Way of the Witch

Fair morning ,
My name is Faith and I'm very pleased for this opportunity to spend time with all of you. I'm the oldest of a set of triplets and as my sister, Hope, informed you, we are Witches. I thought I might spend this time giving you glimpses into our lives which, hopefully, will be both interesting and entertaining. Given the triplet association we are rather unique among our Kind and truth told, we not only enjoy being different but we often play it up for the sake of fun and sometimes use it for other purposes.

I'm sure you all noticed that my dear sister isn't the least bit shy about stating her views, or letting folks know when she feels put upon. Ah, for all her grump and grouse, our Hope is truly a remarkably kind individual (she'll deny it just for the sake of argument). Anyway, Hope isn't a morning person in that when she awakens she requires a wide berth and at least three cups of her favorite tea before she stops glowering at all who cross her path.

Hope promotes herself as a third wheel instead of one of our trio, and in a sense there is truth in that. Let me explain. Charity and I are most happy in one another's company and we do most things together, be it business or socializing. Like our sister, we aren't bound to any coven but many is the time we will assist one coven or another if the need arises. We have many friends and acquaintances among covens but we are quite happy practicing our craft on our own. Our sister prefers the life of a solitary Witch but don't for a moment think that preference excludes us from her life, for that couldn't be further from the truth. It merely means that some Witches are meant to walk the solitary path and others a different path.

To be sure, we are gifted in many like ways then there are differences, as well. Charity and I share certain gifts, where Hope has certain abilities unique to her. Sounds kind of confusing but, truly, it isn't. It is merely the way of things. Simply put, for the most part, Charity and I are meant to work as a team while Hope is destined to work alone. You will notice that I said 'for the most part'. There are times when combining all of our skills and powers is called for and, not to sound boastful, our genetics and gifts are such that we make a powerful trio.

We never knew our mother and we were reared by our aunt; our mother's sister, who taught us to use our gifts, wisely. Aunt Beth is herself a true Witch, the seventh daughter of a seventh son and a seventh daughter. Not only was she born of the veil of a seventh daughter but being that her parents were seventh children she inherited a combination of extraordinary gifts from them. In short, Aunt Beth is one of the most powerful Sorceresses in modern times. Ah ha! I bet some of you are wondering what it was like to to be reared by a Sorceress.

Mayhap you've heard that Sorceresses are cold, cruel women who haven't a care for others but themselves. There is certainly some truth to that but I assure you our Aunt Beth isn't one of those. She is a kind and caring woman who showers us with all the love any child could ever want for. She is our mother, mentor, and friend and she has always been so. While she hasn't a cruel bone in her body that isn't to say she isn't capable of standing against others of her Kind, and doing what needs doing. She can and does but where other Sorceresses wield their powers for harm and the good of self, Aunt Beth uses hers for the good of all. It was she who taught us that selfishness and cruelty leads one down the dark path to destruction.

When we were old enough to question the reasons for Hope being different from Charity and me, Aunt Beth explained that being identical triplets didn't preclude that one or all of us might have differences, otherwise. As children, Charity and I couldn't abide being apart from one another for long spells and even now the same is true. Yet Hope wasn't bothered by it and, eventually, we stopped feeling the loss of being apart from her for extended periods. Along and along we came to understand that two of us were meant to walk the same path while the other was meant to seek her own but always the connection among us is strong.

Today, certain of our differences are most obvious. Charity and I found our soul mates about the same time and while we live in separate homes, they are situated next door to each other (an acre or so separates them) on the same property. Aunt Beth's estate (where we live) is large, some two hundred acres more or less, but Hope has a lovely apartment on the second floor above her business in the building she owns in New Orleans. Might seem surprising to you, given that she treasures her privacy and loves the countryside but there you have it. Hope calls it having the best of both worlds; having her home and business in one place and a place to get away when the urge strikes her. While Charity and I love the city and all it has to offer, we love living where we are always guaranteed our privacy. Here, we are able to practice our craft without interruption and each day we drive into the city to run the business we share.

It might interest you to know that our husbands are both Outsiders. It isn't particularly uncommon these days for Witches to wed outside their own Kind but there are those who still wouldn' think of doing so. To each his or her own. Love often strikes in a most unusual way, under the oddest of circumstances, and such were our cases. I met my husband at university during my freshman year (no, he wasn't a student but invited to speak there) and I literally ran into him in the hallway. I was in a bit of a hurry, as I was running late for my next class (for some unknown reason I'm perpetually late for things), and I rounded a corner on the run. I slammed into a broad chest and books and purse went flying...

Don't believe in love at first sight? At the time neither did I. I was eighteen years old and never had I experienced such a profound, earth-shattering shock as when there on our knees, as we gathered my belongings, I looked into a pair of breath taking eyes that went from silvery blue to navy in a matter of seconds. I felt myself flush to the roots of my hair with the strange feelings that swept through me. Needless to say I couldn't utter the apology poised on my tongue and fearing what I didn't understand, I grabbed my things and took off in the hope that I might regain my balance. Ten minutes or so later that gorgeous hunk of humanity walked into my classroom and my hard won balance deserted me. I felt humiliated that he seemed totally unmoved by the experience and all I could do was sit there, listen to the rich, smooth baritone of a man who was clearly well spoken and in complete command of himself, as he delivered his speech.

