Happy Birthday, ErrantTalisman!

Thank you for all your support. And I hope that this momentous year is full of moments worth treasuring!

From one writer to another, may your muse take you where you need to go and show you what you need to see so you can write what you need to write and be who you need to be.

Also:

Thank you so much BarrissOffee99 for allowing me to adopt Tathlan into the HP Marci-verse. My DMO feels more complete with his inclusion.

Chapter 13: Priestess Marci Has Arrived

Many moons ago…

I looked around Priestess Luna's cabin, hoping she was just hiding behind one of the large baskets, but all I saw was the standard Priestess furniture covered in dust and cobwebs. All of Priestess Luna's personal stuff seemed to still be in her moving baskets. I didn't even see her hurdy-gurdy out which made me sad.

When Priestess Luna's living quarters were all set up, they were like a trip around the world. Nearly every item she owned was a memento from her travels and they all told a story. I'd lost count of the number of times I had visited Priestess Luna and pointed to an object to get a new tale. I loved doing that. I wished…

"Priestess Luna?" a voice asked from outside. "Did you forget something?"

I turned back and opened the door.

There was a lanky, snow-blond, tan-skinned acolyte carrying a basket on his back and standing on the front porch.

Tathlan.

"Oh…Mar—" he stopped and corrected himself, "I mean Priestess Marci. Hello." He gave me an exaggerated bow and I saw that his basket was filled with white cloth.

I waved and smiled to let him know it was fine. I didn't expect him to be used to my new title when I was still trying to wrap my head around it. Priestess Luna had sometimes hinted I had the makings of a priestess and Mirana had declared it a few times, but there was a big difference between that and actually being one.

True priestesses were born with powers, but mine had come late. I was also the eighth priestess with divine powers when there were only supposed to be seven blessed priestesses every other generation. Selemene had told me not to worry about what this meant for High Priestess Lanaya and her quest, but I could see why people were scared and unhappy.

Because Tathlan was Priestess Luna's friend, he acted nicer than most. Instead of hurrying away from me, he asked, "Are you looking for Priestess Luna?"

I nodded. Selemene told me I needed to consult a priestess about my new duties and of course, I wanted to ask Priestess Luna.

"I am sorry, Priestess Marci, but Priestess Luna left right after the Blood Moon for a recruitment campaign."

What?

But…

"I hope your business wasn't urgent," he said, seeing my face.

It was.

This wasn't good. Who was supposed to teach me now?

Priestess Lyralei was the obvious choice since I was taking over her phase, but I had just broken her shooting arm and I was not sorry.

Priestess Rylai probably hadn't known who I was until recently. Now she'd be upset with me for becoming a priestess and forcing her to move cabins. Any instruction she gave would be full of sad poetry, weeping ice sculptures, and talk of her being ill-used.

Priestess Lina hated me.

Priestess Traxex didn't like talking and she really wouldn't like it if I followed her around all week to learn how she did her duties if she even did them. She might get special help.

That left Priestess Aiushtha. After Priestess Luna, she was the priestess who understood me best, but like Priestess Traxex, I wasn't sure if Priestess Aiushtha did any official priestess duties besides running the stables and sometimes leading prayers. Even if Priestess Aiushtha did do everything, I couldn't imagine her being a good teacher.

"I'm truly sorry I could not give you better news," Tathlan said, "but please excuse me. I must be going. May the goddess bless your endeavors, Priestess Marci." He bowed quickly and left.

May your endeavors be blessed by the goddess

I waved at his turned back. As one of the commune's caretakers, Tathlan kept odd hours. He was probably going to the nursery to feed a baby or do something else important and useful.

He wasn't abandoning me.

He was doing his job just like Priestess Luna. And just like I should be.

It was time to find another priestess to see if she would help me.

I had to.

The goddess was counting on me.

I went north through the many rings of cabins and tents, then past the lotus ponds, large moon-shaped temple, and another set of rings until I finally reached Priestess Aiushtha's cabin. Unlike Priestess Luna, she had not moved phases. Her cabin was the same as always, covered in vines and surrounded by weedy flowers. It was nice in a wild nature-y kind of way.

I reminded myself that its owner was the same, but my hand hovered in front of the door.

Did I truly want to bother Priestess Aiushtha?

Me being here on official business wouldn't stop her from telling me to go away if she didn't want me around.

Worse, she might tell me I was destined to learn from Rylai or Lina.

Or she might completely ignore me because she was busy.

I might not know if she did priestess duties, but Priestess Aiushtha did always seem to be busy with something and would show up in unexpected places. That meant she might not be here right now. Maybe she was already at the stables or deep in the woods or at her phase's dining hall.

That was an idea!

It was starting to get close to breakfast time and I was hungry. Maybe I could stop by and—

The door to Priestess Aiushtha's cabin disappeared and the deer lady priestess stepped out.

