I am Ayao, goddess of the wind.  Before, I was a human girl.  My sister, Mawu came for me when I was alone, or rather when I thought I was alone. 

I had just lost my husband in a fight.  A man came after me.  Of course my lover fought.   And lost.  Did my aggressor really believe that I would submit so easily?  My grief only fed my rage.  I killed him and let nature feed on his remains with whatever creature that came his way.

Mawu took me in, and I found my lover was still alive, his body all mangled up, and his limbs damaged.  I called my husband, Osain, because he was the healer of my soul.  "And you, my wife, are my Ayao."  And so we both became.  I was the wind, gentle as the breeze, or as fierce as a tornado, and bringer of storms.  Osain was our healer, and knowledgeable of plants of all kinds. 

My husband soothed my soul and stilled the storm in my heart, before and after our magical journey.  And he would tell me, "You are my oxygen, the very air I breathe."

My mother, Nana, and some of my sisters, they preferred to live as a regular human while they walked this earth; and all of their children they bore, lived and died like a regular human would.  My husband and I, we allowed our children to be immortal like us.  They may be wind chasers such as I, or healers like their father.  The ones that took after their father were so gentle, even the grass and weeds they stepped on would thrive under their very feet at their touch.  These were the invisible muses that walked our lands.  They would whisper in the ears of humans the words they needed to hear the most, to thrive, to breathe, to keep on living; the healers of the heart.

We lived in Sky Dome more so than we did the Earth below us.  Our home was more like a go between.  The outside of it looked like a Benin castle from the days of old, with beautiful earthen shapes and geometric patterns of white and red.  We were so fond of that color red.  But when you entered in, you could appear to be walking outside on the forest floor as you gazed upon the skies above, or look into the clear water still as looking-glass, and then dive in and you are flying in the clouds above the earthly plane.  The earth had need of another tornado, and I obliged.  I was on my way home when I found my domain had some unexpected guests.

"Shango!  I was not expecting you."

"Hello Aunt Aya."

"Was that tornado you?" asked Star.

"Indeed it was.  And who might you be?"

"I'm Star, Yamaya's daughter."

"Really?  Which one?"

"Um...I'm not even certain my mother can answer that one."

Quite a few of them chuckled as I said "Indeed."  There was truly no telling which daughter she was.  They all began to look alike by the hundreds.  The young one's introduced themselves to me.  I couldn't help but notice how this young "Star" kept her hand enclosed around Cordelia's, and that Cordelia seemed to enjoy it.  It was hard to remember at times, that Cordelia was actually a man.  I could not help but believe that this was not going to be the last time I would see these two. 

I admired what these young ones were doing.  In getting to know one another, they were ensuring we were family, and prevented one another from becoming enemies.  They were polite enough with their cousins, the children of mine and Osayin's.

The young Ahuana, she was a curious child, and very astute.  She looked like she was willing to learn anything, and took a liking to it.  Dulce though, she reminded me much of Ododuwa, enjoying the senses of touch and sweet things.  I found her looking among the herbs and finding ways to change them into cosmetics.  My daughters took a liking to her.  I'll admit I learned some things from her as well.

Shango went flying with his wind cousins, as he often did, and even showed off a little with his lightening techniques.  This brought some attention, and next thing you know, Xevioso joined in.  Whenever he and Shango got together...Oh it was a lot of commotion.  At least in the Sky Dome, they couldn't cause any harm to the mortal's below.  But next thing you know, all my nephew's of Olorun and Yamaya joined the crew.  At first it was comical.  Star was ecstatic to see her older brothers.  But when each boy began to try to out do the other....oy!  Somehow a lightning bolt struck my sister, Oya, who was nearby.  I'm sure you can guess that when she rose, her wrath rose with her.  "Who dares to disturb my slumber!"  Her daughter Engungun only chuckled.  She was used to seeing this side of her mother.

This caused a great storm.  It took all of Osayin's energy to keep our part of the Sky Dome together.  Oya was in a mood.  She had the intentions of sending everyone back to their homes.  I couldn't help but have mercy for Star and Cordelia.  They both clung together so tight.  I allowed them to stay together instead of be ripped apart.  Shango in turn gathered the women he was in charge of, and I sent them back to the earthly plane below as a group, rather than go against my sister Oya entirely.

"Sister," said Oya.  "You interfered."

"So I did."  I looked down below as everyone regrouped.  They were all unharmed.  Not that it would have been easy, given they were all immortal offspring."

"You have never done that before."

"What can I say, sister.  Love was in the air."

"Love?"

"Yes.  A daughter of Yamaya's has claimed herself a mate."

"Yamaya has a daughter claiming a mate every day of the week."

"Have any of them claimed Cordelia?"

"Cordelia?" she said with a start.  "Wait a minute.  Isn't he.. isn't she..."

"A member of Magec's sisterhood."

"I keep forgetting that most of them are actually men."

"As do many of us."

"Well, it certainly doesn't bother me.  It's different."

"I'm not so sure it is so different now.  Ododuwa has already claimed one herself."

"If the people are willing, I see no harm in it."

"That is true.  They aren't doing anyone any harm.  I just dislike the stereotypes.  Remember how you and I used to be told we weren't feminine enough?"

"I do.  I can only imagine the body shaming Magec's tribe had to go through for their lack of masculinity."

"Perhaps we should all learn to adopt a live and let live policy."

"Indeed we should."