)(( Preparing the Land for the Equinox )( A Log ))(

[Arcadia Caughey]

It was a calm spring evening.  A little bit chill, a little bit damp from the recent March rain, but there was no wind and little cloud cover.  It was shortly after sunset, and quite suddenly the wind picked up.  Its movement through the trees lacked traditional direction.  It moved through the budding branches in a wide circular pattern, and did similar around Donald before that wind died down like it was never there.  Arcadia's wind, carrying the scents it collected back to her nostrils.  A few moments later she was there, just ten steps behind him, each of those steps making little to no sound at all as she moved at a pace that would make anyone else short of breath.  "Donald.  I need your help."

Donald stopped, and shrugged the shoulder he had his backpack slung over and turned back to Arcadia, smiling brightly."Of course Arcadia, what do you need?" Arcadia was one of the few people who could say anything, and Donald would not only agree to it, but ask how he could help, one such time was now.

"Magic.  I need a second.  And the ritual needs t' be complete before midnight, which doesn't give us a lot o' time.  We'll need t' travel by the mirror at m' brother's," here Arcadia muttered a few unsavory words in Gaelic about what she thought of Archer right now, as she took Donald by the hand and started to pull him in the opposite direction than he'd previously been walking.  "Which is this way."  She was not wasting any time.  Firmly holding Donald by the hand she started to drag him off towards Archer's, which thankfully was less than a half a mile away.  She herself looked a bit frazzled, her indigo black hair up in a messy ponytail, her black rimmed tortoise shell glasses on her face, and her long grey duster covering a dark blue dress which reached to her mid-thigh.  Knee high boots and fishnets as usual, with her worn shoulder bag over her shoulder as always.

"um okay, lead the way" which she did, and he followed after her, allowing her to pull him along, but it may have been a bit trying for her since Donald had a bit of a limp while he walked, and he opted to pick up a bit of a jog, your weight hit differently when you ran it hurt him less." whats wrong Arcadia?

That he had a limp Arcadia was taking into account.  She was pushing his pace, but not to the point where she'd cause him any injury.  That's the last thing she wanted to do, harm the one who would be her partner in a rather important evening of ritual.  The rapidness of her speech kept pace with their feet.  "Once upon a time, I used t' do these rituals with m' Da.  Aye, m' dearly departed Da, there's a means I have t' call him that takes a great deal o' energy and - "  She stopped there, waving the explanation off with her free hand.  No need to get into that.  "This time last year m' Da said I couldn't use him for such rituals anymore.  That I was t' train up Archer, whose duty it is t' be me second, that's the whole point o' the bloody Legacy, t' - well not the whole point, but it's one of the larger points o' it at any - "  She was waving off her own words a second time as she turned them left down Archer's street.  Rarely was it that Arcadia got so tied up in words, and it was irritating her.  Her irritation lead her to be very blunt and she said with heat in her voice, "The damned ass is drunk, and he'll not be soberin' up any time soon.  He can barely get through ritual without error when he's sober, he's of no use t' me now."

"Which brings me into the picture here." smiling brightly again as he was pulled along. it wasn't all too hard for him to contemplate, i mean he wasn't really extraordinarily magically gifted but maybe, she could walk him through being a channeling device for her ritual.

"Are y' a lucky lad."  Her tone was a blend of sarcasm and amusement.  The sarcasm wasn't Arcadia being annoyed with Donald as a substitute - it was half geared towards Archer and half towards the fact that poor Donald probably didn't consider himself lucky at all.  "M' sorry t' steal y' so, m' sure y' have far more entertainin' things t' do than being yanked into a seasonal ritual, but you're m' best hope."  While Arcadia the anomaly was an able channel of Mother's energy for reasons tied to her upbringing, the Legacy and the accident that unlocked the avatar powers within her, Adrian's vampiric blood was not a suitable channel.  Nor was the Doctor suitable - while he might think he was capable of anything, musing on what doing a purely magical ritual with him would be like was enough to make Arcadia cringe.  Donald was a house for a god who had command of the storm.  He was an ideal candidate, even without any practical training.  Once they got to Archer's house Arcadia dropped Donald's hand, pressing her thumb over the doorknob that the rest of her hand held.  She didn't even flinch as the catch released to prick her finger - one of Archer's security measures - and the lock clicked upon.  "Come in, he's not here."  She sounded at the end of her rope, and she was.  She'd found Archer down the road at the bar.  Still celebrating the Irish holiday even though it was days past, it seemed.  Tonight was the eve of the equinox. 

