(Auction 2014) Three More Guests: Part Two. Mora

[Zodiac]

She smiled softly at Mora's observation. "If a gift it actually be. My Nana said I had the gift for this and encouraged me to continue with them. Each card has a base set of meanings to them that people years ago decided upon. They give me clues to work with when I consider who is sitting in front of me. Occasionally a card may appear that just by the image upon it says more about who I am reading for than its actual meaning." she explained. It was obvious she was on the right track so far with Mora although she had not clarified anything. "I was reading the cards for people when I was alive and saw no reason to stop now since I am....not so much alive. Besides, considering customers such as yourself, my perceptions can see deeper when one considers the vampire aspects of our new lives as well simply because I am basically in the same boat as you are in."

She saw the girl's eyes taking in the cards so intently as well. "When I have finished the reading, if you would like to inspect some of these closer you may but not before please." Zodiac jotted a few notes on her pad before taking another sip from her cup. Her hand returned to the deck of cards and lifted another. This one she sat above the Two of Swords.

"Your goal. Or the best that you can hope to do without a major change in your life. The Eight of Cups." she frowned for a moment. "A card of Indolence or basically just being lazy. I do not get the impression you are either of those things, but the image on the card itself is another matter." she tapped it gently. "It shows someone walking away from some things and the staff in hand suggests a long journey. In this case I would venture to say it ties back into the previous cards. A need for some kind of change. Some things may have to be abandoned in order to progress to what you truly need and want. This card represents less of holding on to the past as it is a fear of moving forward. Takes someone of determination to move on especially if one has grown comfortable where they currently stand."

Another card was taken and placed below the Two of Swords now. "The basis or foundation of what your situation is based on. The Five of Wands. A card of Strife. Unless you are always at odds with those you consider family and friends, then I would say the struggle is within you alone. Again, this makes sense to me if the rest of this is accurate so far. Things are good now. Comfortable perhaps. When one finds themselves in such a spot, do they want to leave it? Of course not, but that is also a trap as well." once again she made a few notes to the side on the pad, then stood up and took her cup and Mora's to refill them. She returned and sat the refilled cup by her guest and sat back down.

Another card was selected and set to the left of the Two of Swords now. "The recent past," Zodiac nodded. "The Seven of Wands. A card of Valor. A lot of wands in your spread. Wands are fire based in the meanings of the four suits. Ambition, career, creative endeavors, religion and/or philosophy. Anything a person might put their energy and soul into is usually reflected by the Wands. Six against one is the visual here. It shows you have had some success against opposition and a certain victory through courage. You have tried to stand on your principles and not back down, the card reflects this attitude. The Seven of Wands is a card of inner strength and force of will. You are capable of pushing through any adversity."

One more card was drawn and laid to the right of the Swords. "The near future. Temperance. The first major card to show its face in your spread. Temperance is a card of calm and restraint. Moderation. It is a card of joining forces, working together, uniting opposites, and spiritual balance with the end result being a harmonious mix of all things. You will find yourself questioning your real and true priorities and making some decisions on what is vital and what is fluff. Everything is balance. Some serious, some fun and so on. You will begin to find your balance soon and can decide what indeed needs to change and what should be left alone in your life."

[Mora]

Mora thought about a lot of things, she had a gap in her memories. She had forgotten a lot of her vampire life – she had found out no so long ago that she had been married to someone she couldn’t even remember, he had killed himself and she killed herself to be with him, even if it was the shadow realm. Olive had seen it all the pain, everything. It pained the woman not to even think about it, some of it was slowly coming back. The man stayed in the realms for over a year causing the woman to slowly forget him to heal her own interal wounds she couldn’t shake.. He had been gone from her mind when she got with Judas, the man had been so kind and gentle towards her, never pushing her to remember things, Dwayne had come back from the realms and told the woman she had married him. Shattering her world once more.

Mora had a history full, but it was a history she never let on. Not to most, but it seemed that now, her history was catching up to her in these cards. She nodded her head slowly, admiring the cards. Listening to each words, and somehow comparing it out to her own life. Wondering how it would fit in. Eyes closed, her head rolled back. Each word hung on the woman, like a needle pressing against her skin. She only opened her eyes again as she smelt the blood in front of her. Zodiac had set down a new mug for the woman. She licked her own lips slowly, her tongue caressed the dry lips as she curled her pale, long fingertips around the cup and brought it to her lips, there she tipped it back a little bit more and began to take a sip, then it turned into a bigger swig. Draining it until the steaming mug was empty. She gave Zodiac a shy smile and leaned back in the chair, eager to hear more.

The way Zodiac spoke seemed to inspire Mora. She said she had inner strength, the ability to push through certain boundries. Mora didn’t know what to say, she didn’t even know if she was capable of strength as much as she tried to hide things she hid her feelings well. She didn’t want to seem weak, not when she had a family to look after. She nodded her head though, intent on listening to what else the Mystic had to say.

• ”I understand.”

Mora shifted in her seat, crossing one leg over the other. Switching them, an old human habit – to keep the pins and needles away.

[Zodiac]

In her experiences, clients came two different ways (well, the ones that took her words to heart at least) Some would begin chattering away about how what she had said applied to their lives and began to tell her of the people, situations, and whatever else in their lives fit. Then there were those like Mora. She did not say much at all, but Zodiac could tell she was thinking about it all and measuring her own experiences in private. Which was fine.

"We have formed the issues surrounding you so far with the cards," she gestured to the 'cross' that had been formed with them. "Now, we will begin to build the 'staff'. The staff is the things you have to work with in reaching your goals." she explained.

A card was drawn and sat to the right of the cross near Zodiac. "Your attitude. The role you play in the things around you. The Knight of Pentacles. A person who may be slow to take action, but when they do they do not stop until the job is done. And not with wild, outlandish actions, but solid, proven means. You know what works and what does not, so you stay with the stable things. You are a super protective kind of person whose sense of duty and loyalty really motivates your life experience. You share this with those you consider friend and family. Maybe you feel sometimes the world-your world-would fall apart without you. We are all guilty of that one. Basically you see yourself as the rock. The center that holds things together. Again, not a bad thing to be, but remember even the center needs a break on occasion."

Another card was pulled and sat above the Knight. The 'staff' now making its way to Mora's side of the table. "Your environment. The people and things you interact with daily. The Ten of Wands. A card of oppression. Thinking back to the Pentacle Knight, perhaps you are trying to do too much in too many directions for others rather than focusing on yourself for a change. Perhaps you worry so much for the others and when you consider yourself, you simply have nothing left to give or work with. Balance in all things is the key, including this. Perhaps this is one of the things you need to learn and accept in order to grow. No one can save everybody. People have to learn from their mistakes, and yes-be there to comfort them and advise, but to basically do it all for them to spare them pain? Neither you or they ever grow. My best guess here is Mora needs to learn when to say enough and to worry about Mora."

A third card was pulled and set above the Nine of Wands. "Hopes and fears. The Star. Our second major card at last. The Star card represents peace, tranquility, and most of all hope. This card comes up during a time of emotional turmoil where you don’t know which way is the right way for you and you feel overwhelmed or even afraid of making the wrong choice. Again, this fits with all we have seen so far." she smiled sympathetically at her guest. "The hardest lesson any of us can ever hope to learn is just listen to what the universe, God, the Goddess, whatever higher power you hold faith with, is trying to tell you and to do it. Now if you are, as I suspect, a person who is always there for others at the expense of themselves, I would ask you this. What good would you be to the others if you cannot even help yourself?"

She leaned back in her throne and picked up her cup to sip. Allowing Mora time to digest what she had said so far.