5

 

Leaving the Lodge, Faith quickly scanned the parking area for the Saint, but he was already out of view. “Let’s walk over to where the stage is set up. I want to see where The Golden Circle is to be.” She said.

 

“PK said all we have to do is follow that path toward the trees.” Stephen said, pointing just past the parking lot. “I don’t think anyone will be there just yet. Unless that’s where that Saint went.” He looked into her face. He had seen Faith with that look before, it was desire. “You know,” he went on as they started down the path, “Even if you want him, I don’t think you can get him. Not only is he way above our station, but if he’s playing Oberon, the only one that’s going to get that close to him is Bobby’s wife. She’s the one playing Tatiana, and even she can’t touch him, because they couldn’t touch each other.”

 

Faith turned back to look at Stephen, “I am fully aware of that. I am also aware of his station above us. I merely wanted to see the stage. That’s all.” She said with a haughty tone.

 

Stephen laughed, “Anything you say dear heart. At least he is supposed to acknowledge you after the final call. You know….Saints have shared with lower ranks before, but I don’t think that will be the case at this Gathering. Remember, we are sort of special guests, but I don’t think that we rate that much hospitality.”

 

“Poof to you sir, I only wanted to view the stage.” She giggled, then with a quick turn stepped quickly down the path.

 

They walked down the path and into the Grove proper. A fair sized stage had been assembled to one side. It was bordered by a copse of birch trees on one side and an open field on the other. In front of the stage were three dozen tables with folding chairs set up around them. Stephen knew exactly how many tables and chairs there were since it was he who had arranged their delivery. Several couples were on the stage practicing formal looking movements. At center stage were two large chairs, on one sat a woman who Stephen guessed was Priest Bobby’s wife Sarah, the other was occupied by the Saint that Faith had been staring at. The two were engaged in quiet conversation as Stephen and Faith approached.

 

Faith started towards the stairs leading up to the stage when Stephen grabbed her hand, “No, you can’t go up there. Even during a rehearsal. Come with me.”

 

Keeping her hand in his he whispered, “Follow my lead.”

 

Hand in hand they walked across to the front of the stage. Stephen stopped directly in front of the chairs and gave the sign of The Way to the two sitting occupants. He then stuck his right leg out and bowed deeply. Faith, watching him from the corner of her eye, repeated his movements almost simultaneously. They both rose from the bow at the same time and waited with their heads tilted toward the ground. Stephen had known that if there was no acknowledgement in the next few moments, he was to take Faiths hand and continue walking past the stage. He had just reached for her hand when a voice came from the stage.

 

“I understand that you are the two novices that have been invited to our solemnity.” The voice definitely was not from Sarah. It was perhaps the most perfectly tuned voice that Stephen had ever heard, almost unearthly in its sound. He glanced quickly at Faith seeing if she had heard the same tonal qualities and noticed that her eyes had welled with tears. “What did they teach these Saints that could enable them to have such voice control?” he thought. Then, remembering he had just been questioned, he looked up at the Saint sitting relaxed in the chair.

 

“We are those Novices Lord.” He stammered. “We cry forgiveness for disturbing your tranquility. We are new to the Gathering and desired to see the Grove and its surroundings before the ceremonies.”

 

“And this is your first stop?” The Saint asked in his musical voice.

 

“We came from the same direction as you Lord. We didn’t know what we would encounter.” Faith said as she brushed at her eyes.

 

The Saint laughed softly. “Ah, but I distinctly recall that you wanted to merely view the stage. Now that you see it, does it meet with your approval?” he asked with a smile.

 

“Yes Lord, I find it most charming to behold.” Faith said somewhat breathily.

 

“Well then, now that’s been settled. I would ask your names, young Novices.”

 

Stephen spoke up, “I am Stephen Tower, and this is my wife and pairbond Faith Tower.”

 

“Stephen and Faith, I bid you welcome to this sacred Grove. You shall know me as Oberon. That name will be enough for now, next to me is the representative of Tatiana, although you seem to know her as Sarah. You may address her as you wish and if she permits it. Since the ceremonies are a little time away, I formally give you permission to walk in my grove. Now away with you, until tonight.” The Saint gave a dismissive wave, and Stephen and Faith bowed again and left the front of the stage.

 

Once away from the stage they moved rather quickly down the path and through another part of the grove. Every so often they had passed little cleared areas between the trees. Faith stopped at one of the clearings.

 

“Did you hear his voice?” she asked Stephen.

 

“Ummm, did you not notice that I was speaking to him?” Stephen said sarcastically.

 

Faith looked perplexed, “Actually no. It was as if I was the only one there. I could hear him speaking, but I wasn’t aware of anything else, neither sounds, nor the presence of anyone else around. What did he say to you?”

 

“You don’t remember that he asked our names? Or him asking me if we were the Novices he had been told of?”

 

“No. I do remember him talking to me though.”

