A coven of a time

Reluctantly I jumped in my friend Abby's car.  I wanted to go, however I was unsure what would greet me.  Abby had told me it was nothing like the movies, there would be no blood sacrifice, dancing naked under the full moon and  brewing potions from a steamy hot cauldron.  I knew this I was a solitaire witch and had been for ten years.  What concerned me, was an old friend told me when he joined a coven it was all about having orgies under the night sky.

We arrived at the high priestess’s house.  It was a normal house in a quiet little street.  Upon entering the garden I noticed the flowers and the many colours.  We made our way into the backyard again there were flowers of many colours.  Which was unusual for them to be growing at this time of year. Though what stood out was the large tree.  It had twinkling fairy lights and lanterns hanging from it.  A table decorated in autumnal colours was under the tree.  A smell hung in the air, a sweet smell.  The high priestess came out into the garden.  “Blessed be my lovelys,” she said handing both of us a goblet.  “It’s mead.  I made it myself.  I like to add apple cider to it, as it stops it from being too sweet from the honey.”

I took a sip, it tasted so nice.  “The rest of the coven should be here shortly.  I have prepared a lovely meal, a nice stew.  I usually cook vegetarian, however I am the only one that doesn’t eat meat.”

With that I heard a woman’s voice call out.  “I’m here now, so let’s get this party started.”

A woman in her sixties entered, she had long gray hair and wore a beautiful blue long dress.  “Abby and Jill meet Lavender.  She started this coven and handed it over to her five years ago.  Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself, Jill,  I’m Lesley.  I do have a witch name however I never use it.”

“Nice to meet you both,” I said smiling sweetly.

With that a young man and older woman entered, neither was wearing any of the witchy garb.  He was in jeans and tshirt and she was in a green dress.  “This is Leah and her husband Mark,” Lesley said.  “Leah, Mark you know Abby and Lavender of course this is Jill.” 

Leah walked over and hugged me.  I was taken back at first, she then hugged Abby, Lesley and Lavender.  I felt comfortable in the warmth of the presence of this small group.

Lesley announced “Dinner is ready, please take a seat everyone,”

Lavender put her arm around me.  “I made the sweetest of desserts so please save room,” she said with a jovial tone.

Sitting down under the magnificent tree, I quickly fell into conversation.  “So that is why I am here tonight,” I explained.

Leah sitting to my left put her hand on mine.  “I’m sorry this has happened to you.  I believe even pain is a gift.  It gives you strength.  There are lessons to be learned.”

“Yes,  I have bad taste in men,” I said trying to sound as if I was joking.

Mark looked deep into my eyes “You will get over him, you will fall in love again. Sometimes with the wrong one, however you only have to fall in love once for the right one.”

“Thank you,” I told him.  

“Maybe it’s not time for you to get over him, maybe it is.  Tonight we will all try,” Lesley added.

The stew was tasty and I savoured every bit.  The meal finished and Lesley cleared up, not allowing any of us to help.  Desert came out and Lavender was right. The dish was the sweetest thing I had ever tasted.  In fact I broke my diet and had another piece.

More mead was poured and the conversation was filled with laughter.   Lesley got serious and announced that we should make an offering to the Goddess.  She took a goblet of mead and a small piece of the desert and put it under the tree.

“We offer this in thanks to the Goddess and her many gifts.  I thank you for the time I spent with my friends tonight and bringing a new one into my life,” Lesley said.

“I thank you Goddess for my many gifts and most of all I thank you for my grandson,” Lavender spoke up as she now was standing.

Leah stood up.  “I thank you for the gift of love, for those who I love now and one little one I will love in the future.”

Lesley hugged Leah. “A baby,  you are going to have a baby.”

Leah nodded.  Mark stood up and put his hand on Leah's stomach.  “I two give thanks for the child that will enter our lives.”

Abby was the next to stand up.”I give thanks for all the wonderful people in my life and for bringing Daisy into my life.”

I smiled when Abby spoke about Daisy and I knew she was concerned she didn’t feel the same as Abby.”

Standing up, I knew immediately what I was going to say.  “I thank the Goddess for my new friends, my old friends and lessons I have yet to learn”

With that we all raised our goblets and called out “Blessed be.”

We sat down as we finished our mead, except Leah who was drinking juice.

Lesley called us to stand closer to the tree and to join hands.  “Goddess we call to thee, please ease the pain of your beloved daughter Jill.”

Lavender repeated the words Lesley spoke, followed by Mark, the. Leah and Abby It was then my turn.  Goddess I do call to thee, please ease the pain of your beloved daughter, me.”

It was then I burst into tears,  Lavender put her arm around me.  I felt the warmth of her hug soothing.  The tears stopped and we all sat down on the grass to ground ourselves.  We remained silent for what seemed like ages.  I was not a person who sat still easily.  We all came out of the meditation, Lesley got up and asked if we would like some herbal tea.

We all sat chatting as we drank our tea.  For me the pain remained, however I still had found hope was with me.