by Heidi Hanley
Chapter Eleven
The Book of Leaves
Briana rubbed small circles over the small of her back as she came downstairs the next morning, feeling as though one cross word would make her cry. Cailleach met her at the foot of the stairs and handed her a bundle, with a look of sympathy on her face. The packet held clean linen cloths, a soft leather garment and small packet of herbs.
“How did you know?”
“Well, first of all, I’m a witch, so some things I just know. There will be little you can hide from me, Briana,” she said. Briana had the good graces to blush. “Second, I’m a woman, and well aware of the signs of a woman coming into her courses.”
She studied the undergarments as Cailleach explained their use and care. It was a workable solution, as long as Briana could find time away from her male traveling companions. Speaking of the men…
“They’ve already gone out hunting,” Cailleach said. “See to your needs. When you come down again, I’ll have some toast and hot tea with mugwort and raspberry to ease you.”
Tea and toast did, indeed, go a long way to making her more comfortable. Dara was much improved as well, up on his feet and wagging his tail. “I’m glad you’re better, Dara.” His response was a sloppy lick to the side of her cheek, which made her laugh. “Where’s Merlin?”
“Out hunting for his breakfast, I imagine. He comes and goes.” Cailleach ate with her while explaining their plans for the day. “You’ll spend the morning studying the prophecy. It’ll help you to understand why you’re here and how important it is that you help release King Brath and become his queen.”
Maybe it was because of the time of month, or because her thoughts strayed constantly to Silas and their newly discovered magic, but this statement provoked a rebellious reaction from Briana. “I’m not going to marry a man I don’t even know! That’s barbaric! What if he’s old and hideous?”
Cailleach set her tea down with an enigmatic half-smile. “Brath is five years older than you, Briana, and though I myself may be ‘old,’” she paused, looking anything but, “I assure you he is most certainly not hideous.”
“Please, give me a dose of hemlock in case I need it.”
Cailleach laughed at her. “Oh, Briana, don’t be so dramatic. You must trust me when I say that you will not be disappointed by either Brath’s looks or manners. He is a truly wonderful man and king, and any girl would be happy to be his bride. Now, let’s get down to business. We’ve much to do today.”
Maybe so, Briana thought, if that girl’s heart didn’t already belong somewhere else. She let the thought go and rose to clear away the breakfast things. While she tidied up, Cailleach wandered around the house, picking up this and that, saying they’d focus first on history and then review her knowledge of herbal medicine.
“These are the things that will deliver you safely to Ard Darach, and may save your life and the lives of those who travel with you.” She pointed Briana in the direction of a heavily laden bookshelf. “Can you lift that big green book?”
It was hefty, but Briana pulled it out and put it on the table. “How beautiful,” she murmured, lightly stroking its forest-green leather binding and the title, which was embossed in a shiny substance like crushed topaz. The Book of Leaves was written on top, and underneath, The Prophecy of Uisneach. The full prophecy was written on the first page. She began to read the first stanza out loud:
“When the wheel of the seasons forgets to turn,
The trees are nearly gone.
From ancient oak a Mouse appears,
A queen is met with cheers.
She’ll journey far to save a king,
In castle strong under gloomy spell he rests.
Five keys will lift the curse.
Help arrives from king’s right hand,
Rare magic and a map.
Crow and crone lead and teach the future ordained Queen of Uisneach.”
Briana was quiet for a long time. “I’m starting to realize this is much more than a sweet story. It’s real. People will live and die by this prophecy, won’t they?” Cailleach nodded. “And I’m responsible?”
“Well not solely, but yes, you hold a great deal of responsibility for this, Briana.”
“Why me?”
Cailleach shrugged. “Who knows the how’s or why’s of prophecy? The universe calls who it will, to do what it wants done.”
“Tag. I’m it,” she said, leaning her chin on her hands, thoughtfully. “Do you think that we’re intentionally part of this, or are some of us just in the wrong place at the wrong time?”
