Gonyaul's First Prayer

Gonyaul watched as Voah entered into the tent with the extra bedding. It was like watching a sunset in the middle of the night as she slipped behind the tent's curtain entrance. Alone with a surging surplus of endorphins he felt his thoughts anchored to her. He would spend the next couple of hours in Vauxian meditation; however, it was exceedingly hard to remain focused and he kept replaying the entire day from his memories.

This was the first time he had ever tried to enter a deep meditation without wearing his eye wrap. The feeling of his eyes naked to the air, made it feel foreign; however, he needed to keep watch. Gonyaul never reached a deep meditative state because of these two factors and eventually he decided he should just relax from trying.

He had the idea that maybe he should practice praying. Afterall, their very lives could depend on how prepared, or at least convincing, he was. He still had so many questions he needed to ask Voah. For starters, were the Pillars from Helias only and does that mean they only speak Helias? They may not know Vauxian he thought so it would be best to try and pray in the common tongue. He also was not sure if you are supposed to only pray aloud or if silence was an option. He had only heard Voah, as well as others, pray out loud. In addition, was there a certain way you needed to talk or certain words that must be said? He would have to wait till tomorrow to find out.

In the meantime, he was going to dare to try even if he failed miserably. He thought it best to pray only to one, since he didn't want to overwhelm his attempt. Hoi had been the only Pillar god that he had a very brief moment of connection with, so he would try her. While being tickled, he genuinely felt that he was calling out in need to someone that could indeed hear him.

So now came yet another question, what should he pray for? He thought on this for quite a while and decided he would pray for Voah. He kept his eyes open to continue his night watch, sat back on his heels, and started speaking into the night air as if talking to someone sitting across from him. He adorned his belief with a child-like acceptance of what he was doing was real and that Hoi was indeed listening because he trusted Voah.

The stars bore witness to his first authentic prayer on his own.

"Hoi ... hello, my name Gonyaul, but you call me Rabbit like Voah if want ... nnn ...
Nice meet you ... first Pillar I speak and thank you for hear me. Voah say you are wonderful and mean so much her. ... ... ... I sorry if I do pray wrong. I know I may be void to you? Not speak good and feel little strange but please help me do well."

He paused to gather his thoughts now that he felt a baseline of introductions were established. He waited a while in case someone responded back, but he did remember Voah saying they were mostly silent. This didn't bother him in the least, his culture's primary language was sign language so he understood silence better than most didn't mean you couldn't still communicate.

"I ask nothing me. But I ask for Voah. I speak you, please be with her. In her hurt and pains I ask you help. Pray for her heal. Pray fear inside go away. Pray break free of chain of past. Pray trouble turn to goodness. Pray miracle flow through her."

He paused again, and then earnestly asked, "Hoi? Help me love her. help me be patient and kind. Never rude ... nnn ... no pride. Show me how care for heart and delight in her. ... please. Thank you listen to me."

He felt he did a pretty poor job of speaking the language; however, perhaps a deity in all their glory could make sense of it. He smiled up at the night sky with the gratitude of having a new relationship, one with a god. It blew his mind, he couldn't believe it and his gratitude was up in the heavens along with his sight.

He waited another two hours before he felt like he was pushing his limits of staying alert. He went to wake Voah so that they could switch places.