Aspasia - Early Nov - Tulsa
On Tuesday night following Milwaukee after rising, Charlotte moves silently to her sister's side, pulling on her sleeve. When Sidney looks down at her, Charlotte stares up at the other woman, tugging gently on the bone and turquoise headdress and the medicine bag. Her meaning is clear. She wants help removing the objects and putting them somewhere safe for a bit.
Sidney's expression begins as curiosity, but the light of comprehension dawns shortly thereafter. She utters a soft "Oh!" and begins to help her sister in removing the items while she continues to murmur, "Of course, how could I have forgotten! How very silly of me, Inali - here, look." She points a short distance away to a small pile of rocks half hidden by grasses. "We can put your things there."
Charlotte turns adoring eyes on her sister, her expression serene as Sidney helps her with the items. There is a palpable sense of love flowing from the feral woman to her sister.
Casting a worried glance over at their sire, Charlotte rises slightly on the balls of her feet, pitching her gruff voice low so as not to be overheard by anyone else. "Wa-ter?" There is a world of inflection and meaning in that question as she looks for her sister's opinion.
Sidney nods. "Yes, I think so. We should ask, don't you think?"
Brushing the crown of her head against her sister, Charlotte nods.
Sidney smiles at Inali and then at Aspasia, explaining in a slightly halting, considerate tone, "Inali would like to ... perform a ritual. It is a cleansing? Of sorts...”
Aspasia’s right eyebrow quirks up as if in question.
What is this about?
“I'm certain I won't be able to do the particulars justice, but I will give it my utmost, if you're willing to undergo Inali's ministrations. It would involve..." Sidney pauses, ducking her head in an almost animalistic equivalent of a blush, "stripping to your skivvies - or as far to it as you're comfortable, at least!" She hastens to add the last bit, and then continues her explanation, "That's in order for you to enter the water. Are you - are you willing to undergo Inali's ritual?"
Charlotte scampers over to the spot Sidney had pointed out, stowing her precious items. Then she returns before Sidney finishes. The feral woman turns clear summer eyes on her sire.
This is important to her. And it may help me to understand more about my lost one.
Aspasia glances from Sidney to her other daughter and back again. "Of course."
Charlotte nods, grunting her approval and turning clear blue eyes towards Sidney first, then Aspasia. She begins to struggle out of her own clothing, but the manual dexterity is too much for her. Tugging on Sidney's skirt, she waits for her Sister to help her.
Aspasia starts to strip away the somewhat road worn clothing that she has used since Hisa's murder. "Ritual purification is something I understand. And water something I love."
The feral woman growls quietly, "Love wa-ter."
The Amazon removes everything until she is only skyclad and in the moonlight there are faint tracings of scars. Ones that may have been more noticable when her skin had been sunkissed, not the white of death that she is now. It is clear Aspasia was in some measure a fighter, a warrior in her living days, carried through time and fog to still mark her body here and there.
She pulls off the necklace last, one with a wooden carving married to a doorkey. Caressing the two objects for second, she places them carefully atop the pile of clothing.
Beloved.
Lifting her hear to look at the two women, Aspasia murmurs. "How does this proceed?" There is a hint of curiosity in her voice.
Charlotte scampers over to the banks of the river, knowing that Sidney will follow her and simply expecting Aspasia to as well. She begins gathering small stones and making seven small circles in a crescent moon pattern. Next to the circles, she makes smaller mounds of earth. Within the circles, she carefully places dry grass and twigs. Her graveled voice speaks in her native tongue, her speech only moderately less broken than her English. From her inflection, it is likely an invocation.
Aspasia watches the preparations in silence.
Pointing to the half-circle she has made with the seven rings, Charlotte says, "Sit." And demonstrates kneeling so that her meaning is not mistaken. The method she used to create the half-circle leaves it so that Aspasia will be kneeling, facing the water.
Then she looks up at Sidney and growls, "Fire?"
The corners of Sidney's lips pull and tense slightly, but it is only a brief hesitation before she nods resolutely and goes about making and setting the fires in the seven circles.
Aspasia nods to Charlotte and takes her place inside the crescent marked area and proceeds to kneel, feet tucked up under her. Back straight, though her head turns as she tries to keep an eye on Charlotte's actions.
I hope there are other rituals of her people that do not make use of fire. I dislike having it at my back, despite the nearness of water.
Charlotte watches Sidney create the first fire with a critical eye. Then, the Cherokee scampers over to a tree near the campfire, moving brush and leaves to reveal a small cloth wrapped bundle.
With that, Sidney moves to kneel behind and slightly to the south of the half circle, hands clasped as though in prayer, watching deferentially and paying careful attention in the case that there is something it seems she needs to explain or translate.
Charlotte returns to where her sire kneels, pats Sidney's hand in thanks for building the fires, and opens the bundle. Individual packages are inside, each containing a pigmented substance that appears to be the consistency of a paste and powder all at the same time. The colors are a sky blue, a burnt sienna, and a kohl black.