"Oh it's alright Arcadia, I was on the first shift today, and i got quite a bit of sleep last night. so I should be raring to go for at least a few more hours here." following Arcadia into Archer's lab, eyes wandering about as he stepped in following Arcadia to wherever the mirror they where going to take was. "This here is a nice place, I wonder what the rent on a place like this might be. if i ever wanted to go into private practice or something."

Arcadia snorted, and rolled her eyes.  "You'll have t' drop by and ask him when he's not piss drunk.  Good luck with that."  After Donald was inside she shut the front door behind them.  He might have noticed the name plate on the door just underneath the buzzer which read, 'Archer Caughey - Alchemist, Scientist and All-around Genius.  In need of help?  Ring the bell'.  To their left was the sitting room, and there on the wall hung the full-length mirror.  She did not pull Donald that way, not yet.  "Would y' like a turn about the place, t' get a gander of its size?"  She was asking him honestly.  Archer's one-level home and place of business was not large, and they had time enough for a wall about if he wished it.  "Y' never mentioned an interest in openin' your own practice."

"No, no its alright. I'll stop by another day..." smiling brightly with a roll of his shoulders." Its not a major thought i have, but I don't know if I want to work at a clinic for someone else forever. Sort of something that I'm wrestling with... because I was a member of doctor's without borders, and i should go where I'm needed more as opposed to something that helps me." and he waved it off. "It's no biggie, I'll work it out some more. come on, we should get going."

"Y' are where you are because y' are needed."  Arcadia said this firmly.  Maybe a little bit too firmly.  Donald seemed to be hinting that he was thinking about leaving and Arcadia wasn't at all pleased by that idea.  As Donald wasn't interested in being showed around Archer's lab and dwelling Arcadia would let them waste no more time here.  She took Donald by the hand, pulling him over to the mirror.  He'd traveled through mirrors enough times with her to know how they worked, and she kept firm grip on his hand.  The mirror they exited out of was the one hanging in the main room of the fourth floor of a tower at a castle which she'd commandeered for her own needs when the grounds had been abandoned.  The air was thick with warm moisture and a pungent mixture of herbs.  Arcadia had already started the first round of preparations before she left here to fetch Archer.  "Alright.  Y' see that pile o' hazel branches on yonder table?"  She pointed to one of the long high-top work tables, much like one would find in a lab.  "I need the outer bark stripped off o' all of those, and the lot o' it mashed into a fine paste."

(( . . .to be continued. . .))

[Arcadia Caughey]

Donald wasn't at all expressing an interest in going anywhere, maybe exactly the opposite, expressing an interest in permanence,  somewhere where he had more free time to hang out with Pris and go see Arcadia, and fewer chances that Thor would ruin some patient's day by requiring donald for something. "That's true, I am where I am needed." he went over to the place in question. picking up one of the branches in question, peeling the bark from it. "Is it part of the ritual?"

His question made her actually pause in her rush.  She was halfway down the hall at that point, before she halted and turned smoothly on her heels to face him.  There was a wry smirk on her lips, and she gave him a cheeky reply, "Why no Donald, I just thought ye'd have a right bit o' fun doin' that.  I'll be right back."  She continued down the hall, ducking into one of the rooms.  She was fetching her white ritual robe, but what really delayed her from returning to the main room was finding something suitable for him to wear for this ritual.  She came back with the clothing draped over one arm.  After she reached the table he was working at, she pulled out one of high stools and draped the clothes carefully over it.  "So are ye?"  Having fun.

Donald had taken to his appointed task. tearing the bark off of the branches, creating two piles for both." oh I'm having loads of it, tearing off the bark of a tree branch, I've made a game of it, If it takes less then three dealies, I get a point, more then three and i lose one, if it takes exactly three, i get two points... wanna try?" smiling as he tossed over to her.

Her reflexes were one of the vampiric advantages.  She caught the branch he tossed easily, and it took only two steps to round the table to his side.  Come the second step, he was within reach and he'd feel the stick give him a goodly lash across the backside.  "No," she said with a purse of her lips up at him.  "Best I slice up the branches you've already stripped, t' get a leg up on makin' the paste."  She slid her cotton bag from her shoulder, opening it and pulling out her dulled knife.  The one she'd used all her life, the only weapon Arcadia has ever touched.  She stepped around to the side of the table, taking one of the stripped branches and cutting it into small bits.  "How've ye been, Donald?"  It occurred to her that she'd stolen him up and dragged him here with precious little small-talk to soften up the fact she was putting him to work.

