Music box in hand I moved through the town, 'how do they not notice that everything is different, that I am more.' The town was unchanged but for the small shop between two others, one only I seemed to see. Walking in, behind the counter is the crone who owns the small shop, waiting for me.
"Maiden I was hoping to see you this morning," she smirked gently, "The full moon is past, I see you have brought my box back, were you able to gain her loyalty?"
'Gaining her loyalty' was a nice phrase for the events that happened in the cave. Blushing fiercely, "ummm, yes she also marked me, and ... I brought back your box." I had let out quickly, biting my tongue on the details face blazing and feeling stupid standing in front of her. I licked my lips as though her taste was still upon them, trying to find better words for the crone.
"Bring it over Maiden and stop that blundering. It's time to turn the wheel again if you are ready." Taking the box from my hands and dragging me to another area of her small shop, this one also was full of wood and rock, not from the sea but from the forest. "Earth is next, find one that calls to you," gently pushing me forward into the fray.
I smiled at her before starting my search, pine cones, wreathes, grass dolls, again I find I'm drawn to a set of shelving. Though it wasn't on the shelves, no, I turned the corner and there hanging from the end. Simple yet drawing me ever closer, what looked like a May Day wand, the handle wrapped in a twine instead of ribbons. My hand halfway to picking it up before I asked the crone for permission with my look.
Laughing at me, "Yes you may, though that might be too much for you." She took a longer sober look at me, "on the other hand you have proven you more powerful than you appear. Yes, take it and head to our grove."
Gladly I picked it up on her first words but the latter ones drew me back to reason. "The grove, where is that and what will this bring Ma'am?"
Back to her normal smirk, "You will be guided there by listening to the earth, just as you picked here." Moving back to the counter she handed me a bundle of sage, "Burn this to make your magic circle, tap on the tree to call for the elemental for Earth. One will come to you, but it will not be easy to gain their trust and remember they cannot hurt you in the circle, you can send them away if they become too much to handle."
"I will try and thank you again for instructing me." I gave a small curtsy in graduate before fleeing back into the town. Wand and sage in my bag I made my way home to finish this day's chores before trying to find the crone's grove.
The sun was descending once I was finished, but still with many summer hours left of light I couldn't wait any longer. I fled the house away from the sea and into the forest, picking an unknown path that propelled my legs forward. The trees seemed more green and dense, the birdsong sweeter, the earth smelled of leaf decay and things growing.
Lost in the beauty around me I stumbled into an opening, the tree cover giving way to blue sky. Nine trees stood away from the edges of the opening in a great circle: Oak, Rowan, Willow, Hawthorn, Hazel, Apple, Fir, and Elder. I knew I found the grove, it buzzed with energy. I took my sage bundle out from my bag, setting a fire to the tip and letting it smolder. I set my circle large to include all the trees, the spicy scent leaving a trail behind me. Sitting in the middle of the trees I took out the wand looking more closely at it before I decided what to do next.
The wand was simple wood stripped clean of its bark, the thicker end was wrapped not in twine but more like vine smooth to the hand. I could feel it pulling me towards the willow tree, and I knew that it belonged to it. With a deep breath I moved towards the tree under it's long, trailing branches to the trunk, using the wand to tap it.
Afterward nothing happened, I tapped again more forcefully, again nothing. "Ummmm earth element I ask you to come out, ...please." I look down at the wand in my hand thinking back as if the crone had said to do more; when I brought my eyes back up they met a new pair looking back at me. Screaming I tripped back and landed on my rump, now looking up to her she stepped forward.
"You called forcefully Witch, I am here, what is it that you want?" Standing over me she was stunning, with chestnut hair and caramel skin covered with leaves sewn into a short dress. It was though she was tree come alive; thin with long arms and legs but with a sinewy strength. Although her face was set against me, it was striking in its beauty with her mossy eyes dominating the landscape.
