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#louisiana voodoo
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So you want to learn about Louisiana Voodoo…
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door in New Orleans by Jean-Marcel St. Jacques
For better or worse (almost always downright wrong) Louisiana Voodoo and Hoodoo are likely to come up in any depiction of the state of Louisiana. I’ve created a list of works on contemporary and historical Voodoo/Hoodoo for anyone who’d like to learn more about what this tradition is and is not (hint: it developed separately from Haitian Vodou which is its own thing) or would like to depict it in a non-stereotypical way. I’ve listed them in chronological order. Please keep a few things in mind. Almost all sources presented unfortunately have their biases. As ethnographies Hurston’s work no longer represent best practices in Anthropology and has been suspected of embellishment and sensationalism on this topic. Additionally the portrayal is of the religion as it was nearly 100 years ago- all traditions change over time. Likewise Teish is extremely valuable for providing an inside view into the practice but certain views, as on Ancient Egypt, may be offensive now. I have chosen to include the non-academic works by Alvarado and Filan for the research on historical Voodoo they did with regards to the Federal Writer’s Project that is not readily accessible, HOWEVER, this is NOT a guide to teach you to practice this closed tradition, and again some of the opinions are suspect- DO NOT use sage, which is part of Native practice and destroys local environments. I do not support every view expressed but think even when wrong these sources present something to be learned about the way we treat culture
*Start with Osbey, the shortest of the works. To compare Louisiana Voodoo with other traditions see the chapter on Haitian Vodou in Creole Religions of the Caribbean by Olmos and Paravinsi-Gebert. Additionally many songs and chants were originally in Louisiana Creole (different from the Louisiana French dialect), which is now severely endangered. You can study the language in Ti Liv Kreyol by Guillery-Chatman et. Al.
Le Petit Albert by Albertus Parvus Lucius (1706) grimoire widely circulated in France in the 18th century, brought to the colony & significantly impacted Hoodoo
Mules and Men by Zora Neale Hurston (1935)
Spirit World-Photographs & Journal: Pattern in the Expressive Folk Culture of Afro-American New Orleans by Michael P. Smith (1984)
Jambalaya: The Natural Woman's Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals by Luisah Teish (1985)
Eve’s Bayou (1997), film
Spiritual Merchants: Religion, Magic, and Commerce by Carolyn Morrow Long (2001)
A New Orleans Voodoo Priestess: The Legend and Reality of Marie Laveau by Carolyn Morrow Long (2006)
“Yoruba Influences on Haitian Vodou and New Orleans Voodoo” by Ina J. Fandrich (2007)
The New Orleans Voodoo Handbook by Kenaz Filan (2011)
“Why We Can’t Talk To You About Voodoo” by Brenda Marie Osbey (2011)
Mojo Workin': The Old African American Hoodoo System by Katrina Hazzard-Donald (2013)
The Tomb of Marie Laveau In St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 by Carolyn Morrow Long (2016)
Lemonade, visual album by Beyonce (2016)
How to Make Lemonade, book by Beyonce (2016)
“Work the Root: Black Feminism, Hoodoo Love Rituals, and Practices of Freedom” by Lyndsey Stewart (2017)
The Lemonade Reader edited by Kinitra D. Brooks and Kameelah L. Martin (2019)
The Magic of Marie Laveau by Denise Alvarado (2020)
In Our Mother’s Gardens (2021), documentary on Netflix, around 1 hour mark traditional offering to the ancestors by Dr. Zauditu-Selassie
“Playing the Bamboula” rhythm for honoring ancestors associated with historical Voodoo
Voodoo and Power: The Politics of Religion in New Orleans 1880-1940 by Kodi A. Roberts (2023)
The Marie Laveau Grimoire by Denise Alvarado (2024)
Voodoo: An African American Religion by Jeffrey E. Anderson (2024)
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kemetic-dreams · 4 months
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During the era of slavery, occultist Paschal Beverly Randolph began studying the occult and traveled and learned spiritual practices in Africa and Europe. Randolph was a mixed race free African man who wrote several books on the occult. In addition, Randolph was an abolitionist and spoke out against the practice of slavery in the South.