"hey!" and he took the one he was working on to give her behind a nice smack in return. "We'll have none of that while we're working missy." After that little smack there he finished skinning the branch, he set it down next to where she was working. "I'm alright. just, busy as a bee with the clinic, I had an altercation with some stupid child rapist who was trying to attack Pris. but he ran away."

The sound Arcadia made when he smacked her backside was a cross between a purr and a growl.  As he said, there would be none of that while they were working so she didn't retaliate.  She kept her hands busy with chopping, sliding the bits from the first branch to the side so she could take the next and repeat the process.  "Y' know, I wouldn't mind havin' some private practice with ye."  If she'd caught herself, she wouldn't have said that out loud.  Violet eyes jerked upward to look at him and she looked chagrinned.  "Offices, I meant.  Nonsense thought, y' have your plans and I have the hospital t' keep an eye on..."  Quickly she denounced her own idea before he had a chance to even response to it.  Then the rest of his words caught up with her.  "...did y' just say child rapist?"

"Aww, it's a shame she corrected herself because Donald had a wonderful retort ready for her. but when she corrected herself donald smiled a small smile. "I would be honored to run a private practice with you Arcadia..." and he went back his work, another branch, pealed it took exactly three. "ha Two points.. hm? um, yes... I believe that he might be a child rapist... I've only ever heard young women talk about him."

Arcadia didn't say anything about the private practice slip.  Inwardly she was still burning about the fact that she'd let such a thing pop out.  Not because of the Freudian slip, but because Arcadia has life-long problems with showing others she wanted to be close to them. Donald was one of the very few people that Arcadia let the full of her stoic guard down with, and it was in moments like this that she realized such a thing had consequences. What she thought were consequences, anyway. Donald was probably just tickled pink. She chopped her current branch quickly, and it was cut into little bits in no time at all.  Moving on to the next branch, she kept her eyes focused on the work.  "So what did y' do with him?"

Another bit of branch offered over, and he moved on shoulders rolling up in a shrug. "I informed him exactly what I was capable of should he try anything and...  He left, after killing a police officer. He hasn't shown his hide since. here, that's it." smiling as he was finished with his task and leaned against the table to see hers. "do we have any more bark to... de-bark?"

"If he's some nature of predator, silence comes before the strike, aye?"  Arcadia had learned more than she'd ever wanted to know about predatory behavior and instincts, through the virtue of being vampire.  "Do I need t' do somethin' for ye, a manner o' protection?" Clearly what Donald told her had Arcadia thinking that the altercation between the two men wasn't over.  Her violet eyes lingered on him before she turned her gaze back to her task.  "No, no more t' peel.  Y' can fetch the large mortar and pestle from the bottom left cabinet over there and start grinding the bits up into paste.  Add a bit o' water t' the mix, and a bit o' honey.  It should be the consistency o' a thick porridge, not runny..."

"Yeah, I'm keeping my eyes open... Nah, I'll be fine, I've got some pretty stellar protection." pointing to his walking stick.  another smile. "Y'know, maybe a little more protection wouldn't be a bad thing." and then he went to get the mortar and pestle, and started to wander looking for a jar of honey. "where's the honey at? There are no little bears hanging out on this shelf."

A small knowing smile.  Her Donald.  He was a smart man, as smart as he was kind.  "We can do it tonight.  What nature o' protection do y' think is needed from a sort such as he?"  Arcadia didn't know a thing about this man Donald faced beyond the fact that he was a so-called child chaser.  "A little what?"  She looked over at Donald with a furrowed brow.  Clearly she'd never seen the honey bears before.  "The overhead cabinets, they're alphabetized."  In the one that was H - L he would see a regular old mason jar that was labeled Honey.  While he started on his next task Arcadia was two branches away from completing her own, chopping as quickly and efficiently as she could without relying on her vampiric speed as an aid.  She tried not to, as a general practice, unless truly needed.

"A little bear, when you buy honey, it comes in a little bear." Donald said while he went to the mentioned cabinet, pulling the jar of honey out of it and then going to get the mortar and pestle. bringing both back to the work table. setting both down on the table. "Can you make something that will tell me when he's close by? not a big fan of being snuck up on."

