Brighid's Blood - Chapter 38

38

(Three Months Later…)

“Did you get all that, Astra?” Stella asked her new student.

The young woman read back all the remedies, potions and spells that would help a pregnant woman give birth to a healthy child. Stella felt a new sense of urgency that she had never felt before. She was glad that Astra was quickly proving to be a very capable student.

“Already, I am less anxious about the birth of my own baby,” the woman said.

“I am glad for that. Anxiety only makes things worse,” Stella said, wondering why she felt so anxious right now.

There was the sound of hooves outside her cottage. Stella hurried to the door.

“They’re back! Feasting tonight!” came the urgent message.

“We will come immediately!” Stella replied, her worries set at rest. She returned inside and went downstairs where Astra had been setting up a document for replication.

“Set a quill to copy,” Stella instructed her student. “We have more important matters to attend!”

A few minutes later, they were hurrying down the road towards the castle.

“We could do with a horse!” Astra complained.

“It is extremely rare for me to do anything in a hurry – but this is justified!”

“Sit with us,” the Queen invited when she saw Stella who was still catching her breath from the brisk walk.

“Of course,” she replied, gesticulating to her student to join her quickly.

“I want your opinion,’ the Queen said to Stella as she sat at the right hand of the woman. The Princess Royal sat on the other side of the somewhat overwhelmed Astra.

“I take it you’ve seen them already?” Stella asked.

“Albeit from a distance and through that telescope thingy that you gave me many years ago,” the Queen replied.

The moment arrived. All on the floor stood as the Royal couples entered the room.

Adrick and Katja entered first to a lively fanfare. Katja was pleasantly tanned from the days in the saddle. Her tummy looking just plump enough to know that she carried the future King or Queen of Velantia within her womb. What was that pinned to her bodice?

Breyind and Rachel entered second to another lively fanfare. She, too was pleasantly tanned and just a little plumper than Katja. What was on her head?

Suddenly, Stella knew exactly what she was looking at.

“The Sacred Trio! Reunited again!” Stella half-whispered, stunned.

“That’s what I was wondering,” the Queen whispered back.

“I will take a closer look, but I’m nearly convinced!” Stella replied. “I never thought I would see the day.”

“Gone these 200 years!” the Queen said.

“And back in the hands of these two,” Stella said with wonder as the princesses approached.

“Please sit with us, Ladies,” the Queen requested, indicating the seats opposite herself and Stella.

Formalities taken care of, food blessed and served, the Queen wasted no time in getting to the subject on her mind.

“Please tell me how you came across the Karsha and the Viesha,” she requested.

“What?” Rachel asked, confused.

“The hairnet,” Stella interpreted to Rachel. “And the brooch,” she added to Katja.

“We had just come through Thulia,” Katja began. “We were admiring Mt. Vendar.”

“That mountain gave life to this island and one day will take it away again,” Stella recited.

“Yes, anyway, Rachel and I noticed a road that no one wanted to travel,” Katja continued.

“Breyind told me it went into the fire swamps,” Rachel said.

“No one goes that way,” the Queen said. “And for good reason.”

“I decided that I am Crown Princess for all of Velantia – not just the pleasant places,” Katja said.

“And I felt a strong pull to visit the area too.”

“Only a few of our guard would come!” Breyind added here.

“Remind me to reward them,” the Queen said. “No matter how frightening or dangerous, their duty was to you.”

“I said as much at the time,” Adrick added.

“After two days, we finally found them,” Rachel said.

“Who?” Stella asked.

“Some old women – like you, really. There were some with apprentices as well,” Katja replied.

“I went first,” Rachel said. “They spoke to my head!”

“Did you answer them?”

“Yes,” Rachel replied. “They told me that only Fenja’s blessing could give me that power! And that only Brighid’s descendants could command a horse without voice or tack.”

“The woman was correct,” Stella replied.

“They were slightly afraid of me at first, but then they saw Katja!”

“They bowed before Rachel, but even lower when they saw me. They told me that the god lines had merged within me – I think they are referring to my baby,” Katja said.

“They confirmed what I had come to suspect – in both of you,” Stella replied.

“Even my sister and I have read the prophesies,” the Queen said. “But tell me more – how did you come of the hairnet and the brooch? They have been missing for 200 years.”

Katja’s mouth dropped open at that.

“We were just getting ready to leave when the eldest of the witches, for lack of a better word,” Rachel started.

“The word works – especially in the Other World,” Stella encouraged.

