Finding The Light

Losing the light

Danu

‘Brigid, Ériu to me’ I ordered. I took their hands, enclosed them in my light and took them to the nearest fluffiest cloud. Facing Aed. ‘Remember, he only wants her because she can be used as a weapon’ I stated to my daughters. Thunder cracking around us as Belle becomes more unstable. ‘Ériu, she is ready for Beltaine. She is just nervous right now and explosive. Rhiannon & Bec can look after the ground whilst we take care of Aed.’ I claimed. The figure became more visible.

‘Danu, I will have her. Nothing in this world can stop me. She doesn’t realise her power. I will have it’ laughed Aed. ‘On Éire, you will not.’ I spoke looking at my daughters to ensure their strength. Danu , Éiru and Brigid pooled their power and sent white light at Aeds pookas. They disappeared with one touch. Aed stood facing me smiling disturbingly. I look to the ground and see a Pooka make off with Caer soul as Aegus Óg is fighting another. Lugh & Airmed are by Belle. Lugh slashes away pookas with one jab of his spear. Airmed is pulling vines up from the ground to shield the young Gods. Lir is pooling water over them. Belles fire is everywhere. People are screaming and running as the fire encircles them.

Then I saw it. Whilst Lugh’s back is turned. A pooka touched Bel. A c***k sounds around us. A black tendril through her chest. Touched her right in the heart. She has been marked. Marked for Faoin Domain. Aeds cloud rolls away sucking the light from the sky. Belle falls. We land on the ground in an instant. Lugh is holding her, Airmed & Dian Cecht is already binding her. Aengus Óg is weeping and pacing as Caer soul has been taken by the pookas.He holds her body close to him. ‘We must bring her to Dian Cechts tree. She must be looked after night and day’ I explained. Brigid and Ériu lifted Belles' body from Lughs arms. They brought her home to be taken to the Healers tomorrow.

‘Ériu’

My sister & I are back in our tree. With Belle in her bed. How did this happen? I muse. My eldest daughter, my soon to be Goddess of Ireland is now in a slumber. Binded with medicinal plants. So the Mark does not spread. She is marked for death. I sit by her bedside whilst she stirs. ‘Brigid, How did we let this happen?’ I wept. ‘Ériu, it’ll be ok, we can wash off the mark, once she remembers. She needs to understand what has happened before we take the mark from her’ softly spoke Brigid. ‘He has Caer. Aengus Óg won’t know himself until she is returned. Airmed is still in shock. Then there's Lugh. He’s angry at himself and everyone because the pooka touched her.’ I said crying into my veil. ‘We should not have taken to the sky, we should not have allowed Aed to get inside our heads. We’re Goddesses for goodness sake. We are not vengeful beings.’ Brigid looked at me and took my hand. ‘What has happened is unfortunate, however, it does not define us. We will get Aed. We must get Aed, he took our Father from us and now he tries to take our next Goddess of Ireland. We cannot allow it. You’re not thinking clearly. We will take her to Dian Cechts tomorrow. He and Airmed will know what to do. I can't do much but keep a spell of protection over this tree’ said Brigid.

Lugh, Airmed, Aengus Óg & Lir return to the tree. ‘Mother!!! They took Caer. They took her screamed Aengus Óg. Lir pushed a gush of water in Aengus Ógs face to calm him. ‘Aengus Óg, can you stop to think for just a minute’ said Lir. ‘Stop? How can I stop, she is mine and I am hers and I allowed them to take her’ shook Aengus Óg. He laid her body on a mossy bed Airmed created. ‘You think you have it bad? Belle was behind me and they still managed to get behind me. They still managed to mark her. Éiru might I see her?’ asked Lugh. ‘You may, she is still stirring, We think Caer may have something to do with it’ I explained. Lugh stands over Belles body and holds her hand lightly, brushing his thumb over her palm. ‘She will be brought to Dian Cechts tree tomorrow, the healing tree in An Cabhan.’ I said softly to my family. ‘She will need to reside there until she remembers something. Until then, we need to keep her from Aed. We need to rally everyone together. Old Gods and New. We need to show a united front. We can’t just wash the mark away, it needs to be explained to her properly or we may lose her further.’ I explained. ‘Mother, I can give her some herbs tonight to help her sleep easier?’ said Airmed. ‘Here, I can help’ spoke Brigid and they went into another room picking the plants off the walls and mixing them together with a mortar and pestle. Airmed walks back into the room crowded with Gods & Goddesses. She lay her sister on her side and fed her some herbs. After a few moments Bel began to ease. ‘We must get some sleep so we can prepare for tomorrow. Thank you all for your help today. I will be forever grateful to you all’ said Ériu.

Aengus Óg

‘Mother, I am taking Caers vessel to a cottage in Tir na N’Og. It will be protected by the rest of the fey there.’ I stated. ‘Aengus Óg, I won’t fight you on it, however, you can’t be there night and day!! We need you here’ Explained Eriu. ‘Thats fine, Danu and Rhiannon reside there a lot. I will leaver Caer in their capable hands’ I said.

‘Danu, can you look after Caer?’ I asked. ‘Rhiannon is the night queen! She may look after her with the fey’ spoke Danu softly.