“Nothing is ever by accident, lass. The universe isn’t that wasteful. Even when people make mistakes, their errors will be used in some way.”
“Hmmm…” she read further, but silently, Cailleach giving her time to absorb the text. “Do you understand everything in this prophecy?”
“No, I don’t. For one thing, I have no idea who the cat is.”
“Wedding day breaks the cat.” Briana read slowly. “Hmm…”
“And the ‘brown king’ is a bit confusing also,” Cailleach said, almost to herself. “It must be Brath, but…” She stared intently at the prophecy, as if that would somehow make its meaning clearer. “There are parts I have suspicions about, but shudder to consider.”
Finally, Cailleach stepped away. “The rest of the book tells the genealogy of Uisneach, and that is what you need to learn today. I’m going out foraging, so you’ll be by yourself for a while. I’ll be close enough to hear if you should call me. After lunch we’ll work some magic.” She stroked the younger woman’s hair as she walked by, called to Dara to go with her and grabbed a basket on her way out the door, leaving Briana to her studies.
Turning pages old and beautifully decorated with ancient art, Briana discovered that Uisneach was a fascinating place with a long and magical history. According to The Book of Leaves, the island of Uisneach was one of the first creations of Maker. It rose up out of the blue ocean on the breath of dawn. It was a beautiful, green land of shining mountains, tall trees, cozy harbors, sheer cliffs, long sandy beaches, deep and mysterious valleys and a thousand waterfalls. Mist covered the land every morning, and the sun shone upon it every afternoon. Maker’s imagination ran wild as flying, swimming, walking and crawling creatures were created to live among the hills and waters of Uisneach. It was peaceful and abundant – Maker’s finest creation.
In the middle of the island stood one tree, more significant than all the others, for it was the Uisneach Tree, the Tree of Life, connecting the physical and spiritual domains of Uisneach. Its roots grew deep and wide under the earth and into Otherworld and its canopy of leaves reached far into the sky, toward Maker. It was the center of the world and the source of magic that fed Uisneach. It was believed the faeries came from the Uisneach Tree, and should the tree die, so would the faeries and magic.
Five races would eventually live on the island of Uisneach – the magical folk, faeries and other nature spirits; the gnomes; and the three races with human blood: the Eiriens; the Divine Practitioners; and the Moherians.
The first to make their way to Uisneach were the magical creatures – faeries, pixies, brownies, dryads and nyads and the sort – who came through the tree. They lived for many centuries in harmony. Joyful souls, they contributed much to the beauty and magic of Uisneach. The first king and queen of Faerie, Talisorin and Urelian, ruled peacefully over seven tribes of faeries, each specializing in certain forms of elemental magic to create and care for Uisneach. They inhabited the trees and created some of their own, and also built little hills and carved caves into cliffs. Faeries wove spells to give some of the animals the gift of speech, thinking it would be lovely if they could communicate with them. From the faeries came runes, musical instruments and rainbows. They slept much of the day, but at night they gathered around faerie bonfires, dancing, singing and storytelling.
Then came the gnomes, the first of the non-magical inhabitants of the island (though the gnomes had
some wee magics, as Briana knew). The gnomes simply appeared, without evolution or genealogy. A large group from the beginning, all shared the same last name and an affinity for comfort. They loved to garden and got on well with the faeries. Perhaps because it was warmer in the south, or because they loved apple wine (the trees grew abundantly there), they congregated in Appleduir, which in time came to be called Wellsland. A peaceful and pastoral people, they coexisted with the magical beings for thousands of years.
A day dawned when everything changed. Strangers appeared on the shores of Uisneach, humans, much more complicated than the gnomes or magical beings. The other races named them the Eiriens.