Crouching in front of Aspasia, Charlotte closes her eyes and, using two fingers, applies the burnt sienna across her own eyelids, over the bridge of her nose, and across both temples. When she opens her eyes, she dips her fingers back into the package, and reaches towards her sire.
Aspasia mimics her daughter, closing her eyes.
Again, Charlotte repeats the process with Aspasia, her touch feather light, yet assured. Finally, she takes the kohl, and makes a dot just under each of her own eyes, and Aspasia's as well. After her hands are once again clean, she tenderly strokes her mother's hair for a heartbeat or two, and kneels facing Aspasia. She places her hands on her own thighs in slow, deliberate motions, indicating that her sire should follow suit.
Aspasia carefully mirrors this action as well.
In her graveled voice, Charlotte intones, "Unequa, Igaehinvdo. Oonawieh Unggi, Asgaya Gigagei. Ehena." She pauses, waiting for Sidney to translate.
From behind them, Sidney’s melodious brogue fills the air, "Great Spirit, Sun Spirit. Oldest Wind, Thunder Beings. Come - " she hesitates for a moment, then continues, "...into this place, into your vessel."
Charlotte shifts so that she is directly in front of the first fire. "Uyvtlvi. Uyohvselv. "
The timbre of Sidney’s voice deepens with the weight of the words, "North. Loss."
Hisa.
Lifting the first mound of earth, Charlotte puts out the fire, laying her hand lightly over the remaining embers. Then she takes Aspasia's hand in her own and leads her to stand and step over that first stone circle.
Aspasia seeks out Sidney, to see what her other daughter is doing, studying the woman for an instant.
It's clear that while Sidney intellectually understands what's transpiring, she doesn't fully grasp the mysticism of it. In that, Aspasia feels a momentary kinship. Charlotte’s religion is not hers.
The Cherokee’s step is slow, and less graceful than normal, as she walks uncomfortably on two legs towards the river. Once they reach the water, she guides Aspasia into the river, still holding her mother's hand, and with her other hand at the small of Aspasia's back.
Silent, but with a slight smile playing on her lips, the Amazon enters the water quite willingly.
One thing this daughter and I share in common. Water.
Charlotte continues to move them until both women stand waist deep in the water. Placing her hands on Aspasia's shoulders, she gently pushes the Amazon downwards until the water reaches Aspasia's collarbone. Cupping her hands, she fills them with the icy water of the river and pours it directly onto the crown of her sire's head, at an angle that it will drip down her back.
Taking Aspasia's hand once more, Charlotte leads her out of the water and directs her sire to step over the second stone circle of fire and back to her place. Charlotte then kneels in front of the second stone circle of the crescent, searching Aspasia's eyes.
The Amazon quirks an eyebrow up, but remains silent as she locks her gaze with Charlotte.
The familiar summer sky eyes are just a shade deeper and Charlotte reaches unerringly for the second mound of earth while maintaining eye contact with her mother. She speaks again, in her low growling voice, " Nvdayi. Atsidihi. Hisa. Ehisdv."
Once again, Sidney's light and lilting voice sighs across the water, grave with sorrow -
"Hisa was murdered, and there is pain."
And anger.
Putting out the fire and laying her hand lightly over the embers, Charlotte touches the palm of that hand to Aspasia's forehead. She takes Aspasia's hand in her own again and leads her sire to step over the second stone circle. Her steps are mildly less halting as she places the other hand on the small of her sire's back and the two make the short journey into the river. Again, waist deep in the water, she puts her hands on Aspasia's shoulders and presses lightly until the water touches the collarbone of the Greek. Charlotte pours the water at the same downward angle, and leads Aspasia back to the crescent and over the third circle.
When both women are kneeling in place, Charlotte takes the third small mound of earth, pouring it slowly over the flames until they are gone. With the same gesture of laying her hand over the embers, she says, " Ugalayai. Nalehelegunu, adanvdo." Again, her eyes become a shade darker as the power of nature embraces the shaman.
This time as she translates and in sympathy with the energy that Inali transfers to Aspasia, both Sidney's voice and her person radiate warmth and understanding.
"Deep wound of the spirit, the heart."
To water the pair goes, repeating the same positions, the same wordless benediction. All the while, Sidney is equally intent upon her responsibilities in the performance of the ritual.
For a fourth time, Charlotte kneels in her place, facing her sire. Her eyes, now a rich, vibrant blue, never leave Aspasia's as she puts out the fourth small fire, intoning, " Usvhiyi. Atalesv. Kali, adanvdo."
"Leave not the spirit barren." Sidney's voice is filled with hope.
They mean to comfort, both of them.
Remember, that Amazon. They reach out, you must meet them half-way.
Once more to water, where the same positions are assumed, and the water is poured with the same downward angle.
