The week before Christmas, almost the winter solstice, this year.
In the comfort of her own home, Cordelia watched the Yuletide log burn, after she performed the spell. Even though, she will be spending time at her family home. She needed to make sure that all unwanted spirits stayed away from her home during her time away.
She added a barrier spell as well, just in case. Pulling her beanie on her head, and throwing on her coat, she grabbed the gifts she bought for her family, including baby Leticia.
She had bought a present for Prudence as well, which was currently in the kitchen drawer. Giving the gift to her, was still undecided, as she didn't want to break the promise of giving her space.
"Come on, Nyx." she called out to her familiar, who dutifully landed on her shoulder, and then they teleported together.
Her brother had given back their father's pocketwatch to her, to use for the holiday.
"Family I'm here!" she yelled, as Nyx flew upstairs to her old room.
"D! We're in here." Sabrina yelled from the living room. Cordelia waltzed into the room, walking directly to the Yule tree and dropped all the gifts, unceremoniously, "Happy Solstice!"
"Honestly, Delia. You're making a mess." Aunt Zelda commented, with a glass of red wine in her hand.
"Well, would you look at that..." Cordelia gasped, while picking up a rectangle shaped box, with her red headed aunt's name on it. "Is that a 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti Grand Cru? The most expensive wine in the world, that I got for someone special, but suddenly have the urge to keep it for myself."
Aunt Zelda glared at her niece, while Sabrina chuckled lightly as she fixed the mess her cousin had made.
Placing the gift back under the tree, Cordelia turned and smiled while taking off her beanie and coat, noticing baby Leticia sitting in her black cradle, giving a toothless smile.
"Ah, and there she is, I've got you a present as well, yes I did." Cordelia cooed at the baby, while taking her out.
Between Cordelia and Aunt Zelda, they've been obsessed with taking of care of the newborn.
"As if Auntie Zee has not given her enough." Ambrose quipped.
"You can never have too many gifts." his sister countered, while swaying with Leticia.
"Imagine, a baby in the house just in time for the winter holidays." Aunt Zelda smiled, standing next to her eldest niece and cooing at the baby as well. "It couldn't be more perfect."
"Pity the child in question was abducted." the warlock mumbled from his place at the tree, helping his aunt Hilda hang decorations.
"Ambrose, need I remind you of the High Priest's rather Herod-like tendencies when it comes to baby girls?" the eldest aunt argued.
"What I can't fathom is how you expect to keep the babe's existence a secret." he countered, while taking a seat, and opening a book.
"What secret?" Aunt Zelda, asked taking a seat as well, while looking haughtily at her nephew, making Cordelia chuckle, while making faces at the baby, who smiled back.
"There's no secret. Leticia is a long-lost Spellman sent to us from the old country to raise, as we did Sabrina."
"Huh."
"Oh, I remember when that was taken." Aunt Hilda gasped excitedly, looking at the picture Sabrina was holding of her parents and her as a newborn.
Cordelia took a seat in a chair, while adjusting her grip on Leticia, and noticed the picture of her parents also hung on the tree.
Noticing the sad expression on her youngest niece, Aunt Hilda's excitement died down, as she addressed. "Oh, it's hard, isn't it, this time of year? When we miss family most."
"I wish I could have had one Solstice
with them, Auntie." Sabrina said tearfully. Ambrose and Cordelia shared a glance, atleast they had many holidays spent with their parents before they passed, unlike their cousin.
"Yeah. You know what's gonna cheer you up? We're gonna roast some chestnuts, and we're gonna...Oh, we're gonna brew some apple cider. We'll hunker down and watch
your favorite Christmas movies. It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street. I know you love that one." aunt Hilda hugged her.
"I do. That sounds great."
"And I'll read A Christmas Carol. Even Auntie Zee can appreciate that story." Ambrose joined.
"I like the ghosts in it." Aunt Zelda defended, while turning off a lamp.
"Well, Christmas is the best time
for ghost stories." the warlock mumbled.
