The Kassian Tai stood before the point of the altar, her kinari in one hand, the candle flame flickering precariously in the breeze, her funbo gripped in the other, a staff of aromatic arazwood a foot taller than she was, with a dense ceramic sheath on the base and a point shaved to a cone, fire-hardened, then waxed and polished to a high gloss.
Carrying thinner, shorter fimbos and kinaries with thinner, shorter candles, Reyna and Dawa stood at Tai’s right, Jea and Areia One-eye at her left.
The Kassian Tai opened her mouth wide, produced a humming, burring sound in the back of her throat; she stepped forward one pace, placed her kinari in the stand. One by one, the others followed her example, blending their voice with hers in a complex chord.
Dawa and Areia One-eye squatted beside the altar and tapped the rhythm on small drums while the other three danced the Bee Honors and sang the blessing words, Tai first, then Reyna and Jea.
Tai sang:
Honey Mother
We come in the marks of our mortality Having chosen you
Been chosen by. You
We come with heads bowed and blessing in our hearts Giver of gifts
We offer you ourselves.
Reyna sang:
I hear the hum of your wings Honey Mother
Low and tender in the sound I am filled with gladness Mother of Bees
I am blessed by your Gift Honey Mother
Dawa sang:
You glide through my bones
Honey Mother
I taste your sweetness on my fingers I lick crystals of your love from my lips
Tai sang:
The river runs by day and night
And never stops Honey Mother
So runs your mercy
The river floods and buries and retreats
Honey Mother
So floods your justice over us
Fierce and terrible is your justice
We tremble
Honey Mother
Your mercy heals and comforts us
You come to us with unveiled eyes
And speak without hurry
As honey flows
, We raise our mouths and drink your words Honey Mother
As honey flows we drink your words As honey flows we cherish
Honeychild
As honey flows.