After the American Civil War, Randolph educated freedmen in schools for former slaves called Freedmen's Bureau Schools in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he studied Louisiana Voodoo and hoodoo in African American communities, documenting his findings in his book, Seership, The Magnetic Mirror. In 1874, Randolph organized a spiritual organization called Brotherhood of Eulis in Tennessee.
Through his travels, Randolph documented the continued African traditions in Hoodoo practiced by African Americans in the South. Randolph documented two African American men of Kongo origin that used Kongo conjure practices against each other. The two conjure men came from a slave ship that docked in Mobile Bay in 1860 or 1861.
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conjuremanj · 9 months
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Words To Live By
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Mambo Marie
Digital art
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haven-49-cali · 28 days
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My adorable femboy oc Dizzy with his pet gator and rooster
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uglyartdolls · 1 year
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Some of my new voodoo dolls you can find at
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cantva190 · 1 year
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Back in January of this year, I saw this set on Etsy (you can see it towards the bottom of the page). I wrote to the shop owner and inquired about it but I didn't purchase it at that time. Over the next several months I saw it
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steven-myself · 6 months
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Voodoo- Hamidou Banor by Baldovino Barani for FACTORY Fanzine XXXVI
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firelise · 7 months
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Film & TV I Think About A Lot » Eve's Bayou (1997) dir. Kasi Lemmons
"When I was your age, before I ever did the counseling, I could look at people, complete strangers, and see their whole lives so clear. But when I looked at each of my husbands, I never saw a thing. That's how it always is. Blind to my own life."
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jesterwhoreknee · 2 months
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Watching Princess and the Frog again and there is no way it didn't serve Vivzie as an inspiration for Alastor. It reminds me so much of him, specially when Tiana's father talks about how good food reunite people regardless of their origin, raise their mood and draws them a smile on their face. Tiana's mother reminds me of Alastor's mother's headcanons, and of course there is Dr. Facilier, a black voodooist deal maker soul dealer man from Louisiana/New Orleans in the 20's with a shadow alter ago.
Maybe is just coincidence because after all, it's normal that both have many things in common due to the aesthetic of that period of time and place. However, I can't watch the movie without imagining Alastor walking around in the background with his mother holding his arm, while reading a newspaper sitting in a cafe or his voice sounding through a radio in a bar.
Also, we have Keth David hired to play Husker (owned by Alastor and a gambler which is similar to Facilier's tarot aesthetic) who's Facilier VA. Coincidence? I doubt it 🤨
I love this movie so much, it isn't the typical movie where the princess gets the prince charming and live happily after. Lottie is the white, rich, spoiled girl who wants to marry Prince Naveen. Instead, he ends with the poor black hard working woman who never believed in fairy tales and didn't want to kiss a frog regardless of the result. In the story Tiana also transforms into a frog, not just the prince, and they fall in love because of their personalities regardless of the looks and the difference of social classes. Their dynamic is kind of a slow burn and not love at first sight for what I say THANK YOU DISNEY. Finally we have a princess with a mom and a functional family lol, with more developed dreams. The best thing is that Lottie, regardless of her usual spoiled privileged traits, is a good friend, she is a good person and is happy that her best friend found love and gave up on her dreams for Tiana, knowing she would get another chance in the future while Tiana deserved to have what she got.
We also have the food represented in the film, the outfits, the music, the backgrounds... Everything is so pretty and even if I have NOTHING to do with New Orleans or that period of time, it makes me feel nostalgic for no reason at all. This is one of my favourites Disney movies and it needs to be more appreciated. Period.