"I don't buy m' honey.  Archer speaks t' the bees for me, he has a way with animals and insects and such.  In the same fashion I have a way with plants.  Well, not as strong a way, but y' know what I mean."  Arcadia would have waved the notion off to dismiss it, but both of her hands were currently busy chopping up the last of the branches.  She paused long enough to glance over at Donald when he specified the method of protection he'd prefer.  "Do y' have something of his that can be enchanted t' set off such an alarm?"

"Your brother can talk to bees? that's cool. I think being able to commune with plants is better though." Donald had started grinding the twigs,  he was no stranger to a mortar and pestle and then he added a few drops of honey and went back to grinding. "I don't, but Pris does... I'll ask her if I can borrow something that he gave her... is this good?" showing her his work with a proud smile.

((. . .to be continued. . .))

[Arcadia Caughey]

While Donald started to grind what Arcadia had already chopped she finished chopping up the last twig.  Just as he asked her if his efforts were good she pushed the rest of the hazelnut bits at him.  "Aye, but y' must add in the rest.  And water, Donald.  Don't forget the water.  It's t' be a paste, not a glue."  If the mixture just had honey in it, it would prove too sticky for their needs.  Now that the business with the hazelnut - at least her part - was complete Arcadia went over to the next table to check on the mixtures set over two Bunsen burners.  One was the pungent brew which dominated the scent of the room.  The other a much sweeter mixture which couldn't be detected when the other scent was so heavy.  The former she deemed complete, and she turned the flame off.  The sweeter she left over the heat.  "Would y' have t' return the item?  If y' did, that would be right tricker...but I think I could manage t' transfer the essence into a talisman o' some sort."

"We'll give it a shot and see what happens." said with a small smile making his way over to the water fountain. a small jet of water into the mortar mixing it up on the way back. the mixture put down next to Arcadia's place at the table. adding the rest of the twigs, grinding it up into the mixture which he offered over for her approval."

"Aye.  On the next full moon?  It's not long off, the new moon passed earlier this week."  It was the next night of great power.  Not as powerful as the equinox, but it would be enough.  "If I had my say in it you'd be eatin' an apple a day, doctor."  A wry little smile, since she knew the irony of her words.  She was talking about very particular apples, of course.  Arcadia took the offered mixture, stirring her finger in it to see if it was the proper consistency.  "Aye, this is good.  Thank ye, Donald.  Now the pair o' us have t' wash up while the drink finishes infusin'.  There's a more traditional way t' purify and attune the body that follows with the ritual, but Archer usually just opts for the shower."

"And how do you know I haven't been eating an apple a day? hiding cameras all over?" now that they where done donald's brows rose, maybe he liked the sound of them going to wash up. and even removed his doctor's lab coat. "What's the more traditional way? and how different is it then a shower?"

"Y' haven't been eatin' my apples, Donald."  Arcadia said that with a knowing purse of her lips.  Turning to watch Donald as he shed his lab coat.  "A water just washes over a person, down the drain.  This is more a...sponge bath."  She did her best to say that without letting the cheeky grin slip, but even her amazing willpower couldn't keep it in check.  That's essentially what the bathing process was.  "The idea is that the water is supposed t' be fresh that runs over ye, much like a shower, but it's sponged on bit by bit with a blessed article and the water itself has been mixed with particular herbs and oils...and the water runs off the body and down the drain...hair washin' is not necessary, not unless y' haven't showered in days." 

"well in my defense you haven't been bringing my any of your apples." emphasizing 'your' like she did when she said 'my'. and of course when she cracked that grin he couldn't help but smile."I've showered recently. but I'd be lying if I said i wasn't looking forward to a nice sponge bath. I got pretty good during med school.

"Why sort o' apples did y' think were in that pie I gave ye, smarty pants?!"  Arcadia cocked her brow at him with a scolding look.  Honestly, did she seem like the sort who baked for fun?  His smile only fueled her own, which ended up being a grandly foolish grin by the time they were don't smiling at each other like a pair of arses.  "Well why don't y' get yourself ready for bathin', and I'll ready the water?"  To bathe with one's ritual partner was more than getting one's body purified for the ritual - it was also meant to get the energies of the partners attuned with one another and working as One.  Arcadia and Archer didn't participate in the bathing for obvious reasons, and to do it wasn't required so long as the bodies that did the ritual were cleansed and properly anointed.  But when Donald wasn't practiced in magic, to attune to each other so would only help the ritual later in the evening be successful. Arcadia didn't wait for his answer, and headed down the hall into the largest of the bathrooms on the floor, with a wide nearly round tub at its center.  To prepare the water properly would take a few minutes.

