Aela Read online

  So for the next few hours, Brude spent time in the small temple preparing for the occasion. He was determined that this ceremony was going to be bigger and better than the previous year. He and his assistants spent a lot of time preparing the people for this grand spectacle. He knew having an impressive display would raise his standing even higher amongst the community and he hoped by so doing he would have better control over them.

  The sound of the drums began to beat slowly and softly inside the small temple, letting the people know that the ceremony was about to begin. Every man, woman and child started to walk towards the entrance of the small temple, waiting for Brude, the High Priest to come out of the entrance. A lot of time and energy had been taken up, with each person wearing their best attire, trousers and tunics for men and long dresses for the women. It was also considered prestigious to wear earrings, necklaces, amulets, and ornamental belts.

  Each person belonged to a particular clan, either the Battle Axe or the Dagger. The Battle Axe Clan took the emblem of the oak leaf and the Dagger Clan’s symbol was the elm leaf. Each clan had a head person, sometimes male and sometimes female, depending upon who was elected by the group.

  Whenever a couple formed an alliance together, they had by law, to choose their partner from the other clan group. For example, nobody in the Battle Axe clan could partner another Battle Axe clan member, whether male or female. They had to choose someone from the Dagger clan. Aela knew this law and she was very happy to know that Rom was a member of the Dagger clan and she belonged to the Battle Axe clan. So there would not be any problem for them to be joined in union together sometime in the distant future.

  Gradually the sound from the drums began to beat, to let the people know that it wouldn’t be long before Brude would be appearing in the doorway. He would then commence the ceremony by signalling to the people to start walking in a procession formation towards the Temple of the Moon.

  Brude stepped slowly out of the temple, splendidly dressed in a long robe bordered with blue and white geometric patterns. On top of his head he wore a crescent-shaped head piece, intricately designed. Grasped in his right hand, was a shiny long wooden staff, which at the top was decorated with blue and white tassels, that hung down on either side of the staff. Above these tassels was an image of a blue and white crescent moon. He paused at the entrance of the temple and looked down at the people below him, slowly and deliberately moved his head from left to right and by these actions he was conveying power and majesty towards everyone.

  He could see he was impressing the crowd and they were looking towards him with deep reverence and respect. This pleased Brude, as it made him feel powerful and all important, and gave him a sense of omnipotence. He began to think that he was very special confirming the fact that he had extra super-natural powers and thus he could convey the feelings of awe and fear to the people generally.

  Brude raised the staff above his head, as the drums began to beat louder and louder. With one swift movement of his head he began to majestically walk down the hill, with his fellow priests marching a few steps behind him, each carrying a sacred symbol at the top of their staffs. Towards the west, the sun began to set on the horizon, the shadows of the forest trees lengthened and the sound of the birds in the trees were stilled. The slanting rays of the sun cast an eerie light across the sky, giving warning of the arrival of the approaching night.

  The torch bearers formed a line on either side of the long procession. The flute players began their lilting tunes and the harpists started playing in harmony with both the drums and the flutes. Then, with a sweeping movement of his hand above his head, Brude gave the signal for the priests to chant the magic words, acclaiming the beauty and the power of Athunor, the Goddess of the Moon.

  Following behind the priests were a number of young women specially chosen for their grace and beauty, and they started dancing to the rhythm of the music. These dancers symbolised Athunor, displaying graceful arm movements, as they slowly pirouetted around each other creating a flashing pattern of blue and white, the same colours on their long gowns. The atmosphere became electric and exciting, as the procession continued down the pathway towards the main Sacred Temple.

  All along the Sacred Way were tall granite stones of varying shapes and sizes, that previous generations of people had transported and placed along the road. Everyone believed that living in each stone was a mystical spirit of the forest. If you touched the stone in a certain way, you could feel the movement and pulse of the genie within. At times when a member of a family had become ill, or involved in an accident, a member of that particular family group or clan would come along and whisper sacred words to each stone, carefully touching the granite surface, asking the spirit within, to assist towards the recovery of the sick or injured person.