" Won't you shake a poor sinner's hand? "
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alaskasbignaturals · 4 months
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loui art.,,,/silly
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made a proper loui design <3 he looks so calm and nice
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I was watching In Our Mother’s Garden (2021) on Netflix last night and was surprised to see Dr. Zauditu-Selassie cook for and feed the ancestors at around the 1 hour mark in what fits Dr. Brenda Marie Osbey’s description of an authentic voodoo tradition. Dr. Zauditu-Selassie explains her family of creole descent was matrilineal and “believed in Hoodoo,” though she is now a priest of Obatala in the Lucumi tradition. I understand many of the African diasporic religions share commonalities, though distinct, such as feeding the ancestors, but this is probably the closest to an authentic and respectful depiction that exists out there.
I’ve linked a list of additional resources on Lousiana Voodoo and Hoodoo here.
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blackhalee · 7 months
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🖤🙏🏿🖤
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conjuremanj · 3 months
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Gran Bwa. Vodou Spirit Of The Forest.
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This lwa of one of my favorite I'm going to speak a little about him.
Gran Bwa is a big part of all forms of voodoo. He is the lwa of the forest, he's a healer who has power of the sacred forest. He is a powerful lwa. He may or may not be of Congolese origin originally, but some believe have originally been a Taino spirit incorporated into the Vodou pantheon.
What Nation Is Gran Bwa From? He is from the Rada Nation, Not Petro like the internet says. He is a patron of initiations. Gran Bwa is considered the Tree of Life that connects the celestial realms with those of the living and the dead. I won't say he is the ruler of the forest but it's protector and you can find him their or at any tree if needed.
Gran Bwa can help you make baths and washes,wanga bottles, packet etc. He is a great healer who can bring luck to you and he would come to your defence. He can break strong black magic and curses and cleanse negativity. He can help you connect to your ancestors and your spiritual home in Vodou.
Gran Bwa is the Shade tree, Giving tree, Medicine tree, and the Hanging tree all at the same time. Tell him what you require and he'll help you.
If you follow the Catholicism path he is synchronize with Saint Sebastian.
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St. Sebastian photo.
In other African religion like Puerto Rican Sanse, he is St. Sebastian or St. Jude.
Even thou voodoo spirit aren't saints he knows who your truly speaking too when you call apon him.
ANIMALS: He protects all forest animals.
COLOURS: Green or Red.
DAY: Saturday.
ALTAR: You can hang offerings from a any tree branch or lay them at the foot of the tree. Your altar is fine also.
Where To Find Him: You can find him in any forest area. Are if you have a place with a large old tree or a sacred tree (Eggun Tree) you'll find him their.
OFFERINGS: He likes green leaves and herbs, even braches if it's picked from a forest. Tobacco, Rum.
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cljordan-imperium · 8 months
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Heaven & Arthur Visit The LaVeaus
@call-sign-shark CELEBRATES 1K
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This is part 1 of Heaven & Arthur visiting Mel and her family because I'm cutting it off at 2680 words. LOL
Modern AU
@call-sign-shark's OC Heaven and her husband Arthur Shelby travel to Louisiana to visit some military men Arthur served under and with in the military. But it is Heaven that gets the biggest surprise of the visit.
“We leave in an hour to pick up Arthur and his wife, Heaven, from the airport,” Cade entered the kitchen to let Mel know.  He dropped a kiss on the top of her head, then looked around at Mama Marie, Dontanion and Francios.  “You two, behave.” He pointed at the brothers with a serious expression.  Arthur was suffering from PTSD from the Gulf and the last thing anyone needed was the two LaVeau brothers being assholes and causing him to have some kind of attack.
“One wandering ancestor and we will forever be doubted.” Dontantion smirked and winked at his sister, as his shoulders raised. “One wandering ancestor who wandered in on my friend who was getting dressed for her wedding and gave her a death prophecy.” Mel rolled her eyes as Cade took a seat next to her and planted a kiss on her cheek this time.  “You are lucky she did not stroke out.” Casting a look over to her mother, “can you please make these two behave, mama?”
“Boys, do not make me resurrect your fathers.”  The smile she gave her sons made everyone’s blood run cold.  As loving and warm as Marie was, no one ever forgot she was also the scariest person currently walking the planet. Only Rasputin may have ever topped her, and she had far outlived him.
