the clearer things became.

The orb she had seen was but a lantern, being tossed about by the wind. Behind the lantern was a stone path leading to what looked like a small building, perhaps somewhere Moon could wait out the storm.  With great caution, Moon followed the slick stones up to the establishment, searching for any sign of what it might be. With just one step until she was right at the entryway, Moon’s questions were answered. As she rose her fist to rap at the door, it swung open. Two great arms reached out of the doorway and pulled Moon in, then promptly slammed the door shut behind them.

“My apologies lass, I couldn’t let you stay out in that storm any longer. The chill will do you in” said a gruff but not unkind voice. Looking up Moon could see her savior. He was a rather large man, built like a bull but with the demeanor of a mother hen.  He swiftly unbuttoned the cloak, peeled it off Moon’s shoulders, and walked over to a chair by a fire, draping it over the back to get it to dry. He lead Moon over to another chair by the fire, this one cushioned and covered in blankets, and pushed her down to sit. “I’ll get you some food and drink, please just warm up by the hearth.”  And with that, he disappeared into another room.

Moon sat there, wide-eyed, and finally took in her surroundings. It was a small room with minimal furnishing.  There was a staircase next to the front door leading to an indoor balcony overlooking the central area in which Moon sat. It was a cozy building, the kind that is a little bit messy but only because it was well lived in, the kind that had known love. The hearth cast a warm glow which reminded Moon so much of Sun. With a start, Moon remembered her own glow and willed the kernel of magic within her to dim the luminescence that seeped out of her skin. Her host may not be so kind if he fully saw the otherworldly power she held within herself. She scolded herself for being so careless and hoped that the man was too preoccupied with getting her settled to notice her glow. 

“Here you go, lass,” the man said as he set down a plate of bread and cheese and a mug full of something warm and sweet smelling, steam dancing and curling over top. Finally remembering her manners, Moon offered her thanks. As she picked her way through the plate of food and sipped the drink, which she now realized must be mead, the man introduced himself. His name was Hamish and he owned the tavern they were in. He made no mention of any sort of magic or glow and Moon was grateful for not having to come up with a lie. 

The two got to talking then, finishing their mugs of mead and topping them off again. The warmth from the fire and the mead and the conversation with Hamish made Moon feel more relaxed with every passing minute. There was just something about the rosy cheeks and deep smile lines next to his eyes that made Hamish seem like the human embodiment of a hug. Moon soon found herself telling this kind man about her journey and who she was looking for, leaving out key details of course, so as to not raise suspicion. She didn’t think Hamish would care anymore but one can never be too sure.  As she spoke of Sun tears pricked her eyes and her heart dropped into her stomach. She had been so busy with Hamish that she hadn’t realized that Sun was out in this storm too, all alone. Now the tears began to freely flow as she told the man that she needed to find Sun immediately.  “Please, I need to find her! She’s waiting for me to find her!” Moon wailed as she grabbed her now half-dry cloak off the chair and made to the door. 

“I canna let you go out there. It’s too dangerous! You will wait out the storm here.” Hamish said, barring the door with his body, feet planted firmly on the ground and arms crossed defiantly across his chest. “I know you need to find your lass but you will not find her if you get lost or hurt.”

Moon knew Hamish was right. She bowed her head and with shoulders slumped, she walked back to the hearth. Picking the coziest chair near the fire, she curled up and just stared into the flames. Her mind was racing faster than the winds at a mountain peak but her body felt as heavy as a stone. Now more than ever, Moon wished she could be held by Sun. As her eyelids got heavier and heavier Moon thought only of Sun. The flames in the hearth began to blur and just as sleep welcomed Moon into the darkness, she could’ve sworn that Sun was kneeling before her, reaching out to grab her hands.  

Moon awoke feeling rested and warm. She pried her eyes open and realized she was in a bed. Fur blankets lay strewn about the bed and a glass of water sat on a table next to her. She sat up and took a sip from the glass, letting the coolness sit in her parched mouth for a second before swallowing it. She could hear clinks from below so Moon assumed Hamish must be awake as well. She rose from the bed and padded over to the door. Upon stepping out, Moon could see two other doors next to hers, one open and the other closed. A sense of home washed over Moon, filling her with warmth as she looked over the balcony into the center room. The hearth still had logs ablaze, food and drinks had been laid out on the table sending a sweet scent into the rafters above and Hamish was tidying up, a rag slung across his shoulder, and a small contented smile settled upon his face as he hummed a melody. Moon had been watching humans for eons but seldom did she see one such as this kind man before her. She felt again just how lucky she was to have stumbled upon his welcoming tavern.

“Good mornin’!” Hamish said as he noticed Moon making her way downstairs, “Or I think it’s mornin’. Canna quite tell with the sky so empty.” Moon nodded in response and smiled politely at the man before her. She sat down at the table and helped herself to the food presented before, unsure how she could have gotten so hungry just from sleeping. Once she was fully satiated and leaning back in her chair, Hamish spoke to Moon once again. “Yesterday, once you had gone off to bed, another lass happened upon the tavern,” he said tentatively, “She’s still in her room but I thought I should tell ya.”

Moon’s heart leapt in her chest and her breath caught in her throat. “What did she look like?” she spluttered out breathlessly. 

“Oh, she is right bonnie. Even in the dark, she was radiant.  She’s got the most golden tresses I have ever seen and a smile that could warm the dreariest winter day.”

Moon locked eyes with Hamish and he smiled at her knowingly. He gave her the slightest of nods and she was immediately at her feet and swiftly making her way up the stairs. Within seconds she had reached the closed door. Moon raised her hand to knock but she found herself unable to complete the action. Thoughts swirled around her head like leaves in the autumn winds. What would she say? What would she do? Would Sun recognize her? She knew she would be able to recognize Sun in any form, as they were bound by souls, were they not? 

Moon sucked in a rattling breath and forced herself to knock on the door. She waited for a second, but there was no response. Again, she knocked but with a bit more force. And again, she was met with silence. She felt her fingers close around the cool metal handle and, without thinking, Moon pushed the door open.  Before her, bundled up in blankets with only her head poking out was a woman. She was sleeping, her chest rising and falling slowly. Her hair, which was indeed the most golden hair Moon had ever seen, was splayed out across the pillows. Her mouth was parted slightly and her cheeks were tinged pink as if she was blushing. Moon stood there, unmoving. She blinked at the image before her. 

Sun.