| From: | "Paul J. Adam" <shadowtk@********.demon.co.uk> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | We Finally Did It! |
| Date: | Thu, 5 Sep 1996 00:30:56 +0100 |
around physically, rather than by Shadowland - a little more personal.
Thank you, perhaps more than you'll know, for letting me be there and
help them do this.
For those who weren't invited or didn't make it, this is what you
missed.
+++++begin trideo
The wedding is being held outside, at Haven, on the playing field next
to the main building. It is grassy, and there appears to be a wooden
dias roughly five meters in diameter set more or less in the middle.
Upon it lies a small marble altar, and upon the altar is all the
accoutrements of a slightly modified Wiccan handfasting: sword,
chalice, silver pentacle, and oaken wand. In addition, there are
several unlit candles, one white, one red, and the last black. Facing
the dias from the SW and SE directions, there are numerous white wooden
folding chairs. Slowly but surely, the chairs are filling with people.
After a while, a person you recognize as Patrick O'Kennedy(aka
Valentine) steps up in front of the dias and takes the microphone in his
hands.
Pat: "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the handfasting, or, if you
prefer, the wedding of Ms. Lilith DiAnnio and Mr. Jason Running Wolf
Lynch. They have decided to come today before the gods, with you all as
witnesses, to join themselves to each other. You all have been invited
today to share in their joy and love because they honor and respect you
all. However, I would ask that you also remember those who, through
some misfortune, were unable to join you and the soon to be happily
married couple in their time of glory and spiritual union.
But now, please, let us all be seated so that the handfasting ceremony
may begin. As the high Priest for this ceremony, I ask that you remain
as quiet as possible during the calling of the quarters. Thank you very
much for your consideration, and we'll be starting very shortly."
Pat then heads off to the west, where a small enclosed tent has been
placed. Off to the east is another enclosed tent, and you suspect that
these are the areas where the principle individuals are changing and
getting ready for the ceremony.
Off to the east of the chairs is another small group of chairs. These
three are set facing the dias and three musicians, playing harp, violin,
and pipe, are tuning up their instruments. After a short period of
time, they begin to play a Celtic sounding piece, but nothing you
recognize immediately.
Simultaneously, you see Pat and Quinn exit from opposite tents. Pat is
wearing what appears to be a very plain green robe, bound at the waist
with a woven cord, and is barefoot. Quinn is dressed similarly, but is
instead wearing a robe of red, with a green belt and a black neckerchief
tied loosely around her neck. Following Pat is Lynch, dressed in
traditional Sioux garb; deerskin leggings and a shirt of undyed cotton.
His long hair shows, for once, just how many honor feathers he is
entitled to wear.
And following Quinn by only a step is Lilith: dressed similarly, yet
with subtle differences that show she's Delaware to Lynch's Lakota
Sioux, and in place of the shirt, she wears a simple bone vest. The
effect is staggering, and you almost miss her own collection of honour
feathers tied into her flaming dark-red hair, and the scars of the Sun
Dance on her bare back.
Pat and Quinn reach the dias simultaneously and step upon it at exactly
the same time, followed closely by Jason and Lilith, who stop before
reaching each other or the slightly offset altar. Pat and Quinn,
however, step up to the altar immediately. Pat whispers something to
Quinn, who reaches down, picks up the longsword, and then walks over to
the eastern edge of the dias.
Quinn: "Pillars of the East, guardians of knowledge and wisdom, Element
of Air, and source of the Four Divine Winds, I call to you and ask that
you embrace us here today, that you join the celebration of the bond
known as love, and that you witness the ceremony we are about to begin."
As she finishes, there is a shimmering around the area she is standing.
It gradually coalesces into a very large manifest Air elemental,
standing in roughly human form just off the dias. Quinn steps back a
pace, half-raising the sword with an almost comical look of surprise:
then she appears to concentrate, the elemental shows what might be
humour, and she shoots Pat a look of amused fury as she resumes the
ritual.
