Blood and Choice
Fandom: The Gemma Doyle Trilogy
Subject: Mary Dowd/Sarah Rees-Toome
Title: Blood and Choice
Warnings/Notes: Made for the magic challenge at waywardmixes. Spoilers for The Gemma Doyle Trilogy. Warnings for blood/gore and character death (including the death of a child). 8tracks stream and DL available.
"If you will listen, I will tell you a story-one whose ghosts cannot be banished by the comfort of a roaring fire. I will tell you the story of how we found ourselves in a realm where dreams are formed, destiny is chosen, and magic is as real as your handprint in snow. I will tell you how we unlocked the Pandora’s box of ourselves, tasted freedom, stained our souls with blood and choice, and unleashed a horror on the world that destroyed its dearest Order."
- Mary Dowd's Diary, April 7, 1871
In 1871 Mary Dowd kept a diary. It documented the adventures and tragedies of the year she turned sixteen. She and her best friend, Sarah Rees-Toome learned how to harness magic powers under the guidance of Eugenia Spence (headmistress of Spence Academy for Young Ladies and elder of a group of powerful women called the Order). Members of the Order could open a door between the human world and other Realms and help spirits cross over into the afterlife. They also possessed the powers of prophecy, clairvoyance, healing magic and the ability to weave illusions. The girls delighted in their abilities. Together they turned blades of grass into butterflies in a garden of wine-coloured heather under an orange-gold sky. Sarah began going by the alias of Circe.
It was not to last. After a while, Sarah's magic began to fade. Panicked at the loss of her power, she began making forbidden deals with the dark spirits of the Winterlands. The spirits promised her powers in return for sacrifices of small animals. But then they wanted more. Mary was afraid, but Sarah accused her of leaving her behind when she didn't want to help.
They was having harsh words. I hear Mary sayin’, ‘Oh, no, Sarah, we can’t do that, we can’t!’ And Sarah says something about ‘That’s easy enough for you to say. You want to go off and leave me.’ And Mary started in cryin’ soft and Sarah wrapped her in her arms and kissed her bold as you please. Well I ’bout fell out right there, I can tell you. ‘We’ll be together, Mary. Always.’
- Brigid, Spence Housekeeper
One night they lured a little girl from a Romani camp who lived on Academy grounds to the third floor of the East Wing. They had promised Carolina a new doll. Mary held the child down as Sarah summoned the creature from the Winterlands. It appeared and in her fear, Mary smothered the girl; thinking that it was her or them.
“The creature shrieked in anger. ‘I needed her whole! Your sacrifice is worthless to me now.’
“‘But you promised . . . ,’ I whispered.
“Sarah’s eyes blazed. ‘Mary, you have ruined everything! You never wanted me to have the power, to be my sister! I should have known.’
“‘I will have payment,’ the creature cried, grabbing fast to Sarah’s arm. She screamed and then I did find my legs, oh, diary, found them and ran as the wind to Eugenia, told her all as she grabbed her robe and candle. When we returned, the child lay there, a reminder of my sin, but Sarah was gone.
- Mary Dowd's Diary, April 6, 1871
Eugenia traded herself to the spirit in Sarah's place and sealed up the doorways between the realms. When Mary refused to re-open the path, Sarah ran at her, knocking over a candle. Fire quickly spread throughout the East Wing. Mary fled into the woods. From there she watched the flames consume the building with her dearest friend trapped inside. She declared that Mary Dowd had died there with her. Changing her name to Virginia, she later married John Doyle, had two children with him and travelled to India. She hoped to leave her past behind.
Twenty four years later, on her daughter Gemma's sixteenth birthday, Virginia's past catches up with her. Walking through the Bombay market the two encounter a man named Amar who has a message: "Circe is near". Virginia panics and demands that Gemma return home. Frustrated at her mother's secrecy, Gemma runs away. Gemma then experiences her first clairvoyant vision, a shadowy spirit attacking Virginia and Amar. It devours Amar. Virginia takes up his dagger and plunges it into herself rather than let the creature take her.
Circe discovers that there is a new girl having visions who could open a path into the realms. She sheds her name again, takes on a new identity and returns to Spence Academy.
Upon reading the diary for the first time Gemma's friend Felicity declares that, "Mary and Sarah are probably Sapphists." And she has reasons to think so.
Her dearest friend in the world is a girl named Sarah Rees-Toome who is the “most charming and virtuous girl in the world.”
'You want to go off and leave me.’ And Mary started in cryin’ soft and Sarah wrapped her in her arms and kissed her bold as you please.
But then she took both my hands in hers, and I cannot feel anything but fondness for her when she is so very kind with me.
‘We’ll be together, Mary. Always.’
Mary goes to terrible lengths not to lose the person dearest to her. Sarah did love Mary, but her desire for power ultimately consumed everything else. Even love.
For the purposes of the artwork Rachel Weisz is playing the role of Sarah Rees-Toome and Karen Gillan is Mary Dowd. I hope that you enjoy the mix.
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Emily Browning
The Killing Moon
Nouvelle Vague
Sticks and Stones
The Pierces
Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)
Florence + the Machine
Things We Lost In The Fire
Bastille
Parasol
Sarah Slean
The Devil Within
Digital Daggers
Angels
Within Temptation
Download the mix here.
