Ostara (Closed)

[Gwendolan]

This was a special time for Gwen, and she wanted to share it with Manny. Celebrating the coming of spring was important to her, it was a time when the God and Goddess walked the fields causing crops to grow and causing the animals to reproduce. On a personal level it was a time for inner reflection and inner cleansing. It was a time for her to rid herself of the baggage she had been carrying around with her for so long, time for her to go through a rebirth of sorts.

She knew as soon as she saw the waterfalls that she had found a place to do her rituals. Water, earth, and air where there and she was bringing the fire. What had made it perfect was that the waterfalls were west.

She had talked to Lady Casandra about using the horses that she had given the Inn. She got all of her things she needed including a small portable table to set the alter on. She set the alter up so it was facing north. She took out all of the items for the ritual and laid them out. They would be placed later when she came back.

She went back to the inn and changed into a white dressing gown with black lace border.



She knocked softly on the Employee's door.

Manny opened the door he was in his boxers and a t-shirt, he had a look of surprise on his face when he saw Gwen standing on the other side of it. "Gwendolan, is everything ok?" It was after all the middle of the night.

Gwen smiled softly thankful that he had been the one to open the door. She turned just a bit red as she saw what he was wearing.

"I was wanting you to come somewhere with me. I have something I want to show you, well share with you really. We have to ride to get there."

Manny would smile at her now that he knew everything was ok. So they had to ride, this gave him an idea. "Ok hold on let me just go put some pants on." While Manny was making himself decent he shook his head a smile on his face. He was going to have to start drinking energy drinks if Gwen kept showing up at the door in the middle of the night.

He came back out. "I need to make one stop first." He would walk into Venis' room since the door was already open. "Gwendolan wants to go for a ride, I am going to take Empyrean and Rapture out, they could use the exercise anyway." He came back to Gwen and offered her his arm.

Gwen took his arm and led him out to the stables where she had two horses saddled and ready.

Manny would go talk to the stable hand and tell him that those horses were not going to be needed any longer. He led Gwen to the stalls where the two unicorns were kept.

Gwen stopped dead in her tracks tears forming in her eyes as she saw the unicorns. They felt no need to hide what they were from her. She let go of Manny's arm and approached them slowly. Her head was bowed but her eyes never left them. When they bowed their heads back she closed the distance between them. When she came right up to them she knew at once they were male and female a mated pair. They were different from the unicorns in the forest from her home but they were still unicorns. The tears streamed down her face as she reached out and touched the female first and then the male.

She turned and looked at Manny a smile on her face, he would know that the tears were from joy not from sorrow.

"How.. never mind how it doesn't mater. Thank you."

She wrapped her arms around Manny and hugged him tight.

"This means more to me then you will ever know. This night of all nights I will have magical creatures with me."

She was sure that he meant for them to ride the unicorns why else would he have told the stable hand that the other horses were not needed.

Manny would hug her back. "They have to be saddled, I can not allow to to ride Empyrean he does not like women riding them. Rapture is the more gentle of the pair." He went to get the tack for saddling them.

Gwen looked at Rapture.

~Rapture, may I ride you this night?~

Even though Manny was going to get the tack she was going to ask for permission from the unicorn. The tears were drying up but they were still there. Rapture reached out her lips and nibbled at Gwen without using her teeth. She knew that was a yes and it brought a smile to her face as she kissed the tip of Rapture's nose. She kissed Empyrean's nose as well.

"Manny you won't need a saddle for for Rapture, just a saddle pad and blanket."

While Manny was saddling Empyrean Gwen put a saddle pad and blanket on Rapture.

~I don't need to give you a bit do I?~

Rapture would shake her head from side to side and then nuzzle Gwen.

Gwen watched as Manny mounted Empyrean. She would climb up on Rapture useing the gate of the stall.

"Manny I'll let you lead as I explain what I want to share with you. We need to go to the waterfalls in the forest."

[Gwendolan]

[She would begin talking as they rode. She had her hands gently entwined in Rapture's mane.