That was the longest fifty minutes of my life; eons in which I scolded myself for my juvenile behavior and thoughts. I couldn't imagine that I could spark the interest of such a distinguished man of his age (he was thirty-two), or that he would even consider me anymore than a bumbling eighteen year old with about as much societal polish as a newborn. I learned how wrong I was! The moment the class ended I was off and running for the door when he stepped into my path. Talk about a sobering experience when he smiled down at me and quietly requested a moment of my time! As I watched the classroom empty, I stood there feeling like a lamb about to be gobbled up by the big, bad wolf. Instead, he apologized for our earlier collision and asked if I was hurt. Couldn't utter a word so I shook my head like a terrified child. He smiled, reached into his pocket, and withdrew my wallet which I hadn't missed when I'd hurriedly scooped things back into my purse. Then without another word he turned and left the room.

It was late that night when I was in my own bedroom bemoaning the fact that I would never see him again, and feeling as if my world had ended, that I opened my wallet to check that I had cash for the following day when I found a folded note among the bills. When I opened it to discover what had gotten stuck there I swear to you my heart stopped then commenced to beating like a jack-hammer. In his bold handwriting he requested that I meet him for breakfast the following morning. He gave no name or phone number; just the place I should meet him with the postscript that he would understand if I didn't show up to meet a stranger.

Luckily, or mayhap blessedly, Witches have ways and means to determine whether an individual is a threat to avoid. I called upon Charity to read the note and then we 'sensed' the essence of the man from his handwriting. Following that exciting discovery we took the note to my Aunt who confirmed our findings. I slept very little that night (not that I noticed) and next morning, between them, my Aunt and Charity saw to it that I was dressed suitably for the occasion and on time. Nervous? I swear a million butterflies had taken up residence in my stomach. I pleaded with Aunt Beth to whip up a quick spell to give me confidence and make me appear more a woman of the world, rather than a tongue-tied teenager, but she refused. She told me I should be myself and if he didn't find me acceptable then it would be as it should be.

I cannot begin to tell you how deep was my fear of being found lacking in whatever it would take to gain his interest. Aye, I was totally smitten and hadn't a hope that he would fall for me. What would I say when I met him? What would we find in common to talk about? How on earth would I be able to swallow a bite of food without choking? The moment I parked near the restaurant he emerged from his vehicle and came to open my door. I just sat there with my mouth hanging agape at the sight of him casually dressed in jeans and boots, not looking at all like the formidable man-about-town in a business suit, but a devilishly attractive cowboy right off the pages of some romantic novel. Ho boy!

We still laugh about that meeting. While we spent the day rambling around town and talking we both harbored anxieties neither was aware of. First was the age difference which led to each of us wondering how we could overcome the vast differences in our social sets of friends; how each of us would manage to fit in. There was that I was a student and he a seasoned attorney, as well as an established cattle rancher. By the end of the day neither of us were feeling such obstacles could be overcome, worse, I was most fearful of what he would think if he discovered I was a Witch from a family of Witches. We parted that afternoon on a somber note and, truly, neither of us thought we had a chance so we said goodbye without making a further date.

I spent the rest of the evening thinking up all kinds of reasons for why he hadn't asked to see me again and feeling as if something wonderful had slipped through my fingers. An entire week passed in which I positively mourned the loss of the chance to know him better. I went to bed that seventh night having decided to put what I couldn't change from my mind. At a quarter to midnight the phone awakened me and you cannot begin to imagine my shock at hearing that wonderful voice apologizing for calling so late. While he sounded nervous, a strange calm came over me, for it was then I knew that whatever the cost, I wasn't going to let this man slip from my grasp. I also determined that it was important to begin without any untruths between us, so I invited him over.

When he arrived, looking as miserable as I'd felt, he wouldn't come inside, for he feared my Aunt would take exception to his age and the lateness of the hour. I assured him such wouldn't be the case and he finally came inside and sat down. I had just sat down in the chair opposite him when my Aunt Beth popped into the room, took one stern look at him, and told him what she thought of a man who wasted valuable time worrying about the silliest things. Wish you could have seen his face. She introduced herself, told him to relax, and before he could manage a word, she exited the room -vanished. He just sat there staring into space. Needless to say that was my cue to introduce him to the subject of my Kind.

'Twas an interesting couple of hours in which he insisted on several demonstrations to convince him we weren't a family of lunatics. I was getting a bit put out with him when I decided that he needed a real demonstration that he couldn't claim was some trick. Imagine, if you can, his face when I levitated the chair he was sitting in and made it snow while he looked down at me. The rest is history. Two weeks later we were wed in his faith then hand fasted in mine.

Why have I told you all of this? To give you a peek into what is not so un-ordinary; the life of a Witch and to show you that Witches and Outsiders can and do work well together. Sure, ours is a different life but my husband has grown quite used to our ways. He sold his ranch, moved all of his livestock to our estate, which Aunt Beth was quite happy to have him take charge of (since we three women found it difficult to maintain on our own after my uncle passed) and everything here runs like a well oiled machine.

Well, I suppose I've rambled on enough so I will leave you with this: If Outsiders will make the effort, Witches will be happy to befriend them. But those who take exception to our religion and our way of life leave us with no other option but to keep secret our ways. I enjoyed visiting with you and you will hear from Charity, next. Faith, and Blessed Be.