You haven't come this far to fall off the earth.
Who: Ced and Dylan When: Early evening Where: Many Paths
Dylan was working later than normal, someone had called in sick and being the good daughter she agreed to help out. She was refilling and reorganizing the herbs as they often got out of order and it was a pet peeve of her to go over and reach to where the wormwood should be and find thyme instead. She was standing on a stepstool to reach the top shelves of the prominant wall in the store behind one of the three counters. Dyl was wearing jeans- because there really wasn't much of a dress code except to not wear anything indecent-and light and flowing white with purple trimmed shirt that looked like it could have come directly from woodstock, minus any hint of tie-dye. She was worried about the missing kids she'd read about that morning- her mother thanking the godess she hadn't gone on the camping trip- but was trying to keep busy so she didn't fret when there was nothing she could do.
After his shift at the hospital, Cedric headed for Many Paths, needing to restock. With the number of premies in the NICU at the moment, he wanted to make sure he was prepared for anything. That and he was worried about Ravyn. She had been sending shorter and fewer emails lately and it didn't bode well. Not for the first time, he wished he could bring her to Michigan to live with him. Dressed still in his scrubs, he opened the door and let the aura of the place wash over him. He really liked this store.
Having known it well, he got himself a basket and moved around, picking up ingredients and what not as he walked around, trying to think of what kind of spell he would be able to work for helping his sister. If he couldn't bring her to him at least he could try to protect her, not that he was used to that kind of magic. When he got over to the herbs, he smiled at the shop girl. "I'm looking for some white sage. You wouldn't happen to have any, would you, love?" he asked, grin lopsided.
Looking down over her shoulder she smiled at the man and nodded. "Of course we do." Dylan said, stepping down and moving along the wall to where the item he asked for should be. To her luck it was there, well a shelve off, but she didn't have to go searching for it. "How much did you need?" She asked as she pulled the jar from the shelve and moved it to the counter. There were different measurements of sale on most of the herbs, but the specifics were really only known by those who frequented the store, or were well versed in all the herbs and how they worked. For those less knowledgeable there were three basic sizes- 85% of the herb selection fit pretty reasonably within those options. Most of those that didn't were sold more in leaves or sprigs.
"Three bundles, to be safe, I think." He looked down in his basket, checking over everything. Most of the ingredients he had and there were a few back at his house, so he was all set in the regard. But he would need candles and maybe some incense when he worked something for Ravyn. And maybe a raven feather, something to represent her. "Do you happen to have feathers?" Ced asked as he looked back up at her.
Dylan nodded. "Of course." She said, pulling out three bundles and sticking them into a small paper bag, folded it up carefully and taped it closed. She wrote the type of herb on the bag and that it had three bundles and handed it over to him. She then closed up the jar and replaced it before moving down the counter. "Any in particular?" She asked, leading him to the end of the counter where behind the glass had grouped selections of feathers, strings, crystals and stones- there was a sign on each shelve that said 'ask if you don't see it' because there was more stock behind the counter.
He looked over the ones that were there. The way the store had everything displayed was nice and he felt it flowed. "I was hoping for a raven feather, or at least something black." Cedric was trying to piece together what he could do for this, how he could help her. "Do you have any recommendations for a protective spell? It's not really my forte but I really want to help someone out."
"What kind of protective spell are you looking for?" She asked moving to the back counter and pulling open one of the drawers to sift through it. "House protection, person, place, event, action?" After all there were various kinds. "And what method of distibution? Oil, consumable, charm?" if Dylan sounded pretty versed, it was because she was. Her mother had taught her well, though there was still more she needed to learn.
"Person. My sister." Cedric thought for a moment, realizing he should have planned this better. A charm might do what he needed it to and if he bound it to something simple, he could send it to her. "I think a charm would be best." Another reason he came to the store was for their knowledge base. It was better than having a coven again.
"Could make an protection pouch." Dylan said, pulling out a black feather. "Here we are. I'm pretty sure it's not a crow feather, whether it's actually a raven I'm not sure." She said placing it on the counter. "If you want I know we have a good recipe and incantation for the pouch." Her mom didn't trust any joe-blow off the street to use spells, but there were a few simpler ones that people tended to find in books sold in chain books stores and had asked about over the years. The only catch was that the spells that they were free with purchase of ingredients were actually written by her family. They weren't uber powerful, but someone who knew what they were doing to definitely create something with some punch to it.
A pouch wouldn't be too bad as long as their father didn't find it, but he would have to leave that up to her. Ravyn was smart. Hopefully she wasn't in danger now. "I'll take a look at it if you don't mind." He offered her a kind smile. "Not my usual type of magic, so I want to make sure I do it right," he said, going for honesty. "I'm worried about her. I can't keep her safe."
Dylan nodded and moved down the counter a little more before pulling a small box that looked like a recipe box out and flipping through it. After a second she removed a small laminated card and handed it to him. "You can put it on a string, easier to hide." She said as she pulled up the string on the necklace that hid beneath her shirt to show him a small pouch her mother had made her.
Looking up, he saw the one she wore about her neck and instantly felt better. "Thanks. I'll definitely keep that in mind." Cedric moved towards her and took the card she handed him. It looked simple enough and he knew a few things that might work to make it a little stronger, a little more personal. That always helped in spell work.
