25
Uncharacteristically, Stella stayed up into the wee hours. She pored through all her ancient books and scrolls. She couldn’t find anything talking about what she had observed in Rachel.
She pulled out her family tree scrolls. She looked at the generations linking herself with the two young women – mostly in England and America (in Katja’s case), but sometimes in Velantia. She looked into her ancestry until she got to the top – Brighid… She had to wonder if some of the traits of the goddess herself had somehow managed to be passed down to the young woman she had observed this evening. The uncanny nature to communicate to the soul of the horse named Melodia – who had refused to be trained, but had chosen this young woman as a companion. No, people didn’t choose the animals – a true bond had to be chosen by the animal.
Stella shook her head again. It was the only thing that made sense – that something of Brighid lived in Rachel. But if there was this gift in Rachel, perhaps there was a corresponding gift in Katja. Something to be found when the ire and rebellion let go of the young woman. Perhaps there was more at work than a simple love spell.
Of course, she knew that there was more at work. Her years of half-observing the girls had guaranteed that. But this still seemed to be something different… something new. These descendants were meant to be here. Why, she did not know, but it seemed to be something very important indeed.
“When the lines of Wirn, Fenja and Tharn meet the line of Brighid, something new will emerge,” Stella recited the ancient prophesy.
The one who had given her the prophesy had found it confusing. The old woman knew who Fenja was of course – goddess of water, but not Brighid – she was from the Other World, Stella knew instantly upon hearing it. She had politely thanked the ancient woman, but did not indicate that she carried in her head a vital clue to the puzzle’s solution.
Of course, she had seen descendants of Brighid before – Stella herself was one, but never two entering Velantia together. She recited another saying:
“When two descendants of Brighid enter together,
prepare for things to change for better.”
Stella had also worked with the Royal Family for over a hundred years – had watched over four separate households.
But their Royal line came down from Tharn. Not Fenja… That was a lineage not often found in Velantia. Certainly not after the War and more recent plague, both of which had unfairly targeted god lines – perhaps as a punishment for royal families trying to control their lineage too much with arranged marriages.
Of course, she knew the legend. The Karsha had been given to protect against plague and disease. The Viesha had been given to keep the country free from selfishness and corruption. Yet, they had been missing as long as she’d been in Velantia. It had been said that these losses had resulted in the items withdrawing their protections from the realm… catastrophically, it had appeared. Stella was thankful that the Usha, at least, still resided with the King, though he did not seem to understand the object’s significance. Thankfully, his wife and sister-in-law did seem to understand.
More than once, Stella had pleaded to the Guardians for the timely return of the Karsha and the Viesha. More than once, she had pled for brides for the princes, knowing that the future of the kingdom lay solely on their shoulders. Despite her intensive research, she had not found a back-up god line to rule Velantia if this one failed. Surely, the gods themselves still cared about whether their lines continued. Surely, it was time for everything to change – for the better, as the saying said.
Stella pulled out the other family tree scrolls she was guarding – those of the King himself. She looked over the familiar line from Tharn clear down to Adrick and Breyind … no, it was just Adrick, she had to remind herself. Breyind was Adrick’s cousin through the maternal line, but still a prince in his own right, she recalled.
Stella cursed her stupidity and grabbed out another scroll – one she wasn’t so familiar with. Breyind and Adrick and their sisters and brothers at the bottom… She traced them up through their mothers – sisters. The line grew a bit muddled as they brought in lines from other parts of the planet – ones she didn’t know even tied in to Velantia! Kri’enden, even! The colour of that lineage had been lost through the generations, of course. At the very top of the scroll, she jumped ahead, unable to contain herself. Fenja! So, it was another god line to begin with!
But there was another god listed – one which repeated itself in the King’s line – Wirn – the god of metal and the sword. The god lines of Wirn and Tharn only first met in the King. Fenja met in at Adrick, but Stella had never heard of a prophesy regarding those mergers.
But in coupling with Rachel, Breyind had merged (she was pretty confident it had already happened) the lines of Fenja and Brighid – possibly for the first time in Terrenden history - bringing the prophesy closer to fulfilment.
Still, she couldn’t get rid of this feeling that everything depended on Adrick, this descendant of Fenja, Wirn and Tharn managing to win Katja, a descendant of Brighid to Velantia!
