Siobhan was one of the few left who celebrated the Winter Solstice.

Her grandmother and mother had made old bones and passed on to the Goddess but she was still alive. being a vibrant 25 years on this earth.

Siobhan intended to pay homage to the Goddess. so the coming Estre or Spring as the villagers called it, would be blessed with a bountiful harvest and so too the woodlands and marshlands.

Winter Solstice was the shortest day of the year. Moon magic offerings were common in the old days to the three fold Goddess.

She has many faces, the maiden, the mother and the crone and offerings made to grant earth magics,were most powerful at moon rise.

As a Siobhan transversed the snow covered woodland floor to the standing stones, the silence was too loud. The sound of her boots trudging through the snow flurries were almost silenced as they were so deep.

It seemed almost surreal, between the profound silence and the shadows being cast by her lantern, the sun was setting and fingers of darkness crept across the trail she was creating.

Not even the owls were awake yet and the other animals were snuggled in their burrows, caves or nests.

The wind began to unexpectedly start to whistle through the trees, branches like skeletal hands whipping in front of her in the breeze, seeming to forbid her entry to the standing stones grotto ahead of her.

Siobhan would not be detered, Goddess protect me she said to herself, clasping the protection amulet that was at her neck.

She believed in its powers, her mother, a herb lore healer and Wiccan, always wore it, even when bathing or sleeping.

Truth be told, Siobhan felt a presence in the wood, she hoped it was the Goddess or the spirit of her beloved mother released temporarily from the otherworld, to protect her and join in the offering ceremony.

Approaching the clearing where the grotto of the sacred standing stones was emerging from the earth, the hairs stood up on the back of her neck. Potent magics were permeating the stones.

Waves of sacred energy enveloped her body as she faced the standing stones. As she looked upwards, the moon was directly in line with the stones and the luminescent glow was so powerful, it made her gasp.

Removing the offerings from her sack she lay them at the foot of the stones. A freshly caught rabbit for fertility, a small bag of sacred herbs, she filled a bowl with water representing life, and she pricked her finger, letting the blood fall at the base of the stones.

Siobhan then closed her eyes, sat back onto the earth and began to chant.

"Out of darkness emerges the light, Goddess bless us this sacred night,"

"Accept these offerings I bring to thee, maiden mother and crone the blessed three."

"As night turns to day the circle is completed, Winter's ice will melt and be defeated."

"Blessed Goddess please grant me my boon, fertile Spring blessings by the power of the moon."

Siobhan could sense the Goddess was near, afraid to open her eyes, she felt a pressure in her head as a voice whispered in her mind.

"Maiden fair your gifts are most pleasing to me and your offerings have been accepted."

"I will grant you your boon, by the power of three and lunar magics so be it."

A crack of thunder pealed through the air and the ground shook beneath her legs as Siobhan prostrated herself flat, as the power of The Goddess swirled around her. The silence afterwards was absolute.

Then, just as it had arrived the energy departed the grotto.

The sounds of owls hooting and foxes calling to each other now filled the night air. Opening her eyes Siobhan could see the offerings had vanished and in their place a luminescent moonstone, a gift from The Goddess.

Reverentially Siobhan cradled the moonstone in her hands, and placed it in her pocket, such a precious item of power must be kept safe.

She slowly stood, retrieved her lantern whos candle was a mere stub and slowly left the grotto, as pinks and oranges began to peak over the horizon, as brother sun began to awaken in the skies.

Siobhan held the memories of this past night's sacred experience close to her heart, assured now all would be well for a bountiful coming Spring.