Forgotten Magick

Chapter 1: Fate. Pt, 1.

Introducing: The Magickal Prodigy, Celeste Cromwell.

Celeste shifted around in her bed, something about her memory foam mattress now felt rather uncomfortable. Empty even. She couldn't sleep to save her sanity, so instead the young girl wrapped herself in a soft blanket and perched herself on the window sill to look up at the night sky. She consulted her namesake as her eyes examined the celestial bodies, she had only ever felt this intense loneliness when she missed her late father. Naturally, that’s where her mind wandered, to the gentle giant that was her father, Titan Cromwell. Though she only knew him for a brief period of time Celeste made it a point every so often to re-enchant her old memories, to ensure she could never forget him.

Celeste smiled to herself as she closed her eyes and remembered the sunbathing ritual her father taught her, she was only eight and was already coming into her powers. They were wild and erratic but somehow he knew, this was what she needed most. It then became a small tradition for the two of them, every Sunday morning they would go together to the small river that divided the land between The Frost Fang Pack and her own coven and together bath in the sun. Celeste could hear her small voice chime “papa! I don’t like these oils! They smell icky!” it was the first time he introduced the anointing oils. His deep hardy laugh rang through her mind and heart as she delved deeper into the innocent memory “yes I suppose to your little nose black pepper, pine, and clove wouldn’t smell very nice. That’s why I brought you these, it’s chamomile, lavender, and juniper. These should help with your magick, my stars, they will help keep you calm and bring you inner peace on the days where everything feels out of control..” Celeste could still feel the tingling sensation in her nose when she smelt her first set of oils, for the rest of that morning her father taught her the different symbols to write on her skin, what they meant and what order they belonged in. “Remember this well, my stars, this ritual was created by our family. It will serve you well and one day bring you great joy. This ritual is what brought me the power to be able to bond with your mother, and bring you into this world” he said adoringly to her as his big calloused hands held her face gently. This memory brought her so much joy and comfort, she could stay in this memory forever.

Unfortunately for Celeste staying in that memory forever was not something her familiar Freesia would allow as a small black cat jumped up on her lap, nuzzling her little face against Celeste’s cheek. With a soft hand she combed her fingers through the cat's fur earning a delightful chirp, "hello little one... how are you my lovely familiar.." she mussed as she looked at the glowing yellow-green orbs looking up at her. The cat reached up and rubbed its face against hers yet again, Celeste couldn't help but smile and laugh. As Celeste entertained her playful little familiar, she heard whimpers coming from the warm spot in front of the hearth. Celeste got up and hurried over to her pet, a large silky gray Great Dane that she found and welcomed into her small family a couple of years prior. Celeste wrapped her arms around her dog as she buried her face into its neck, cooing at the animal trying to ease the exciting dreams he was having. "Shhhh... Luno, you're alright.. You're safe and home with me and Freesia.." Celeste continued to coo until she felt the large dog calm in her arms.

She had a soft spot for animals, ever since she could remember animals filled her home life. That was her mother's blessing, after all, she took care of the various familiars that accompanied the witches of the coven and animals always laid at her father's feet. It was one of her favorite memories of her childhood, sitting on her father's lap as he read to her in front of the fire as birds, dogs, cats and lizards alike piled around them. The memory was warm, welcoming, and precious. As Celeste laid down to spoon her big puppy, and Freesia settled herself on Celeste's hip, she could feel herself relaxing. No longer feeling lonely and empty, the stars she consulted for a brief moment indicated a great change but Celeste decided she would take a moment to worry about it in the morning. Now at least, in the soft glow of the fire and the comfort of her little four-legged family, Celeste was drawn to sweet dreams of her yesteryears while she snuggled into her father's embrace in her mind's eye while her body gave in to the serenity of peaceful sleep.

Sooner than she hoped morning had come for Celeste Cromwell, and as the sun-filled her bedroom Celeste could not help but stir. The feeling of the sun's light and heat invigorated her body, filling her with powerful magick, it was always hard for her to stay asleep when the sun rose. The first of her 4 blessings. Soon her face was assaulted by a large wet tongue. "Luno! I'm awake! I'm awake!! STAHP!!!" she pleaded with the joyous pup between bursts of laughter, surprisingly enough Celeste found herself well-rested even after having spent the night on the floor. Celeste checked her phone to see what her schedule for the day was like, to her surprise she had a day off. She hadn't had a day for herself in about 3 weeks, ever since the preparations for her inauguration as Supreme of the North-West Territories had commenced. A day off was not only welcomed but well needed.

