Chapter Eleven: The Wheel of the Year
A year passed quickly in the Golden Wood. Buffy and Willow were amazed at how quickly they felt they belonged there. Uncertain of how to begin their new duties as Guardians, they took the old woman's advice and worked with the powers they already had. Buffy reinstated her old training regimen, and spent a lot of time with Haldir and the other soldiers of the Galadhrim. She quickly learned to use an elven bow. Soon, daily matches took place out in the open fields, often drawing a crowd. There were archery contests, and then Buffy would fight hand to hand or with swords with Lorien's best warriors. Once they came to understand her incredible strength, they took to sparring three against one.
For her part, Willow was working to control the magick within her. She spent a lot of time with Galadriel, who had endless advice and techniques to add to what she'd learned at the coven. Willow was also training herself to tap into the power of the scythe and channel light magick. She usually made time each day to watch Buffy's sparring matches, and never ceased to be amazed at the grace and beauty her friend brought to fighting. Her greatest asset, Willow noted, was how she fought with every inch of her body and used her surroundings to her advantage. There was never a dodge without a simultaneous jab or kick or thrust of hip, and she had no problem running up the sides of trees or swinging around branches to throw off an opponent. She was truly a force of nature.
One day, around three months in, they met up after Buffy finished off the last of her challengers. They headed away from the open field together, Buffy sweating lightly and wrapping a towel around her neck.
"So how goes magick school?" she asked as they sauntered to their usual spot by the river.
"Better every day," Willow said proudly. "Galadriel is amazing. I feel like I'm changing inside, the dark magick doesn't take over as easily as it used to. And I'm getting pretty good at tapping into our new power source. I used it today to cast a protection bubble around the scythe and my hair went all white again."
"Wow! Told ya you were a good witch," Buffy swatted at Willow with her towel teasingly.
"What about you? You look amazing out there. It reminds me of back when you ditched taking drama with me to understand the mystical side of your power."
"Mmm. I sorta lost that goal with the dying, and then figuring out that the mystical side added up to demonic rape," Buffy replied wryly.
"Buffy Summers, you know that's not what you are," Willow scolded. "Maybe that's how it all began because some asshole, dark-magicky MEN didn't see fit to find a better way, but you are a champion. It doesn't matter that your strength is rooted in darkness, or that the slayer began as a pawn of men playing power games. I will not let you take the blame for the bad choices of idiots thousands of years ago."
"Woah," Buffy replied. "Dominatrix Wil is back."
"Maybe you should try not to piss me off so much," Willow grinned. "Anyway, if you're done with the self-flagellation…"
"Ewww," Buffy interrupted.
"IF YOU'RE DONE," Willow overrode her, "I have something I'd like to ask you."
"OK, shoot."
"As you know, I've been working on controlling the old magick and harnessing new magick. Tara…" she faltered, and Buffy grabbed her hand. "Tara always tried to tell me that I should ground myself in the earth and attune my body to its rhythms. It seemed kinda silly to me at the time, since I had such easy access to power. But she felt that we have to obey the balance and learn the proper time and place for everything."
"That makes sense," Buffy agreed.
"So, I want to try it here. And I would really like it if you were with me," she finished nervously.
Buffy thought about it for a minute. "It's true that I was at my best when Giles trained me to be more in tune with my slayerness. He'll do a great job of rebuilding the Council," she said longingly. "I wish he was here to help."
"We can do this, Buffy," Willow replied.
"Alright, I'm in. Where do we start?"
That night, they met at their usual spot. Willow had given Buffy the job of choosing a medium to cast their circle with.
"Is this OK?" she held out a dish filled with small stones that she'd gathered from the river.
"Perfect," Willow smiled.
"So do you know what we're doing?" Buffy asked. "I only cast that one circle to get all trance-y."
"Mostly. The difference is, I used to only do it to cast a spell. Tara tried to get me to take part in Wiccan rites and follow the Wheel of the Year, but I wasn't interested."
"The Wheel of the Year? This wheel wouldn't have anything to do with a habitrail, would it?"
"No," Willow giggled. "Basically you celebrate what the waxing and waning of seasons represents in our lives: the cyclic process of birth and death, fertility and barrenness."
"And…huh?" Buffy was confused.
"We'll start simple."
"Right. What first?"