“Yes, mama.” Francois replied before putting a strong elbow into his younger brother’s side.  Even at over one hundred and fourty, Dontanion sometimes did not act a day over 16.   “No ancestors scaring Cade’s friend, or his lovely wife.” The look in his eye was serious.  Even if the death prophecy HAD come to pass, and they HAD hated Mel’s friend, and it HAD been hilarious at the time, causing a brave soldier still bearing the mental wounds of war further trauma would not be something they would partake in.  
“Please, he was over in the Gulf with me and some of the guys on the team.  He was under Alexander.  Has some bad PTSD, seeing spirits that he would think were hallucinations from there might just send him…” Cade raised his brows and tilted his head, he didn’t need to finish, both brothers were nodding.  “His wife, I don’t know much about but he says she is an angel and shy.  Her name’s Heaven.  She seems to have dont him a lot of good, he seems to be healing more.  Figured she and Mel would be the ones hanging out, maybe with Mama Marie too.”  He winked over at the woman who was like a second mother to him and who could make anyone feel welcome and loved.
“Of course, any of your friends are welcome here.”  Love and warmth emanated from Marie.  While she had immense powers, which she did not hesitate to use to protect those she loved; she was, at her heart, a mother.  All of Mel’s friends had been adopted as surrogate children.  None were turned away if they needed a mother figure, that was just Marie and the time she came from.
“Thank you, mama.” Love radiated off of Melania too as her gaze alternated around the other four in the room at the time, before her attention turned to Cade.  “When do the others get here?  I know Alexander got in last night and is still passed out in his room.”  
“Tomorrow.”  Cade answered, picking her hand up off of the table and kissing the back where there was a scar that lay across running from just below where her pinky met her hand to the crease of her wrist.  The last evidence of the whole ordeal involving Ambrose and Adama.  Even though it was long ago, it still made his heart clench and sometimes made him want to ask Marie to bring the assholes back so they could kill them again. “So you girls will have twenty-four hours before testosterone rules the house.”  He winked at her, banishing thoughts of the past.
“Lovely.  Just remember, Archibald can contain you all if you get out of line.”  The whole room erupted in laughter at the threat of having her pet albino alligator snack on people.  Not that he hadn’t been used as nature’s body disposal device before when required, but not on people they liked.
*****
Louis Armstrong Airport in Kenner was a bustle of activity as Mel sat on Cade’s lap down on the first floor by the baggage claim.  It seemed the easiest place for Arthur and Heaven to find them.  Although, from what Arthur had told Cade over the phone, Heaven shouldn’t be too hard to spot with snow white hair and skin just as fair.  A statement that had apparently gotten Cade promptly cussed out for mentioning she should fit in with the aforementioned alligator in the swamp.  Mel had a feeling that her fiance was lucky he’d been on the other side of the ocean from Arthur at the time.  
They watched as the flight from Heathrow Airport flipped over from “On Time” to “Landed”.  It still amazed Mel that they had direct flights, and for no more money, not that money mattered to her family…with Ambrose and Nic “missing”, she had complete control over Meirs Enterprises Worldwide, which meant more money than she cared to think about.  For friends of Cade, money was NOT an option anyway. 
About 20 minutes later, Mel felt it, somewhere near was a powerful witch.  Her hand went instinctively to Cade’s, their fingers interlacing.  The signature was not one she recognized, the magic different, old world like her mother and brothers’.  Her eyes scanned the crowd as people descended from the second floor on the escalators. She could more than stand on her own, but after the past events, having Cade there without her family was not something she was altogether comfortable with.  If whomever possessed the magic was hostile, it could get ugly fast if they sensed her as well.  Not since Adama had she faced down a threat, and that…she closed her eyes and swallowed before the thought fully materialized.