Celeste got up and got ready for the day, there wasn't much she could do about her mane of wild curly hair except pin some back to keep it out of her face. the rest of her routine consisted of washing her face, teeth brushing and application of light makeup. only meant to highlight and enhance the abnormal eye color she loved so much, never in her life had she ever heard of anyone with pink eyes like her. A cat-eye winged liner to frame her big round eyes, and mascara to draw attention to her mystical irises. Next was dressing, since today was her day off Celeste was glad she didn’t have to dress in her usual formal attire. She knew that if she wanted all the respect the role of Supreme commanded she needed to dress the part as well which meant pantsuits, dresses, blouses, skirts, and high heels day in and day out. However, the only outfit suitable for her plans was a simple black bikini with a sheer red cover-up that had rose detailing on it with long sleeves that dropped off the shoulder.

Celeste admired herself in her floor-length mirror for a brief moment before taking up her crochet bag filled with oils, candles, dried herbs, and flowers. She turned to Freesia and Luno, with a big smile on her face she cheered "Who wants to go to the river?! WHO wants to go to the river?!" Luno immediately burst into a fit of zipping zoomies and booming barks before darting out of her bedroom as soon as the door was opened just wide enough for his head to fit. Freesia had bounded up onto Celeste's shoulder and sat there, perched like a parrot on a pirate's shoulder. "Luno! Calm down boy! we still have breakfast to pack!" Celeste commanded with hushed urgency. Most day witches, wizards, and guardians were still sleeping in the coven house and her soundproofing spell only went as far as the thresh hold of her bedroom door.

Luno calmed himself enough to where he giddily trotted beside Celeste to the kitchen, there she found a picnic basket and filled it with some boiled vegetables and beef for Luno, salmon for Freesia, and some overnight oats Celeste had prepared the night before along with some fruits and cheese. She also added some drinks, including a small bottle of red wine for herself. As she walked through the house to the front door Celeste passed through the lounge where she picked up a book on ritual and rites, adding it to her bag before leaving the coven house.

Celeste forwent the option to wear footwear, instead preferring the feeling of the earth beneath her feet instead of the soles of her shoes. As she walked through the coven's territory Celeste was welcomed by her people. She enjoyed watching the changing of the guard, as well as watching all the night witches go in for the day while those who basked in the power of the sun started to rise. Celeste could exist at any time, blessed by both the moon and sun she found company and strength at all hours of the day. Sometimes she preferred one over the other but her bonds to both never wavered. She wasn’t close to anyone person in particular, other than her mother or her mentor Supreme Zena, it was the unfortunate side effect of her position and standing. Even when she was young Celeste was always too busy training, too busy with lessons and learning to harness her powerful soul. It left little time for play, and whatever time she did have was spent with her doting father and caring mother. As she embraced the fresh dewy morning air, Celeste couldn’t help but notice a couple of girls with arms linked and sharing joyous giggles. Hit with a pang of loneliness, Celeste made a mental note that once she was finally Supreme to make an effort to make friends.

As she left the driveway of the coven house she heard an out-of-breath and worried voice calling her name behind her, Celeste slowed her pace and eventually came to a stop. Luno sat patiently at her heels as Celeste turned and smile at the young guardian who had just started his training "Jason! Nice to see you! How can I help you?" she spoke politely as the young lad caught up to her. Jason bent over to catch his breath, holding up a hand before saying "Chief Guardian Malik wanted me to tell you that if you have intentions on going to the river that you should probably stay clear, it seems for some reason the wolves have doubled their security around the clearing. We've even caught the Alpha coming close to the boarder a couple of times.." Celeste nodded while she smiled softly at the young lad before saying "well thank you for running all the way out here to tell me, and you can inform Malik that I'll still be going. Don't worry about me, I can handle myself. I am the next Supreme after all!" she chuckled while giving him a quick wink. Turning her back to him she waved as she walked away, Freesia perched on her shoulder all the while and Luno walking proudly by her side. Her figure shrank as she walked down the gravel road leaving the inner grounds of the coven house, before long she found her private path to the large clearing.

