Daoine

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Ceremonies

    “I still don’t understand why you condemned yourself to studying books for two years!” exclaimed Sumac, Willow’s teacher.
    “I did what I deemed right at the time and am accepting the consequences.” replied Willow.
    Sumac, an all-around average witch, was there to answer questions when possible and to demonstrate spells. Mostly though, Willow had to do her learning on her own.
    A passing student sniffed her distain as she passed the pair. It was a general consensus that Willow would now be a weak witch and would always be behind in her education. Her old friends turned their backs on her. All of these complications arose because she couldn’t follow the usual teaching method.
    “Sumac, do you know of any books that would have information about fueling powers? There are many things that don’t add up about our ceremony and I would like to find the answers.” asked Willow.
    Sumac didn’t ask questions anymore about the many bizarre and obscure topics Willow researched in her boredom. Willow learned the theory of spells quickly and unable to practice, she devoted her extra time to research. In many branches of magic she had read about more spells than allotted to her age group for sheer lack of nothing better to do.
    “No dear, I don’t know of any off the top of my head but I’ll ask around.” volunteered Sumac.

    Asking around took Sumac half a year to turn up anything. During that time, Willow had memorized multiple spell books.
    “Willow, about that fueling research, I’ve heard whispers that Viburnum has a private library with information not widely know. There may some merit in asking her for help.” informed Sumac.
    “Excellent,” exclaimed Willow. She couldn’t endure spell books any longer. “She’s that quiet witch that lives in the house at the center of our village, correct?”
    Willow thought it unusual that one witch would live alone in a dwelling, especially one that promoted such inhospitality. It was a children’s game to guess what was behind those walls. Everyone had played and knew the house well.
    “Yes,” replied Sumac, “though she has disappeared on an excursion and no one is sure when she’ll be back. Have patience and she will return in time.”
    In a few days time Viburnum did indeed reappeared. Willow’s enduring didn’t extend, however, to giving Viburnum time to recuperate from her arcane voyage. After rising with the dawn the following morning Willow went to knock on the door, hoping for new sources of information. Footfalls were an instant response to her rapping.
    “Hello,” said the witch that answered the door. She was a diminutive lady and she showed signs of wrinkles around the eyes that regarded Willow with wariness.
    “My name is Willow. Are you Viburnum?”
    “Yes, I recognize you. You are the youth that can’t use her magic. What do you want?” responded Viburnum rather rudely.
    “I’m hoping you can aide me in researching empowering ceremonies. I’ve heard you have a library of your own.”
    “My library is supposed to be a secret but, if you insist. However, I’m not sure I’ll have what you’re looking for.” said Viburnum.
    Viburnum opened the door wide to allow Willow, who nodded her gratitude, to pass through. She guided Willow down a long hallway and into a doorway on the left side. The rectangular room’s walls were lined with elegant, chestnut shelves. A multitude of books of many different descriptions were lined up neatly. In the center of the room was a plain, wooden table two chairs face to face.
    “Now let me think.” mumbled Viburnum, pausing a moment. “Ah, I now just the one.” Viburnum walked over to a bookshelf on the right hand side of the room and crouched down to reach the bottom shelf. She pulled out a book that was about six inches thick.
    “Here you go.” said Viburnum, placing the book in Willow’s arms.
    Willow staggered under the sudden weight.
    “How on earth am I supposed to find anything in this?” exclaimed Willow. “It’s so thick it would take weeks to read.”
    “Just look in the index.” replied Viburnum shortly. “Please just look for what you need though. The book is very old and I don’t want it ruined.” warned Viburnum. With another word, Viburnum left the room.
    Willow heaved the book onto the table and took a look at the cover. Forest Witch Ceremonies it read. Willow flipped to the back of the book and began looking for anything to do with fueling powers. After scanning the index’s minuscule print for half an hour she found a possibility: Charging Powers p. 2356. She carefully turned to the correct page, heeding Viburnum’s warning about the pages being fragile. Right on the top of the page was exactly what she was looking for.

    The Forest Witch, like all other witches, charge their power using their namesake. In the case of the Forest Witches it is the trees. Once every two years, witches over the age of ten gather themselves around their sacred tree. They join hands in a spiral formation with the clan leader touching her hand to the trunk. The tree will send ripples of power through the chain of hands if given an offering the previous day.

    Reading further, the rest of the page proved to be a more detailed explanation. Perfect, thought Willow. How did we even imagine the process we go through now? The page raised just as many questions as she had started with though, including confusion about the wording of other witches and their namesakes. All that was left for her to do was to show her findings to the elders. They would have to agree this way was better than using a human boy.
    The next three hours Willow spent copying down, with a quill and ink, what was on the page onto some extra parchment that was lying on the table. The article also contained several diagrams that took time to duplicate.
    Viburnum entered as she was tidying up. “I would prefer if you leave now, I have work elsewhere that I must attend to.”
    “I’ve finished now. Thank you for your help. Good day to you.” Willow grasped her parchment and departed. Her sense of accomplishment gave her joy.
    It was too late in the evening to present anything to the elders. Willow went searching for Sumac so she could arrange audience for Willow on the morrow.
    The next day Willow’s presentation didn’t go as smoothly as she had hoped. The elders were reluctant and bickered for hours about changing an old tradition. Willow was sent away as they consulted with other members of the clan. All evidence either pointed to a no or to a debate that would last who new how long. Willow sat tight and prayed, for the sakes of all human boys, that they would decide in her favor.
    At noon the following day a magnified voiced declared to the entire village, “The elders of the clan have changed the process of the Fueling ceremony for the end of this year. From now on such ceremonies will be centered on our sacred tree.”
    Willow heaved a huge inner sigh of relief; some good had come from her book learning.