Ceremony in Nglas

 

June 13,. 2003

Nglas is a land of trees and flowers and small villages and shops.  A postcard image of a medieval agrarian society.  What isn't grown here is imported through the gateway from the lands of the Earth. 

Normally it's protocol to journey to a sacred spot in order to be invested with a new rank in Magh Ildathach but since today is an unusually busy day for me everyone has decided to come to my home in Nglas.

Every house keeps a wind door open for guests who ride the winds (imagine it as a small class encased vestibule that usually replaces a conventional window in the living room.  It is closed to the outside and has a door that keeps accidental intruders out from the inside.  Rosmerta of course arrived that way but Loinnear and Ròs chose to arrive through conventional means (by carriage).  Nimue (my aunt) also chose to arrive riding the wind.  Evangeline quickly had everyone settled with tea and scones and I found myself staring at the four of them, more nervously than I expected.

I decided it was best to begin the conversation by throwing myself on their mercy.  "I apologize for the rapidness of this affair.  I'm honored by your presence and appreciate you willingness to do this on such short notice."

Ròs spoke first.  "Actually its no problem, we've been prepared to do this since last November."

"Why November?" 

Loinnear answered.  "Faldeirfiur is a rank that is reserved for those who are of, shall we say, of an age and who have done something out of the ordinary.  We were just looking for the right time to reward you for your work in documenting the practices of Draiochtgé."

Rosmerta fixed me with a regale stare before I had a chance to respond to Loinnear's comment.  "So you've chosen to have Dubh present you as their nomination, have you?  You know if it were possible we would have done the same."

I've got a fine enough tuned ear to catch that there are multiple shades of meaning in her statement.  After all one of the tricks of the other world is the challenge.  Even if everyone knows the same thing there is still the process of challenge for knowledge of what has remained unsaid. I mentally cross my fingers and hope I'm picking up on the right topic.

 "Lady, I would have been honored to have been presented by Nglas but for the sake of appearances it needs to be Dubh.  Even here in the other world we strive to show that things are equal and you know that Dubh almost always sends men as their candidates.  They need to send a woman.  Also you know that it is only a fiction that we operate as a representative democracy.  Ninety percent of the council claim master level status from more than one wind and no one can answer the question and be limited in either their perspective or their interests."

She nodded.  "You understand we don't keep this from the people for any other purpose than to ensure that we get a steady stream of good candidates.  Our process works extremely well to stop most lovers of power from ever even reaching a point were we might consider them."

"So what do we do now?"

"Hand you your leaf, have a cup of this wonderful tea that Evangeline has prepared and then go on about our business.  You still have to pay a call on Irfind today."

Ròs seemed a little surprised at the bluntness of Rosmerta's statement but Loinnear simply gave me a little smile that said everything is all right.

"I'd be happy to accept my leaf, my lady, if you judge me worthy to receive it. "  When Rosemerta signaled her acceptance by a slight nod, Loinnear approached me with the leaf. I stood, she pinned the leaf to my blouse and then as she kissed me on both cheeks she whispered into my ear that they had more planned for me later, when the time was right.

Ròs also came over, kissed me and bid me welcome to the ranks of Faldeirfiur. 

Rosmerta continued to sip her tea until Ròs was done and then she rose.  "I think we're done here.  You do understand don't you that it won't be Dubh that presents you.  It will be Athena. I'm concerned that you aren't acknowledging it. No one land can claim you exclusively as theirs for the reasons you've said but in your case it is primarily because you are and always have been in her keeping and she never gives up her own."

Of all the things she could have said to me this one is the least expected.  I wanted to make sure that I was honoring Athena but I certainly felt that I had officially retired from her service.

"Are you saying my retirement was an illusion?"  I challenged. 

Rosmerta laughed.  "Yes and no.  You retired from active duty but not from her service.  You knew this a year ago and yet still you refuse to see. 

Wind, be the voice that I may hear, 
in a gentle breeze that stirs the leaves in my garden
Or in the rolling thunder that cuts through the midnight sky

Tree, be the anchor of my life
Send your roots deep into the core of mother earth
Send your branches high into the heart of father sky

 

The picture is by Dawna Barton a very talented artist whose work
I have prominently displayed in my home