This is something I wrote 3 or 4 months ago, I had this big giant story line of about 20 chapters and all this mythological and astrological events that I was going to put in yadda yadda yadda. Then I read it over when I was completely done with it and I wasn't if I was completely happy with it. I tried to find a beta but no one would do it. Oh well i've decided i have little to loose so I might as well post it. All the tarot card references are legitament and come from this site. www aeclectic net/tarot/learn/meanings/

I have chapters one and two already completed so I'll post both simotaniously. If I get more than 10 people to review I'll continue writing if not I'll consider this fic a dud and leave it where it stands.

I own nothing

Life is given to us,
we earn it by giving it.

Let the dead have the immortality of fame,
but the living the immortality of love.

Life's errors cry for the merciful beauty
that can modulate their isolation into a
harmony with the whole.

Life, like a child, laughs,
shaking its rattle of death as it runs.

~Tagore

The carnival's bright red and yellow lights blink incessantly all around them like a swarm of angry neon fireflies, the whirl of iron wheels against steel rods all fuse with the murmuring voices of the crowd in a fusing line of chaos and music. Screams come blaring from the revolving tilt-o-whirl behind them. The air smells of cheap popcorn and pan fire grease and is sticky and hot with midsummer. A row of stands selling wares spread out in front of them inviting like a mysterious row of caverns. "OH LOOK." Starfire shouts pointing at blue Arabic style tent tightly nestled amongst the other vendors, "A teller of fortunes! Can we get our fortunes told?" She pulls Robin along by the arm signally for the rest of the gang to follow.

"I dunno Star, fortune telling is just a bunch of nonsense," Robin says, being dragged along.

"Uhg," Beast Boy replies stopping short. "Fortune tellers, always give me the creeps. Wrinkly old ladies, with the nose rings and long SHARP fingernails and the GLOWING crystal balls," He says shivering.

"Come on BB, they're not that bad." Cyborg shrugs, "I say why not, I'm always up for some insight into the future." Starfire floats back down to the ground. 2 against 2, they gang turns and looks a Raven. Star claps her hands, "Please, please, Raven."

Raven sighs, rolling her eyes slightly, "Sure."

"YAY!" Starfire cheers towing Robin behind her nearly ripping his arm from its socket. The rest follow nonchalantly behind. "We shall get the reading of hands, and the tarot cards. AND MAYBE she will look into her glowing ball of crystal!" Starfire spins around in excitement.

A small hand-painted blue sign with shiny emerald colored letters stands outside the blue tent, listing prices and services. Robin hands her some coins, before Starfire rushes behind the curtain.

The room is overwhelmingly dark only lit by blue and purple candles spread sparsely out amongst the furniture of the tent. "Hello, I come in search of the teller of fortunes," Starfire calls uncertainly. The right side of the tent is lined with book shelves, bottles with dark liquids, other nick knacks. What appears to be a human skull decorated with sapphires sends shivers up Star's spine. A table is pushed into a corner, two sticks of incense smolder aimlessly on it. "HELLOOOO." She calls again louder.

A woman rushes in from the back flaps of the tent, her sari head scarf nearly falling off. The sari is red but sheens orange in light, with gold jeweled spiral designs on it. She quickly straightens, the smoothes it back in its proper place. "Sorry about that, I wasn't expecting any more customers tonight," she offers with a curtsy. For a moment Starfire is taken aback by the strange woman looking up at her. The fortune teller's skin is a smooth olive color, and her eyes are black and glimmer like still water in the low blue tinted lighting, but her cheekbones and jaw reveal that she is not completely of Indian decent. Beast Boy was wrong she's not a wrinkly old lady, she can't be older than I am. She ponders to herself. The golden nose ring in her left nostril connects with a chain to one of her grand drooping earrings. She wiggles her nose causing the dangling chain to jiggle. Starfire nearly laughs for the girl looks like a curious elf.

"I'm sorry to have come unexpected I hope I was not interrupting you," Starfire says. The fortune teller wears a long black skirt and an emerald green shirt, with strange four-fold sleeves, two edges tie around her arms while the other two dangle free.

