Saturday, June 28, 2014

Hey Fey!


           

An Important Notice to Readers...


     Although this fiction blog is illustrated with photos of dolls, and dollhouse miniatures, the language and content of the storyline is intended for an adult audience.  Please be advised.


Thank You,

The Author

Maureen gathers lavender and honey to call upon the fey

         Maureen gave her brother a poke, and when he didn't respond, a tentative shake to the shoulder.  He opened one blood shot eye, squinting in the afternoon sun, and then rolled over to bury his face into the sofa cushion.

             "This is so rude, Kev.  The least you could do is sit up and acknowledge we're here.  We've come to do...to try...an intervention of sorts."

             From his position in the doorway, Beckett clarified.  "We didn't come for that reason at all.  You came for the 'intervention'.  I just came to make sure you didn't hurt yourself, or anyone else."

             There was a muffled, mumbled response from somewhere in the upholstery, but no further interaction except for the breathy, rythamic sounds of snoring.  Shaking her head at his lack of cooperation, Maureen dumped the contents of the bag on the floor of the rectory parlor, and began arranging the strange items around the sofa.

              "What the hell are you doing, babe?  It's obvious that Kevin is dead to the world.  He's going to need to sleep it off for a few hours.  I told you...he was sucking that vodka right out of the bottle.  He's gotta be pretty hammered.  Why don't we just come back tomorrow?  Or the day after, when he's at least standing upright and conscious?"

              Lips pressed, and hands on hips, she stood her ground.  "If you want to go, you can.  I'm staying.  There's no rule that says the person has to be awake.  Maybe it's even better that he's sleeping. He won't interupt the process."

               "Damn it, Maureen!  Do you really think your brother is going to be okay with all this?  After all, love, he's a Catholic priest, and these are church grounds.  I'm not sure the Kevin I know is going to be on the same page with you practicing some voodoo witchcraft in his home."

           "I told you, Ted.  It's not witchcraft!  Nothing like that at all.  It's just a little fey magic.  Part of my cultural heritage, and perfectly grounded in positive energy.  There's nothing dark about this at all.  A lot of cultures still practice the old ways of their ancestors.  My Granny O'Kenney was as devout a person as I ever met.  Went to Mass everyday.  She wouldn't have taught me this if she thought it was against the church. Never!  Plus Kevin and I were her absolute favorites.  She doted on us, especially Kev.  Spoiled him rotten to the point it made my other brothers jealous.  I know she'd want me to do all I could to save his vocation.  Kevin becoming a priest meant the world to her."

          He grimaced and shook his head, settling himself comfortably in a chair across the room.  "Well, I think you're wrong on this, especially since Kevin isn't even sober enough to voice his consent.  But hell, he's your brother.  You'll have to deal with the shit storm that follows this."

           "Agreed.  This is my family issue, and I'll deal with any fall out."

__________________________________

           The tile floor of the vault room was icy cold, and the woman struggled to lift the man to an upright position.  Using the corner of her shawl, she wiped the sweat from his forehead, running her hand over the stubble on his cheek.  His breathing was shallow and labored, and though his eyes were closed, she could see the dark rings against the gray, pale skin.

           "Oh amore mio, amore mio! Eravamo così vicini. Quindi molto vicino. E ora siamo condannati. I destini sono crudeli, e mi maledicono la mano di Dio.  Oh mio caro amore .."   Oh my love, my love!  We were so close.  So very close.  And now we are doomed.  The fates are cruel, and I curse the hand of God.  Oh, my dear love...

        She tried once again to lift him, but even in this weakened state, he was too heavy to handle. Having no other choice, she yelled at the top of her voice, "Aiuto! Qualcuno per favore mi aiuti! Oh Dio, ti prego, aiutami!  Che ne sarà di noi due withut voi?"  Help!  Someone please help me!  Oh God, please help me!  What will become of the two of us without you? Then she buried her face in chest, and wept.
__________________________

         Maureen arranged the items in a semi-circle around the sofa.  The bread, the honey, and the bottle of Guinness to the left, the daisies, the lavender and the fresh rosemary to right.  She stripped the gold bangle off her wrist and placed it in the center, and then added her wedding rings, which caught the light from the bay window, sending slivers of rainbow across the room.

       Her husband watched in amusement as she fussed and re-adjusted things in precise formation.  "Wow.  This fey magic is an exact science, I see."

        "Don't make fun, Ted.  They can feel your negativity and disbelief, and you'll ruin the whole thing.  This is important.  For Kevin, for me...for my whole family."

         He held up his hands in mock surrender.  "Sorry.  Far be it for me to spoil your magic faerie circle.  Would it be against the rules for me to ask why you selected those certain items?"

