Sweep - Origins Part 5

Falkner guided the wagon through the lane, stopping for pa.s.sing villagers who paid us little mind. He brought the cart over to a small wagon at the end of the square, its side panel painted Ye Finest Wood Crafters. aIave got to pick up a table for Da,a he said. a aTwill be a short while, if you want to walk around.a He helped us down from the cart, and we dusted our skirts and stepped forward gingerly, our arms linked.

aI hope he is here,a I said. aHis father likes him to tend the sheep, but Diarmuid prefers to spend his time in the village and at market.a Kyra nodded, averting her eyes as a tin peddler leered at her. a aTis an odd village,a she said. aLike a desert in the Highlands.a As we walked past a tinkeras wagon, a cart laden with fruits, and another with an array of bonnets, I kept searching for Diarmuid. I spotted a lad who walked with the same gait and another who seemed to share his broad smile, but I did not see my love.

When we reached the end of the row of carts, I spied a head of gingery brown hair. It was feathered back from his face, revealing startling blue eyes and a smile that warmed my heart.

Diarmuid.

aThere he is!a I gasped.

Kyra squeezed my arm. aYou found him.a But he was not alone. A tall, swanlike girl with pale yellow hair walked beside him.

aWho is she?a Kyra muttered.

aI donat know. Perhaps a friend.a Kyra looked back toward the cart. aIall go see if Falkner can find out.a I barely noticed that she had left my side. My Diarmuid was within reach, so close I could run into his arms, yet something kept me there, my feet mired to the ground. Who was the girl? I watched in horror as she said something to him, making him laugh. It had all the markings of flirtation. But then he chucked her under the chin, seeming more like an older brother. An older woman came by and handed the girl a tart. She took a taste, then fed the rest to Diarmuid with her bare fingers.

Such an intimate gesture. And he took it from her hand, licking his lips. Oh, G.o.ddess, what did it mean?

aRose,a Kyra said, softly resting her hand on my arm. a aTis terrible. your worst fears confirmed! She is Diarmuidas betrothed! They were promised to each other as children, and they are to be wed upon next Samhain!a I shook my head. aAn arranged marriage?a How could it be? Why had he never told me? I pressed my hands to my hot cheeks. If Diarmuid was promised to another, we had no chance of being married.

aOh, Rose!a Kyra squeezed my arm. aSuch dire news, and you with child...a It couldnat be. My hands dropped to fists at my side, and for a moment I wanted to rush over and pummel him. Diarmuid was not the hero I had thought him to be. He had lied to me.

But then, head faced overwhelming obstacles. Perhaps head been trying to protect me from this until he sorted it out? And if his parents had arranged the marriage, that meant head had no choice. aSo he doesnat love her,a I said, thinking aloud. aAnd of course, his parents would want him to marry within his clan. Iam sure itas part of the reason they donat want him to marry me.a aNot really,a Kyra said. aThe girlas name is Siobhan MacMahon, and she is not a Leapvaughn, but a Vykrothe.a aAn arranged marriage to someone from another clan?a Anger rose in my throat, hot and painful. His parents thought it acceptable for him to marry outside his clan but not to marry me? Or was it that he could not marry a Wodebayne?

aFalkner has the table loaded in the cart,a Kyra said. aHeas ready to leave.a aBut I havenat...a I glanced over at Diarmuid. Siobhan still hovered about him like a bee collecting nectar from a flower. It was hardly the time to march over and tell the boy I was going to bear his child.

This meeting had not worked out the way Iad planned. Not at all.

aRose, youare crying,a Kyra said gently.

aNo matter.a I swiped the tears out of my eyes with the backs of my hands. I needed to see him with her. I needed to see the enemy.

I stared at the swan-necked girl who was fawning over Diarmuid. She was tall and lithe, with flaxen gold hair. Everything about her was the physical opposite of me.

Diarmuid could not love one so unlike me. How could it be, G.o.ddess? How was it possible that he could love another at all?

aWead better go,a Kyra said.

I felt her clamp my arm and pull me away toward the cart, my eyes still on Diarmuidas betrothed. How could he even think of marrying another?