Returning to the altar, Quinn replaces the sword and picks up the oaken
wand. She takes it and walks to the southern edge of the dias, facing
the empty spot between the two halves of the assembly, but not seeing
any of them.
Quinn: "Pillars of the South, guardians of passion and energy, Element
of Fire, and source of the Life Energy, I call to you and ask that you
embrace us here today, that you join the celebration of the bond known
as love, and that you witness the ceremony we are about to begin."
As Quinn finishes, a gradual increase of heat and shimmering presages
the arrival of a very large manifest Fire elemental, also appearing in
more or less human form and standing, in charring grass, just off the
dias. Again returning to the altar, Quinn replaces the wand and picks
up the crystal chalice. She then takes it and walks to the western edge
of the dias.
Quinn: "Pillars of the West, guardians of emotion and intuition,
Element of Water, and source of Magic and Change, I call to you and ask
that you embrace us here today, that you join the celebration of the
bond known as love, and that you witness the ceremony we are about to
begin."
As Quinn finishes, another shimmering in the air in front of her shows
the arrival and manifestation of yet another huge elemental. This one
is Water, of course, and it is also in a vaguely human shape. Quinn
returns to the altar, replaces the chalice, and picks up a 10 cm
diameter silver pentacle, then walks to the north edge of the dias.
Quinn: "Pillars of the North, guardians of life and death, Element of
Earth, and source of all Life, I call to you and ask that you embrace us
here today, that you join the celebration of the bond known as love, and
that you witness the ceremony we are about to begin."
One last time, the air around Quinn shimmers and then stabilizes as a
large Earth elemental manifests before her. Quinn returns to the
center, replacing the pentacle. She appears about to speak when Pat
raises a finger and stop her.
Pat goes to the middle of the dias, just in front of the altar and
before Jason and Lilith. He raises his hands, and turns a slow but
complete circle while saying: "Great Spirits, I call upon you to join
us this beautiful day. You are not of the elements, yet part of all.
Join us in our humble ceremony, and add your presence to the assembled
representatives of the directions. Spirit of this place, I humbly ask
that you bless us with your presence as well, and add your blessing to
those of the Elements, the Spirits, and, I hope, the God and Goddess."
You aren't completely sure, but you think you see a shimmering form
around the dias, then spread out to encompass the entire wedding area,
almost as if a greater spirit just covered the entire area with some
effect.
Pat stops, looks to Lynch and winks, and then glances to Quinn to make
sure she knows what he's doing.
Pat: "Dagda, Jupiter, Odin, Zeus, all names of the God they are. The
Horned One as well, God of fatherhood, fertility, passion, and sex.
Great Horned One, I call upon thee! Come and aid in the handfasting
which you need witness! Know, however, that your place is as assistant,
for handfastings are far more the domain of the Goddess, at least not
until the nights of passion begin."
Pat turns to Quinn and nods.
Quinn: "Aphrodite, Brigit, Frejya, Venus, all names of the Goddess they
are. The Triple Goddess as well, Maiden, Mother, and Crone, Goddess of
purity, motherhood, wisdom, and rebirth. Great Goddess, I call upon
thee! Come and aid the handfasting which you need witness! Know that
your consort has already arrived to aid you, for handfastings are your
domain, at least until the night has fallen upon the happy couple."
Quinn takes a few deep breaths, and then turns to Pat, who steps up to
her and hands her a pure white strip of muslin, about 8cm across.
Quinn: "Every year, the Goddess renews life with the seasons. In
Winter, the land lies barren, with the God newly born the embodiment of
the returning of the light after the time of waning and the Crone
Goddess passing into rebirth. In Spring, the land sprouts anew, with
the God growing, dancing, and marrying the Maiden Goddess. In Summer,
the land lies fertile, with the God's death after planting his seed in
the Mother Goddess. In Autumn, the land is harvested, with the God
awaiting rebirth and the Mother Goddess reaching for wisdom in
solitude."
