Last week Andrion had an intense dream, and also had a disappointing conversation with his mother, Savandra. You can read this bit here.
So now the stage is set for the all-important Full Moon Rite, and I am thrilled that I can post this week’s episode to coincide with the Virgo Full Moon on 19th of February! Tensions & passions are mounting, and so it’s probably not so strange that Orydia feels completely fed up, and decides to take matters into her own hands.
Which is where Fate starts to take an interest, probably never a good sign…
Oh, and there is a Moon Spell chant that could actually be useful to some of you!
XXI Song of the Palace – Noon
Orydia, the lovely princess, has once again woken
With a new determination: but now not just for
Fullfillment of ambitions, but for revenge. It has
Been enough. She will punish whoever hurt her:
Brother, mother, Oracle, she will defeat them all.
And so she has risen early, taking up residence
In the Palace Library, the section of magical texts.
The Librarian, a small elderly woman, has found her
When she arrived, already surrounded by open scrolls
And ancient tablets. She surely wastes no time when
She sets her mind to something. Being a bright girl
She enjoys herself immensely, reading these fascinating
Books of spells, of rituals and recipes, taking many
Of them down, not for now perhaps, but they could
Come in handy some day. But by noon she still has
Not found what she is looking for. Something she will
Recognize when she comes across it. Just when she
Starts to feel frustrated, the Librarian announces
She will go have a bite to eat. Orydia nods in an
Absent-minded way and does not even look up.
But no sooner have the older woman’s footsteps
Died away, or she darts to her desk. For she knows
From long experience that the Librarian always
Forgets to take her keys with her. Including the one
For the room of the forbidden books. There aren’t
Many, for this is a permissive and open court.
Only the ones that could be seriously harmful
Are kept out of harm’s way. So the room is more like
An alcove or large closet. She quickly opens the door
And steps inside. Excitedly she scans the scroll tags,
Gets no wiser, and feels annoyed again. And then
She stubs her toe on something heavy, half hidden
Under a bottom shelf. She bends down and pulls it out.
It is a Wheel Book, an ancient stone disc, carved with tiny
Writing, sprinkled with sigils and pictograms, spiralling
Towards its center. It is a glorious, rare artefact. Orydia
Reverently lifts it in her hands. The power in this thing
Makes her body tingle. It is not just a book, but a
Tremendous talisman as well. But when she realizes
What it says, what those age-old letters mean, her heart
Beats in her throat. Her mouth is dry. She has heard of this
Once, during her lessons about the more unrefined parts
Of the House’s remote history. And she remembers well
That she was fascinated. This is the Forbidden Rite.
It was the custom centuries ago, but has fallen
Into disuse, and presently goes burdened with
A crushing taboo. She can barely take in right now
What it means that she has found it at this moment,
In her present situation. This must mean something.
What if Spirit wants this rite to be restored? It being
The Full Moon today, and things being as they are,
This must be Fate. And if she combines it with a spell
She saw earlier, it will all be perfect. She’ll get her revenge
As well as her ambition. She quickly places the heavy
Wheel book in a scroll basket, covering it with innocent
Scroll books and tablets, returns the key and sits down
To take a deep and well-earned breath. Then the princess
Rises calmly, takes the basket and walks out, showing
No undue haste. Orydia is certain that she will be right
And prove herself a great and gifted priestess on this night.
XXII Song of the Palace – Evening
Savandra is still drumming, singing, seeing visions
In her trance. The rising Moon’s vibrations strike her
Expectant body, and make it hum like a taut string.
Her underbelly also feels the currents of the Earth
Quickening and opening to receive the blessing life force
The High Priestess and High Priest will generate by
Their symbolic act of love, uniting male and female,
Above and below. All the Palace is alive with expectation,
All men and women, but also the House itself
Is as it always does happily helping to spread the joy
And has new buds of night-blooming blossoms, that attract
The most gorgeous of night butterflies, for no one could
In seriousness call these exquisite creatures moths. Even the
Hummingbirds are staying awake in order to enjoy this feast.
The Palace cats are yowling on rooftops and in gardens, all in heat,
As are the dogs. And around the Living Palace, in the rest of the land,
People are rejoicing at the blessing they will receive, and if they
Want to, they can of course participate. All is permitted, nothing
Compulsory. Such is the custom in this abundant forest land.
So it is probably not strange that the Wise One, both
Source and receiver of this whole tide of power,
Does not detect a subtle magic undercurrent, gaining
Strength, both of itself and feeding on hers. If she feels it
She must presume it is all part of the same event. As it
Will be, in a way. For it is of course the doing of
Orydia, who is preparing some ritual of her own.
Having had no time for fasting and extensive drumming
She has dosed herself with an extract of blue vine flower
That has put her straight into the right state of mind, and
Now everything feels both far away and really close,
Both hazy and crystal clear, her body drowsy and alert.
Feeling what she has to do, rather than remembering
What she has read that day, she chants certain chants,
Burns certain spices, until a disquieting fragrance fills
The room and weaves itself out of the window, to a
Certain destination. The princess smiles, for she feels
How her magic starts to burn itself into her soul,
Into her body. It is time to insert the little jade egg
That Palace women often use for excercise and
Pleasure, but that -as she has learnt today- can
Also be used for other things, if dressed in the right
Oils, painted with the correct sigils, and instead
Of a silk pulling cord, using a few long hairs (naturally
Not your own). All these preparations done,
Orydia now takes up the drum, and sings her
Vengeful and ecstatice little heart out.
XXIII Moon Spell Chant
Moon, hear my voice
Moon, hear my song
I call down
I call down your power
I call down your light
Mistress of Night, hear my voice
Goddess of Dark, hear my prayer
I call down
I call down your power
I call down your darkness
Great Double Mistress, hear my voice
Threefold Destroyer, hear my praise
I call down
I call down your power
I call down your vengeance
Great Sun and Moon, hear my voice
Great Heavenly Lovers, hear my chant
I call down
I call down your power
I call down your love
In the name of the Great Mother
She who creates and destroys
The great Threefold Mistress
And all the powers of Earth
And all the powers of Heaven
And all the powers of Ocean
As it was
As it is
As it shall be
Next week the Moon rises… but everything else will go downhill fast!
