by J. M. Hofer
The stony top of Mynyth Aur grew wet with tears, falling like rain, from the eyes of every Oak. She lit the pyre. Gareth came and stood by her side as flames engulfed her husband’s body. She did not look away, and stayed long after everyone else had left, wringing his braid in her hands.
Farewell, my love.
EPILOGUE
Bran speaks:
I shook as I made that last climb to the top of Mynyth Aur, my body resigned to death, but my spirit pleading to return to my wife and family.
The pyre I had built stood waiting for me, like a cruel, black nest meant for a great raven. Only the prospect of becoming whole again gave me the courage to climb up and lay down upon it. I stared up at the grey sky and said the words.
Then, as he had done every night for moons, Arawn appeared at the end of what was to be the last bed I would ever rest upon. “Wake, Son of Agarah,” he commanded, “and leave your pain behind.”
I could not make sense of things at first. I still clung to the security of my body. Useless as it was, I found myself unable to leave it. As if they knew of my struggle, Arawn’s white hounds barked and startled my soul out of its mortal casing. I stepped off the pyre and onto now sound feet and legs. A lightness and freedom of movement brought an exhilaration I had not known for years. I felt like a boy again, free to move and run without hindrance. I did not have much time to enjoy the thrill before the bridge to Arawn’s fortress appeared before me, as if it had been built straight off the summit of Mynyth Aur.
Arawn led the way, his terrible hounds beside him. “Come, Son of Agarah. Now, your reign begins.”
Character & Location Reference
AELHAEARN (ill HAY arn) - “iron brow”
ALT CLUD (alt CLOOD) - Brythonic kingdom in the western part of Scotland that later became known as Strathclyde. The fortress sat upon Dumbarton Rock, known in the Iron Age as Alt Clud or Alt Clut.
AMERGIN (AM-ergin) – Milesian poet, bard and warrior who led his people to Ireland to avenge his uncle. The Milesians defeated the Tuatha de Danaan. He later served in the court of Conchobar mac Nessa, and was one of several foster-fathers to Cu Chulainn, charged with teaching the youth the art of poetry.
ARAWN (AIR-oun) - Lord of the Otherworld/Underworld
ARHIANNA (arr-ee-AH-nah) - daughter of Bran and Lucia, twin sister to Gareth, wife of Jørren, closest friend to Igerna, Firebrand and steward of the Brisingamen
ARMORICA (ar-MOR-i-kah) - “place by the sea” - ancient name for Brittany, known also as Gaul at the time. Armorica was the part of Gaul that lay between the Seine and Loire rivers, as well as what is now known as the Brittany peninsula.
ARVEL (AR-vel) – “wept-over.”
BRAN - “raven.” Chieftain of the Oaks, husband to Lucia, father of Arhianna and Gareth
BUDDUG (BOO-dig) - Welsh form of Boudicca, a fierce queen of the Icendi tribe, who led an uprising against the occupying Roman forces. Maur’s wife.
CAER LIGUALID – (KAIR lih-GWAH-lid) - seat of Urien of Rheged, and former name of the settlement now known as the city of Carlisle, in Cumbria.
CAER SIDI (KAIR SIH-dee) - Caer Sidi (or Caer Siddi) is the fortress of the goddess Arianrhod located within the constellation Corona Borealis.
CEFFYL DŴR (KEFF-il-door) - “water horse.” Tegid Voel’s ship
CEREDIG (SER-ih-DIG) - Iron Age warlord/chieftain of Alt Clud
CERRIDWEN (KER-id-wen) - consort to Arawn, Goddess of the Underworld, Keeper of the Sacred Cauldron, Initiator of Gwion, Mother of Taliesin
CHRYSGOD (CHRIS-god) – “shadow”
CREIRWY (CREE-wee) - “token or jewel”- daughter of Cerridwen and Tegid Voel
CONSTANTINE (KON-stan-teen) - last Roman leader of Britannia (Welsh: Custennin
DAGDA - One of the Tuatha Dé Danann, Dagda is a father-figure, chieftain, and druid associated with fertility, agriculture and virility, as well as magic, druidry and wisdom.
DAOINE SÍDHE (DEE-neh SHEE) – the divine folk who remained in Ireland after the Tuatha Dé Danann (ancient gods of Ireland) were defeated by the Gaels. They are said to live in the hollow hills (sídhe means mounds or hills), where Finbheara rules as king with his wife, Oonagh.
