What is to give light must endure burning

Driver pulled the white Suburban to a stop. The rain had stopped, two tiny golden-headed women burst from the double doors of the brick building. Maydene and Fairy Lady were of equal height and the shimmer of them would have stopped rain simply because they burned so brightly together. The man behind the wheel paused, his head turned appreciatively as he thought of Maydene's tattoo, the one he had caressed so often. What is to give light must endure burning. 

"Please make yourselves be welcomed by the Ladies. They have waited a long time for this today. I will drive around with the chattel and bundles." Driver had a lovely way with his speech. Shine was taken to wondrous places when she tuned to his lilting sentences. These were the sorts of sounds her ears absorbed deeply. Music would come of it. She counted on the outcome. It was her clockworks.

"If you don't mind," said Stan "I would like to help with the bags and my bass. She, this bass and I have a long standing agreement that it will be me and me alone who moves her."

"I get your meaning perfectly Bass Man. This carriage and I have a similar arrangement." Driver helped everyone else from their seats, waved cheerfully to the hostesses literally fluttering from the landing. Stan walked to the carriage door and held two hands out for Dumpling. "You my darlin', are my ..." Dumpling slid in the words, "Primary Bass. I will follow you anywhere." The couple was now well into their eighties and it was a beautiful thing to see how perfectly they continued to fit. "There are four steps and then a wide landing. Then four more steps. The handrail is just here." Dumpling felt for it. The wood smooth and sturdy.

Raven observed the procession of young and old and inter-species company climb the deep brick and concrete stairs. Seven guests walked toward the doors ahead of the bird-man. The glimmer of light that could easily be mistaken for drizzles circled him. Whispering he said,"This is an event not limited by time Border Witch. Let them know you have come." Once up the stairs and onto the landing, in deference to the tiny women's stature it was a silver-haired Raven dressed in elegant garb who leaned toward his hostesses. Feathered wings embraced them, and a hibiscus -- one purple and one red appeared from each his wings. "Pale's gifts," he said. Fairy Lady was given the red, and Maydene the purple.