“When can I go?” Seán eagerly stood up.
“Give us some time to compose messages to the Queen, Finn, and Tristan,” said Treena. “We need to share with them that we’re committed here for now, wherever the journey leads us.”
“If Seán could establish a portal back to here, perhaps a dwarf emissary and a few shapeshifters could travel through to begin to educate our population about other races. We’d also be able to send updates from our mission.” Brigid felt strongly that work needed to be done in their realm as well as on Earth.
It was agreed that two hours was sufficient for Evander, Seán, and Fiona to anchor the portal and for messages to be composed.
Brigid’s mind drifted back to her family and her village. She wondered how they were doing. As far as they knew, she was traveling the Fairy Realm. She pictured Asa in her kitchen with a smile. Little did she know, he was grappling with new skills as he worked deep in the forest with a stranger to her—Donovan. In time, they’d learn each other’s stories. For now, sister and brother thought of each other as safe.
Quillon, Symba, Matthias, and Athena spent the two hours brainstorming the team’s next steps. They joined the others at the appointed time in the tourmaline-lined cave.
The amethysts from the Queen, the knives from Finn, and one of Brigid’s vials of oil harvested in the Realm were used as anchors. Hugs or handshakes were offered to Seán and the messages tucked firmly in his pack. Everyone but Evander and Fiona stepped back to the edges of the cave. Slowly, the priests began to chant and etch complex symbols in the air before them. A pulsing forcefield appeared, and Seán stepped through. For a moment they could see him. Then, he was gone from their sight, and the forcefield closed.
***
On the other side, an anxious Queen clasped the hand of her new husband as they waited yet another night in the Vault. Tristan halted his worried pacing. Finn and Queen Amethyst felt it too. Power was surging; a portal was forming. Tristan stepped forward and in delight grabbed his grandson into his arms. Seán leaned into his grandfather, then stepped back.
“The others?” Queen Amethyst carefully studied his serious expression.
“I have messages from them and much to report. Can we do this in Grandad’s office? I’ve expended a lot of energy and my reserve is low.”
Seán staggered slightly and Tristan quickly put an arm around him. Queen Amethyst led the way.
***
Dazed from the evening’s experiences, the team exited the cave quietly.
Minerva spoke. “Tonight, there is a full moon. I know that’s important to the fairy race. If you wish, one of my guards can guide you to a cave with overhead openings. The moonbeams will be able to reach you. Afterward, you’ll find that rooms have been prepared for you. Find the rest you need this night. On the morrow, you’ll choose your next path. It’s time.”
“The moonlight ritual would be helpful. It may be a while before we can safely replenish in the sunlight,” said Evander.
Minerva appointed a guard and left them to the ceremony as she returned to her rooms.
Conrad offered to acquire any supplies they might need. Evander spoke to him briefly and invited him to join them for the ceremony. He’d been a significant part of their mission and their team. Conrad readily agreed and hurried to collect what was needed.
Before Evander and Fiona put their heads together to divide up leadership of the ceremony, Matthias indicated that shapeshifters had traditions around the full moon as well. He shared that when they had safe places to gather, they would shift and express their animal sounds to the moon, releasing emotional build-up or strain accumulated over the previous month. If it wasn’t safe, wherever they found themselves, they’d sing to the moon instead. Then, they bathed in the moonbeams to invite wisdom into their lives. The group liked the idea of blending their rituals.
Soon, all was ready. The guard offered to keep watch outside the cave to be sure they weren’t interrupted. The group arranged themselves in a circle.
Fiona began. “Blessed light of the moon, energy of creation, offering healing power to us. We open to all you offer this night.”
The fairies of the group allowed their wings to unfurl, while the others raised their faces to the moonbeams thrusting through the crevices in the cave’s roof.
Evander continued. “For some, this journey began years ago, for others, months. A few of us followed a prophecy’s call two weeks ago. There has been pain and powerlessness, partings and grief; much has been endured.”
He passed small twigs around the circle. “We place these, naming aloud or in our hearts what we wish to release for our empowerment.”
One by one, they stepped forward to place their twigs in the depression Evander had created at the center of the cave’s floor. They recalled Dark, Nainsi, Bernard, and Nicole. They spoke their fears. They revealed their pain. When each one had completed their remembering, Evander set the twigs on fire.
Fiona spoke. “As fire transforms the wood, so our sharing transforms our pain. We commit the ashes of our past to the earth. We soak in the moon’s healing, to claim hope for the future.”
Matthias led them in the song that Nicole had taught them. Fiona and Conrad quickly picked up the words and tune, joining their voices to the whole.
“We are one. In joy or sorrow, we are one.
Diff’rently abled, diff’rently labeled, we are one.
Apart, divided, broken, in hiding, we are one.
Mending together, loving forever, we are one.”
They chanted the words over and over as the fire burned down. Tight muscles and heavy hearts loosened and eased. Evander covered the ashes with the earth he’d dug out earlier.
