Promises Beyond The Veil Of Light ( PT 4 )

A story about a young white witch in forty eight parts.

 

Part Four

 

October 31^st arrived. The day was fine for Samhain, though cold. Kendrick made contact with his brother Cederick. Mina was able to use the magic potion to bring the family through the veil on this one day and because Nina allowed it, though it took a lot of energy from the forest to bring them in.

 

Together they all prepared a place for mum's burial near to her favorite oak which stood close to the cabin. It was decided that as Samhain coincided with her burial, that it was a perfect reason to come together and remember her life and talk about the good times.

 

Because Kendrick was a druid, he blessed the ground where she lay as sacred and placed a stone over her grave. Mina and her cousins draped ribbons over the branches of the oak and placed what wild flowers they could find at this time of year around her stone.

 

As they stood watching and listening, Kendrick spoke. “May the blessing of eternal light promise to always shine down on Nina and may she be at peace, till her soul can travel once again...so mote it be.” They all joined in on the last four words, repeating them over and over.

 

Mina's uncle then took her hand, while dad spoke again. “May the silver moon and stars guide Willowmina. Let her strength come from the sun. Give her courage at this time to know that one day she'll return wiser than she'd ever thought possible. So mote it be.” Again everyone repeated the last four words.

 

Tears filled Mina's eyes, as her uncle passed a hankie. Gazing up into his eyes, a thought struck the girl. “Uncle Cederick, would there be any chance of me coming to live with you?” She whispered knowing the answer but asking all the same.

 

Shaking his head, with a sigh and squeezing her hand. “I'm sorry Willowmina, that's impossible, even though I'd love you to come live with us. As you know we don't have much room at our house and your Aunt has enough to cope with. I hope you understand.”

 

Mina could tell he felt awkward and so changed the subject. “That's okay, I just thought I'd ask anyway. By the way do you celebrate Samhain?”

 

Cederick felt a lump in his throat, Kendrick tried to teach him his ways, but his brother was so different from the rest of the family. “The children celebrate Halloween with their friends, but not the way your dad celebrates Mina. He wouldn't like to think of children dressing up and turning witches into evil creatures, when really they're healers and caring...no I think you're better off keeping your dad's beliefs alive, a much nicer way to celebrate the day.”

 

It was hard for Mina to understand the idea of people not recognizing Samhain as a time to remember loved ones and celebrate the life they once lived, while also wishing them peace.

 

Mina recalled the battered old bike mum gave her to learn to ride on, it had stabilizers on the back and she would cycle up and down the forest path, till one day she took them off and kept falling off.

 

Mina thought she'd never be able to ride, but mum told her to keep persevering and it would come. It took many falls, but eventually the girl mastered the bike. Mina felt so proud when her dad appeared and she was able to show him her achievement. Riding through the forest and going so fast with the wind in her hair, it was one of the best times.

 

Then she thought to herself! Perhaps I should treat my new life in the same way, being determined at everything and not letting anyone get me down, not even those kids at school. “Yes!” She said punching the air. “The skies the limit for me.” Mina smiled hoping the feeling would last.

 

They never feasted that night like they normally did other years, but Kendrick and uncle Cedrick went back out into the other world to the nearest fish and chip shop. Mum would have been devastated and would never have allowed it had she been there.

 

She was always one for preparing great feasts of meat pies, fruit pies. Huge pumpkins which grew in the garden behind the cabin would be harvested and turned into bread, soup and made into lanterns, lighting the way to celebrate the day. Then there was stuffed jacket potatoes with fillings. It was all yummy and as Nina always said, part of the fun of the day. Mina missed it so much.

 

Kendrick liked to take the easy option, saying there were more important things to think about than preparing food. One of his many tasks was creating, whether it be with wood, or building structures, dad could turn his hands to almost anything.

 

Once Kendrick drew out plans for a log cabin to build on land his brother had acquired which was close to a lake, then with help from some friends they built it.

 

All the family went out there for holidays. Mina's dad and uncle Cederick loved fishing, but her dad would get itchy feet and wouldn't stay long, he just needed to keep on moving. The problem for Mina was that he would never tell her where he was going, he'd just say: “I've other commitments to attend to.” leaving both mum and daughter to await his return.

 

The veil lay right at the edge of the forest, unless you knew how to walk through it, you'd just carry on wandering along the path with many of the other people that came trekking with children and dogs, it was a place for both young and old. They would be completely unaware of where Mina lived.

 

For a long time mum never left her world, but when Mina came along she realized it would be impossible to give her daughter a decent upbringing without contact with 'the other side,' so with her magic she continued to go there more and more. Shopping for clothes and food, making sure Mina went to school, even treating herself to swimming lessons and achieving a life saving certificate which she was very proud of.

 

Remembering her mum's life, Mina decorated her alter with homemade lit candles and dried marigold flowers from the garden, also a wolf's skull which was Nina's spirit guide. She placed some water and salt side by side, with her mum's green jumper, the last thing she'd worn before dying.

 

As they all huddled around the fire in the cabin sipping hot drinks and telling family stories, remembering times gone by, Kendrick and uncle Cederick appeared at the door armed with the aroma of fish and chips in newspaper. Placing the food on the kitchen table, Mina's mouth watered as she licked her lips in anticipation.

 

The cousins jumped up grabbing a package each and unwrapping and reaching for a fork. Mina couldn't wait to tuck in she was so hungry, the battered fish tasted so good, the chips were just the way she liked them.

 

Once they'd finished, it was that time of night when they'd normally go out into the forest and pay their respects to family kin that had passed over. Not having made any pumpkin lanterns, Kendrick got some candles, they had one each and all sat around the fire once more and continued to talk of family.

 

Mina had never seen the cabin so full, normally it would be just her, mum and dad and maybe Uncle Cedrick, but never the two families together. Her two cousins were so tired they ended up in sleeping bags on the floor, which apart from being in the magical forest was a great adventure for them.

 

Dad slept in mum's bed, then finally Mina could get off to sleep, it had been a long couple of days and although she was sad, it was good to have all her kin around her. Tomorrow would come soon enough and she really didn't want to think about it. As night continued the only stirrings were the mice that found the chip papers and began licking leftovers.

 

To be continued...