"Follow me," she said, moving too quickly on her four legs for me to argue, not that I would have. The priestess of the Waxing Crescent had to be one of Selemene's strongest priestesses. She might even be able to defeat Priestess Lina if she wanted to.

Priestess Aiushtha was powerful and beautiful and tall with her bold features, long auburn hair, and graceful half-deer body. Mirana claimed Priestess Aiushtha was actually all-human. And I guess Mirana would know since she and Priestess Aiushtha had similar abilities. But I was not so sure. Priestess Aiushtha's tail twitched like a deer, her hooves made click-clack sounds, and even left prints in the dirt. Nothing Mirana made did stuff like that.

Priestess Aiushtha was incredible. She did things, said things, that I did not think any other person could. I sometimes wondered if…

"I don't read minds," Priestess Aiushtha replied suddenly. "I'm just multilingual. You speak with your face. You're almost as fluent as a squirrel kit."

Thank you?

"No need to thank me yet," she said breezily. "We both know I am not meant to teach. You only came to me because dear Luna is gone."

It was not a question, but I nodded anyway.

"She's always on the run, never looking back despite herself." Priestess Aiushtha sighed. "But enough commiserating, we will have to carry on without her noble pusillanimity. And running is not a bad idea in our case. Come along. You'll want those extra 13 minutes to finish Lina's ribbons."

Priestess Lina's what?

But I did what Priestess Aiushtha said and I sped up to match her canter. I may not know what she was talking about, but I knew better than to doubt her. It was another thing about Priestess Aiushtha:

She could give really specific predictions and sometimes they were completely right.

Like when we first met, she said I was going to hurt my left arm in a mudslide while carrying a basket of blue and black mushrooms and an empty bee's nest on a quarter moon and I had!

17 moons later!

So, when Priestess Aiushtha led me to the door into her dark and smelly tree hollow potion workshop, I did my best to follow her without making a face. Luckily, she stopped and said, "Wait out here like a good human." Then she went inside and closed the door on me.

It took me two hours and my stomach trying to eat itself for me to decide that maybe I should knock on the door to check on things. It took another quarter-hour to actually knock on the door.

Priestess Aiushtha's head popped out on the second knock and her big eyes widened to become even bigger. "You're still here!" she cried, "I thought—Oh, oil spill!" She slammed the door in my face.

I let my hand drop.

Priestess Aiushtha probably did not mean anything by leaving me out here, forgetting about me, shouting at me, and slamming the door on me but…

It hurt anyway.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried not to cry. I knew Priestess Aiushtha might not want to help me. I knew she was busy and might ignore me.

I knew all that.

I should have gone to someone else. Now, Priestess Rylai was my only real option and she was going to be so upset when she realized that she was my third choice. I just knew she would start weeping about how unfair it was and it would be horrible, but Priestess Luna was gone. Priestess Traxex would have gone hunting by now. Priestess Lina and Priestess Lyralei didn't like me, so…

The door to the shed swung open with a clatter and a glass cylinder was thrust into my hand. "Here," Priestess Aiushtha said, "Feed that to the princess."

Huh?

I opened my eyes to look at the vial filled with dark green liquid.

What had she said? I should have been paying attention. People always hated it when I spaced out during them talking. But Priestess Aiushtha didn't get mad at me yet. She even tried to explain. "You know who I'm talking about. You should give this to Princess…um…Lookie-May? She's got blue…at least I think they're blue. It's hard to tell if you ask me."

Um…

"She also has a smart mouth and a smart mind, though…her mouth is smarter I believe," Priestess Aiushtha mused unhelpfully.

"Still nothing?"

I looked at Priestess Aiushtha, feeling like an idiot.

"I suppose it can't be helped." Priestess Aiushtha frowned which made me feel even stupider.

"Let's see. What else?" Priestess Aiushtha closed her eyes and tapped a delicate finger on her chin. "She has bay, liver chestnut, no black? Or you know, I think it's probably pink…and wings? Yes…she should have wings right now, well not right right now but later."

Pink?

Wings?

And a smart mouth?

Oh!

She was talking about Mirana!

"Springy!" Priestess Aiushtha exclaimed. "I'll see you later then." With that, she closed the door quietly this time.

May the goddess smile upon your deeds this night

I turned to leave and then the door swung open again. "Marci!"

I turned back.

Priestess Aiushtha knew my name?

"When you see Luna, tell her I was right. Again."

She slammed the door, opened it a fraction, and closed it softly.

I shook my head, feeling silly for crying earlier. Priestess Aiushtha was hard to understand, but she was rarely mean on purpose.

Someday I might even get used to her mysterious ways.

Maybe.

For now, I did what she said and walked back to the temple lotus ponds and found Mirana who was bigger than the other Moon Fae. I poured the green liquid on her.

Mirana's petals shook and flared so bright that I had to close my eyes.

"What was that?"

Mirana!

