A/n: Not a lot to say but thanks for sticking with me when I write this. The last two chappies were pretty short, so this one's going to be a bit longer. Sorry. By the way: if it's in *'s, it means it's a dream. *** means new scene. ' means thoughts. "means quotations. My computer is dumb and doesn't show bold, italics... Things like that. Blame notepad. Stupid Notepad....
By the way, if I seem to slow down even more, blame track. **Runs a 400 with Olympic theme music** Well... **pants** I'm not so sure I like this...
Aurelia: Oh well. Can we invite Liam into the story?
Dream: No! He'll ruin it!
Liam: I will not. (hiccups and takes another drink out of his mug.)
Dream: Oh no. You're drunk again aren't you?
Liam: (plays with his pistol and accidentally fires at my feet) Now what makes you think that?
Aurelia: (giggles) See? He'd make it more fun.
Dream: No! Now leave me alone! I'm trying to WRITE!
Aurelia and Liam: Please? Just a little part?
Dream: (bites lip) Okay... Maybe...
Sheesh. Merry Meet and Merry Part until we Merry Meet again!
Chapter Six: Of Learning and Long Days
* Aurelia was running straight through the trees, not waiting to find a path. Every so often she would look back, expecting to see the horror that was chasing her. She ran harder; she did not want to meet this monster. She was weak, and knew she couldn't keep going. She tasted a mixture of salt and blood. I'm crying, she realized. I'm still alive; I'm still able to cry. Suddenly she heard an unearthly scream coming from the forest behind her. Her fear urged her on. She was going on pure adrenaline. "Help me!" she screamed. "Someone help me!" But she knew it was useless. She was alone with that thing, whatever it was. She pushed through some trees, cutting her shoulder on a branch. She pushed it away with her hands, causing another sharp branch to put a deep gash in her forehead. This time she screamed in pain. She ran as fast as she could, away from the thing that had caused her pain. Her vision started to go red -the blood from her cut was dripping into her eyes. Mixed with the tears, the blood stung in her eyes and she couldn't see. She whimpered breathlessly, wanting nothing more than to get away from those woods. Goddess, she prayed with her entire soul, Goddess, please. Get me out of this alive. Please... She heard a noise to her left and turned to her right, running into a low bush and collapsing on the dark forest floor. She struggled for consciousness as blood rushed freely from her legs. She felt the thing draw near. It was too close now for any salvation. Darkness filled her mind as the thing screamed that high-pitched nightmare. Aurelia too screamed and knew no more...*
Aurelia sat straight up, sweat pouring from her in streams, soaking her pillow and her tank top. She opened the window as she gasped for breath. 'It was just a dream,' she thought. 'Just another dream.'
'Just another nightmare.'
***
Julian was the only one awake the next morning. "Hey sunshine, why so down?" He winked at her and grinned as he handed her some orange juice. His dark hair was tousled and he looked like pure mischief.
She couldn't help but grin. "Couldn't sleep well last night."
"Well then, no more scary movies before you go to bed."
She gave him a disbelieving look. "What the hell are you talking about?"
He chuckled. "No idea. Just a guess." She sighed and shook her head. "But guess what? I got a job. I start today. Wanna celebrate after school?"
"That's great Jule! Where'd you get a job at?"
"Kroy's Hardware. I'm the new delivery boy."
Aurelia snorted. "You're joking, right?"
He smirked and shook his head. "For eighteen dollars an hour? I don't think so."
Aurelia immediately felt chastened. "I stand corrected."
"So you coming with me after school?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. I might have to do something, but who can be sure?"
"Okay okay. I can see when I'm not wanted." He laughed and grabbed his car keys.
Aurelia chuckled and hugged him tightly. "Have a good day Julian. Love you."
"Yeah... I know." He squeezed her shoulder and headed out the door. Aurelia stood in the doorway as he drove away and rushed upstairs to finish getting ready for school.
