followed. She peered at me in disorientation, her eyes now focused on my face, her expression one of confusion and vague recognition. “You are familiar to me.”
I was about to answer that I was a Priestess from the temple, one of the most powerful ever known… but then, for some reason, I changed my mind.
“I was born in this village many years ago. My mother’s name was Liadan, and my name is Caoilinn.” It felt strange to say my given name out loud, so few people had ever heard it. The woman relaxed though and nodded slightly.
“I remember your mother, she was a good woman. I forgot she gave a babe up to the temple. Thank you for coming, Caoilinn.”
“It is my duty but I am glad I came,” I quietly answered surprised and a little unnerved by the sudden sense of kinship radiating out from the woman towards me.
I began working on the woman as fast and thoroughly as I was able to. I tried everything I could possibly think of, combining my natural skill and ability with my temple training in a way that I had never attempted before. I chanted and prayed, I blessed her, I performed spells and incantations, I drew designs over her body and belly, I strained with all of my power, with the whole essence of my being to save her. But no matter how strongly I wanted for her to survive, it was all to no avail. She was dying.
Eventually I sent for the midwife. I let the boy and his sisters know that we were about to deliver the child and that though it may survive, their mother would not live for long afterwards. It was the woman’s choice and they all accepted it. The young man was the only one brave enough to respond; he whispered his thanks through his tears.
It was not long after that I watched the midwife deliver the baby boy. It was the first birth I had ever witnessed and I found myself awed and nearly brought to tears by the beauty of it. I had seen many amazing and miraculous things in my young life but it was all nothing in comparison to this. As I saw the pure joy and love on the mother’s face as she took the small, crying babe into her arms, I realized how sheltered my life in the temple had been. My heart tore open even wider as I felt the loss of my own mother, my own family, my life. The pain hit me hard as I seemed to really feel it for the first time. But I had little time to wonder over this miracle of life that I had witnessed, now all of my energy and power had to be focused on the mother.
“I can only hold her here for a little while longer.” I forced the words out between my clenched teeth. The mother didn’t appear to hear me, completely at peace and captivated by her new baby, held weakly in her arms. The midwife reacted immediately.
“I’ll send the girls in to say their goodbyes,” she muttered, head down and shoulders hunched as she scuttled around me.
“No,” the mother immediately objected in that surprisingly clear and firm voice. “I know I don’t have long. Please, ask my Seamus to come.”
The midwife nodded in understanding and disappeared outside. Only seconds after the door had closed behind her it burst open again and Seamus, the dark-haired young man who had first brought me to his mother’s aid, reappeared. He rushed over to kneel before his mother’s bedside, his eyes barely taking in my presence or acknowledging me.
“My sweet Seamus. I want you to meet your brother, Gradaigh Mathuin. You must take Grady from me now for he grows too heavy for my arms to hold any longer. Please ask your sister, Emer, to care for him and raise him alongside her dear Braonan. She has enough milk for two,” the woman instructed, the strength behind her words rapidly fading.
Seamus nodded silently, carefully lifting the tiny baby from his mother’s arms and cradling him tenderly in his own. I looked away as I saw a single tear trickle down his cheek.
“I love you with my whole heart, Seamus. You’re so like your father – patient, strong, so kind. I only wish I had lived
I was about to answer that I was a Priestess from the temple, one of the most powerful ever known… but then, for some reason, I changed my mind.
“I was born in this village many years ago. My mother’s name was Liadan, and my name is Caoilinn.” It felt strange to say my given name out loud, so few people had ever heard it. The woman relaxed though and nodded slightly.
“I remember your mother, she was a good woman. I forgot she gave a babe up to the temple. Thank you for coming, Caoilinn.”
“It is my duty but I am glad I came,” I quietly answered surprised and a little unnerved by the sudden sense of kinship radiating out from the woman towards me.
I began working on the woman as fast and thoroughly as I was able to. I tried everything I could possibly think of, combining my natural skill and ability with my temple training in a way that I had never attempted before. I chanted and prayed, I blessed her, I performed spells and incantations, I drew designs over her body and belly, I strained with all of my power, with the whole essence of my being to save her. But no matter how strongly I wanted for her to survive, it was all to no avail. She was dying.
Eventually I sent for the midwife. I let the boy and his sisters know that we were about to deliver the child and that though it may survive, their mother would not live for long afterwards. It was the woman’s choice and they all accepted it. The young man was the only one brave enough to respond; he whispered his thanks through his tears.
It was not long after that I watched the midwife deliver the baby boy. It was the first birth I had ever witnessed and I found myself awed and nearly brought to tears by the beauty of it. I had seen many amazing and miraculous things in my young life but it was all nothing in comparison to this. As I saw the pure joy and love on the mother’s face as she took the small, crying babe into her arms, I realized how sheltered my life in the temple had been. My heart tore open even wider as I felt the loss of my own mother, my own family, my life. The pain hit me hard as I seemed to really feel it for the first time. But I had little time to wonder over this miracle of life that I had witnessed, now all of my energy and power had to be focused on the mother.
“I can only hold her here for a little while longer.” I forced the words out between my clenched teeth. The mother didn’t appear to hear me, completely at peace and captivated by her new baby, held weakly in her arms. The midwife reacted immediately.
“I’ll send the girls in to say their goodbyes,” she muttered, head down and shoulders hunched as she scuttled around me.
“No,” the mother immediately objected in that surprisingly clear and firm voice. “I know I don’t have long. Please, ask my Seamus to come.”
The midwife nodded in understanding and disappeared outside. Only seconds after the door had closed behind her it burst open again and Seamus, the dark-haired young man who had first brought me to his mother’s aid, reappeared. He rushed over to kneel before his mother’s bedside, his eyes barely taking in my presence or acknowledging me.
“My sweet Seamus. I want you to meet your brother, Gradaigh Mathuin. You must take Grady from me now for he grows too heavy for my arms to hold any longer. Please ask your sister, Emer, to care for him and raise him alongside her dear Braonan. She has enough milk for two,” the woman instructed, the strength behind her words rapidly fading.
Seamus nodded silently, carefully lifting the tiny baby from his mother’s arms and cradling him tenderly in his own. I looked away as I saw a single tear trickle down his cheek.
“I love you with my whole heart, Seamus. You’re so like your father – patient, strong, so kind. I only wish I had lived
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