"Oh it's all right, nothing important," she says waving it. "Now, come, sit down." The fortune teller pulls the table along with a set of chairs out to the center of the tiny room.

"Now what can I do you for?" She's asks Star fire as she sits down.

"I would like my fortune told, please."

"I know that, but how would you like me to tell your fortune." Starfire thought for a second.

"How about a crystal ball reading," the girl interjects.

"I WOULD like the very much if you to look into your glowing ball of crystal for please," she answers nodding vigorously.

"Of course," the woman replies standing. She retrieves a smoky orb from a chest on the bottom shelf of the book case behind them. "Here, hold this for a moment while I get the stand," She says handing it to Starfire. She's surprised by its lightness, "I always thought the earth mineral in the form of crystal was supposed to be quite heavy." The fortune teller laughs softly, "Actually only the bottom and part of the middle are made of crystal, if you turn it over you'll see a seam in the bottom, the rest is made of obsidian."

The fortune teller places the black metal stand on the wooden table. Star hands her back the shadowy ball. "Now," the teller instructs, "put your hands on either sides of the orb." The teller places her hands on top of Star's. She doesn't have sharp long fingernails either. "Breath in an out slowly; try to focus your energy into the ball, and I will try and read the energy." Starfire nods, closing her eyes. She can feel her skin start to prickle. The cool obsidian begins to warm underneath her finger times. The fortune teller quickly swipes her hand from on top of her own. "CAREFULL, you're going to break my orb." Starfire snaps her eyes open. "What." The room is filled with shimmering green light reflecting off of the inner working of the crystal. "Oh I'm sorry," She apologizes toning down the light.

"Is alright," the fortune teller says waving it away. Her eyes gaze intently into the ball at the cascading green shadows.

"I've never my powers like this; usually the lightning bolts cause more of the destruction." Starfire tilts her head slightly.

The fortune teller wiggles her nose faintly,"You're a Tamaranian, correct. The lightning bolts are a form of life energy .When you're in a calm state like this the obsidian will absorb and reflect you're powers."

Star's face lights up. "Remarkable!"

"I know, now shush, I need to concentrate if you want a good reading."

"Of course," Star whispers.

Moments pass, the effort of steady breathing begins to grow dull. Star begins to look into the glowing orb but can see nothing beyond that of green clouds. She looks up at the young fortune teller, her chin rests in her hand and her eyes gaze into the crystal ball, barely blinking, shifting right to left as though she were reading a book. How can she see so much where I can see nothing more than clouds? She notices the fortune teller's dark eyes glowing in the green light in the same way as a cats would. It gives her the appearance of some sort of dark spirit or vampire. Maybe she's an evil sorceress. Starfire nearly shudders. But she was talking so kindly to her before….

The fortune teller suddenly smiles. "You will be very happy for most of your life."

"Oh I WILL." Starfire grins brightly.

The fortune teller nods warmly, "And you are going to make a new friend."

"GLORIOUS!" She yells flying up wrapping her arms around herself. "I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THE NEW FRIENDS!"

"There's more," the fortune teller's face is more solemn now. Starfire floats back to the ground. "An old friend will be returning as well, part of her will be trapped in a non tangible form"

"What is it you mean by non tangible form?"

"Probably an emotional grievance of some sort, though a ghost is in the spectrum of possibilities, poltergeist, she did not appear to be a very close friend either though."

Starfire nods, "Oh….and what about my new friend."

The fortune shrugs slightly, "I do not know, there was merely another energy rolling around that was unlike the other ones you were giving off. I assume you do not know this person, do not worry this person seemed benign."

"Did you see anything else?"

The fortune teller pauses for a moment. "Don't look back," she says in utmost seriousness.

Cyborg pokes his head in through the slit in the tent. "Are you guys done yet, it's my turn."

"We are, leave the money in that chest on the end table next to the door, on your way out, Starfire." she replies pointing," Oh and one more thing, wait till all your friends have had their readings before discussing your fortune. Talking about it could influence their reading."