Pat: "In this season of loneliness for the Goddess and, well, death for
the God, it is indeed a fine joke to play upon them both to celebrate a
handfasting. I'm sure it breaks the monotony of pregnancy and
impatience for rebirth."
Several short chuckles from the assembly are heard, but they are short
and strained, almost as if no-one is sure whether it's ok to laugh at
such a serious time.
Quinn: "Throughout the year, the God and Goddess know of life. They
live it, they create it, they _are_ it, existing through all that is
beautiful and ugly, great and meek, pain and pleasure. Nothing out of
balance, nothing taken without giving in return."
Pat: "All things cyclical, yet spiraling ever outward. Life following
death following life, ad infinitum. Yet through it all, the God and
Goddess grant each other the joys and pains of life which we ourselves
experience."
Quinn: "Through their union, they make a gift of union to us all."
Jason Running Wolf Lynch, thou art the God, and thou dost love the
Goddess. Lilith Grey Bear DiAnnio, thou art the Goddess, and thou dost
love the God. Jason Running Wolf Lynch, give me your hand."
Jason raises his right hand, and Quinn places the cloth in his hand,
palm up, at about the middle.
Quinn: "Lilith Grey Bear DiAnnio, place your hand atop his and atop the
cloth."
Lilith lifts her left hand and places it on top of Jason's, and they
clasp hands tightly. Quinn takes the hanging lengths of cloth and wraps
them tightly around the two hands until the two ends are resting on the
top. Each end has, with a fine golden thread, the full names of the
couple embroidered into the cloth.
Quinn: "The Goddess and the God bind themselves to each other as you
are bound to each other now. Through them your handfasting can never
grow weaker, but only stronger as your days together progress ever
forward."
Pat: "Jason and Lilith, face the East and ask its approval."
Jason and Lilith, together: "Pillars of the East, Element of Air, and
guardians of knowledge and wisdom, we stand here before you bound to
each other through the power of the Goddess and the God. Do you know of
any objection to our union?"
Air elemental: "What the Goddess and the God have bound together, no
wisdom or knowledge could ever destroy. The guardian of the East has no
objections."
Pat: "Jason and Lilith, face the South and ask its approval."
Jason and Lilith, together: "Pillars of the South, Element of Fire, and
guardians of passion and energy, we stand here before you bound to each
other through the power of the Goddess and the God. Do you know of any
objection to our union?"
Fire elemental: "What the Goddess and the God have bound together, no
passion or energies could ever destroy. The guardian of the South has
no objections."
Pat: "Jason and Lilith, face the West and ask its approval."
Jason and Lilith, together: "Pillars of the West, Element of Water, and
guardians of emotion and intuition, we stand here before you bound to
each other through the power of the Goddess and the God. Do you know of
any objection to our union?"
Water elemental: "What the Goddess and the God have bound together, no
emotion or intuitions could ever destroy. The guardian of the West has
no objections."
Pat: "Jason and Lilith, face the North and ask its approval."
Jason and Lilith, together: "Pillars of the North, Element of Earth,
and guardians of life and death, we stand here before you bound to each
other through the power of the Goddess and the God. Do you know of any
objection to our union?"
Earth Elemental: "What the Goddess and the God have bound together, no
life or death could ever destroy. The guardian of the North has no
objections."
Pat and Quinn, who had both stepped aside to allow the couple to speak
with the earth elemental at the north edge of the dias, step back
together again.
Pat: "Jason and Lilith, the guardians have no objections. And, as you
can feel, the Spirits have no objections either. And if the Goddess and
the God had objections, you would never have been bound to start with.
Yet, there remains one thing to do."
Quinn: "As the seasons cycle, as death turns to life, as night turns to
day, as youth turns to elder, so too does all things. The inexorable
cycling of life in all its glory has ever been symbolized by the circle.
In ages past, when gold was seen as the metal of the Goddess, the golden
ring was used to symbolize the Goddess and the God, and to serve as a
reminder of the bonds forged between two people in their presence.