***
"Merry Meet,
High School's a drag. Especially since I go to a private school and all of that. I never get a chance to do anything or meet anyone. All of my friends have girlfriends of some sort, but I don't see the point. If I want a steady relationship it would have to be with a blood witch... if I wanted kids. Don't get me wrong, I've fooled around with some girls at parties, but never more than once.
The stress is increasing on the upperclassmen. Here's a spell for a quick fix for your body, but not permanent unless more elaborate:
*1.) Light blue candle and healing incense. (Lavender always works)
2.) Chant:
"Goddess free me from my pain,
Goddess free my from my ills.
Please grant me what I say,
Please grant me what I will." 13 times.
3.) Let candle burn out as you concentrate on feeling healthy
Best done during a waxing moon.*
My brother Talon is studying very hard right now for his initiation in a few months. He keeps calling me to see if he's doing things right. Father thinks he's too dependent on me. I don't really mind, since many think he's like me. We've always gotten along really well. But lately he says Father's been really on him about learn to be more like him. Learning to walk in his footsteps. But Phoenix (Talon's Craft name) wants nothing to do with him. He says father's different than when I lived there. And with little Meredith living under that roof I feel I need to go home.
To make things right.
~Dragon Starwing"
***
"Morning everyone," called Aurelia as she walked up the path to the grove of trees. "How was your day off?"
It was Whitney who answered her first. "Oh, it was great! I spent all day online, looking at websites on Wicca. Some of them are really crappy, by the way." The rest of the group laughed, and Whitney blushed. She looked friendlier than she had at the esbat, and today she was wearing a pair of normal jeans and an electric blue shirt. Her hair was back in a pony-tail, and she looked... normal.
Jaide, all decked out in baggy black with her hair in a braid and her face over-done with make-up, stretched. "I went to the skate park. Didn't really feel like doing anything constructive." She spat the word out like acid.
James nudged her shoulder playfully. "Of course you didn't. You wouldn't be failing your classes if you knew how to do things constructively. You wouldn't have to pass through eleventh grade again."
Jaide looked at him. "Eh, I'll just drop out."
Lily shook her head, causing some of her hair to rest on the shoulder of her blue sundress. "Come on Jaide, we talked about this. If you drop out, you can't get the job you want."
She shrugged with one shoulder. "Oh well."
Aurelia sat on one of the benches next to Will and laid her head on his shoulder. "You're comfy," she murmured.
"Not good for much else."
Aurelia smirked. "Sure. Whatever you say." She had learned to put up with her best guy friend's ironic humor.
Adam walked up then, looking comfy in jeans and a dark blue hoodie. Today glasses magnified his big brown eyes. "Good news." He smiled. "My parents said they don't mind. We can use my house whenever we want."
Will grinned. "That's great!"
Whitney smiled softly. "So what are we doing next week?"
Aurelia looked up. "Candle magick or more on herblore. Some of us were pretty rocky on that." Her gaze lingered on Lily, who fidgeted next to James as he wrapped her hand in his.
"What? I just can't remember things like that. They drive me crazy."
James laughed and turned to Aurelia. Today he wore a track sweatshirt. "So teach, what's the homework?"
Aurelia thought a moment. "Color and scent associations. The basics of candle magick, anyway."
Jaide looked over. "And if we already know it?"
Will gave her a harsh look. "Then you can review it. Remembering how things work doesn't seem to be your strong point."
Eyes blazed as Jaide opened her mouth to speak, but Aurelia leapt to her feet and threw out her arms. "Enough! There will not be fighting in Nightwalker! Perfect Love and Perfect Trust, people!"
Jaide raised an eyebrow from her condescending look. "Seems to be fading, O honored leader."
Aurelia turned to her angrily. "And you! Why don't you learn to leave well enough alone!?! All you've wanted lately is to change things. If you can't live with the way Nightwalker is, Jaide, then why don't you leave and start your own coven!?!"
Jaide blinked, not expecting this last dart. Her black eyes briefly showed fear, then anger. "If I wanted to do that, I would've done it already, don't you think?" She talked very quietly, but her words were filled with emotion and didn't need to be any louder. They could all hear her fine. "Instead I strive to make what we've already got better than it was before. Unfortunately, I can't do a damn thing with you at its head, because you don't know where change is needed. Without change, things die. Only those willing to follow the times survive."