         "Of course not.  This is basic faerie lore.  To lure the faeries for conversation, you have to be a good host.  Create a safe space, and provide them gifts and refreshment.  Once you have their attention, you can present your petition.  Hopefully, they'll appreciate your respect and genrousity, and comply.  One can never tell, though.  Faeries can be quite tempermental."

           "Ahhh...I see."  He worked at keeping the smirk off his face.  The sooner she finished, the sooner they could go home.  "And faerie lore requires your wedding rings?"

           "No.  Not my wedding rings specifically.  Just the emeralds.  The Sidhe love colored gem stones...especially emeralds.  And my wedding ring has two very large ones.  They're of exceptional quality."

           "That they are.  Sixteen carats worth of exceptional.  Aren't you worried they'll make off with them?"

            With her back to him, she realigned the items a final time.  "Of course not!  The faeries will only take the essence of the items, not the actual items themselves.  My rings are perfectly safe."  She turned around, and seeing the smile on his face, knew he had been teasing her.  "Look, if you can't be serious here, I'm going to have to send you outside.  You're disrupting the whole atmosphere of the moment."

           "No way am I letting you out of my sight.  Shit always seems to happen to you for some reason."

           "If you want to stay, you're going to have to be, at the very least, neutral.  Make your mind blank.  Don't they teach you that kind of stuff in spy school?"

           He frowned, and pointed to the figure on the couch, reminding her of her promise to keep that aspect of their lives between the two of them.

          "Don't worry.  He's totally zonked out.  I doubt he can hear anything."

          "You better hope so.  I got a feeling he's gonna be mightily pissed at you when he wakes up and sees all this pagan 'magic' going on."

         "Let me worry about that, okay?"  She stepped back, and inspected the scene.  "I think we're about ready.  Are you going to behave?"

         "Absolutely.  Go ahead."

         She turned back to her brother, and closing her eyes, she placed her hands out in front of her, palms up.  "In the name of God, Father Almighty...I declare this space sanctuary for the spirits of nature, and the children of His wonderous creation."

          A light summer breeze moved through the room, and ruffled the papers on the desk next to where Beckett was sitting.  He looked around for an open window, but found none, they being soundly shut with the air conditioning humming in the background.

           Maureen must have felt the very same thing, but said nothing to him about it, instead smiling to herself.  She continued.  "We ask all faeries who visit to accept our humble offerings, and to release my brother Kevin from all mischief surrounding him.  This we ask with respect and gratitude."

          She stood this way for several minutes, the quiet in the room falling like a heavy shroud around the three of them.  On the sofa, her brother stirred, stretching his arms above his head, and unfolding his long legs.  He rolled over, and opened both eyes, then quickly closed them again, moaning to no one imparticular.  "Damn that hurts!  The light is like a dagger to my head!"  It took a second or two for him to realize what his eyes had taken in, and without warning, shot off the couch to an upright position, only to find himself in a state of dizziness.  Reaching upward, he grabbed his sister's hand.  "Moe!  Is it really you?"

            Maureen turned to give her husband a self-satisfied look before answering.  "Of course it's me, Kevin.  How are you feeling?"

             He didn't answer, instead rising with a wobble from the sofa, and wrapping his arms first around his sister, and then his startled brother-in-law.  Releasing them, he went around the room, touching odd pieces of furniture in an attempt to make certain of his situation, much to the bewilderment of his visitors.  This went on for several seconds before he abruptly stopped, porcelain Last Supper still in hand, and began to check each and every room of the rectory as if on a mad search for something...or someone...important.
                 
                               
Siblings reunite

Copyright  Victoria T. Rocus  2014
All Rights Reserved
         


       

   

   

       

     




         

 

              

6 comments:

  1. So you know faerie lore? That's impressive. Seemed to work too. At least for Kevin.
    hugs♥,
    Caroline

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  2. Okay.... WHERE did you put Roxanne????? You Can't leave us here like this!!!!! AAARG!!!!
    Please get Roxanne back in safety!!!! Pretty Please??? LOL!

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  3. cuanto me alegro de que por fin el P . Kevin y supongo que tambien Roxie, hayan vuelto a su tiempo. no puedo esperar al siguiente capitulo , estoy mas que intrigada

    besitos

    Mari

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  4. I knew Maureen would help Kevin with her Irish magic ;) so glad that he is back safely. I am sure Roxanne has arrived back safe too. I guess she is wherever that other woman was. Haha I bet Ted will be a little more careful with Maureen now that he has seen her faerie lore work ;) Great read.
    Hugs Maria

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  5. Oh now your fluttering into my realm! Fae folk and magic, a learning lesson in all this as well I think for the gents!
    Hugs ~J

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  6. Uh oh. Please let our Ms. Roxie have made the trip back with our fair priest! Ok, I get to jump ahead to the next one already since I'm behind ;-)

    Susan

    ReplyDelete