Starfire bows, "Thank you kind fortune teller, you were of the most helpfulness," she says before passing through the flaps of the tent."

"Does that mean it's my turn," Cyborg asks pointing at himself.

"Yes it is. Come sit down," the fortune teller says motioning to the other seat. The fortune teller gets up and turns on a lamp shaped like a blue berry on the same table as the money chest. "For this we are going need light. Seeing as one of your hands is constructed out of metal I will not be able to use the crystal ball to read your fortune. I am very sorry, but we all at ends with our physical limitations at times."

"No it's cool," he replies shrugging it off.

The fortune teller begins putting away the crystal ball and its base away. "But there should be no problem with a tarot card reading," she tells placing the orb back in its chest. The fortune teller reaches for a black velvet bag on one of the higher shelf of her book case. As she reaches Cyborg notices she isn't wearing any shoes.

"What you say your name was again."

"I didn't, but you may call me Madam Maree," she says smiling warmly placing the bag on the worn wooden table. She pulls out a deck of emerald green cards, the same shade of green as the lettering on the sign. She breaks the deck in half and shuffles them. "Maree, that's interesting, never heard it before."

"My mother was from South Africa."

"But it doesn't sound tribal and no offense you don't look black."

"My mother was of…English decent."

"Oh," He pauses," And aren't you a bit young to be called Madam?"

"It is merely a title as being overseer of this fortune teller station, and if I ever took on an apprentice, it would signify rank."

"Oh, I get it."

"So full of questions, oh well all the better, try not to think of anything particular for this all right."

"Okay."

Then in one swift motion she spreads the cards out in a circle. "Pick out four."

Cyborg looks over the identical green cards. He takes one from each end of the circle. In another single motion Maree removes the remaining cards into a pile off to the side. "All right turn them over."

Cyborg does as he's commanded turning them over one at a time. The other sides of the cards reveal strangle painted figures.

"The Ace of Pentacles," she says pointing to the first card.

"The two of pentacles," her eyebrows rise slightly at that one, "The Page of Wands, I thought you were going to get all three pentacles for a second there," she comments looking rather relieved. "…And," she says as he turns over the last card, "The page of cups." Cyborg looks up waiting for her to tell him about them.

She raps her fingernails on the table. "Well." Cyborg eases. She bites her lip letting it slip back out of her teeth. "Pick another card," she says anxiously handing him the deck. He reaches and randomly pulls one out of the middle. Maree slowly places the other cards back down on the table. Cyborg stares at "Well lay it down." She nearly snaps.

"Sorry," he mumbles.

"The Eight of Swords…" Her eyes glance quickly back and forth across the cards. She sighs deeply, looking up at him. Cyborg shifts uneasily in his seat." I have a bad feeling about this. "

"Well, what do they mean?"

Maree chews on the side of her cheek, still rapping her fingernails on the table.

"WELL, what do they mean," he says his temper starting to flare.

"I'm deciding whether or not to tell you," she says bluntly.

"Is it better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all?"

"What," Cyborg stammers, "what kind of question is that?"

Maree rolls her eyes, "It will determine everything."

Cyborg sits back, feeling slightly stupid that he actually thought this was going to be fun. "Well everyone always says it's better to have loved and lost so I guess I'll go with that one." Maree's anger spiked he wasn't taking this completely seriously, but she couldn't fight it then again he'd already chosen. "Never leave destiny at the hands of a stranger". She snaps through gritted teeth, "Now are you sure."

"YES, ALREADY."

"Then I cannot tell you."

"WHAT. Why NOT!"

"Something is going to happen and the tides will change if you are knowledgeable about it."

"OH YES THE TIDES ARE GOING TO CHANGE!" He yells throwing his hands in the air.

Maree rolls her eyes again, "It's an expression." She stares back at Cyborg her eyes narrowing in seriousness. "A message will come," she says pointing to the pages, "and either way the outcome is painful," she says placing her finger on the Eight of Swords, "follow of the message, if that path you wish to chose." Her words like the breaking of thin ice over a frozen river. At her tone Cyborg begins to calm down, she may actually know what she's doing.