"It's not just her, Jaide," growled Lily unexpectedly. Angry outbursts from her were rare. "We all vote on things like that, and we all voted against you! You lost, Jaide! Face it and get over it!"
Jaide's eyes could have melted stone, but she didn't say a word. Instead she turned on her heel and walked off, her backpack on her shoulder.
You could have heard a pin drop.
The bell rang and they all jumped. They silently grabbed their bags and headed into the old school building.
Lily caught up with Aurelia. "I'm sorry about what I just did," she said quietly, her head hanging down.
Aurelia touched her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You were angry, and you say things when you're angry that you don't mean."
"I better go find Jaide."
Aurelia shook her head. "I'll handle it. Don't worry about it."
Lily looked hesitant. "You sure?"
Aurelia nodded. "You better to get to Homeroom. Mrs. Wilshire's worse than Jaide any day." ***
"Can I sit here?"
Jaide looked up from her seat and nodded. Aurelia sat down her lunch tray and leaned her elbow on the table.
"Lily didn't really mean that, you know. What she said this morning."
Jaide held up a hand. "No. Don't start. I've been thinking about it all day, and she's right." Aurelia looked at her closer and saw that her make-up was washed away, and Aurelia assumed she'd been crying. "I've been trying too hard to make the coven my own prodigy. I keep forgetting I'm not the only one there. I've been selfish and harsh, and I'm sorry."
Aurelia shook her head. "Don't be. You just wanted things done right."
"I could've lost all of you. I was pushing you all away for months and months."
A smile came to Aurelia's lips. "And you're still our sister. We can forgive you, Jaide, if you can forgive us."
Jaide's black eyes met golden-brown ones. "I already do."
They had a small embrace of hands, just a silent gesture of surrender. "Hey Jaide?"
"Yeah?"
Aurelia opened the top on her Gatorade and took a sip. "What happened between you and me?"
Jaide's eyes grew sad, a little troubled. "I don't know. We got older?"
Aurelia tried to think back. "Whatever happened, I'm sorry it did. I've missed you."
Jaide smirked and took a bite of yogurt. "Of course you did. It's me!" ***
"So let's see. You have nightmares pretty much every night?"
Aurelia nodded and flipped through a book on candle magick. "Uh-huh. I can't sleep anymore... unless we have a circle or something that tires me out really badly."
Dragon looked up. "Circles tire you?"
Her eyebrow twitched. "Sometimes. Especially on moon rituals and Sabbats. But not usually if it's a ritual just to fill up the time, like a serenity circle."
Dragon ran his fingers through his dark hair, making it spike. "Well, if you do too much magick too often, that could account for the nightmares. But in your case, I don't think so."
"What do you think it is?" She closed the book.
He sat down his pen that he was grading tests with. "I.... I'm not sure. I was never really good with figuring things like this out without magick. That's why I didn't become a doctor. But I can think of several things that cause nightmares like yours, each more unlikely than the last. I just don't like the order of events. Lillian's mother leaves, then Kyle leaves, and you start having nightmares."
"You forgot one - my grandmother dying. All in the same week as the other things."
"So this all seems to have occurred around you? Maybe it was the stress of all these things that brought the nightmares on."
Aurelia shook her head. "No... the nightmares came first."
"Then I don't know. I don't want to cast them away without knowing why you have them. They could be a warning of some sort."
Aurelia rolled the shoulder of her peasant top. "Like what?"
Dragon shrugged. "Who knows? I think we should wait."
Aurelia looked visibly hurt and shook her head. "I hate it, Dragon. I can't sleep anymore. I'm afraid to close my eyes at night and I feel helpless."
Serious gray eyes met golden-brown ones. Finally Dragon sighed. "All right. But not for a few days. The full moon was only a couple nights ago, and I would like to wait until a little closer to the new moon. I can't do it that night though. I have a coven of my own." He gave a little smile. "If you want, I can ask my father to help. He's the High Priest of Moon Forest and the wisest witch I know."