"Tonight is the first day of spring this is the time when night and day are almost even in hours. This night I celebrate the Ostara Sabbat. This is the time when the God and Goddess walk the fields causing the crops to grow and causing the animals to begin reproducing. This is a time to celebrate growth and rebirth. Were I celebrating with others and not by myself there would be two people picked to represent the God and Goddess, they would appear to be courting each other as they go around planting seeds.

This is a time to celebrate a rebirth of sorts, an internal cleansing of things that you feel you need to change in your life. Either things that you want do get rid of or new things that you want to start doing."

Manny would listen to her and nod waiting for her to go on.

Gwen smiled and continued.

"The ritual I perform will start by me sweeping a circle to remove any negativity that may be present. I will then lay out flowers around the circle, and four candles representing the elements they are placed exactly north, east, south, and west. I will also set the items up on my alter that I will use during the ritual. Once that is done I will bath and put on robes. After that I will begin lighting candles and casting the circle.. When the circle has been cast and sealed I will call on the elements; earth, air, fire, and water. That part of the ritual is always the same."

"When celebrating Ostara we write on a parchment what we want for the coming year. The parchment is then burned and things are done that you will see tonight. After that I will request blessing of cakes and wine and then partake of them. Once that is done I will ask elementals to depart. After that I will close the ritual."

She looked at him.

"You can either join me in the circle or you can watch from outside of it."

Manny had listened and was very attentive to what she had to say. "I think I would like to join you in the circle if you don't mind."

Gwen smiled. She had really been expecting him to say no.

"I would like that very much. I brought you robes and an extra seed in case you wanted to join me. You will have to bath as well and put on a robe. Once the circle is cast I will cut a door for you to enter. I will place a mark on your head with oil. It is traditional that you say a greeting when entering. The common greeting is I come in perfect love and perfect trust. You may say anything that you like as long as it shows you come in intending no harm. You may want to think of something that you want for yourself during the year to write on the parchment."

"That's fine I have no problems with that, it sounds like a piece of cake."

They had arrived at the waterfall and all of the things Gwen had laid out were still there.

[Gwendolan]

Gwen would slide off Rapture and turn and hug the unicorn.

~Thank you for transporting me here tonight~

Rapture would nuzzle her in responce being careful not to poke her with her horn. Empyrean would wonder over to Gwen and push his nose into her hand. Gwen laughed and hugged him and kissed the tip of his nose.

~I love you too.~

She left them with Manny and went over to the items that she had place out. She began to place the item on the alter. Three light green candles were placed first. One on the right and left sides and one in the center.

On the left hand side she placed a water bowl, a wine goblet, a wand, a bell, and her oils.

In the center of the alter she placed a censer, a pentacle, a cauldron, an offering dish for the cakes, and her book of rituals.

On the right hand side she placed a snuffer, a salt bowl, jasmine incense in a holder, an anthame and bolline, and some matches.

She then moved to the besom and picked it up.
She started to sweep her a circle, starting north and moved in a circle going east, south, west, and then back to the north.

"As I sweep, may the besom chase away all negativity from within this circle that it be cleansed and ready for my work."

[Gwendolan]

Gwen then took four candles a green one was placed at the north edge of the circle, yellow east, red south, and blue west. She began to define the circle; she laid out frest spring flowers. tulips, crocuses, lilacs, hyacinth, and lilies. She had a small bundle of one of each type of flower that she placed on the alter. She took an eathenware bowl and put some dirt from the ground into it and placed it on the alter belos the pentagram. On the pentagram she placed two large sunflower seeds. She also placed two pices of parchment and a quill with a bottle of ink. Next to the goblet she placed a bottle of honey wine. in the offering plate she placed two poppy seed cakes.

She went over to Manny and took his hand. She led him over to the waters edge. She held a bundle with her. Inside were two towels,wash cloths, jasmine soap for herself, sandlewood soap for Manny her robes, , his robes, (they are white), a choker, , and two crowns made from wild flowers.

She looked at Manny and smiled.

"When we bath we need to remain silent, think of not only washing your body but also of washing clean you mind."

"Ok I can do that. I will turn my back while you take off you clothes and get into the water." He would turn his back.

Gwen took off her dressing gown and picked up a washrag and her soap. She made a lot of noise as she got in to the water and kept her back turned as she waited for him to join her.