At the fifth stone circle, when the women are kneeling again, and Charlotte's eyes are further deepening in shade, Charlotte reaches out and holds her mother's face in her hands. "Hard part, now. Much hurt. Rea-dy?"
What are you planning, daughter?
A wrinkle forms over Aspasia's brow at first. She stares for a long moment into Charlotte's eyes, then nods once. "Yes."
Though significantly darker, Charlotte's eyes are as pure and seem to shine with purpose, or power. She lays one hand on the mound of earth next to the fifth stone circle.
The other hand, she lowers into the fire for the briefest time possible. Flesh burns, blackening in places.
Aspasia stifles a gasp at the ghost pain which runs from her hand, up the length of her arm.
The Cherokee removes her hand from the flames and picks up the mound of earth to quench the fire. Her eyes change shade again, a deep twilight blue, as she makes the next invocation.
"Galunadi, Oonawieh Unggi. Dehana. Ehisdv."
Charlotte takes her sire's hand in the now familiar gesture.
The pain writhes like a living creature, the physical closeness adding to the cutting edge of Blood Sympathy. But, Aspasia follows her daughter into the water again.
Honor the beliefs of another, Amazon. This is how your child prays.
As the pair steps into the water, the edges of pain recede. It does not dissipate, as if the Shaman and the Spirits are fully aware that a ritual is only one step on the long road of healing. As more and more of their bodies sink into the water, Aspasia concentrates instead on the soothing feel of the cold liquid against her skin. Using it to as a barrier against the ties of blood, and she thinks about Hisa. Refuses to let anything dull the pain of her heart, as if afraid she will forget the loss.
Charlotte pours the water over Aspasia's head, then places one hand in the river and at the small of Aspasia's back, and holds her sire's hand with the other. She leads her sire to the sixth stone circle and back to the kneeling positions. Her touch is gentle, her eyes compassionate. Though her body no longer needs oxygen, she takes a deep breath.
Now a touch more guarded, Aspasia waits to see what will come to pass next.
Charlotte opens the bundle further to reveal an obsidian blade. She holds the blade over the fire. Her eyes are now just this side of black, and she holds the point to her injured hand. Just before she begins to cut, she frowns and puts the blade down. She looks skyward as she growls, " Igaehinvdo, for-give. Mo-ther not Tsalagi."
And she brings her gaze back to her sire, eyes hard as obsidian, though strangely tender. "Wa-ter not make pain go. Wa-ter not make loss go. Tsalagi not for-get, not hide. Em-bra-ce pain. Loss, pain make str-ong adanvdo, sp-ir-it. He-art. Hold pain. Hold loss. Good. Wa-ter make pain, loss yiga, pure. So ne-ver for-get. See?"
In one fluid motion, the Cherokee lifts the blade from the ground, over the fire, and slices a deep cut into her palm. Aspasia can feel that Charlotte welcomes the pain, embraces it, makes it a part of her. Blood begins to well in the wound and she gestures for Aspasia to offer her right hand. "Two more. Fin-ish?"
There is a touch of hesitation in that final word; fear of rejection.
"Finish." Aspasia exhales.
Charlotte takes her sire's hand and makes an identical cut in the palm. Clasping her own hand with Aspasia's, the Cherokee allows the blood to drip into the fire as she uses the gathered earth to quell the fire with the other hand. " Elhoi. Asgaya Gigagei. Hisa. Agadeyudi. Gigv'agigv. Sint Holo. Adanedi tsusasi."
As with the previous five trips to the water, Charlotte leads Aspasia to the river. It is not until the first step in the water than anything metaphysical is felt. The singular purpose of vengeance seeps into their veins with every step that the women take, inscribing the remedy for injustice on bone and sinew. The blessing of the gods and spirits is like a song, ringing through the blood. Her fury is fire and ice, and in her eyes is the sweet whisper of temptation to run rivers of blood until the death of Hisa is avenged to satisfaction and no one, no one would dare touch another of the family for fear of the repercussions. It echoes from the feelings that are in Charlotte’s blood as well.
Charlotte draws from Aspasia the emotions and reactions. She pours the benediction of water over her mother's head, as if to seal the oath of revenge, and leads Aspasia to the final stone circle.
Once the two women are in place, Inali glances over at Sidney, her eyes solemn, expressive, and carrying a warning.
For the last time, Charlotte reaches into her bundle, extricating a rod that is roughly six inches in length. Tied to one end with a bit of leather thong is an eagle's feather and a seven turquoise beads. The tip is charred, and the wood is carved with symbols. She carefully ignites the tip and holds it out to Aspasia. With her other hand, she gestures to various body parts on herself as she speaks, "When Mo-ther say Utyvtivi, touch." She points to her own forehead. "Not self. Sha-man. Yes?"