Replacing the pouch she put the box back and returned to him. "We should have everything you'd need, if you don't have something. You don't need all the herbs but the more you have the stronger the spell will be." She said, not in an attempt to sell more, but in an attempt to honestly help him. "And any representation of the person you're trying to protect will help as well. Especially when the spell is cast."
"I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe." He had a few of the herbs, but he could use the restock and he didn't care about the money. "Well, I'll take it all." Cedric smiled at her. "I have a few pictures and a ring she gave me. Think that'll work, love?"
Dylan nodded. "Definitely. I actually think my mom has a protection spell that involves a ring too, but it's only on a full moon and we still have while till the next of those." She said as she went about, pulling herbs into small bags and then depositing them into a paper bag. Clearly she'd gotten things ready for this spell before. This one and the love potion were the most popular. After a bit she finished, wrote on the bag what was in it, taped it up and handed it to him. "Tada. Make sure that you use a mortor and pestal to ground the ingredients. Don't use your fingers." Some of the herbs weren't the safest with prolonged skin-to-plant exposure.
"Yeah, I want to keep her safe now." The ring one might be something he could work with in the future if he still needed to, but for now, this would have to do. Cedric, for his part, really wanted to be the kind of big brother he'd been before his exile. It was hard. This seemed to not be an unusual spell, since she knew the ingredients so well. "I've got a decent one at home that I'm pretty pleased with. Had it since I was five. My mum gave it to me."
"Anything else I can get you while you're here?" Dylan asked, with a smile. It was kinda sweet and cool that he wanted to keep his sister safe. Dylan didn't have any brothers or sisters, but with her mother her only family, she knew how one might want to make sure their relatives are ok.
He went over things he had back at his house. "I think I'll use fresh candles for this spell. I'll need quite a few." Cedric really hoped they had them all. "White, black, red, green, yellow, dark blue, gold, silver, and indigo." He counted out the colors on his fingers, realizing he had nine. "And purple, if you don't mind." Instantly, he felt better, knowing there were now an even number, balance.
Dylan helped him get the things he'd requested, it was nice to have someone who knew what they were talking about in the store. Now they did get quite a few of real witches, but since the whole big reveal there were a lot more who -wanted- to be real witches. "Let me put these at the front for you so you don't have to worry about trying to hold them all." She said, gathering his order up and moving to the counter to put them in a holding area. "Herbs, candles, feather; did you have a pouch to use- or the stuff to make one." Hand made items always made spells stronger than 'store bought' things.
"Thank you. I appreciate it." He watched her work, gather the things he needed and he tried to be optimistic. Hopefully this would end up balancing out what ever Wes or his father was doing to her, trying to keep her away from him or at least keep her from contacting him. Who knew what was going through their heads anymore. "I was thinking of using a shirt she gave me. It's gotten a little messy, but it was a gift. Figured it would make it stronger. Though, I will need something to bind it all together. You have something light blue or pink maybe?" Silently, he thanks his mother's love of candle magic for knowing what colors helped with what aspects. It was something she'd always instilled in him.
Dylan nodded and moved behind the counter on the other side of the room near where the candles were and pulled out some pink rope string. It was nice to have the store memorized- after all she had spent most of her childhood inside it- especially when someone wanted so many different items. She pulled off a length probably longer than he was expecting and circled it up for him. "You can double it as the tie." She said pulling out her own pouch again to show him. "Just make sure you center it and you only need one piece." She said showing how the binding on the bag and the tie around her neck were all one piece.
"That's perfect." She liked pink. It made him smile, when he remembered playing with her when she was young, the dolls his mother had made when she found out she was having a girl. He had such fond memories of growing up. Ced wished he had fonder memories of his more recent past, but he pushed them aside. He took another look at the pouch. "May I?" he asked, looking at her, wanting to just get a better look at it.
Dylan stepped closer so he could see, but didn't let him handle it. But she was fine with letting him get a closer look. "Sorry." She said, when she wouldn't let him touch it. "Only my mom and I have ever touched it."
"Don't apologize, love. I know better than to touch something like that. There's love in there, too. That's what makes it special." He grinned, his usual lopsided grin. "It's nicely done. The pouch part was the part I was worried about, but I think I'll be alright making it." Cedric pulled out his wallet. "how much do I owe you for everything?" he asked kindly.
Dylan moved back to the register and rang everything up before giving him the total. "And here." She said holding up a punch card after punching the correct amount of cards. "You get a punch for ever ten dollars spend and after you get ten punches you get twenty percent off your next purchase." For some witches who used a lot of items for cerimonial purposes as well as spells, it was very helpful. "We also have a sale coming up on stones, incense and oils soon." Yea, ok so she was a regular sales person even for part time.
He took the card and tucked it into his wallet. "Thank you very much. You've been a really great help." Cedric smiled and looked at his bag. The money spent there didn't worry him. He knew it was for a good reason and it wasn't like he was doing much else with it. There were a few things in life that he didn't skimp on and one of them was supplies. "I'll be sure to come back."
Dylan nodded and gave him his change. "Take care, and I hope it works for your sister." She said, giving him a little wave and smile. He was older, but cute still and she really did hope the spell worked for him.
She smiled at him and he returned the gesture. Picking up his purchases, Cedric tipped an imaginary hat to her. "Thank you, again, love. I'll be sure to drop in again, let you know how it goes." With a smile and a slight bow, he headed out of the shop to go home feed his dog. Puck was no doubt anxious at being cooped up all day and he had a long night ahead of him.