Of Passing and Renewal: Apr 18, 2007

[The Librarian]

The gentle touch of Phaen's hand on her shoulder brought Sage out of slumber, Phaen's eyes glistened a dark chestnut as she forced a smile to her face, "Trammel has risen Sage, the time you asked me to wake you has arrived." Sage kissed Phaen on the cheek as she pulled her robe tight around her and left her lab to meet Gracie downstairs; the young Sidhe had made so many changes in the years they had been together, it was now Sages time to grow. Softly Sage greeted her Dryad and the two women hugged gently. Gracie asked if Sage was ready to go and touching her cheek Sage nodded. Queen Elisandra approached the two women asking if she too could join them in their task. Sage nodded to her Queen saying, "I was hoping you would." Bruce and Fiona were also at the Rose, slowly walking to Bruce, Sage placed a tender kiss on his forehead asking him to watch over everyone, and finally brushing Fiona's cheek, the lass said softly, "renewal is a good thing," to which Sage replied, "aye but the unknown still frightens me." Bruce followed with, “you will still remember us?" softly Sage answered, "I hope so Bruce." Sage smiled and turned to Elisandra and Gracie; weaving her mana into a gate, Sage created the portal for the three women to pass through to Ai. Dai's tree Ai had generously offered her canopy as shelter as Sage passed on and renewed.

Dai's mother tree Ai, now growing strong with Dai's return was a safe haven for all things green and growing. Sage felt at home under her canopy, moving to a position near the pond sage removed her outer vestments standing naked in the moonlight. "You will stay and watch over me Gracie?" Sage asked knowing her Dryad would never leave her side, also knowing that if something went wrong Gracie too would pass on if Sage did not return. The Willow Tree and the Dryad were bound, their lives symbiotic to the others, Gracie the effervescent spirit that kept Sage young and who fiercely guarded her in all things. Stretching to the moon Sage asked Elisandra to approach, gently with loving hands Sage embraced her Queen wrapping her securely, her arms about Elisandra's waist and breasts. Summoning the glamour Sage wove the cantrip to wrap the two women in her tree form, Elisandra safe inside able to feel all the sensations and emotions Sage felt. Sending down roots deep into the soil Sage anchored herself for what was to come.

Standing in the presence of Trammel, Felluca being blocked by Sosaria in its rebirth, Sage opened her bark and let her blossoms free. Soft powdery sent filled the air as the white and apricot blossoms opened in the moonlight. Humming an ancient song Sage called the bees in swarms, the buzzing built against her song as they encircled the tree to find the blossoms. Thousands of velvet hands caressed the two women building a euphoria that throbbed within the tree. Hundreds of tiny loving kisses seeking the nectar from the blossoms trailed along Sages branches and penetrated to Elisandra within. Time stood still in the rapture the woman shared as the bees collected the pollen to be spread to other trees coming into season under the new moon.

As the swarms passed and the ecstasy faded the weight of banality once again sapped Sage's strength. Sage thought to herself, too many chances... I left myself open to too much and the banality seeped in too easily. Sage’s last thoughts before her mind cleared completely were of the love she had for her Queen who had stood between her and the advance of Banality in the land, and of Connor the young lad that had intrigued her and whom she hoped she would meet again soon. Tired and weak Sage could no longer hold on, slowly at first then building to a cascade she release her glamour back into the ground she drew it from, Elisandra was washed in wave after wave of the glamour as it passed over her to Sages roots and into the great tree Ai. As her light faded Sage's bark dried and broke allowing Elisandra free from the tree, only a husk remained and that too was decaying quickly. As the remains of Sage crumbled to mulch on the ground Elisandra asked Gracie if they waited, Gracie answered, "I do, for if she does not return neither to I, she needs guarding now." As the Dryad and the Queen of the Fae parted company, the mulch created a warm haven at the base of Ai, and deep in the soil a golden new sapling fought to take root.

[The Librarian]

Reposted from Elisandra de Winter:

Elisandra had been graced with many gifts in her life. The time of Sage's renewal was at hand. It had been clear, though unspoken, that the spring of the young tree's years were waning. From when she first spat bees at Corey in misunderstanding of a joke, to her fashion sence, Sage had always been willing to spread her arms and provide shade for resting under. A change of season was upon them. Spring fades to Summer, and so too with you my dear friend, Eli thought as she walked silently beside the two women.

A cascade of flowers rained down gently from Sages branches, caressing she and Gracie with their silken petals or cream and apricot. So delicate and beautiful, they brought a tear to Eli's eye. She became enraptured by the magic of the moment. She was there for her friend, to give her support.
The young tree stood under the protctive branches of the mother tree. Eli hugged Sage and held her close, as she wrapped her branches around, encasing her body within her.

It was then she felt it. A bond to the earth, to all living things, stronger than she ever had before. The land itself called to her...to Sage, to them...now one...to be part of it. It coursed through her, more intimate than a lovers embrace. The pull of tides, of the wind, of rock and fire. They were not seperate but one, part of the whole. Like a leaf on a great tree. It was time to shed the hull of what was, leaving it behind to fertilize the ground. To make way for whatever the world had in store next. She felt the welling of glamour surge, then be drawn down into the earth.

Delicately she stepped out of the hull of what was once her friend. She said a silent prayer to the dreaming to the seedling she knew was struggling its way toward the light, to grow once more. Elisandra gathered up an armload of the flowers, to be woven into a fine cloth. For the Ghille Dhu, her springtime had passed. Her Dryad would stand guard, and await the comming of Summer.

Source: freeholdofroses.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=pubstory&action=display&thread=57

[The Librarian]

From the darkness of the deepest slumber, a memory in the first breath, a spirit awakens deep in the earth resting beneath the watch of the mother tree, and protected by a loyal Dryad. Ai shrouded the little sapling as she grew, kept her from the presence of others, shielded her from the dread effects of the unwanted visitors; and sang to her the lullaby of the earth as she grew strong, renewing, preparing to walk the lands again. Shed was the green skin of spring and a new gown woven of the golden tones of summer was prepared. Slowly the memories came back, the knowledge of past lifetimes as the new season for this Ghille Dhu blossomed. With the culmination of several lifetimes of knowledge re-gathered, conscious thought again stirred the tree from her slumber. Opening her now amber eyes Sage drew from the beauty of nature the glamour to restore herself and build the façade she would now wear publicly. No longer would she expose herself to the harsh reality of mortal life, they would see her as one of their own, only the Fae and those Fae sighted would know her true seeming. A war was brewing and she would stand firm against the darkness that killed her spring, protecting her people from the winter in its wake.