How could he?

9. On the Making and Charming of Poppets.

I promised myself I would cry no more. Everyone knew too much sobbing could harm the child in a motheras womb, and I was beginning to learn that tears were futile. I needed to do something to secure my babyas happiness and health.

It was time to use my powers.

Why had I not thought of this before? I wondered as I steadfastly sewed and decorated my poppets, working a little each day and night. The course of my relationship with Diarmuid ran parallel to my magick. Had I not captivated him completely with the rose stone? And then, when Iad misplaced it, he had fallen away, never returning to our secret circle. It was so clear. I needed to enlist the G.o.ddessas help to get him back in my arms.

I went through Maas cupboard of stones, searching for a gem to replace the rose stone. I weighed each stone in my palm and turned it about, hoping to feel a swell or glow of power, but nothing moved me. Perhaps a charm wasnat the right thing anymore. Time for a spell.

First I dedicated a candle to him, carving runes up the side that spelled his name. Although I had to hide the candle from Ma, I burned it whenever she went out, chanting to the G.o.ddess to rekindle the love flame in this boy. And when the flame was doused, I censed my belly with the smoke, inviting my babe to feel my love for her father.

While working candle magick, I also searched for a powerful love spell. Although Ma had instructed Kyra on the making of love dolls, I could not recall the details. Searching my motheras Book of Shadows, I came across the spell. It was called simply Poppets.

Thou must craft two poppets to represent the two lovers.

What is done to the poppets shall be done to the lovers.

Cut two pieces of cloth shaped like a man, then two shaped like a woman. While cutting the cloth, bring to mind the person it represents. If the ideal lover has long, flowing hair or a comely beard, so should the poppet. Thou must heeda" the lover thou seekest is thine ideal mate, not a named lord or lady.

Stuff the figure with herbs governed by Venus. Such herbs: verbena, feverfew, yarrow, motherwort, rosebuds, or damiana.

aTis strong magick! Use only for a love that will have permanence, not for a mere dalliance.

Thou must thrice perform a love ritual over the poppets during the waxing moon.

The spell was very specific and promised to be very powerful. And I would give it all the more power by making my doll look just like Diarmuid and embroidering his name upon it. My own brand of magick had worked well when charming the rose stone; I felt sure this would be even stronger.

It took me days to construct the dolls, during which Ma noticed and encouraged my work. aYou are seventeen years of age, Rose. Perhaps atis time for you to fall in love with a gentle witch.a She didnat see the name I had st.i.tched upon it, didnat realize that I was making a Diarmuid poppet, designed to capture his love, and I didnat dare tell her that I was working magick she considered to be dark. When the dolls were done, I had to wait for the waxing moon to begin the spell. I felt impatient, but I knew that the spell would have its full potency only if I followed the instructions.

By the time I was ready to perform the spell for the third time, it was August and Lughna.s.sadh preparations were upon us. During the weeks of preparing the dolls and consecrating them, I missed Diarmuid desperately. My only consolation was that we would have the rest of our lives together once we made it past this obstacle. I also noticed that the babe was growing, pushing at the swath of cloth I belted around my skirts. I had to adjust the girdle higher, which only seemed to accent the new lushness of my b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Perhaps this was the G.o.ddessas purpose in waitinga"to give Diarmuid a visible sign of my love for him, the child within my womb.

10. Lughna.s.sadh.

Rising before dawn on the day of Lughna.s.sadh, the celebration to honor the Sun G.o.d, I set off to my secret circle to complete the love spell. As I had done before, I placed the poppets facedown on the stone altar and consecrated the circle. I charged the girl poppet to be me, then picked up the boy, with feathery brown hair made of spun wool. Sprinkling it with salted water and censing it, I chanted: aThis poppet is Diarmuid, my mirn beatha dn in every way. As Diarmuid lives, so lives this poppet. Aught that I do to it, I do to him.a I kissed the Diarmuid poppet, then put him back beside the other on the altar. Kneeling before them, I moved the two poppets closer to each other, touching, turning, pressing face-to-face. As I moved them, I pictured myself reaching out to Diarmuid, meeting him, touching him, kissing and holding him so close in my arms, I could taste the salt on his skin.

