#bless salix

[lailoken]

River-Blessed Willow Wand (Sold)

This is a Wand I constructed from a bough of Twisted Willow (Salix matsudana) that I am selling for $55 + Shipping. It measures approximately 19.5 inches/49.5 centimeters in length.

It came to me, along with a couple of other pieces, during the course of working a ritual that took place in the shallows of the River that nurtures our land. Almost directly after closing the rite, having just thanked the River Spirit I was working with, they floated directly into my legs and then drifted onto the bank. I felt the hand of the River—She of a Thousand Arms—in the appearance of these willow specimens, and when asking through divination about the matter later, I was given leave to craft them into Wands, that they might find their homes with the proper individuals.

Having dried and cured this length of wood, I next went about debarking and sanding the piece entirely by hand. Once the wood was suitably smoothed, I then gave it a traditional white-washing treatment to accebtuate the already pale, bone-like quality of the wood. Finally, the piece was sealed with my personally devised Wisefool's Glaze (a consecrated wood varnish made using a number of potent arboreal resins, such as Storax, Dragon's Blood, and Black Frankincense,) polished with my personally developed Wisefool's Oil (a Hallowed Oil infused with a variety of extremely powerful ingredients, which also happens to serve as a wonderful wood conditioner,) before it was fumigated with a mixture of Cedar and Waybread Leaf I gathered from the banks of the same River which consigned the wood to me.

Between the beauty and virtues of Willow and the special way in which this piece came to me, I think it will serve as a lovely wand for whomever is meant to end up with it. Anyone who is interested in purchasing this piece can reach out to me here, or can purchase it on my webshop; Wending Wares Occult Parlor. (If you live outside the US and are interested in this piece, I suggest reaching out to me here, as I have trouble getting Shopify to not overcharge for international orders.)

[wynchecraft]

Happy Palm Sunday, y'all!

Palm Sunday, known in Russian as Willow's Sunday (Вербное воскресенье), celebrates Jesus's arrival in Jerusalem. Instead of palm branches, Eastern orthodoxy celebrates with pussy willows, i.e. believers will take willow branches to church today in order to have them blessed and to keep them on their personal altars.

The eponymous tree (Latin: salix) and its sap have been known for its healing powers since ancient times and its derivatives appear in even the most basic skin-care and beauty products in local drug stores today (ever heard of salicylic acid?).

Yesterday, I was walking around my neighbourhood trying to find branches of salix acutifolia, the long-leaved or sharp-leaved willow. Passed down through Christian esoteric superstition, this particular kind of willow lends its name to the holiday and is also personified as a patron goddess of Mordva people: Varma-ava (Варма-ава).

"[...] In the ocean-sea stands a black island; on that black island stands a white stone; on that stone stands a chestnut stallion; on that chestnut stallion sits a red maiden with sharp blades, with sabers and with spears, chewing out and piercing all kinds of maladies, [...]."

The passage above, from a Russian-language invocation of the wind, doesn't acknowledge her explicitly, but she is visualised here and in other spells as a "red maiden." Here and elsewhere, the colour red stands for the deep red branches and twigs of s. acutifolia, while the enumeration of sharp cutting tools ("blades," "sabers," and "spears") evoke the sharp, thin leaves of this particular willow's foliage.

Wishing y'all a pleasant holiday, stay safe + healthy g2g pick willow branches now.

[evilittlecrow]

8!!!

8. If you could have a crossover between two shows what would it be ?

Hum this one is kind of hard cause I feel blessed with having a bunch of crossovers that already exist between some of my favorite shows (The Amelia Project, Forgive me which has a lot of crossovers, Greater Boston...)

I'm not actually quite sure of my answer but I'd say probably a crossover between gather the suspects and a fantasy podcast, maybe such as Alba Salix ? I wonder what that would look like

[cinlat]

Who’s Your Daddy?

Word Count: 1,396 Thanks to @tishinada​ for letting me borrow Zas for this harrowing moment! And to @dimigex​ and @kunoichi-ume​ for encouraging my nonsense!

Isashi sipped her tea, reveling in the peace of a world where no one needed her to fix anything. The company house’s proprietor was a talented craftsman and could always be found in the lower levels tinkering with something new. His wife had recently gotten the itch to redecorate again, making it the third time in as many moons that Isashi had walked into the building and wondered if she had the right place. Add that with the myriad of other talents within the company, and Isashi had a haven where her laziness wouldn’t be noticed.

“How does it feel being back in Ul’dah?” Zas asked the young miqo male who’d accompanied her as of late. 

Isashi took another sip and surveyed the boy over the rim of her cup. He couldn’t be long into manhood, with full cheeks and not a scrap of hair on his chin. There was a wide-eyed innocence to him that had likely tugged at the older adventurer’s heart. From what little Isashi had heard, Zas had rescued the boy from a band of Ixali somewhere in the Shroud, and the two had become inseparable. 

Salix, as Isashi had been introduced when she joined the duo in front of the hearth, nodded with enough enthusiasm to bobble his ears. “It feels…right.” His dark eyes sparkled as his chest expanded in a deep inhale. “It smells right.”

“Will you tell us of your family?” Isashi asked, settling into the plush cushions of the common room. Their company house wasn’t large, but well furnished and inviting.  

Salix’s midnight skin darkened around his ears in what Isashi assumed was a blush. The youth didn’t appear to be fond of any sort of attention, looking to Zas for rescue that the older adventurer refused to give. Likely, the elezen archer had been working on teaching her young ward to stand on his own. Though, if Isashi had to put gil on it, she’d guess Zas had done her fair share of interventions for him too. The woman was as hard a fighter as Isashi had ever met, but with the soft center that she herself lacked.

Digging in his jacket, Salix produced a small, wooden figure that looked like it might be a gladiator once there was more than a head and torso carved from the block. “It’s big,” the boy said, talking more to the figure than Isashi. A small knife followed, then a cloth draped across his lap much like his mentor usually did. “I’m the youngest of ten, the first nine were girls, and—”

“Bloody hells, that sounds like a right nightmare. Heya, Sashi.” Kirin trumped up the stairs, shaking sawdust from his pants with each step. The former pirate went straight to the bar and made himself comfortable next to the ingredients for his favorite mixed drink.

Isashi watched Kirin in silence, waiting to see if the miqo’te had any other pearls of wisdom to share, then motioned for Salix to continue. The boy swallowed, keeping his eyes on the older male while he spoke. “It, uh, it wasn’t bad, most of the time.” He shrugged and went back to his whittling. “It was family.”

Kirin leaned over the bar, banging around with his back to the rest while he searched for a mixing flask. He wasn’t a member of their free company, but he and Isashi had been friends since close to Salix’s age. So long as he helped when the owner requested it, Kirin was allowed to stop by to shelter from whatever storm plagued him. 

“Did you have a favorite sister?” Zas asked as she worked on the strings of her bow.

There was a marked difference in Salix’s responses to the elezen than to anyone else. He straightened in his chair, ears flicking forward. “Osi was only four months older than me. We played together until she was old enough to hunt, but she was always kind.”

“What of your mother?” Isashi was curious about the sole woman in the tribe bearing a boy. Did she protect him from the pecking of older sisters, or did she train him to leave the village from an early age?

Isashi knew of traditional Miqo’te tribes. Matriarchal societies allowed a single male to sire children until they were done with him. Then, he moved on, and the women resumed their normal routine while raising the next generation. 

A note of sadness entered Salix’s tone, and he cradled the figure closer to his chest. “Her name is C'seife. I look like her, not a hint of my dad in me, according to her.” Salix looked up, mouth open to add more, when Kirin opted to rejoin the conversation that he hadn’t been invited to.

“I once knew a lass by the name of C'seife.” Kirin turned around and propped his elbows on the bar, sipping contentedly from his glass. “Ain’t thought o’her in years. Met her in Ul’dah shortly after leaving me crew.”

Kirin’s head tipped to one side as he studied the boy. “Come t’ think of it, she looked a might like you, boy. Dark on dark, with eyes as big as the moon.” He sighed dreamily and took another sip. “That was a night to remember. Ain’t met another like her since, this would’a been, well shit, twenty years back?”

Isashi saw Zas’s brows raise a hair before hers followed. Salix’s mouth snapped shut with the click of his fangs. The only one among them to not grasp the implications of Kirin’s boast was the man himself. That struck midway through his next drink and sent the prized mixture sputtering in a fan before him. Thankfully, Isashi was out of range.

Wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, Kirin’s eyes narrowed at Salix, who appeared to be rooted to his seat. “Nah,” Kirin half growled, then his ears dipped. “Unless…but that—” He shook his head and glared at the poor boy frozen in place

“How old are you, Salix?” Isashi asked, softening her tone for fear that the lad might bolt if anything moved too quickly. His answer was muttered, but there was no denying that the dates matched. Isashi turned a scrutinizing gaze upon her long-time friend. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Kirin, whose ruddy complexion had darkened substantially, rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, can we all just admit that we’re more surprised this hasn’t come up sooner?”

“You can’t be—” Salix blurted in an uncharacteristic shout. His jaw hung open, eyes wide with either horror or hope. “My father was killed in the Shroud. He—he was pale with red hair. A renowned warrior. He—” Salix ran out of steam, then sank back into his seat. 

Isashi let the boy process in his own way while she continued to stare at Kirin. She’d always loved the pale blue streaks distinguishing Kirin’s green hair, though she’d never give the man more to preen over than he already did. That same blue dominated most of Salix’s close-cropped style. It was the only resemblance that Isashi could find until the boy looked up at the man who might have truly fathered him. “Do you think?”

Kirin shrugged and swirled his drink. “I’ve known a lot o’ women, me boy. Yer mother very well could’a been one of 'em. Now that I see ye better, there’s no doubting that ye’ve got her eyes. She was a hell’ov’a hunter. We met in the Saphire Market.” Kirin looked into his drink, then sighed and set it on the bar. “What say I buy ye a proper brew, lad?”

And then Isashi saw it. The smile that exploded into existence brightened Salix's features in an almost mischievous way. The crinkle around his eyes turned him from gangly youth into dashing rogue. “Bloody hells,” she breathed, catching Zas’s startled expression. The bard had seen it too, having known Kirin long enough to rebuff his flirtations. While Kirin’s smile was sly and seductive, Salix’s was joyous and pure, but their shape was the same. 

Isashi needed no other proof. Her bastard of a friend, the man who’d slept with her husband years before they’d met, who irritated her to madness, the same man who’d cared for her through Haurchefant’s death, then gotten himself abducted by his own pirate crew, that man was now a father. “May the gods help us.”

[godsliltippy]

🌻🍄🧡 When you get this, please respond with five things that make you happy! Then tag five people to keep spreading the positivity.

💛💛💛 This is wonderful!

Five things that make me happy:

1. My family :3

2. My friends XD

3. Kittens

4. My shows and all the content we get to create

5. Ice cream 🍦

I don't talk about this nearly enough, but God has blessed me with many things to be happy about in the midst of life being as messy as it is. I'm truely grateful for the little things that add up into one big hug that says I'm loved 💛

Tagging @sempaiko @gaviiadastra @gumnut-logic @squiddokiddo @katblu42 @willow-salix @myladykayo @tsarinatorment

[dragonoffantasyandreality]

Warmth

Just a cute little mini fic I wrote about Alan and Scott. Basically, bless Allie.😁

You can also read it in AO3 here.

Takes place in TOS.

@uniwolfcorn @myladykayo @willow-salix @skymaiden32 @dreamycloud @mothmandalore @teapotteringabout @the-original-sineater @cg29 @janetm74 @avengedbiologist

-0-0-0-

There's many things that can put Alan to sleep. A lullaby, after some time stargazing, exhaustion from a rescue... and warmth.

This day was no exception.

Alan announced he'd take a long shower, after a stressful but successful rescue.

Scott, knew what would come next. And as if his time has come, he went to Alan's room to check on him half an hour later.

Entering the room, he noticed Artemis sleeping fondly in his enclosure. And no sign of his little blonde brother.

This could mean one thing...

Off to the en-route bathroom, the shower was still running. Scott pulled away the curtain and he finds Alan laying on the bottom of the basin, snoring underneath the jet stream of steaming water.

Bless his heart, Scott smiled.

It wasn't the first time it happened and it won't be the last.

Big brother Scott fetched a body sized towel and turned off the shower. Alan mumbled in protest but didn't bother shifting from his nap.

Quickly but gently, he wrapped his brother up to keep him warm while the steam was up in the air. All the while, Scott was drying him up, including the time spend on the blonde hair.

He thought he saw tiny slits of blue behind closed eyelids. Too sleepy from the warmth of the towel and Scott's arms. As soon as his little brother was wrapped in a partially wet yet soft and warm cocoon, the young blonde subconsciously laid his head on his big brother's shoulder. Towards the all too familiar warmth.

The eldest carried his little brother back to his room. Humming a song, warmth of his voice and heart made little Allie curled closer to him.

Unfortunately, Scott had to let him go on the bed if Alan were to peacefully sleep. He didn't bothered to remove the towel, knowing all to well what is like to be on a receiving end of a pouting naked little brother who's got his "cocoon" taken away.

He watched Alan curled up in his towel, gently sighed in content as his mind drifted further into slumber. Then, Scott leaned to give his little brother a warm kiss to the forehead, before leaving him be, in the warmth of his cocoon, knowing he would wake a happy blonde butterfly the next warm morning.

[missouri-witchcraft]

Willow Correspondences & Associations

There are many different types of willows, so we'll do a speedrun of the common and native sorts in Missouri.

Native:

salix amygdaloides (peachleaf willow)

salix caroliniana (coastal plain willow)

salix eriocephala (heart-leaved/missouri river willow)

salix nigra (black willow)

salix sericea (silky willow)

Common:

salix babylonica (babylon/weeping willow)

salix discolor (american pussy/glaucous willow)

salix exigua (coyote/narrowleaf/sandbar willow)

ASSOCIATIONS

Animals

bee

crane

deer

dove

hare

hawk

owl (snowy)

Comets & Planets

Moon [especially bark, white, white bark, wood]

Neptune

Venus

Deities & Figures

Artemis (Greek)

Athena (Greek)

Belenus (Celtic)

Brigid (Irish)

Ceres (Roman)

Cerridwen (Welsh)

the Dagda (Irish)

Danu (Irish)

Demeter (Greek)

Diana (Roman)

Hekate (Greek)

Hera (Greek)

Hermes (Greek)

Horned God (Wiccan)

Ishtar (Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian)

Juno (Roman)

Loki (Norse)

Luna (Roman)

Mercury (Roman)

the Morrigan (Irish)

Osiris (Egyptian)

Persephone (Greek)

Poseidon (Greek)

Proserpina (Roman)

Ran (Norse)

Rhiannon (Welsh)

Saturn (Roman)

Selene (Greek)

Skadi (Norse)

Thanatos (Greek)

Thoth (Egyptian)

Triple Goddess (Wiccan)

Zeus (Greek)

Elements

fire

water

Entities

elves

fae

Helike (Greek)

spirits

spirit guides

water sprites

Genders

femininity [especially wood]

masculinity

nonbinary genders

trans femininity

trans masculinity

Zodiac Signs

Aries

Capricorn

Pisces

Sagittarius

Taurus

CORRESPONDENCES

adaptability

adjusting to new situations [leaves]

afterlives/otherworlds

astral travel

attraction

attraction of love

beauty [wood]

bereavement [bark, leaves]

besoms/brooms

bewitchment

binding [especially white, white wood]

blessing [especially white wood]

breaking spells

business blessing [bark, leaves]

calming

change

cleansing [especially bark, red, red bark]

clearing [red bark]

combination

communication [especially white]

concealment

conjuring spirits [white bark]

consecrating

courage

creativity [especially white, wood]

death

divination [especially white, wood]

dowsing [especially branches]

dream work [especially white]

dysphoria relief

empathy

empowerment

enchantment

energy [especially black wood]

enhancing energy [black wood]

fertility

funerary practices

gentleness

glamours

grief

growth

harmony

healing [especially bark, black wood, white bark, white wood]

health

home blessing

inspiration [especially white]

intuition [especially white]

knowledge

learning [especially wood]

love [especially white, white bark]

meditation [red bark]

melody

mental clarity

mental focus [bark]

mourning

peace

personal empowerment

potions

prophecy

protection [especially white]

protection from evil [especially white wood]

protection from malevolent spirits [especially bark]

protection from negativity [especially bark, white wood]

psychic abilities [especially white]

psychic work

purification [especially red bark]

rain magic

recovering from loss/sorrow

renewal

repelling love [decayed, rotted]

rites of passage [white]

scrying [white]

secrecy

sex

sexuality

shapeshifting

slowing healing [decayed, rotted]

spirit communication

strength [especially white]

tranquility

turning a situation around

warding off evil

warding off negative energy

weaving

wishes

[weathergirl8]

Mental Health Is A B!%&#

- Major Depressive Disorder

- Generalized Anxiety Disorder

- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

You all have heard me use the words depression, anxiety, and OCD. These three disorders are the official names of my mental health battle. I saw my first psychiatrist Tuesday and she confirmed that these three are the ones calling the shots at the moment.