Celeste didn’t think anything of the werewolves' heightened security, the river itself was the border that divided the land, as long as she didn’t step foot on the other side of the river they wouldn’t have a reason to go after her. Unless the werewolves were looking to shatter the very delicate sense of peace their people had spent the last couple of generations to foster, however, that would have been very ill-advised. Perhaps Celeste had too much confidence in herself, it was bad for her ego, but what else would she think of herself seeing as she had been called a prodigy all her life.

However, as she arrived at the clearing Celeste was glad that the coast was clear, there was not a single wolf in sight. As she walked to the center of the clearing Celeste stopped to take a moment of peace, she stood with her back straight with her face to the sun. Her eyes were closed so that she could concentrate on her sense of touch to feel everything around; the gentle summer breeze, the warm hug from the rays of the sun, the cool dirt beneath her feet, and the dewy blades of grass between her toes. The sensations were incredibly grounding, bringing her mind forward to the present. Celeste also reached out with her sense of hearing, listening to the rustling sounds of nature around her. She could hear the soft movements of the small forest creatures scurrying about, the sweet music of the Chickadees and Song Sparrows, not to mention the gentle current of the river water as it carved its path through the forest. These were the moments that reminded Celeste about her third blessing and her deep connection with Maiden Earth.

After a few deep breaths, Celeste opened her eyes a new, immediately looking down to see Luno laying patiently at her feet with Freesia taking a quick nap on the back of her adorable pup. She was so glad her two animals got along, typically familiars were territorial over their masters and not liking it when non-familiar animals take time and attention away from them. On the other hand, Freesia had always been different from other familiars. Freesia had always been much more independent and free-spirited, the two would often go hours apart only for Celeste to be found by a fatigued and content Freesia who often brought her presents like herbs or potion ingredients. Celeste was thankful for her small family; her mother, Freesia, Luno, Zena, and Malik. Her life may have been stressful at times, but there was very little for her to complain about. Life was peaceful, organized, stable, and according to plan. Her only complaint was that, from where she stood, a love of her own was not part of the plan that Mother Moon had for her.

Celeste’s thoughts were brought back to the present when she heard Luno whine softly, she blinked a couple of times before giving her four-legged friends a soft smile as she announced "Alright Luno! have fun buddy! Don't cross the river and don't go too far okay? You too Freesia, its our day off! So enjoy it you two!" Not a second later did they wait. Freesia jumped from Luno’s back and they both made a spirited ruckus as they ran and leaped through the tall grass that lined the edge of the clearing. The happy, carefree, sight lifted Celeste’s spirit a couple of notches. With her animals now out and having their own fun, Celeste smiled to herself as she decided it was now time to relax for herself.

Celeste walked over to the riverside and found herself a nice patch of dirt that was just right to set up her things, the ground was completely flat not even an anthill bothered the smooth surface. She grabbed her picnic blanket from the picnic basket and laid it on the ground, she then grabbed four large rocks and weighed down the corners, and used the basket to weigh down the center. Celeste then took out the dishes she used to serve Freesia and Luno, as well as a plate for herself. One by one she took out her things and placed them all on the blanket, she filled the animals' food bowls with their respective meals before setting out her own food keeping it still covered as she wasn’t going to eat right away. She didn’t want Luno and Freesia to have to wait for her to eat, so she left their food out ready and waiting for them.

Once she was satisfied with her spread arrangement Celeste then fished inside of her bag for the three small bottles of oils, the dried herbs, and flowers she took. She then stood and untied the ribbon belt that held her cover-up shut, letting the decorate sheer slip from her arms and onto the blanket. Celeste took a stretched-out scrunchy from her bag before gathering up her hair into a messy bun, making a great effort to make sure her hair didn’t get to tangled as she didn’t want to deal with knotted curly hair. When she felt ready Celeste gathered her supplies in her arms and stepped into the river gingerly, letting her body slowly get used to the cold refreshing water.

The river wasn't very deep, only really coming up to her hips, but the river was rather wide at 12 feet across. Once she was situated in the water and comfortable with the temperature, Celeste found a large almost square-shaped rock and set her things down to start with the ritual. The first thing that needed to be done was purify the space and the self, which Celeste did by taking the bundle of homegrown purification herbs; White Sage, Amaranth, and Lemon Grass. She took the bundle in her left hand, she then raise her right-hand palm up and took a deep breath while closing her eyes all while she spoke clearly "spiritus fit vita, vita fit lux, lux fit ignis." At the end of her exhale Celeste snapped her eyes open to see a burning flame flowing comfortably, it felt like the first time she held baby Freesia when they had first met. Small, tender, and warm. Celeste held onto those warm, positive, feelings as she held the flame under the tip of the bundle; rotating it every so often to make sure all sides of it burned equally. Once the bundle caught flame Celeste closed her right hand and allowed the herbs to burn for a few seconds before blowing it out, letting long plumes of smoke rise and waft around her.