Or listen to it on 8tracks here.
Subject: Mary Dowd/Sarah Rees-Toome
Title: Blood and Choice
Warnings/Notes: Made for the magic challenge at waywardmixes. Spoilers for The Gemma Doyle Trilogy. Warnings for blood/gore and character death (including the death of a child). 8tracks stream and DL available.
"If you will listen, I will tell you a story-one whose ghosts cannot be banished by the comfort of a roaring fire. I will tell you the story of how we found ourselves in a realm where dreams are formed, destiny is chosen, and magic is as real as your handprint in snow. I will tell you how we unlocked the Pandora’s box of ourselves, tasted freedom, stained our souls with blood and choice, and unleashed a horror on the world that destroyed its dearest Order."
- Mary Dowd's Diary, April 7, 1871
In 1871 Mary Dowd kept a diary. It documented the adventures and tragedies of the year she turned sixteen. She and her best friend, Sarah Rees-Toome learned how to harness magic powers under the guidance of Eugenia Spence (headmistress of Spence Academy for Young Ladies and elder of a group of powerful women called the Order). Members of the Order could open a door between the human world and other Realms and help spirits cross over into the afterlife. They also possessed the powers of prophecy, clairvoyance, healing magic and the ability to weave illusions. The girls delighted in their abilities. Together they turned blades of grass into butterflies in a garden of wine-coloured heather under an orange-gold sky. Sarah began going by the alias of Circe.
It was not to last. After a while, Sarah's magic began to fade. Panicked at the loss of her power, she began making forbidden deals with the dark spirits of the Winterlands. The spirits promised her powers in return for sacrifices of small animals. But then they wanted more. Mary was afraid, but Sarah accused her of leaving her behind when she didn't want to help.
They was having harsh words. I hear Mary sayin’, ‘Oh, no, Sarah, we can’t do that, we can’t!’ And Sarah says something about ‘That’s easy enough for you to say. You want to go off and leave me.’ And Mary started in cryin’ soft and Sarah wrapped her in her arms and kissed her bold as you please. Well I ’bout fell out right there, I can tell you. ‘We’ll be together, Mary. Always.’
- Brigid, Spence Housekeeper
One night they lured a little girl from a Romani camp who lived on Academy grounds to the third floor of the East Wing. They had promised Carolina a new doll. Mary held the child down as Sarah summoned the creature from the Winterlands. It appeared and in her fear, Mary smothered the girl; thinking that it was her or them.
“The creature shrieked in anger. ‘I needed her whole! Your sacrifice is worthless to me now.’
“‘But you promised . . . ,’ I whispered.
“Sarah’s eyes blazed. ‘Mary, you have ruined everything! You never wanted me to have the power, to be my sister! I should have known.’
“‘I will have payment,’ the creature cried, grabbing fast to Sarah’s arm. She screamed and then I did find my legs, oh, diary, found them and ran as the wind to Eugenia, told her all as she grabbed her robe and candle. When we returned, the child lay there, a reminder of my sin, but Sarah was gone.
- Mary Dowd's Diary, April 6, 1871
Eugenia traded herself to the spirit in Sarah's place and sealed up the doorways between the realms. When Mary refused to re-open the path, Sarah ran at her, knocking over a candle. Fire quickly spread throughout the East Wing. Mary fled into the woods. From there she watched the flames consume the building with her dearest friend trapped inside. She declared that Mary Dowd had died there with her. Changing her name to Virginia, she later married John Doyle, had two children with him and travelled to India. She hoped to leave her past behind.
Twenty four years later, on her daughter Gemma's sixteenth birthday, Virginia's past catches up with her. Walking through the Bombay market the two encounter a man named Amar who has a message: "Circe is near". Virginia panics and demands that Gemma return home. Frustrated at her mother's secrecy, Gemma runs away. Gemma then experiences her first clairvoyant vision, a shadowy spirit attacking Virginia and Amar. It devours Amar. Virginia takes up his dagger and plunges it into herself rather than let the creature take her.
Circe discovers that there is a new girl having visions who could open a path into the realms. She sheds her name again, takes on a new identity and returns to Spence Academy.
Upon reading the diary for the first time Gemma's friend Felicity declares that, "Mary and Sarah are probably Sapphists." And she has reasons to think so.
Her dearest friend in the world is a girl named Sarah Rees-Toome who is the “most charming and virtuous girl in the world.”
'You want to go off and leave me.’ And Mary started in cryin’ soft and Sarah wrapped her in her arms and kissed her bold as you please.
But then she took both my hands in hers, and I cannot feel anything but fondness for her when she is so very kind with me.
‘We’ll be together, Mary. Always.’
Mary goes to terrible lengths not to lose the person dearest to her. Sarah did love Mary, but her desire for power ultimately consumed everything else. Even love.
For the purposes of the artwork Rachel Weisz is playing the role of Sarah Rees-Toome and Karen Gillan is Mary Dowd. I hope that you enjoy the mix.
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Emily Browning
The Killing Moon
Nouvelle Vague
Sticks and Stones
The Pierces
Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)
Florence + the Machine
Things We Lost In The Fire
Bastille
Parasol
Sarah Slean
The Devil Within
Digital Daggers
Angels
Within Temptation
Download the mix here.
Or listen to it on 8tracks here.