"That's it," he says stammering slightly.

"You have chosen your path, now follow it."

Slightly confused he gets up and heads for the door.

"Leave the money in the chest on your way out," she calls out in a saccharine tone.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…." His voice trails off. A smirk crawls onto Maree's face as she leaves.

ACES

Aces are the root force. They are the spark. Relate them to the Magician, who presents the tools to the Fool. They have no purpose yet, but are filled with raw potential. They are the active energy of the suit ready to be used.

They can also indicate direction or season, though which stands for which is often debated. Here are the "usual" directions and seasons. If, however, they don't feel right to you, the reader, use whatever works best.

Ace of Pentacles

North/Winter

New luck, health or money for a new job. There is no desire to burn, or flow or fly; here is a physical need to be grounded, to do solid work, make, create and touch. Like a seed in the ground, there is a desire to sprout roots and just become. The pentacle is taken in hand, and, for now, the querent wants only to have it solidly in his pocket.

These are the aces, the raw or initial passion, feelings, thoughts and needs that can be directed into something more. They represent hope, a possibility, and an action to take. The Querent can use them, or leave them behind. Choose wisely what you take up from the Magician's table for each has its pitfalls as well as pinnacles.

Two of Pentacles

Standing before the waves of an ocean, a fellow deftly juggles two pentacles. Is the meaning quite clear now? Yes, the instinctive knowledge of how to juggle is there. Just like the swords, you can't keep up with it forever, but it is a good use to put your money or hard work to until your ship comes in. Which is what the background waves on the card are all about - keep juggling, relief is on its way.

PAGES

The first court cards are the Pages/Princesses. It is best to imagine them as young, and with a letter or scroll in hand or on their person. The element of the pages is "Earth" indicating something young, growing, a seed planted. So the Page of Wands would be "Earth of Fire" - the seed of fire, so to speak. The spark. Pages most often stand for children, though they can also be said to be the "Fool's" alter ego. So, an adult who is child-like enough might also be a page. The Querent, if starting something very new and fresh might also be said to be "The Page" - in this case, a kind of apprentice. Deck-wise, if a Page, they can be male or female. If a Princess, likely a female young person; the prince will be the male young person.

When no children seem to be involved the person is childless, has no friends with kids, etc., then the Pages can indicate that the Querent is about to receive a message. The purpose of a page, after all, is to deliver messages. In this case:

Page of Wands

A message, possibly from far away, about a trip, career move, leadership position or something spiritual/philosophical.

Page of Cups

A message of love, romance, heart-break or family.

Eight of Swords

A woman is tied and blindfolded within a cage of swords. This is the "damned if you do, damned if you don't," kind of card. The Querent is in a situation where they're afraid to move. If they move, they'll get cut. However, the ropes that bind them, the blindfold over their eyes, are their own fears, keeping them still, immobile. And so the longer they stay, the more they constrain and entrap themselves. Ever been in a situation where you're afraid to say anything, so afraid that you second guess yourself, end up saying nothing, tying yourself in knots? But speaking up is going to get you cut to ribbons? That's this card. The Querent must have the strength to endure the cuts, else they'll stay trapped. They must move, for the longer they let the situation continue, the worse it will get.

"Well that wasinteresting," Cyborg huffs exiting the tent where the rest of the Titans are waiting.

"Why what'd she say," Robin asks.

"That's just it she didn't tell me anything. Just told me―"

"CYBORG!" Starfire shouts interrupting him. "The fortune teller said not to discuss the reading of the fortunes till after everyone was finished!"

Cyborg opens his mouth to argue but then closes it when he sees the look on Robin's face. Complain and die.

"All right," Starfire announces eagerly. "Which one of you wishes to go next to the teller of the fortunes." Raven, Robin and Beast boy all glance back and forth at each other.