The Eiriens gave rise to the kings and queens who would rule the land. Taller, stronger and more determined than the other races, they built many things that changed the way the island appeared and functioned. Land was cleared for villages and cities, the rivers became congested with their rafts and boats, and many of the animals withdrew to the mountains. Overwhelmed by the frenetic energy of the Eiriens, the magical folk hid in little mounds, or sometimes inside trees or watery caves. It was a long time before the humans felt their absence. By the time they did, much as their joyful spirits were missed, a schism had formed between the races, and the nature spirits were rarely seen or heard. (The only exception was one tribe of faeries who would later join forces with the Eiriens to use their magic to fight the Moherians, invaders and enemies who’d find their way to Uisneach’s shore.)
The Divine Practitioners were a powerful mixed race of magically gifted people: druids and shapeshifters, healers, musicians, storytellers and dancers. This line arose when Maker sent Olama, a being from Tir fo Thuinn, the land under the waves, to Uisneach. Olama, a great healer and poet, was gifted with many extraordinary powers, including the ability to shapeshift. He married an Eirien. Their descendants, including Oirion, Duirchlann and Amuira, all had special gifts, and seemed destined to live a peaceful existence with the other people and beings of Uisneach. Her mind was transported by the beauty of it all.
But then, the fifth race, the Moherians, arrived. Warlike by nature, they came by sea in huge, tall-masted warships and scattered across Uisneach, bringing their axes upon the heads of Uisneachans of all races. The first wave of them overwhelmed the Eiriens during the time that would be remembered as “The Great Wars.” Those who survived became the feudal subjects of the Moherians, and Eirien kings were replaced, in large part, by Moherian kings.
Over time the races blended and spread across Uisneach. They created the separate territories now known as Appleduir or Wellsland; Cedarmara; Dromdara, the ancestral home of the Taranian royal family; Tynan Ibor; and Evalon, the Land of Faeries.
Battles were fought and peace accords signed until the time of King Banniman of the Taranian house, Brath’s great-great-grandfather, who brought enduring peace to Uisneach.
The book ended with a terrible battle between two druids, which led to this very time. Peace so hard-won, and so long-lasting, might be broken now, thanks to the evil machinations of one self-serving prime minister, Lord Shamwa.
During the Moherian invasion, the High Priestess Glenamore proclaimed a prophecy. Beginning as an oral tradition, it was later put to paper by a secret order of scribes as the prophecy of the Mouse in The Book of Leaves. Buried in the royal library for centuries, it was revealed when Shamwa cursed King Brath. Shapeshifting crows carried copies of it across the land, giving its despondent inhabitants not only hope, but a sense of shared purpose.
Unfortunately, a page of the prophecy had been torn from the book. But they had enough information to know that help would arrive.
They waited and watched for the Mouse to come through the tree, and when she did…
Well, as they say, the rest is history, Briana thought. By the end of the afternoon, her back ached from leaning over the big book. She stood and stretched, trying to ease her throbbing muscles. What a lineage I’m marrying into.
A powerful and important lineage, said Silas.
Briana involuntarily looked out the window for Cailleach. Not seeing her, she relaxed. Silas?
Have you read all the history?
Yes. I’m trying to wrap my head around being involved in it. I’m puzzled about one thing, though.
What’s that?
I wonder about the war between the druids. I get that the evil druid survived, but what happened to the good druid from Evalon?
That’s a question we’d all like to have answered. That and the missin’ page of the prophecy must somehow be related, but no one knows how or why. Uh oh, Sigel is asking me a question I can’t answer because I’m not listenin’ to him. I need to go.
She heard him chuckle, then nothing. How strange this is. She wondered how their telepathy worked, if they could control it, and what the ramifications were if they couldn’t. As excited as she was about being able to communicate with him privately, she also had reservations about the potential lack of privacy. Could he read all her thoughts? She wasn’t reading his all the time.
Briana mulled this over until she realized by the sun’s position that it was past lunchtime. Cailleach should be back by now. Briana put water on the hearth for tea and searched for something to prepare for lunch. She found bread, butter, and strawberry preserves and was looking for more when the witch came in, carrying a basket filled with fiddleheads, some brownish mushrooms and a handful of herbs.
“The fiddlers are just perfect for the picking. You like them?”