When the poppets were face-to-face, I wrapped my red ribbon around them. aNow may the G.o.ddess bind these two together, as I do bind them here,a I said. Around and around I circled them with ribbon, then tied it tightly so they would never, ever break apart. aNow they are forever one. May each truly become a part of the other. Separated, they shall seem incomplete. So mote it be!a I rested my athame over the bound puppets, asking the G.o.ddess to lend Her power to this and all spells I cast. Then I wrapped the poppets in a clean white cloth. I would stow them in the rafters of the cottage so that no animal or human could meddle with my magick.

After my task was done, I lifted my head to the bright midday sky. The heat was blistering hot today, casting a white glow across the land. Aye, atwas the right day to honor the Sun G.o.d. I would go to Lillipool, but not until the sun had pa.s.sed. aTwas best not to make such a journey in the heat. Besides, of late my babe had drained me of strength. I no longer needed special herbs to calm my dizziness, but it seemed the babe wanted me to sleep the day away! I needed rest and a sip of cool tea.

By late afternoon, when the air had cooled and Ma was off preparing for the Lughna.s.sadh celebration, I knew atwas time to go. As I walked, I chanted bits and pieces of the love spell. aNow may the G.o.ddess bind these two together, as I do bind them here. Separated they would seem incomplete...a The spell sustained me, and in no time the old mill of Lillipool loomed before me.

Today I was not so lucky as to find him in the dusty marketplace. I knew his coven would also be preparing to celebrate the sun festival, but what were his a.s.signed tasks? To mull the winea"or consecrate the circle? I wouldnat dare go near another covenas circle, not that I would be able to find it.

Help me, G.o.ddess, I prayed. Point me in the direction of my love.

I circled the dismal marketplace, hoping for an answer. Diarmuid did not appear, but as I paced, I came across a red feather. It sat in the middle of the lane, alone and abandoned, and the sight of it reminded me of the red feathers twined with ivy that I had used for our celebration of midsummer night. I had twined ivy around the feathersa"red for s.e.xualitya"and festooned them around our circle.

Now this feather pointed down a lane. Was it pointing me toward my love?

I believed it to be so. Making haste, I followed the lane, which led past the church and quaint cottages to the countryside. My eyes followed the dark green patches of gra.s.s to a small hollow where a figure lay sleeping in the shade.

Diarmuid.

He was probably supposed to be tending sheep, though this summer heat would drive any lad to napping. I ventured off the road and crossed to him, my shoes whispering in the crisp gra.s.s. Although I did not call out to him, he stirred with my approach, rubbing his eyes. He turned toward me, saw me, then bolted upright.

aWhat vision is this?a he gasped. aHas the G.o.ddess herself descended, or am I but asleep and dreaming of love?a My heart melted. He was still the same Diarmuid, a poet and a tease.

aI have come to reclaim you,a I said firmly.

He took my hand and lifted it to his lips. aYou will always have my heart, Rose.a aI want more,a I said, thrilled by the spark of his lips upon my hand. aWe summoned the G.o.ddess to bless our union, and she did. She looks down upon us with favor, yet you allow another to become your betrothed?a He stared at the ground. a aTwas not my doing, Rose.a aDo you not remember your last words to me? That we were to be married forthwith?a aI do,a he said sheepishly. aBut atis not so simple a matter.a aAye, there are complications, but I have come to help you through them.a His blue eyes sparkled with regret. aIam afraid you canat help, Rose. No one can help me. I have learned that a man cannot cross his elders or defy his clan. I need the approval of my coven, and they have vowed not to give it.a aAye, I face the same challenges,a I said, thinking of my ma and the coveners who wanted to rail against rival clans. aBut this is no surprise, Diarmuid. We talked of it often. aTwill not be easy, but you must remain steadfast and strong, lower your head and charge, like the ram in yonder field.a aWould that I were a ram, destined to chew gra.s.s and laze in the sun.a He reached for his throat and nervously squeezed the pentagram concealed by his shirt. aInstead, I am a marriageable lad, a property of my parents dangled like a carrot before a horse.a aTell me you donat love her,a I said.

aShe has her fair attractions,a he said, cutting me.