This has been an uphill battle and one that isn't even close to being finished yet, but on a day where I'm feeling some positivity and hope I just wanted to share it!

We're changing up my meds and hoping that with therapy and regular psychiatrist visits we will get this under control.

I have been working tirelessly to pull myself out of this darkness that is without fail exhausting EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I am entering my third week of a reduced work schedule. I feel very blessed to work for a company that I do. My normal day-to-day life with mental health included consists of working at least 8 or 9 hours a day at the bank, doing my required responsibilities for the weather page I forecast for, and then complete required school work. I've been drowning. My bosses took note along with my HR lady and they approached me with a temporary fix. At first, I was going to apply for short-term disability, which in itself was a stressful and anxiety-induced process. However, President Biden passed more Covid legislation and within that is coverage for Emergency Pay Hours. Cue no longer needing short-term disability and now I am able to draw from these 480 hours of time. I am currently working roughly 20 hours a week and the Covid hours are replacing the rest of my 40 hour total pay at two-thirds of my normal salary. Up until this week, I've been using my PTO to pay for the difference. So this week and going forward is especially scary because even though my mental health is taking over my life the bills are still coming. They don't get a break.

If you've stayed with me this long, I thank you.

I thank you for being my sounding board when some of you were/are struggling as well. I thank you for reminding me to keep breathing when on certain nights I just didn't see the point. I have so many names I want to highlight as a thank you for reaching out (@godsliltippy @janetm74 @willow-salix @dragonoffantasyandreality @bonsaiiiiiii @ak47stylegirl to name a few that have popped in my inbox regularly), but there are so many more. I really want to give a HUGE squid-sized shout-out to @misssquidtracy.

Squiddy, without your constant encouragement I don't think I would've fought as hard as I have had to the last two months. I wouldn't have fought to find a new therapist. I wouldn't have fought to find a psychiatrist. I firmly believe I would've taken my life a while ago. You know when those days were. When certain members of my family weren't there like they should've been.

In a world where mental health is often seen as "seeking attention", I am incredibly thankful for the Thunderfam for not treating me as such. This is hands down my worst bout of battling my mental health. It has never incapacitated me to this degree before.

I am currently focused on trying to get my head on straight and have my eyes on the next five weeks. In five weeks I will graduate from junior college with my associate's degree and if I am in a stable mind by Fall, I will attend Northern Ilinois University to finish the rest of my bachelor's degree in Meteorology.

I pray that I am finally on a good path. I pray that my rituals get under control. I pray that my depression doesn't derail all the hard work I've accomplished in everything and mostly school. I'm so close to closing part of my school chapter that I thought I would NEVER see. I want to cry at how close I am. Five years ago I almost completely gave up on my dream and school. Now I am so close to having what no one in my family has accomplished - a degree of any sort. It might be an associate's degree, but to me, it means the world and my bachelor's will be unimaginable.

[gumnut-logic]

Okay...

It is possible that the majority of TAG fandom wants to burn John’s shirt.

In fact, I believe @willow-salix already attempted it? Or was that his dressing gown?

But anyway, burning John’s shirt...

The question remains as to how many people want to:

Burn his shirt and replace it with something more stylish

Burn his shirt so he has no shirt and the scenery improves

Burn his shirt with John still in it and then nurse him back to health

All of the above.

Hehehehehe...

As for Virgil, no one needs to burn his shirt cos we’re all sick of drawing plaid and end up yanking it off anyway to save our sanity.

Nutty

(Eight hour day ahead, but only two days of work left before blessed freedom for ten days)

PS: @vegetacide This is your fault. Plus you only have yourself to blame because after yanking off Virgil’s shirt, you then put it somewhere else that you still have to draw! ::hugs you madly::

[olliepig]

Centre Stage - chapter 5

As always, massive thanks to the ever amazing @willow-salix for her general cheerleading and betaing.

And, as usual, the whole thing is available on AO3 here.

*************************

“It’s a green light! Just go, will you?” Scott fumed, waiting for the car in front to move at the obvious filter light that had come on what felt like eons ago.

London traffic frustrated him no end, but today his tolerance for it was at an all-time low. Everything about getting there had seemed to take forever, and the joy he had felt soaring above the clouds once again had been short lived. He'd found himself wishing more than once on the flight from the island that he had chosen to bring his beloved One instead of the private jet. Despite the ultra-sonic plane being one of the fastest in the world, it was nothing compared to his ‘Bird, with whom the seemingly interminable four hours would have been slashed to just one, but he had made his decision and he was now having to live with the consequences.

However, even with the reduced flight time he’d still have to cross the congested city, and there was unfortunately no way of making that go any quicker. Selene always told him to take the tube, but the thought of heading into the dark tunnels wasn’t something he thought he could face so soon after the blackness of the Oort Cloud. So, he was stuck with crawling his way through the busy streets, his sleek, high powered car no use against the gridlock.  

Sighing in frustration as the traffic light turned to red once more, he slumped back in his seat, wishing he still had John with him for company. They had gone their separate ways once the plane had landed, but having his brother present on the flight over had been a blessing that Scott was very grateful for. They had spent the majority of the time in companionable silence, each lost in thought as they tried to process the amazing events of the previous days but similarly desperate to reach their destination and see their respective partners. Having someone there, even if it wasn’t the person he was desperate to see, had calmed and grounded him.

After all the extreme emotions stirred up by their Dad’s rescue, Scott found he was craving normality above all else. Being able to do what he did was incredible, but at that moment, perhaps more than ever, he just wanted to be able to collapse on the sofa with Cat in his arms. He needed her like he’d never needed anyone before, and his overwhelming desire for her was in danger of taking over all else, his whole body aching for the comfort and safety of her touch.

Finally throwing the car into gear and inching forward, he sighed again, resigning himself to the fact that he was going to have to be patient, almost sure that another half hour wouldn’t kill him.

*****

Unable to settle in one spot, Cat prowled around her flat, her impatience taking her on a well-worn route around the room, stopping briefly at two different windows before winding back to the sofa for a brief sit down until nerves got the better of her and she started up again. Despite knowing that the chances of Scott covering the distance from the airport so quickly on a rainy October evening were slim, she’d lost track of how many times she had started pacing since finding out that he had landed and her frustration was growing steadily, her body not allowing her to rest until she had seen for herself that he was safe and well.

The past 48 hours had been torturous. The overwhelming fear that she had felt while he was deep in the Oort Cloud had completely engulfed her, leaving her unable to focus on anything else, but at least that, she had expected. What had surprised her was the impatience that had plagued her since she knew that the rescue had been a success and he was home. Her desperation to see for herself that he was safe had taken her completely aback and that, combined with the sheer intensity of her feelings over the previous days, had forced her to confront the reality of just how much he now meant to her.

Pausing in her circuit to watch a car making its way up the street, her heartbeat quickened in the hope that it was the one she was waiting for, and she realised in a sudden moment of clarity that everything that had happened since he had kissed her at Penny’s was completely inevitable. She was hopelessly infatuated with him, even she had been able to see that, and there had never been even a shred of doubt in her mind about his feelings for her. But until now, she had been holding back, not allowing herself to truly experience the depth of her feelings for him, and she had no idea why.

No more, she promised herself, sagging in disappointment as the car continued up the street into the distance. He didn’t deserve it, and she had no desire to do anything that could hurt him. Now that she knew how she truly felt, she couldn’t deny it any longer, nor did she want to.

Checking the clock, she threw herself back onto the sofa with a groan, unsure as to how it was possible that only a few moments had passed since the last time she had looked. It had been over an hour since he had landed and she was at least certain that the time was drawing near for him to arrive.

The sound of the buzzer for her door jolted her out of her reverie, sending her hurtling across the room to answer it, her heart rate now in the region that would give cardiologists cause for concern. Scott’s smooth, deep voice over the intercom when she answered was like a balm to her senses and she almost wilted with relief as she heard him open the building door. Finally, he was only four flights of stairs away.

Scott took the steps two at a time, sure that someone must have added in extra flights since he last been there. The last two days had been some of the toughest of his life, going from the lowest low of thinking they had been too late, to the unbelievable high when his dad had grabbed his hand and stopped him sliding off the edge of the planetoid to an uncertain fate amongst the debris. None of that mattered to him at that moment however. All he could think about was getting to the top of the stairs and finding comfort in the arms of the woman who was waiting at the top for him,

Finally, he was at the top, and his heart leapt as he saw his beautiful Cat framed in the open doorway, the look of longing written on her face drawing him inexorably towards her. Their eyes locked together, he took a shaky breath as he crossed the distance between them in five easy steps and enveloped her in his embrace, relief flooding through him as he took a couple of steps forward, forcing her further into the hall and allowing the door to slam behind them.

