Imbolc

[undergroundmods]

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The festival of Imbolc marks the end of winter and the coming of spring. It may not seem like it, but the days are getting longer and winter's grip is beginning to thaw. What better time to celebrate new beginnings and make a fresh start?

That's exactly what the witch community is doing, as Samantha Okeke takes her place as the newly anointed Mother of Witches. The event is being held at the Redbright Institute, courtesy of Sylvia Redbright the previous Mother, and will take place entirely outside. Carefully placed warming spells ensure that the air temperature in the grounds is comfortable rather than freezing.

The event begins at 5pm (after sunset at 16.52) and finishes at 8pm.

Order of Events
5pm-5.30pm: Flowers and Candles
The first half hour allows time for guests to arrive and mingle. The main area where guests will arrive first is the lawn and pavilion. Here there are two stalls selling a variety of early spring flowers and candles. A third stall is selling hot drinks where you can buy tea, coffee or brandy, a fourth is selling a variety of fruitcakes, cupcakes and seed cakes, and a fifth is doing excellent business selling plant pots filled with earth blessed by the new Mother of Witches and a variety of plant seeds. A sign on the stalls proclaims that all proceedings will be used to fund a new centre for magical innovation, sponsored by the Mother of Witches.

At the pavilion there is an altar where guests are encouraged to light their candles, lay down their flowers and wish for good health in the year ahead. It is also traditional for young witches to wear flower garlands, so expect to see a lot of flowers around in general.

5.30-6.15pm: The Mother of Witches
At around 5.30pm there will be a ceremony where Sylvia will officially pass on her crown as Mother of Witches to Samantha. Guests will be ushered through to the quad to witness the ceremony. A podium has been set up in the middle of the quad where Sylvia will wait for Samantha to arrive on a raised chair carried by four male witches. Wearing a white dress with gold lace trimming, Samantha represents the purity and fertility of the upcoming spring.

It's then time for Sylvia to symbolically hand over her power by giving Samantha her wand and setting a crown of jasmine flowers on her head. The final act is for Samantha to light the candles that have been placed around the podium, a symbol of new beginnings.

She will then give a speech, addressed to the witches of course, but she is aware that there are others in the crowd who will be interested in what she has to say.

6.15-7.15pm: Offerings
Samantha will be sitting on the raised chair which has now been set down on the podium, flanked by the four male witches. A small white cat sits in her lap. Now is the opportunity for all guests to bring gifts and offerings for the newly anointed Mother of Witches. Every coven will nominate a representative to present a gift and say a few words. It would be courteous for guests from other factions to do the same, though not everyone will.

In the meantime, the gardens are open for guests to wander around with fairy lights strategically placed to help guests find their way.

7.15-8pm: Mingling
The remainder of the event is open for guests to mingle as they please, with the quad, front lawn and gardens all open. The stalls will be selling food, drink and other wares right through to the end of the evening.

Comments

[stauncherhearted]

There were a few reasons Nancy was here tonight. One of which was that this was the sort of event Cooper was expected to be at, and subsequently, she now was, too. The other was because this was the Mother of Witches, and, well, she was a witch. It just seemed right that she go.

All night, she'll mostly be with Cooper, occasionally ducking off to get another drink, or something to eat. When the moment arises, she's taken care to place flowers at the altar, to light candles. This year was going to be better than the last- she still remembered how around this time last year she'd woken up in the hospital. Now, she woke up in a giant bed next to the man she loved. What a difference a year made.

[knowntohisfriends]

The Dodger may have just snuck along as he followed Nancy. He was fairly certain that no one would like one of Fagin's lot at a do like this, but eh, he was bored and the party look right fancy. He wandered up to her, grinning.

"So, what we thinking of doin' then?"

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy, drink In hand, fixes Dodger with a look. "we aren't thinking of doing anything. This isn't a place to try anything." She knows he'll steal. He's a kleptomaniac just as they were all raised to be.

"what are you doing here anyway?"

[knowntohisfriends]

The Dodger just shrugs in response. "Got to be somewhere an' this looked right nice." Fagin still hasn't turned back on the heating yet, and more than himself were skipping into parties to look for heat - though he was the only one of the group here.

"Ain't gonna do nothin', Nance, yer worryin' for nothin'."

[stauncherhearted]

Thank goodness he was the only one of the group here. They'd been on Sylvia's radar since her trial, and she was intent on keeping them as much out of it as she could. She wanted them safe. And keeping them out of it was perhaps the best way, for now.

"Alright, I don't need any extra attention." And she was being noticed. "The new Mother hates me enough as it is, anyway." She rolls her eyes and takes a hard sip of her martini.

