"Rise and shine, Juni bug! Today's the big day!" My mom swept into my room like a whirlwind, throwing open curtains and shaking her head at me when I grunted and tugged my blankets over my head.

"Ah, I forgot to sing the song! It's been so long since I've needed to wake you up. Ahem... ~Get your big butt out of bed! Brush your teeth and comb your head! Find some socks without any holes! Eat some stale jelly rolls! JELLY ROLLS! ~" On 'jelly rolls,' mom jumped on my bed and began poking and tickling my belly through the blankets. I yelped, cackled, and attempted to wriggle away.

"MOM! I'm not a kid anymore! Tickles are practically inciting violence at my age." I huffed, puffing my cheeks out exaggeratedly.

"Oh, really? Well, you still look like one. That's a little ragamuffin if I ever saw one," Mom gestured at the mirror on my wall. I swiveled my head and blinked at my reflection. Well, she wasn't wrong. My auburn hair was still in the previous day's braid, which was now loose, allowing curls to spill out haphazardly. My bangs curved up at an odd angle. On top of that, I had pillow lines on my cheek and a smidgen of dried drool at the corner of my mouth. The oversized tank top I wore to bed was hanging off one shoulder and crumpled to hell and back.

I squinted my eyes, pursed my lips, and replied, "As you can probably tell... I slept very well. Like a baby, even."

"HAH! You can say that again! I hope the Goddess is merciful when she finds your match. I love you to pieces, but waking up next to ALL THAT every morning... It'd take someone nearly as special as you, sweet pea. Special or MADLY in love." Mom giggled and lay across my lap.

"It's too early in the morning for you to be ragging on me this hard, Mama!" I leaned against my headboard, trying not to crack a smile.

"Did you settle on which dress you want to wear today? The baby green one got my vote! You should start the SPC festivities off with a 'bang'!" Mom looked up at me with stars in her eyes, expertly shifting topics.

"Baby green? Is that really what that shade is called?" I tilted my head inquisitively.

"If there's a baby blue, then there's a baby green, Juni bug." She winked. "So, which one are you picking?"

"Hmm... Baby green does flatter me. But... I also really like the black one---"

"No, no, no, no, no! This is your first ball! Not a funeral or a club! You will be a debutante representing not only our family, but our coven as our new Maiden! You can't wear black! And that dress is a bit too revealing for a ball gown..." Mom scrambled to grip my hands, practically pleading with me to choose anything else.

"Fine, fine. Baby green works then. It's going to be a hassle to pack all these outfits and fly out to Goddess knows where..." I mumbled.

"You've stalled for as long as you possibly could, Juni bug. Once you get there, meet all kinds of new people, and have new experiences, I'm sure you'll realize you were worried about nothing! Your father and I will also be going, so there's nothing to fret about!" Mom patted my hands, stood up, and paused at my door before exiting. "Also, the ladies who assisted you before your ceremony will help pack and get you dolled up each day for the festival. Up and at 'em, Juni. We've got a long day ahead!"

I rolled out of bed and beelined to my bathroom. Pausing a moment to recheck my disgruntled appearance, I decided to let down my hair, strip, and hop into the shower. I lifted my face to allow the hot water to wash all signs of sleep away. Turning, I shook my hair near the scalp, running my fingers through my thick mane of curls to ensure that every strand of hair was drenched and detangled. I shampooed, conditioned, and applied a hair mask before twisting my hair into a bun at the top of my head. Next, I washed my body and shaved all over (you never know). I unraveled my bun and rinsed out my hair mask. Lastly, I washed off my face.

I toweled off and blew through my after-shower hair and skin routines. Hearing rummaging on the other side of my bathroom door, I tightened my robe around myself before I stepped back into my bedroom. As Mom said, the two ladies from before were busy at work, efficiently selecting and organizing my underwear, outfits, accessories, and beauty products. We would be boarding our coven's private jet soon, along with a few other important members who were invited to the remote island that hosts the SPC festival. Mhm, an island with an actual castle. Or was it a palace? I didn't know the difference. I never understood why everyone who was someone had to travel to the festival's location for a whole week every single year. Mom and Dad said that it's neutral territory, so no one species has an unfair advantage. I just hoped this festival was worth all the trouble.

"Do I need to dress fancy for the plane ride?" I pouted at the outfit that was hanging next to the bathroom door. I was accustomed to wearing comfortable and convenient clothing while in college, surrounded by humans. Now, it seemed I was expected to dress in a stuffy, prim, and proper manner. I looked up and down at the businesswoman's attire. A fitted, white, long-sleeved button-up, tucked into a black pencil skirt with black pantyhose, a red blazer, and red quarter-inch heels.