Manny would hear Gwen getting into the water he turned slowly to make sure she was all the way in the water. He saw her back turned to the shore and smiled as he began taking off his clothes and picked up the second wash cloth and the soap and got into the water, he found it suprisingly warm.

Gwen would turn to face him as she washed. When she was done she dipped herself compleatly under the water and came back up. She took three deep cleansing breaths. She then moved from the water back to the shore. She picked up the towel and wrung her hair out with it before wrapping it around herself. She put on the choker first and then her robe and the cloak that matched it.

He would also turn to face her as he washed, when he saw her heading for the shore he turned his back. He would wait a few moments before turning back around. Seeing she was dressed he began to come up from the water. He picked up the towel and dried off before putting on the white robe she had for him.

Gwen turned her back as he came up from the water. She waited while he dressed. She picked up the two floral crowns before she turned around. She smiled as she walked over to him and placed one on his head. She then put the second one on her own.

She took his hand and moved to the north part of the circle. She released his hand as she stepped into the circle.

"You will know when it is time for you to enter."

[Gwendolan]

She kept her eyes on Manny as she picked up the matches and lit the incense and the three altar candles. She picked up the bell and rang it three times.

"The circle is about to be cast and I freely stand with in to greet my Lady and my Lord."

She took the center candle from the alter. She moved to the north candle and lit it.

"I call apon light and earth at the north to illuminate and strengthen the circle."

Then she moved to east candle and lit it.

"I call upon light and air at the east to illuminate and enliven the circle."

Then she moved to the south candle and lit it.

"I call apon light and fire at the south to illuminate and warm the circle."

Then she moved to the west candle she lit it.

"I call upon light and water at the west to illuminate and clense the circle."

She completed the circle by moving to the north candle again before she went back to the alter. She replaced the candle and picked up the anthame. With her hand upraised she began the circle again. North, to east, to south, to west and ending back north again.

"I draw this circle in the presence of the Goddess and the God where they may come and bless the child Gwendolan."

She then lowered her hand and began to walk the circle again. She envisioned a blue light shooting out from the point and forming the circle boundary.

"This is the boundary of the circle. Only love shall enter and leave."

She returned to the altar and rang the bell three times. She placed the point of the athame in the salt.

"Salt is life and purifying. I bless this salt to be used in this sacred circle in the names of the Goddess and the God."

She picked up the salt bowl and used the tip of the anthame to drop three portions of salt into the water bowl. She placed the salt bowl back in it's place. She placed the athame into the water bowl and stired it three times.

"Let the blessed salt purify this water that it may be blessed to use in this sacred circle. In the names of the Goddess and the God, I concecrate and cleanse this water."

She picked up the salted water bowl and moved around the circle using the athame to sprinkle the water arouns the circle moving again. north, east, south, west, and back to the north .

"I consecrate this circle in the name of the Goddess and the God. The circle is conjured as a circle of power that is purified and sealed. So mote it be!"

She returned the water to the altar and picked up the censer, it was holding the same jasmine incense in it that was burning in the holder to the right of the alter. She again made the circle swinging it back and forth to cense the circle. She place the censer back on the alter and picked up the the oil. She used it to make a Solar Cross ringed by a circle on her forehead.

"I Gwendolan am concecrated in the name of the Goddess and the God, in this their circle."

She then picked the athame from the altar and walked to where Manny was. She used the point and traced the shape of a door in the air. She moved to the side for Manny to enter the circle.

Manny had stood silent with his hands behind his back as he watched and listened carefully to all that Gwen said. He steped through the doorway and looked at her. "I come in perfect peace and perfect trust."

Gwen smiled at his choice of words and she used some of the oil to draw a Solar Cross in a circle on his head.

"Manny, you are concecrated in the name of the Goddess and the God, in this their circle."

She would turn back to the doorway and hold move the athame in the shape of a pentagram over the door as she envisioned the door sealing.

She put the oil into the same hand as the athame so she could take Manny's hand and lead him over to the altar. She then replaced the oil and the athame. She picked up her wand. She walked to the north candle she held her wand aloft with her arms open and upraised. She envisioned a powerfull bull arriving.