There is a distinct look of surprise and puzzlement in Aspasia's face while Charlotte gives the directions
"Nvdayi . Touch." She point to her right collarbone. "Ugalayai. Touch." She points to her navel. "Usvhiyi. Touch." She points to her left collarbone.
"Galunadi. Touch." She points to the palm of her right hand. "Elohi. Touch." She points to the cut in her left hand.
Charred. Fire… She means to burn her.
"Adanvdo. Touch. Hold thr-ee beat." She points to her heart, and then demonstrates the beats.
"If need, put back in fire. Must hurt sha-man. Yes?"
This I can not respect. I can not support.
Mindful of the need to respect the rituals of her daughter, it is clear the Amazon is conflicted, seriously conflicted about this. She starts to hand the wooden stick back to Charlotte. "This is.... No."
Instead of taking the rod back from Aspasia, Charlotte wraps her hand around her mother's hand. She tilts her head to the side, her graveled voice inquisitive, with no condemnation. "Why? Not kill. Just hurt, little. O-ther way, if Mo-ther not want." She indicates the burning stick. "But Char-lotte, Inali, want know why."
"Why? Because the last person I loved, that I hurt, died at my claws. And the next to fall will be those who were involved in Hisa's death. Not my childer." Aspasia's tone of voice and body language convey that this is not a topic for discussion.
Winterbourne, do not think I have forgotten you. Your time is limited.
Nodding slowly, Charlotte turns her hand, and thus Aspasia's, to put out the fire on the rod. She lets go, leaving the rod in Aspasia's hand and says, "Mo-ther pass test." Her eyes smile for just a moment, before they change shade again to the deepest obsidian. " Adanvdo, hea-rt need yiga, pure, if go last step. If hurt sha-man, not yiga. Part of rit-ual." She says by way of explanation. "Foll-ow steps, words, no fire. Then fin-ish."
The shaman places her hands on her thighs, palms facing up, and calmly waits for Aspasia to complete the actions she outlined.
With a slightly grumpy expression on her face, Aspasia then does as Charlotte indicates. Stopping at the end to hold the rod out away from her, as if she would gladly drop it.
Midnight black eyes gaze at Aspasia quizzically, as if to ask why she didn't just set it down, and Charlotte takes the rod and sets it down. Her eyes are apologetic for the necessity of the test as she douses the fire with the last mound of earth. " Adanvdo. Anvdadisdi." Charlotte pauses. She keeps her gaze locked with Aspasia, her eyes unaccountably sad.
Her soft, low growl is a little smoother than normal. "Mo-ther hea-rt, filled Hisa, other child-ren." There is an undercurrent that she is excluding herself and Sidney from this particular train of thought, not out of any malice, but for the simple facts. " Anvdadisdi, mem-ory, not need rit-ual, make yiga. Al-rea-dy yiga. Like Tsalagi, Cher-o-kee."
Taking a still smoldering stick from the recently quenched fire, Charlotte touches it to her own chest. "Not meet Hisa. Adanvdo, he-art, sp-ir-it mis-sing, vo-id, wh-ere Ulv, Sis-ter, go."
A void, yes. Always.
"Adanvdo, anvdadisdi igohidv." Charlotte pulls herself to two legs, holding her hand out for Aspasia to take, and she waits for her sire to rise with her.
Aspasia quietly follows Charlotte's lead again.
Charlotte does not place the other palm against Aspasia's back this time. Instead, hand in hand, sire and childe walk towards the river. On this last trek, Charlotte appears to walk almost normally, with only a hint of the faltering steps of one unused to moving on two legs. There is a different feel to the walk, as if this last step is as much for the shaman as it is for the Amazon.
With the first step into the river, Charlotte applies subtle pressure to her sire's hand as she stops. Placing her free palm lightly against the cheek of The Amazon, she turns her head so that her eyes are fixed on Aspasia. "Gvgeyui, Mo-ther." Her eyes are gentle and awed. She translates, "Lo-ve, Mo-ther."
She turns back to the river, walking deeper into the water this final time. When the flow of the river reaches the shoulders of both women, Charlotte stops. Facing Aspasia, the shaman cups her hands and fills them with water. She pours the liquid over Aspasia's head, a final benediction, and places her hands squarely on Aspasia's shoulders. Gently, but firmly, Charlotte pushes down on her sire until the water rises above both of their heads.
Fully immersed in the river, Charlotte uses both hands to tenderly encourage the paint on her sire's face to yield under the ministrations of the water. As the water ebbs and flows over them, the power seeps away, and as the women stare at each other, Charlotte's eyes bleed back to the pure, summer blue. At the instant that her eyes regain their natural color, Charlotte lifts them both to break the surface of the river.
Charlotte leads Aspasia out of the river, appearing steady, but the moment that her foot touches the bank, she stumbles. Dropping back to her crouch, she then settles on the ground and draws her knees to her chest. She offers Aspasia a weak smile, exhausted by her efforts. "Igaehinvdo, Unequa bless. T-ank you for..." She makes a sweeping gesture to indicate The Amazon's indulgence in the ritual.