My knees nearly buckled beneath me. Was this my love, the one who had pledged his love in the G.o.ddessas circle? He had promised to love me and only me. He was supposed to see only my charms.

Did he kiss her the way he had kissed me? Did he touch her and. oh, excruciating torture! I could not think of such things now. Think of the spell, I told myself. Your reason for being herea"your baby.

aBut mostly, it is the ease with which my life will progress if I take her hand.a His words gave me some relief. I realized it was time to tell him. aYet I offer not a life of ease, but a sign of our bond.a Boldly I took his hand and placed it on my belly. aThere is a child within, Diarmuid. Do you feel it stirring?a He gasped, stepping closer to me. There was power in his touch, magnified all the more by the glow of the child growing inside me.

aThe G.o.ddess has given us a babe, a sign of our union. aTwill be the child that unites the Wodebaynes and the Leapvaughns. Perhaps our child will unite all clans. Oh, Diarmuid, this is how the G.o.ddess intended it. Could you deny such a powerful destiny?a aI could not,a he gasped. aI will not.a His face softened as he stroked my belly. aA man does not abandon his child, no matter what the obstacles.a My spirits lifted. He understood. He knew that our baby was a sign from the G.o.ddess.

aWe must marry nowa"today!a he said, pulling me into his arms for a kiss. Then he pulled away and dropped to his knees to kiss my belly. aMy child. G.o.ddess be praised!a He kissed the baby over and over again.

I smiled. aHow would you marry? In a church? Or do you think one of our covens would add a highly unusual handfasting to the Lughna.s.sadh rites?a aWeall do it any way we can,a he insisted. aMayhap your village is best, away from Siobhan and my family. Weall go to the Presbyterian reverend firsta"tonight. Surely he will help us.a My heart lifted. Diarmuid was coming home with me. We would be togethera"married!

aAfter that weall arrange a handfasting,a he went on. aNo one dare deny us once weare together. I must first run home for a few belongings, then I shall meet you.a He glanced up, gauging the position of the sun. aLet us meet at our circle in the woods before the sun sets.a I put my hand in his hair, loving the feel of it. aWould that we could travel together.a aAye, but your presence would raise too much of a stir at my cottage right now. Weall meet in the woods at our circle before sunset.a He stood up and kissed me again. aOh, Rose, you are the world to me. After today we shall never be separated again.a aNever,a I said, thinking of the words of the love spell. aNever.a The journey back to my own woods was cooled by afternoon breezes and dreams of lingering in Diarmuidas arms. On the way I stopped at the brook for a drink of water, then headed off to prepare the circle for our formal reunion. I swept the circle, then decided to rest on the moss for a while, as the long journeys had taken their toll on my strength. I sat there chanting from the love spell and picturing Diarmuid in my bed each morning when I arose. Where would we live? Perhaps Ma would have us once she got over her initial anger. Besides, she would want to be near the babe, to help nurse her, then to teach her the ways of the G.o.ddess as she grew older. Listening to the sounds of the woodsa"to the trill of birds and the rustle of wind in the treesa"I dozed off.

When I awoke, it was dark but for the sickly glow of a yellow moon.

Where was Diarmuid? I sat up suddenly, and my sacred place seemed like a strange wilderness. My life force hammered in my chest as reality hit me.

He was not here. Was he coming?

What had happened? aOh, G.o.ddess, keep and protect him,a I whispered, sure that something dreadful had happened to him. There could be no other explanation. I had seen the determination in his eyes, I had felt his commitment. Nothing could stay him from me. Nothing but. something terrible and evil.

I stood up, brushing dust and seeds from my hair. I would return to Diarmuidas village. I had surely missed the coven circle, but I planned to miss many more in my life with Diarmuid. Who knew where our adventures would take us? And right now he needed me. I had to go to him.

Darkness closed in around me as I crept through the woods, following my familiar landmarks to the road. I started on my way, wending over a rise. Glancing up, I saw a girl my own age approaching.

Swanlike neck. Flaxen hair.

