A/N Let's get this party started!
Hunter's POV:-
"Hunter! What are you doing up there? Come on!" I heard laughter downstairs and slipped the ring into my pocket. I grabbed Morgan's present and sprinted downstairs.
"Hi Jenna, Simon." Jenna shrugged off her coat, revealing a pretty, black dress and I hung her coat in our cupboard. The door bell rang again and I opened the door to let in Bree and Robbie, closely followed by Matt. I kissed Bree's cheek and she laughed.
"Right, where are we having this?" Sky led them into the circle room, leaving me alone in the hall. My fingers rubbed the ring in my pocket, but before I had a chance to pull it out, I felt more people coming up the walk.
I opened the door and people streamed in, talking excitedly. Sharon was clasping Ethan's hand and Thalia was looking around expectantly. They were followed by Raven and some witches from Starlocket. I sensed a familiar presence and I embraced Alyce who was dressed in blue and as I looked into her eyes, I could tell that she was searching my emotions.
I saw a flash of orange behind her and straightened to see Erin and Eoife approaching, deep in conversation. Before long, Bethany arrived with two more witches from Starlocket and Finn slipped in behind them. Last to arrive was Alisa who had brought Charlie.
I greeted each person as they arrived, checking them off on a mental list. A shiver went down my spine as I sensed Morgan driving up in her enormous car. "She's coming." Sky poked her head around the door and grinned.
"I know." I rolled my eyes at her and she went back inside to quieten everyone down. I crept upstairs and waited anxiously until I felt Morgan getting out of her car and walked downstairs.
The door bell rang and I took a deep breath, glancing at my reflection in the mirror. I opened the door and took a step backwards. Morgan was leaning against the doorframe, watching me carefully. She was wearing her long, flowing skirt and a batik blouse which shone like fire. I didn't recognise it, nor did I recognise the bracelet she was wearing. Her hair was twisted into a knot and the rest hung down loose.
"Hunter?" I blinked.
"You look beautiful, love." I whispered and I leaned in to kiss her. Her eyes sparkled and she pulled me towards her. We stood like that for a moment before we pulled away.
"We'd better go through." I nodded and took her hand leading her into the circle room. As we entered together, everyone shouted "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Morgan jumped in surprise. "Why is everyone here?"
"For you." I replied, kissing her cheek. She stared around in disbelief and everyone laughed.
"I wasn't expecting this," she admitted. I sent her a witch message quickly. *Why not? Don't you know how special you are to us?* She looked at me thankfully and sent back *I love you* I squeezed her hand and we watched as Sky drew a circle. She invited us to enter and we sat down, Morgan on one side of me and Sky on the other. She invoked the God and Goddess and once she was finished, everyone turned to me expectantly.
"Right. Tonight is just going to do a circle. No lesson. This could be a little intense but it should be interesting." Everyone nodded and the blood witches amongst us began to recite their power chants. I could hear Morgan singing gently beside me and took up her own chant, feeling the power of the ancient words. I felt Morgan's eyes on me and I smiled at her, feeling her longing and returning it with my own.
The non witches were looking at us with awe, but I could sense that they were a little nervous. It was easy to forget that none of them had really seen this much Magick before, especially since Morgan and I had experienced so much of it recently.
Once everyone had finished their power chants, I led a simple circle, directing the power to happiness and peace. I could sense anxiety from a few members of Kithic, but they were all smiling, caught up in the Magick.
"Goddess, we devote ourselves to thee.
Show us your power and help us to use it wisely.
May peace reign amongst us and may happiness shower upon us.
Give us strength and guide us in our decisions.
Guide us as to which path to choose. Clear our minds when they are clouded by guilt and shine light where there
is darkness.
Let us be one with earth, air, fire, water and spirit.
Blessed be."
"Blessed be." Everyone replied in unison. We began to move widdershins and took up the chant, our voices weaving patterns around us. I looked at Morgan, whose hair was flying behind her and saw that she had connected not only with the Magick, but with the earth, air, fire, water and spirit that her voice was praising. Her aura was not one set colour, but hundreds of flickering colours. She looked beautiful and her eyes showed her inner wisdom, her soul.