So this is how my childe prays.
Sidney's expression begins as curiosity, but the light of comprehension dawns shortly thereafter. She utters a soft "Oh!" and begins to help her sister in removing the items while she continues to murmur, "Of course, how could I have forgotten! How very silly of me, Inali - here, look." She points a short distance away to a small pile of rocks half hidden by grasses. "We can put your things there."
Charlotte turns adoring eyes on her sister, her expression serene as Sidney helps her with the items. There is a palpable sense of love flowing from the feral woman to her sister.
Casting a worried glance over at their sire, Charlotte rises slightly on the balls of her feet, pitching her gruff voice low so as not to be overheard by anyone else. "Wa-ter?" There is a world of inflection and meaning in that question as she looks for her sister's opinion.
Sidney nods. "Yes, I think so. We should ask, don't you think?"
Brushing the crown of her head against her sister, Charlotte nods.
Sidney smiles at Inali and then at Aspasia, explaining in a slightly halting, considerate tone, "Inali would like to ... perform a ritual. It is a cleansing? Of sorts...”
Aspasia’s right eyebrow quirks up as if in question.
What is this about?
“I'm certain I won't be able to do the particulars justice, but I will give it my utmost, if you're willing to undergo Inali's ministrations. It would involve..." Sidney pauses, ducking her head in an almost animalistic equivalent of a blush, "stripping to your skivvies - or as far to it as you're comfortable, at least!" She hastens to add the last bit, and then continues her explanation, "That's in order for you to enter the water. Are you - are you willing to undergo Inali's ritual?"
Charlotte scampers over to the spot Sidney had pointed out, stowing her precious items. Then she returns before Sidney finishes. The feral woman turns clear summer eyes on her sire.
This is important to her. And it may help me to understand more about my lost one.
Aspasia glances from Sidney to her other daughter and back again. "Of course."
Charlotte nods, grunting her approval and turning clear blue eyes towards Sidney first, then Aspasia. She begins to struggle out of her own clothing, but the manual dexterity is too much for her. Tugging on Sidney's skirt, she waits for her Sister to help her.
Aspasia starts to strip away the somewhat road worn clothing that she has used since Hisa's murder. "Ritual purification is something I understand. And water something I love."
The feral woman growls quietly, "Love wa-ter."
The Amazon removes everything until she is only skyclad and in the moonlight there are faint tracings of scars. Ones that may have been more noticable when her skin had been sunkissed, not the white of death that she is now. It is clear Aspasia was in some measure a fighter, a warrior in her living days, carried through time and fog to still mark her body here and there.
She pulls off the necklace last, one with a wooden carving married to a doorkey. Caressing the two objects for second, she places them carefully atop the pile of clothing.
Beloved.
Lifting her hear to look at the two women, Aspasia murmurs. "How does this proceed?" There is a hint of curiosity in her voice.
Charlotte scampers over to the banks of the river, knowing that Sidney will follow her and simply expecting Aspasia to as well. She begins gathering small stones and making seven small circles in a crescent moon pattern. Next to the circles, she makes smaller mounds of earth. Within the circles, she carefully places dry grass and twigs. Her graveled voice speaks in her native tongue, her speech only moderately less broken than her English. From her inflection, it is likely an invocation.
Aspasia watches the preparations in silence.
Pointing to the half-circle she has made with the seven rings, Charlotte says, "Sit." And demonstrates kneeling so that her meaning is not mistaken. The method she used to create the half-circle leaves it so that Aspasia will be kneeling, facing the water.
Then she looks up at Sidney and growls, "Fire?"
The corners of Sidney's lips pull and tense slightly, but it is only a brief hesitation before she nods resolutely and goes about making and setting the fires in the seven circles.
Aspasia nods to Charlotte and takes her place inside the crescent marked area and proceeds to kneel, feet tucked up under her. Back straight, though her head turns as she tries to keep an eye on Charlotte's actions.
I hope there are other rituals of her people that do not make use of fire. I dislike having it at my back, despite the nearness of water.
Charlotte watches Sidney create the first fire with a critical eye. Then, the Cherokee scampers over to a tree near the campfire, moving brush and leaves to reveal a small cloth wrapped bundle.
With that, Sidney moves to kneel behind and slightly to the south of the half circle, hands clasped as though in prayer, watching deferentially and paying careful attention in the case that there is something it seems she needs to explain or translate.
Charlotte returns to where her sire kneels, pats Sidney's hand in thanks for building the fires, and opens the bundle. Individual packages are inside, each containing a pigmented substance that appears to be the consistency of a paste and powder all at the same time. The colors are a sky blue, a burnt sienna, and a kohl black.