Savouring the feeling of familiar strong arms wrapped around her, Cat buried her face in his neck, holding on as tightly as she could. Breathing in the scent of his skin, all her fears over the past five days were gone in an instant. She clung to him, pressing herself against his warm body as she felt his hand snake up and tangle itself in her hair.

Shivering in anticipation, she felt his hand tighten around the strands as he encouraged her head back, their eyes meeting briefly before her lips were crushed under his in a bruising kiss. His lips were hot and firm against hers and he parted them with a groan as they deepened their kiss, allowing her tongue access.

Desperate for more, he kissed her again and again, hard and insistent, lost to the intensity as his world ceased to exist beyond the woman in his arms. All his senses were focused completely on his burning need for her and he could feel his body responding. The blood pooling at his groin caused a delicious ache when she pressed herself against him again, making his knees buckle as he struggled to regain control.

His obvious desire stirred something in Cat and her body cried out to feel his skin against hers. Without breaking their kisses, she reached under his jacket, fumbling to pull the back of his shirt from his waistband. Sliding her hands up his back as the garment came loose, she moaned softly as she felt goosebumps prickling his soft skin.

Scott groaned and attacked her mouth with renewed vigour, totally lost to the sensations she was unleashing in him. The feeling of her hands on his back made him desperate for more. His hands found their way under her jumper, tracing up her back, feeling her shiver as she pulled away, her breathing heavy as she met his eyes.

“That’s quite a hello,” she smiled, trying to get her breathing under control but struggling under the intensity of his desire filled gaze that was holding her captive. She could feel his calloused hand still on her back, the hard skin in stark contrast to the softness she could feel as she gently traced her fingers up underneath his shirt.

“Well, you know me, I don’t like doing anything by half,” he grinned back, relishing her touch, loving the playfulness in her tone and the way her eyes were hungrily watching his lips as he spoke. “Do you remember that thought I told you to hold?”

Extracting her hand from under his shirt, Cat reached up to gently stroke his cheek, nodding as she was taken back to the intensity of their farewell in that same hall five long days before. Without warning Scott moved, lifting her up as he kissed her again. She could only cling on, wrapping her legs around his waist as he carried her to the bedroom.

******

Cat huffed, flicking her hair over her shoulder again to get it out of her way while she focused on sewing ribbons onto the four pairs of new pointe shoes that would see her through the next couple of days of rehearsals but she really didn’t want to move to get something to hold it back. Not only did she have everything carefully laid out just where she needed it, but Scott was also sprawled on the sofa, engrossed in the movie they had put on earlier and she didn’t want to disturb him.

She wasn’t really paying much attention to it, but the act of doing something so normal after the week they had just experienced was a welcome relief.  Moments like this took her back ten years, and she could quite easily believe that they were still in her flat in Richmond, relaxing before she had another week of rehearsals and he was back on duty with the Air Force.

Movement beside her jolted her back to the present as Scott pushed himself upright with a grunt, untangling his long legs from hers. He leaned in to kiss her on the cheek before he ambled out the room, his relaxed gait making Cat smile as she turned back to her sewing, glad that he was finally feeling at ease after the stresses of the previous weeks.

Out in the hall, Scott paused in indecision before heading into the bedroom. Contrary to Cat’s belief, he hadn’t really been paying attention to the movie either, instead spending his time watching her out of the corner of his eye. He found himself entranced by the way her hair kept cascading over her shoulder as she worked, the light catching it in a mixture of reds and golds as it moved before being flicked back to where it had come from. But no matter how much he enjoyed watching the colours dance across the strands as they fell, he could see how frustrating it must be for her and, once he heard her huff in annoyance, his mind was made up.

Moving with a conviction that he didn’t feel, he strode across to investigate the top of her chest of drawers, not completely sure of what she might need but sensing that he was likely to find something close to where he’d seen her put her hairbrush earlier. For the first time since he had known her, he found he was glad that she had not been blessed with the tidiness gene as he quickly grabbed her brush along with a selection of hair ties and pins that lay scattered across the top of the unit.

Crossing back across the living room, his precious bounty filling his hands, Scott was gratified to see that Cat hadn’t moved yet, still engrossed in her task and giving it her full attention.

“What’ve you got there?” Cat asked, her curiosity piqued by the way he was trying to sidle into the room without her noticing.

“Never you mind,” he replied with a grin, angling himself away from her as he walked behind the sofa so she couldn’t see what he was carrying.

Placing the ties and pins down on the top of the cushion, Scott gently ran the brush through the copper strands that he loved so much, suddenly nervous that this was a stupid idea as he watched carefully for Cat’s reaction. To his great delight, she put down the shoe she had been darning, which he took as enough of an invitation to carry on.

Sighing happily, Cat closed her eyes as a small smile played across her lips. She had no idea what had prompted him to lavish such attention on her, but she was definitely not going to complain. His gentle strokes with the brush made her scalp tingle, the sensation radiating out down her neck and into her shoulders. She leant back into the soft cushions, feeling Scott lift all her hair out of the way as she did so, letting it drape over the back of the sofa.

Her mother sitting behind her, talking about her day as she gently brushed her hair before bed one evening was one of the very few happy memories she had from her childhood. It was something she had clung to in the years afterwards, bringing it out and reliving it whenever the loneliness of being all but abandoned in favour of a new boyfriend got too much for her to bear. Now, some twenty years later, the feeling of Scott doing the same with such care took her right back to that heady feeling of being the centre of someone's world, making her heart soar as her smile grew larger.  

Once he was sure that he had all the tangles out of her hair, Scott surveyed the selection of things he had brought through with a small frown. He’d seen enough women put their hair into a ponytail to make an educated guess that it was probably the quickest and easiest thing he could do. Grabbing a hair tie, he started to gather her hair, brushing it up and away from her neck, smoothing it out as he went and making sure that he didn’t miss any stray bits. Happy that it seemed to look the way he’d seen it when she’d done it herself, he secured it with the band before leaning forward over the back of the sofa and wrapping his arms around her.

“What did I do to deserve you?” Cat asked, nuzzling into him and kissing his cheek, her heart so full it felt ready to explode.

“Must’ve been something very bad,” Scott replied with a smile, echoing her reply when he had asked the same thing a few days before. Kissing her forehead gently, he disentangled himself before vaulting back over the sofa and landing next to her, his smile turning into a grin as she rolled her eyes at him and shook her head fondly.  

“It looked like your hair was annoying you so I wanted to help,” he continued, surveying his off centre and rapidly sagging handiwork. “Sorry it’s not very good.”

“It’s perfect,” Cat countered, pulling him towards her for a lingering kiss before resting her forehead against his as she murmured quietly, “you’re perfect.”

The air seemed to settle around them as they sat motionless, neither willing to break the moment.

Cat’s heart hammered in her chest as the words crept into her head that she was powerless to deny any longer. She’d known for a long time, she realised, but had been too stubborn to accept it. To accept him.

Despite their history, she had somehow fallen into the trap of seeing him as Scott Tracy, the endlessly capable commander of International Rescue, but the last week had changed that. The way he had trusted enough to confide in her before the rescue, his desperate need for her reassurance when he had arrived that day and the simple act of care he had just shown in tying her hair back for her had combined to open her eyes to the fact that underneath all of that, he was still just Scott from Kansas, the same man she had lost her heart to a decade before.

“I love you,’ she breathed, so quietly it was barely audible even to herself.

Cat’s words sent a jolt like lightning through Scott’s heart and a small smile crept onto his lips as he leant into her, pressing their foreheads even closer together while he processed the implications of what she had just said. Finally, he was able to say those three words that had been in his head every time they were close without fear of scaring her away. He knew it was fast, but he put his all into everything he did and it wasn’t the first time that he’d fallen so completely for her.

“I love you,” he whispered, feeling like a weight had been lifted from him as he found her lips, brushing them tenderly with the lightest of touches.

Feeling Cat’s hand snaking around the back of his head, fingers sliding into his hair as she pulled him closer. Scott deepened their kiss, his tongue gliding across the seam of her lips, groaning when she granted him entry. For the second time that weekend he was lost in her, but in contrast to his all-consuming need of before, now he wasn’t sure he’d ever felt so at peace.  

