The Witch Conundrum

5 years ago.

“Come now, of course your guardian spirit will present itself.”

“But what if it doesn’t?”

“It will. You’re a Couper.” Isabella turned to look ather anxious daughter with a reassuring smile. She stroked her cute rounded face with both hands and tucked her thick black hair behind her ears. “You will join the other girls who are coming of age, in front of our coven, and commune with the spirits. Your guardian will come forth and your magic will blossom."

“…but what if-”

“Diana? Darling, why are you so worried?” Isabella narrowed her hazel eyes on her daughter with worry. She turned away from the flesh knitting salve she had been crafting and focused on the centre of her whole world. Her precious daughter, Diana Couper. 12 years and 11 months of age, and the light of her eyes.

“Because the other girls say I’m a half blood and there’s too much dirt in my veins for a guardian spirit to want me.” Isabella scowled, knowing how cruel young girls can be to outsiders at that age. The grown women of her coven still excluded and mocked Isabella for her ‘choices’ in life, but they had at least been her choices. Diana couldn’t help being the daughter of a high priestess, and an…outsider…

“You do not have dirt in your veins Diana. You have magic, and a darn sight more than the rest of those girls combined.” Isabella wasn’t happy with how unconvinced her daughter seemed. “Come with me.” She took her daughter by the hand and walked her out of her basement apothecary. They put the trap down back down, threw the living room rug back over the hardwood floor, and continued the march to the master bedroom. “Sit.”

“Ma, I’ve seen the old album a million times.”

“And you will see it again.” Isabella pushed her daughter to sit with a sulking huff on her bed. “Our family were one of the original settlers here in Salem.” She didn’t see Diana mouthing her word for word, as she was half under the bed as she used her necklace to unlock a floor safe under the bed. She heaved out a large black leather bound old journal and sat with it open on her lap beside Diana. “We are founding family for this city, back when it was just a town, and there has always been a Couper on the Coven’s high council. I took the place after my mother passed, and you will take my place after me.”

“You’re a high priestess Ma.”

“I wasn’t at your age, and you will be one when you are my age.” She winked at her daughter who reluctantly smiled. “You are full of magic potential. Just you wait until your guardian spirit comesforth and dwarfs the ones that mosey up to the other girls.”

“I don’t care if my spirit guardian is powerful or not Ma.” Diana looked down at the aged pages of the family album. The first pages were just lists of names with dates and familial connections on it. As the pages progressed daguerreotype photos with their faded brown hues looked back at her with serious expressions worn by all. Then black and white photographs with more updated fashion, to the most recent pages in full colour. “I just…”She sighed and turned the book to the most recent page. Her grandparents, who had both passed when she was a baby, stood with proud smiles on their faces as their blonde smiling daughter stood between them. The last photo was one of Isabella hugging Diana to her front. It was so clear to see how different they looked when presented together like this. Isabella was blonde with fair skinand hazel eyes. Diana had thick black hair, dark brown eyes and tanned skin. There was also no father in this photo, unlike all the others. An absence she had always felt quite strongly, even if her mother made sure she wanted for nothing and was surrounded with love. “I want to belong. In here.”

“You do belong in here Diana.” Isabella hugged her to her side and kissed her temple. “You are a Couper. You have nothing to worry about. Ignore those jealous brats. Is it Catherine’s daughters again? Jessica and Olivia? Those twins have always had a mean streak.”

“…” Diana stroked the page of her and her mother longingly. “…they can summon sparks already.”

“Weather magic has always been strong in the Robinson line.”

“And fire is strong in ours.” Diana countered with a frown up at her mother. “Yet I can’t summon sparks or embers. I can’t even give out any heat. I can’t do anything.”

“It’s not unusual to need your guardian spirit to unlock your magical pathways honey.” Diana screamed with frustration and stormed forward. She turned on her heels and threw her hands out as she spoke.

“In the hundreds of years that Couper’s have been powerful witches in Salem, have they ever needed their magical pathways unlocking for them? Or did they have powers before forming the covenant?” Her mother grimiced, which was answer enough.

“…honey, you’re over thinking this.”

“That’s what I thought.” Diana’s shoulders sank and she held her elbows. “Tomorrow I’m going to stand there in the dark, in the middle of a meadow and no one is going to come. The whole coven is going to see the spirits reject my dirt blood-”

“Diana Mary-Ann Couper, you will never refer to yourself as a dirt blood again, do you hear me?!” Isabella shouted angrily ather daughter, the lights flickering for a moment. Shouting at her daughter was something she never did, and it made Diana’s anger overflowinto it’s true form. Fear and sadness.

“Ma…I…I don’t want to be rejected by the spirits. I want to be a witch like you. My life tomorrow could be over if my guardian spirit doesn’t come. If I don’t have one, because I’m not magical enough...because i'm human...”

“You are magical enough. You are a witch.” Isabella pulled her daughter into herbosom and held her tightly. “Trust me, you have so much magic in your blood, you will be overwhelmed by the presence of your guardian spirit. You’re going to be so powerful, that the other girls are going to be begging to follow you.”

“I don’t care about being powerful.” Diana sobbed andhugged her mother with trembling arms. “I just want to belong here, with you. I want to be part of the coven. I don’t want to be an outsider anymore.”

“You are not an outsider, nor will you ever be anywhere but with me, my previous little girl.”

“I…hope so Ma. I really do.”