“Anyway, she came up to me and told me that this was mine,” she said, touching the hairnet on her head. “She said that it had been woven by a goddess hundreds of years ago. It was made from firefly silk, though that doesn’t make sense to me. She also said that the purple cloth was bestowed by another goddess.”

“The hairnet was woven by Fenja and the material by Vasana,” Stella informed. “Then, there’s the dragonstone, supplied by Terra, the dragon ridden by Horch.”

“I think she said as much, but it’s a lot to remember all at once,” Rachel said. “Anyway, she said that the Guardians had told her it was for me to look after now and that they would tell me when it was time to pass it on again.”

“And the Viesha?” the Queen asked looking at Katja.

“Very similar story, really,” she said. “Except that I was told the brooch was crafted by Wirn.”

“Yes, Wirn crafted it. And Vasana and Horch embellished it,” Stella informed.

“The woman said it was mine to look after until the Guardians tell me to pass it on again,” Katja finished.

“Stella, you told me that you didn’t impart the secret of Brighid to the witches,” Rachel said.

“I didn’t.”

“But they recognized me as a daughter of Brighid.”

“Maybe she visited them?”

“They did say that – but they also said that they knew your secret while you were with them – the gift of Fenja, I guess,” Rachel said. “Why did you never visit them again? It sounded like they felt you’d rejected them.”

“Perhaps I need to visit them again when I have trained Astra enough,” Stella replied.

“We must not spare Stella to them!” the Queen said emphatically.

“Ellan, you know I cannot stay with you forever,” Stella said gently. “I am old. Twice the age any Velantian can expect to achieve.”

“You cannot mean that!” Rachel exclaimed catching the old woman’s drift.

“I have seen the prophesies come to fruition. I cannot ask for more than that,” Stella replied. “It will still take me a couple of years to train Astra, so you have time to change my mind.”

After the feast, Stella bade the two women to come with her and Astra. “I have something for each of you. I believe they are done now, aren’t they, Astra?”

“Yes, Stella,” the young woman replied.

In the secret basement, Stella pulled out the scrolls. “We already have an extra copy because one copy is never secure even with all the wards one could ever imagine put on them! A family tree for each of you, you could even have them framed to adorn your chambers.”

Rachel hugged and kissed the old woman. “Thank you! Have you shown Kat how we three are related?”

“We are?” Katja asked, surprised.

“We’re, like, 15th cousins – with Stella binding the two of us together!” Rachel said excitedly.

“I will teach you the spell to add your children’s names to the scrolls – that way, they never even have to come out of their frames,” Stella said. “Astra will know it too.”

Katja unrolled the scroll a little to look at it. “Rach… our family has been to Velantia before! We did belong here – the whole time!”

“As I told you… the Guardians always have a reason for choosing who they choose!” Stella said to the young women, also looking over at Astra. “Did the woman who gave you your parts of the Sacred Trio tell you her name?”

“No. Sorry,” Rachel replied. “I forgot to even ask.

“I’m sure she prefers it that way,” Stella said.

“But she says they know how to make the purple material.”

“Do they now?” Stella asked, wondering what this would mean. Women who claimed to be able to make the material of Vasana???

“Sacred Trio?” Katja asked. “What’s the third part?”

“The Usha – that’s the sceptre that the King fiddles with whenever he thinks no one is looking,” Stella said. “It has a sword in there, but it’s only it’s full size when the rightful person has it – just like your pieces are only powerful when they are in the right hands. In the wrong hands, they bring destruction. Have you felt anything new since you started wearing them?

“I can feel more feelings of others,” Rachel said.

“It will boost your healing abilities too – although you may not complete your training with me, it will boost all those around you as well – especially your descendants,” Stella replied.

“I don’t notice much,” Katja said. “But Adrick said I was sounding more queenly with it on.”

“That’s because the Viesha bestows wisdom,” Stella replied.

“That’s cool!” Katja said.

“The kingdom is secure because the Sacred Trio are reunited between you. Adrick will be given the Usha when his father feels it’s time. I pray to all that is good that they are never lost again – for on that day, the destruction of Velantia will begin,” Stella prophesied.

“But don’t you two worry on that now,” Stella said, coming back into character. “Go home to your princes now. Raise your families and be the best princesses you can be!”

The end - for now...

And tomorrow, we will go back to the future where I will share with you the supplemental materials for Acting the Part - 851 TCE Collection of Romance where we will find out what's been going on with Iyva since we last saw her - and what's this going on with Derick Aiden's new film anyway?

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.

Village shot from Hanover, Germany – Flickr
Cave and river shot - Pixabay

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.