"First we cast a circle with the stones," Willow said, and instructed Buffy to use them to make a ring clockwise around a flat rock covered in flowers.
"What's that?" Buffy pointed at the rock.
"This is the alter, and the flowers are in place of magickal tools, which we don't have. Never really used them anyway." She placed four candles in a square just inside the circle and explained as she went around lighting them. "Yellow is East and represents Air. Red is South for Fire. Blue is West for Water, and Brown is North for Earth." They sat on opposite sides of the center stone, and their hands joined over it. "Here are the boundaries of our circle. Bless this space, for our intentions are pure," Willow intoned. "Elements of Air, Fire, Water and Earth heed our call."
They sat together then and visualized the four elements, seeking to reach a meditative state. Buffy was startled when her body became filled with tingling energy. It felt warm and…kinda sexy. Willow had confessed once that casting spells often left her feeling lustful. This was only shared, of course, once Buffy had admitted that slaying DID make her hungry and horny. Green eyes met hazel, and Buffy felt a shivery thrill snake down her spine.
"Witness the power of the sorceress," Willow called, and a rippling ribbon of deep blue light rose above her.
"Witness the power of the slayer," Buffy added, and a matching ribbon of deep maroon appeared.
"Witness the power of the Guardians," Willow finished. "We are at your service." They were both enveloped in brilliant white light, and the two ribbons twisted together briefly before flashing out. A sudden flurry surrounded them: crack of thunder, rumble of earth, swirl of rain, flash of flame. And then all was silent. Willow, with shaking hands, gathered up the stones counterclockwise while Buffy blew out the candles in the same manner. Finally, they rested against the riverbank.
"What the hell was that?" Buffy asked.
"I'm not sure. I only meant to introduce you to the ritual, do some meditation – maybe search a little for the roots of our power." Willow sounded shaken.
"I think we found them," Buffy whispered.
"That's an understatement." They looked at each other, and then began to giggle helplessly.
Now, a year after they'd arrived in Lothlórien, and nine months since they'd begun celebrating the Wheel of the Year, Willow sat waiting in her room. They were sharing a house with Arwen, who had insisted that she was glad for the company. She had become a dear friend, and they spent countless hours telling tales of their lives before they met.
Buffy bounced into Willow's room, full of energy. "Hey Wil, aren't we due for another special ritually thing?"
"Right," Willow replied. "According to the calendar I made, Beltane is tonight."
"So, what'll it be?"
"The purpose of Beltane is to usher in summer and celebrate fertility. Galadriel and Arwen asked if they could meet with us first."
"OK. Sundown, same place?" Buffy confirmed.
"Yep. Bring as many fresh flowers as you can gather."
When Buffy arrived at the riverside that night, arms laden with flowers, the first thing she saw was a stone circle with a strange powdery substance inside it. She laid the blossoms that she'd gathered nearby and noticed Willow standing in a grove of trees. Her friend was resplendent in a soft, white gown. Buffy noted that she'd trimmed the dyed strands from her hair, leaving a burnished reddish-brown fall that ended just past her shoulders. She'd had Willow do the same for her two nights ago, returning her hair to its natural, dark honey-blond color. She was also wearing a white gown, at Willow's request, and as her friend's eyes landed on her Buffy didn't miss the frank appreciation there. She felt herself blushing, which caused Willow to blush at being caught staring. Galadriel and Arwen turned to see what she was looking at.
"Well met, Buffy," Arwen said, smiling.
"Evening, ladies," Buffy replied as she approached them. Galadriel and Arwen, also dressed in white, shimmered with internal light in the growing dusk. "Are you going to join us tonight?" The two elves had been fascinated by their rituals, as well as the evidence of their new powers, and had sat in a couple of times. It seemed right, Buffy thought, having four in the circle: one for each element. And the elves had such radiant power of their own to add.
"Yes, dear," Galadriel spoke musically. "We have a small ceremony that we would like to add, if it pleases you."
"Yeah!" Buffy and Willow exclaimed together. They still felt so young and unknowledgeable next to Galadriel and Arwen. Especially The Lady, they were awed that she wanted anything to do with them.