Aurelia bit her lip. "You think he will help?"
Dragon shrugged and looked back to his tests. "Who knows? It's worth a try."
Aurelia nodded. "Then ask him, please."
"To write a spell he's going to need your name."
Aurelia was already flipping through the candle magick book again. "That's fine."
"No, you don't understand. Your Craft name." His voice was gentle, understanding.
Aurelia looked up sharply. She was about to scream "No!" but refrained. Her hands started trembling as she bit her lip again. 'What's wrong with me?' she thought. 'Dragon would never put me in danger. I'm just being... just being stupid.' She took a deep breath. "Tell him my name is Skysong Red-tail."
Dragon cocked his head. "Red-tail? That sounds really familiar..."
"I don't know why. I thought of it myself. It's because I love hawks. They call to me... To invite me to fly with them... And I would, if I had wings."
Dragon smiled at her.
She pulled out a good book on Wiccan law and looked at him. "May I take this for Whitney?" She saw the look on his face and smiled. "What?"
He chuckled and shook his head. "Nothing... I don't know."
She walked up to him. "No, really... What is it?"
"Nothing... you just sounded exactly like someone I used to know."
She sat next to him and looked with interest. "Who?"
Though he continued to smile, his eyes grew sad. "My sister Meredith."
Aurelia's brows furrowed. "Used to know? What happened to her?"
The smile faded completely and his eyes shifted. "On the eve of her initiation, she was kidnapped. On Samhain of that year, exactly one month later, she was found dead. They never found her killer."
Aurelia's face contorted into pity. "Oh Dragon… I'm so sorry."
He shrugged. "It doesn't really matter now. As a witch, I have the ability to change, but also to endure. I let it go. The Goddess will take care of her."
"I hope so."
His eyes came back and met hers. "I know so. For we are the people, we are the power, and we are the change."
She smiled. The classroom was silent for awhile. Finally her eyes sought out his as she touched his shoulder. "What was she like? Before…"
Dragon smiled. "Oh, she was the sweetest girl I'd ever met. And the most eager to learn. Her name was going to be Bright-eye, because it fit so well. It was her who made me want to become a teacher. She told me once that she was sure every evil thing ever done had good intentions at heart. When I started to look into things to see, I found out that she was mostly right. It fascinated me and I began to love history. That was just before…" He trailed off.
"And I remind you of her?" Aurelia drew in a deep breath.
Dragon looked at her, and Aurelia blinked. His eyes were different in a way she couldn't figure out. But as soon as she saw it, it was gone, and he laughed. "Yeah," he chuckled. "Yeah, you kinda do." He eyes lingered on her a moment more, than slowly looked at the clock. "You better get your stuff around. The bell's going to ring."
She smiled and shook her head. "So what?"
"Don't you want to get out of school? Like a normal kid?"
She rested her head on her hand with her elbow on the table. "Um, actually… Could you tell me a little more about your sister?"
He gave a small smile and nodded. "Yeah. I think I could." He looked at the ceiling. "Where to begin?"
"How about the beginning?"
The bell rang as he began to speak. He began animatedly to tell stories about a girl whose life had ended nearly three years before. ***
Reader Responses:
Reader: I am touched by your admission, and am fully glad that you have taken up writing once more. If I can write things that inspire people to write themselves, then I know that my work is good enough to keep going, if only for those who like it. You have given me a great gift… I only hope to return the favor.
Saz: Yay! I have a reader who's actually reading and reviewing every chapter! Woo-hoo! *does a strange little happy dance* anyways… Sorry you had to wait so long… I'll try not to let that happen again. ^_^
Hands Off: *looks at review with a raised eyebrow* Hmm… It seems that we have an impatient one. Perhaps this impatient one would prefer that I post a page every day, even if it's junk? I wonder….
LOL, anyways, thanks for reviewing… I'll read the rest of your own story ASAP!