Beast Boy immediately cowers behind a nearby Raven, "I'm definitely not going in there. I'm the one that's scared of for―", He never gets a chance to finish before being thrown headlong into the tent.

He skids to a stop at a set of toenails painted a bright power blue poking out of a long black skirt. "Hi." She says blatantly looking down at him. BB grumbles insults as he stands up, brushing dust off himself. "I'm Madam Maree." She says bowing. Beast boy looks up at her and stops dead.

"You're not a wrinkly old lady."

"And your green," she says smirking. "Of course growing up on the circus circuit I have seen stranger." BB looks her up and down; there's something elegant and intriguing about her, she's only about an inch shorter than him, which is surprising. Her eyes are long and almond shaped giving her an exotic cat like appearance. Her fingernails are painted the same shade of powder blue as her toenails, long but not sharpened to points. Well at least that's a relief.

"Anyway," Madam Maree says clapping her hands, "How would you like your fortune read."

"Ahhh…." BB stammers, "…the normal way."

Maree rolls her eyes, one of these again. "Palm reading it is." She turns and sits down at the table. Cautiously Beast Boy moves to the empty seat across from her.

"Give me your hand." Maree orders holding out her own.

He holds out his hand he jumps slightly at the soft touch of her smooth fingers. She presses his hand palm onto the table; she leans over, the ends of her hair tickling his skin, and traces the lines on his hand with the tip of her fingernail. The feeling is rather unsettling; goose-bumps pop up on Beast Boy's skin. "Tell me are you a shape shifter of some sort."

"Yeah, I change into animals, why?"

"Because it shows on your skin. You have several lines where most people have only one. See," she says pointing to the center curving line of his hand, "this is where your head line is supposed to be. But you have at least four intertwining around each other, same goes for the other lines. It usually is a sign of someone who often changes shape. Along with different styles of finger prints."

Beast Boy holds up and looks at his hand, "I always thought everyone's hands were like that."

"Amazing the details we over look when comparing ourselves to fellow man." Beast Boy stares at her oddly.

"Unfortunately," Maree says crossing her fingers, "The lines contradict themselves often when it comes to shape shifters, different forms have different paths. It is impossible to know which one represents your human form. So if you want a reading we must look elsewhere."

"Uh, like what."

"How 'bout astrology, when's your birthday and what are your parents birthdays?"

"Uhhhh….," Beast Boys says looking down tapping his two index fingers together. "I kinda don't know that stuff…"

Maree answers warmly, "That's alright, I don't know my birthday either; my mother abandoned me and my brother as infants."

"How 'bout I look into a crystal ball?"

Beast Boy continues tapping his fingers together, "I've kind of had bad experiences with crystal balls."

"Understandable," Maree answers raising her eyebrows slightly. She huffs, "The cards then."

"Like tarot cards?"

"You have a problem with tarot cards," she says eyeing him as she pulls the deck from its black velvet bag.

"No, I guess not." Maree grins warmly, trying to calm him, she picks up and a hint of angst in his voice. It is important for a person in distress however how slight, energy to flow into the cards to get an accurate reading. Stall if you must this will allow both the distressful energy and the subject's normal energy to sort themselves out...and her aunts voice fades out into the chasms of a long memory. Maree rolls her eyes. The ceaseless lessons of her Aunt annoy her even in death. She quickly hands BB the deck. "Hold these while I get us some tea." Maree s passed the back flaps of the tent.

The scent of incense and lavender candles has been overpowering to Beast Boy's keen olfactory system giving him a minor headache since he entered the tent. He glances about the room at the array of candles and incense and attempts not to sneeze. Maree returns placing a steaming cup of dark liquid in front of him. The strong herbal smell does not help with his headache. Beast Boy stares awkwardly into the cup, "Uhhh."

"It's a mix of black and Rooibos tea, its good." Beast Boy merely continues to stare into the cup. The look of discomfort is familiar.

"For heaven's sakes it's not drugged." Maree quickly picks up the cup and takes a large drink out of it before handing it back to him. Or at least it better not be she thinks, she glares internally at her fellow carnies. Reluctantly Beast boy takes a sip, the tastes is smooth and resembles the taste of very weak coffee. Maree holds out her, hands taking another drink of the tea, expecting the cards.