"Speaking of ghosts, it's time to light the Yule log." At that Cordelia placed Leticia back into her cradle, as she joined her family at the fireplace, standing behind her aunt Zelda as she lit the log.
"Remember, the Yule log is not a decoration, it is a protection. It must burn continuously from now, through the shortest day, through the longest night, until dawn. Otherwise, Satan knows what malevolent forces might come down our chimney. Creatures with perhaps deadly intentions." she ranted. Then looked towards her family. "So let's keep the log lit, shall we? Did you hear that Delia?" the red-headed matriarch asked, while standing up.
Her eldest niece rolled her eyes, knowing she was referring to her own home.
"Loud and clear, Aunt Zelda, my Yule log is continously burning... Though I do find it funny that you care so much about my new home, when you haven't visited... once." Cordelia replied, haughtily.
Everyone with the exception of her aunt Zelda and brother have visited her place, the latter more due to outside forces, but even he has astral projected. Her aunt was just being stubborn.
"And now, the Solstice blessing." her aunt continued, ignoring her. Her aunt Hilda sent her an awkward smile.
"Piece of work" she muttered lowly, while grabbing her aggravating aunt's hand and her brother's hand, as she performed the same spell for the second time that night.
"May the log burn, may the wheel turn, may the evil spurn, may the sun return."
After they were done, Sabrina glumly walked up the stairs. The twins shared a look, and followed after their cousin.
"All right, what is it?" Ambrose asked her, as they caught her in the hallway on her way to her room. "You haven't said two words this past week. What's happened? Did the Grinch get to you? Or the Dark Lord, perhaps?"
Cordelia slapped her brother on his arm for the last one.
"Things are different this year, Ambrose." Sabrina said, downcast. "I signed my name in his Book of the Beast."
"Like the rest of us. Life goes on." Ambrose said, making light of it.
"But we weren't half mortal, Ambrose." Cordelia added, seeing it could be a bit more complicated for their cousin.
"That may be, but her biggest fear was her friends' reactions." he said, and then addressed his cousin again. "But here you are, your friends have accepted that you're a witch. You told me so."
"Er... More or less. I'm kind of keeping my distance from them. Giving them some time to get used to the idea."
"Maybe you should be doing
the exact opposite, reassuring them that it's all good, business as usual." Ambrose advised, as they reached Sabrina's room and sat on her bed.
"Maybe."
"I don't know. Honestly..." the platinum blonde witch sighed. "Times like this, I wish I could ask my mom for advice. Like, I could ask her how exactly my dad told her he was a warlock."
'This is about Harvey' Cordelia thought to herself, but listened on as her cousin continued.
"Hm."
"And how she reacted."
"How long did it take her to get used to the idea? Did she... did she think about breaking up with my dad the way I broke up with Harvey?"
"Mm, cousin...Every girl wants to talk to their mum after a bad breakup."
"Not all of us..." Cordelia spoke up. "Some of us keep it inside, until it looks like you're about to explode, and then your mother, having had enough, drills it out of you." she said thoughtfully. "Well, that was my experience, with my mother" she joked, making Sabrina lightly smile at the thought and her brother smile reminiscingly.
"The other thing is...I saw her, in limbo..."
The siblings frowned at the information.
"When I was trying to rescue Tommy. She was confused, haunted, trapped."
"If she's in limbo, then that must mean she has some unfinished business that's...keeping her from passing on." Ambrose said, thoughtfully.
"Exactly. And if she could tell me
what it was, I could help her."
"And how would she tell you?" Ambrose asked, knowing the answer.
"We could have a séance." Sabrina suggested. "You said it yourself, Ambrose, Christmas is the perfect time for ghosts."
"In fiction." Ambrose emphasized.
"Solstice is when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest." the youngest pushed.
"That's why we burn the Yule logs,
to keep the bad things out."
Cordelia winced at her brother's bad choice of words.
"My mother is not a bad thing..."
"I don't think it's a bad idea..."
Ambrose looked at his sister in shock.