Rain Wolf: Hiya…. I'm really glad you liked the chapter, seeing's how I wrote it for you, in all technicalities. Thanks for keeping my writing going… I couldn't do it without you!
If I missed you, blame my in-access to the net, I did this by memory. Sorry. O_O
By the way, if I seem to slow down even more, blame track. **Runs a 400 with Olympic theme music** Well... **pants** I'm not so sure I like this...
Aurelia: Oh well. Can we invite Liam into the story?
Dream: No! He'll ruin it!
Liam: I will not. (hiccups and takes another drink out of his mug.)
Dream: Oh no. You're drunk again aren't you?
Liam: (plays with his pistol and accidentally fires at my feet) Now what makes you think that?
Aurelia: (giggles) See? He'd make it more fun.
Dream: No! Now leave me alone! I'm trying to WRITE!
Aurelia and Liam: Please? Just a little part?
Dream: (bites lip) Okay... Maybe...
Sheesh. Merry Meet and Merry Part until we Merry Meet again!
Chapter Six: Of Learning and Long Days
* Aurelia was running straight through the trees, not waiting to find a path. Every so often she would look back, expecting to see the horror that was chasing her. She ran harder; she did not want to meet this monster. She was weak, and knew she couldn't keep going. She tasted a mixture of salt and blood. I'm crying, she realized. I'm still alive; I'm still able to cry. Suddenly she heard an unearthly scream coming from the forest behind her. Her fear urged her on. She was going on pure adrenaline. "Help me!" she screamed. "Someone help me!" But she knew it was useless. She was alone with that thing, whatever it was. She pushed through some trees, cutting her shoulder on a branch. She pushed it away with her hands, causing another sharp branch to put a deep gash in her forehead. This time she screamed in pain. She ran as fast as she could, away from the thing that had caused her pain. Her vision started to go red -the blood from her cut was dripping into her eyes. Mixed with the tears, the blood stung in her eyes and she couldn't see. She whimpered breathlessly, wanting nothing more than to get away from those woods. Goddess, she prayed with her entire soul, Goddess, please. Get me out of this alive. Please... She heard a noise to her left and turned to her right, running into a low bush and collapsing on the dark forest floor. She struggled for consciousness as blood rushed freely from her legs. She felt the thing draw near. It was too close now for any salvation. Darkness filled her mind as the thing screamed that high-pitched nightmare. Aurelia too screamed and knew no more...*
Aurelia sat straight up, sweat pouring from her in streams, soaking her pillow and her tank top. She opened the window as she gasped for breath. 'It was just a dream,' she thought. 'Just another dream.'
'Just another nightmare.'
***
Julian was the only one awake the next morning. "Hey sunshine, why so down?" He winked at her and grinned as he handed her some orange juice. His dark hair was tousled and he looked like pure mischief.
She couldn't help but grin. "Couldn't sleep well last night."
"Well then, no more scary movies before you go to bed."
She gave him a disbelieving look. "What the hell are you talking about?"
He chuckled. "No idea. Just a guess." She sighed and shook her head. "But guess what? I got a job. I start today. Wanna celebrate after school?"
"That's great Jule! Where'd you get a job at?"
"Kroy's Hardware. I'm the new delivery boy."
Aurelia snorted. "You're joking, right?"
He smirked and shook his head. "For eighteen dollars an hour? I don't think so."
Aurelia immediately felt chastened. "I stand corrected."
"So you coming with me after school?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. I might have to do something, but who can be sure?"
"Okay okay. I can see when I'm not wanted." He laughed and grabbed his car keys.
Aurelia chuckled and hugged him tightly. "Have a good day Julian. Love you."
"Yeah... I know." He squeezed her shoulder and headed out the door. Aurelia stood in the doorway as he drove away and rushed upstairs to finish getting ready for school.
***
"Merry Meet,
High School's a drag. Especially since I go to a private school and all of that. I never get a chance to do anything or meet anyone. All of my friends have girlfriends of some sort, but I don't see the point. If I want a steady relationship it would have to be with a blood witch... if I wanted kids. Don't get me wrong, I've fooled around with some girls at parties, but never more than once.