No, Rachel would be enough, she was certain. The kingdom could be saved through Breyind and his bride. Eventually, their descendants were almost guaranteed to merge with the line of Adrick or one of his siblings. But it would be more solid if Adrick were also able to secure his beloved.
She repeated the prophesy once more. “When the lines of Wirn, Fenja and Tharn meet the line of Brighid, something new will emerge.” Maybe she would live to see this “something new.” That, she was certain, depended on Katja.
Stella carefully re-rolled the scrolls and returned them to their hiding place behind the stash of poisons – their value was beyond measure. She refreshed the wards against fire and other calamity.
Realizing she was too buzzed for sleep, she poured herself a mug of the same herbal tea she had given Rachel the other night, then lay down to bed.
Supplemental Materials
Prologue, map, character list
The Legend of the Sacred Trio
Links to Buy the ebooks
(Note: If anyone knows how to make this table look better in markdown, please comment!)
| Please catch up! | Links to buy |
|---|---|
 |  |
| Birth of the Neví – 829 T.C.E. It is a tumultuous period of Terrenden history. As is all too common, there are those who wish to profit from the misfortune of others. Some of these come together in a new "charitable organization" and step on the toes of the notorious Uugli. Combine this with draconian new measures to combat pollution and Terrenden has a situation ripe for a power struggle. | Rebound of Power: 850 T.C.E. Collection of Romance Terrenden is being terrorized by a previously underestimated Neví who through the mysterious “Curator” have been controlling elections all over the planet. In this collection, we meet some interesting women. Iyva, a homeless teenager in Irola whose untrained power leaves her close to death; Marc’la, a breeder of prized caballus in Kasago whose heart lives in the past; Zukie, an abused widow whose heart is afraid to try for future happiness; Jenna, an elections assistant manager and masseuse who has a prejudice against A’mara; and Kami, a chola student in Varkevand who has been assigned to protect Ardin, a man who has his own reasons to distrust A’mara. |
| Coming | Soon! |
| Rise of the Neví - 830 T.C.E. The Neví begin their rise in power with the completion of several large housing projects that seem totally charitable, but also hide a great evil within. The draconian measures brought in the previous year has caused major distress throughout the world, perfect for giving the Neví a further foothold on the Terrenden stage. Will the A’mara, now removed from the Council of Peers, be able to shut down the Neví? | Acting the Part - 851 T.C.E. Collection of Romance - The Neví continue to make a nuisance of themselves, infiltrating the Terrenden Freedom Party who have been winning most elections around the world. Dr. Jarly is still on the run and the Curator still dominates a larger part of the Terrenden stage than most would like to know. What’s more, famous actor, Derick Aiden has decided to release his Neví expose film, causing them to issue a Death Edict on him, forcing him into hiding. In this collection, we meet more interesting women (and revisit some we’ve already got to know.) Kauri, a simple receptionist who doesn’t realize one of her wildest dreams has come true; Tirry, an elections manager who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride; Zara, a chef who has all but given up on finding love for herself; Dzani, who isn’t even looking, but has to chaperone her more vulnerable roommate; Soala, the daughter and heiress who is expected to marry, but refuses to marry someone she doesn’t love; and Moxara, one whose past griefs have locked away her heart. We also get updates on some of the lovely ladies we met previously. |
Don’t forget!
I’m still offering 1 Steem Basic Income share for any minnow who asks me a question which prompts an “Ask the Author” post! I’m thinking about putting these into a Dbooks ebook all its own, actually.
Image Credits:
Brighid's Blood cover art based on:
- Mountain background shot (on the border of Slovakia and Poland) – PublicDomainPictures.
All three images were under the creative commons licensing, (no attribution required.)
- Shaze picture developed from PXhere
Shaze divider based on:
- Sword image from Wikipedia Commons
All maps/editing by myself on GIMP and Photoscape, both free programs.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents, are fictitious. Although the penalty of knowing me in real life is that you will influence the creation of my characters; any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Writing and artwork copyright myself 2005-2018 – all rights reserved.
If you are interested in helping me publish these works, please contact me on Facebook or Discord, viking-ventures#2883.
Lori Svensen – A'mara Books & Viking Visual