Once again she spreads out the cards in a neat circle in one swift motion. "Pick out four at random." He takes two from the bottom of the circle, one from the left, and one between the left, and bottom. The fortune teller returns the rest of the cards to an orderly stack at the edge of the table.

"You can flip them over now."

He slowly turns over his fate. "The high priestess, that's a very good card, Ten of Wands, Lovers," she smiles tenderly at that one, "the Seven of Pentacles and the world. It's an intriguing hand." She taps her index fingernail on the handle of the cup. "Very intriguing indeed." Beast boy merely continues to look completely lost.

"The high priestess is the card of knowledge in all three main forms; instinctual, supernatural, and secret knowledge." She counts off on her fingers," In the tarot card story she is the one who helps the fool, in this case I think that would be you, to learn how to use the tools the Magician showed him. The tools were thing that he already possessed and understand that they came from within himself. In other words you are going to gain a knowledge that is useful to you, but the person who holds it is may or may not present it to you. She holds a pomegranate, see?" Maree says pointing to the fruit in the high priestess' hand. "It reminds us of Persephone the only person allowed to eat the fruit of the underworld and travel back and forth between both worlds. So whatever you're going to be learning is going to be very odd. But once you're done learning it you will know exactly what to do and all the other secret knowledges that the high priestess holds will no longer, in the slightest, concern you."

The High Priestess

Continuing his journey, the Fool comes upon a beautiful and mysterious veiled lady enthroned between two pillars and illuminated by the moon. She is the opposite of the Magician, quiet where he was loquacious, still where he was in motion, sitting while he stood, shrouded in the night where he was out in the bright of day. She is the High Priestess and she astonishes the Fool by knowing everything about him. "Since you know me so well, perhaps you can help me," says the Fool, laying out his sword, chalice, staff and pentacle. "The Magician showed me these tools, but now I'm in a quandary. There's so many things I could do with them. I can't decide." In answer, the High Priestess hands over to him a pair of ancient scrolls. "These will teach you how to decide." Seating himself at her feet, the Fool reads by the light of her crescent moon. Finally, the Fool knows enough that he can now decide what he wants, where he will go, and what he will do. Though he suspects that the High Priestess has even more secrets she could teach him-like what lies behind the pomegranate curtain-he is focused and ready to be on his way. Thanking the High Priestess, he heads off. But as he leaves he hears her whisper, quiet as the waters which bubble up from beneath her throne, "We'll meet again...when you're ready to travel the most secret path of all."

"Next you have the Ten of Wands. The wands, they y are either the ultimate bad or good in an element. In the story of the ten of wands, a man is carrying ten heavy wands on his back. It symbolizes that you are at wits ends and have no more energy….are you." She questions concernedly.

"…No…."

"Then you probably will be sometime in the future or maybe one of your companions will be," she says motioning to the outside of the ten", any way it is a reminder then to take down some of your burdens and rest."

TENS

As the aces were the pure, elemental spark of the suit, the tens are the element of the suit complete. Not as in the nines, which are physical completion, but in a transcendent fashion. It is the ultimate good or bad of that element

Ten of Wands

A man carries ten heavy wands on his back. This is a card that says that the Querent has used up all the energy they started with at the ace. They don't feel that creative, driving force any more. The image on this card implies that the Querent has complete control of all the many things he wanted control over. He is the leader, the boss. But this means that all the burdens are his as well. He's trying to do everything, and it leaves him drained. Advise your Querent to delegate, to put down some burdens and find his energy again.

"Now the Lovers, another usually very good card," a smile spreads across Maree's face.

"Does that mean I'm going to fall in love," Beast Boy says hopefully, wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

"Possibly, the story of the lovers can be complicated, especially for someone in your position."

"What do you mean by position?"

"You're a teen titan."

"So it's going to be someone who comes between the team and me."