Crouching in front of Aspasia, Charlotte closes her eyes and, using two fingers, applies the burnt sienna across her own eyelids, over the bridge of her nose, and across both temples. When she opens her eyes, she dips her fingers back into the package, and reaches towards her sire.
Aspasia mimics her daughter, closing her eyes.
Again, Charlotte repeats the process with Aspasia, her touch feather light, yet assured. Finally, she takes the kohl, and makes a dot just under each of her own eyes, and Aspasia's as well. After her hands are once again clean, she tenderly strokes her mother's hair for a heartbeat or two, and kneels facing Aspasia. She places her hands on her own thighs in slow, deliberate motions, indicating that her sire should follow suit.
Aspasia carefully mirrors this action as well.
In her graveled voice, Charlotte intones, "Unequa, Igaehinvdo. Oonawieh Unggi, Asgaya Gigagei. Ehena." She pauses, waiting for Sidney to translate.
From behind them, Sidney’s melodious brogue fills the air, "Great Spirit, Sun Spirit. Oldest Wind, Thunder Beings. Come - " she hesitates for a moment, then continues, "...into this place, into your vessel."
Charlotte shifts so that she is directly in front of the first fire. "Uyvtlvi. Uyohvselv. "
The timbre of Sidney’s voice deepens with the weight of the words, "North. Loss."
Hisa.
Lifting the first mound of earth, Charlotte puts out the fire, laying her hand lightly over the remaining embers. Then she takes Aspasia's hand in her own and leads her to stand and step over that first stone circle.
Aspasia seeks out Sidney, to see what her other daughter is doing, studying the woman for an instant.
It's clear that while Sidney intellectually understands what's transpiring, she doesn't fully grasp the mysticism of it. In that, Aspasia feels a momentary kinship. Charlotte’s religion is not hers.
The Cherokee’s step is slow, and less graceful than normal, as she walks uncomfortably on two legs towards the river. Once they reach the water, she guides Aspasia into the river, still holding her mother's hand, and with her other hand at the small of Aspasia's back.
Silent, but with a slight smile playing on her lips, the Amazon enters the water quite willingly.
One thing this daughter and I share in common. Water.
Charlotte continues to move them until both women stand waist deep in the water. Placing her hands on Aspasia's shoulders, she gently pushes the Amazon downwards until the water reaches Aspasia's collarbone. Cupping her hands, she fills them with the icy water of the river and pours it directly onto the crown of her sire's head, at an angle that it will drip down her back.
Taking Aspasia's hand once more, Charlotte leads her out of the water and directs her sire to step over the second stone circle of fire and back to her place. Charlotte then kneels in front of the second stone circle of the crescent, searching Aspasia's eyes.
The Amazon quirks an eyebrow up, but remains silent as she locks her gaze with Charlotte.
The familiar summer sky eyes are just a shade deeper and Charlotte reaches unerringly for the second mound of earth while maintaining eye contact with her mother. She speaks again, in her low growling voice, " Nvdayi. Atsidihi. Hisa. Ehisdv."
Once again, Sidney's light and lilting voice sighs across the water, grave with sorrow -
"Hisa was murdered, and there is pain."
And anger.
Putting out the fire and laying her hand lightly over the embers, Charlotte touches the palm of that hand to Aspasia's forehead. She takes Aspasia's hand in her own again and leads her sire to step over the second stone circle. Her steps are mildly less halting as she places the other hand on the small of her sire's back and the two make the short journey into the river. Again, waist deep in the water, she puts her hands on Aspasia's shoulders and presses lightly until the water touches the collarbone of the Greek. Charlotte pours the water at the same downward angle, and leads Aspasia back to the crescent and over the third circle.
When both women are kneeling in place, Charlotte takes the third small mound of earth, pouring it slowly over the flames until they are gone. With the same gesture of laying her hand over the embers, she says, " Ugalayai. Nalehelegunu, adanvdo." Again, her eyes become a shade darker as the power of nature embraces the shaman.
This time as she translates and in sympathy with the energy that Inali transfers to Aspasia, both Sidney's voice and her person radiate warmth and understanding.
"Deep wound of the spirit, the heart."
To water the pair goes, repeating the same positions, the same wordless benediction. All the while, Sidney is equally intent upon her responsibilities in the performance of the ritual.
For a fourth time, Charlotte kneels in her place, facing her sire. Her eyes, now a rich, vibrant blue, never leave Aspasia's as she puts out the fourth small fire, intoning, " Usvhiyi. Atalesv. Kali, adanvdo."
"Leave not the spirit barren." Sidney's voice is filled with hope.
They mean to comfort, both of them.
Remember, that Amazon. They reach out, you must meet them half-way.
Once more to water, where the same positions are assumed, and the water is poured with the same downward angle.
At the fifth stone circle, when the women are kneeling again, and Charlotte's eyes are further deepening in shade, Charlotte reaches out and holds her mother's face in her hands. "Hard part, now. Much hurt. Rea-dy?"