Briana nodded enthusiastically. She and her mom went out every spring to collect the tender fronds before they opened up. “Love them.”
“I see you have things ready. Good, I’ve worked up quite an appetite. Is that tea water ready?”
“Just about.” Briana set two mugs on the table and dumped the herbs in the kettle. In her own mug she added a bit more of the raspberry and mugwort. Her discomfort was minimal, but it wouldn’t hurt to dose herself once more today.
When the brew had steeped, she poured for them both. They sat down to their meal. Briana told Cailleach how far she’d gotten in the book and the older woman nodded approvingly. “Quite a history you’ve gotten involved with, isn’t it?”
“Exactly what I was thinking just before you came in. I don’t honestly know how I feel about being cast in the role of savior and Queen of Uisneach, but after getting to know some of the people here, I feel some responsibility for doing what I can to turn things around.”
Cailleach looked into her mug. “It’s a big burden you bear, Briana, and not one that you fully understand now, but hear this – when all is said and done, Uisneach will owe you a debt of gratitude such as we can never repay. Prophecies never come without a cost, and you will sacrifice much for the sake of Uisneach.”
Briana leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. “This will sound strange, but I keep having this feeling that none of this is news to me, like it’s something I’ve known all along.”
“Have you?”
Briana answered in a voice barely above a whisper. “Maybe this is what I’ve been waiting for my whole life.”
Cailleach responded with a half-smile, as she picked up their plates and mugs. “Well then, best you get back to the lessons. We’ll work on some basic magic this afternoon.”
“When will the guys be back?” Briana asked, nonchalantly, as she pushed The Book of Leaves back into its spot on the shelf.
“They’ll probably not be back tonight, lass. It’s a long way to the mill. They’ll stay the night there and come back tomorrow, perhaps in time for supper.”
A look of disappointment must have skittered across her face, because Cailleach added, “Just as well. Give us a respite from their foolishness, hmm? We’ll have some quiet and get a good night’s rest.”
After lunch Cailleach began to assess Briana’s knowledge of herbals.
“Willow?” Cailleach challenged.
“Pain and fever,” Briana shot back.
“Birch?”
“Gout, rheumatism and skin sores.”
“Lemon balm?”
“Depression, uh, melancholia.”
“Aye, what else?” Briana shook her head. “You want honey, you plant lemon balm,” said Cailleach. “It calls the bees.”
“Huh. Good to know.”
“Horehound?”
Resting her head in her hands, Briana searched her brain for the answer. “Of course! Cough and cold.”
“Mint?”
“Stomach ache.”
“Comfrey?”
“Lots of things, but most importantly, wound healing and bone mending.”
“Rowan bark?”
“Loose bowels, uh, flux.”
“Rowan berries?”
“Laxative and sore throats. Of course you can make a jam that also helps with the flux.”
“Well done,” said Cailleach. “Salvia?”
Stumped, Briana shook her head, but before Cailleach could give the answer, she snapped her fingers. “Milk fever!”
“Excellent. Elder root?”
“Headaches, and encouraging labor pains.”
“To stop bleeding?”
“Thistle or oak bark.”
“Excellent. Always keep thistle and oak in your bag. What else is oak good for?”
“Leaves and bark for burns, tea for lung congestion, hemorrhoids or female infections.” Briana paused and grinned. “Oh, and for getting between worlds.”
Cailleach laughed and patted Briana’s hand. “Indeed, wee Mouse, indeed.”
They went on like this for several hours until both women were satisfied Briana was skilled enough to handle emergencies along the road to Ard Darach.
Shadows had begun to darken the room by the time Cailleach produced a small bag and emptied it of several small, smooth stones on the table. Briana observed for a few minutes as the crone moved the pieces around, her mouth moving in silent incantation. She looked up and motioned Briana to come closer. The stones had different symbols carved on them. Runes.
“I’m trying to send your mother a message about your welfare. Sit down, Briana, and place your hands on the stones while thinking about your mother. What would you say to her if she were here? Imagine it clearly in your mind.”