"Not necessarily. In the Lover's card the Fool comes to a cross-road. He chooses her, forgets about his old destination and together they head down a whole new road." "See this could be bad if the road you were currently on was very important to the teen titans or to the city. To you I'd advise to remember duty before choosing love."

Beast Boy stares frankly memorized and confused, but manages to nod in reply.

Lovers

The fool is currently filled with vigor, with self-assurance and with intention, knowing exactly where he wants to go and what he wants to do. But he comes to a dead stop. A flowering tree marks the path he wants to take, the one he's been planning on taking. But standing before a fruit tree marking the other path is a woman. "

"He's met and had relationships with women before, some far more beautiful and alluring. But she is different. Seeing her, he feels as though he's just been shot in the heart with cupid's arrow, so shocking, so painful is his "recognition" of her. As he speaks with her, the feeling exaggerates and grows deeper. It's like finding a missing part of himself, a part he's been searching for his entire life. It is clear that she feels the same about him. In the story, they finish each other's sentences, think the same thoughts. It is as if an Angel from had introduced their souls to each other. Though it was his plan to follow the path of the flowering tree, and though it will cause some trouble for him to bring this woman with him, and to go somewhere else entirely, the Fool knows he dare not leave her behind. Like the fruit tree, she will fulfill him. No matter how divergent from his original intent, she is his future.

Originally, this card was called just LOVE. And that's actually more apt than "Lovers." Love follows in this sequence of growth and maturity. And, coming after the Emperor, who is about control, it is a radical change in perspective. LOVE is a force that makes you choose and decide for reasons you often can't understand; it makes you surrender control to a higher power. And that is what this card is all about. Finding something or someone who is so much a part of yourself, so perfectly attuned to you and you to them, that you cannot, dare not resist. In interpretation, the card indicates that the querent has come across, or will come across a person, career, challenge or thing that they will fall in love with. They will know instinctively that they must have this, even if it means diverging from their chosen path. No matter the difficulties, without it they will never be complete.

"The next card is the Seven of Pentacles. The sevens indicate a problem or issue. They also deal with loss. Loss out ones control to be exact, seeing how it's after the lovers card it will probably have to do with that sadly. Remember to be patient and wait. And what is out of our hands is not our fault," Maree ends nodding, "remember that, it will likely be important."

SEVENS

As the fives indicated a particular problem, so do the sevens. The fives were about loss, losing momentum, losing love, losing an argument, losing money. The question there was, "How do I deal with this loss?" The sevens are about finding yourself in a situation where you are not in control. Sevens relate to the Chariot, a card about finding and maintaining complete control and mastery over wild or opposing forces.

If the charioteer lets his horses run where they will, as they will, the chariot will crash. He not only has to have them completely in hand, but to win in a race or war, he must also control direction and speed. So, too, in life. You need to know not only how to take control but also how to direct the forces once you have them in hand. Sevens, like fives, are about overcoming fears and finding a way to succeed in a tough situation. They answer the question, "How do I take control?"

Seven of Pentacles

A farmer watches pentacles grow on a tree. Sometimes, there is no way to take control of a situation. The farmer waits for the fruit on his tree to ripen so he may harvest and sell it; he has very little control over when this will happen. All he can do is be patient. Sometimes you have to realize that you've done all you can do. It is out of your hands now. All you can do is wait.

Ultimately, the sevens share that message, the farmer's message: hold out, be patient, don't rush, go around. Be in control of yourself and you can be in control of this situation.

Her eyes have grown a new sense of warmth and concern, the cold exotic elegance is gone, like a once fearsome cat that'd hiss and claw at you, becoming a purring, quiet heap in your lap. Everything in the room feels oddly warmer. Or maybe it's the tea, BB thinks looking into the cup. "That's not exactly what I wanted to hear."

"Unfortunately that is not my job. Any hoaxer half-ass fortune teller could do that, but you came to see me…" Maree pauses letting mull all over. "But for every valley there is a hill….The world card," she grins again pointing to it.

