"So how does your kind start the ritual? Any incantations? Dance? Strange gatherings?"
"The other events carried out on that day is more of a celebration, the main ritual is drinking the blood of the three animals from a cup in front of at least one wolfman or wolfwoman from our land, then they are to bless you and call on our god and goddess, Boreas and Khione to give you your greatest desires." Dana sits with her left leg over the right one while she nods at me and watches me intently.
"That is strange, here we dance, recite incantations, and sometimes we…" She gets closer to me looks around the empty courtyard as if she is checking to see if anyone is nearby listening to our conversation even though she knows we have been here alone for a while now.
She goes on to whisper in my left ear, "call on great witches who practice dark magic to do our bidden." My eyebrows shoot up to the sky in amazement and wonder because it is common knowledge that all witches who practice dark magic are exiled and should never be in contact with any being in Mu.
How can she sit here and comfortably tell me that she calls on witches who practice dark magic, hold on she said we, does that mean she and Ambrose, or her entire kingdom?
Dark magic comes with great consequences, those who seek it are always ending up dead or with a very tragic ending, well that is what the stories say.
It has been so many years and seasons during the time of our ancestors since anyone has dared to mention or try black magic in Pohjola.
In fact, the only time I have ever heard the word all my life is when the elders are teaching me to stay away from it and never seek it because it brings doom along with it.
"Oh don't give me that look, not everyone practices it, I am well aware of it, but the things you could do with black magic you would be amazed, ask Ambrose what I mean, he might even give you books to read about it." The horror doesn't leave my face.
There is something she said about this black magic which is making me a bit curious.
"What are the things that you can obtain with black magic that would be considered amazing?" She stands to her feet with a big smile on her face.
She looks at me then proceeds to spin in a circle and then all of a sudden stops, the smile doesn't leave her face as she tells me, "I am like this because of black magic."
"Huh? What? I don't understand, what do you mean?"
"Usually fairies are small tiny creatures with wings, they really can't do much besides taking care of nature and a lot of us were tired of being so small, so my father sacrificed himself for the good of those that wished to be the normal size like every other kind out there, I am talking of being able to stand on a height of five feet and above, so here I am, I am surprised you didn't ask me about this sooner." Her father what? Sacrificed himself? What kind of sacrifice?
Is that why he is nowhere to be seen? Is that why Ambrose is king at such a young age? What about their mother? Don't they have other family members, like a cousin or an uncle or an aunt? How is this possible?
"You look confused and blue my dearest Aadya, you should breathe, in and out." I follow her instructions and take in huge gulps of air and then release it.
"How?! Why?! How come no other being has noticed?" Her eyebrows scrunch together, her head corks to the side, and her eyes are squinted as she watches me silently for a while.
I don't know how long she stays there on her feet watching me in the clothing that she called red shorts, a white t-shirt, and a red leather jacket, she paired it with white combat boots and white leather gloves. I learned all of these words today from her.
Honestly, I don't know what to think of this information, it's not like there are rulers or a council in place regulating and watching such things, I don't think anyone monitors these things, and is there even a punishment for this? None that I know of that is for sure, all I know is that once every twelve seasons all the kings of the beings in the different lands gather at the center of Mu in the city of King's Watch to discuss matters in their lands and see how they can help each other.
I am unaware of how other beings handle their issues; I really need to know more because whoever said ignorance is bliss is very stupid.
What did I benefit from my ignorance? In fact, it is because of the same ignorance that my people were attacked and couldn't defend themselves, their leaders ran away too. Isn't that utterly shameful?
What do I do with this information now? Should I ask her more about this black magic? Because she seems to be fine to me and I don't see doom following her either, in fact, she looks perfect, their snow-covered land is beautiful too, so the consequences must be told only to scare us away from trying it, right?
"Is that how sheltered your kind are?"
"I'm sorry but what do you mean?"
She sits down once more but instead of crossing her leg like she previously did, she turns to face me completely giving me her full attention.
Her white eyes watch me carefully, "Is there a reason why your people cut off from the rest of Mu?"
I have never thought of this before, is there a reason? Should there be a reason? I always thought it is because we prefer to mind our business.
I shake my head from side to side and reply to her, "None that I know of, we were just taught to stay within our borders and mind our business, and life had been easier for us."
"You know that is not really good right? Existing in isolation." It is my turn to like at her like she has lost her mind. We are not completely isolated and we are living not existing, the word existing makes our lives sound meaningless.
