Romans & histoires Winter Solstice Blessing Poem

--- The winter solstice comes. The shortest day of the year, the longest night. Celeste builds a fire in the fireplace — something she learned from watching videos online, since neither of us grew up with hearths. The flames catch, crackle, fill the room with warmth and the smell of wood smoke. We sit on the floor, surrounded by dogs and blankets, and watch the fire. "My mother loved the solstice," Celeste says. "Why?" "She said it was a reminder that the dark always gives way to light. That even the longest night ends."

"I'm happy. I'm noting it. I like to note it when I'm happy." "I know," Cassian said. "The bond shows me." A pause. "I'm happy too. If that requires noting." "It always requires noting," Adrian said. Cassian put his arm around him, on the hay bale, in the middle of the harvest festival, and they stayed like that while the afternoon happened around them. WINTER SOLSTICE The shortest day.

Everything was at rest. "It's strange," Kael said quietly. "To see it like this. Quiet. Peaceful." "Strange good or strange bad?" "Strange good." Rhydian slipped his hand into Kael's. "I think that's called healing." --- The winter solstice celebration was held in the great hall. The fire crackled in the massive hearth. The tables were laden with food and drink. The students had decorated the hall with evergreen boughs and candles, their voices bright with laughter and song.

'Thank you for leading me to the best choice of my life. 'Now, you can finally rest easy.'

Joseph felt the wind knocked out of him as he heard the whistle followed by the loudest sound he's ever heard in all his 16 years under the Tau Ceti sun. A whiz and BOOM. Whiz and BOOM. Explosion after explosion came pummeling down onto them. An unending barrage of terrifying heat and sound and fireball crashed all around them. Joseph covered his face as clods of disturbed earth pelted and rained down on him. His screams were drowned out by the loud thunders. It went on forever. Until it didn't. Then it stopped. He heard nothing afterwards except the constant ringing in his ear.

Adara led the women down the path followed by Shoran, Brenda, Helen, Lisa, Jenifer, Rosie and lastly Jamie, she had no official rank among the women anymore as she was a widow. This was the first time Adara was in the lead and I saw she was nervous as the women took their spots next to their husbands. Adara took her place next to me and we stepped forward, our circle wasn’t as big anymore and we had to accommodate to leave no open spaces. “Members, on this night, we look to Máni to light our way in this life and the next during our darkest hours and Sunna to warm our faces in the cold of winter. We ask guidance from Odin and strength from Thor. We give thanks for the silence of Tyr and Vidar

“What happens at the Winter Solstice?” “Well, it’s all about honoring nature and the goddess, rebirth, transformations and new beginnings – finding light in the dark half of the year. It’s really beautiful. The week before the solstice day is seven days straight of different festivals and activities, I’ve got a calendar around her somewhere.” She adds, moving back towards the breakfast tray and searching through the contents. “It’s all wonderful: bonfires, drinking and dancing, parading through the streets and decorating the city, lighting candles, giving gifts. Then there’s feasts and rituals, and it all culminates in a grand ball at the Royal Palace.”

I don't know, but the howls set off something else. Everyone felt a powerful wave of energy. Kaya set off another howl, to which everyone answered. And as we all howled up at the sky again, a wave of power flew into me. "Kaya, what is that?" I mind-linked her. "It is the Goddess she is blessing us." "This happens every year?" "Yes, when we do winter solstice, she fills us with her power and blesses our land; now, stop trying to figure everything out and howl again. This time, you start it." I did as she said.

“What do we do now?” “We finish the rite,” I said. “I bless them with all the strength my blood can offer. They won’t walk this path alone.” I stood, holding the bowl high. “By the light of the moon,” I said, voice rising, “I bless the daughters of my womb. I call on the strength of every mother before me. Let your power surround them. Let your fire protect them. Let your love guard their every step.” The wind howled. The bowl shimmered with silver light.

“May fate be kind to you, may your loved ones aid you in the storms of life, may joy be yours and may there be little strife, may peace and happiness be yours all your days, may you find friends and the love of a fated mate on your way.” I could feel the blessing reverberate through me and know that this is no young witch; this woman is powerful. She then picks up a goblet and draws a crescent on each of their foreheads. “Blessings of the Spirits be upon you. Blessings of All Beings be upon you.” Concluding the blessing, she gives each of us a candle to blow out before placing a crescent on our foreheads as well. “That was something else,” I murmur, and Caterina agrees.