Somara Siobhan watched from the tower above the gates, her hand rested ever on the turquoise pommel of her sword. She was the gate keeper of Siobhan castle, she was chosen among all her sisters and cousins. She would never forget the day she received the calling, like all the women of her line on reaching her womanhood she had spent the night at Goddess falls, unlike her sisters and cousins, she had seen the lady rise from the water. She came back wearing the goddess marks on her shoulders and down her arms and that had decided her fate. Her sisters and cousins had rejoiced for they were now free to marry and bear children.
For Somara she was schooled in languages with the sons of Lords, she was trained in the arts of war, she was taught the ways of the wise Druids and being as she was goddess touched, she exceeded all the young men of her age. Somara had drawn her blade from the rock at Goddess falls in her 20th year and with that she had assumed her duties. Now it had been ten years that Somara. Siobhan had watched over the keep and in her time she had killed mauruading men, defeated bog beasts, held the keep against Vikings and kept the peace dealing justice, Somara's sword had earned the name of Soul Snatcher, and she herself had become afeared as her legend spread through the four directions.
Somara felt the reassuring pulse of Snatcher at her hip as she watched the men in her charge and surveyed the keep before her. The sun loomed over the ocean, lavishing it with wild colour to make up for the long darkness of the night almost nigh and Somara awaited the return of all the citizens of Siobhan keep, night was a time of peace and deep thinking for her, She watched the women came from the fields. And as she watched there in the distance she saw it, dust from horses feet. She rang the bell at once and as the women harried behind the gate. Somara's battle cry rallied the men at arms to her and as the horsemen came to the keep, Somara awaited them at the locked gates.
Somara's unflinching gaze remained steady as the armoured horsemen swept into the valley. They were twenty in all, hammered armour gleaming in the twilight, he at their head wore a golden circlet and torques riding his wide arms. His hair was almost as flax and as he dismounted her stood almost two heads above Somara. His eyes were like those of a great woods wolf and he stood straight as Somara drew her sword:
'What seek you in the lands of Siobhan?'
His odd yellow gaze held hers as he spoke:
' we seek counsel with the Legendary Gatekeeper of Siobhan. We come in peace, Lady'
As was custom, he then offered Somara his sword pommel first, showing the honour of his words through his willingness to be without arms. Somara accepted his sword, and with word from her the spiked gates were opened and the lord of the keep waited to welcome the guests. Somara bowed in the visitors and then she was gone. Even as the blonde giant and his men were swept away on a welcoming tide, she disappeared out the gates to do the nightly patrols. Somara never met with visiting Lords, she kept her own counsel, to whom could she speak?
The women feared her, the men resented her prowess and even though they all respected her, Somara did not have the softness of love. As she approached the slow murmur of Goddess falls, Somara slowed she sat on the same stone she had since that fated night 10 years b ack. Somara could see the entire keep from her vantage, its lights gleaming, music riding the air, she would lay down her life for them and when she would die, her body would be interred below the walls so her spirit would always guard the people of Siobhan, yet none of them knew her. Only the little children would come to her of their own will, none else dared approach her. Sometimes days would pass and the only words she spoke would be commands to her second Brastias. She kept her vigil in silence, when she heard it, a slow repetitive sound of cloth being beaten against rock. Somara was at once alarmed, which house would allow their daughter out at this hour, how had she gone out city gates? Somara turned to find a woman, not a girl washing dark clothes on the rock exactly beneath the falls. Somara could not believe this woman had sneaked past her! She stood up and hailed the woman, the washer woman at the falls looked at Somara with a grey gaze very much like her own.
' Somara of Siobhan, well met'
Somara was alert, her hand on her throwing dagger, she did not know this woman who hailed her by name. Somara returned her greeting with one of her own:
' Well met, daughter'
The woman stood up and Somara was shocked at her height. The washer woman stood tall as Somara herself, and like Somara she had glossy black hair flowing down her back. She regarded Somara with amusement in her grey gaze:
' Daughter? Why Somara of Siobhan do I appear a youngling?!'
Somara answered with caution as she palmed her daggers:
' No but as one sworn to war, I have no sisters, you hailed me by my name and as such know as Goddess touched all women and men are as children in my protection'
The washer woman smiled at Somara's words,
'You claim Goddess touched, yet you do not know me Somara?