Celeste then began to move her arms and body, waiving the smoking herbs around methodically. First around herself, starting at the top of her head circling the crown three times before slowly moving down the different parts of her body that were above water; always being careful to waft the smoke in a circle three times with each new body part. All the while she called out “Father Sun I ask you to clear the darkness of doubt from my mind, Mother Moon I ask you replace that doubt with wisdom, Maiden Earth I ask you to take that wisdom and turn it to confidence, Celestial Bodies I ask you to help me harness the power at the center of confidence. I humbly ask for your guidance, so that I may lead with integrity and dignity.”

Once she had finished with herself Celeste began to move around in a circle in the middle of the river, again taking care to circle only three times. She kept a medium pace, making sure her steps were well-timed, as she did she spoke again. “Father sun I call your blessing to burn away any curse laid upon this land, remove the rot of hate and allow gratitude to grow. Mother Moon I call your blessing to heal the scars left behind by these curses, to bring upon it a new cycle of birth, growth, death, and rebirth. Maid Earth I call your blessing to purify these lands, take upon your Mother’s touch let it give you the strength to grow again better than before. Celestial Bodies I call upon your blessing to restore order to this land, to keep the cycles balanced and allow me the ability to protect the sanctity of that balance.”

Once her three rounds were complete Celeste rested the smoldering herb bundle on the stone away from the flowers, Celeste then moved on to the next step which was the oils. She had three and one by one she would put a few drops in her hands drawing various symbols on her body before rubbing them into her skin. First, the rose essence oil she used to draw symbols for beauty and intuition on her forehead, as well as symbols for love and peace on her chest. Next was clove essence oil, she drew symbols for courage and protection over her heart; letting the memory of her father fill her with strength as the smell hit her nose. Lastly juniper essence oil, she used it to draw symbols of purification and healing over the rest of her body. All the while she focused on the different smell, the slick feeling of her finger gliding over her skin covered in oil. Once all the symbols had been drawn on she turned to the sun and stood with her arms spread wide, leaning her head back until she felt the patterns become warm and tingling. That was her cue to rub them in, always working it in circular motions.

Celeste focused on positive emotions and thoughts while she massaged the oil into her skin, she even began to sing a childhood lullaby her mother and father sang to her. It was important during this part of the ritual to only focus on that which was good, dancing and spinning around as she sang to immerse herself more into the pleasant mood. These moments were important to her, small moments in time like those that she could take for her very own and use that time to take care of herself.

The final step of the rite, and the reason for the flowers, were her wishes. She returned to the stone and picked up the bunch of marigolds, seven stems altogether. One by one she took a stem between her fingertips, made a wish, and gently placed the flower in the water to watch it be carried downstream. Setting it out and letting it go into the hands of the divine. Celeste routinely chose marigolds for the wish-making portion, she had everything in the world she could ever want, so her wishes were mostly for the protection and good fortune of those she knew. Sometimes dedicating a single flower to a single person if she knew someone needed it most, however, she did keep one for herself. When she was done she was left with a single rose, she used this flower to wish for her consort. To will into existence, or even beg the divine, to find her someone. She didn’t care who, as long as they were honest and truly kind.

Celeste lingered on her wishing rose, as she thought about her wish. It wasn’t as if there was immense pressure for her to find a consort, many Supremes since the loss of The City of Blessings had ruled alone. The role was not for hereditary so there weren’t any real royal bloodlines that needed protecting either. Celeste did not know if her wish was better suited as a wish for self-acceptance and inner peace, but she couldn’t ignore the dreadful pangs of sadness she felt at every Imbolc Festival. The time of year where covens across the territory gathered to trade in different seeds, fruit, and baked goods. Though at the heart of the festival was the New Beginnings Ball, a dress to impress formal that served to introduce young witches, mages, and guardians in the hopes of finding their consort. The evening was always held in deep private forest land because it was not uncommon for the sky to be lit up with extraordinary light shows, as the two magicks merged together to form the string of fate between the people. It was always such a sight to behold. Your consort was someone whose magickal energy hummed at the rate as your own, perfect harmony between two souls, so it was rumored amongst the young girls of her coven that she was simply too powerful. Suddenly her role seemed less glamorous to them then. Part of her role as Prime, and soon Supreme, was to supervise this event and each year it became more bittersweet than the last.