"The sort of apples that you would put in a pie?" was his smart assed reply. and he gave her a wink." oh I'll go get ready for bathin'." where's the bathing area and or the changing area?" he didn't know much of this building outside of this room here. and tossed his lab coat off and around somewhere.

Arcadia was already in the bathroom getting things prepared, so he'd have to settle for another guide.  A few of her tendrils of wind came shooting out of the bathroom, the silvery grey wisps sailing over to donald and making a little beckoning gesture by curling their tips.  Then they wrapped around Donald's right right, and proceeded to tug him down the hallway.  If he let the wisps lead him, he'd get pulled down the hall and into the first door on the right.  It was an hospital room for a single patient, with a bed and everything.  Not that he needed a bed and so on.  He would hear the sound of running water from across the hall, so hopefully he'd be able to find the bathroom on his own because the wind left him in the room and went sailing back to Arcadia.  When he entered the bathroom, he'd find the air moist and steamy with warmth as it was in the hot springs - the bathroom had a steamer, and Arcadia had turned it on.  She liked things hot, because she herself had no body heat.  He would find the very large and round shallow tub had no water in it whatsoever, and that a large basin set to the side of the tub was what was filled with warm water.  It was very fragrant water, with the scent of lavender, lemons, sage and jasmine petals floating on the surface.  There were two sponges set on the side of the tub - real sponges from the ocean, not the manufactured kind - and two towels draped over the opposite side of the tub.  Arcadia herself was in one corner of the room shedding her clothes into a pile on the floor.

After the ritual bathing was complete she took Donald by the hand, leading him out of the room and down the hallway back to the main room of the Healers' Shire.  She picked up the simple light white cotton pullover shirt and the white cotton drawstring pants that were bought a long time ago to give to patients, and she pressed them against his chest.  "Dress.  I'll get things ready t' take outside, we'll just go out to the courtyard."  Not like anyone would disturb them, this castle and its lands had been abandoned years ago.  Arcadia picked up her robe, slipping it on smoothly over her head, and then she went about putting the various mixtures into simple glass containers that were blessed to be used during such work.

"mmhmm." Donald put the clothes on quickly, clothes where good for being good, they got in the way of things, which was good.  of course the pants involved him leaning back against a table and then hop into them sort of but he had them on. and was ready." do you need me to carry anything?"

"There."  Arcadia pointed to a glass carafe that was filled with the sweet substance that she'd left brewing while they were bathing, and two stout drinking glasses.  She held the pungent brew that had been boiling, and the mixture that he's mortar and pestled that was put in a different container.  "Let's go.  It's four flights o' stairs down, m' sorry for that."  Because of his knee, of course.  Arcadia would lead the way, and she was merciful, taking her time down the stairs so Donald could take his time as well.  She pressed her back against the door at the bottom to keep it open until he was close enough to keep it open himself, and then she walked them into the open courtyard.  She walked until she found a place that satisfied her, and she nodded at the ground.  "Sit."

"It's alright, I'll make it alright." Donald was stressing when they reached the bottom of the stairs, but he never dropped the carafe he was carrying. and when she did tell him to sit, it was less then controlled and he just plopped down and stretched his bed knee out in front of him in order to get a nice stretch in.

"Y' stay there, don't move."  As if Donald was going to run off.  Arcadia was dipping a brush into the mixture he'd made into a paste, and she was painting a circle with it in the grass that would be large enough to comfortably house the two of them.  "Y' can pour that into the glasses while y' wait, but don't drink it yet.  Don't even lick your finger if it drips, aye?  It's not safe t' drink until the circle's closed."  Arcadia was trying to draw the circle as quickly as possible, but at the same time she couldn't move too quickly.  If there were any breaks in the circle, it could prove dangerous.

Donald didn't even start to pour it with that warning offered so he just sat and watched her form the circle. "I'm going to, not... mess with it until the circle is closed, since its dangerous and everything." with his good stretch gotten in, he moved his leg in, sitting with his legs crossed in front of him. the carafe sitting in front of him.

