Prologue

She turned back to stare at the house in the distance.  She hated that house with its square walls and boxed in feeling.

She was forbidden to leave it, but the nights were the worst, she would lay in the darkness and have the terrifying feeling that the walls were caving in on her.

She quickened her pace, rushing headlong into the night and into the forest with its tall green cedar trees that stood like sentinels of protection.  Molly didn’t tell anyone but she loved the trees and they loved her back.  She’d always known better than to tell any of her foster parents about her special communication with the natural world.  The forest and those spirits that lived within it were her only solace in a world that was ever changing.

Molly reached the comfort of the cedars and felt their happiness that she was there.  Reaching out with five-year-old hands, she laid her palms on the peeling bark of one tree and lifted her face to the heavens with eyes closed.  The soothing affection of the ancient cedar wrapped around her soul comfortingly.

This was Molly’s world, the real world as far as she was concerned.  Taking a deep breath she hugged the tree and began walking towards the center of the forest.

Deep within the woods was a ring of cedar trees and within that was a ring of stones.

Molly privately thought of it as her “happy” place, because only good things ever happened there.

She reached the ring and stepped through into a small moon and star drenched meadow.

The second ring, the one created of stones never ceased to fascinate the child for the stones were ancient, weather worn and some had dark green moss growing on them.  However, what fascinated Molly the most were the carvings and drawings etched into the stones.

There seemed to be a mixture of two different kinds of pictures.  Some stones held spirals in them carved somehow into the very skin of the stone, the others contained variations of this theme.  The second set held paintings of what were human figures and animals of different kinds, many were birds or winged creatures.

 Molly knew inside herself that this was a special sacred place, an old place.  However, she also knew somehow it was a different place.  She knew that normally the two types of pictures weren’t seen together, that two unique sets of magic had been combined here.

She also felt within herself the ring was hers and hers alone.

After she’d looked at more of the carvings and drawings she moved within the circle and sat down to wait, though she knew not for what.

Molly was staring at the stars when a small pinpoint of light in the center of the glade drew her attention.

As she watched, the pinpoint became larger and larger until it was the width of the second ring of stones.

Her eyes widened, and her little mouth formed an “o” of surprise.

From within the light stepped a woman and behind her Molly could see the long brown length of a man’s hand curved around the woman’s waist.

The woman looked like no one Molly had ever seen before.  She was dressed in a gown of the deepest, darkest blue.  Her skin was very fair, and her hair hung past her hips in long beautiful red ropes.  Her eyes were soft and of a violet color unlike anything the child had seen before.  The woman’s hair was held back by a headband of a lighter version of blue than her dress.  Suspended in the center was a deep blue stone.

“Hello Molly.”

Molly couldn’t believe her ears, the woman’s voice was musical and soft, and she knew her name!

“Are you an angel?”  She whispered in awe.

“No dearling,” she said reaching out her arms to lift Molly into them.  “I’m yer grandmother Bridgette.”

Molly wrinkled her brow, she didn’t have a grandmother.  She didn’t have anyone.

“But I don’t have a grandma, or a daddy or mommy either, I don’t have anyone.”  She told the beautiful lady sadly.

Bridgette’s eyes grew angry and she hugged the child to her.

“Oh, but you do!” She whispered fiercely into Molly’s hair.

Molly started to shake her head in denial again, but Bridgette’s hand settled gently against the small skull preventing the motion.

Molly chewed her lip, she was sure she didn’t have anyone.  Could it really be that she had someone, a grandma?

Her chin propped against Bridgette’s shoulder she saw a man standing in the circle of light.

He was a complete contrast to Bridgette.  He was at least a foot and a half taller than she and his skin was a dark bronze color.   His eyes were obsidian black, and his teeth were white against his skin.  As he smiled at Molly his eyes twinkled.  His hair hung in long black braids down the front of his quilled shirt.  The man was a puzzle; he looked like those Indians Molly had seen in the movies.  Did they still dress that way? She thought to herself, confused.

“Is he my grandpa?” She asked in awe, she’d never met a real “indian” before.

Bridgette turned to face the man who seemed to be anchoring the circle of light, and smiled at him.

Molly twisted around so she could see the man also.

“Yes, dearling, this is yer grandfather Spotted Eagle.” She was told gently.

A thought occurred to Molly and she blurted out suspiciously, “How come if you’re my grandma and grandpa you never came to see me before?  How come I don’t live with you?”

Bridgette and Spotted Eagle’s eyes met, wondering how much they could tell this child of their future.

“And how come you’re not old?”  Molly’s little face screwed up in confusion.

Finally Spotted Eagle answered with a question of his own, “Molly do you know what an ancestor is?”  His heavily accented voice moved across the glade.

Molly shook her head, she didn’t know that word.

Spotted Eagle sighed as though bemoaning the fact that she hadn’t been taught the importance of those that came before her.  “An ancestor is like your grandma’s grandpa’s grandma.” He told her.  “Do you understand?”

Molly thought about it for a minute.

“I think so, but how can you be alive and so young? Wouldn’t you have to be really old to be a ‘cestor?”  She looked from Molly to Spotted Eagle expectantly.

