Daughters of the Goddess--Part 6

Among the first to be tested was a girl named Prica, who was chosen by the Goddess. Word of the new priestess quickly spread through the village. Many seemed relieved by the news. The goodwill of the village seemed to return to the priestesses.

But soon people were questioning why the priestesses were continuing their search. Two girls, Beris and Prica, had been called and the last daughter of Rian must be called, they told each other. Why continue to offer their girls up to the Goddess?

The priestesses tried to ignore the grumblings and continued their testing. There was no guarantee that Aneri would be called. After all, none of Nori’s daughters had been chosen.

The grumblings grew louder as more girls were not selected. The priestesses were wasting everyone’s time, they told one another. Yet, no one in the village had refused to have their daughter tested. Some fear of the Goddess still lingered.

Finally the last to be tested were Lugh’s twin daughters, Iona and Iora. To the priestesses’ surprise, the girls arrived at the shrine at the appointed time. Iora went first, leaving her sister behind in the outer room.

The girl hesitated at the curtain before she entered the sacred chamber. She trembled as she took her place at the center of the room. She kept her head bowed as the priestesses began their chant.

‘Oh, Goddess, are we doing the right thing?’ Rian wondered. These girls never expected to be tested. The idea of becoming a priestess never occurred to them.

‘It’s like we’re forcing them against their will,’ she realized sadly. ‘Is this truly the way to save the village?’

The chant wavered as the notes became discordant. Rian pushed the thoughts from her mind. She poured her energy and focus into the chant. The chant recovered as the notes rang true once more.

As the chant neared its end, Brigid signaled to continue. Rian took a deep breath and continue her part. The now familiar chant rang once more in the chamber.

Then something happened.

A wind began to stir in the chamber. The candle flames flickered more wildly as the wind grew into a gust. The smell of incense was cleared away. Rian drank in more of the now fresh air and her voice grew stronger. The voices of her sisters grew louder, too. The chant was becoming a roar to rival the wind.

The girl, Iora, suddenly rose to her feet. All traces of fear were gone. Her face seemed to glow as her hood fell back.

She began to chant. It had been so long since the sisters had heard the chant of a newly chosen girl. The chant reached its proper conclusion. Iora’s voice was the last to fade.

Brigid stepped forward. “Iora, daughter of Lugh, you have been chosen as a priestess by the Goddess.”

“I…I don’t know what to say,” the girl said. Now that the presence of the Goddess was gone, the girl appeared nervous again.

“That was my reaction,” Rian stated with a smile. “It will take time for you to realize what has happened to you.”

“I’m really to become a priestess?”

“Yes,” Nori said. “Welcome, Iora.”

“Let’s leave the chamber,” Brigid suggested to the girl. “It is your sister’s turn.”

The girl obediently followed the high priestess to the outer part of the shrine. Brigid returned a moment later. She nodded to her sisters as she took her place. The chant began once more

Iona’s face was white as she stepped into the sacred chamber. She took her place in front of the statue. She curled into herself as the chant grew around her.

As they neared the end, Brigid signaled for them to continue. They repeated the chant three more times. By the end of the fourth round, it was apparent that Iona would not be called.

The high priestess led Iona led out of the room. Rian and Nori worked quickly to put out the incense and the candles. Once finished, they joined Brigid and the twins.

Usually Brigid as high priestess would escort a tested girl home. However, all three priestesses would escort the twins home. It seemed more important since Iora had been chosen.

Lugh was sitting in front of his house. He was mending a tool handle as the women approached. He immediately set the project aside.

“A waste of time as I told you,” Lugh said. “Leta could have used the girls’ help today. Girls, go help your mother.”

Brigid placed a hand on Iora’s shoulder. “Iora was chosen, Lugh.”

“What?” The man’s face went scarlet. “You lie!”

“I do not lie,” Brigid replied, an edge to her voice, “especially about shrine matters.”

“And Iona?” he asked, throwing an accusing glare at his other daughter.

“She was not.”

“Iona, get into the house.”

The girl didn’t even risk a glance at her sister as she complied. Iora moved to follow. However, Lugh moved to block her path.

“Father?”

“Do not call me that.”

The girl went white. “Father?”

“Don’t call me that!”

“Lugh, what are you doing?” Brigid demanded.

“Since you have chosen her, you can have her!” He grabbed Iora by the shoulders and shoved her toward the priestesses. The girl was unable to keep her balance. She cried out as she fell at the priestesses’ feet.

Nori rushed to the girl’s side. Assured that Iora was more frightened than hurt, she glared up at the man. “Think about what you are doing, Lugh. This is your daughter!”

“She is no daughter of mine!”

Iora burst into tears. Leta and the other children appeared in the doorway. She surveyed the scene before her with wide eyes. “Lugh?