Siobhan MacMahon.

I was gripped by hatred for hera"everything about her, from her sun-kissed hair to her long, graceful neck. But as she caught sight of me, I realized that perhaps I was being unfair. Perhaps, in Diarmuidas troubles, he had sent her to come for me. Perhaps she was the messenger of my love. I stepped toward her, eager for news.

aHark!a I called out to her. aHave you come in search of me, Rose MacEwan?a aAye.a She drew close, a sourness pinching her mouth. aI have come in search of Diarmuidas harlot.a I felt stung.

aI have just come from him, the poor lad,a she said. aHe was about to ruin his life by running off with a woman who could satisfy only his base desires. A Wodebayne! Such foolishness. I stopped him in the nick of time.a aHow did you stop him?a I asked, afraid of the harm she might have done to him. aDid you hurt him?a a aTwas not necessary. I needed only to sate his desires to remind him of his attraction to me. Heas fine. Sleeping like a babe, if you must know.a I felt my hands clenching into fists at the implications. Had she lain with him? I could not believe it to be true. He had sworn to be my first and last love and I his. aI donat believe you,a I said. aI do not believe a word you are saying.a aAye, but then, you Wodebaynes arenat bright, are you? Thatas what I told him. Why throw away a beautiful life with me so that you can waste away with a savage, uneducated Wodebayne?a aPerhaps he does not want to be counted among warmongers like the Vykrothes?a I jabbed.

She c.o.c.ked her head, as if weary. aHe is perfectly fine with my clan. Thatas part of his problem. Diarmuid gets on with everyone. At least, every la.s.s. I guess you might call it the charm of the Leapvaughns. They do like to trick us. You are not his first little mistake, you know. He has had others before you.a She folded her arms contentedly. aBut he always comes back to me.a A mistake? A trick? Her words darted through the air like arrows. I sized her up. If I were to battle her, I felt, I would win, and the temptation to cast her to the ground was irresistible.

aHow dare you!a I seethed, reaching for her arm.

Siobhan stepped away, avoiding me. aTake heed.a She smiled like a cat who has fallen but landed on her feet. aYou cannot fight the forces at work here. He and I were promised by our parents long ago. aTwas a plan to unite the Vykrothes and Leapvaughns. And although my Diarmuid has strayed with the likes of you, he always comes back to me.a Her pale gray eyes were full of spite. aHe loves me. You are just a pa.s.sing fancy.a aSo you say,a I said tartly, though I felt my strength washing away in the rising tide of doubt. I stood there, trying to fight the feelings that swept through me at the implication that Diarmuid had lain with another, perhaps many others. Oh, G.o.ddess! I wanted to fall to the ground and sob but wouldnat give Siobhan the satisfaction of witnessing my fully blossomed pain.

Would he betray me?

Would he lie with another?

Oh, Diarmuid.

aIave come here not to fight with you, but to give you a warning,a Siobhan went on. aI know of your silly magick and your Wodebayne tendency to turn to the dark forces.a She reached into her pocket and took out a small object. She held it up to the moon, then tossed it to my feet.

The rose stone! How had she come to have it?

aIt is worthless now,a she said. aI saw to that.a The small stone looked dim and gray in the dust of the road. I felt too startled to pick it up or respond.

aStay away from Diarmuid, or you will regret it for as long as you live.a With that, Siobhan turned away and marched off toward Lillipool.

I stared after her in utter shock. Ordering me away from my love? Crossing my magick charm! Defying the G.o.ddess! Malice rose within me, churning, burning. The urge to shoot dealan-d at her made my hands twitch. I lifted my hand.

But she turned back with a scowl.

I held the fire within me, held on to the desire to blast her in the face. aYou havenat seen the end of me!a I shouted. aYou will not have Diarmuid, and you will pay for foiling our plans.a Siobhan laughed. It was a cruel, cold sound that seemed to dance on the summer breeze. She was still laughing when she turned away and strode off. Even from behind, her long neck and pale beauty were regal and comely. I wished she would shape-shift into a fat swan and fly away!