Another smile was exchanged by the couple, the child was extremely bright.

“It would be so little one if we actually lived in this time space, but we do not.  This is one reason you cannot live with us.” Spotted Eagle answered for them both.  Reaching out he stroked her hair gently with a large hand.

Molly’s eyes widened as she felt a rush of energy from the hand stroking her hair, it zinged gently throughout her body to settle strongly in the region of her heart causing a sense of well being unlike any she’d felt before.

“But how could you be here if you lived a long time ago?”

“Medicine power.” A simple answer from Spotted Eagle.

The feeling of well being continued, but she wanted to know more.

“What’s that?” She asked with a child’s curiosity.

“Magic.” Bridgette said quickly.

Molly’s eyes lit up as though a light had been turned on inside her.  “I love magic!” She said enthusiastically.  “Can you teach it to me and then I can come and live with you?”

Molly stared yearningly into Bridgette’s face, and watched her violet eyes grow sad.

“I’m sorry dearling, but it’s more complicated than just teaching you the magic.  You have special work to do here.  You’re special.”

Molly’s eyes filled with tears and she sniffled, “But I want to go with you!” She wailed loudly.  “No one here loves me, you love me don’t you grandma?  Grandma’s and grandpa’s are supposed to love their grandkids aren’t they?”  She asked fearfully.

Bridgette hugged Molly tightly and soon Spotted Eagle stepped forward and enfolded them both in his embrace.

“We love you very much Molly, that’s why we came to visit you.” Bridgette told her, her voice hoarse with grief.

Molly began to cry, “Please don’t go away!”

“We have to dearling, this was just a visit, and the magic doesn’t last very long in this place where few believe in it any longer.” Bridgette sniffled loudly, and stroked the child’s weeping form gently.

“But I believe, shouldn’t I be able to go with you?”

“We know you do Molly,” Spotted Eagle spoke quietly, his voice calming her, “but you have work to do here, if you come with us now then you will change what must be and that would be a very bad thing.

“Wipe yer eyes, dearling and give yer grandma a kiss.”

“My eyes won’t stop stop watering.” She told Bridgette on a hiccuping sob.

“Mine either.” She told her granddaughter smiling through the tears.

“A kiss now, we must go.”

Molly kissed Bridgette’s cheek and throwing her arms around her neck hugged her tightly.  “Will I ever see you again?” She asked.

“This I promise you dearling, we will be together again.” She wiped Molly’s tears away with her fingers, and tapped her little nose trying for a smile.

Molly reached arms out to the solemn Spotted Eagle, “Bye grandpa.” She hiccuped, hugging him tightly in turn.

The tall man hugged her gently and then set her down a bit farther from the circle of light and crouched down.  Reaching up he took a feather from his hair, then from his belt he untied a long leather bag.  “This is an eagle feather Molly, it is part of your heritage.  Whenever you feel sad, or are scared you can use this feather to call on the power of the eagle he will help you to be strong and protect you. “ Carefully he put the feather in the long leather pouch and handed it her.

“Is the eagle like an angel?” She asked in awe.

Spotted Eagle smiled familiar with the Christian idea of angels.  “Our people consider them to be messengers from the Creator so yes, I suppose you could say they are like the Christian angels.  One more thing Molly, you must never show that feather to anyone, you must hide it in a place that you and only you know and only you are ever to hold it, do you understand?”

Molly nodded, she did understand, grandpa was giving her something from her family, her heritage, something her foster parents took great delight in telling her she would never know.

Spotted Eagle hugged her once more and his voice hoarse whispered in her ear, “We love you Molly, never forget we love you.” He returned to the circle of light, stepping partially into it.

“It is nearly time Bridgette.” He said quietly.

“One last hug, and another gift.” She told him over her shoulder, “The magic will last long enough for that.”

She reached into one of the pockets on the front of her dress and pulled a necklace from it’s deep confines.  It was a deep blue stone set in the center of a Celtic knot hanging from a silver chain.  She settled the necklace around Molly’s small neck and slipped it beneath her shirt.

“This also must never be shown to another and only you should ever touch it Molly.  It is for protection and to help you develop your gifts.”

Molly touched the front of her shirt where the pendant was beneath it, and then reached up her arms for the one last hug Bridgette had promised.

“I love you grandma.” She whispered, wishing with all her heart she could go with them.

“And I you dearling, never forget this day, never forget your grandparents, and know we are always with you no matter how difficult or hard your life is.  Promise me now.”

“I promise.” Then sadly as Bridgette pressed a kiss to her cheek and put her down.  “You have to go home now, don’t you?”

“Yes.” Bridgette turned and joined her husband in the circle of light.

“Bye.” Molly whispered sadly.

Both Bridgette and Spotted Eagle lifted a hand in farewell and then they were swallowed by the light and the circle became smaller and smaller until suddenly it winked out of sight and disappeared as though it had never been.

Suddenly Molly heard the birds singing and bright sunlight seared her eyes.  Shielding her eyes with one hand she looked down to see the pouch with the eagle feather in one hand and quickly felt for the necklace beneath her shirt.  It was still there.  It hadn’t been a dream, it was real and somewhere she had a family, a real family.  She wasn’t alone anymore…