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CAREFULLY SCANNING the area to be sure she was alone, Dara quietly approached the Stone Circle, stopping just outside the ring. She placed a basket beside the small fire pit next to the stones.
She unpinned the green cloak from her shoulders and draped it over one side of the basket. Her linen dress was tied at the waist with a woven leather belt, her long sleeves waving in the passing breeze.
She cleared the fire area of stray debris. From her basket, she removed a small strip of dry tree bark with lichen and two handfuls of twigs and sticks, forming a mound in the center. Next, she picked out a curved piece of iron and placed it over the bent fingers of her left hand, then finally removed a sharp edged flint from the basket, and held it gingerly in her right hand. She pushed her long sleeves up to her elbows, leaned in close to the tinder, struck the flint against the iron until a spark ignited the lichen and spread to the rest of the tinder.
Satisfied with the small fire, she stood, and her sleeves fell back into place. She grabbed her basket with the remaining items she needed for her invocation, bowed and stepped into the Stone Circle. Walking along the inside edge she placed a small ritual sand candle, with herbs mixed in the melted wax, at each directional quarter.
She placed the first candle with hazel for wisdom at the stone in the east; the candle containing oak for intuition at the south stone; the one with rowan for divination at the west stone; the candle with alder for clarity at the north stone. Dara placed the last candle with herb sweetgrass in front of the tallest standing stone. She walked back towards the fire pit, bowed towards the tall stone upon leaving the circle and set the basket outside the ring.
From her basket she picked out the last item, a long stick. She pulled her sleeves back while walking to the small fire, then lit the tip, keeping it in the fire until it glowed.
Cupping her hand around the little flame, Dara bowed once again upon entering the circle. She walked back to the tallest stone, bowed, and called out to the goddess while she lit the candle.
“Danu, Mother Goddess, I invoke thee, and welcome your divine grace, in my quest to discover my true path.”
With her hand protecting the stick’s glowing embers, she proceeded to the eastern quarter.
“Using the element of air from the east, I call upon Dagda, to whisper on the wind the way to truth.” Dara lit the candle and bowed, then moved to the next candle.
“Using the candle’s flame in the south, I call upon Lugh for wisdom, to lead me along my true path.” She moved on again.
“I call upon Cerridwen, in the west, for flowing tranquil waters of divination.”
Then she walked to the final candle.
“For the element of Earth, I call upon Dana in the north, to keep me grounded in seeking clarity.”
With the last candle lit, she poked the stick into the ground, smothering the ember. She returned to the largest standing stone, set the stick beside the candle, bowed her head and held out her arms.
“May the invoked Goddess Danu be strengthened by the four elements, quarters and deities I welcomed into this sacred circle; may their energies combine to enlighten my journey. Please guide me to what I should do.” Dara wrapped her arms over her chest and bowed deeply.
“I have taken another into my home and into my life. He is not from our shores and I sense there is a danger that follows him. He has not harmed any one that did not deserve it.” Dara thought how Lothar saved her from humiliation by Park and Serle, when he could have easily just walked away.
“Goddess,” Dara continued, “the danger is not only of physical harm, I fear that follows him, but of my heart and mind that has claimed him deeply. I do not believe I could truly ever release him from my soul, should he want to return back to his own people. I am unsure if he would willingly leave his own kind and rebuild his life here with me.
“If I don’t let him go soon, my father will learn of my visitor, if he hasn’t already. Although my father forgave me after he learned of Vaughn’s duplicity, and has quietly helped in my continued independence over these last three years, he will use his authority to force me to return home, and to relinquish my role as priestess.”
Dara took a deep breath and continued. “I have listened to Lothar battling in his dreams, and I truly believe they are past events he relives in his sleep. His nightmares have calmed since he first arrived, but I wonder still, if it is over, or just a pause in his own life’s battle.”
Dara walked closer to the standing stone.
“Goddess, use the combined energy within this circle to guide me, show me what may come.” Dara placed her hands on the stone.
Bowing her head, she watched the swirled circles turn radiant against the gray stone where her hands touched. She noticed the manacles on her wrists glowed white, matching the stone symbols.
Closing her eyes, Dara’s head and shoulders arched backwards from the jolt flowing between the stone and into her body.
Images flashed before her eyes so quickly she caught only a glimpse of being surrounded by fire, then the image of swords clashing near the river, and bright white around her. She turned her head, unable to examine the events fully. Dara understood that, although these were events that might happen, her choices affected the outcome. These views could change for better or worse.
Dara opened her eyes when the impressions faded. Glancing down, she noted the swirled circle manacles returned to their original silver color, as did the stone.
Dara stepped back from the standing stone, bowed and picked up the stick.
“Bless you, Danu, Mother Goddess, I thank you and release you from this circle.”
Dara walked to the center of the ring of stones.
“I bless the four quarters, the deities and all the elements, for their guidance this day.”
Dara walked to the northern quarter and candle. “I thank you for your clarity and release you.” Using the end of the stick, Dara snuffed out the candle. She walked to the rest of the candles in the reverse direction she had placed them, thanking each deity, element and quarter for their guidance as she released them.
“All is done; I now close the sacred Stone Circle space.”
Walking the circle once more counter-clockwise, Dara picked up the remains of the cooled candles, bowed towards the center of the circle and departed.
She set the candle bits into the basket and stirred the last embers of the small fire, remembering the white glow that matched the stones, and the feel of the energy flowing through her, until finally extinguished.