Cat melted into his kiss, giving herself to him entirely as his warm lips caressed hers, showing her again and again just how much he meant the words he'd uttered that made her heart soar. As their kisses deepened, she tasted the residual sweetness of the popcorn they had shared, mingled with the wine that now sat abandoned on the table beside them but, buried underneath, was the taste of Scott himself, something she had grown to associate with peace and now love.

Unbidden, her lips began to curl up in a smile, causing her to break their kiss to let them split into the grin that had been threatening since he had spoken. A heady mix of euphoria and contentment overwhelmed her, leaving her breathless as she took in the man in front of her, his eyes glittering, dimples on full display, as a matching smile spread out across his face.

Scott could feel the happiness radiating out of her as they sat grinning at each other like loons. There were no more words that either of them needed to say. Having spent the last two months holding back from telling her the true depth of his feelings, his heart was fuller than he could ever remember it being.

“Your eyes are sparkling,” he observed, drinking her in as he tried to imprint this moment into his memory forever.

“You’re one to talk, have you seen yours?” Cat laughed, feeling lighter than she had in months.

“Touché,” Scott grinned, settling himself back on the sofa and opening his arms in invitation.

Cat didn’t even need to think about it. Abandoning her shoe preparation until later, she snuggled in beside him, her head resting on his shoulder as he held her, his fingers gently tracing up and down her bare arm, raising goosebumps on her flesh.

Smiling to himself, Scott placed a gentle kiss on her forehead as they lay quietly, not needing anything from each other but to be together.

[hedwigstalons]

High Expectations - Ch20

I’ve been a little quiet for a bit because illness hit me hard (although thankfully not for too long).  I’m back though and I bring another chapter of the beast that keeps on growing.

Extra thanks to @willow-salix who had to deal with my post-fog writing going back a few stages and who helped beat this into some sort of coherency.

Earlier parts: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen

AO3 chapter link

Chapter Twenty

The mood in the plane was buoyant and the air was charged with testosterone and bravado.  The transport flight was filled with Air Force personnel and their destination was Fort Hood, Texas.  Scott hummed absently, his fingers drumming out a little beat on his knee, feeling relaxed for the first time in weeks, normally being a passenger on a flight made him agitated as he itched to be in the pilot’s seat but today was different.  

The Army was the designated host of this year’s United States inter-service sports tournament and Fort Hood was the location where, for the next few days those selected to represent their respective services would compete in their chosen sports.  

The tournament was supposed to be a friendly coming together of the various United States forces plus the various World Security Patrol branches, and for the most part it was friendly although it would be a lie to suggest there wasn’t a certain amount of posturing and goading underneath the surface.  For those taking part it was a chance to uphold the honour of their chosen service and score some one-upmanship,  for those like Scott who had been selected before it was also a chance to settle old scores.  

For Scott it would be a blessed interlude between missions; after his last assignment he was in desperate need of some R&R but with taking leave off the cards this came a close second for allowing him to decompress and see the good side of military life. It would be a chance to indulge in some physical activity that he didn't have to think too hard about, recently his life had been nothing but one exhaustive mission after another. For once he was happy to be free from the burden of command for a while, his primary mission now was to run fast, fight hard and add as many points as possible to the Air Force tally. 

His thoughts turned to last year’s competition; he’d done well and never placed lower than fifth in any of his events despite one Seaman Jeffries of the World Navy tripping him in 1500m, an action that by rights should have seen the man disqualified.  Unfortunately the rankings were upheld with Jeffries placing second while he had struggled to regain ground and claim fifth.  The injustice still rankled and he wondered if he would have to face the nefarious Jeffries again this year.

“Sir,” Scott called across to the Major who had been designated at team captain and was in charge of the Air Force contingent, “do you have a copy of the events list I can take a look at?” 

“Sure Tracy, I brought some spares just in case” Major Ellis replied, passing a sheaf of papers across the aisle.  “You’re up on the Wednesday afternoon for your track events and then Thursday afternoon for the martial arts.  See any familiar names?”

“One or two” Scott replied as he checked out the list of competitors.  “The US Army have put Moran in the hurdles again.  I’d love to beat him this time and wipe that smug smile off his face.  I’ve never met anyone so gloating.”

Having scrutinized the running order and competitors for his own events, no Jeffries, thank God, Scott began idly flicking through the rest of the programme.  As he scanned the lists he spotted a familiar name, wanting confirmation of his suspicions he pulled out his phone and sent a message. 

How far out of Fort Hood are you?

About 40 minutes came the response.  This was quickly followed by How did you find out? Everyone at home promised not to tell you.  I wanted it to be a surprise.  If it was Alan I’ll kill him.

Competitor list.  See you soon.

Scott let out an involuntary chuckle knowing Gordon would be mad at giving himself away and thus depriving himself of the element of surprise in any pranks he had planned. 

“What’s tickled your funny bone?” asked Ellis.

“It looks like you’re going to get to meet my kid brother.”

“Really?” Ellis asked curiously, opening up his own copy of the events list.  “Is he on the other flight?”

“No, Gordon isn’t Air Force, he joined WASP.”

“You’ve got a brother in WASP?  That’s a bit of a polar opposite to the Air Force.  I bet that didn’t go down too well at home.”  Scott had worked hard to build his own reputation but it was still well known who his father was and the Air Force pedigree he was following.  “Is he another sprinter like you?”

“Dad took a little persuading” a frown furrowed his brow at the memory of Gordon’s journey into WASP; ‘a little persuading’ really didn’t do it justice but he wasn’t going to have the family’s dirty laundry aired in public, “but WASP was the natural choice really, Gordon’s a swimmer.”

Major Ellis found the relevant page and looked over the listings.  The name Ensign G. Tracy leapt off the page again and again within the WASP entries.

“He’s all over the pool like a rash!  Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket.  Is he really that good?”

“You evidently don’t follow swimming that much.  I should’ve realised WASP would jump at the chance to put him on the squad.  It’s not often anyone gets to field an Olympic medallist.”  He couldn’t help the smile that split his face at the thought of seeing his brother swim again for the first time since the Games.  Gordon had dedicated so many years to his sport and had achieved glittering success that gave Scott a rush of pride at the memories.   

In the confined space of the plane their conversation was beginning to attract attention.

“What’s that about an Olympic medallist?”

“Dunno, ask Tracy.”

“Hey, Tracy, who’s got a medal?”

“My brother, Gordon.”

“You’re kidding!”

While Scott’s own unit might have been well versed in his sibling’s success story the competitors were pulled from across the Air Force, most of them complete strangers before boarding the flight.  There was a flurry of movement as a couple of people pulled out their phones and plugged the name into a search engine.  By now most of the plane was taking an interest.  It didn’t take long for someone to dig out one of the news reports; Gordon’s Olympic win had taken place less than two years previously and coverage was easy to find.

“Here, listen to this.”

Team USA continue their race to the top of the medals table with a successful day in the pool.  The crowning glory came from Gordon Tracy, a rising star in the swimming world, who not only achieved gold in the 200m butterfly but set a new world record in the process.  This achievement is made more remarkable in that Tracy is just 17 years old.

“That’s your brother!  And now he is on the WASP team?  Heck Tracy, can’t you do something like hide his trunks so the rest of us stand a chance?” one of the Air Force’s own swimmers exclaimed.

“No can do.  There is no way I’m sabotaging my own brother and don’t any of you think of trying anything either.  If you had ever met Gordon you would know that wouldn’t work anyway, he would probably just do the race butt naked.” 

xoxoxox

Gordon gazed listlessly out of the window of his own transport flight, the clouds forming an unbroken blanket below them, the vista bland and uninspiring.  After 4 fours in the air he was feeling bored, cramped and fed up.  He’d started the flight all keyed up at the thought of competing again but the long hours in the company of strangers was starting to wear thin.  For one thing there was too much trash talking for his liking, he’d never gone in for the verbal sparring side of sport but it seemed his companions very much viewed the other services as the enemy at this event.  It wasn’t an attitude he had encountered elsewhere in WASP and he hoped the bad mouthing would be constrained to these few days, it also wasn’t behaviour he could join in with in good conscious and so he had stayed quiet and kept himself to himself, trying to get back into competition mode after so long off the elite circuit.  A vibration in his pocket startled him and he pulled out his phone.

How far out of Fort Hood are you?

Without thinking he typed About 40 minutes and hit the send button.  Only when it was too late did it register who had sent the original message and he realised his mistake.  He had wanted to surprise his oldest brother, the one who was hardest to meet up with due to their differing military commitments.  He’d been able to tell the wider family about his selection during his period of leave over Alan’s birthday but with Scott away on his mission he’d been able to keep the news secret from his eldest sibling.  

