Forth From Ty Rhiannon

Mae was seated on a horse just outside of the middle of a sunlit clearing. She felt the warmth of the sun wash over her and touch her. There was a fulness, an indescribable warmth, in her chest that lifted her up, up out of the saddle to where she felt suspended in a glowing all. She could still feel the horse, though she could not tell where she ended and the horse began.

Horses are cool

“And Rhiannon went with Manawydan with joy. The sun shone brightly on that day. Forest and glade echoed with gladness…” she heard the chant intoned. “And Rhiannon went with joy,” she sang out.

As she sang out, a shaft of sunlight burst forth from the heavens and illuminated a collection of breads and meats, vases and flowers, as well as some intricately woven rugs sitting in the middle of the clearing. The light grew brighter still and the items burst into flame that roared up high above the treetops.

“Well done, my niece!” laughed Gwenhwyfars. “The Goddess is very pleased with you. And so am I!” the High Priestess continued. “It seems that the time of departure has arrived for my sister and all of you.”

Immolation done right

Mae patted her horse’s neck. Yes, she felt it was time as well. She quickly found her mother and Rae to discuss this final Scrutiny. While they were told never to reveal what they experienced to the uninitiated, they were free to talk amongst themselves and share their stories with each other. Both had similar experiences although they had to admit that the immolation was neither as quick or dramatic as what Mae experienced. In fact, everyone noted the incredible conflagration that arose from Mae’s glen.

The evening gathering passed quickly in song and festivities. Katrin showed up a bit late again. This time, though, it was with the Irishman and both looking a little sheepish as they joined the group. The songs of departing were sung as the fires died down sometime a bit before sunrise. Kymeth and the family slept a few hours in the circle of their horses and then mounted and headed north out from Ty Rhiannon.

Shortly after getting on the road, they came to a pass through the hills to the west that led them out of the Bryniau Rhiannon and north of the Plains of Usk. This was the Boundary where the world of men met the world of elves. These watchers in the woods were very protective of their forests which were fortunately thicker and more carefully protected even further to the north. This was once a wild area where ogres kept vigils and had been thrust out by the coming of Man. The elves kept their boundaries unchanged. Further to the West lay the Wild Mountains, abandoned by men and elves alike. The flying things were known to raid the outlying farms and hamlets. At least, the dwellings of men were so afflicted. As to the elves, no one knew for sure, but it seemed they had taught That Which Was Wild to stay far away from elven bows.

When you think of road...

Murphy was riding in the lead with Kymeth and commenting on how even the wild places seemed so much more hospitable here than in his homeland when three curiously small children appeared off to the right of the group, just outside the woodline some 20 meters to the north of the road. They were waving their hands and motioning for everyone to come over. From the look of it, they wanted everyone to come quickly! All anyone heard was a high-pitched tinkling sound, like glasses clinking, or maybe coins falling. “That’d be the call of the elves. Pixies are tricksters and annoying, perhaps, but usually mostly harmless. Mostly so, anyway.” 

Mostly harmless

As they stopped to consider the pixie pleas, the small creatures took to flight and now disappeared into the woods. And immediately one popped back out to again signal the need for help.

After a brief discussion, it was agreed that Katrin, Murphy, and Jon would stay with the horses while the rest of the group would follow the pixies and see what urgency had befallen them. They would keep a keen ear out for each other and not get too far apart lest the groups become lost to each other or not be able to render mutual aid.

Kymeth, Mae, Rae, and Ama walked into the woods with bows and staves at the ready. The pixies urged them on with one at a time pushing whoever happened to be in the back so they would move just that much faster. As they walked a bit, they heard bleating and grunting that grew louder as they made it to the edge of a clearing. Just beyond the wood line they saw two of the largest elk they had ever seen… with antlers locked together, laying in a tumbled heap. Their breathing was shallow and rapid, and each bleat became just a little weaker. “Mam, they are exhausted and frightened! I think they are dying!” Ama cried. “Yes, such is the way of bulls in rut,” said her mother. “They are lucky the pixies found us. Ama, tell them we mean to help them. We don’t want them thrashing about while we work their antlers apart.”

The pixies formed a flying gallery, hanging on every motion and every sound from the unfolding drama. Kymeth directed the younger women and Ama sang soothingly to the elk. Mae and Rae approached with shillelagh and the elk attempted to rise but quickly fell back. “They have no strength left. I hope we are not too late,” gasped Ama. Mae and Rae applied the levers and with a quick, deftly applied heave, the two elk were freed! They did not even attempt to rise but laid where they had fallen and were very still. Their breathing began to grow more ragged.

Terrifying up close!

Ama sank to her knees and began to cry. Rae sobbed openly. Kymeth stood silently, looking at the scene with eyes heavy with past losses. Mae surveyed with steely eyes. “Look! Who approaches?”

Fashion Dryad  

An unnaturally thin woman with white, unblinking eyes and skin the color of midsummer oak leaves, clad in the very same leaves, with impossibly golden hair interwoven with leaves stepped directly from a large oak tree and walked towards them. Her gaze was fixed on the two elk and the humans all parted at her approach. She stood over the dying animals and spread her arms out wide, lifted her head to the sky and began a song that was only ever after remembered as the most perfect high-pitched keening ever heard by human ears. While she was keening, leaves fell from her and changed from green to gold and red as they landed on
the elk. As they landed, the elk’s breathing normalized and, in a few moments, they were both standing. Both elk walked up to the green goddess slowly and bowed before her. She touched each of their heads and bid them leave. One bounded away immediately. The other one, however, approached Ama and nuzzled her. The pixies each took turns hugging each of the humans in turn. It is hard to know how long the celebration might have continued were it not for the screams coming from through the woods where the horses were. 

And where Katrin, Murphy, and Jon were…