"Pet."  Arcadia lifted her eyes to look at him, giving him a smug little glance.  "If y' pour it now it's not goin' t' explode, the world's not goin' t' end..."  Of course, in a moment it was a moot point, as Arcadia had finished painting the circle.  After the bath and the anointing Donald would feel it close - a sudden surge of vertical energy.  He might feel a little weightless, even, as if he was being pulled upward.  "If y' can only remember one thing while we're channelin' Donald, it's that your on the ground.  No matter what y' feel, you're on the ground.  Keepin' your palms flat against the earth might help."  Otherwise, he might get a bit disoriented.  Once the circle was completed, Arcadia set the empty container and brush to the side and she sat in front of Donald, Indian style as he was.  "Are y' goin' t' pour, or should I?"

((. . .to be continued . . .))

[Arcadia Caughey]

Donald had narrowed his eyes at Arcadia when she made that comment. "you know, i thought i was being smart, hearing you say that it was dangerous until the circle was closed. So I thought it was better to wait until you where finished." and then his narrow eyes went away and he gave a nod." Hands on the ground where I'm going to remain... I can do it." and he picked up the carafe, pouring a bit of it on the ground between them.

"Mhm."  She flashed him a grin.  "M' goin' t' have t' speak the words in Gaelic, y' know, so in a few moments you're  not goin' t' understand a word m' sayin'.  But you'll feel the gist o' it.  Drawin' down the energy above, you and I are goin' t' be used as channels for it t' travel deep into the earth where it will shake the last bits o' winter off the land and stimulate it for spring, and...well...it'll feel quite powerful, but so long as y' don't break the circle there are no ill effects."  After he poured the two glasses she picked one of them up holding it up as if she was ready for a toast.  "Drinkin' this will feel like pluggin' your finger into an electrical socket, magically speakin...if it's too overwhelming' for you, what y' see and hear and so on, just close your eyes and concentrate on the flow o' the energy.  All right?"  She waited for him to pick up his glass.  Once they both drank she'd begin the ritual, so she was waiting for his okay.

Donald listened carefully to her words."Alright... don't break the circle and if I'm overwhelmed, just concentrate on the energy flowing." a firm nod offered and donald took a deep breath, picking the glass up and raising it forth towards her, offering a firm nod. "ready, steady..." trailing off for the 'go'.

"Slainte."  Said with a wan grin as she clinked her glass against his, before drinking the contents down.  It should be noted that Arcadia was no stranger to such rituals, and what she just drank still rocked her world.  Then again, substances always had a rather strong effect on her, she had a low tolerance for them.  As soon as she drank the sweet drink - which would taste much like a cordial wine - the glamour that she kept on her appearance shattered quite suddenly, and her golden haired, golden eyed, golden aura-ed self showed through like a beacon in the night.  Similarly, the drink would ignite Donald's own aura, whatever mixture of color it was.  It was different for everyone.  He'd feel like he'd just rocketed upwards and was suspected in a world with no gravity, but as she told him he was still seated on the floor.  "Or, focus on my voice," she murmured.  He'd hear the music in it.  It wasn't the same music as her vampiric thrall, that power had no business here.  It was music like the wind through the leaves.  That was the last she said in words he'd understand, and her eyes focused on the sky above she began to recite the words of power in Gaelic to empower the circle, call to the Powers, and prepare to draw the energy down.

Donald offered a nod, closing his eyes and chugging the drink down and taking a slow breath in, both hands lowered to the ground.  taking a deep breath and focusing on the energy. focusing on Arcadia's voice. slow deep breaths in and out, he didn't at all want to lose himself in all of this, even though it may have been easy at this point to do just that.

Normally Arcadia would hold her hands upward, palms facing the sky.  But with Donald here, knowing that he was very new to this, she wouldn't uphold that formality.  Instead, as she recited the words to the elements, to Nature, to the coming Equinox, she eased herself forward so that Donald would feel the light pressure of her knees touching his knees.  It wouldn't come without a cost, Donald would feel the bond between them spike, but between the touch of her knees and the soft pressure of her hands resting on each of his legs he would hopefully feel more grounded and safe. 

