Chapter 524: Unique Offerings (Part One)
"A witch’s power is drawn from the elements of the world," Ashlynn explained as Ollie held the waterskin. "I brought the water in that skin from the Briar, the home of the Mother of Thorns and a place where many cypress trees grow," she explained. "That water has nourished cypress trees for hundreds of years, and now it will nourish you during your transformation."
"I thought that the Briar was far away," Ollie said, suddenly holding the waterskin far more gingerly, as if the waterskin were filled with precious, expensive wine. "You brought water all the way from there, just to use for me now?"
"It froze in the High Pass," Heila added with a slight smile. "And it broke the jug it was in. But Lady Ashlynn saved it and made sure she didn’t lose a drop."
"Ah, hem," Ashlynn said, her face heating slightly in embarrassment. She’d treated it the same way that sailors treated fine wines when transporting them across the sea, packing it carefully in a box stuffed with straw, but she hadn’t considered what would happen when they entered the oppressive cold of the High Pass. Thankfully, she noticed before they left the High Pass, and she was able to preserve it, or she would have had to choose something else to use for Ollie’s ritual.
"You should place the waterskin in the circle closest to the pond," Ashlynn said, trying to move on from discussing her mistakes. She knew that she still had much to learn and stumbling over something so small was a good reminder of that, but this wasn’t the time to dwell on those stumbles. Not when Ollie needed to have confidence going into the ritual.
"No words are necessary," Ashlynn added. "But please be respectful in your actions as you place it. None of these items is as simple as they seem, and even humble water can become a source of great power when it carries the desires and intentions of one person to nurture another."
"Can I, can I add a little bit of water from the pond to the waterskin?" Ollie asked. "This pond, it’s only here because the Heartwood Clan built a dam over the stream. It nurtures the whole of the village and it’s a treasure to the people who I protect. If it’s all right, I’d like to add a bit of it to the ritual as well."
"Sir Ollie," Virve said with a complex look on her face. For Lady Ashlynn to go through so much effort in making arrangements for this ceremony, it didn’t sit well with her to make adjustments at the last minute, especially when Ollie hadn’t learned that much about witchcraft in the days since Lady Ashlynn offered to take him into her coven. "Witchcraft requires careful planning and delicate balance. I don’t know if you should make changes or..."
"It’s fine, Virve," Ashlynn said with a gentle touch on the bearish woman’s arm. "When it’s your turn, if something is important to you, we’ll make adjustments as well. The elements of the world have no desires, no wants, or needs to command them. We have to supply our desires when we shape the energy of the world, and if Ollie desires it, then including the waters of this pond will only strengthen his bond to the working."