Now she has landed back in Ireland. The year is 2000. Throughout her lifetime as an immortal traveling through time, she has seen many atrocities and has helped many people. She saw her native land be broken up by religion and in turn make peace. Now she was at peace, practicing her own ways. The gods had let her rest in one time period. She had made a big house near Eavan's grave near the forest. His tombstone was in place. She always brought him some small flowers to pay respects.
Legends grew through the small village nearby that she was in fact the immortal who had helped Ireland through her worst times. They were right, but when she was asked if it was true she simply told them that she was a normal woman. She wanted to keep her life secret from the others. The small town was bustling with new people and visitors. At times they would come to see Eavan’s grave because it was now declared a historic monument. She always protected it from people who got too close or tried to take a piece of the tomb home with them.
* * * *
Branwyn now lives in a beautiful house the near the gravesite where her lover lies. She is practicing her archery when a group of tourists approach her house and go to the gravesite. She prepares herself for the people as she walks on by them. Among the group is a young man his early twenties. He has green eyes, a well-built body, and brown hair. He looks at the gravestone with interest and gets too close to the grave marker. Branwyn shoots an arrow at his feet and he looks up, not afraid but staring directly at her.
"Watch what you touch! Do not step to close to the marker, back off. This is sacred ground."
"I'm sorry, Miss. I just got very interested in the lettering on the marker. I assure you I meant no harm to it. You must watch this closely." He becomes increasingly intrigued as he speaks. He thinks—what if she is the one? Is he falling in love with an immortal? Could it be possible and what will happen if he exposes her secret?
"Yes, I do. I know all of your types. Stupid people. Interested in only material things." She looks straight at him. She notices something about him that reminds her of Eavan. She knows that her past is catching up with her again and that visions will soon follow. But she tries to put it out of her mind quickly as he stands up and introduces himself.
"Hi, my name is Eavan." He extends his hand towards her, but she walks away.
"Of course, another stupid American . . . All the same . . ." she says with a hatred. Branwyn wants to keep a focused mind, but she can’t control the vision flooding in on her.
He follows her and leaves the group. He walks through the beautiful lush forests. She fixes her bow and arrow and walks slowly, unaware that he is following her.
"The land is beautiful here," he says, trying to once more get her attention.
"That it is." She speaks tersely, walking away from him as quickly as she can.
"You must have lived here a long time. You practice the old ways?" he asks curiously, trying to get her to turn around and speak to him face to face. But she isn’t budging.
"Yes, my family has lived here for generations . . . Nothing you would understand," she lies, continuing to move faster. It is hard for him to keep up.
"Of course I have family; I understand. My family is from here. I came to learn of my heritage."
"Then you have much to learn. Look around you. The trees and the spirits around us tell us our true stories deep hidden inside ourselves." Branwyn speaks as she remembers all that the druids taught her. She has slowed down now. Seeing her pace shorten, he runs behind her and grabs her by her arm, swinging her around and facing her. Branwyn first notices his eyes. They are so calming. There is something about them.
Almost instantly, Eaven loves everything about her and yet he does not know her name. He thinks to himself that it is a shame he grew up in the States rather than Ireland or he could have met her a long time ago.
"What is your name?"
"My name is Branwyn."
"It's very beautiful. It's Celtic, is it not?"
"Yes, it is. Thank you. Please excuse me, I must attend to some things . . ."
"When can I see you again?" he asks eagerly, holding onto her hand. It seems all too magical and mysterious at the same time, yet Eavan senses this woman is what he needs.
Before he knows it, she disappears and he looks around, but cannot find her at all.
Branwyn has gone back to her home. She quickly goes to her room and lies back on her bed. It feels like her head is spinning. She is starting to remember things about Eavan. She cannot make sense of the memories all coming back to her--the flashes and visions of Eavan. The gods never told her what happened to Eavan’s soul. She assumes that he has reached heaven, but she needs to ask Cara what all these dreams mean. She then gets up and takes her weapons, going out of her home and to the forest where she walks into a circle of trees and sits on a rock.
"Cara, show yourself...I need to speak with you..."
Cara appears out of the trees and at first sits on another, bigger rock near her. She then smiles at Branwyn and goes up to her. They hug and then she returns to her perch on the rock.
"What is wrong, Branwyn?"
"Cara, I have been having dreams of Eavan. I thought they would stop by now... Why do his death and images haunt me still?"
"He was very special to you. The gods chose him from the start to fall in love with you.”
“Cara, why is it happening again now? Eavan is dead and I still live. I live to help others and I understand that now. My love for him is still strong but he is gone; many centuries and years have gone by. Why does he continue to have a hold on me?"
"He was the love of your life. Look around you, Branwyn. The love you seek is right in front of you."
"I do not understand. Aye, I never understand what you speak. Always in such riddles, Cara."
Smiling she disappears.
"You will understand. Follow your heart..."
Cara disappears as Eavan comes through the woods. Branwyn knows that he is following her, yet she doesn’t run, looking up at him as he speaks.