At once the white dress of the washer woman disappeared and the Black cloak and armour of Baine Dub Morrigen(the Black Morrigen) replaced them. Somara gasped as the black thunder eagle came to rest on the Goddess's shoulder and her steeds of smoke and flame appeared in the clearing. Somara drew snatcher and sank to her knees.
'The Dark star of the heavens, she who is the writer of fates, the three who are one, I offer you the blood of my sword, the soul of my body and the loyalty of my heart'
Somara spoke her vow every Beltane and Samhain and the words flowed as ever. Somara felt the goddess draw closer,
'Rise Somara of Siobhan, you are ever among the faithful, you have earned your place in the Summerland besides your sisters in Hall of All Days'
Somara rose and before her she saw the full and fearsome form of Baine Dub Morigen.
' I come to you as the dark star, as the Black Morrigen, as a warrior, for only a warrior may understand a warrior heart'
As the Goddess spoke, she drew inches of the ground a halo of light over her body, her hair blowing in an unseen wind. The goddess looked toward the keep below.
'You have visitors below, you host the blessed and exalted Wolf Lord, Llugnir App Gwain.'
Somara felt alarm shoot through the veins of her sword arm, the wolf lord was a famed warrior and the Baine Dub Morrigen was a goddess of warning! Somara wished to turn and run, had she left her lord vulnerable?!
' Stay your panic, daughter, Llugnir does not pose any danger to you and yours, in fact I bring him to you with a purpose.
The Goddess touched her hand to the curve of Somara's face:
' I made you a wonderous and fearsome thing Somara, I knit you in my image, placing some of my essence with in you, you are as close a daughter of my flesh as a goddess may come, War is coming to the Green Isle Somara, we can not escape it' It will be a bloody battle for the very soul of this land, many will die before peace returns but the peace will be a lasting peace and one high king will unite all Eire under my banner. This high king shall unite the fey, the sidhe and the race of men and be victorious in every battle. This high king shall bear mine own sword and ride mine own steed, I shall gift this High king the cloak of Ravens so that this high king may hide in plain sight of his enemies.'
Somara understood her path now:
' I accept your will my lady, I will fight with Llugnir and until he is high king'
The Goddess laughed such a joyous sound that it seemed to fill Somara's mind like mead and curl the edges of her own mouth.
' Somara Siobhan, Mistress of Soul Snatcher, whose eyes are as mine, whose hair is as mine, whose magick stems from mine, who is my mortal daughter, I did not make you to be a follower, you are the high King and Llugnir comes to follow you!'
Somara lost her normally regimentally organised thoughts
' I a high king, I am but a solider'
' yet you are mine and this is what you are meant for, yet I will offer you choice, you may return to Siobhan as you are gifted and fierce and you will fight for your keep, Llugnir will fight alone and the other races will escape to the Summerland, another flag will fly and I will be gone from the race of men. Your keep will survive the war and so shall you but Eire as we know her shall change. Or you may meet with Llugnir, rise with him to the lands of the Sidhe for he is of a Sidhe father and barter their alliance, you will return and you will fight, it will be long and bloody and Siobhan will fall to rise again but you will end as high king, with Llugnir as your consort, the mother of fine sons. Men will follow you as they follow me. What say you Somara?'.
Somara thought carefully, her people and her destiny warred in her mind, should she preserve her keep and let the Eire fall? Somara looked at her arms and her tattoos she felt the pulse of magick in her hands, she looked at the grave eyed Goddess and She was decided
' I do not seek war or glory, but if war is upon me I must fight, If there is glory to be had I will win it' I am your's Lady, all I am and all I will ever be is through you and I will fight under your banner till the skies bleed and this earth stand still, as long as you sustain breathe in this body I will stand in your faith against your enemies and the enemies of the land of my fathers!' ' Sin Siriche Baine Dub. App Morrigen A Nualde!' (By the name of the Black Morrigen, I am the black death of battle!)
The Baine Dubh Morrigen looked in wonder at this her mortal child:
' your vow is true and your courage untold, for this I bear you blessings.'
As she spoke, the Goddess became Suniriche Rhiannon, the maiden, in her hands the chalice of the ages:
' As you must travel among the Sidhe and fey I give you true sight no spell or glamour will stand before you,
so saying she touched Somara's eyes with water from the chalice.
