How Green Becomes Wood

"Well I would tell you, if I could, but I can't. Not since the incident," Daizi replied, struggling to suppress a giggle.

Dark only shook his head and continued to drive silently, enjoying this banter.
 
"Well... yes. Of course." Daizi replied, waving one hand, "There was the incident with the... stabbing, and then the incident with... why I can't talk about the first incident. They are different but related incidents like... the kidnapped of Patty Hearst and the assassination of the Congressman at Guyana."

Dark only shook his head and smiled.
 
Alec stared at her in silence. Then he sat back with a shake of his head. "You led an interesting life if you can compare one of your life incidents to one of assassination."
 
"I could be a cult leader if I wanted to," Daizi laughed, sitting back, "I just missed the golden age of it. Back in Ancient Greece and Rome, there were these religious orders known as Mystery Cults. They were so secretive, almost nothing is known about them today, and that's the kind of cult I'd lead. Dark is perfect to be a King of Old, but I'm born to be a high priestess. There just aren't job opportunities for high priestesses anymore."
 
"I guess you could always make a market for the job of your choosing," Alec said in amusement. "I don't think it'd be too hard these days, but you might need a screening process for wannabes."
 
"I mean, in a way, I'm the high priestess of my own coven," Daizi admitted with a shrug, "It's me, Gwen, D'Arcy, Ellis on occasion... Jade moved a few towns over, but she used to participate heavily. I mess when Liam used to live here, he was fun to practice with."

"And you have me, when you need me," Dark added.

"That's true," She patted his arm, "but I know it's not your thing, you just like to help me."

"Some of the rituals I enjoy, the rest I just like making sure you can do what you need."
 
"I don't think it's a problem," Daizi replied with a shrug, "I don't know what, if any, deities are out there. When I perform my rites, I don't know if it's Yahweh, Vishnu, Zeus, the spirits which imbue all life, or a non-sentient force receiving the energy. Speaking the intentions may be all that matters, and the change I effect comes from within, like setting a New Years Resolution. Maybe nothing I chant is being heard by anyone but those in the room, but it affects how I behave anyway. In that way, no, the fact Dark is an atheist doesn't affect things, it's more like meditation. If there is a deity, then they are receiving prayers and offerings all the same."

"I participate as though I did believe it," Dark added, "Or I try to. And I cannot claim it has never left me feeling better than before---I suppose I accept it as a helpful way to reflect on myself and what I want in the world, so even though I don't believe in God..." He shrugged, "and I like feeling close to my wife."
 
That made no sense to Alec. Except for the part about doing something because it made Dark feel closer to Daizi, that bit made sense. Nothing else did. Why play pretend like that? He didn't believe in anything Daizi listed, but on the chance that it or he or she or they existed, he wasn't about to play games. You didn't taunt and tease and invite trouble with something like that. But why do random nonsense for something that she couldn't even say she believed existed? At least other people - like the Christians with God or the Bhuddists or any of those other ones - could flatly say what or who they were praying to or doing the rituals for or any of that. She didn't even know if there was something out there? Or have a diety or a spirit? Doing rituals with no idea who or what was out there sounded dangerous. Playing with fire. And if nothing was out there, then where did the rituals come from? He would never say it out loud, but to Alec, Daizi's rituals were nothing more than an adult playing a childish game of pretend with invisible friends.

"I think it is very kind of you to help her out despite your personal beliefs," Alec said brightly and honestly as the house came into view.
 
As far was things went for her, Daizi did believe in a higher power. But she couldn't be certain, and she was humble enough to admit she didn't have the answers to the cosmos. To her, she know she believed in the Earth and the Stars, in souls and rebirth, and any manifestation beyond that was simply how her human mind clothed the universe in ways which made sense to her. That was what made what she practiced magic: as she made offerings to the unknown expanse, both she and they were changed and altered through thought. In that way, she held space for the internal and external divine. It was heretical, but it was enough. And it was why she wasn't a right-hand practicer, although she engaged with it at times, and instead allowed herself to explore the left-hand path and chaos magic.

"It is more fun than if I had to go to mass," Dark replied easily as he exited the car, relieved Alec hadn't asked for specifics about how he helped her. Some of Daizi's rites weren't for his ears.
 
"I went to mass once as a stand-in for daycare once. I don't remember most of it, but what I do remember was it was dull and the first time I tasted wine. It's really nasty," Alec commented, following them.
 
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