“Do I need my gun, or is this something of the invisible sort, babe?” Cade’s chin rested on her shoulder as he spoke just loud enough for her to hear.  He knew her signs well enough.  When she was tense, it was never a good one.
“Shooting them is as good as dropping a house on them, I guess.  A lot easier when inside too.” She tried not to let her nerves show with some humor, but she was anything but lighthearted with the situation.  As they sat there waiting for Arthur and Heaven, she did not stop scanning everyone coming in their direction.   It was that scanning that produced what would be the biggest shock of the day, the revelation that the witch was Arthur’s wife.  “You are definitely NOT shooting the witch.”
Cade chuckled, having no clue what had suddenly changed the beauty on his lap’s mind.  “And that would be because….”
Mel stood as the pair approached them, “you must be Heaven,” she greeted the tiny woman with a bright smile and offered hand.  There was no way that Heaven couldn’t sense her as well, but seemed to completely not notice.  She then remembered that Cade had mentioned that Heaven was originally from France, and since Louisiana is a bilingual state, she had an idea to make the woman feel even more welcome. “Bienvenue en Louisiane où dans le bayou, les sorcières sont vénérées. Je crois que vous et ma famille vous entendrez très bien. Ma mère est une grande prêtresse du vaudou. (Welcome to Louisiana where in the bayou, the witches are revered. I believe that you and my family will get along very well. My mother is a high priestess of Voodoo.)” 
Heaven’s eyes widened at her words, clearly not having expected them. “Comment le saviez-vous?  (How did you know?)”  The woman looked absolutely confused, which was when Mel remembered she still had the talisman on that Dontanion had given her when they were hunting Adama that cloaked her magic.
“Parfois, une sorcière en connaît une autre. J'ai aussi deux frères sorciers à la maison. C’est en quelque sorte une affaire de famille. (Sometimes a witch just knows another one.  I have two warlock brothers at home too.  It kind of runs in the family.)”  Mel gave the woman a wink and then turned to Arthur and Cade who were both looking at her with rather confused expressions.
“What, can’t one girl fluent in French welcome another?  Do you know how often I get to use that?” She smiled, Cade giving her a look that said he knew better and she’d have to explain once  that they were alone. “You must be Arthur.”  She extended her hand to him, “it is such a pleasure to meet any friend of Cade’s.  You both are now family, that is how it works here.  We will spend a couple of days out on the Plantation, and a couple here in the Garden District.  My mother has been up since dawn cooking, so we best not keep her waiting too long.  Mama Marie is not one to be kept waiting.”  Mel laughed.
Cade knew his fiance better than that.  Those were far too many words for just a polite hello, and he did recognize enough to know that she’d found her witch.  But, he was a good boy and would say nothing.  Things normally worked out more in his favor that way.  “You’re discussing how to bankrupt us in the French Quarter aren’t you?” A brow rose and he nudged Arthur with an elbow. “I hope you brought all your plastic, bro, my girl can shop!”
Arthur for his part either missed what the exchange was about or was so entranced by his bride he gave not one fuck.  He did, however, growl at Cade’s remark, which told the fellow soldier that he probably had experienced a similar shopping excursion to the one Mel had more than once put him through.  Although, to bankrupt them, Mel would have to literally buy the entire French Quarter, as in the land it was sitting on and all the buildings.
"Can you not behave for two minutes?"  Mel’s brow rose as she looked between the two men, Cade trying not to laugh and Arthur about taken aback at her words.  “No growling.”  She raised both brows and looked pointedly at the Brit.  Heaven giggled next to her, which just had Arthur rolling his eyes. “Now, you boys do the heavy lifting of getting the luggage, Miss Heaven and I are going to go get the car from the garage and bring it around.  And you two can ride in the back.”  She dropped a kiss on Cade’s cheek with a big grin and a wink over to Heaven.  She already liked the striking and beautiful woman.  Wait till her family laid eyes on her!