"Yes, young Maiden. It is customary." One of the ladies nodded at me before continuing to pack.

I sighed and ducked back into the bathroom to transform into what I'd imagine I would have looked like if I'd chosen to become a snazzy lawyer or a politician. I left my hair falling in deep red ringlets down to my waist. To complete the look, I donned my black, square-framed reading glasses. I had planned to read during the flight anyway, and possibly during the festival if I got bored or felt socially drained. With nothing left to do, I thanked the ladies for packing my things and made my way downstairs for breakfast.

"Hm, hm, hm, hm..." Dad's humming and a delicious aroma drifted from the kitchen, through the living room, to where I stood at the bottom of the stairs. I quietly approached, weaving between the couches and armchairs before peeking around the corner into the kitchen. Dad was sipping coffee, checking on the bacon in the oven, and stealing kisses from Mom. Mom was giggling like a teenager while flipping and stacking pancakes. I smiled faintly, remembering how I used to pretend to gag and tell my parents to 'get a room' whenever I saw them being mushy and lovey-dovey. It had been a while since I last saw it, as I had been away from home for so long. It was good to know that they still loved each other so much. I shouldn't be shocked since they were a destined pair.

Soulmates, destined pairs, fated mates, twin flames... For supernaturals, these were more than just flowery descriptions. While finding one's other half was more common for supernaturals than it was for humans, it wasn't guaranteed. I heard the process of recognizing one's mate differed based on which supernatural species one belonged to. For witches, according to my parents, there was an instant sense of familiarity and comfort that grew each time they saw one another, eventually making it difficult to be apart for very long. They said that they felt like part of themselves was missing when they were apart, like the pain and discomfort of being disemboweled alive.

CLANK.

I snapped out of that train of thought when Dad set the tray of bacon onto the empty stovetop. I blinked. Huh, I must've zoned out for a few minutes. Mom had finished making the pancakes and scrambled eggs. I straightened up, strode to the breakfast bar, snagged a piece of bacon from across the counter, and plopped down on a barstool. "Good morning!"

"Good morning, sleepy head." Dad's low, monotone voice drew. He sent me a soft smile before gesturing at our Keurig, "Coffee or tea?"

"Ooh, can you fill a K-Cup with Mama's vanilla chai tea mix?" I grinned and bit into the crispy slice of bacon that I'd swiped. I'd missed Mom's delicious, homemade mixtures of tea leaves and dried herbs. She grew and dried different strains of tea and herbs in the geodesic domed greenhouse, nestled cozily in the middle of our backyard among the numerous plants and herbs that grew in a semicircle around the geodome.

"Sure thing, sweetheart!" My father smiled back, filling a K-Cup with a mix from a sealed mason jar labeled 'Vanilla Chai'.

As Dad began to brew the tea, an intoxicating aroma began to mingle with other breakfast scents. I stood from my chair and assisted Mama by adding a few strips of bacon, a helping of eggs, and some pancakes to each plate. Once my tea was ready, I poured a couple of spoonfuls of sugar and a splash of milk into my mug, then stirred. We relocated to the table set on the porch in the backyard to eat our breakfast. The humidity clung to my bare skin, a memento of the morning fog that ebbed away with each moment as the sun rose higher. Breakfast passed with idle chatter about the events at the festival to come and other items of importance that I'd missed while I was absent from the Fleur De Lis Coven.

After our meal, we set out for the short ride to the Fleur De Lis private jet. Upon reaching our Coven's air hanger, we would meet up with the two other members who would accompany us to this year's SPC festival. Rue Briar, the new Crone of our Coven, and her husband would join my father, mother, and me. Since my ascension as the new Maiden, my mother has effectively retired, awaiting the selection of a new Maiden and her eventual transition to our Crone. Father still holds the position of High Priest, so Mama will go with us as a former occupant of the title of Fleur De Lis' Mother and as our current High Priest's wife. Rue's husband, Heath Briar, will act as her partner for the festivities.

While our jet prepared for the trip, we transferred our luggage to the stewardesses and settled into our seats, accompanied by our attendants. Right before it was time to depart, a head crowned in long, silver locks appeared in the doorway. Rue, supported by Heath, slowly meandered onto the jet. The Fleur De Lis' Crone was a 74-year-old white curmudgeon. Her husband embodied loyalty and dependability, but most saw her as a cranky old bat. During her ten years acting as the Mother of the Fleur De Lis Coven, her verdicts were as strict as they were insightful. The old couple greeted us with slight nods and pleasantries before settling into their seats. The next few hours passed without incident.