Days Go By.

Chapter 3: To kiss a witch.

I walked up to the boy. I needed to give my answer, but I also needed time to think. Time that I didn't have, so I answered without thinking.

" yes." I said boldly although I was shaking like a leaf. My mother cheered along with the rest of the coven. I stared back at the attractive boy as he grinned from ear to ear. My mother put our hands together and raised towards the sky.

" let us celebrate!" She cried and the flutter of activity resumed
As people rushed to bring the food to the table. He lets to of my hand freeing it to fidget with my skirts nervously. The dreadful silence is broken by my grandmother motioning us toward the table. We sit to eat, Peter took the spot beside me. As I see my family distribute meat and fruit amongst the others, he turns to me.

"Do you really want to marry me?" What kind of a question is that? I've known him for all of two minutes, besides it's not like I have a choice.

" I don't know yet. Why do you ask?"

" Because you don't have to marry me just because I asked, its alright to say no." ...Well, that was unexpected.

"You intrigue me Peter. Why do you want to join a coven? Why...why do you want me?" I hesitate on the last question, I don't even know if he does want me. He could be like all the other outsiders and only love our power, not our people.

"I saw you in town, in the market place. You were with your family, you seemed to be picking up supplies." This is true, we do travel to town once a month to buy anything we can't make ourselves. We are the only family who isn't afraid to do so. This means we buy supplies for all the families, using the things they give us to trade. The red haired boy looks at me warmly and continues his story, smiling as he does so. "The first time I saw you, you were the most beautiful maiden to ever walk these moors. So I gave a letter to your little sister and instructed her to give of to your parents. Then when you came the next month, they met me like I asked in the letter. I asked for your fair hand, but your father explained that you would never leave your way of life. So....I asked to join yours." I was taken aback yet again. Never before in my life has a boy called me beautiful. Then again this is the first time I've spoken to a boy my age, let alone a watch was boy who isn't in my coven. "Are you upset by this?" He asks, as I come out of my own head. I didn't even realize I had been staring into the distance. I looked back to him.

"No, just surprised." I grew a sly smile, his story was beautiful but now it's time to mess with this village boy. "Peter you do know that you must prove yourself to me right? Its tradition." He looks at me patiently, waiting for a task. "To prove that village life hasn't made you soft...you must take an Apple from me before I finish it." He gave me a sideways look. I grabbed an apple from the table taking bite. He didn't hesitate to lunge for me, I took another big bite. Leaping up, I run away at top speed, Peter not far behind. He dashed after me, we ran around the dugout, over the fences, the trees. Every time he would try and catch me I would take another big bite and dart away. After about ten minutes I was beginning to feel tired and I could Tell that peter was exhausted. That's what you get from breathing that filthy village air all your life. I thought to myself. I go to the tallest tree in the clearing and climb it nearly too the top. Out of breath I sit on a branch and lean my back into the trunk. I pull my dagger out of its sheath on my belt and cut a slice from the half eaten Apple. The red haired boy reaches me with a gasp of air just as I'm slipping another slice of apple into my mouth. He climbed that tree almost as fast as I did. He perches himself on the branch beside me, grabbing the branch above him for balance, which he nearly lost as he threw himself forward. He grabbed the apple just as I bit into a third slice. He could have easily fallen to his death jumping for it like that. he took a giant bite from the fruit and put it in his teeth. With the core still in his teeth he swiftly climbed down, leaving me in a fit of giggles. By the time we arrived back at the at the table, the other's were done eating and a much larger alter was being set up under the rising blood moon. This was a very special Mabon It would be a long time before the red moon would fall on another Sabbath. We laid out clay statues of the god and goddess next to sacred candles full of sage and mint. We threw sage leaves into the fire and blessed it.
We all gathered around the fire, Peter took a seat next to me. My grandmother walked around the group waving a smoking smudge stick over our heads. Peter smiled up at her as she lingered the purifying smoke over his head. She handed him a lit candle and as she walked away he whispered thank you, blowing out the flame. He looked embarrassed, I shook my head at him and turned my hand in a small circle then snapped producing a small blue flame from each fingertip. I used one to relight the candle as Peter watches in awe. I shake out the flames and begin to take my braid out with a laugh, his wide eyes still on me. I like to have my hair free during ceremonies. I sigh and let my raven hair cascade down my back,it was so long that it got caught underneath me when I sat. It was straight and soft like a horse's mane. The boy is still looking at me, but his eyes are now wide with an emotion that I can't put my finger on.

"How did you do that?" Asked the attractive boy in an attempt to fill the silence, a lock of mousy red hair was stuck to his cheek.

"Magick." I said, making soft yellow flames come from each finger. He was amazed by this.

"How do you learn Magick?" I gave him a straight answer.

"You must become one with nature and channel the energy within yourself." I decided to see just how much I could mess with Peter. "But since you weren't raised in our society you have to do something to.....unlock the energy." That made no sense but he seems to be buying it.

"What is it." He listens intently, scooting closer as if he would do anything to learn Magick. At least that's the feeling I got. He could also just be happy I don't hate him, I got that feeling as well.

"Thou must kiss a witch" I said with a sweet smile. At first he looked bewildered but then he gave me a wide grin, he probably caught on to my plot. I moved closer to him, he leaned nearer to me. The adult members of the coven had begun to dance around the fire with their life partners. He placed a hand on the cold grass, the ends of his fingers touch a watch was few strands of my hair. I allowed my eyes to slip closed, his already were. My soft lips pressed against his rough cracked ones. As he pulled away, smiling shyly I felt a part of my icy heart melt.