"I call apon you, Earth Elemental, to attend this right and guard this circle, for as I have body and strength, we are kith and kin!"

She lowered the wand as she moved to the east. Once there she raised it again. She envisioned fairies arriving.

"I call upon you, Elemental Air, to attend this right and guard this circle, for as I breath and think, we are kith and kin!"

She lowered the wand and moved to the south. She raised the wand again as she envisioned a dragon.

"I call upon you, Elemental Fire, to attend this right and guard this circle, for as I consume life to live, we are kith and kin!"

She lowered her wand and moved to the west. She raised her wand again and envisioned a dolphin in the water.

"I call upon you, Elemental Water, to attent this right and guard this circle, for as I feel and my heart beats, we are kith and kin!"

She went back to the altar and used the wand to draw the symbol for infinity the air above the altar. She replaced the wand and picked up the athame. She raised the athame in both hands over her head.

"Hail to the elements at the four quarters! Welcome Lady and Lord to this right! I stand between the worlds with love and power all around.!"

[Gwendolan]

She placed the athame down and picked up the wine goblet. She poured the wine from the bottle into the goblet. Then she poured some wine into the cauldron. After that was done she took a sip from the goblet and handed it to Manny.

Manny took the goblet from Gwen. He would take a drink from it and pass it back to her.

Gwen placed it back on the altar and picked up the bell. She rang it three times.

"I call upon the blessings of the Ancient Ones as merry do we meet at this springtime rite. Lady and Lord hear your children Gwendolan and Manny, for we hare here to celebrate with you and for you as we greet the spring togeather!"

She took the flowers from the altar and moved around the circle. She was droping the flowers from the altar around the inside of the circle. She came back to the north and moved back to the altar. She picked up the bell and rang it three times.

"Springtime is the time to sow the seed, and it is time for us to plant what we want to grow. This season brings hope and joy; expectations for desires realized; and inspiration for the new ideas. Our life is brought back into balance and we are reborn with the earth's renewal. We welcome thee, beautiful spring!"

She smiled at Manny as she picked up an empty earthenware bowl and handed it to him.

"Place some dirt from the ground into the bowl and then place it on the altar next to mine."

Manny took the bowl from Gwen and smiled back at her. He bent down and put some dirt from the ground into the bowl. He stood upright and placed the bowl on the altar.

"Manny visualize the seed on the altar as what you want to plant. Be it a quality , an opportunity, a creation, or whatever you want. You do this so the seed represents the idea of the mind or the desire of your heart. When you have what you want in your mind pick up the bell ring it one time , then write it on one of the pieces of parchment. When you have it I will tell you what to do next."

Gwen smiled at him and closed her eyes. She visualized the seed and then visualized herself being free of the past, free of the fear, hatred, and anger that Eros had caused her. She also saw herself staying with people, she didn't want to go back to living in the forest and isolating herself from every one. She picked up the bell and rang it once. She then unrolled a piece of the parchment and wrote that visualation on the parcment.

She then looked at Manny and watched him.

Manny saw what Gwen did and closed his eyes he did visualize the seed. He had everything he wanted except for one thing. Manny wanted love, he wanted children, he wanted a family. Now that he held that wish in his mind he opened his eyes he picked up the bell and rang it once. He took up the quill dipped it in the ink and wrote it on the parchment.

Gwen smiled at him as she held out the parcment to the candle in the center of the altar. She let it catch fire and then placed it in her dish of soil. She waited while Manny did the same.

Manny took his piece of partchment and held it over the center flame. When it cought fire he put it into the his bowl of earth.

Gwen waited till both pieces of parchment had turned to ash.

"Lady and Lord, recieve the seeds of our desires and let them grow and prosper that they may ripen and bear fruit."

She picked up the athame and mixed the ashes into the soil in both bowls. She laid the athame down and picked up the wand. She looked at Manny and smiled.

"Now we dance, the dance dosen't mater, we just dance to raise the energy in the circle. Place you hand over mine as I hold the wand and follow me. We will start at the north and move east, south, west, then back to north. We will do this three times."

This would normaly not be done this way but Manny had no wand of his own and he was a guest in the circle. She was going to help him as much as possible.