"What? I think the Aunties might actually be willing to help..."
"The aunties?" Sabrina asked, doubtful.
"Yes, Aunt Zelda might have had her reservations with your mother, but they're still family and the idea of one of us being in limbo...it's disturbing. They would want to do something about it."
"Er...It's fine." Sabrina backtracked, too scared to ask her aunties for help. "Anyway. It was just an idea." she shrugged.
In her room at the Spellman home, after Sabrina left to visit her mortal friends. Cordelia was currently swaying with Leticia in her arms.
"Yes, yes. I stole you from Aunt Zelda, yes I did." she cooed at the baby who giggled. "She wants to keep you for herself, because you're just so adorable."
Sitting down, she fed the baby her milk bottle. "You know, you have two siblings. There's Judas your twin baby brother, just like me, with Ambrose." she whispered. "I know it probably hurts being away from him, but if he knew that we're trying to protect you, he wouldn't mind, now would he?"
Taking the bottle out, Leticia just gurgled back, as if responding to her, making Cordelia chuckle.
She then turned the baby onto her shoulder and rubbed her back, just in case she needed to burp.
"Then how can I forget your older brooding sister. She is... uh... she is a work in progress, but aren't we all?" she said standing up. "Even though at the moment she might not warm up to you, I know she will at some point, and once she does..."
She lifted the baby up, who now had her tiny fist in her mouth. "...just like with her other sisters, she will be fiercely protective of you... I mean how couldn't she, with a face like this." she said with a muffled voice as she blew raspberries on the baby's cheek, making her giggle.
Suddenly, she heard echoing laughters of children, and a loud crash from downstairs. She immediately held the baby closer to her, who cried out in a fright.
"Shhh, it's alright..." Just then her Aunt Zelda opened her room door.
"Oh, good, you have Leticia." the older witch let out a breath of relief. "The Yuletide log has gone out for a few minutes, but your aunt Hilda is busy re-lighting it now...You keep her safe and stay on the lookout. I'm just checking on Sabrina."
Cordelia nodded in understanding, taking all the necessary with her, she she stepped into the hallway, planning to go downstairs with the whole family, just to be safe.
Stepping into the hallway, she frowned as the Weird sisters approached from her cousin's room.
"Happy Solstice" both Agatha and Dorcas said, simultaneously, while nodding their heads and passing her by, not even minding the baby in the older witch's arm or questioning it.
Then Prudence walked passed, without even acknowledging her or her half-sister.
Not letting it slide, Cordelia spoke up, but made sure the other girls were out of earshot. "She has your nose."
The short-haired witch halted in her steps and turned her head to her, sending the older witch an unamused expression, only leading the Spellman witch to grin cheekily, and then use the baby's hand to wave at the younger witch. "Say, 'Bye, bye Prudence'." Leticia just gurgled, not minding being used as a puppet.
Prudence scoffed in response and waltzed away in annoyance.
"Remember her? That's your big sister. I told you she was broody."
The Spellman family gathered in the living room once again. After Sabrina was caught by her aunt Zelda for performing a seance.
"I swear, Aunt Zelda, I didn't put out the log." Sabrina defended herself.
"Oh, I see, so it is a mere coincidence that the Yule log, lit to keep away
all unearthly things, including spirits......was unlit at the exact time you decided to convene with your mother's ghost?"
Cordelia winced for her cousin.
"Uh... I know how it looks."
"And tell me, why tonight, of all nights, on the eve of the Solstice, did you suddenly feel the need to contact your mother?"
"It wasn't sudden, Aunt Zelda. I saw my mom trapped in limbo and I wanted to release her."
"If that's true, why in Satan's name
didn't you tell us? We could have helped you and Diana."
"You would have done that?"
"Of course." aunt Zelda scoffed at the question, feeling insulted. "Diana was my brother's wife. Honestly, Sabrina, sometimes I don't think you understand the meaning of family at all."
"What did I say?" Cordelia mumbled to her cousin as she stood behind her chair, earning her a deadpan expression.