How did you find out? Everyone at home promised not to tell you.  I wanted it to be a surprise.  If it was Alan I’ll kill him.

Competitor list.  See you soon.

Well, he supposed Scott would have found out in a few hours anyway and at least this way they would both be looking out for each other.  He wasn’t quite sure of the format of the event or how easy it would be to break away and hunt down a member of one of the other services.

xoxoxox

Gordon wasn’t sure what he had been expecting from competition or from Fort Hood but it looked like finding Scott wasn’t going to be easy.  Outside of their own events the personnel were able to watch the competition but there was very little free time beyond that.  Even if he could get away, finding his brother was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack; the different services were billeted all over the base and by the end of the first day all he knew was that WASP was sharing a dorm block with the Coastguard Service and a mess hall with the US Navy.  

Not that he had much time to brood, the swimming was taking place on the first day of the competition proper and after a hurried breakfast Gordon found himself hustled towards the pool.

He was looking forward to the chance of some competitive swimming again.  The specialist training on the Merlin had been intensive and the extended time beneath the waves had ignited a passion for marine biology but the cramped space of a submarine had hardly been conducive to physical exercise.  This competition would give him the opportunity to indulge in his first passion, he just hoped he was up to the task having been entered into far more events and across a wider range of disciplines that he was used to.

Aside from his trunks lacking the Team USA branding the competition was much like any other Gordon had attended.  A fair crowd had filled the viewing gallery but Gordon couldn’t tell if Scott was amongst those in dark blue.  Events were called, heats were swum (and usually won) and Tracy was once again a name to be reckoned with in the pool.  It felt good to be cleaving through the water again.  Despite not being in peak condition for swimming he was still in fine physical form over all and the muscle memory from all those races past carried him along to victory time and again.  The main difference to his usual style of competition was the lack of medal ceremony at the end and at the conclusion of his last race Gordon was able to wend his weary way back to the changing rooms where he flopped down on a bench. 

Pressing his shoulders against the cold tiles, eyes closed and head tipped back, the last of his energy was spent.  It had been a long time since he’d pushed himself to those lengths in the water and normally his race card was rather more sparse, one elite athlete among many, each responsible for their own specialisms.  The problem was, despite the high physical standards demanded by the military, elite athletes were in short supply and his pool times had placed him as primary candidate across more events than he was really comfortable taking on but he hadn’t felt able to say no to his superiors this early in his WASP career.

He concentrated on his breathing, listening to the hum and chatter of the other competitors around him, a cluster of WASPs gloating about their healthy position in the league table were his nearest companions.  He knew he ought to be getting dry, knew he ought to be digging out the tracksuit he’d been issued for the event, but his limbs felt leaden.  He wanted to be collapsed on his bunk but that involved moving and right now moving felt an impossible task.

“Gordon, eat something.”

He sensed a dimming of the light levels through his eyelids as a figure stepped between him and the harsh lights of the changing room.  The voice was commanding but his eyes stayed firmly shut and his body refused to obey. 

The figure in front of him was causing quite a stir but then that was typical of Scott.  He tended to exude an attitude as though he owned a place and this evidently wasn’t going down well with the WASPs around him who bristled with resentment at the young figure in Air Force blue invading their section of the changing rooms.  There were muttered jibes, reminiscent of those from the flight over, but the intruder wasn’t giving the WASP delegation the rise they so clearly desired.  Having failed in their goading one of his team mates decided to square up to the man they evidently viewed as the opposition.

“And who the hell are you to order us around, flyboy?”  

Scott’s eyes glittered at the challenge, a warning look that Gordon would have recognised from his own childhood had he been fully cognizant of the situation, Scott was not in any mood to be pushed. 

“That’s Captain to you” there was a pause as he took in the insignia worn by the other man, neither were in traditional uniform but the competition sports kit still had a place for rank slides; after all, the military thrived on hierarchy “Chief Petty Officer, although I accept you may not be familiar with the rank structures of the other services”  

Scott turned his attention back to his brother, ignoring the WASP who was now brisling after being firmly put in his place.  He was well aware of the animosity being directed towards him but his focus was his sibling, not some jumped up sardine with a chip on his shoulder.  He’d been concerned at the amount of events Gordon had pulled, and now, seeing his brother in the aftermath, he knew that concern had been justified.  The figure in front of him was breathing a little too shallowly for comfort and hadn’t moved from the moment Scott had spied him from across the changing room.  It had been a long time since he’d seen his brother swim himself to this level of stupor, years of competing had made Gordon pretty well attuned to his bodily needs, but evidently today he had neglected his post-race routine. 

Gordon had gotten as far as taking off his swim cap but no further, water dripped down his torso from the flattened hair that was still slick from the showers.  Even accounting for his time under the waves his skin was far paler than Scott was used to seeing.  He’d come down with the intention of congratulating his brother on his success in the water but now his primary concern had turned to Gordon’s basic wellbeing.  

Scott knew he had to get his blood sugars back up again.  He grabbed his brother’s kit bag and rooted around in the end pocket.  He allowed himself a small smile of triumph as his fingers closed around the packet of glucose tablets it appeared his brother still had the sense to carry.  He extracted two tablets from the tube and, crouching down in front of his brother, placed them in Gordon’s palm before closing the lax fingers over them.

“Gords, you still with me?  You need to get these into you.”

He paused while Gordon’s body processed the order, then let out a little breath of relief as the arm jerked up and Gordon began to suck on the tablets.  

He hadn’t seen his brother crash this bad since he was about twelve.  An early promotion to senior squad had seen the pre-teen eager to please his new coach while trying not to show anything that could be construed as weakness by his new and much older team mates and so the kid had forgone his post-race refuel.  The result then had been Gordon turning a grim shade of grey and falling off the medal podium in a dead faint.  

With the glucose tablets administered Scott turned his attention back to Gordon’s kit bag and pulled out a celery crunch bar, a firm favourite for the swimmer.  He opened it and placed it in Gordon’s now empty hand.  This was evidently an imposition too far for the WASP already disgruntled at being put in his place by the young captain.

“With all due respect Sir” there was a distinct sneer behind the formality “there’s no eating allowed in the changing rooms.”

If Scott’s eyes had glittered before, now they blazed with anger and contempt.  Rising from his crouch in front of Gordon, he drew himself up to his full height and positively loomed over the belligerent WASP.

“With all due respect I would have thought you would rather your team mate got his blood sugars up, or does your first aid training not cover hypoglycaemia?” He took a step towards the WASP, encroaching into the man’s personal space in a clear display of dominance.  “Not that you seem to be acting as a team right now.  Would half of you even be here if it wasn’t for the relay events, or maybe you tried to enter him for all four legs of that at well?”

With the glucose hitting his blood stream Gordon became more aware of the increasing commotion around him.  Voices that had once been jubilant now had a dangerous and angry edge and…yes...most of the anger seemed to be coming from Scott. 

Something tripped blearily in his brain; what on Earth was Scott doing here and why did he suddenly feel so cold?  Amber eyes cracked open and he forced his head open off the wall.  The movement was clocked by Scott who was back in front of him in an instant. 

“Hey Fish, you back with me?”  All traces of anger had gone as he turned his attention back to his Gordon, the Air Force Captain replaced by the brother of old; the caregiver with the ready supply of band aids, ice packs and gentle admonishment as he presented yet another injury for inspection.  

“Yeah, I’m...I’m good.”  He looked down in confusion at the crunch bar in his hand, not entirely sure how it had got there, but took a bite anyway.  “Guess I should have known better than to skip refuel.”

“Yeah, you should” 

Yup, that was the Scott he knew from Kansas.  Gordon felt like he was 9 years old again, being told off for being an idiot in the same ‘I told you so’ tone that had made it quite clear that of course jumping off the shed roof or using the frayed rope swing had been a bad idea. 

“Yeah, thanks for that” A snort, an eye roll, and a re-emergence of the same attitude common to his past nine year old self. 

“You’re okay now though, right?  You’ll finish your bar and get dressed?  Glucose tabs are back in the end pocket if you need more.”

“I’m fine, honest.”  Okay, the slight whine was a little too much like a kid but he was tired and there was something about Scott’s familiar care that had him regressing 10 years.  He forced protesting muscles to obey and hauled his back off the wall, rolling his shoulders to try and loosen the muscles that were rapidly seizing up.  He tried to suppress a groan at the exertion, he wasn’t quite ready to try standing until after the crunch bar was finished but he also knew Scott would not be pacified until he saw some sort of response.  The skeptical look he was given showed that Scott still wasn’t entirely convinced.  Mustering up his remaining energy he returned the look with a grin which seemed to appease the elder Tracy.