  Rom took his position up with all the other warriors, dressed in his best combat gear and proudly holding his bronze shield in his left hand, and a long spear in his right. Then behind the warriors, walked the members of the various clan groups and then children followed behind the adults. They skipped and sang the chants that they heard their parents repeating during other ceremonies. Some of the young boys were holding miniature spears and shields which their fathers had made for them out of wood. Then a small group of stragglers came at the end of the procession who were considered the outcasts of the community. They did not get on with their families or did not belong to a clan group for various reasons and they struggled to somehow survive in the community.

  This sacred pathway was situated beside a small brook of water which wound its way for half a mile through low lying hills.

  The procession was slow, but everyone moved in a stately and dignified manner as each person wanted to show Athunor, their Goddess of the Moon, how strong and graceful they were in their adoration and awe of her. Already waiting at the entrance to the main temple was a large group of people who were carrying on their shoulders containers of meat, berries and other wild fruit, that had been collected by them over the past few days. After the main ceremony there would also be the eating of the food by everyone right down to the last small child.

  Brude began to chant the sacred words, that only he could verbalise, as he was the High Priest. Slowly the procession came closer and closer towards the main temple. Inside the round, stone structure, there were many bronze lamps burning animal fat. These lamps were attached to the wooden frames arranged along the stone wall. The lamps added to the general atmosphere, letting off a strong and pungent aroma, which pervaded everywhere.

  Directly situated in one wall, was a long triangular opening which enabled people to look through towards the luminous full moon. This shining orb slowly came into sight and illuminated the scene in the middle of the temple where there were three long bronze swords. It was thought that these bronze swords, which were suspended from the ceiling of the temple, had magical powers and nobody was allowed to touch them. Only Brude and a couple of his assistants could place their hands on the blades of the swords.

  Brude stood directly in front of the swords looking towards the moon through the main aperture, and holding his hand up in supplication, continued chanting the holy, sacred words. Directly behind him were the three long bronze swords which gave off a mysterious glow in the lamp light. Slowly the temple began to fill with the priests, musicians, warriors and the rest of the general population.

  The atmosphere was intense with everyone feeling very excited and generally exilerated by the whole situation. Each one was chanting their own personal mantra that had been bestowed upon them when they had become initiated as adults and accepted fully into their clans. Rom was looking out for Aela, as he knew that she was with the other young women dancing in the procession, who would finally enter the Temple, forming a circle around the Swords.

  Brude lifted his hand and everyone fell silent in an instant. He then stepped forward and was given a bronze, ornamental bowl which he raised above his head. Inside the bowl were strong smelling herbs and as Brude s
lowly moved the bowl from side to side, the smell of the herbs punctuated the air. Just at that moment the moon could be clearly seen through the aperture and he again began to rhythmically chant ‘Athunor, Athunor, Goddess of the Moon. All powerful one! Grace us with your presence so that we all can receive some of your power and wisdom!’

  The priests and people generally, repeated Brude’s words imploring Athunor to provide them with a good harvest, plentiful hunting, a healthy life, many children and happiness. The sick and infirm asked Athunor to miraculously make them well again. The old asked to be youthful and fit and the young women wished that Athunor would look favourably on the young man they wished to be romantically united.

  With a quick movement of his hand, Brude indicated for the drums, flutes and harps to start playing melodiously again, as he continued to chant. Once the incense had burnt in the bowl, Brude walked slowly back towards a raised platform and placed the container on it.

  Then young women came forward and started rhythmically to beat their feet on the ground and circle in pairs. The steps became faster and faster with the frenzy of the music as the sound of the drums became louder and louder. The dancers reached a gripping crescendo, swirling in intricate patterns around each other with their eyes glistening in the torchlight and sweat poring from their faces and bodies. Brude made another quick gesture with his hand, and the music abruptly ceased.