"Ambrose, love, er, did you find anything?" Aunt Hilda asked her nephew, who came to the room, using one of his sister's trinkets to check the house for any poltergeists.
"I checked every room and closet. If some malevolence got in whilst the Yule log was out...They left once Aunt Hilda re-lit it."
The blonde aunt smiled proudly to herself, as aunt Zelda spoke up cynically. "Or they're very adept at hiding."
"Either way, so much for a peaceful Solstice. I'm going to bed..." the red-headed matriarch stood up, while taking Leticia out of her cradle, as they were to scared to keep her alone upstairs. "I suggest everyone sleep with a lit warding candle and pray to Satan to keep us safe."
"Zelda?" Aunt Hilda asked, gently, still a bit scared.
"What, Hilda?"
"Should I perhaps sleep in my old room again?"
"I think you'd better. But no snoring. Leticia's a very light sleeper." Aunt Zelda warned, tiredly.
"Well, I thought it would help you if I slept with you."
Cordelia then suddenly remembered, as she went to fetch the tiny gift for Leticia and followed after her aunties, while her brother spoke to her cousin.
Reaching her aunties room, her aunt Zelda already placed the baby in her tiny black crib.
Unwrapping the gift, which was a brown and purple dreamcatcher, weaved with branches and vines. She then hung it above the baby and attached it to the roof of the crib.
"What is that? It's ghastly." Aunt Zelda commented. While her other aunt complimented her gift.
"It's a dreamcatcher, Aunt Zelda." she playfully glared at the woman. "Not only is it charmed with protection spells to keep bad things away, but it's also fun to play with." she ended off brightly, while poking the object making it swing and Leticia giggle.
"Well, with everything that happened tonight, it might be a good thing, don't you think Zelds?"
"Hmmpf..."
Rolling her eyes, she gently kissed the baby goodnight on her forehead, and then went to her aunt Hilda to give her cheek a kiss as well.
Then just to annoy her, she chastely kissed her aunt Zelda on both cheeks and then her forehead.
"Honestly, Delia, enough of that!" she waved her niece away, making aunt Hilda giggle at her sister's expense.
"I know you missed having me here aunt Zelda." she bellowed, while leaving the room, and planned to sleep in her brother's room. Since she didn't feel safe to be alone.
December 21st, the shortest day of the year.
The next morning, busy at the kitchen sink, she smiled watching her aunt Zelda play with Leticia.
While aunt Hilda, was busy on the other side of the kitchen.
"Peekaboo. I see you!"
The woman ducked her head again, below the crib, making the baby make cooing noises.
"Peekaboo. I see you!"
"Where's the baby? There's the baby!"
Seeing her aunt like this, reminded her of the time when Sabrina was that tiny. The matriarch used to do the exact same thing.
"Where's the baby? There's the baby!"
"Morning, Aunties." Sabrina said, bemused, witnessing the spectacle of her eldest aunt.
"Oh! Blessed morning, darling." Aunt Hilda greeted.
"It is a blessed morning..." Aunt Zelda fixed herself. "... considering none of us had our throats slit by malevolencies during the night."
"Aunt Zelda...I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my mom. I wasn't trying to hurt you. In fact, it was the exact opposite."
"Oh, as King Lear famously said, "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have an ungrateful child." Aunt Zelda said, haughtily.
"Honestly, Aunt Zelda. So dramatic, so early in the morning." Cordelia sighed out, as she picked up her tea cup from next to the crib on the table and then joined her other aunt who was busy cutting fruit.
"What?" Sabrina frowned at her aunt. "So you're allowed to kidnap babies,
but I'm not allowed to want to contact my own mother? To want to help her?"
"Of course you are, but not at the risk of everyone in this house." the older woman argued.
"I didn't put out the..."