Gwen waited as Manny placed his hand over hers as she held the wand. She moved to the north poit of the circle. She raised her hand over her head and began to dance following the circle. She was smiling her eyes shining. She paid no attention to the movement of her feet that was not what mattered, what mattered was that you got the energy going. She danced the three times around the circle.

Manny followed her arounf the circle he was watching her feet and trying to mimick her movements he didn't want to mess anything up.

Gwen would lead them back to the alter her hand holding the wand still raised.

"By the power instilled in this raised wand will the seeds be planted in the ready soil. Blessed be the wand of spring and blssed be the earth that recieves it!"

She brought the wand to her lips and kissed the tip of it as she envissioned enery moving from herself and into the wand. Then she brought the tip of the wand down and made an indentation in the soil of her dish, she envisioned the energy from the wand going into the soil. She brushed the reamining dirt off the wand. She looked at Manny.

"When you kiss the tip of the wand I want you to envision some of your own enery going into the wand. When we use it to make the hole in the soil envision the energy leaving the wand and going into the soil."

Manny nodded his understanding, as the wand was moved to his lips he let himself see the energy flow from himself and into the wand. Then as the wand was moved to the soil of his bowl to make the indent he envisioned the energy leaving the wand and going into the soil.

She set the wand back down onto the altar.

"Now pick up the sunflower seed and hold it in the open palm of your hand concentratt on what you wrote on the parchment, see it clearly in your mind. Take as long as you need, when you have it clearly in your mind envision the image going from you and into the seed, then place the seed in the hole you made in the soil and then cover it."

She would pick up one of the seeds and hold it in her outstreched hand. She envisiond what she wanted and closed her eyes. When it was clear in her mind she saw the vision flowing into the seed she placed the seed in the soil and covered it.

Manny picked up the remaining seed and held it in his hand. He took a few moments to think of the only thing he wanted but did not have. When the vision was clear in his mind he thought of the vision being inside the seed, he placed the seed into the soil and covered it.

"These seeds are plantedin the mother's womb to be part of the earth, of life, and of us. Let these seeds and what they represent grow to manifestation. As we will it so mote it be."

She picked the bell up from the altar and rang it three times. She placed the bell back on the altar. She spred her feet and raised her arms up.

"We acknowledge our needs and offer our apritiation to that which sutains us! May we ever remember the blessings of our Lady and our Lord."

She picked up the bottle of wine and filled the goblet with it. Her feet togeather the put down the wine bottle and picked up the goblet in her left hand and the athame in her right. She slowly lowered the athame into the wine.

"As male joins female for the benefit of both, let the fruits of thier union promote life. Let the earth be fruitful and let her wealth be spread throughout all lands."

She put the athame down and took a drink from the goblet. Then she handed it to Manny.

Manny would take the goblet from her hand. He took a drink from it before handing it back to her.

Gwen accepted it back with a smile and placed it on the altar. She picked up the the athame again and touched the tip to the two poppy seed cakes in the offering dish.

"This food is the blessing of the Lady and the Lord given freely to us. As freely as we have recieved, may we also give food for the body, mind, and spirit to thoes who seek such of us."

She set the athame down and picked up both small cakes she handed one to Manny and then ate the other one.

He took the cake from her and ate it.

She picked up the goblet and drank half of the wine that was remaining then handed the goblet to Manny.

He took the goblet from her and drank what was reamining and then handed it back to her.

She took the goblet from his hand and placed the goblet on the altar.

"As we enjoy these gifts of the Goddess and the God, may we remember that without them we would have nothing. So mote it be!"

She picked up the athame in her right hand and held it level over the altar.

"Lord and Lady, I am blessed by your sharing this time with me, watching and guarding me, and guiding me here and in all things. I came in love and I depart in love."

She raised the athame in a salute.

"Love is the law and love is the bond. Merry did I meet, merry do I part, and merry will I meet again. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again! The circle is now cleared. So mote it be!"

She kissed the flat of the blade and set the athame on the altar. She picked up the snuffer. She went to the noth candle and held her arms up.

"Depart in peace, Elemental Earth. My blessings take with you!"

