Gone

[cdybedahl]

So now we've taken our farewell of our beloved high priestess. First a non-religious open ceremony, and after sunset a proper ritual for all the wiccans who had been initiated by or worked for significant time with her. About two thirds were our coven, the rest included people who's split off from us to form coven of their own or who have gone solitary. On the magical side it was a bit on the weak side, partly because we were too many, partly because of the large proportion of "new" people and partly because quite a few of us had serious problems speaking clearly through tears. But it did its job, and it was very beautiful. We'd found a clearing right by a lake, where one could see no lights from civilisation. The sky was clear, so there was no reflection from the nearby city either. It was us, the forest, the lake and the stars. It was just below freezing, and we lit the clearing with torches and a bonfire. At one point in the ritual three times three burning arrows were shot out over the water.

Afterwards, we returned to the flat were her husband and children still live, and were we all have spent so much time. For a time, I knew their kitchen better than my own. Once there, we did what we know she wanted us to do. We ate, and drank, and laughed, and cried. We talked about the future, and what we will do. Because for us an era has ended. None of us who are left can be what she was. There are so many things that could go wrong for us now, but I think we can avoid them.

Time will tell.