Today, golden rings are used in a similar manner, although much of the
original meaning has been lost."
Pat: "Jason, take your ring and place it upon Lilith's right hand."
Jason reaches into his left pocket with his left hand and, a bit
awkwardly, puts the fine gold band on Lilith's right hand.
Jason to Lilith: "Such is my gift to you."
Quinn: "Lilith, take your ring and place it upon Jason's left hand."
Lilith reaches into her right pocket and, quite a bit less awkwardly,
places the gold band on Jason's left hand.
Lilith to Jason: "Such is my gift to you."
Pat: "What the God and Goddess have decreed for you both, only they can
rewrite. What bond you have made before them, only they can break.
Now, Turn to the assembly."
Jason and Lilith, still bound with the cloth, turn to face the assembly.
Quinn and Pat together: "We, as representatives of the Goddess and the
God, present to you Jason and Lilith Running Wolf Lynch.
There is a ripple of applause, and several cheers, that grows into what
is almost an ovation.
Quinn: "Goddess, thank you this beautiful day for your presence and
blessing at this handfasting. Go in peace."
Pat: "God, thank you this beautiful day for your presence and blessing
at this handfasting. Go in peace."
Pat picks up the silver pentacle, walks around the altar to the north
just in front of the elemental
Pat: Pillars of the North, guardians of life and death, Element of
Earth, and source of all Life, I thank you for joining the celebration
of this handfasting. Go in peace.
The elemental does a close approximation of a smile, and fades slowly
into the ground. When it finally disappears, Pat turns and replaces the
pentacle on the altar. He then picks up the crystal chalice and carries
it to the western edge of the dias, just before the elemental.
Pat: Pillars of the West, guardians of emotion and intuition, Element
of Water, and source of Magic and Change, I thank you for joining the
celebration of this handfasting. Go in peace.
The elemental makes a gurgling noise that can only be interpreted as
joyful laughter, and then goes "Sploosh!", splashing water every way but
onto the dias and getting several people in the front row of seats wet.
Pat shakes his head, returns to the altar and replaces the chalice. He
picks up the oaken wand and walks to the south edge of the dias, facing
the elemental.
Pat: Pillars of the South, guardians of passion and energy, Element of
Fire, and source of the Life Energy, I thank you for joining the
celebration of this handfasting. Go in peace.
The fire elemental, doing nothing quite as dramatic, just disappears.
Pat then turns, walks around Jason and Lilith who are still standing
there smiling out at the assembly, and replaces the wand on the altar.
He picks up the longsword and walks to the east, stopping at the edge
and facing the elemental.
Pat: Pillars of the East, guardians of knowledge and wisdom, Element of
Air, and source of the Four Divine Winds, I thank you for joining the
celebration of this handfasting. Go in peace.
The elemental disappears in a sudden gust of wind that circles everyone
for a moment, then vanishes. Pat, smiling, returns to the altar and
places the sword back upon it.
Pat turns to face Quinn, winks, and then turns toward the crowd:
"Everyone, your attention please. It is a tradition at the handfastings
that I have held or helped with that the bride and groom remain tied
together until their first drink or their first dance, or for however
long they so desire, whichever comes first. I don't know how long these
two will try to do it for, but we shall see. After all, the current
record is about 4 days, which was the entire party. You are all welcome
to remain here and join the party and reception. It will be held over
along the repaired north wall, at least to start. After all, it
wouldn't be a handfasting if there wasn't a feast and party to follow,
now would it? Eat, drink, and be merry, one and all!"
+++++end trideo
And we did. And we still are. But Mozart meant it about no gatecrashers:
you'd only hurt yourself, and you'd be surprised at the guest list.
Oh, yeah, it's been twelve hours, and Jason and Lilith haven't untied
themselves. But then they're a little kinky like that anyway... :) The
party is risking turning into an epic, even by my standards.]<<<<<
-- The Mighty Quinn <00:30:32/09-05-57>
