Anger

Someone I love has been hurt and I am angry. Blood-boiling, curse-spitting angry.

A blood obligation has been broken for reasons that are callous, malicious, and self-righteous.

Though the facts are not in question, I realize I only have one side of the story. I strongly suspect this is a settling of old scores, revenge for wrongs committed long before I knew anyone involved. I suspect those wrongs were real, though to what extent I can’t even guess. But no old wrongs could justify what’s been done.

And in any case, I don’t care. Someone I love has been hurt and I am angry.

I want to turn into Bad Willow, go knock on their door and cast so much dark magic they never sleep soundly again. I want to give three shouts and call down pain and misfortune on their lives. I want to strike out in righteous retribution and avenge this great wrong.

But I will do none of these things.

It’s not that I’ve renounced violence (and don’t kid yourself – dark magic is violence even though there’s nothing physical to it). There are times when force must be met with force in order to prevent a greater wrong.

I’m not concerned about the Rule of Threes. I can find no evidence the Rule of Threes is anything other than a modern idea, and I’ve seen no evidence it works as described. I’ve seen plenty of evidence that what you put out comes back to you, but I don’t fear the return of righteous actions.

I have no qualms with restricting the free will of someone else. It’s not something I do casually, but if someone poses a threat to me and mine I will bind them. Doing nothing is worse than taking action to stop an evildoer.

I’m not content to wait for karma to do its work – though I have no doubt it will.

No, I’ll keep my wand in my pocket because while vengeance would be emotionally satisfying, it would do nothing to help my friend who has been wronged. I can’t undo the harm that ‘s been done. I can’t settle the score of old wrongs. I can’t change the feelings of people who feel they’ve been wronged.

No amount of magic will undo what’s been done. Vengeance for the sake of vengeance expends energy and does nothing to make a bad situation better.

So instead, I’ll do what I can to help my friend. I’ll work magic for protection and healing. I’ll take tangible action to make a bad situation a little better. I’ll be there and sit and listen.

But I imagine my daily prayers for justice will have a little more passion in them in the coming days.