[knowntohisfriends]

"How come?" He can't help the question, looking around as if to see if he can see the new Mother somewhere. Probably could, maybe, if he was bothered to, but it's more just out of habit. "Ain't goin' to do anythin', told you."

[stauncherhearted]

"Apparently I'm a traitor." She rolls her eyes, like it's no big deal. "Living with Cooper, choosing him over some witches that never did anything for me. Like they expected me to come crawling to Daybreak after they did so much to hurt me and my friends." Loyal and stubborn, two of Nancy's premiere traits.

[knowntohisfriends]

"So they're soft in the head?" He shakes his head. "Never c'n trust people what get people running around fer 'em."

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy gives him a bit of a look. They were the people running around for other people. He should realize that.

"I'll say."

[knowntohisfriends]

Oh, he knew. And could you trust Fagin? Not at all.

"So, which one is she then?"

[stauncherhearted]

"The one being honored tonight. Pretty woman, in her thirties, got a few wrinkles around her eyes. You'll have a hard time missing her." Seriously, this part was for her, after all.

[knowntohisfriends]

Yeah, but he wasn't exactly bothered about who the party was more. He was more here to get some heat, eat what he could, and have a few drinks before anyone kicked him out. If he got kicked out. He could be kind of respectable if he felt like it.

"Oh. right."

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy gives him a pointed nod.

"Yeah- I've got a gift for her, trying to be polite for Cooper's sake. But she's awful."

[knowntohisfriends]

"What level of awful we talkin' about?"

[stauncherhearted]

"Well, she called me a traitor and said witches like me aren't even considered witches anymore. She seems so... fake."

[dirtyredneck]

Very few things would make Daryl break bobcat form anywhere public tonight. Nancy was not one of them. So instead of being his usual brooding self, he padded over to rub against her leg as she made the rounds through one of the quieter parts of the garden. A quick greeting that did not invite further petting, but would definitely get her attention.

[stauncherhearted]

This was not a normal occurrence. Normally, bob cats didn't live around here. Or come up and rub against you. Truthfully, Nancy had no idea what a bobcat was, so to her, there was a very large, very pretty cat rubbing up against her.

Obviously, she was going to try to pet it.

"Hullo there, kitten." Because she talked to cats on the regular.

[dirtyredneck]

Daryl moved out of her reach, giving a low growl at the name. Then waited until she straightened up to go back and bump into her legs again with what could be affection on any other cat. His much shorter tail swinging wildly.

[stauncherhearted]

Okay then. Nancy gives the cat an odd sort of look.

"What's wrong?" Then, because she was a witch, and things like this happened: "Do I know you?"

[dirtyredneck]

He moved off to the side and sat down for a second. Stared at her. Debated with himself if he wanted to drag her off somewhere more private or not... then rolled over onto his back and lifted his paws towards her, pulling them back at the last second to rub his own head.

When in doubt, look cute.

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy gave the bobcat a curious sort of look. "...alright, so I do know you? How about you nod if I do."

[dirtyredneck]

Daryl rolled back onto his paws and sat up again. Then he very deliberately, and slowly, nodded his head. She knew him. And he knew her. He just wasn't going to talk to her openly. Not here. Not with so many witches.

Of which she was sort of included, but at least he knew of her and had talked to her before. Better than the sea of magic holders that he didn't know at all and who would go after him if they did realize he wasn't attached. It wasn't a normal fear, but at gatherings like this, it was a paranoia he just couldn't shake.

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy nods her head. "Alright, lovely. Hullo, then." She raises her glass towards the cat. "Good to see you."

Don't worry, Daryl. She's not looking for a familiar right now. She's got Juliet, and that's enough for her.

[dirtyredneck]

That settled, he moved back to stand near her feet and start walking in a slow circle around them. Eyes moving around to watch for any perceived threats. Or anyone interrupting. Mostly he just needed someone to watch out for to help set his own mind at ease when the entire affair was unnerving. Too many witches being too familiar happy.

Don't mind how he brushes against the back of your shins too much, okay? He's only 43lbs of sheer muscle leaning into your legs, Nancy.

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy's been face to face with 200-pound werewolves and didn't flinch. That had been Bill, and he had always been a special case. He'd listened to her, even as a wolf. Like she alone had some sort of effect on him. She knew, however, this wasn't the case at all with Daryl, though it was clear he retained his human intelligence.

None of this, however, stops her from appreciating how he feels against her. He's soft, but she can feel his muscles moving. It's astounding. Cats are astounding.

"I'm alright," she tells him- Juliet did a similar thing whenever she returned, making sure she was alright. "Cooper's here with me."