When she neared the end of the words that prepared the ritual space, Arcadia's left hand squeezed his leg as if to warn him that the channeling was going to begin.  With her right hand, she reached for that last mixture - the sour, pungent brew, and she slowly poured it on the ground next to them.  Once that act was complete, the energy from above would hit the pair of them like a lightening strike.  And much like electricity, Donald would feel it through the top of his head and it would travel through his body into the ground.  He was literally a conductor.  The energy would not be painful in any way, shape or form.  If anything he would feel hyper aware of the sky above him, the ground below him, the air moving around them, the blades of grass under his hands, he might even hear the song or whisper of Nature itself, and if he opened his eyes he might see the webs of energy that connected all things, and the auras that were present around all things.  It would certainly be a trip and quite a rush.  Through it, Arcadia continued to speak.  It was series of three sentences repeated to continue to draw the energy down.

Donald's eyes remained closed, but he did move one of his hands to clutch the one she left on his leg. drawing his breaths in much faster now that the energy was channeling through them both.  but he wasn't panicking. it was more like controlled caution. his holding her hand.

Because of the nature of their preparation Donald would be able to feel the effects of their work as Arcadia continued to chant and the energy continued to channel through them into the Earth.  He'd feel it as if the ground underneath them was stretching out its limbs.  As if it was pushing out of a shell like a hatching.  He'd feel it stirring, like how small bubbles pop to the surface when water is starting to heat to a boil.  A spring awakening.  When Donald reached for her hand she turned hers over so that he could clasp it and she would hold on tightly.  Her other hand pressed on the ground over where she'd poured out the mixture.  The amount of life-energy that was passing through them was enough to make an entire forest grow - that's sort of what it was for, after all.  It would leave its own manner of gift behind - Donald would be brimming with verve, feeling like the sun was lighting him from the inside, and he'd have enough energy to run a marathon if he felt like it.  After a few more minutes of Arcadia repeating the same three sentences, her words changed.  She was speaking the closing part of the ritual now, and her hand squeezed his.

Donald squeezed her hand tightly. his breathing fast, but it was steady. his hand tight on hers, the other planted firmly into the ground. eyes shut so hard it almost hurt. his eyes only closed because he feared that opening them would result in him being sick to his stomach. but as long as he had them closed he could enjoy the ride along.

The channeling would slowly cease.  Within the course of two short minutes, the 'download' of energy from above ceased entirely.  All that would remain in Donald would be the aforementioned after effects, and the effects of the beverage he'd drank once the circle was closed.  He would, of course, still be able to feel the mingling of their own energies.  The effects of the bathing and the anointing would take about a night to wear off.  Once the ceremony was done, Arcadia's right hand stroked over Donald's cheek and she murmured softly.  "All done, Donald.  Y' can open your eyes, the world didn't end after all."  Yes, she was being cheeky with him.  Perhaps to ease his spirit.

Donald drew in another deep breath as the channeling left him, exhaling it slowly and leaning into her touch as he opened his eyes. "well that was... certainly an experience." a loose smile on his face, his grip loosening on her hand then. "how'd I do, I didn't break it did I?

She smiled at him, a smile that very few people ever got to see from Arcadia.  Only Adrian and perhaps her ex-husband saw this smile, one filled with a full, soft love.  Fingers stroking down his cheek and over his neck.  "No, y' broke nothin'.  Y' did a great service for the earth today, Donald.  M' sure Nature will reward y' in Her way.  As should Thor, y' served the land today with more kindness than most o' the gods..."  Her fingers brushed up into his hair, and as she played with the blonde strands she added after a pause, "and m' grateful.  To ask ye t' do somethin' like this, when y' have no experience with it.  It was a very bold favor, but such rituals need both the female and the male..."

He kept his smile and squeezed her hand again. "I'm glad I could help as I did, helping the earth without you know who is sort of gratifying in a new and exciting way." his hand left the ground, and he dusted it off on his white shirt, leaving a nice dirt mark. before brushing fingers through her hair like she did for him.

Ritual clothes or no, Arcadia was Arcadia.  To her dirt was something to be enjoyed, so she wasn't about to scold him for the mark on his clothes.  Instead she slipped her fingers to the back of his hair, giving his head a little yank backward just because she could.  "M' sure it is.  No weak man could be the house o' a god, Donald, y' have power o' your own even if y' don't know how t' use it.  Y' couldn't o' channeled such energy tonight if y' didn't."  Channeling energy was channeling energy, whether it was Thor or elemental or otherwise.

((. . .end of log for the board!))

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