HOME FIRES MISTS LIFEBLOOD SPOKES
deemel - Tuesday, April 13, 1999, 10:45 PM ------------------------------------------ Dusk on Yule night, and you've been instructed to ask off duty. Alan got duty off and is home early for you. When you arrive, the place is just glowing with candles. Thirty or forty of them, in different places. The windows are open, and the place is like an iceberg, but it almost glows with intensity. Alan steps in and doffs hios trench immediately, looking about in sheer awe. Wow...Melody, it's cold...but it's beautiful in here love." Vine comes out of the bedroom, saying gently "Tonight, I am Vine..and maybe in your visions you will find a name." Alan nods, removing his tie. "Very well Vine." he says softly Vine smiles and slips free of her robe, locking the door. "Tea's in the kitchen. When did you last eat?" Alan murmurs softly, "Thjis morning love. I had a bite of breakfast and just went on after that... Vine nods. "Good, so you've fasted enough." Approval, even though she didn't mention it. "Are you going to be all right going skyclad in the cold? Alan says, "I've had hypothermia before...this can't be as bad as that..." You say, "Once we're in Circle, you won't notice." Vine brings you your cup of tea, holding it in both hands. She offers it to you..and it's clearly an offering. Every move she makes is purposeful. Alan takes the tea, noding to you and saying solemnly "Thankyou. He is not completely skyclad het, still wearing his slacks and underware. Vine smiles brilliantly up at you. "You're welcome." She doesn't seem to mind. You'll get that way when you're ready. She makes her way to one wall and a small fountain is turned on, bubbling softly. Alan drinks of his tea deeply, savoring it as he does. He sighs softly, slowly relieving himself of hsi last bits of clothing. Vine sprinkles salt around the room slowly, taking her time. Alan watches you closely, admiringly. With the clothes off, there is no hiding his arousal, but it is not like he will act upon it. He reaches into his trench's pocket and pulls forth a small box. Vine gestures toward the altar, silently. her pupils are larger even than the low light would indicate. She's probably had her tea already. Alan finishes his tea off and closes his eyes, then opens the, blue gaze locked upon you then trailing to the altar. He steps towards you and it... Vine draws her knife, and then slides the sharp edge over her palm. Blood wells, dark in the candlelight. Alan opens the box and offers its contents, looking to you to see if the alter is here it should be. It is an antler, old but well cared for. Vine smiles and gestures. A couple of drops of blood hit the floor. Then she holds out her hand to you. Alan places the antler where you gesture and reaches out to take your hand, smiling warmly upon you. His wide, deep blue, eyes never leave you for long. Vine turns the blade and cuts you with the clean edge. Blood wells, yours mingling with hers on her hand. Alan closes his eyes and opens them but makes no other aknowledgement of the pain. He watches facinated as his blood mingles with yours Vine gestures with the bloodied knife, letting go of your hand and pacing the boundary of the circle. Alan moves as directed, pacing the boundry of the circle as well. Blood runs from your hands, and you realize it's not soft carpet, but a cloth laid on the floor. Old stains and new streak it, and now your own is added to the black ring. Alan walks the circle until directed otherwise, watching you closely with every step. Vine returns to the altar and sets down the blade, embracing you warmly. "The Circle is cast. We are here in Celebration. Blessed be." Alan hugs you warmly in return, reveling in your embrace. His eyes find yours again, and he smiles contentedly Vine places her hands on your shoulders, and takes a deep breath. Her hands feel so warm and the calluses almost pleasant. "I call to the God, the Horned One, the Sun King! Bless this, your priest-to-be, with your wisdom!" And she looks up into your eyes. Alan looks back into your eyes, open, willing ready for whatever may come. He breaths slowly, deeply, as he stnds there in your arms. Vine's brown eyes seem to blur, and then you feel every hair stand on end. Again, something is happening...you feel as though your head is touched. Again, your forehead feels pressure, and for just a split second you feel weight at your temples, as if something grew from them. Then it's gone. Alan gasps, his eyes widening. Preparation does not mean lack of suprise at the feeling. HE concentrates simply on breathing lest he forget how and seems lost in your brown eyed gaze. Vine says softly "It is the time of greatest darkness. It is the time when the Sun's death has weakened the world, and cold rules the land." Alan listens, mesmerized by your words. He seems hyperaware of every little nuance of your voice, the exhillaration of this ceremony acting like a gale force within his own storm-blue eyes. You say, "Only through hope and love can we all survive this night. Without the force of our faith, the sun cannot return, and the people will die with him." Alan nods only fractionally, his gaze never leaving yours. He stands fast within your grasp, absorbing everything with the hunger of a child's wonder. You say, "It is the place of the witch to ensure the Sun is reborn on this night. Are you ready to do what must be done to birth the Sun?" Alan nods, "Yes." he says softly but firmly, "I am ready to do what must be done." Vine nods, expecting no less. She leans down and blows out a candle, then another. "Let the old light die." Then she picks up the athame, and gestures around the Circle. "Before we can be reborn, we first must die..." Alan steps first to where you gesture and follows your example, blowing out candles with a slow, ceremonial, precision. As you start to blow, an icy wind comes in through the open windows, and all of the candles flicker and die, leaving you in darkness. For the first time since the rite started, you feel the cold. Alan shivers the kind of shiver that someone chilled to the bone might experience. He rubs