"It is the card of the ending. It symbolizes hard won knowledge or end. Remember how to fly and what is important, what you've learned and all the world will spread out beneath your feet."

The world

The Fool turns to take that final step along his final path, and finds, to his bemusement that he is right back where he started, at the edge of that very same cliff he almost stepped over when he was young and too foolish to look where he was going. But now he sees his position very differently. He thought he could separate body and mind, learn all about one, then leave it to learn about the other. But in the end, it is all about self, mind and body, past and future, the individual, and the world. All one. As above, so below, and all opposites are each other, including the Fool and the Mystic who are both doorways to the secrets of the universe. With a knowing smile, the Fool takes that final step right off the cliff...and soars. Higher and higher, until the whole of the world is his to see. And there he dances, surrounded by a yoni of stars, at one with the universe. Ending, in a sense, where he began, beginning again at the end. The world turns, and the Fool's journey is complete.

Basic Tarot Meaning

The World card pictures a dancer in a Yoni (sometimes made of laurel leaves). A Yoni is in Hinduism regarded as a manifestation of the feminine principle. The Yoni symbolizes the great Mother, the cervix through which everything is born, and also the doorway to the next life after death. It is indicative of a complete circle. The Dancer has one leg crossed over the other, just like the Hanged man. She is, in a sense, his opposite, the hanged man right-side-up. As the Hanged Man saw infinitely inward, the Dancer sees infinitely outward. Which brings us to the Lion, Bull, Cherub and Eagle standing for Leo, Taurus, Aquarius and Scorpio, the fixed signs of the Zodiac (these link the ever turning World card to the ever turning Wheel of Fortune). These are symbolic of the four elements, four compass points and the four corners of the universe. All within the Dancer's sight and power.

Thus, the World card, very aptly, represents a successful conclusion, all aspects accounted for and taken in. Simply put, this card tells the Querent that the end to a long-term project is in sight, and that it will be accompanied by well-earned praise, celebration and success. With Saturn as its ruling planet, this card can also indicate that the Querent, now an expert in their subject, is likely to become a teacher or sought-after lecturer. And, finally, on a more mundane level, the World card indicates travel, not short business trips, but long, fantastic trips. This is a wonderful card of wholeness, perfection, satisfaction and happiness.

"Got it Beast Boy."

"Yeah I think so," he replies scratching his head. "Can you explain it again?"

"You meet the high priestess, who is a person who is going to give you some knowledge then shows you what to do with it, you will most likely be burdened by the knowledge or something relating to it, then you are going to fall in and the most likely out of love, and end back in the exact same place, but this time you will not be the fool you were at the begging, and," she says grinning her black cat eyes twinkling, "the whole world will be spread out at your feet."

"That's it."

Maree ponders for a second. "No, one more thing." She gets up and pulls out a tiny blue bottle out of one of her trunks.

"Here," she says.

"What is it?" BB says staring at the object in her out stretched hand.

"It's an herbal sleep aid, a spoon full mixed in with coffee or tea, nothing citrusy though, will leave a bad after taste. I wouldn't use it daily either, rather strong. Worse comes to worse your gray haired friend will know how to use it."

"Kay…but WHY are you giving this to me."

"Cause at times we all need sleep. For you or a friend," Maree shrugs," You may go now. Money goes in the coin box by the door." He turns to leave. Well that was weird.

Maree gets up to put the cups of tea away as soon as Beast Boy passes through the slits in the tent. Behind the tent, is sort of makeshift court yard created by several trailers and caravans parked together to form a square. A group of other circus performers and carnies sit at picnic table playing cards in uniform killing time between shows. The lady who makes earrings and the lady who makes candles sat around the campfire sipping tea and eating gumbo. Somewhere old man James the blind grandfather of several of the circus performers plays his guitar, his eerie scratchy voice sounding out amongst the chaotic noise of the fair. Maree quickly left the other cup in the same pile as the others, and returned to the tent, her fourth customer already waiting for her.

Thank you all for reading and I hope you choose to review and continue on into the next chapter. Or if you have any questions just ask.