The Gift
There once was a beautiful young sub that had just chanced upon an understanding of her gift. She had learned that this gift, when given to the right person, was very valuable and she was very proud of her gift. She started out on a journey to find the right recipient of the gift so that the gift would increase in value and become everything that it could ever be.
As she walked along the path she came upon a young man who appeared to be one who might understand and appreciate her gift. She began to speak with him, but quickly learned that he was a bully and not the kind of person who would increase the value of her gift. She started to withdraw from him, but he reached for her gift and demanded it. She struggled with him, and in the struggle the gift fell to the ground and was damaged. The bully looked at the maid kneeling on the ground, holding her gift and said to her, "Bah, look, you have broken it. Your gift isn't worthy of me." And with that he walked away.
The lady picked up her gift and realized that it, in truth had become scratched. She polished it as best she could with her gown and decided that although no longer perfect, her gift was still worth giving to someone, and she continued her sojourn.
Next she met a very nicely spoken man. He wooed her with soft words and compliments. She began to wonder if this was the right person to help her attain the heights her gift could reach. So, she began speaking with him about this possibility. The man, a thief it turns out, simply grabbed her gift from her and ran. She chased him and after a long chase tackled him and the gift fell on rocks and shattered. At that the thief brushed himself off and looked down at the maiden and said, "That gift is broken and worthless. You defile me by offering me such a worthless bauble. Go away, I will find someone with a gift worthy of me." And walked away.
At this the maiden picked up all the pieces of her gift and walked to a nearby stream to wash the pieces. Soon, she realized that her gift was truly broken and worthless, that no one would want it, and worse of all, there was a piece missing that could never be found. At that she sat by the stream and cried, with the pieces of her gift in her lap.
A short while later a man came walking by the maiden. He saw her there and walked to her. Sitting down by her side he asked her what was wrong. She told him her story and that she now knew that her gift would never be found acceptable by anyone and so she was forever lost and destined to be alone.
He smiled at her and asked her if he could help her. She said, through her tears, "No one can help me, I can never be worthy, because my gift is broken and parts are lost". He smiled at her and said, "If that is true, then it will hurt not at all for me to try, may I?"
The maiden found herself wondering what this man could do, so she handed him her gift and watched as he began to work with it. She watched as he took a tear from her cheek and used it to glue the gift back together. He carefully used sand to polish its surface until it shone brighter than before.
The maiden watched this and said "That is all well and good, but there is a piece missing, the gift can never be restored." He smiled, a sad kind of smile, looking into her eyes he said, "Aye lassie, it can never be the same, but; it can be different, and better." With that she saw a tear descend his cheek and she watched him take that tear and create a new piece for her gift.
He handed her gift back to her and she saw that it was not only whole, but also that it glowed with a light it had never had before. She stopped crying and was amazed, for now she could continue her search for the right person to give her gift to.
She looked up to thank the man, but saw that he was already walking away. He had seen her need to find someone to give her gift to and so his duty complete, he walked his own path.
As he walked away she realized that the luster of the gift was returning to its original form. It was as beautiful as it had been when she began her journey, but not as beautiful as it had been when she was with the stranger. Suddenly she knew to whom the gift had to be given. But he was gone.
With her new knowledge she went in search of the stranger. She no longer held her gift before her, but put it away, knowing why she had it, and what she had to do with it. She met others on her journey, spoke and learned from them. To any who would stop to listen she spoke of the stranger and asked if any knew of him.
One day, as she was walking through a village she spied the stranger. He was walking away. Her heart jumped. It was HIM. Running she called "Stranger wait". But he simply kept moving. He was moving faster than she through the crowd. She would never catch him and soon he would be out of hearing of her. She was nearly in a panic. After all this time, she was so close and she would lose him. Finally, desperate she called out "Master". He stopped and turned.
They walked towards each other, his eyes holding hers in his gaze. His face, rather enigmatic and hard to read, her's scared and rather amazed. Why had she said that?
As they reached each other he said. "Sweet lady, long have I wished to hear that word from you and not having any right to ask for it, I could only wait for you. Now, I must ask you why you said it, and do you mean it."
She pulled her gift from her pouch and saw that it was glowing with a new light. It shown more brilliant than a diamond and more subtle than a ruby. Colors she had never seen in her life were flowing from her gift. She knew, more than ever before, she knew. Looking up at him she held her gift out and said, "This is why."
Kneeling, she held her gift to him. Her eyes, holding onto his eyes as if the only lifeline in a sea of doubts she said, "You gave this to me. I knew not what to do with it. When you met me I was a foolish little girl, proud of what she had and anxiously trying to give it to someone. Then, when it was destroyed and of no value, you recreated it and it is as it is now. No one else is worthy of this gift and no one makes it shine as it does now. Master, take me and my gift, please."
He took her hands in his "My lady, I didn't do this; WE did it. It is the love we share that makes this gift as precious as it is. Gladly, and with full heart do I accept your gift, and you. Be my lady, walk by my side, and share a life that will have the bards singing about it into the next generation. I accept the responsibility, I gladly accept you. Now, walk beside me and let us see what glories we can attain"
Taking her hand, he helped her up and together they walked the path