There in the center of the road, I stretched my arms out to the G.o.ddess and lifted my face to the sky. I was so frustrated! Why did I keep losing my love at every turn? Despite Diarmuidas weaknesses, I knew the G.o.ddess intended us to be together. I knew he was destined to be a father to the child in my womb.

The moon above me was ringed with a watery haloa"a sign of disruption. As I watched, it moved like a ring of oil, snaking in and out. A ring of madness. It made me wary. Nothing in the air tonight was reliable. It was a moon of illusions and interruptions. I half expected the ground beneath my feet to buckle and give way, dropping me deep into an earthly grave.

Oh, what was I doing, suffering hysterics here in the middle of the road, where murderers, thieves, and disapproving Christians could come along at any second? Overwhelmed, I moved off the road to hide behind some bushes, pressed my palms to my face, and began to cry. It was too much to beara"losing my love again! And it hurt all the more now that he knew of our child. He was not just turning against me: he was rejecting the tiny babe in my womb!

I was on my knees, sobbing, when I sensed another blood witch in the brush behind me. I turned and stared into the darkness, using my magesight. Aislinn, the young witch from Sleas coven, was closing in on a rabbit. She leaped into a patch of watery moonlight, trying to catch it, but the animal slipped away at the last second.

She was probably on her way home from the Lughna.s.sadh circle, but what was she doing trying to catch a rabbit? aAislinn?a I called through my tears. aWhat are you doing?a Could she be trying to capture a creature to spill its blood in a dark spell?

aOh, just having a game with the creature,a Aislinn said, closing the distance between us. Her mouth twitched a bit, making me wonder if my suspicions were correct. aWhat say you, Rose? Your ma said you were ill, but here, collapsed along the road?a She hurried over and helped me to my feet. aCan you walk?a aI think so,a I said, athough I have nowhere to go now that...a A new wave of hysteria came over me, and I choked on my words.

Aislinn patted my back. aCome now, Rose. Iave never seen you in such a state. We must sit.a She led me to a fallen log, where we sat amid the fireflies. aWe missed you at the circle tonight, and I know your ma was worried, though she made your excuses, claiming that your sickness had arisen once again. I sense that it is not sickness that kept you away, but some other distressing matter.a As she talked, I dried my eyes with the hem of my summer skirt. When she pushed back her red hair, I noticed that she had inscribed runes of plant dye on her forehead as part of her devotion to the Sun G.o.d. I gasped. It was typical Aislinn, but Reverend Winthrop of the village would have her hanged for the pagan practice if he saw the markings. It seemed as though she were risking her life to flaunt her devotion to the G.o.ddess. Aislinn had always been a rebel, and I found much of her behavior shocking. I was not sure that I could trust her, but she was a member of my coven, and at the moment I had so few choices.

aYou have guessed right,a I told her. aIt seems I am caught in a terrible love triangle, and I have spent the evening grappling with a vicious Vykrothe girl who intends to steal my love away!a Her face was awash with moonlight and interest, so I told her of my sorrows. Of my love for Diarmuid despite our clan differences. Of his intentions to run away with me. Of Siobhanas interference. I managed to exclude mention of my baby, not wanting to give Aislinn more than her share of sordid details. And it seemed that her ardor was fired by the situation alone.

aYet another example of the other clans conspiring against us!a she railed. aOh, you poor girl! To be the victim of their hatred.a I felt new tears slip down my cheeks at her words. At the moment I didnat care so much about the hatred among the clans, I just wanted Diarmuid back.

aI donat blame you for crying,a Aislinn said. Her red hair fell over one cheek like a thick veil as she leaned toward me. aItas a heavy burden upon your shoulders now, made all the worse by the fact that your ma doesnat understand at all. She keeps telling Wodebayne folks to lie down while the other clans trample over us!a I sniffed, surprised that Aislinn understood how difficult it was to be the daughter of a high priestess, especially one with such strong views. Although the Wodebaynes had endured bigotry throughout my life, my mother had never wavered from her position of peace among the clans. I wondered about Ma now. She would be annoyed at my disappearance. But her true fury would pour out when she learned of my love for a boy from another clan and of my pregnancy.