DUMNONIA – Ancient name for modern-day Cornwall, in southwest Britain.
ELAYN (ee-LAYN) – name referring to the maiden aspect of the Great Mother, High Priestess of the Isle.
ELFFIN (ELL-fin) - son of Gwythno Garanhir, foster-father to Taliesin, Lord of Maes Gwythno or the Cantre'r Gwaelod (Lowland Hundred) in what is now Cardigan Bay in Wales.
EIRE (ehr, or –EHR-eh) - Gaelic name for Ireland
EMRYS (EM-riss) - also known as Ambrosius Aurelianus, son of Constantine
FINBHEARA (FIN-varra) – King of the Daoine Sídhe of Knockma, in Connaught, Eire
GARETH (GAH-reth) – “spear-master.” Son of Bran and Lucia, twin brother to Arhianna
GAWYR (GOW-er) – “giant.” Companion and bodyguard to Taliesin, arranged by Urien of Rheged
HENGIST (HENG-ist) - Jutish warlord, invited by Vortigern to settle in Britain in return for helping him to defeat the clans of Northern Britain.
IGERNA (ih-GERN-ah) - “pure, chaste” - daughter of Amlawth, wife of Gorlois, closest friend to Arhianna
INGVAR (ING-vahr) - Jutish chieftain loyal to Hengist
IRWYN (IR-winn) - “lover of the sea” - Saxon ship-builder brought to Maes Gwythno by Garanhir, good friend and ally of Bran and Elffin.
ISLWYN (IH-sil-winn) – “below the grove” - Druid advisor to Bran of the Oaks, Guardian of the Sacred Grove of the Crossroads
JØRREN (YOR-en) - Jute chieftain, husband to Arhianna
CAER LUNDEIN - London
LUCIA (loo-CHEE-ah) - “from the light, born in the first hours” -granddaughter of High Priestess Rowan of the Isle, wife of Bran, mother of Arhianna and Gareth
LONDINIUM – Roman name for London
MAUR (MAWR) - “large” - Bran’s closest friend
MAES GWYTHNO (mays GWITH-no) – ancient name for the kingdom that now lies underwater off the Ceredigion coast in Cardigan Bay, Wales, often referred to as the “Welsh Atlantis.”
MAELWYS (MALE-wiss) – son of Baeddan, king of the lands of Gwlad yr Haf, or the Summerlands, brother to Nimue
MYRTHIN (MEHR-thin) - (English: Merlin) - Arch-druid and advisor to Emrys and Uthyr. The Welsh spelling is Myrddin, with “dd” in place of “th,” but I have taken the liberty of spelling it as Myrthin for the ease of the English reader.
OONAGH (OO-nah) – Queen of the Daoine Sídhe, wife of King Finbheara
SCÁTHACH (SKAH-tagh) – “shadowy one” - Scottish warrioress who trained the Irish Ulster hero Cú Chulainn in the arts of combat. She lived on the Isle of Skye in Dún Scáith, or "Dun Scáthach" (Fortress of Shadows).
TEGID VOEL (TEH-gid VOLE) - giant and spirit of Lake Tegid, known today as Lake Bala, father of Creirwy and Morvran by Cerridwen.
TUATHA DE’ DANANN (TOO-ah day da-NAHN) – ancient gods of Ireland
ULA (OO-la) – “gem of the sea” - selkie and foster mother to Taliesin
URIEN OF RHEGED (OO-ree-en of REH-ged) - chieftain of the northern kingdom of Rheged, ally to Uthyr and Bran
UTHYR (OO-ther) – “terrible” - the Pendragon of Brython
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J.M. Hofer writes in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she also works in the travel industry to slake her wanderlust.
Into the Shadows is the fourth book in the Islands in the Mist series. If you enjoyed it, Ms. Hofer invites you to post a rating or review on Amazon and/or Goodreads, and thanks you for your readership and support.
Visit her world at www.jmhofer.com, where you can sign up for her mailing list, the Chieftain’s Circle. Members will always be the first to know about giveaways, promotions, book signings and author events.
Islands in the Mist
Book I: Islands in the Mist
Book II: Across the Sea
Book III: Rise of the Pendragon
/> Book IV: Into the Shadows
Book V: The Young Stag - coming soon
All titles are also available as audio productions through Audible, narrated by the accomplished Irish actor, Mr. John Keating, at www.audible.com.