"With whom were you talking? There was no one there. Are you OK?"
"I am fine. It's none of your business who I was talking to. I am not crazy either, if that's what you're thinking."
"No, no. I am sorry. I did not mean that. Look, I just find you interesting and I heard that …"
"What?"
"Rumors are that you are an immortal who has lived for centuries, helping people. I saw the way you protected the grave."
"No, that's not true. It's merely a legend. I am sorry for yelling at you. It's just that I have had some rough times and--"
"It's all right. I understand," he says, looking to the ground.
"Your name is Evan, right?" she asks, trying to get him to look back up at her.
"Yeah."
Finally, they smile at each other. He comes up to her and they shake hands.
"Since you know of the old ways, will you teach them to me?"
She smiles, which only melts his heart even more. It was like he can feel her soul and he finds it beautiful.
"All right. You will have to follow me."
She brings him to her home. As soon as he comes into her home, he understands everything. He looks at her books and her beautiful large home. She has volumes of books on everything from the past of Ireland and Eire. The beautiful dome lights the way to the library and the hall leads to a lovely room where her collection of swords, battle armor and Celtic dress stand. He looks around closely. He knows now that she is an avid collector.
"You have a beautiful collection."
"Thank you. I love the past. You are welcome to stay here. It's best to stay away from the city if you intend to learn the old ways."
"I really appreciate what you are doing here. Your kindness will not be forgotten."
"See, you already sound like a true Celt."
They smile at each other as she brings him to his room--a guestroom that she has. But he doesn’t linger.
"All right. I will be back. I have t
o get back to the hotel and get my stuff."
"Very well, I will wait up. Be careful."
He leaves and walks down a hill to his rental car. He gets in and drives away. She then sits in her chair overlooking the beautiful landscape. She touches her necklace--the medallion that Eavan gave her. She smiles as she touches it and looks out towards the scenery.
Evan has now arrived in the hotel, where he grabs his things, flings them into a bag and then heads towards the check out.
He signs out and heads towards the countryside once more. As he drives towards Branwyn's home, he sees a group of people and thinks they need help, so he stops the car. He does not know that these men are robbers and thieves. They see him and attack him. Eavan tries to defend himself, but it is not enough against five men. Branwyn meanwhile sits back in her chair and senses something is wrong. It is very late and she knows he would have been back by then.
The proud warrior then gets up and grabs her sword. She goes searching into the night. The men are beating up on him. She jumps on all of them. She kicks and punches every single one of them. Eavan is on the ground, lying there. Branwyn then helps him up. He is bloody and she drags him back into his car. She gets into the driver's seat and drives back to her home, where she sits him down in the living room, leaving only long enough to return with a washcloth and a bowl of water. She begins to clean off his wounds. Outside, it begins to rain.
"Thank you. I did not know that they would do that," he says, touching his cuts and looking briefly at the blood. She continues to clean his wounds with a damp cloth that she frequently dips into a small wooden bowl.
"Well, that's lesson number two."
She laughs at her own joke.
"I will be sure to remember that."
"I am sorry for all the things I said earlier about Americans. As I said before … I wasn't myself."
"It's all right. I don't mind. So, you grew up here?"
"Aye, I did."
"The villagers claim that you are an immortal. Why?"
"That's a legend. In my family, many of us look alike."
"It is very interesting that the villagers still associate you with the legend of the woman called Branwyn who in battle against the Romans lost her lover. The Celtic gods chose her to become Immortal and she went throughout time. She helped many people."
"So you studied the story?"
"It was passed down in my family. I grew up in the States, but my grandfather told me the story when I was just a young kid. I never forgot that story. I came here to find the grave marker. Branwyn's young lover was my ancestor. I found out recently. That's the reason I got close to the grave marker. You came along and, well, you made me believe in the story. Why did you protect that grave marker?"
"I had to. It is a part of my heritage. It is just my instinct and my reflexes kick in. I cannot help it. I am sorry if I scared you off."
"No, no. You got my interest. That's why I followed you around."
"Ah, I see. I guess that's what gets many tourists interested in the story. It's a sad story about love. I guess many people fall for it."
"Yeah, I guess. I see that you are a collector. It's important to keep Eire's past alive."
"Yes, it is to me at least. While some remember it through legends and stories, I remember it for what it truly was. It was all about preserving our homeland."
"You are very smart. So you live here all alone? Do you get lonely?"
"Yeah, I do. I do get lonely, but I have my memories to keep me up and about. I read a lot, too. I like learning. Knowledge is power and to use that with your fighting skills makes you a powerful force."
Branwyn cleans off the rest of his wounds. She pauses to smile at him and he returns the smile. She then gets up and goes to her bookcase. She selects a book about Celtic fighting skills and hands it to him.
"This might be something that you would like. Read it. It will give you an insight into what you will learn. Get some rest. I will talk to you tomorrow morning."
She then goes to her room and changes. She falls asleep as Eavan departs to his room and also goes to sleep. The next morning is a beautiful one. Everything is back in full bloom and dry. Branwyn awakens early and heads towards Eavan's grave. She leaves some fruit and things on the kitchen table for her modern-day Eavan so she can sits on the grass facing the tombstone, beginning to talk.
