Charmed divided

The Great Divide

On the eve of the solstice, Prudence prepared the altar. Her daughters were coming home to celebrate with her, and she is elated. She glanced over at her husband, Robert, who was chopping wood for the fire. She remembers the day she told him that she was a witch. She did not believe he would take it as well as he did.

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He had been a mill worker for three years before they had met. She knew if she wanted to have a future with him, she would have to come clean about her secret. One summer afternoon, she prepared lunch out in the garden. She watched as he approached, the glisten of sweat on his chest almost blinding her. He stabled the horse and ran up to her and lifted her kissing her cheek.

"Prudence, This is quite a spread!" Robert said. "What's the occasion for such a lunch!"

"Can't a lady prepare lunch for her soon to be husband?" Prudence replied. "I just want to show you how much I care about you. This is my world and I want to let you in."

Together they sat and began eating. Robert scooped a heap of mixed vegetables onto his plate and began scarfing them. Prudence looked at him with awe. This is the man I am going to marry! She watched as he devoured most of the food she prepared. As time passed, she realized it was time. No more secrets!

"So, Robert," She started, her hands shaking "Do you remember much of my mother?"

"Of course I do." He replied, taking her hand knowing it was a tough topic for her. "Melinda Warren, she was wrongly accused and hanged for witchcraft."

"Yes, well, that's the thing." She replied. "My family has a few more secrets than we let on."

Her hands shaking, she closed her eyes and when she opened them, she lifted the plates on the table and began to spin them. The look on Robert's face was empty. She slowly lowered the plates and bowed her head. She took the ring off, set it on the tabe and ran into the woods. She should have known better than to believe someone could accept a witch. She rubbed her stomach and whispered.

"My darling, we will figure this out, Daddy probably just needs a bit of time."

She heard a rustling in the bushes behind her and forgot that wild boars and mountain lions roam these woods. She ripped a tree trunk out of the ground and turned ready to strike with it when, suddenly, she shattered the tree to dust, seeing Robert standing there frozen, his fist clenched.

Prudence fell to her knees weeping. Her face buried in her hands, she feels a strong hand on her shoulder and Roberts deep voice in her ear.

"So, you don't want to marry me any more?" He said.

She looked up, saw a tear roll down his cheek and into his open palm, which held the ring she had placed on the table. The tear fell on the ring and Prudence looked at him, took his hand and smiled.

"Of course I want to marry you," She said, a tear falling down her cheek and onto their hands. In that moment, she felt the hum of her magic. They opened their hands and there was her ring, but next to it was a man's ring, both with a teardrop shaped stone in them.

Prudence and Robert stood up, hand in hand when a light began to circle them. They heard a humming that Prudence recognized, it was the lullaby her mother sang to her when she was little. The lights began to circle and take shape next to them. The image of Melinda Warren stood there, her hands cupping theirs.

"My beloved Prudence." Melinda said. "It seems you have found the true essence of the magic that flows through your body. Unyielding love! If you will have it, I would be honored to marry you."

Prudence and Robert looked at one another and nodded. A second set of lights appeared and encircled the three of them, Prudence felt a familiar hand on her shoulder, it was her Aunt Eva, a witch from her grandmother's coven. WHen Eva appeared, a dazzling white gown with the Warren family crest embroidered on the stomach appeared on Prudence. The lights then broke from Prudence to Robert, when he was placed in an embroidered tunic and matching pants with the Warren family crest on his chest.

As Melinda drew a cord from the astral plane, she placed around their joined hands, as it touched them the cord became physical and the ceremony began. Lights joined them as family and friend's joined from the afterlife. Prudence looked up as her soon to be husband's face and his head was bowed. She knew what was wrong, she had to fix it.

"Mother, wait, I have something to do." Prudence said. "This wedding can't be all about my family. Roberts has to be included/" She circled the clearing with candles and began to chant:

"Hear these words, Hear my cry

Spirits from, The other side

Come to me, I summon thee

Cross now the great divide"

A twinkling of lights appears for a third time. From those lights Roberts' family began to emerge. His Mother, Father and his sister. He had lost them in a house fire when he was fourteen years old. Prudence looked at Robert and saw a smile on his face as his father put his hand on his shoulder, a tear fell down Robert's cheek and onto the cord.

Prudence felt a tear from her cheek fall on the cord as well and the cord lit up the clearing. The whole family was there. Prudence looked to Melinda and nodded.

"It seems my daughter has just been ordained as a high priestess." Melinda said. "As her coven grows, so will her family. May we all bless this union and wish them all the happiness in the world. Blessed be!"

As everyone chanted Blessed be! The cord unwound and formed a golden knot in the center. They placed their rings on each other's hands and Robert lifted Prudence to kiss her. The spirits around them applauded and in one spiral of lights they all vanished, though Prudence and Robert still felt their presence in the cord.

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Prudence heard a loud explosion, which jarred her back to the present day. She forgot how vivid her gift of Premonition made her flashbacks feel. She turned to see the source of the explosion. Her daughters, Cassandra and Astrid were there.

"So, the circle is cast, Mother." Astrid said, wafting smoke from her face.

Prudence looked down and the altar was complete, everything was in place and the solstice was just minutes away. She looked to Cassandra and Astrid, embracing them in a hug, over her shoulder she saw Robert smiling, carrying his axe into the house, opening a book and began to read.

"Well my darlings, it's time!" Prudence said, taking her daughter's hands. The circle began to glow and the solstice was upon them. What a beautiful night to celebrate the solstice.