I looked at Sky and saw that her dark eyes were shining with joy and that she was watching Raven carefully. Alyce was watching me, and as I met her gaze, I blushed and looked away quickly. I flicked my eyes around the coven. Bree and Robbie were grasping each other's hands tightly for support. Jenna and Simon and Sharon and Ethan looked nervous but they were enjoying the intensity. Their love enveloped me and I smiled at their open amazement.
Alisa and Charlie looked comfortable and their gazes were locked on each other. Magick which was unconnected to the rest of the circle sparkled between them, reminding me of what happened when Morgan and I looked at each other. Matt looked uncomfortable, but his eyes were on Thalia.
In contrast, the blood witches looked at comfortable, alive. They shone with power, and Magick was embroidered around us. I repeated the chant for the last time, my voice raised above the others.
"...Give us strength and guide us in our decisions.
Guide us as to which path to choose. Clear our minds when they are clouded by guilt and shine light where there
is darkness.
Let us be one with earth, air, fire, water and spirit.
Blessed be."
Oh Goddess, I need help! As we raised our hands and released the Magick, I directed it, once again, to happiness and peace. I seized some of the energy for myself, and the others copied. One or two members of Kithic gasped, but I knew that they had not grasped as much energy as I had.
We sat and before grounding ourselves, I asked everyone to choose their own direction for the energy. Sky started and it continued around the circle.
"Love... Family... Hope... Friendship... Health... Strength... Help... Kindness... Faith... Guidance... Patience... Selflessness... Trust... Forgiveness... Courage... Happiness... Clarity... Self control... Understanding... Wisdom... Joy... Support... Fulfilment..."
Morgan paused and I looked at her anxiously.
"...Life."
I breathed heavily, thinking carefully about what was appropriate. Suddenly, I knew exactly what to say.
"Courage in decisions, strength in love, Hope in fear."
Hunter's POV:-
"Hunter! What are you doing up there? Come on!" I heard laughter downstairs and slipped the ring into my pocket. I grabbed Morgan's present and sprinted downstairs.
"Hi Jenna, Simon." Jenna shrugged off her coat, revealing a pretty, black dress and I hung her coat in our cupboard. The door bell rang again and I opened the door to let in Bree and Robbie, closely followed by Matt. I kissed Bree's cheek and she laughed.
"Right, where are we having this?" Sky led them into the circle room, leaving me alone in the hall. My fingers rubbed the ring in my pocket, but before I had a chance to pull it out, I felt more people coming up the walk.
I opened the door and people streamed in, talking excitedly. Sharon was clasping Ethan's hand and Thalia was looking around expectantly. They were followed by Raven and some witches from Starlocket. I sensed a familiar presence and I embraced Alyce who was dressed in blue and as I looked into her eyes, I could tell that she was searching my emotions.
I saw a flash of orange behind her and straightened to see Erin and Eoife approaching, deep in conversation. Before long, Bethany arrived with two more witches from Starlocket and Finn slipped in behind them. Last to arrive was Alisa who had brought Charlie.
I greeted each person as they arrived, checking them off on a mental list. A shiver went down my spine as I sensed Morgan driving up in her enormous car. "She's coming." Sky poked her head around the door and grinned.
"I know." I rolled my eyes at her and she went back inside to quieten everyone down. I crept upstairs and waited anxiously until I felt Morgan getting out of her car and walked downstairs.
The door bell rang and I took a deep breath, glancing at my reflection in the mirror. I opened the door and took a step backwards. Morgan was leaning against the doorframe, watching me carefully. She was wearing her long, flowing skirt and a batik blouse which shone like fire. I didn't recognise it, nor did I recognise the bracelet she was wearing. Her hair was twisted into a knot and the rest hung down loose.
"Hunter?" I blinked.