*****
From the airport, to River Road, Mel gave a guided tour to their guests of the historical context of each and every plantation along the road.  Her mother had been alive for the building of many, although she did not share that quite yet.  For Heaven, it might not have surprised her, for Arthur, he might have tried to exit the vehicle while at 60MPH.  The latter was more her concern.
Finally they arrived at Vita Pacis Plantation (Life of Serenity).  It had been renamed after Ambrose’s death, her mother choosing the name for what this now represented to them all.  It was a place of peace, of respite from the life they lived in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, from the missions they went on collecting artifacts around the globe.  It was to this estate, to the buildings that rested upon the land and had for over 300 years, that Mel and her friends returned to find peace and to be at peace.  It would be on this estate where she would marry Cade in six months.  
As they drove up the red brick drive, live oaks arching over it with their green leaves and the dangling spanish moss providing shade, she heard Heaven gasp as she got her first view of the grand plantation house mansion.  It was impressive with white limestone exterior and grecian columns that rose three stories, the floor to ceiling french doors that served as windows to the rooms were framed with dark red hurricane shutters.  It created an impressive picture when famed with the arch of the live oaks over the drive.  Just the guest house had four bedrooms and was a sight, but the grand mansion was something out of a movie.  Lovingly preserved by the Meirs family, and now the LaVeaus, it was a piece out of time and history.  The dark stains of the past that it held could never be erased, but they would be made up for over time.  Now it stood for the LaVeau legacy, and that was a strong, vibrant, and proud legacy.
Mel knew that when she had opened the wrought iron gates of the drive, it had alerted those within the guardhouse and the mansion of their arrival.  No one got onto or off of the property without being noticed.  If you tried to come on secretly, there were things seen and unseen that would greet you.  You had better hope the former got to you before the latter did.  So, when Mel pulled the large black SUV around to the back of the mansion, it was of little surprise that her mother stood flanked by her brothers, waiting to greet their guests.  She could not wait till they discovered the surprise that lay in store.
Once the car was stopped, and everyone was out, Mel led Arthur and Heaven over to her family while Cade unloaded the luggage from the back.  She could tell that all three of them immediately recognized in Heaven what she had and the adoring smile her mother cast on Heaven warmed her heart.  Marie was known for taking in anyone needing a mother and love, and it was clear she was already looking that way at Heaven, no matter if she had family back home or not.  
Marie was the first to speak, stepping forward and taking both of Heaven’s hands in her own. “Salve, fili mi, maiores te ad nos perduxerunt. Hic semper domum habebis. (Welcome, my child, it seems the ancestors have lead you to us.  Here you will always have a home.)” Then she leaned forward and placed a soft kiss in the middle of Heaven’s forehead.
Arthur tensed and Mel leaned over, “my mother adopts anyone she feels needs love.  She sensed that in Heaven and has welcomed her to always see this as a home.”  She kept her voice low as to not embarrass Heaven who was now tightly embracing Marie and she swore she saw a tear on the porcelain skin of her cheek. “You too Arthur, Vita Pacis means Life of Serenity.  Any friend of Cade’s is family here, where the mind can find peace when one needs.” With a soft and warm smile on her face, her eyes gently closed as she inclined her head.  
The stoic man just inclined his head in return before turning back to the scene where both Francois and Dontanion were further introducing themselves to his wife, who seemed to be taking everything in stride.  As dwarfed as the beauty was by her gruff husband, she looked absolutely tiny next to Mel’s brothers who were both well over six feet in height and broad shouldered.  “See, I told you this trip would be good for you.”  Cade finally made it up to them and clapped Arthur on the shoulder.  “And Mama Marie and the spooky bunch has adopted another stray.  I guess we’re brothers now, Arthur.  Wait till you taste her food!  We may never get you back to England.”  They all laughed as they began to head in to see exactly how big of a feast Marie HAD prepared.
@call-sign-shark @raincoffeeandfandoms @saltysupercomputer @blind-the-winds @sunset-a-story @touloserlautrec @aziz-reads @toribookworm22 @outpost51 @late-to-the-fandom @writingmaidenwarrior @spookyceph
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