 

“Do you remember what he said?” Stephen asked.

 

“Why… he asked my name, he said that I was attractive-for a mortal. Then he asked me about you. How long we had been together, were you a good person, did I think that you could become a Saint someday…..some other questions, but I don’t remember them now.”

 

“Faith, he never asked anything like that. He asked you if you liked the stage after you told him we came from the same direction he did! He told us to explore his grove and he would see us again tonight.” Stephen said.

 

“No…..no…I remember differently. Maybe you weren’t paying that close attention….”She trailed off. “I remember the sound of his voice; I could hear it…inside my head. Does that make any sense?’ She took a deep breath, “One thing that I know for sure is that he was the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen. Those eyes, they look right into you.” She shivered slightly, though not from the cold. “I’d give almost anything to share with him for the night.”

 

“Well, you still can’t.” Stephen said, a little sourly. “He’s still representing Oberon, so the only one getting near him will be Sarah. And she can’t even touch him. The next time you see him close up will be when we bow to him and Sarah after the sharing comes to an end.”

 

“Still, a girl can dream right?” She laughed and stepped back onto the path.

 

Stephen followed her, but he felt more than a little unease with what had just passed.

 

6

 

They walked around the grove for a while longer, first examining the fire area, where the four small bonfires would be set up for participants to jump over. Stone circles were set at the four compass points in a large clearing and would contain enough fire to jump over without danger as long as one didn’t try to get fancy.

 

“Do we have to jump over the fires?” Faith asked with some trepidation in her voice.

 

“No, it’s voluntary. Jumping the fires is to ensure good luck through the coming season, and to gain the blessings of fertility, if that is what is sought. Besides, it’s pretty easy. The fire won’t be more than a foot or two off the ground anyway. Also as guest Novices, it kind of behooves us to follow traditions, even if we’re not familiar with them yet.” Stephen took a few steps in a run and easily cleared the fire pit. “See, anybody can do it.”

 

“Well, I guess I can.” Faith said.

 

“You know,” Stephen began, “I don’t see that you’re all concerned about pulling a ribbon from the tree. I thought that you might be nervous about that.”

 

“You have noticed that I have been going to Church with you these last ten years. Although this is my first time in a seasonal ceremony, I have shared once or twice before at Church services. Not to mention when we moved up from Fledgling to Novice, or from Nestling to Fledgling, or from….”

 

“OK, OK, I get it. It’s not your first time around the block, or mine for that matter. What I meant was that this is a large group of people. Pulling a ribbon of the tree is more random than any of the earlier ceremonies we’ve attended, including our own passages to the higher levels. I thought that the ribbon thing might have you worried, or at least nervous.”

 

“Why would I be nervous? Are you?” she asked.

 

“Who, me? No, not nervous. I figure I’m probably good for two or three times….at least.”

 

“Only two or three huh? I could pull ribbons all night. There’s no limit, right?”

 

“The only limit is the time allotted. The Royal couple will sound the bell after a few hours, and it’s all over. Then when the music starts, you have to come back to pay your respects to the Golden Circle. From there you proceed with your last pairbond out of the grove and back to the lodge. That is the formal end to the ceremony. I believe PK said that the restaurant would be open for light snacks after that.”

 

“Snacks? After all of that sharing I’m gonna want some real food.” Faith said.

 

“There is real food. Remember all those tables and chairs in front of the stage? They’re going to be full of food and water. They know that some of us like a break between sharing and have thoughtfully provided food for those in need of a repast. It’s also there for those males who have removed their ribbons from the tree, or females who have shared enough to suit themselves, and want to enjoy the other portions of the ceremonies.”

 

“Well, I hope that I don’t wear out the mat that was provided. If I do may I use yours?” Faith asked in a high pitched squeaky voice.

 

“I’ll ask if they have a horse blanket or something used to keep the sun off of goats around here somewhere. I might need my mat to sit on when I’m eating chicken and stuff later. I’d hate to see it defiled by you.” Stephen laughed.

 

Faith took a playful swing at this head, “Defiled? Better the goat blanket than your mat all stained with chicken grease and catsup. However if I got really hungry, it probably would have enough crumbs and sauces on it by then to feed a small village. I could live off of that at least for a few days.”

 

Stephen laughed again, “Well, you think we’ve seen enough for now? We could head back to the room and try to relieve your nervousness. Get a head start on things if you’d like.”

 

“Why yes, kind sir. I think that I’d like that very much. But don’t let my husband know. He might take his chicken stained mat to you if he found out.”

 

Stephen took her hand and they left the grove. But not the same way that they had come. He wanted to avoid the stage area right now. He didn’t know why for certain, but he felt it had something to do with that Saint. Something that he had missed or something that Faith hadn’t missed. The last thing that he saw as he looked back into the Grove was the wicker man being assembled in the far clearing. The wicker man was to be set ablaze at the end of the ceremony to ensure a happy and productive season for all the participants.