The Banished Bandraoi

Third Time's a Charm

Bright light shining in my eyes woke me. I sat up and groggily rubbed my eyes, trying to adjust to the light. Once my vision cleared, I looked around the room. So it wasn't a dream? I thought. The chambers I had been assigned were even more beautiful in the daylight. 

"Goodmorning mam," I voice said from one end of the room. I jumped and held my hands out, ready to cast an immobility spell. Alva stood by the bathroom door, cowering slightly at my stance. It was well known the pain and agony that a magic wielder could cause. 

"I apologize Alva. You startled me. Good morning," I said as I lowered my arms. 

"I did not mean to startle you, mam. I prepared your bath and your breakfast. You can eat as I bathe you, mam," she explained with a bow. 

"Thank you. I would like that," I answered, getting out of bed. I took off the linen garment I had been given to wear for the night. Having been raised with countless rituals and ceremonies, I had grown accustomed to being openly naked. I walked into the washing room and got into the bath trough. The water was perfect and I sat down thinking of how my life would be lackluster once I left this den of luxury. 

Alva washed my hair and my body as I lay in the water eating leavened bread with butter and jam. I knew that such condiments existed. I had never seen them, however. But one thing was for sure; they were delicious. I wished could stay there for the rest of my life. 

After Alve had dried me off, she helped me put on a blue and green dress that was just as beautiful as the one from the night before.

"Alva?"

"Yes, mam?" 

"Did this dress belong to the lord's wife?" I asked looking away.

"Yes it did, mam. It looks beautiful on you," she answered with a smile.

"You keep giving me clothes that belonged to her. Why?"

She stopped smiling and looked away. "We did not expect any guests so we did not have any clothes set aside for you, mam," she answered. The serpent burned onto my back became warm; she was lying. The serpent was burned into my skin during my third bandraoi ritual. It symbolized the deception within the mortal world. And when a lie was told, it would heat up, getting warmer with the lie's intensity. 

"Tell me the truth," I said sternly.

"Yes, mam," she looked down then continued, "The lord has been miserable for years. And since he saw you in the other dress last night, he has been in a much less foul mood. His wife never wore the dresses, and he responds negatively to everything that reminds him of her. Everything, except you. The other maids and I talked and we thought it might be good for him," she explained in almost one breath. 

"Why did you decide this without informing me?"

"I am sorry mam. He never allows any outsider into the house. Not even the members of the royal council. But he invited you in. He even called you by your full name, and allowed you in despite everything about you."

"What do you mean 'everything about me'?" 

"You do magic. The master's wife was taken away by one who also used magic," she answered but hurriedly clamped her mouth shut. "I am sorry, mam. I was not to say anything about the late lady. Come," she said as she took my hand, "Let us finish doing your hair so you are not late for breakfast". 

Twenty minutes later, I walked into the feasting room only to find the lord already seated with his daughter by his side. I bowed when he lifted his head to face me. 

"I apologize, my lord," I said quickly. I expected a reprimand from him at my tardiness.

"I am glad you could join us for breakfast. Have a seat so we can begin," he said instead with the faintest hint of a smile. Emma stood on the chair to see me and she gasped. 

"You look like a princess!!" she shouted excitedly. "Come sit with me, please?" she asked.

"I would be honored," I responded with a curtsey. 

Breakfast went by quietly with nearly as much food as the night before. That amount of food was more than enough for 5 times the number of people it was prepared for. Once I had cleared my plate and gathered enough courage to speak up, I turned to the lord and said, "Forgive me, my lord, for asking, but the amount of food set here is quite a lot of only 3 people. Where does the rest go?"

He glanced at me and resumed chewing the bore steak that was on his plate. Once he had finished, the table cleared and his daughter taken out of the room for a scheduled playdate with a royal council member's child, he looked up at me and said, " The remaining food is taken by the servants back to their families. It is better than what they could afford anyway."

"That is very noble of you, my lord," I responded with a small smile.

He sighed slightly then said, "Come. Let us take a walk in the gardens."

My heart fluttered as he took my hand into his and led me out into the garden. From the front of the house, you couldn't tell how much more land there was at the back. I expected him to let go of my hand once we were outside, but he didn't. Truth be told, I did not want him to.

"That dress brings out the green in your eyes," he said suddenly after a few minutes of walking in silence. I looked up at him and saw a slight touch of rose on his cheeks. I blushed as I thanked him.

"Your house is very beautiful, my lord. I appreciate, more than I can explain, your generosity and hospitality. I have never been treated so graciously and I am forever in your debt," I responded with complete sincerity. 

He did not speak until we reached a large marble fountain with a beautiful stone bench carved into it. He signaled me to sit and he sat beside me.

"Miss Byrne, a lot will be dependent on what you say next. I have done a lot of thinking since I saw you yesterday and I hope you share similar sentiments," he started.

My heart nearly stopped at his words. Was he about to say what I was thinking? Was it not too soon? "Of course my lord. What is it?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Well, I-" His sentence was cut short when a loud scream from the house rang clear through the air. It sounded like a child's scream. We both immediately got to our feet and ran to the house, up the flight of stairs, and into the children's playroom. 

Emma sat on the floor with a giant bookcase lying on her previously injured foot. I do not know what came over me at that moment, but I instantly took charge of the situation. 

"Alva, take the other child out of the room and far away from this room. Get me a blanket, a pillow, and a glass of warm milk right now!" Alva responded immediately and ran off with the other child Emma was playing with. I crouched next to the flushed and teary Emma and wiped her tears.

"Remember what I told you when we were in the forest? I help people. Now, hold your father's hand as we help your little foot."

With her head on my lap, I lifted my hand towards the shelf and said

"From the mountains to the oceans

from the deserts to the forests

lift this obstacle

lift this burden

Child unharmed

child pure

child be as you were before."

The shelf lifted itself from Emma's leg and put itself back upright. I turned to Emma and said, "Doesn't that feel better, orla? Now let us deal with that nasty bruise."

I closed my eyes and started,

"In the name of Dagda, Bridget, and Diancecht.  

The body was bruised, the wound was dark, 

and the flesh was sore; 

but there will be no more blood, 

and no more pain, 

'till the Gods come down to earth again."

The dark bruise on her leg lightened and almost disappeared. It would clear soon. I looked at her father, expecting praise for helping his daughter, but instead, he looked mortified. He got onto his feet and said,

" You are no longer welcome into my house. Magic is a terrible crime and I am bound by my oath to report you and deliver you for execution immediately. But you have saved my daughter twice now, so I shall not have you killed for using magic within my household. However, you will leave and never return."

I could feel the tears welling in my eyes. No! I was a demigoddess. I would not have my heart broken by a mortal. I stood, curtseyed, and walked out of the playroom back to my room. I found my clothes placed on my bed, clean and fresh. I changed out of the ones I had been given and back into my dark clothes. I brushed my hair out to get rid of the curls and plaited it into one long braid as it was before. I put on my hood and climbed onto the window sill. I turned back to look into the room and whispered a small spell.

"Where I trod

Where I lay

No more memories

No more pain

No more traces

Never existed" 

Whatever might have remained in that room that would be connected to me was gone. With one last glance at the large room and the joy it brought me, I jumped out the window.