What are you planning, daughter?
A wrinkle forms over Aspasia's brow at first. She stares for a long moment into Charlotte's eyes, then nods once. "Yes."
Though significantly darker, Charlotte's eyes are as pure and seem to shine with purpose, or power. She lays one hand on the mound of earth next to the fifth stone circle.
The other hand, she lowers into the fire for the briefest time possible. Flesh burns, blackening in places.
Aspasia stifles a gasp at the ghost pain which runs from her hand, up the length of her arm.
The Cherokee removes her hand from the flames and picks up the mound of earth to quench the fire. Her eyes change shade again, a deep twilight blue, as she makes the next invocation.
"Galunadi, Oonawieh Unggi. Dehana. Ehisdv."
Charlotte takes her sire's hand in the now familiar gesture.
The pain writhes like a living creature, the physical closeness adding to the cutting edge of Blood Sympathy. But, Aspasia follows her daughter into the water again.
Honor the beliefs of another, Amazon. This is how your child prays.
As the pair steps into the water, the edges of pain recede. It does not dissipate, as if the Shaman and the Spirits are fully aware that a ritual is only one step on the long road of healing. As more and more of their bodies sink into the water, Aspasia concentrates instead on the soothing feel of the cold liquid against her skin. Using it to as a barrier against the ties of blood, and she thinks about Hisa. Refuses to let anything dull the pain of her heart, as if afraid she will forget the loss.
Charlotte pours the water over Aspasia's head, then places one hand in the river and at the small of Aspasia's back, and holds her sire's hand with the other. She leads her sire to the sixth stone circle and back to the kneeling positions. Her touch is gentle, her eyes compassionate. Though her body no longer needs oxygen, she takes a deep breath.
Now a touch more guarded, Aspasia waits to see what will come to pass next.
Charlotte opens the bundle further to reveal an obsidian blade. She holds the blade over the fire. Her eyes are now just this side of black, and she holds the point to her injured hand. Just before she begins to cut, she frowns and puts the blade down. She looks skyward as she growls, " Igaehinvdo, for-give. Mo-ther not Tsalagi."
And she brings her gaze back to her sire, eyes hard as obsidian, though strangely tender. "Wa-ter not make pain go. Wa-ter not make loss go. Tsalagi not for-get, not hide. Em-bra-ce pain. Loss, pain make str-ong adanvdo, sp-ir-it. He-art. Hold pain. Hold loss. Good. Wa-ter make pain, loss yiga, pure. So ne-ver for-get. See?"
In one fluid motion, the Cherokee lifts the blade from the ground, over the fire, and slices a deep cut into her palm. Aspasia can feel that Charlotte welcomes the pain, embraces it, makes it a part of her. Blood begins to well in the wound and she gestures for Aspasia to offer her right hand. "Two more. Fin-ish?"
There is a touch of hesitation in that final word; fear of rejection.
"Finish." Aspasia exhales.
Charlotte takes her sire's hand and makes an identical cut in the palm. Clasping her own hand with Aspasia's, the Cherokee allows the blood to drip into the fire as she uses the gathered earth to quell the fire with the other hand. " Elhoi. Asgaya Gigagei. Hisa. Agadeyudi. Gigv'agigv. Sint Holo. Adanedi tsusasi."
As with the previous five trips to the water, Charlotte leads Aspasia to the river. It is not until the first step in the water than anything metaphysical is felt. The singular purpose of vengeance seeps into their veins with every step that the women take, inscribing the remedy for injustice on bone and sinew. The blessing of the gods and spirits is like a song, ringing through the blood. Her fury is fire and ice, and in her eyes is the sweet whisper of temptation to run rivers of blood until the death of Hisa is avenged to satisfaction and no one, no one would dare touch another of the family for fear of the repercussions. It echoes from the feelings that are in Charlotte’s blood as well.
Charlotte draws from Aspasia the emotions and reactions. She pours the benediction of water over her mother's head, as if to seal the oath of revenge, and leads Aspasia to the final stone circle.
Once the two women are in place, Inali glances over at Sidney, her eyes solemn, expressive, and carrying a warning.
For the last time, Charlotte reaches into her bundle, extricating a rod that is roughly six inches in length. Tied to one end with a bit of leather thong is an eagle's feather and a seven turquoise beads. The tip is charred, and the wood is carved with symbols. She carefully ignites the tip and holds it out to Aspasia. With her other hand, she gestures to various body parts on herself as she speaks, "When Mo-ther say Utyvtivi, touch." She points to her own forehead. "Not self. Sha-man. Yes?"
There is a distinct look of surprise and puzzlement in Aspasia's face while Charlotte gives the directions
"Nvdayi . Touch." She point to her right collarbone. "Ugalayai. Touch." She points to her navel. "Usvhiyi. Touch." She points to her left collarbone.
