Vespera walked through the doors and followed the Priestess, that took care of this particular Dark Sanctuary, to the Dark Altar. She slipped the Priestess a few gold marks and thanked her. Once the Priestess left and closed the doors she removed her clothes, folded them, and placed them on the floor by the doors. Vespera wasn’t shy about her body. The Rose Jeweled Witch stood before the Altar, looking at it, studying the smoothness of it and the contemplating the power of it.
She had been waiting for this day for a long time and so had her parents. Her parents had been so proud when this day came. They told Vespera that they would be proud of her no matter what her Jewel she came out with. She had spent the day getting ready, preparing herself for what she would face. This is what she thought of when she removed her Rose Jewel and placed in on the Altar. Vespera waited for something to happen, she was prepared for anything. She knelt before the Altar as she waited, that’s when it happened.
Feeling as if she was being pulled through water and the farther down she went the more pressure she felt. Vespera passed the webs that represented the White, Yellow, and Tiger Eye. She paused slightly at the Rose web, the web that represented her Birthright Jewel. When she was ready Vespera took a deep breath and started to descend to the next web. When she reached the Summer Sky. This is where she felt comfortable, she knew that this was Jewel that the Darkness had meant for her to have.
The next morning she found herself lying on the floor near the Dark Altar. As Vespera stood, her eyes saw an additional Jewel laying beside her Rose. As she walked closer to the Altar to take her Rose Jewel she could see that the other Jewel was the Summer Sky the Jewel that stood for the power she wielded. Picking up her Jewels, Vespera walked over the where her clothes lay. After she was dressed, she replaced her Rose around her neck and put the Summer Sky into the small purse that she’d brought with her just for this purpose.
Walking out of the Altar, Vespera made her way home to show her parents what she’d been gifted with.
Musetta took a tentative step into the Sanctuary and towards the Altar that held her destiny. That was such a big word…destiny. And Musetta had never felt like a very big person. Especially as she looked around with wide blue eyes at the cold room surrounding her. She supposed, however, that it was an appropriate turn of phrase to use when speaking of this phase in the adult life of every member of the Blood. It was the time that she was officially going to be accepted as an adult. And it was time for that. Her face reddened a little as she thought about one of the reasons the time to make her Offering had never seemed more right. The scruffy face of a certain Warlord Prince smiling a silly little crooked smile sent her heart fluttering and her eyelashes to alight on her cheeks. Attila had certainly done his part in making the young hearth witch make the step towards adulthood. While she didn’t know if he thought so, she certainly had felt years older the next morning when awaking in his arms. Twenty-five at the very least… But even if she were twenty-five, she would still be nearly ten years younger than Attila…and feeling like a babbling fourteen year old more often than not. She let out a breath of air that she hadn’t realized that she had been holding and straightened her back. Yes. This was another step towards growing up and an important step that she needed to take. Attila couldn’t always take care of her, even though she might want him to. And she couldn’t deny that having a little extra strength would be nice around the house…the man did make one tornado of a mess.
Lifting her face to the Priestess hovering near the door, she nodded her ready. With a smile and a hand to her heart, the woman pulled the door shut behind her, leaving the young woman alone. Well, not entirely alone. Musetta could feel Mother Night in this place, seeping through the cracks in the floor and whispering through the shadows of the ceiling. She smiled, taking in the comfort of the only true mother she had ever known. Moving towards the altar, she removed the white linen dress that was the only article of clothing she was wearing, and called in the ceremonial chalice and knife. After setting down the cup, she caressed the knife handle with tears welling in the corners of her eyes. She had managed to save a few very important things before her mother and sister had sold everything her family had ever owned. The chalice and knife had belonged to her father, his father before him, and his father before him. The male strength hummed through it, balancing with the female presence in the holy place. Musetta couldn’t deny that she took solace in the thought that her father’s blood had once graced the same steel. Holding onto this thought, she pricked both palms and let a stream of crimson fall into the golden cup. After removing her Tiger Eye necklace and laying it gently to the side, she stepped back and knelt on the chilled stone with closed eyes. And waited.