"Why would you say that? We had successfully avoided a lot of issues with other beings, and our lives had been peaceful."
"Aadya, when you interact with others you learn more, I understand that yes it brings some unwanted problems but it also gives you the opportunity to create allies who can help you in times of trouble, and most importantly you will be able to grow and evolve like the rest of the world."
"Wow."
"Yes wow, that is why you do not know a lot of the words you keep calling strange, I also noticed that you don't know a lot about our kind, you also don't know much of the things we use and wear, it is no longer called minding your business, in fact saying you and your people are ignorant would be a big compliment." Ouch.
I don't say anything to her, I just sit there and reflect on what she has just told me, her words seem harsh but somehow it is the word that came out of her mouth that I am focused on and not the tone of her voice if I want to think about it from her point of view she has a right to be upset. She must be irritated already with the number of times she has tried to explain the meaning of things to a stranger like I am a wolfbaby and not a wolfwoman. I even feel embarrassed about it now but that is not important right now.
What is important is doing something to solve this problem of not knowing anything, I should do something to improve myself in that area, right?
"Say something, don't just sit there and act like a statue." The irritation is obvious in her voice and I feel nothing but ashamed of myself because while others learned the little we were supposed to learn I always ran off. So in other words my ignorance is greater than the others from Pohjola.
"You are right."
"What?" She sounds as though she can't believe what I said, so I look at her and repeat myself, her facial expression confirms my assumption that she really didn't expect me to say that and repeat it.
"Why did you say I am right?" She folds her arms and watches me.
"Well for starters I have not been here for long and I have already learned so much, and if we had allies we would have called for help or known how to handle the problems back at home that made us leave in the first place, if we knew better I wouldn't be in this situation." And for the first time in all my years of age, I want to truly do better and be better because I want to not because someone is making me.
Somewhere inside me I know what I have to do, the real question is do I have enough will power to do it?
"Hmm, I am glad that you see it the way I see it. Anyway, let us quickly get on with the ritual then."
She moves to get up from the bench we are sitting on but I stop her by holding on to her arm and she turns to look at me, her yellow hair making her features look beyond beautiful and for the first time since I met her I see the wisdom in her white eyes.
"Hold on please before we start the ritual could you please tell me what you can get from practicing black magic?" She gives me a small smile then she grabs my hand and pulls me to my feet.
"Anything your heart desires like I said you can ask Ambrose for the details, I am sure he will be happy to tell you more, or better yet show you." She winks at me and it reminds me of when Ambrose said he would rather show me the meaning of fuck back at the food table, I mean dining room.
"Alright then, are these the blood of the three animals?" I look into the three cups filled with blood.
"Yes, the blood of a lepus white hare, a rangifer reindeer and an ovis mountain goat are there, so go right ahead and drink them."
There one a flat rock covered in snow lies a silver tray with three glass cups filled to the brim with red liquid which I am very sure is the blood I need to drink.
Wordlessly, I pick the first cup, I don't know which animal's blood it is that I am about to drink but I drink it up anyway. It flows down my throat and comes along with it a very strange metallic taste mixed with the taste of uncooked flesh.
I quickly drink the other two cups of blood, my body feels a certain sort of warmth spreading from my stomach to my chest then through my veins to every inch of my body.
My head feels heavy and it seems as though a huge blanket of dizziness has been thrown over me.
I can't seem to think properly, is this what they all go through when they carry out the ritual?
I don't remember anyone saying they felt dizzy, maybe could it be because I am doing it when my fifteen years of age birthday has passed?
"Are you alright? Sit down, should I bless you now?" Dana holds unto my arms and guides my body that seems to be half awake back to the bench we were previously sitting on.
"I just feel dizzy, maybe it will pass."
"Should I get help? You don't look so good."
"Please bless me."
"Uhm ok, I bless you and pray to your god… uhm who is your god?" Her hand is placed on my head as she attempts to bless me.
"Boreas and Khione." My voice has been reduced to a whisper and I feel the energy in my body depleting, I don't know and I don't understand what is happening to me.
"Ok, I bless you and pray to your gods Boreas and Khione that you will be the greatest wolfwoman that ever lived and you will accomplish all that you set your heart out to do."
"Thank you."
"Aadya! Aadya!! Aadya…"
I hear her voice fade away like I am walking away from her, I hear her shout my name continuously but for some reason I can't stop walking away from the voice, I keep walking away till I see and hear nothing.
Am I dead?