"Galunadi. Touch." She points to the palm of her right hand. "Elohi. Touch." She points to the cut in her left hand.
Charred. Fire… She means to burn her.
"Adanvdo. Touch. Hold thr-ee beat." She points to her heart, and then demonstrates the beats.
"If need, put back in fire. Must hurt sha-man. Yes?"
This I can not respect. I can not support.
Mindful of the need to respect the rituals of her daughter, it is clear the Amazon is conflicted, seriously conflicted about this. She starts to hand the wooden stick back to Charlotte. "This is.... No."
Instead of taking the rod back from Aspasia, Charlotte wraps her hand around her mother's hand. She tilts her head to the side, her graveled voice inquisitive, with no condemnation. "Why? Not kill. Just hurt, little. O-ther way, if Mo-ther not want." She indicates the burning stick. "But Char-lotte, Inali, want know why."
"Why? Because the last person I loved, that I hurt, died at my claws. And the next to fall will be those who were involved in Hisa's death. Not my childer." Aspasia's tone of voice and body language convey that this is not a topic for discussion.
Winterbourne, do not think I have forgotten you. Your time is limited.
Nodding slowly, Charlotte turns her hand, and thus Aspasia's, to put out the fire on the rod. She lets go, leaving the rod in Aspasia's hand and says, "Mo-ther pass test." Her eyes smile for just a moment, before they change shade again to the deepest obsidian. " Adanvdo, hea-rt need yiga, pure, if go last step. If hurt sha-man, not yiga. Part of rit-ual." She says by way of explanation. "Foll-ow steps, words, no fire. Then fin-ish."
The shaman places her hands on her thighs, palms facing up, and calmly waits for Aspasia to complete the actions she outlined.
With a slightly grumpy expression on her face, Aspasia then does as Charlotte indicates. Stopping at the end to hold the rod out away from her, as if she would gladly drop it.
Midnight black eyes gaze at Aspasia quizzically, as if to ask why she didn't just set it down, and Charlotte takes the rod and sets it down. Her eyes are apologetic for the necessity of the test as she douses the fire with the last mound of earth. " Adanvdo. Anvdadisdi." Charlotte pauses. She keeps her gaze locked with Aspasia, her eyes unaccountably sad.
Her soft, low growl is a little smoother than normal. "Mo-ther hea-rt, filled Hisa, other child-ren." There is an undercurrent that she is excluding herself and Sidney from this particular train of thought, not out of any malice, but for the simple facts. " Anvdadisdi, mem-ory, not need rit-ual, make yiga. Al-rea-dy yiga. Like Tsalagi, Cher-o-kee."
Taking a still smoldering stick from the recently quenched fire, Charlotte touches it to her own chest. "Not meet Hisa. Adanvdo, he-art, sp-ir-it mis-sing, vo-id, wh-ere Ulv, Sis-ter, go."
A void, yes. Always.
"Adanvdo, anvdadisdi igohidv." Charlotte pulls herself to two legs, holding her hand out for Aspasia to take, and she waits for her sire to rise with her.
Aspasia quietly follows Charlotte's lead again.
Charlotte does not place the other palm against Aspasia's back this time. Instead, hand in hand, sire and childe walk towards the river. On this last trek, Charlotte appears to walk almost normally, with only a hint of the faltering steps of one unused to moving on two legs. There is a different feel to the walk, as if this last step is as much for the shaman as it is for the Amazon.
With the first step into the river, Charlotte applies subtle pressure to her sire's hand as she stops. Placing her free palm lightly against the cheek of The Amazon, she turns her head so that her eyes are fixed on Aspasia. "Gvgeyui, Mo-ther." Her eyes are gentle and awed. She translates, "Lo-ve, Mo-ther."
She turns back to the river, walking deeper into the water this final time. When the flow of the river reaches the shoulders of both women, Charlotte stops. Facing Aspasia, the shaman cups her hands and fills them with water. She pours the liquid over Aspasia's head, a final benediction, and places her hands squarely on Aspasia's shoulders. Gently, but firmly, Charlotte pushes down on her sire until the water rises above both of their heads.
Fully immersed in the river, Charlotte uses both hands to tenderly encourage the paint on her sire's face to yield under the ministrations of the water. As the water ebbs and flows over them, the power seeps away, and as the women stare at each other, Charlotte's eyes bleed back to the pure, summer blue. At the instant that her eyes regain their natural color, Charlotte lifts them both to break the surface of the river.
Charlotte leads Aspasia out of the river, appearing steady, but the moment that her foot touches the bank, she stumbles. Dropping back to her crouch, she then settles on the ground and draws her knees to her chest. She offers Aspasia a weak smile, exhausted by her efforts. "Igaehinvdo, Unequa bless. T-ank you for..." She makes a sweeping gesture to indicate The Amazon's indulgence in the ritual.
So this is how my childe prays.