The stress is increasing on the upperclassmen. Here's a spell for a quick fix for your body, but not permanent unless more elaborate:
*1.) Light blue candle and healing incense. (Lavender always works)
2.) Chant:
"Goddess free me from my pain,
Goddess free my from my ills.
Please grant me what I say,
Please grant me what I will." 13 times.
3.) Let candle burn out as you concentrate on feeling healthy
Best done during a waxing moon.*
My brother Talon is studying very hard right now for his initiation in a few months. He keeps calling me to see if he's doing things right. Father thinks he's too dependent on me. I don't really mind, since many think he's like me. We've always gotten along really well. But lately he says Father's been really on him about learn to be more like him. Learning to walk in his footsteps. But Phoenix (Talon's Craft name) wants nothing to do with him. He says father's different than when I lived there. And with little Meredith living under that roof I feel I need to go home.
To make things right.
~Dragon Starwing"
***
"Morning everyone," called Aurelia as she walked up the path to the grove of trees. "How was your day off?"
It was Whitney who answered her first. "Oh, it was great! I spent all day online, looking at websites on Wicca. Some of them are really crappy, by the way." The rest of the group laughed, and Whitney blushed. She looked friendlier than she had at the esbat, and today she was wearing a pair of normal jeans and an electric blue shirt. Her hair was back in a pony-tail, and she looked... normal.
Jaide, all decked out in baggy black with her hair in a braid and her face over-done with make-up, stretched. "I went to the skate park. Didn't really feel like doing anything constructive." She spat the word out like acid.
James nudged her shoulder playfully. "Of course you didn't. You wouldn't be failing your classes if you knew how to do things constructively. You wouldn't have to pass through eleventh grade again."
Jaide looked at him. "Eh, I'll just drop out."
Lily shook her head, causing some of her hair to rest on the shoulder of her blue sundress. "Come on Jaide, we talked about this. If you drop out, you can't get the job you want."
She shrugged with one shoulder. "Oh well."
Aurelia sat on one of the benches next to Will and laid her head on his shoulder. "You're comfy," she murmured.
"Not good for much else."
Aurelia smirked. "Sure. Whatever you say." She had learned to put up with her best guy friend's ironic humor.
Adam walked up then, looking comfy in jeans and a dark blue hoodie. Today glasses magnified his big brown eyes. "Good news." He smiled. "My parents said they don't mind. We can use my house whenever we want."
Will grinned. "That's great!"
Whitney smiled softly. "So what are we doing next week?"
Aurelia looked up. "Candle magick or more on herblore. Some of us were pretty rocky on that." Her gaze lingered on Lily, who fidgeted next to James as he wrapped her hand in his.
"What? I just can't remember things like that. They drive me crazy."
James laughed and turned to Aurelia. Today he wore a track sweatshirt. "So teach, what's the homework?"
Aurelia thought a moment. "Color and scent associations. The basics of candle magick, anyway."
Jaide looked over. "And if we already know it?"
Will gave her a harsh look. "Then you can review it. Remembering how things work doesn't seem to be your strong point."
Eyes blazed as Jaide opened her mouth to speak, but Aurelia leapt to her feet and threw out her arms. "Enough! There will not be fighting in Nightwalker! Perfect Love and Perfect Trust, people!"
Jaide raised an eyebrow from her condescending look. "Seems to be fading, O honored leader."
Aurelia turned to her angrily. "And you! Why don't you learn to leave well enough alone!?! All you've wanted lately is to change things. If you can't live with the way Nightwalker is, Jaide, then why don't you leave and start your own coven!?!"
Jaide blinked, not expecting this last dart. Her black eyes briefly showed fear, then anger. "If I wanted to do that, I would've done it already, don't you think?" She talked very quietly, but her words were filled with emotion and didn't need to be any louder. They could all hear her fine. "Instead I strive to make what we've already got better than it was before. Unfortunately, I can't do a damn thing with you at its head, because you don't know where change is needed. Without change, things die. Only those willing to follow the times survive."
