Chapter 1 - Freya

I stand in the clearing in front of an altar to Hecate that we have set up in our backyard.  We share part of our land with my parents, meaning that it backs up to the woods and is near a stream, making it peaceful and close to nature.

            Behind us, the backyard is packed.  My parents and three siblings, his parents and three siblings.  And that’s just our families.  There’s many of the other trios with their families.  The Elite.  Members of my coven.  Selene and Thor.  Hecate of course and her group of men.

            It’s fucking insane just for a pregnancy blessing.

            But even though it’s been a year after the show down in the Underworld, we all are finding everything that we can do to celebrate.  It just brought home the fact that you never know what day is going to be your last.  Spend it how you want to gain happiness and love.

            So that’s what we’re doing, getting a blessing for Nathan and my baby.  The baby that we were specifically brought together to have.

            I’ve never felt this happy in my life.  Nathan is amazing.  We’ve had the happiest year of my life.  He’s so fucking amazing.  Our life has been great.  And now we’re bringing a new life into the world.

            We hadn’t really meant for this ceremony to be this big of a deal.  I mean, it usually is just the witch that is doing the ceremony and the parents.  But my Mom and Dad insisted on being here.  And then Slade and Naomi had to be here as well.  And then Amethyst and Grey found out and insisted that it become a big party and here we are.

            Hecate smiles broadly as she moves to the cauldron that is placed on the altar.  This is a representation of my womb.  The womb that is holding my six week old fetus.  The second that she walks up to the altar, the entire clearing quiets and Nathan and I move to stand in front of the altar. 

            She is in her Mother form, her stomach heavy with child.  It makes sense for the purpose of today’s ceremony.  Though, I’ve seen her mostly in this form the last several times I’ve seen her.  It’ makes me wonder if there is something that she needs to tell us.

            For now, though, I can only focus on my handfasted and my child.

            Hecate fills the bowl with clear spring water from the Astral Plane before pouring in frankincense into the bowl, the oil used for protection of the baby inside of me. 

            “We are all gathered here today because of the amazing life that we will be welcoming into the world.  The child of Nathan and Freya.”

            There is loud clapping and whooping from all of those around us.  I try to wave it off, but Nathan just pulls me into him.  He tilts my chin up and kisses me.  Long and slow and sweet.  Right there in front of multiple gods and a friends and family and everything.

            Normally, this would embarrass the hell out of me.  But right now?  Right now I can’t hold down my happiness for anything.  I love this male.  And I want the world to know.

            Hecate holds her hands up as we break away from each other.

            “Alright, alright.  Let us prepare the cauldron for the blessing,” she calls to everyone.  The crowd quiets down and Hecate continues.  “I call upon the elements, air, earth, fire, and water, to protect this child and nurture it within Freya’s womb until it is born.”

            Baldur steps forward with a long white feather.  It’s from the wing of a snowy white owl, a representation of both Hecate and Selene.  It also represents the element of air.  Hecate takes the feather from her lover and puts it in the bowl.  “The element of air represents communication, intelligence, deep thought, and new ideas.  Through this element, may your child create and develop new ideas and solutions to problems, but also the ability to communicate and listen to others to incorporate their wisdom and experience into their creations.”

            Next, Vidar steps forward with a stone, which he hands to Hecate.  It’s a stone from the beach where Nathan and I spent our honeymoon in California.  It represents the element of earth.  Hecate places the stone in the bowl.  “The element of earth represents stability.  Focus in life.  Balance in family.  Steadfastness in love.  May your child learn to find strength in those around them and learn from the love of those that love them.”

            Loki steps forward with a small bowl of ash to represent the element of fire.  Again, Hecate puts it in the water, change the color.  Fitting, given what it represents.  “The element of fire represents transformation and change.  When controlled, this element provides safety, light and warmth.  But when uncontrolled, it can lead to the destruction of precious things.  May this element teach your child balance and control, as well as an understanding that sometimes everything must burn to the ground for change and transformation to occur.”

            Next, Nathan hands a seashell to Hecate, for the element of water.  It’s a shell from the beach in the southern part of the territory.  A place that Nathan and I love to spend long weekends away.  “Finally, the element of water to teach wisdom, flexibility, and softness.  To aid your child in learning that sometimes kindness and bending to others is a show of strength more devastating than the strongest person in the world.”

            Next, I step forward with my symbols.  First is the tightly closed bud of a rose, a representation of possibility.  Then a peace lily to represent physical and mental health.  Finally, a safety pin.  It represents safety from harm, but also the ability to advocate for your needs to be meant.  I don’t want my child to be a push over.

            Hecate explains each of these objects to those that are gathered in the clearing and what they represent.

            The last thing to be added to the cauldron comes from Hecate.  It is a seed for a moon lily.  “This seed represents the child that we are here to bless and protect throughout Freya’s pregnancy.”

            Hecate waves her hand towards me and I come forward to cup the edges of the cauldron in my hands and Nathan moves behind me, his hands moving onto my hips. 

            “May no harm come to child or mother.  Let this be a time of magick and wonder.  Children, you have asked this of me.  I have heard your plea and so mote it be.”

            Magick courses through the air and settles in the cauldron that I am holding.  Hecate reaches in and plucks out the seed out of the cauldron and Nathan takes it from her.  He walks over to a spot that both Hecate and Selene had blessed earlier.  In fact, not only was it blessed by the two goddesses, but also by Thor, Baldur, Vadir, Loki, and even Hermes.  With that many gods blessing the seed that represented our child, how could their child not be safe and protected within her womb.

            Nathan buries the seed within the plot of soil that was prepared.  Once he steps back, I cause a vapor cloud of water to appear above the seed and water it.  Nathan than sends his power to cause the seed to start to grow.  He stops the second that a small green shoot pokes out of the soil.  It has taken root and will now grow at the same rate as our child.

            Hecate turns to look back at the gathered crowd of wolves, witches, and a select few other supernaturals.  “You are all here to show your love and support of this child and their family.  You have offered love, stability, and kindness.  Continue to show that as the child grows and I can guarantee your blessing will come back ten fold.

            “The circle is open to all, but not broken.  May peace stay in your heart and flow through your soul.  Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again!”

            Cheers, howls, and claps flow through the clearing at the closing of the ceremony.

            Nathan, still on his knees beside the just sprouting flower, grabs my wrist and pulls me to him.  His smile is wide and full of joy.  Looking into my eye, he presses a kiss to my nearly flat stomach. 

Because we’re wolves, my pregnancy will be quicker than a typical human’s, lasting only five months.  So, even though I’m only six weeks along, my stomach is starting to round with the child that I’m growing within.  You can only see it when I’m naked, but it was something that greatly excited Nathan when he discovered it two mornings ago.

Nathan whispers something to my stomach, though even with my advanced wolf hearing, I can’t tell what he’s said because of the loud clamor around us.  But by the light shining in his eyes, it’s probably along the lines of how much he loves our child.  How he can’t wait to meet them.

I surrender myself to the wave of love that flows through me as Nathan stands and we turn to start the party with our friends and family.