"I met a new person the other day. He reminds me so much of you. He claims to be your descendent. I know your sister lived on and had many children. I guess he might not be lying, then. He has the same fire in his eyes that you had when you went into battle or when you wanted to learn something. To believe … what an enormous power. When I met him, it reminded me how we first met. There was this force pulling us together. We both felt it and I could see it in our eyes. You believed women could not fight." Branwyn laughs as she stares up at the sky and throws her arms up in exasperation. "I made you think differently when I saved your life, though. What the gods do to our lives. They bring us together and then take us apart. You are never forgotten. You may be far away, but I still feel you within me." She then places her hand on the tombstone and closes her eyes. Her tears leak slowly.
* * * *
Evan has wakened and taken an apple with him. He dresses and heads outside. He knows she might be near the grave, so he goes there. He sees her with her hand over the grave. He then speaks to her, startling her. She turns around, wiping the tears off her face as he approaches.
"Good morning! Thanks for the breakfast."
Seeing her wipe her tears away from her eyes, he kneels down beside her.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine. I just was thinking. I hope you liked your breakfast."
"It wasn't a problem. You sure you're okay?"
"Yes, I am sure."
She smiles at him and gets up and he follows her. They walk together through the forest. She sits down on a rock while he stands up looking around at the trees and smelling the fresh air.
“So do you always talk to the dead like that? You acted like you knew him . . ."
"No, it was nothing. I just do that sometimes. I feel embarrassed now."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I just got worried and, well, I went out looking for you."
"Oh, no. I can defend myself. I will be fine. I like to be alone, to have moments to myself, but I shouldn't have left you like that. I apologize."
"No, it's all right. I understand. Everyone needs some time alone. I just imagined a person like you might want to have company now that you've been alone for a long time."
She smiles at him and laughs. He is so nice to her but he doesn't understand anything at all. She is lonely, but she has everything in the world to keep her company. He is everything Eavan was and more. He has the soul of the fighter and the heart of a lover. His eyes are tender and loving.
"You have so much to learn, Eavan. Life has so much more to offer than human communication. The Earth is so fulfilling, if you sit and listen she can offer the key to happiness. The loneliness you have will be gone."
After talking for a while they head back towards her house. Branwyn goes inside and grabs two swords. She grabs hers and the one that used to be Eavan's. She kept it after the funeral as a remembrance. Going outside, she hands Eavan the sword.
"Training, early in the morning? Are you crazy? I haven't even eaten all my breakfast yet!"
"I know. It works up a good appetite. Now, fight!"
"All right. You've asked for it. Did I ever mention I took fencing classes?"
"Well, then, let's see how well they've taught you." A smile forms upon her lips; she loves a challenge. And as he accepts her offer, she can admit that he is pretty good, but she is winning. He won’t give up, but she keeps clashing against his sword. She soon kicks it out of his hand and trips him onto the ground. He falls and looks up at her. She then helps him up and then he trips her, taking the sword off from hand. He then points it at her throat. She looks at him and smiles.
"Well done. Not bad,” she explains as she back-flips above him and lands behind him. He then turns around to see her. Dropping the sword, he looks at her, amazed. He cannot imagine or figure out how she did it.
"As I said, not bad, but not good enough. There is much to teach you. You need to remember that the enemy can sometimes be merciless and, with that, you need to learn to escape. Old skills must not be forgotten, because they come in handy."
"I will be sure to remember that when I'm in battle."
"Take this seriously. Battle is not a joke. I've seen worse things go on around here and throughout time--I mean, throughout history. So always be prepared."
Eavan looks at her and studies her face a little bit. He knows that she is leading on more than she is teaching. She picks up both swords and heads toward the house. He stays outside admiring the weather. She grabs a cloth and wipes the sweat off her face. She is in the kitchen and looking out the window at him. She sees the same fire that Evan had in him. She is proud to be teaching him. He is now a friend to her, but the gods have other things in mind for them. She goes into the bathroom to bathe as Evan comes inside to the reading room to pick out a book to read. He sits down and begins to read the book.
Meanwhile, while Branwyn is bathing herself she begins to think about a time period where she was given some wise advice. Branwyn had met a traveler who traveled many lands and had gone traveling to make a better life for others away from his homeland. His name was Ming--an older man who must have been around his 60s. He was a great fighter and philosopher. She remembers vividly when she was sitting with him in the forest. It was nightfall; the stars were shining across the sky. They had become worthwhile friends, helping people across the countryside that were being oppressed by corrupted monarchs and nobles.
"Branwyn, you fought well today. Times have changed for you, eh?" he said as he roasted chicken on a stick.
" Aye. Many times, yes, and it gets very lonely just moving on across time. You know, you are the first I have shared my secret with. I will miss you when I move again." She sighed, sitting on the ground, atop her blanket.
Destined ~ A Time Travel Anthology Page 11