Celeste dropped the rose, deciding to ask simply for these pains to end. After she watched the last flower flow down the river Celeste sat with her back against a warm rock, she couldn't help but yearn for tender company; to read to the one she loved as her father once read to her.

After having spent about another hour or so in the river, practicing meditation and mindfulness, Celeste, or rather her stomach decided it was time to eat. She got out of the water and as she grabbed her towel Celeste had noticed the animal's food had gone untouched, she chuckled as she shook her head and called out “Luno! Freesia!! Breakie!!!” it did not take very long for her furry family to come running. Soon they were all sat together, eating happily as Celeste decided to read to them.

Celeste stayed that way for a couple of more hours, at some point Freesia and Luno had run off again to which she simply read quietly. Suddenly her attention was pulled in two different directions, to her left loud rustling noises in the brush but to her right an out of breath and panicked Jason calling for her. Celeste decided to turn her attention to Jason, "yes Jason! I'm right here, oh! be careful!" she exclaimed as the poor boy took a face plant to the tough earth. he was so harmless, sweet, and kind that she worried for him about training with the stoic Malik. As she and Jason shared a quick laugh at his blunder Celeste couldn't help but feel a painful pull towards the wolf territory, she looked back with narrowed eyes to see if she could see anyone but there was nothing; to her knowledge, she had been alone this entire time. Celeste rubbed her chest gently as she noted the odd sensation, then deciding to think nothing of it as she smiled kindly at Jason. "How can I help you?" she asked politely, Jason gave her a formal salute before saying "I've been instructed to come check on you Prime, you've been here unsupervised for a few hours now. The Coven has been worried about your absence.." he explained to her. Celeste gave an exasperated sigh before shaking her head and responding "alright.. I'm coming, I do suppose its not great for the complexion to sit out in the sun for an exorbitant amount of time..."

Jason gave Celeste an apologetic smile, despite being younger than her by 5 years he seemed to have had a good handle on emotional intelligence. Jason had apologized for disturbing her, but to the community as a whole, Celeste was their shining star. Her gifts brought great pride to her people, they sought her out for wisdom and help and Celeste would never disappoint them. The last thing she wanted to be was a selfish leader, but it was evident to those around her that it took a toll on her at times. "It's alright Jason, I'm just sulking. I suppose I can still have a day off on the inner grounds of the Coven house" Celeste said trying to reassure the young guardian-to-be.

Yet there was still that aching pull in her chest, unsure of what pushed her to do this, Celeste had convinced Jason to take Luno for a long walk in the woods while she picked up her things. While she was left alone Celeste took a spare vial from her crochet bag and mixed a few drops of her three personal oils into it, also taking the blanket she used for her picnic, and with both in hand Celeste quickly crossed the river. Delicately hopping from one rock to another until she reached the other side. She set the blanket and vial down close to where she heard the noise and quickly ran back to safety, as far as she knew not a soul saw her. She noted the location in her mind and set to come back in the morning, if the items were still there she'd take them back. She didn't really know what she was doing in the first place but something in her soul told her to leave a piece of her behind. Celeste never being one to question these types of things simply complied with the urge, the stars had told her great change was coming, and as far as she was concerned her role was to act as a conduit for divine intentions. From there Celeste rushed to pack her things together, she wanted to make sure that Jason didn't see that she had crossed the border so she hurried to meet him at the edge of the forest line and proceeded to let him escort her back to the Coven house.

Celeste couldn't help but feel that aching pulls getting stronger as she walked away from the clearing, the unexplained good mood she had settled into slowly fading away and replaced by the hollow loneliness she felt the night prior. Freesia rubbed her face against Celeste's cheek, sitting perched on her shoulder as always, Freesia tried to comfort her but it could only help so much. Celeste wondered if this was what it felt like to be separated from her consort, which led to a separate more unexpected question; had she really just been so close to meeting her other half and had missed it?