My eyes opened and I reached for the Moon Fae and gave my best friend the hugest hand hug.

"By the Mad Moon, what's going on?" Mirana cried as I rubbed her cheek with mine. "Marci, you're acting like I've been out for months. Selemene isn't mad at you, is she?"

I pulled back so I could shake my head.

"That's good at least. You've been on the job for…"

I held up three fingers.

"Three weeks?" Mirana guessed, but then she corrected herself before I could. "Wait, that's not...three nights? I've only been asleep for three nights?" she said, shrieking the last part. "How am I even up right now!"

I held up the empty glass cylinder.

Mirana narrowed her eyes. "What was in there?" she asked.

I shrugged.

"I can't believe you fed me some mystery liquid without my permission. Marci, you could have killed me!"

But I didn't.

Mirana was too tough for a bit of unknown liquid to do her in. She was a Moon Fae. And Mirana.

Mirana smacked my pointer finger. "Let go of me this instant, you shameless girl, and take me back to your place! I should hope that if you got me up it was because you needed me, so let's have it. What did you do now?"

I started walking and Mirana kept asking questions. By the time, I made it to my new cabin at the center of the Waning Half-Moon Phase, I had a lot to answer.

I found a stick and some dirt to draw out my responses. Half-through, Mirana asked, "Did you at least try the other priestesses before coming to me?"

I gestured at my drawing.

"I understand Luna's gone. But why did you go to Aiushtha next? What about Rylai? Even Traxex would be better. Did you talk to her?"

My eyes slid away from Mirana. She was right. I should have bothered more of the priestesses before waking a Moon Fae up. She had every right to scold me for interrupting her divine rest.

Instead, Mirana said softly, "Well…Aiushtha is a slacker when it comes to these things, but…she's not wrong. I am technically a priestess. Or at least I was in another life. So yes, I am perfectly capable and adequately willing to walk you through how to host a Dark Moon festival and all your other priestess duties."

Mirana!

But this time, she avoided my hand and said in her normal no-nonsense voice, "One hug is quite enough for this evening. We're on a tight schedule, Marci. There will be no more underachieving or ducking from notice, you understand? You're a priestess now. That means everything you do reflects upon me, Luna, the rest of the Dark Moon Order, and most importantly, Selemene."

I nodded, my jaw set. Selemene had put her faith in me. I did not want to disappoint her.

"That's more like it! First things first, let's get you properly dressed. You did the fastenings all wrong. After that, we'll need to…"

Mirana began to list out a seemingly endless amount of chores as we went into my new priestess cabin and got me dressed, but I didn't mind. In fact, I was smiling.

Just having my best friend by my side made the night feel brighter and she did stay by my side. All month, she instructed me and supported me in my many duties. It was hard work for both of us. We were up night and day. Priestess Aiushtha's mysterious green liquid became a good portion of our diet.

There was just so much to learn and do!

I needed to make a ton of decisions besides just setting the dinner menu and choosing who should lead prayers. I had to deal with disputes, help out with chores, learn and remember everyone's names and abilities to utilize them properly, work on my most ambitious tribute to Selemene ever, and train to not get killed in my rematch against Priestess Lyralei, all while I prepared to lead my first Dark Moon Festival.

I had never been busier or more determined!

Against all odds, I had been chosen by the goddess and I was still trying to understand what a huge blessing that was. I did not just have more of the goddess's attention and a nicer house. I felt a rightness in doing my priestess duties with Mirana.

My life was good!

I was happy!

And it was all because Selemene had given me this opportunity!

In honor of her, I promised myself that I would do my best to host a Dark Moon festival that my friends, my phase, and my goddess could be proud of!

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed this look back at Marci's past. I know I did. It was fun introducing two new characters: the Unnamed medic a.k.a. Tathlan and the enchantress a.k.a. Aiushtha. Tathlan as I mentioned comes from BarrissOffee99, but Aiushtha comes from the DOTA 2 game. I love her character design and it was fun figuring out how she would fit into HP Marci's mostly human world.

The deer-lady doesn't show up in many places on this site's fandom, but you can find her in ErrantTalisman's Ascension series which you should know by now that I thoroughly enjoy. Between its large and lovable cast, Marci, epic battles full of lots of variety, Marci, and intriguing plot and Marci, it's been a really fun read, and it has entered its final book this year. I think this latest one is my favorite yet! Marci, Mirana, and Davion are being put to the test and it's really cool to see. If you haven't tried or been sleeping on it, time to wake up and start reading and add a comment or two!

As for the other priestesses in HP Marci, they should also sound familiar to you guys since they too are DOTA 2 characters. I hope we will meet them all in time, especially the elusive Luna.

Once again, I would like to say:

Happy Birthday to you, ErrantTalisman!

Thank you for being my friend and allowing me to be yours.

As you would say, good luck with your endeavors (and I'll add: good luck on and off the page).