Athena lifted a bowl of water into which she had cut up an orange and placed an emerald. “Into this water we dip our hands, to receive the water’s cleansing power. The orange offers peace and the emerald promotes renewal and growth, as well as enhancing balance between friends and partners.”
Athena turned to Symba, holding the bowl so she could immerse her hands. On Symba’s other side, Quillon held a towel and gently dried her hands. The towel and bowl passed around the circle until all had taken a turn. Athena poured the water into the earth over the ashes and scooped up the emerald to put into her pocket.
Evander spoke. “Earth and fire, water and moonlight, we gratefully receive what you’ve empowered within us.”
“I have a suggestion,” Brigid added before the ceremony ended. “Can we each link our pinky fingers together around the circle. This finger connects to the heart meridian, so we’re connecting heart to heart.”
Fingers were quickly linked.
“I care about each of you, you are part of me. I am ready for whatever comes next,” Brigid stated.
Next to her, Treena grinned and gave a little tug of support through her finger. She boldly embraced Brigid’s words and repeated them.
As the last person spoke, Symba’s eyes widened. “Guys, I wish you could see this! There’s a huge web of energy pulsing between us. A rainbow of colors is emanating along the various strands. It’s incredible!”
They held their circle for a few minutes; then, unable to absorb anything more, the team made for their beds. Although tired, sleep was elusive, and dreams were vivid.
Finally, morning arrived, and they gathered around the breakfast table. They filled their plates and began to eat.
Athena spoke first. “I feel a time of education needs to happen here, just as in the Fairy Realm. We’ve done our part above. It looks to me as if we need to be active in another place.”
Quillon started as he pulled a vibrating phone out of his pocket. He held up his hand for silence as he looked at the number on his phone screen. A worried look appeared on his face as he pressed answer. Yelling and garbled voices could be heard. Immediately, Quillon pressed another button to record the call.
Nicole’s voice came through. “Quillon, you’ve got to come. My parents were taken. Miles Gainor has b
een in Frankonia. It’s on the radio and online; he’s announced a new initiative with the Frankonian government, to uncover those suspected of hiding their identity and interfering with the progress of the Healing Project. Rewards of two thousand dollars are being offered to anyone who offers helpful information in the search for dwarfs, fairies, and shapeshifters. It’s chaos over here. We need your help. We’re trying to find a safe place to hide. Don’t stop the music! Please come.”
The phone fell silent with Nicole’s urgent voice echoing in their minds.
“I guess we know what our next step’s going to be.” Treena’s fingers restlessly tapped the table as she thought of their young friend.
“Conrad, can you get us topside?” Evander asked.
“I have a better suggestion. I can lead you on a two-day journey through the tunnels to a port town. There, I can you set you up as crew aboard a ship bound for Frankonia.”
“Excellent! That should be safer than flying. Airlines are being rigorously monitored.” Quillon stood up. “Can everyone be ready to move out in ten minutes? I don’t want to waste any time.”
“What did she mean, ‘Don’t stop the music’?” Athena placed her dirty dishes in a dish pan provided on a side table.
“I gave Nicole the Pitch Perfect DVD and promised we’d send messages through the songs from that movie. She’s telling me she’ll use them as clues for us to find her,” Quillon explained as they rushed to their rooms to pack up.
In less than ten minutes, the team was gathered.
Brigid could feel everyone’s tension. “This reminds me of Queen Amethyst’s words, when we first got involved with the prophecy. She told us we needed to grasp to the crazy hope that we’d been called together for a special purpose. She rallied us to harness our courage to face what we didn’t know and challenged us to stick together to be strong.”
“Minerva told us that the prophecy is fully empowered,” Evander said. “The time for action has arrived. The Creator needs us for the mending to begin.”
Then, Minerva herself stepped into the hallway. “You’ve chosen your next steps?”
“We have,” the whole team responded.
A smile illuminated Minerva’s face. “Blessed be! Fare well on the journey. Seek carefully your path. Stay true to one another.”
They offered reverent bows to Minerva and lifted their hands in goodbye. Conrad strode down the tunnel.
The future was uncertain, but Brigid felt strong. Was it only two weeks ago she had thought her life empty? Now, she felt the fullness of love and friendship. Her mind bulged with new information. She knew her power was growing and expanding as her life purpose shifted. Surging forward with her comrades, Brigid could sense they all were changing.
Treena shot a fierce grin to Brigid. She was eager to get to Frankonia for Nicole.
Evander pondered the ties that had formed between them. Was this part of the crossing and mending to which the prophecy alluded?
Minerva’s tattoos danced as she returned to her chamber. A new beginning was underway.
###
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rev. Dr. Karen MacLeod-Wilkie is ordained within the United Church of Canada. She lives on Prince Edward Island with her husband Paul in an old farm house which they are continually renovating. Karen is a practitioner of the Healing Pathway and is an avid long- distance runner. Her first book, Fresh Start, was published in 2019.
Contact Information: Karen MacLeod-Wilkie, [email protected] facebook.com/karenmacleodwilkiewriter/
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