'And so that words do not deceive you I give you true hearing, you will tell the ring of truth from words tainted with lies'
so saying she touched Somara's ears. '
And so that men will follow you I give you the gift of true speech!'
The goddess drew back and before Somara Rhianon of the Spring became Danu of the Hearth in her pure white rainment with gold ornaments, her hair of flame flowing in the breeze
' I give you the torques of Cruce'
so saying Somara felt the golden bands appear and fasten around her wrists,
'They bear gold from the Summerland and will bring you safely to home and hearth how ever far you may roam, My other gifts may not be of power but love and family are a magick of their own. I give you these rings, without end and without beginning from starsteel they will seal the hand fasting between you and Llugnir so that your bond will be unshakable and you will find each other no matter how dark the night. And finally I give you the gift of three bairns. Two shall be heroes, who will earn fame and acclaim and one shall be a daughter so fair that Sidhe princes shall claim her and she will reign in the Summerland'
So saying Danu vanished and the Baine Dub Morrigen stood before Somara.
'Give me snatcher'
the goddess commanded as Somara presented Snatcher to the Goddess and she grasped the pommel it changed, the turquoise hilt became a blood ruby and the steel became darker,
'this is of fairy make, the Baine Dubh (black death), it will never fail you! Then the Morrigen drew her hands in the air and a steed appeared black as night,
'She is Thunder, she is swifter than time and she will carry you with pride through realms no man bred horse could reach. The Morrigen then draped a cloak of raven feathers over Somara,
'Wear the raven cloak and you will be shielded from the gazes of all who seek you. But above this all Somara I gift you this: Invoke me by blood and blade and I will answer, before every battle my eagle shall go before thee, he who names you his enemy, makes an enemy of me, for you are mine Biodh sé amhlaidh !'
At the words of the Goddess lightening flashed to the ground and the great eagle cried once twice thrice! Somara looked to the goddess.
' I am your knight and I fight to the death of my enemies and yours, for the honour of you and the glory of your legend! Walk with me OH Mighty Mistress of the Dark places, let our shadows go before us and death sweep our enemies like a tide'
Somara rose to find the Lady gone but there in her hand was the Ruby pommel of Snatcher, in the ground next to where she knelt stood the red standard of the Black Goddess emblazoned with her eagle. She tucked the two rings into her doublet and slung her cloak over her shoulders marvelling at the golden cuffs on her wrists. The horse of midnight was readied with silver saddle and as mounted her, Somara felt Thunder shiver with anticipation. The weight of her fate rose easy on her shoulders and as she flew into the keep below the great eagle cried once twice thrice.
Somara burst through the doors of her lords great hearth room and gasps rose from the hall for if they thought her fearsome before now she was terrifying, her beauty holding an edge of animal ferocity terrible to behold.
' The Morrigen herself stands in my hall'
exclaimed her Lord. Somara had eyes only for the Wolf Lord.
' I answer yes to you Llugnir of the Sidhe, let us seal this vow now.'
So saying Somara drew the rings of fastening from her doublet. Llugnir came forward, only then did Somara see He too was Goddess marked. He drew the ring from her palm and as he placed it in her finger, he spoke Sidhe vows
' I will go with you through hell or heaven, I will fight by your side, let your enemies know me. I will walk with you through the count of your years ever faithful. I forsake all others to share your flesh, I forsake the pleasures of the summer lands lest you are with me, So I am given let us be bound'
Somara thought she saw the red flame of Danu's hair in the crowd and as she returned his vow. She thought she heard Danu's voice resound with So mote it be!
She answered the question in Llugnirs eyes with her next words
' We ride'.
As the four riders sped out the keep, towards the southern Summer Lands, Somara thrust Snatcher skyward
' Sin Siriche Baine Dub. App Morrigen A Nualde!'
Her cry was echoed in the sky and as she thundered toward her destiny, the Legend of High King Somara app Baine Dubh Morrigen ( daughter of black goddess Morrigen) Mistress of Wolf keep, Beloved of the Wolf Lord Llugnir , mother to Gwain the Great, LlweLyn the Conquering Lion and Aeval Queen of the Summerland was born!
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