"You look beautiful, love." I whispered and I leaned in to kiss her. Her eyes sparkled and she pulled me towards her. We stood like that for a moment before we pulled away.
"We'd better go through." I nodded and took her hand leading her into the circle room. As we entered together, everyone shouted "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Morgan jumped in surprise. "Why is everyone here?"
"For you." I replied, kissing her cheek. She stared around in disbelief and everyone laughed.
"I wasn't expecting this," she admitted. I sent her a witch message quickly. *Why not? Don't you know how special you are to us?* She looked at me thankfully and sent back *I love you* I squeezed her hand and we watched as Sky drew a circle. She invited us to enter and we sat down, Morgan on one side of me and Sky on the other. She invoked the God and Goddess and once she was finished, everyone turned to me expectantly.
"Right. Tonight is just going to do a circle. No lesson. This could be a little intense but it should be interesting." Everyone nodded and the blood witches amongst us began to recite their power chants. I could hear Morgan singing gently beside me and took up her own chant, feeling the power of the ancient words. I felt Morgan's eyes on me and I smiled at her, feeling her longing and returning it with my own.
The non witches were looking at us with awe, but I could sense that they were a little nervous. It was easy to forget that none of them had really seen this much Magick before, especially since Morgan and I had experienced so much of it recently.
Once everyone had finished their power chants, I led a simple circle, directing the power to happiness and peace. I could sense anxiety from a few members of Kithic, but they were all smiling, caught up in the Magick.
"Goddess, we devote ourselves to thee.
Show us your power and help us to use it wisely.
May peace reign amongst us and may happiness shower upon us.
Give us strength and guide us in our decisions.
Guide us as to which path to choose. Clear our minds when they are clouded by guilt and shine light where there
is darkness.
Let us be one with earth, air, fire, water and spirit.
Blessed be."
"Blessed be." Everyone replied in unison. We began to move widdershins and took up the chant, our voices weaving patterns around us. I looked at Morgan, whose hair was flying behind her and saw that she had connected not only with the Magick, but with the earth, air, fire, water and spirit that her voice was praising. Her aura was not one set colour, but hundreds of flickering colours. She looked beautiful and her eyes showed her inner wisdom, her soul.
I looked at Sky and saw that her dark eyes were shining with joy and that she was watching Raven carefully. Alyce was watching me, and as I met her gaze, I blushed and looked away quickly. I flicked my eyes around the coven. Bree and Robbie were grasping each other's hands tightly for support. Jenna and Simon and Sharon and Ethan looked nervous but they were enjoying the intensity. Their love enveloped me and I smiled at their open amazement.
Alisa and Charlie looked comfortable and their gazes were locked on each other. Magick which was unconnected to the rest of the circle sparkled between them, reminding me of what happened when Morgan and I looked at each other. Matt looked uncomfortable, but his eyes were on Thalia.
In contrast, the blood witches looked at comfortable, alive. They shone with power, and Magick was embroidered around us. I repeated the chant for the last time, my voice raised above the others.
"...Give us strength and guide us in our decisions.
Guide us as to which path to choose. Clear our minds when they are clouded by guilt and shine light where there
is darkness.
Let us be one with earth, air, fire, water and spirit.
Blessed be."
Oh Goddess, I need help! As we raised our hands and released the Magick, I directed it, once again, to happiness and peace. I seized some of the energy for myself, and the others copied. One or two members of Kithic gasped, but I knew that they had not grasped as much energy as I had.
We sat and before grounding ourselves, I asked everyone to choose their own direction for the energy. Sky started and it continued around the circle.
"Love... Family... Hope... Friendship... Health... Strength... Help... Kindness... Faith... Guidance... Patience... Selflessness... Trust... Forgiveness... Courage... Happiness... Clarity... Self control... Understanding... Wisdom... Joy... Support... Fulfilment..."
Morgan paused and I looked at her anxiously.
"...Life."
I breathed heavily, thinking carefully about what was appropriate. Suddenly, I knew exactly what to say.
"Courage in decisions, strength in love, Hope in fear."