his arms a bit which does nothing for the rest of his nude form. Vine's voice is softer than before. "On the night of Yule...all the elements die. We must reform them by will and strength." Alan murmurs softly, "By strength of will?" You say, "By strength of heart." Alan nods a bit, awaiting your guidence. He watches you with those storm- blue eyes... Vine pulls you to the floor, the blade resting between you. You feel its cold edge against your leg, but no bite. Alan moves to the floor easily, never fighting your guidence. He seems unworried by the blade. Vine says "What will you give of yourself to strengthen the young Sun?" Alan asks softly, "Might I offer my blood?" You say, "If that is your wish." Alan holds his hand out to you, "I It feels like the suitable sacrifice. Some of my own essence to strengthen the young Sun. Vine takes the blade, and slices again, paralell to the first stripe. It will look like a deep cat scratch almost. Again, the blood flows. "Anoint the candle," she directs. Alan moves to annoint the candle with his blood, making sue the crimson essence is well appointed to its destiation to slide down the sides of the candle with streaks of deep red. Vine waits until you're done, blade still bared. Alan pulls his hand away from the candle, and turns to you, "I give freely of my essence and my will, and of my heart." Vine hands you the blade, hilt first, and points to her breast wordlessly. Alan's lips twitch as you hand him the blade, but he extends it, taking a deep breath, and executes a cut to where you point that is only as deep as the one you gave him. Vine doesn't flinch. She takes a deep breath, as if almost relishing the pain. Alan takes the knife by the blade and offers it to you handle-first afterwards, not sure if thereis more to be done with it so not simply setting it aside. Vine takes the blade and kisses it before setting it on the altar. She anoints the goddess candle before turning to you. "Now...focus..." She picks up the blade again. "Focus on the point of my blade, with all your will." She touches the tip to the wick of the Goddess candle. Alan turns to concentrate on the tip of the blade, wonderingly. The odd effect of the third eye begins again. Focus. You can see...heat gathering. Coalescing..brighter and brighter..and then a spark flares! And the candle is burning. Alan cannot help but jump a bit at that. Thankfully the tea has dimmed the rationalizing of his mind, he blinks a few times and gasps softly his breath a sharp intake. Vine touches the tip of her blade to the God candle. "Again.." she orders. Alan nods, reaching out to annoint the God canle with his rich crimson blood, the wound still bleeding some. Focus, and the additional blood, or something..who knows? This one flares even more brightly! Alan watches the candle burn brioghter and sits bac, awed. He murmurs "Incredible" Vine starts chanting softly "The Sun, the Fire, the Light, the Warmth, returns.." Alan watches you, listening to the chant, committing everything to memory. He is caught in the spell of it all She glances at you, urging you without stopping to join in the chant. She picks up the Goddess candle and begins relighting the others. Alan slowly adds his baritone voice to the chant. He watches you with the Goddess candle and watches your eyes to make sure he is doing nothing wrong as he picks up the God candle and begins to light the other candles Approval in her eyes, and this continues until all the candles are lit, and the Goddess and God candles replaced on the altar. Then she puts her hands on your shoulder. "He is returned. On the other side of the world, he makes his steps our way. Now...sink down to the earth and relax.." Alan reache shis hands to your shoulders as well, gently gripping. He nods, letting himself sink into a sitting position. Vine goes all the way to lying down, pulling you with her until you're spooned together. It's not at all cold, to you, no matter the windows' gape. Alan genly kisses you, loviongly pressing his warm lis close as his body presses close. He culd not resist the temptation oof kissing you, and looks into your eyes.... Vine murmurs "Now it is time to sleep, and dream the world alive." She kisses back softly, almost chastely for all you're twined together. "Let yourself drift, and sleep." Her eyes are almost black in the candlelight.. the new, rekindled light. Alan lets himself drift...sleep? You seem to fall into her eyes, both of yours slowly drifting closed. But not sleep, no. Trance, you recognize the feeling. Her voice continues, and you never lose it. "Dream. Dream your Name.." Alan's mind flows into the trance-state, his thoughts following your voice. Dream...dreaming...he drifts..'My name is...' It's almost womblike, here in the Circle right now, embracing her like a twin, like the lover you are. Warm and silent, but for her voice whispering for you to dream. Alan's mind flows in that warmth. He's a protector...he's a defender. Images flow to the surface..his badge...it's shape, imagined as a shield... It is a shield. For the first time, you really understand the meaning. Alan murmurs softly "My name is Shield." Vine repeats "You are Shield." It has the tone of a geas. Alan repeats softly, but with confidence "I am Shield" You say, "Shield, warrior and arm of the God, lover and protector of the Goddess." Alan nods firmly. He believes it, he knows it. You say, "When you dedicate, you will stand before Them ith that name. And now, you stand before the Sun, awaiting His coming." Alan moves to begin standing, though watching your eyes as though to be sure this is what he is supposed to do now. Vine rolls up with you, eyes brilliant. "The Circle will remain all the night, but we should celebrate His return." She takes a perfectly circular sugar cookie and holds it to your lips. "May you never know hunger." Alan eats of the cookie, chewing thoroughly and relishing the simple pleasure of food. Mm, yellow icing. She picks up a chalice of milk. "May you never know thirst." Alan takes a drink from the chalice of milk, again slow and indulgent.
HOME FIRES MISTS LIFEBLOOD SPOKES