15th Challenge: The Old Ways: Write about at least one of the characters who happens to have magic observing one of the traditional Pagan holidays.


The sun was barely peeking over the horizon when Iseldir and his brother druids left their small camp to undertake their sacred duty. The Winter Solstice was upon them and the time had come to harvest the mistletoe. Iseldir, newly-named leader of their band, would be the one to climb the Sacred Oak and cut the mistletoe from where it had twined about the branches of the ancient tree. It would be his first time leading the rituals and he was feeling slightly nervous about the whole undertaking.

The group of approximately twenty men following Iseldir wound their way through the forest towards the glade where the Sacred Oak had stood for untold years. The men were all wearing robes of purest white and carrying osier baskets. Rather than carrying a basket, Iseldir had a golden knife strapped to his waist. The knife was old but well cared-for, having been passed down through the generations from one leader to the next.

The journey to the glade took less than an hour, and during that time the air was filled with the druids' chants and prayers. When they finally reached the tree, the sun was just beginning to filter through the branches, bathing the shiny green leaves of the mistletoe with a golden light that made the leaves glow.

Iseldir approached the tree, said a prayer and then, removing his boots and hitching up his robes, clambered up and began cutting lengths of mistletoe and dropping them down to his brothers to be caught in the baskets.

Once they had harvested all they needed, the druids headed back to their camp to finalize the preparations for the Winter Solstice. The return trip was very different from their arrival. This time, instead of chants and prayers, the air was filled with the joyous laughter of the men as they bantered back and forth over who would eat the most, or drink the most, at the feast to be held the next evening.

Iseldir didn't speak much on the return trip, but as he watched his brother druids laughing and chatting, he couldn't help but smile broadly. So far, he had acquitted himself well and his nerves were finally calming. He finally was beginning to feel like he could actually enjoy the festivities surrounding the Winter Solstice.