"It's not just her, Jaide," growled Lily unexpectedly. Angry outbursts from her were rare. "We all vote on things like that, and we all voted against you! You lost, Jaide! Face it and get over it!"
Jaide's eyes could have melted stone, but she didn't say a word. Instead she turned on her heel and walked off, her backpack on her shoulder.
You could have heard a pin drop.
The bell rang and they all jumped. They silently grabbed their bags and headed into the old school building.
Lily caught up with Aurelia. "I'm sorry about what I just did," she said quietly, her head hanging down.
Aurelia touched her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You were angry, and you say things when you're angry that you don't mean."
"I better go find Jaide."
Aurelia shook her head. "I'll handle it. Don't worry about it."
Lily looked hesitant. "You sure?"
Aurelia nodded. "You better to get to Homeroom. Mrs. Wilshire's worse than Jaide any day." ***
"Can I sit here?"
Jaide looked up from her seat and nodded. Aurelia sat down her lunch tray and leaned her elbow on the table.
"Lily didn't really mean that, you know. What she said this morning."
Jaide held up a hand. "No. Don't start. I've been thinking about it all day, and she's right." Aurelia looked at her closer and saw that her make-up was washed away, and Aurelia assumed she'd been crying. "I've been trying too hard to make the coven my own prodigy. I keep forgetting I'm not the only one there. I've been selfish and harsh, and I'm sorry."
Aurelia shook her head. "Don't be. You just wanted things done right."
"I could've lost all of you. I was pushing you all away for months and months."
A smile came to Aurelia's lips. "And you're still our sister. We can forgive you, Jaide, if you can forgive us."
Jaide's black eyes met golden-brown ones. "I already do."
They had a small embrace of hands, just a silent gesture of surrender. "Hey Jaide?"
"Yeah?"
Aurelia opened the top on her Gatorade and took a sip. "What happened between you and me?"
Jaide's eyes grew sad, a little troubled. "I don't know. We got older?"
Aurelia tried to think back. "Whatever happened, I'm sorry it did. I've missed you."
Jaide smirked and took a bite of yogurt. "Of course you did. It's me!" ***
"So let's see. You have nightmares pretty much every night?"
Aurelia nodded and flipped through a book on candle magick. "Uh-huh. I can't sleep anymore... unless we have a circle or something that tires me out really badly."
Dragon looked up. "Circles tire you?"
Her eyebrow twitched. "Sometimes. Especially on moon rituals and Sabbats. But not usually if it's a ritual just to fill up the time, like a serenity circle."
Dragon ran his fingers through his dark hair, making it spike. "Well, if you do too much magick too often, that could account for the nightmares. But in your case, I don't think so."
"What do you think it is?" She closed the book.
He sat down his pen that he was grading tests with. "I.... I'm not sure. I was never really good with figuring things like this out without magick. That's why I didn't become a doctor. But I can think of several things that cause nightmares like yours, each more unlikely than the last. I just don't like the order of events. Lillian's mother leaves, then Kyle leaves, and you start having nightmares."
"You forgot one - my grandmother dying. All in the same week as the other things."
"So this all seems to have occurred around you? Maybe it was the stress of all these things that brought the nightmares on."
Aurelia shook her head. "No... the nightmares came first."
"Then I don't know. I don't want to cast them away without knowing why you have them. They could be a warning of some sort."
Aurelia rolled the shoulder of her peasant top. "Like what?"
Dragon shrugged. "Who knows? I think we should wait."
Aurelia looked visibly hurt and shook her head. "I hate it, Dragon. I can't sleep anymore. I'm afraid to close my eyes at night and I feel helpless."
Serious gray eyes met golden-brown ones. Finally Dragon sighed. "All right. But not for a few days. The full moon was only a couple nights ago, and I would like to wait until a little closer to the new moon. I can't do it that night though. I have a coven of my own." He gave a little smile. "If you want, I can ask my father to help. He's the High Priest of Moon Forest and the wisest witch I know."
Aurelia bit her lip. "You think he will help?"