"Oh, fine, Sabrina. I believe you. And I'm sorry you didn't get what you wanted from Diana. Perhaps in the new year, we can all try contacting her again..." Aunt Zelda assured her, then picked up the baby basket. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to give Leticia her Solstice bath." she smiled, as she walked away. "Who's a dirty girl? Yes, you're a dirty girl!" the red-headed cooed at the baby, making Cordelia visibly cringe.
"Aunt Zelda, the wording, please..."
Walking up the steps, older woman realized what her niece meant. "Ugh, Delia, get your mind out of the gutter."
Ambrose hastily walked passed his aunt Zelda down the stairs. As if on a mission; he approached his sister. "Sister, could I please speak to you for a moment, urgently?" he spoke, with his hands in a prayer motion.
Cordelia raised an eyebrow at that. "Alright then..." she said, while walking out, but not without her aunt Hilda muttering lowly to her. "He really does get his dramatics from Zelds." she joked, making her niece grin as she followed her brother to his room.
Arriving at her brother's room, she sighed out. "What can be so urgent? You're making me miss a heart-to-heart moment down there."
"This!" Ambrose emphasized, lifting an open book, and pointing to a familiar tattoo on a page that matched the one she has on her shoulder.
Cordelia eyes grew wide, as she grabbed the book, and begun to read. "You found something."
"Yes... and I did not like what I found..."
The female witch frowned at that, before she started reading out loud.
"This tattoo, or brand is the ancient sign for a witch who is chosen to be the custodian, or more commonly known as the protector of their coven."
Looking up at her brother who was holding his neck in obvious nervousness.
"It... that doesn't sound too bad..." his sister shrugged lightly.
"Keep reading."
"Alright... uhm. The custodian of a coven was detrimental, as they were created by a celestial being, in order to protect their coven mostly at the time, from witch hunters. The occurrence of a coven having a custodian in recent years has become less and less, as they are only chosen for when their coven will be faced with an unspeakable danger..."
"That's sound less good, I'll admit... "
"Just turn to the next bloody page!" the warlock exclaimed, panickingly.
"Alright! Calm yourself!" she glared at him, as she did what she was told.
"All custodians to have ever lived, died protecting their coven..." she slowed down at the sentence, understanding her brother's state. "... as it becomes their sworn duty."
Seeing her brother pace, she immediately closed the book and threw it on his bed, and took him by his shoulders.
"Listen to me. That was one book, alright. Besides, it could be wrong..."
Ambrose shook his head. "No sister, no. It mentions everything to a T. From the side effects you had. Getting visions of us, that's what custodians get when their coven members are in extreme danger. Electrifying blue eyes when feeling empowered. The coven members feeling protected. All of it!" he said, frantically while picking up the book again and paging.
"Even your personality traits matches!" he said, as he started reciting from the book. "A custodian is known to be loyal towards their coven, protective, helpful, calm in the face of danger, peacekeepers, knowledge-seeking, silently driven. understanding...." Sister! This is you."
Cordelia sighed out at her brother's state.
"Even your bloody familiar! An owl in Japanese, Chinese and Greece cultures are used as a symbol of protection. It all connects!"
"I see you've done your research." she finally whispered out softly.
"I... I did. I tried researching books or finding biographies of living custodians, but I couldn't. All of them have been reported dead."
"Alright, this is what we're going to do..." Cordelia stepped up to him once again, her brother's lip was quivering and there were tears in his eyes. Putting her hands around his neck to make him focus on her. "We're going to breath..." she motioned her breathing, to let her brother do the same, which he did.
"Then we're going go downstairs, have eggnog. Support Sabrina as much as we can, and then enjoy the time with our family..."
"What? We... we need to tell someo.."
"No, not today. Not this holiday. We'll tell them when the Winter Solstice is over. Alright? Then we can start figuring everything out, what the possible danger might be and then go from there...because hear me when I say..."
"I'm not going to die."
Receiving a disbelieving expression, she gave him a warning look. "Have a little faith in me, brother...and please just keep it together for this weekend."
Ambrose finally nodded in response, as she pulled him into a hug, where she could see the open book, now laying on the floor behind her brother, taunting her.