Aingeal speaks.
"Look into the mirror of time with me. Come back to the moments when I too was mortal; when I too was judged the mortal way...come to the land as it was then! Two mighty kingdoms stood side by side, the limpid stream ever betwix them. They were in thier very essences the north and the south. Numerous tribes of rapacious men scoured around the borders to the dark forests, and more often than not they would try to weaken the forts that protected the realm of the powerful. But the hands of the mighty held them at bay...
There was no brotherly love between the north and the south...indeed their relationship was one of distant respect and a grim acceptance that niether could be vanquished. The dichotomy remained for many years and it would seem that the Goddess had willed it so for she manifested herself in her two most powerful forms - in the hearts of the northerns she was the Goddess of the Day, and in the south she was indeed the Goddess of the Night.
Those were the hours of the old religion. There was much power palpably present around us. One had to do naught but say Her name and the Goddess was invoked. My name was Kealan. My home was the south...moreover, MINE was the south for I was none lesser than the high king's very own first born. Into my hand was thrown the sceptre of pride; its wieght a horrid shock...for all that was there before was the quill of thought and verse. Mine was the poet's soul, mine was the bounty of vision and understanding. Dreams hovered o'er me like a pleasnt oak tree's shade. Though the longing to please my father was there, I had no real desire for the throne.
In its stead, I would have taken the throne of mossess that grew in hushed bliss on the banks of our border's stream; there to relish the sapient hours of slumber in the imagination. I loved the border's stream. It was the epitome of solitude. Save the few points where guards were appointed in stern guises, the stream itself was seldom visited. There was one portion of it that opened widely to form a large pool as it were. Here, twice for the year - in the spring and autumn - would come those devoted to the Mother. Though Her religion was free then, it was still practised by the select few who knew of the 'ways' of the rituals. And it was they, they would come to this pool and perfrom their elaborate rituals.
It was the only time of the year that the North and the South met on more than civil terms for on both sides of the river would the rituals be performed. And once the solemnity was done, the fires would be lit and there would be the wild dances of the passionat. Then mingling in the red and orange shadows would the North and South cross over into one common realm. I often stole away from my tightly guraded room to partake in the ritual and festivities. I would marvel at the real joy manifest, look on in wonder at entwining couples...it was not till i was of knowledgeable age that i realized why some of our youngersters at home had features of the Northerns...
It was my sixteenth year of breath. The autumnal festival arrived and with much fervour did my heart beat. I had for so long pined for the drums, the mystic's chants and the virile fires. I donned my cloak to hide my identity and partook in the magical chants and made the sweet offering...i felt the energy of the Goddess surge within me and sensed the magic of the night...all the signs bade well and my eyes grew intoxicated with the dances. Soon enough my own body swayed to the plangent drums and lilting flutes. I too danced...and danced...and in the heated din I crossed over to the North. This was not an uncommon thing, but I felt a cool current of wind behind me and turning around, I faced the visage of perfection.
My eyes were transfixed and so was my very being. The fires soared and the drums roared but i saw naught but him."
Aideen gasped at the reality and could not help but feel the resonance of his words through her memory. Immediatly she thought of Lile...of that first day...then his voice lifted her once more into the present....
"Naoise." He pronounced the name like the susurrus wind and looked silently to the east. Myrna's hold on time was growing weaker...but the sense of urgency dawned not....he continued...
"Look into the mirror of time with me. Come back to the moments when I too was mortal; when I too was judged the mortal way...come to the land as it was then! Two mighty kingdoms stood side by side, the limpid stream ever betwix them. They were in thier very essences the north and the south. Numerous tribes of rapacious men scoured around the borders to the dark forests, and more often than not they would try to weaken the forts that protected the realm of the powerful. But the hands of the mighty held them at bay...
There was no brotherly love between the north and the south...indeed their relationship was one of distant respect and a grim acceptance that niether could be vanquished. The dichotomy remained for many years and it would seem that the Goddess had willed it so for she manifested herself in her two most powerful forms - in the hearts of the northerns she was the Goddess of the Day, and in the south she was indeed the Goddess of the Night.
Those were the hours of the old religion. There was much power palpably present around us. One had to do naught but say Her name and the Goddess was invoked. My name was Kealan. My home was the south...moreover, MINE was the south for I was none lesser than the high king's very own first born. Into my hand was thrown the sceptre of pride; its wieght a horrid shock...for all that was there before was the quill of thought and verse. Mine was the poet's soul, mine was the bounty of vision and understanding. Dreams hovered o'er me like a pleasnt oak tree's shade. Though the longing to please my father was there, I had no real desire for the throne.
In its stead, I would have taken the throne of mossess that grew in hushed bliss on the banks of our border's stream; there to relish the sapient hours of slumber in the imagination. I loved the border's stream. It was the epitome of solitude. Save the few points where guards were appointed in stern guises, the stream itself was seldom visited. There was one portion of it that opened widely to form a large pool as it were. Here, twice for the year - in the spring and autumn - would come those devoted to the Mother. Though Her religion was free then, it was still practised by the select few who knew of the 'ways' of the rituals. And it was they, they would come to this pool and perfrom their elaborate rituals.
It was the only time of the year that the North and the South met on more than civil terms for on both sides of the river would the rituals be performed. And once the solemnity was done, the fires would be lit and there would be the wild dances of the passionat. Then mingling in the red and orange shadows would the North and South cross over into one common realm. I often stole away from my tightly guraded room to partake in the ritual and festivities. I would marvel at the real joy manifest, look on in wonder at entwining couples...it was not till i was of knowledgeable age that i realized why some of our youngersters at home had features of the Northerns...
It was my sixteenth year of breath. The autumnal festival arrived and with much fervour did my heart beat. I had for so long pined for the drums, the mystic's chants and the virile fires. I donned my cloak to hide my identity and partook in the magical chants and made the sweet offering...i felt the energy of the Goddess surge within me and sensed the magic of the night...all the signs bade well and my eyes grew intoxicated with the dances. Soon enough my own body swayed to the plangent drums and lilting flutes. I too danced...and danced...and in the heated din I crossed over to the North. This was not an uncommon thing, but I felt a cool current of wind behind me and turning around, I faced the visage of perfection.
My eyes were transfixed and so was my very being. The fires soared and the drums roared but i saw naught but him."
Aideen gasped at the reality and could not help but feel the resonance of his words through her memory. Immediatly she thought of Lile...of that first day...then his voice lifted her once more into the present....
"Naoise." He pronounced the name like the susurrus wind and looked silently to the east. Myrna's hold on time was growing weaker...but the sense of urgency dawned not....he continued...
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