  Then a procession of brightly dressed women came into the Temple carrying food in bronze bowls, either on their heads or held in their arms. This food was laid out in front of Brude and he blessed the offerings of the repast, and indicated to each leader of the clan to come forward and to partake by eating of a portion of the food that was set before them.

  Throughout the evening there was much drinking and feasting among the people until the sun peeped over the horizon spreading, its luminous rays everywhere as a huge molten red golden disk rose once more slowly climbing towards the heavens. Then the people began to walk slowly back along the sacred pathway to their huts and compounds. As the new day was now dawning, they would be required to go about their working activities for another day.

  All throughout the ceremony, Aela was looking out to see, where Rom was in the procession. Much to Rom’s annoyance, he could not stop thinking about the beauty of Aela. Her deep blue eyes flashing with laughter and mystery and something even more alluring were the hidden pools of passion and heaven within those sparkling orbs. He remembered the subtle smell of her body, the curve of her breasts, softly rising and falling to the beat of her heart, beneath the blue-silver gown she was wearing. The strand of long blonde, glistening hair swinging enticingly across her soft oval shaped face, as she elegantly raised her arms towards, Athunor, Goddess of the Moon.

  More passionate thoughts flitted across his mind, before he suddenly became aware that Brude was intently staring in his direction, as he had turned around to face the crowd. There was something in this look and action that made Rom shudder within himself. All his instincts for survival were aroused. he knew he must leave now, this moment or he would be dead by next sunset.

  With one swift turn on his heels, he strode purposely along the pathway towards the thick dark trees on the edge of the clearing, into the brooding, sombre primeval forest. He could hear his heart beating quickly within his chest, knowing he could not turn around, but must continue forward to find the Sacred Sword for himself before returning home once more.

  Rom’s actions were equally watched by Aela from a distance. She was furious he had left without her! ‘How dare Rom leave without me,’ Aela muttered.

  She was angry, as this did not fit into her plan of being with Rom. In her mind, she had thought that all she needed to do was flash a brilliant smile, dropping her head and letting some of her blonde hair fall over her face. She felt that Rom couldn’t resist this request and would be only too happy for her to accompany him.

  Suddenly, she started to run after Rom as she saw his figure disappearing into the forest. ‘I’ll show him! I’ll follow him for a few miles and then show myself to him. He will have to agree for me to continue the journey with him, as I can’t go back along the dark primal pathway alone and I will have to go with him on his quest.’ She then started to laugh. ‘I’ll beat him at his own game.’

  So with very light and swift footsteps she ran along the pathway. Aela at first, was very pleased with herself, as she skipped merrily along the path but as the sunlight disappeared from above, she was swallowed up by the sombre gloom of the tall trees and she felt very uneasy within herself. She thought she heard a sudden movement on her left hand side and then another strange sound above in a branch of the gnarled, ancient oak tree directly in front of her. To make matters worse, the path abruptly disappeared at the foot of this mighty tree.

  The branches were thickly covered with leaves obscuring the moss covered trunk and whatever else was lurking within the thick foliage. She sensed there was something there watching her every movement, waiting for a chance to leap wildly at her throat if she looked away. Aela heard her heart pounding against her chest as if to burst and there was a throbbing noise in her ears. Panic thoughts surged through her mind, she wanted to scream, but her throat was dry with fear. ‘What am I going to do? Where can I escape to? I do not want to die!’

  Then a low, deep masculine voice shouted, ‘What the hell are you doing here?’

  The thick foliage was torn apart and out leapt Rom, with his spear pointing at her heart, ready to plunge the weapon in, with all his mighty strength. His eyes were blazing red, his nostrils flaring and he was rapidly panting, with his legs astride, ready to spring on his prey.

  Aela quickly drew back, feeling very afraid. Her thoughts were racing, Is he going to kill me now? This was not the kind, gentle Rom she had known, but a raging, wild animal searching for prey.

