Imbolc

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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

[bellbound]

There aren't many free fae in attendance but they all make Mogget wary. Usually, they're the enemy. This one appears to be very good at playing along with human social niceties but he's also staying well away from Samantha, a tactic that has Mogget's approval. So why is he here?

He jumps up on one of the benches around the quad, green eyes alighting on the other fae. "Here's a new face. Sent by one of the Courts, I presume?"

He could be another familiar, Mogget supposes, but there's no visible sign of it. Usually there's something, like his collar, that proclaims allegiance.

[thelittlemerman]

The familiar's magic isn't very strong, but it's there, so Finnick feels him coming. The cat provokes mixed feelings of disgust and pity in him, so it takes real effort to smile calmly and bow his head in greeting.

"I am one of the few here from the Seelie Court tonight," he confirms, already careful with what he says. He's all but faded into obscurity in the minds of his higher lords, but some of the lesser lords remember him as a peer and like to bring him along as a buffer if they must deal with mortals. He's here of his own free will, ultimately, but it wasn't without a bit of coaxing.

[bellbound]

"On what business?" the cat asks.

Don't mind him, he's just being nosy. The fae before him has some potency but nothing overwhelming, so he presumes he's one of the lower-ranking fae. A foot soldier, perhaps, or a minor lord. Perhaps a diplomat given his pretty human face. Mortals are so often swayed by appearances.

[thelittlemerman]

Finnick remains aloof and smooth. "To see the new Mother of Witches take her place," he tells the cat, "same as everyone else."

The changing of seasons is significant to the fae as well, but they'll have their own celebrations on the equinox. This is purely to show courtesy to the witches of London, since the Courts think it might be nice to continue holding territory in the mortal world.

[bellbound]

"Of course," says Mogget silkily, "and now that she has taken her place, what will you do next?"

He pads along the flat surface of the bench, edging closer to the Seelie before pausing with his tail in the air. He does wonder what the fae made of Samantha's little speech. Do they have any idea what she has planned for them? Even he is only beginning to get an inkling of it.

[thelittlemerman]

Finnick has plenty of thoughts about Samantha's speech, but none that he's willing to share with anyone who isn't a Court Fae. He knows how to be careful with his words, how to get around his inability to lie.

"I suppose eventually I'll leave the party," he says, a wry smile creeping onto his face. "I may also stay and mingle a little longer; I haven't decided."

[bellbound]

Mogget is well used to these vagaries having employed all the same tactics himself over the years, so he isn't fazed. He sits down, regarding Finnick with sharp eyes.

"Not you. The Seelie. Perhaps you wish to make some sort of deal with the new Mother. Perhaps you have ill intentions. Or something in between, I suppose. Which is it?"

He's not being subtle about fishing for information, but there's no point as far as Mogget is concerned. Everyone saw him with Samantha; she was practically parading him around on her lap. So he might as well ask.

[thelittlemerman]

"I'm not privy to the conversations between the King and Queen and higher lords of the Seelie Court," he says, bordering on annoyed. "If the Court has any intentions regarding the new Mother, I'm not aware of them."

The familiar's presence makes him uneasy, but he takes a moment and composes himself, taking on the airy look of someone who's terribly bored. "You should find someone else to interrogate."

[bellbound]

"A pity." Mogget yawns, flopping down on his belly. "I fear that if I return to my mistress without any useful information, she may not be terribly happy. Perhaps you could point me in the direction of a better source among your peers."

He doesn't actually know how Samantha will react if he fails in his task, but this fae doesn't need to know that. He might not care that Mogget could suffer, but it's worth a try. Seelie are more likely to be the bleeding heart type.

[thelittlemerman]

Finnick laughs dryly. He knows this routine; he's done it himself. Guilting people by reminding them of the potentially harsh reality that a fae endures when they're bound to a witch. Finnick's more interested in protecting his own than he is in maybe helping this one familiar avoid a punishment.

"You'll have to be more clever than that."

[bellbound]

Yep, he doesn't care. Mogget can't say he's surprised.

"I'll see what I can do," he replies, not seeming at all upset.

He stretches out his limbs, waiting for the other fae to move on. In the meantime he'll continue to observe, listen in, and possibly find a more likely target to glean some news from.

[thelittlemerman]

Finnick knows the best way to avoid being tricked by another fae is just to stop talking altogether, so after a moment he moves to leave, only pausing when he's a couple steps away.

"I'm sorry, I never got your name."

[bellbound]

"Nor I yours," is the purred reply, the cat's eyes gleaming. Of course Mogget isn't going to give away his name for nothing. Perhaps the Seelie would like to offer his name first.

[thelittlemerman]

Finnick lets out another dry laugh and then turns to leave. He'll never give his full name to a mortal again, but his general rule is the less the witches know about him the better.

[bellbound]

They both know the power of a name. Mogget watches the other fae retreat, then goes back to scanning the crowd. He'll have to return to Samantha with something...