Galadriel smiled at their enthusiasm. "Let us go now to my mirror. I would like this to occur before it is fully dark." They followed her, enjoying Lorien at dusk. At The Lady's signal, they all stepped up around the basin while she poured water in. Buffy and Willow exchanged a glance, wondering what was coming next. Her voice spoke suddenly in their minds. "Join hands and we will begin." When the four were linked, Galadriel began to chant out loud. "By the power of the Maiar and the Valar, by Elbereth Gilthoniel I entreat. Show me what I want to see." They looked into the mirror and the entire history of the elves was laid before them. It came as sudden knowledge that appeared in their minds, and as the images flashed, they knew the creatures and places depicted. The final set were of the three rings of power and the three that currently held each. Then the mirror went blank.
Arwen finally broke the silence. "We wanted to show you that we have taken you into our trust. Grandmother thought the best way was to give you all our sorrows and triumphs, all our secrets."
"We now call each of you elf-friend," Galadriel added as she reached out and touched them both briefly on their foreheads. "You are marked as such, and wherever you go elves will know this."
"And I call you both osellë, my chosen sisters," said Arwen as she grabbed their hands again.
"We have also decided to give you names that will identify you as beloved of the Eldar. Arwen has chosen them."
Arwen looked to Buffy first. "As you have discovered, the elves love to give things many names, and each name has meaning. I name you Aarien Telumehtar. Aarien means sun-maiden, you are not only born of darkness. Telumehtar means sky-warrior, and this is how you came to us." She turned to Willow. "I name you Taserë Kuruni. Taserë means willow tree, to remind you of your past. Kuruni means good witch. Never forget that you are." The two young women looked at each other with tears in their eyes and then pounced on Arwen, dragging her down into the grass with them. Then they stood and took Galadriel's hands.
"Thank you," Buffy said simply.
"This means so much to us," Willow added. "It's like we have a family again."
"You know it," Galadriel replied, trying out one of Buffy's favorite phrases. They all giggled.
Together, they returned to the stone ring by the river. Buffy cast a circle around the outside of it with flowers and Arwen passed out the candles. Willow muttered something and pointed to the center of ring, igniting a small, controlled fire within.
"You've gotten wicked good at that," Buffy complimented. She began to glance furtively at the sky.
"It's not going to rain like last time, that was Dracula's fault," Willow huffed. The four oriented themselves around the fire at cardinal points. "OK, join hands," she instructed. "Maiden Goddess and Keepers of the Elements, hear our humble plea. This circle cast is sacred. Only love shall come or go this night. We will it so." They all felt the energy building around them. "Guardians of Air, enter our minds and bring us clarity." She lit her candle.
"Guardians of Fire," Buffy followed suit. "Enter our hearts and bring us courage."
"Guardians of Water," Galadriel continued. "Enter our souls and bring us peace."
"Guardians of Earth," Arwen finished. "Enter our bodies and bring us healing."
"We meet in the time of flowering. We dance the dance of fertility and life. The fire purges our impurities and leaves us clean for new beginnings," Willow intoned.
"So shall it be," they all said together.
"What do you ask of the Elements?" Willow asked Buffy.
"Grant me the strength to forget what I'll never be and to love what I am."
Willow repeated the question to Galadriel. "Grant me the will to let go of my past, that I might face the trials ahead," she replied.
And then to Arwen. "Grant me the foresight to forge my own fate," Arwen whispered.
"Grant me the courage to leave my cell," Willow said finally. She passed around small loaves of bread and fruit, and they ate quietly, drinking from the river when they were done.
Then, Buffy and Willow called down their powers. They'd been working on it for months, and now the glow and intertwining colors were contained in a small dome above them. Galadriel called the power of Nenya, knowing it was safe within the circle, and flowers sprang up from the ground around their feet. Willow chanted at the flickering flames until they blazed into a bonfire, and as one they began to dance around it. They laughed and cried, and the elves sang eerie songs.
As the night wore on, they shed their clothing and whirled sky-clad beneath the stars. The mingled energies of the ceremony and their magicks left them feeling ecstatic. The rest of the universe faded away, and they were simply four women dancing together, duties and losses forgotten for one night. When dawn finally came, they slept curled around each other until the afternoon heat woke them. They rose and dressed themselves, and, after eating and drinking again, put out the fire and dispersed the circle. The wards that Willow had cast to protect them thus fell, leaving them visible to the outside world again. Reluctantly they embraced, not wanting this time to be over, and then left to rest in their own beds.