  Rom instantly read her thoughts, and with one arm, he withdrew his spear to his side, simultaneously flashing a brilliant, friendly smile. ‘Do not be afraid of me. I won’t harm you, Aela. You gave me such a fright. I thought you were a wild bear about to leap at me, for the kill.’

  Upon hearing his explanation, Aela burst into tears of relief. ‘I was so frightened that you would run your spear through my heart.’ Aela went on sobbing, hardly catching her breath between each loud wail.

  It was now Rom’s turn to feel very uncomfortable. This was not the impression he wanted to make on Aela, whom he adored with all his might. Somehow Aela read his thoughts of uneasiness and instinctively knew she had an advantage. She very sweetly replied, ‘I know you will always look after me, Rom. I always feel so safe when you are near me.’ She carefully lifted her head, looking so innocent and demure, widening her large, sapphire blue eyes as she peeked through her luxuriant gleaming blonde hair. Rom immediately rose to her plea, ‘I will always protect you, Aela.’

  ‘Well, Rom, I want to go with you in your quest for the Sacred Sword.’

  There was a moment’s silence, with both staring at the other, as the words hung between the two. Aela broke the stalemate by saying, ‘Please let me come with you. I will be such a help to you.’

  ‘How?’ demanded Rom. ‘You do not know how to throw a spear, or run an enemy through with a sword.’

  Not to be outdone, Aela exclaimed, ‘I can use a spear and a sword. I was taught by my father before he died.’

  Rom was unimpressed, but could not think of a quick reply. Suddenly, voices were heard from a distance somewhere behind them. That settled the matter, so with a quick movement of his hand he indicated to Aela to follow him and at the same time he placed his index finger to his lips, for her to be silent.

  Aela and Rom together walked quickly between the trees, as they rapidly moved through the forest. They travelled, one behind the other for some time before Aela could not stand the silence any longer. ‘Where are we going, Rom? I am tired and hungry. I want to rest.’

  Without further prompting, Aela collapsed on the ground, in a tired little heap. Rom reluct
antly turned around, resting with one arm on his spear. ‘We have to reach the lake before sunset, where we will be safe for the night.’

  ‘How far is the lake? I am too tired to walk much further,’ Aela crossly replied.

  ‘You can stay here if you like, but I am going on,’ said Rom. With one swift step he strode on through the dense foliage.

  Panic, quickly engulfed Aela and she leapt to her feet, speedily running after Rom. ‘Don’t leave me on my own!’ she shouted.

  They both continued to push their way through the trees for sometime, then suddenly they simultaneously they found themselves together, emerging into the bright warm sunshine. In front of them was the clear waters of a large lake, surrounded by a dense, dark primal forest. Aela and Rom stood motionless, side by side, staring straight towards the lake, as if the deep, still water would unlock the mysteries lurking down below the watery surface.

  ‘This is not going to get us anywhere. We are wasting time. It will soon be dark and we must choose a safe camping place now,’ Rom muttered, half to himself as well as for Aela’s benefit to impress upon her that he was very much in charge of the situation.

  A loud animal roar was heard uncomfortably near at hand. They quickly looked at each other. Aela exclaimed, ‘It is a giant bear. We are going to be killed!’

  Rom angrily turned on her, ‘Stop making that noise. The bear will hear us, pick up our scent and come after us.’

  By now Rom was feeling very frustrated all round, wishing that Aela would disappear back into the forest, so that he could get on with his original quest for the Sacred Sword. Aela, sensing Rom’s displeasure of her, instantly calmed down. ‘I am so sorry, Rom for making such a fuss. I will do whatever you think is best.’

  Immediately Rom relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Come this way. We will shelter beneath this giant tree for a while.’

  It was not very long before Aela and Rom fell asleep, lying close to each other on the ground, as they were both completely exhausted from their recent physical exertions.