“Hmm”, Scott didn't sound like he believed him but couldn't argue it, “well, get dry and get your kit on.  You did good out there.  I’ll be on the track tomorrow afternoon; I’ll see you there.”  Without waiting for an answer Scott turned and exited the changing rooms.

The departure of the Air Force officer was followed with an outburst of grumbling from the WASP delegation.  

“Asshole.  Who the hell does he think he is, ordering us around?”

Gordon still hadn’t found his footing among the other swimmers, or the wider WASP delegation.  He might be the highest ranking of those at the pool but he was also by far the youngest and with the shortest amount of service under his belt by a country mile.  Rank structures overall seemed to be treated differently during the competition and these particular team mates seemed to have little regard for authority.  He was conscious that a wrong move now could make life distinctly unpleasant for him, he might never see these men again after the competition was over but he still had to get through several more days in their company.  He decided to play it for what it was; Scott being an irritating older brother.

“That was Scott.  I think he got the whole older brother thing hard wired in at birth.”

“You’re related to that?” There was a contemptuous sneer aimed at Scott’s retreating form that set Gordon’s hackles raising but he knew sniping back would be an error.

“Yup.  Of course, I got blessed with the good looks while he got the height.”  He flashed a grin, trying to diffuse the tensions.

“Is he always such a jerk?” a Seaman sat to his right piped up, finding his voice now the imposing Captain was no longer practically standing on his toes. 

Gordon shrugged; evidently the tensions were still there.  “Only when he needs to be.  I should’a thought to  grab the glucose tabs myself after that many races.  It’s been a while since I hit the pool competitively.”

There was a slight shuffling from the other swimmers, signs of guilt at not looking out for the young Ensign that had carried the team.  Scott’s words about the rest of them only being there to make up the numbers for the relay, while not wholly accurate, weren’t far off the truth.  They were all back in their dry kit while Gordon was still in his trunks, his skin still pale from the exertion even if his eyes had regained some brightness.

“Anyway,” he scruffed at his hair before drying off the rest of his body ready for dressing, “I need some real food after that and then I need to find out where the track events are being held.”

A snort.  “Well we’ll be watching the shooting tomorrow.  You can join us, or are you really going to do what big brother tells you?”  

There was a challenge in the tone but Gordon was feeling more alive again and less tolerant of their needling.  “I’m not going because he told me to, I’m going because he’s my brother and I want to.  In my family we support each other and Scott, well, he’s done a lot for me.”

Decision made and allegiances stated he swung his kit bag over his shoulder and headed out to find some food.  

[lailoken]

River-Blessed Willow Wand (SOLD)

This is a Wand I constructed from a bough of Twisted Willow (Salix matsudana) that I am selling for $49 + Shipping. It measures approximately 15.5 inches/39.5 centimeters in length.

It came to me, along with a couple of other pieces, during the course of working a ritual that took place in the shallows of the River that nurtures our land. Almost directly after closing the rite, having just thanked the River Spirit I was working with, they floated directly into my legs and then drifted onto the bank. I felt the hand of the River—She of a Thousand Arms—in the appearance of these willow specimens, and when asking through divination about the matter later, I was given leave to craft them into Wands, that they might find their homes with the proper individuals.

Having dried and cured this length of wood, I next went about debarking and sanding the piece entirely by hand. Once the wood was suitably smoothed, I then gave it a traditional white-washing treatment to accebtuate the already pale, bone-like quality of the wood. Finally, the piece was sealed with my personally devised Wisefool's Glaze (a consecrated wood varnish made using a number of potent arboreal resins, such as Storax, Dragon's Blood, and Black Frankincense,) polished with my personally developed Wisefool's Oil (a Hallowed Oil infused with a variety of extremely powerful ingredients, which also happens to serve as a wonderful wood conditioner,) before it was fumigated with a mixture of Cedar and Waybread Leaf I gathered from the banks of the same River which consigned the wood to me.

Between the beauty and virtues of Willow and the special way in which this piece came to me, I think it will serve as a lovely wand for whomever is meant to end up with it. Anyone who is interested in purchasing this piece can reach out to me here, or can purchase it directly on my webshop.

[meandrichard]

Four things update (days 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)

Four things update (days 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)

Not gonna write twenty things. *** Dad was able to transfer from the hospital straight to the assisted living place (I’m going to try to keep calling it “Salix”). This was a huge blessing to him and us. The anticipated argument about living at Salix didn’t materialize because it was obvious he needed to have more professional observation in the short term. That doesn’t mean the aggravation is…

[themori-witch]

Celtic Tree Lore

Trees are important in magick, and in paganism. They are often symbolic, and have inherent magickal correspondences and powers that were used and revered by ancient Celtic people and Druids.

Alder (Aldus Glutinosa):

This tree is sacred to the Druids and is associated with protection and oracular power. You can use Alder to draw Air spirits to you, by binding shoots of it together and creating a whistle. The wood is oily and water resistant, and thus can be used to make various tools for magickal workings, such as wands. 

Magickal Associations: Release, foundations, determination, royalty, focus, strength, confidence.

Element: Air and Fire

Deities: Bran.

Ogham Letter: 4th consonant, “Fearn”.

Apple (Malus Pumila):

The apple is seen as a symbol of fruitfulness and can be seen as a means to immortality in some myth and folklore. Druids wands are usually made of Apple or Yew. 

Magickal Associations: Fae, Samhain, Mabon, Otherworld, death, life, prosperity, knowledge, magick.

Element: Water

Deities: Olwen, Cerridwen.

Ogham Letter: 10th letter, “Quert”.

Ash (Fraximus): 

A sacred tree in Druidry, Ash was also a common wand/stave/staff material. The Ash is one of the sacred Druidic three: “Oak, Ash & Thorn”.

Element: Water, fire.

Magickal Associations: Power, mastery, psychic power/awareness, healing, health, protection, love, femininity, sea magick, focus, prosperity, prophecy.

Deities: Lir and Manannán mac Lir.

Ogham Letter: 3rd consonant, “Nion”.

Aspen (Populus tremula):

Much like the Oak tree, the leaves of the Aspen were listened to for divine messages as Druids and the Celts believed that the wind was,… a messenger of sorts.

Element: Air

Magickal Associations: protection, combating fear, Mabon, protection from unwanted spirits, property protection, protection from theft.

Ogham Letter: 4th vowel, “Eadhadh”.

Beech (Fagus grandifolia):

Beech is significant as it is tied to ancient knowledge and to learning, which is a vital part of practising Druidry.

Element: Air and Earth.

Magickal Associations: wishes, manifestation, communication, spirit work, deity invocation, luck, success, youth.

Deities: Ogma

Ogham Letter: Additional consonant, “Phagos”.

Birch (Betulaceae):

Known as “The Lady of the Woods”, Birch was used to bestow fertility upon cattle and newlyweds. Cradles for newborn children were crafted from the wood. 

Element: Air and Water

Magickal Associations: warding, banishing, courage, healing, new beginnings, purification, protection, creativity, renewal, fertility and birth.

Deities: Brigid.

Ogham Letter: 1st consonant, “Beith”.

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa):

Known as “The Mother of the Woods”, Blackthorn is associated with introspection, whilst also being associated with the strength of fate and outside influences in our lives. 

Element: Earth and Fire.

Magickal Associations: purification, protection, combating fear and anger, death, curses, Samhain.

Deities: The Morrigan.

Ogham Letter: “Straif”.

Elder (Sambucus canadensis):

Elder was used by Druids to both bless, and curse.  It is said that when one stands beneath an Elder at Midsummer, they are more likely to see the Fae. Wands crafted from Elder have the ability to drive away evil spirits and thought forms, - so do whistles or flutes made from it.

Element: Water.

Magickal Associations: judgement, transformation, fate, death, regeneration, prosperity, banishment, healing, Fae.

Deities: Cerridwen, The Morrigan.

Ogham Letter: 13th consonant, “Ruis”.

Elm (Ulmus campestris):

This tree is oft associated with Goddesses of Earth and Motherhood, or deities with a Mother aspect to them. Elm was used in tool crafting due to its resistance to splitting, and because it adds stability to magick.

Element: Water

Magickal Associations: balance, love, protection, psychic power, crossroads. the Fae.

Hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha):

It is said that the Fae are particularly fond of Hawthorn, and wands made from the wood are supposed to be wands that contain much power.

