Greetings…
Have a story bit, about a Druid
Welcome to my Substack….
Who am I? Good question. When I figure it all out, you lot will be amongst the first to know 🤣 What I know so far- My name is Autumn. I am a Reader, Writer, Lover of History (particularly Irish history with a focus of the interesting bits- 1800-1990s), US history around the Revolutionary war era, The Great Depresion of the 1930s, and, then the 1950s. I love Irish Folk music (particularly of the ‘rebel’ persuasion), Russian folk music, and sea shanties of all sorts. I am an MS Warrior (I don’t ‘suffer’ from MS, MS ‘suffers’ me. Yeah. ‘waits for laughter’ ‘considers feeding the crickets I am hearing’…moving along…I think I will use Substack mostly for my bits of fiction. I love historical fiction, speculative fiction, and thrillers.
Anyway. I’ll start this off with a challenge from my friend Caitlin Chapman (I’ll eventually figure out to link her substack here, if I haven’t ready) but the prompt was a poem about a leaf or something…as you can see, you get to learn a little bit more about me- I scoff at rules…so this is not a poem or really about a singular leaf…More of am off shoot off a story I have had floating around my head. All inaccuracies of concerning druids, druidic rituals, etc., is mine…Without further ado-
The Elder druid stode purposefully down the path leading to the Sacred Grove, his young protege in tow. For once the wee lad was quiet and not bursting with endless questions. Normally he relished such excursions with the younger man. He must remember he was not the young wee thing he had been charged with caring for with many moons ago now. He was a young man, ready to accept responsibilities of his own in the sacred circle, should the Grove accept him as one of them.
He had never brought his young sapling here, hadn’t wanted to scare him. He should have. Regret souring his stomach. Stopping a few hundred yards from the entrance, he turned, face tilting up allowing a breeze to float over and through him. Reaching out to place a hand on the young man’s shoulder, halting their progress.
“Close your eyes. Listen to the whispers of the trees,” he commanded, “The secrets they are sharing, the strengths they will possibly share with you.
He opened his eyes as the boy did as instructed, watching as a puzzled look furrowed his brow. Inhaling sharply as he pulled away and headed for the sentry oak guarding the circle’s entrance, flung himself at it, and wrapped his arms around the large trunk, the best he could, arms feet too short to make a complete connection around it.
Shivering as a great wind started to whip through the leaves. A panic coursing through him that prompted him to follow, bracing himself against the lad’s back, his own arms hugging the oak, providing a protective shelter around the boy.
He needed’ve worried however, as the leaves danced with the wind, bowing to brush against the pair of them. Acceptance of him granted as the knowledge the trees seeped into their bodies, as the trees in the grove and those around it bared their souls, sharing and accepting the young sapling as one of their own.
Relieved, the Elder Druid stepped to the side, leaning his head against the oak. Thanking it quietly. They would be leaving the grove together.
This is awesome! And although the prompt of 'write a poem about the feeling of the wind blowing through some leaves' (actually is that right? Something like that anyways!) had been partially ignored, I can still see this fitting so well with the brief. I'm there. Totally there in the Sacred Grove. Although, watching on from somewhere in the trees, quietly observing this moment between the Elder Druid and his not-so young Protege ...
I'm hung up on the description of the Protege as the 'young sapling'. It's gorgeous, and sweet. And the mighty Oak being the one to accept this kinship, the oldest and wisest of all the trees is just perfect. And, does this mean that the Protege, with the acceptance of the Sacred Grove, is now able to grow his own roots? Although, I'm getting the feeling here that his roots will remain right there, entwined with his Elder :D
Thanks for sharing this. It's awesome.