Dragon shrugged and looked back to his tests. "Who knows? It's worth a try."
Aurelia nodded. "Then ask him, please."
"To write a spell he's going to need your name."
Aurelia was already flipping through the candle magick book again. "That's fine."
"No, you don't understand. Your Craft name." His voice was gentle, understanding.
Aurelia looked up sharply. She was about to scream "No!" but refrained. Her hands started trembling as she bit her lip again. 'What's wrong with me?' she thought. 'Dragon would never put me in danger. I'm just being... just being stupid.' She took a deep breath. "Tell him my name is Skysong Red-tail."
Dragon cocked his head. "Red-tail? That sounds really familiar..."
"I don't know why. I thought of it myself. It's because I love hawks. They call to me... To invite me to fly with them... And I would, if I had wings."
Dragon smiled at her.
She pulled out a good book on Wiccan law and looked at him. "May I take this for Whitney?" She saw the look on his face and smiled. "What?"
He chuckled and shook his head. "Nothing... I don't know."
She walked up to him. "No, really... What is it?"
"Nothing... you just sounded exactly like someone I used to know."
She sat next to him and looked with interest. "Who?"
Though he continued to smile, his eyes grew sad. "My sister Meredith."
Aurelia's brows furrowed. "Used to know? What happened to her?"
The smile faded completely and his eyes shifted. "On the eve of her initiation, she was kidnapped. On Samhain of that year, exactly one month later, she was found dead. They never found her killer."
Aurelia's face contorted into pity. "Oh Dragon… I'm so sorry."
He shrugged. "It doesn't really matter now. As a witch, I have the ability to change, but also to endure. I let it go. The Goddess will take care of her."
"I hope so."
His eyes came back and met hers. "I know so. For we are the people, we are the power, and we are the change."
She smiled. The classroom was silent for awhile. Finally her eyes sought out his as she touched his shoulder. "What was she like? Before…"
Dragon smiled. "Oh, she was the sweetest girl I'd ever met. And the most eager to learn. Her name was going to be Bright-eye, because it fit so well. It was her who made me want to become a teacher. She told me once that she was sure every evil thing ever done had good intentions at heart. When I started to look into things to see, I found out that she was mostly right. It fascinated me and I began to love history. That was just before…" He trailed off.
"And I remind you of her?" Aurelia drew in a deep breath.
Dragon looked at her, and Aurelia blinked. His eyes were different in a way she couldn't figure out. But as soon as she saw it, it was gone, and he laughed. "Yeah," he chuckled. "Yeah, you kinda do." He eyes lingered on her a moment more, than slowly looked at the clock. "You better get your stuff around. The bell's going to ring."
She smiled and shook her head. "So what?"
"Don't you want to get out of school? Like a normal kid?"
She rested her head on her hand with her elbow on the table. "Um, actually… Could you tell me a little more about your sister?"
He gave a small smile and nodded. "Yeah. I think I could." He looked at the ceiling. "Where to begin?"
"How about the beginning?"
The bell rang as he began to speak. He began animatedly to tell stories about a girl whose life had ended nearly three years before. ***
Reader Responses:
Reader: I am touched by your admission, and am fully glad that you have taken up writing once more. If I can write things that inspire people to write themselves, then I know that my work is good enough to keep going, if only for those who like it. You have given me a great gift… I only hope to return the favor.
Saz: Yay! I have a reader who's actually reading and reviewing every chapter! Woo-hoo! *does a strange little happy dance* anyways… Sorry you had to wait so long… I'll try not to let that happen again. ^_^
Hands Off: *looks at review with a raised eyebrow* Hmm… It seems that we have an impatient one. Perhaps this impatient one would prefer that I post a page every day, even if it's junk? I wonder….
LOL, anyways, thanks for reviewing… I'll read the rest of your own story ASAP!
Rain Wolf: Hiya…. I'm really glad you liked the chapter, seeing's how I wrote it for you, in all technicalities. Thanks for keeping my writing going… I couldn't do it without you!
If I missed you, blame my in-access to the net, I did this by memory. Sorry. O_O