Element: Water

Magickal Associations: protecion, love, marriage, health, prosperity, fae, hope. magick, fertility, intuition, femininity, happiness.

Deities: Olwen and Blodeuwedd.

Ogham Letter: 6th consonant, “Huathe”.

Hazel (Corylus):

The Tree of Immortal Wisdom, Hazel is sacred to the Fae and a wand made of this wood can be used to draw them to you. In Celtic mythology, the Salmon of Knowledge - [click here to learn more about this] - is said to eat the 9 nuts of poetic wisdom dropped into its sacred pool from the Hazel tree growing beside it. Each token of wisdom consumed became a spot on the Salmon.

Element: Air

Magickal Associations: manifestation, spirit contact, protection, prosperity, divination, dreams, wisdom and knowledge, marriage, fertility, intelligence, inspiration, poetry, the Fae.

Deities: Óengus

Ogham Letter: 9th consonant, “Coll”.

Holly (Ilex aquifolium):

Holly is primarily associated with the death and rebirth aspects of Winter in both pagan and Christian lore. 

Elements: Fire

Magickal Associations: Lughnasadh, protection, prophecy, healing, animals, sex, vulnerability, good luck, and consecration. It is also said to have the ability to enhance other forms of magick.

Deities: Lugh

Ogham Letter: 8th consonant, “Tinne”.

Oak (Quercus):

One of the Druidic sacred 3 (Oak, Ash and Thorn), the leaves were burned to purify the atmosphere, and listened to and observed by Druids and Priestesses for divinatory messages. Oak has been considered sacred by myriad cultures, but it was held in particular esteem by the Norse and Celts because of its size, longevity, and acorns.

Element: Water

Magickal Associations: Litha, protection, strength, success, stability, healing, fertility, health, money, potency, and good luck. 

Deities: The Dagda

Ogham Letter: 7th consonant, “Duir”.

Pine (Pinus):

It was known to the Druids as one of the seven chieftain trees of the Irish. 

Element: Air and Fire.

Magickal Associations: alleviating guilt/identifying guilt, protection, purification, fertility, fortune, abundance, cleansing, stimulation.

Deities: Elon

Ogham Letter: 1st vowel, “Ailm”.

Rowan  (Sorbus aucuparia):

Also known as “Witchwood” and “Mountain Ash”, the Rowan was sacred to the Druids and the Goddess Brigit. It is a very magickal tree used for wands, rods, amulets and spells, and runes were carved into sticks made of the wood.

Element: Fire

Magickal Associations: Imbolc, divination, astral work, strength, protection, initiation, healing, psychic work, spirit work, psychic powers, personal power, and success.

Deities: Brigid.

Ogham Letter: 2nd consonant, “Luis”.

Willow (Salix babylonica):

Groves of Willows were considered to be magickally potent that priests, priestesses and myriad types of artisans sat among them to gain eloquence, inspiration, skill and prophecies.

Element: Water

Magickal Associations:

Deities: Cerridwen, Brigid

Ogham Letter: 5th consonant, “Saille”.

Yew (Taxus baccata):

Yew was used by the Irish to make dagger handles, bows, and wine barrels despite all parts of the tree being poisonous bar the skin of the berries. The wood and/or leaves were laid on graves as a reminder to the spirit of the departed that death is the path to rebirth.

Element: Earth and Water.

Magickal Associations: enhances magickal and psychic abilities, induces visions. Transformation, reincarnation, eternal life and immortality, death, rebirth, change and regeneration.

Deities: Banbha.

Ogham Letter: 5th vowel and last letter, “Idho”.

[hennyjolzen]

The virvonta or virpominen (act of refreshment or wish) is performed by Finnish children on Palm Sundayto wish well to the households.[1]

In modern times, kids dress as witches and knock at their neighbours' doors while carrying salix tree branches (pussy willow), often decorated with colourful feathers. If accepted, they pronounce a blessing rhyme and leave a branch as gift, while receiving sweets in return.[2]

The Swedish-speaking minority, especially in Ostrobothnia, may instead celebrate the Saturday before Easter.[2]

History

The tradition has various pagan and Christian origins: Nordic spring traditions to dispel bad spirits and wish a good harvest season, as well as the Christian ritual of the palms.[1] In Finland, the Orthodox tradition involves children giving blessing with branches distributed at church celebration; the variant with costumes spread from the East as the Karelianevacuees from the evacuation of Finnish Karelia spread in the rest of Finland.[1]

A common rhyme is "Virvon varvon tuoreeks, terveeks, tulevaks vuodeks, vitsa sulle, palkka mulle!"[3] which translates as "I'm wishing you a fresh, healthy upcoming year, a branch for you, a prize for me!" The chant has been translated in Juha Vuorinen's novel Totally Smashed! as "Willow switch, I'm the Easter witch! I wish you health and a love that's rich! From me I bring some luck today, for this branch what will you pay?"[4] However, many alternatives are known.[5]

In the 21st century, the tradition has mixed with further examples of anglo-saxon trick-or-treatingand various costumes.[1] It may be more common to see kids dressed as other magical characters such as wizards, cats, bunnies or other animals.[6]

[willow-salix]

A little introduction to me.

Transcript of YouTube video.

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Hi there, my name is Willow Salix and I’m a pagan witch, medium, cat mum, avid reader and author of the Carpe Noctem series of paranormal romance books.

I’ve been a witch since I was around 10 years old when I found that most religions just didn’t seem to apply to my beliefs or my way of seeing the world. What can I say, I’m a bit of a rebel and I like to be different. I took myself off to the library as I’m too old to have had google in my house at that age and looked up lots of different religions until I found the one that matched me the best. It obviously worked for me as 24 years later, here I am, still witching it up and using my years of experience and knowledge to write books that I hope you will all love and enjoy as much as I do.

I’ve always written stories and reading has always been my favourite pass time, books are like a security blanket to me, I have to have one on me at all times. My worst nightmare is being stuck somewhere, bored with nothing to read. Seriously, I only buy a handbag if I can fit a book inside it, if not it’s not worthy.

I spent a lot of time with my grandparents when I was growing up, weekends and almost all the school holidays, and they were very old fashioned. The tv didn’t go on until after dinner, no computers or video games in the house, something my younger brother found horrifying. But to me it was wonderful, you used your imagination to play games or you read a book, wrote something or did some art. Your brain was your computer.

They encouraged me in so many ways, allowing me to believe in myself, to believe that I could be anything I wanted to be, that I could do anything I set my mind to. So, I became a witch that writes sexy vampires. Yay me!

As I said, I have always written stories or told them verbally when my daughter was younger and I didn’t have the time or the energy to hold a pen let alone write that shit down, so it wasn’t until I was in my 20’s that I felt I had the time or the skills to dedicate myself to my work.

I attended a number of writing classes where I learnt different writing techniques, I learnt how to edit, to critic and review stories and how to develop my own style.

I’ve been writing seriously for the past ten years, and now I have a number of contemporary short stories and stories set in my paranormal world on my website, as well as three books available to buy and many more on the way.

I’m going to take you on a little verbal tour of my world.

It’s a world where the things that go bump in the night are very real. Vampires, Shifters, Witches, Demons and everything in between, all live and make their home in the world around us. Blending in with Mortals, living in secrecy, known to only a few very special people.

My books are predominantly romances with an emphasis on strong characters and funny moments, along with action, adventure, romance and lots of hot sex.

Don’t be fooled by the sex though, my books are not erotica’s, they are not there just for a cheap thrill. If you want that there are plenty out there, but you wont find it within my covers. My books revolve around the story, the world, the mythology and the characters, the sex is just a pleasant extra.

My website is a treasure trove of details about my world, including character bios, a glossary of different terms used in my books, places and organisations and the mythology of the world I have spent many years creating.

I’ve taken my knowledge of mythology, magical and supernatural creatures, the paranormal world and witchcraft to create a unique and magical world that will suck you in and never let you go.

My world is all about embracing the unseen, the hidden and the mysterious.

Many people have said that they shy away from supernatural or fantasy books, finding them to be too unbelievable and confusing. Well I’ve made sure that my world is nothing like that. My characters are real people with real lives, real flaws and real problems, they just so happen to be that extra bit special in the paranormal department.

You can find out more about my books on my website and read some of my short stories set in both my world and out of it or check out the first chapters of each novel.

Go on, take a peek.

I’m hoping this channel will develop into a helpful platform for writers, pagans, readers and people from all walks of life. I shall be sharing my experience in both writing and in spiritual matters too. So, hit the subscribe to follow along and see what this witch has in store for you.

Blessed be and have a wonderful day. Happy writing.