The Darkness came to take her slowly. Gently, she took the controlled dive that she was so used to down through the White and the Yellow to rest nestled for a moment in the webs of the Tiger Eye. It was so warm here, so familiar. It reminded her of happier days and bright sunny mornings…and Attila. Then, she felt the strands that had always held so strong for her slowly giving way beneath her. She was falling deeper. Past the quiet strength of the Rose, through the Summer Sky that brought a cry ripping from her lips as she was reminded of her father’s scent. She reached out, trying to hold onto the Summer Sky webs, wanting to remain in the place that had been his place. But it was not meant to be hers. With a soft push, the Darkness urged her forward, pulling her grip loose to settle her into the Purple Dusk.
Musetta rolled her face into the silken strands, her tears absorbed into webs that hummed as the liquid touched them. This did not belong to Attila. This did not belong to her father. This was not even her mother’s or her sister’s. This was hers. She smiled. The new power seemed vast compared to her Tiger Eye - but at the same time, empowering. Letting forth an elated cry that she didn’t even know could come from her mouth, Musetta bounded back towards the surface.
Dawn.
After quickly tugging the dress back over her head, Musetta lovingly took up her Tiger Eye necklace in one hand, and the three pieces of her precious Purple Dusk in the other - and set off to feed the hungry chickens and Warlord Prince that she knew would be waiting her.
Had she thought this through? Marina looked down at her beloved Purple Dusk jewel and fingered it like she had done so many times before. The facets in the jewel caught the sunlight beautifully and the purple color felt so familiar. Familiar, and yet it had proven to not be enough to protect herself in this dangerous city. Azmodean had worn a Dark Opal and he had been able to overpower her easily. Now the new ruler, Julius or Julias or whatever his name was again, wore the Green. Marina didn't know him and she knew next to nothing about him, but if he was anything like his predecessor then she needed to be able to protect herself.
And so it was time for Marina Fey to make her Offering to the Darkness. She was a sensible person and a Priestess at that so she knew that it paid off to come prepared to the altar. When she arrived she greeted the Priestess of the altar with a friendly smile. Marina made it clear that she wished to be left alone in this endeavor. She needed to be alone since she had to stop relying so heavily on other people. In the past she had been protected by her family, and so far she hadn't fared all that well without them. So she needed to do this on her own, to prove to herself that she could be alone without disaster knocking on her door every other minute.
It began as a simple meditation, except that she was naked. Her awareness went further inside herself than she normally would allow it before she found her core. Marina became more aware of a pull, a need and she followed it inwards as the sun set outside. It was dusk when Marina found herself in the Abyss, at the Purple Dusk web she knew so well and loved. With the small awareness she still had of her body, Marina took up a knife and prickled both her palms so that small tendrils of blood flowed from her onto the altar. A sacrifice.
I am Blood. I am yours.
Marina began pushing against the Purple Dusk, marveling when she passed it. She found the Opal web, and felt disgusted by it. This was Azmodean's web and it reminded her too much of him for her to want anything to do with it. It was a great relief when she found it easy to push through the web and leave it behind.
The Green felt different. Marina didn't know anyone who wore the Green, but she knew that the new ruler of Chaillot did. Would she end up here, equal to him in jewel if not caste? Marina waited, almost halted, but the Green finally didn't feel right for her. It wasn't where she was supposed to be, and she marveled as she found her way from the Green to the Sapphire.
This was vast, this was deep. Marina knew the very instant that she entered the pool that she wanted nothing else but to stay here. This was what had been meant for her all along and she had been able to come this far, to the incredible Sapphire.
Suddenly her inner vision grew dim and began to fade. Marina's head felt heavy, and she once again became aware of her body. It was the blood loss combined with the strain of the intense focus. Marina sealed the wounds of her palms, and asked the returning Priestess of the altar for some food and water. It was dawn when she walked back to Kaeden's house, holding her precious new Sapphire jewel in her hands, and she could feel the raw power coming from within. Was he awake? What would he say?