She bent down and snuffed out the candle as she envisioned the Elemental Power departing. She moved east and raised her arms.

"Depart in peace, Elemental Air. My blessings take with you!"

She bent down and snuffed out the candle as she envisioned the Elemental Power departing. She moved south and raised her arms.

"Depart in peace, Elemental Air. My blessings take with you!"

She bent down and snuffed out the candle as she envisioned the Elemental Power departing. She moved south and raised her arms.

"Depart in peace, Elemental Water. My blessings take with you!"

She bent down and snuffed out the candle as she envisioned the Elemental Power departing. She moved north and then back to the altar.

She placed the snuffer back onto the altar and raised her arms.

"Beings and powers of the visible and invisible, depart in peace! You aid in my work, whisper in my mind, and bless me from the Otherworld, and there is harmony between us. My blessings take with you. The circle is cleared."

She picked up the athame and went to the north candle again the pointed it down to the ground and moved to the west, then south, then east, she came back to the north. As she did she she envisioned the blue comeing back into the athame.

"The circle is open yet the circle remains as its magical power is drawn back into me"

She placed the athame to her forhead so the blade touched her skin and envisioned the blue light returning to her.

"The ceremony is ended. Blessings have been given and blessings have been recieved, may the peace of the Godess and the God remain in my heart. So mote it be!"

She set down the athame. She cleared the altar of everything but the candles and put it all away. Before she put the cauldron away she emptied it onto the ground. She then went and picked up the candles from the circle all this she put back into the saddle bags they had come out of. The altar candles were left burning.

[Gwendolan]

Gwen sat down on the ground in front of the altar and smiled up at Manny.

"Sit with me while the candles finish burning."

They were almost burned out; when that was done they could put the saddle bags on the unicorns and go back to the Inn.

She waited till he had sat down beside her, she would reach up and take his bowl from the altar handing it to him.

"Thank you for joining me. Whatever it is that you wanted, I hope that it comes to pass."

He would sit next to her and take the bowl with his seed. "I am not sure it will."

Gwen looked at him and took his hand in hers.

"Talk like that and it may not, you envisioned it here."

She touhed his head.

"Now you must feel it here."

She placed her hand flat on his chest over his heart. She was looking directly into his eyes.

He wrapped his hand around hers and brought her hand to his lips. He kissed the tips of her fingers softly. "Because you believe, I will have faith and believe too, because I trust you." He smiled at her.

Gwen looked at him she was not blushing or pulling away her hand as he kissed her finger tips. She was remebering what Emilia had said. Manny looked at her like a man who likes a woman. She liked having him around. Her voice was just above a whisper as she spoke to him.

"Emilia thinks you like me."

Manny looked at her and turned bright red. "Back on Earth, in this country called America. They have a thing called a bill of rights. And it's littered with amendments. Well, the fifth amendment sais that a person has the right to remain silent for fear of self incrimination. Gwendolan my dear, I plead the fifth." He chuckled and smiled as the crimson continued to flush his features. Especially his ears.

Gwen looked at him and smiled but her eyes showed she was confused. She did not know what to make of that comment. Was he trying to say he did like her. she knew what self incrimination was. But why would he have done something that would make him look guilty.

"I am not sure I compleatly understand, but I know I like your company, and I like you."

"I like you too Gwendolan."

The candles had burned out. She stood and moved to retive the rest of the items. Including all the things that were down by the shore. When the last of it was packed up she had Manny help her put all the things on Empereyn.

She turned to Manny and hugged him tightly as she kissed his cheek.

"Thank you for sharing this night with me."

Manny helped her pick up the rest of the items and load the unicorns. He returned her hug and kissed her cheek. "I would not have wanted to share it with anyone else." Then picked her up and helped her get on Rapture before he got on Empereyn. They rode back to the inn making small talk till they got there. Manny made sure that the items would be brought to Gwendolan in the morning. He walked with her back upstairs and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight Gwendolan." Then he went into his room.

Gwen placed her hands on Manny's shoulders as he put her on Rapture. When they got back to thier room and he kissed her cheek Gwen returned his kiss.

"Goodnight Manny."

She went into her own room and closed the door.

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