“Stay inside!” Leta obediently stepped back. Iora sobbed louder. “Quiet, girl!”

“Let’s calm down,” Brigid suggested. “We don’t want to do anything rash.”

Nori helped Iora to her feet. The girl was hiccupping from her sobs. She glanced nervously at her father as she wiped her face with her sleeve.

“We’ll go inside and discuss this,” Brigid said.

“No,” Lugh barked. “She is not welcomed.”

Nori growled in frustration. “Lugh, be reasonable!”

“Don’t tell me what to do!”

“Nori, please,” Rian hissed.

However, Nori ignored her sister’s warning. “For once in your life, Lugh, don’t be a fool!”

“How dare you!” he roared.

It happened so fast. Lugh grabbed the tool handle. As the man rushed forward, Nori turned and pushed Iora aside. The wood came down, crushing into Nori’s temple with a sickening crunch. The priestess crumpled to the ground.

“Nori!” Rian screamed running to her sister’s side.

Brigid went pale as she turned to Lugh. “What have you done!”

Arle, one of Lugh’s sons, wrestled the tool from his father’s hand. He threw it far away. “Father, get inside!”

Lugh made no motion to move. He stared at the fallen priestess in disbelief. With the aid of his brother, Arle managed to wrestle his father inside the house.

But Rian ignored the man and his family. Her focus was entirely on Nori. She tried to stop the blood flowing from head wound. But it would only slow. Nori would not open her eyes despite Rian’s pleas.

“Goddess, help us,” Rian sobbed. “Goddess, please.”


Part VI Among the first to be tested was a girl named Prica, who was chosen by the Goddess. Word of the new priestess quickly spread through the village. Many seemed relieved by the news. The goodwill of the village seemed to return to the priestesses. But soon people were questioning why the priestesses were continuing their search. Two girls, Beris and Prica, had been called and the last daughter of Rian must be called, they told each other. Why continue to offer their girls up to the Goddess? The priestesses tried to ignore the grumblings and continued their testing. There was no guarantee that Aneri would be called. After all, none of Nori’s daughters had been chosen. The grumblings grew louder as more girls were not selected. The priestesses were wasting everyone’s time, they told one another. Yet, no one in the village had refused to have their daughter tested. Some fear of the Goddess still lingered. Finally the last to be tested were Lugh’s twin daughters, Iona and Iora. To the priestesses’ surprise, the girls arrived at the shrine at the appointed time. Iora went first, leaving her sister behind in the outer room. The girl hesitated at the curtain before she entered the sacred chamber. She trembled as she took her place at the center of the room. She kept her head bowed as the priestesses began their chant. ‘Oh, Goddess, are we doing the right thing?’ Rian wondered. These girls never expected to be tested. The idea of becoming a priestess never occurred to them. ‘It’s like we’re forcing them against their will,’ she realized sadly. ‘Is this truly the way to save the village?’ The chant wavered as the notes became discordant. Rian pushed the thoughts from her mind. She poured her energy and focus into the chant. The chant recovered as the notes rang true once more. As the chant neared its end, Brigid signaled to continue. Rian took a deep breath and continue her part. The now familiar chant rang once more in the chamber. Then something happened. A wind began to stir in the chamber. The candle flames flickered more wildly as the wind grew into a gust. The smell of incense was cleared away. Rian drank in more of the now fresh air and her voice grew stronger. The voices of her sisters grew louder, too. The chant was becoming a roar to rival the wind. The girl, Iora, suddenly rose to her feet. All traces of fear were gone. Her face seemed to glow as her hood fell back. She began to chant. It had been so long since the sisters had heard the chant of a newly chosen girl. The chant reached its proper conclusion. Iora’s voice was the last to fade. Brigid stepped forward. “Iora, daughter of Lugh, you have been chosen as a priestess by the Goddess.” “I…I don’t know what to say,” the girl said. Now that the presence of the Goddess was gone, the girl appeared nervous again. “That was my reaction,” Rian stated with a smile. “It will take time for you to realize what has happened to you.” “I’m really to become a priestess?” “Yes,” Nori said. “Welcome, Iora.” “Let’s leave the chamber,” Brigid suggested to the girl. “It is your sister’s turn.” The girl obediently followed the high priestess to the outer part of the shrine. Brigid returned a moment later. She nodded to her sisters as she took her place. The chant began once more Iona’s face was white as she stepped into the sacred chamber. She took her place in front of the statue. She curled into herself as the chant grew around her. As they neared the end, Brigid signaled for them to continue. They repeated the chant three more times. By the end of the fourth round, it was apparent that Iona would not be called. The high priestess led Iona led out of the room. Rian and Nori worked quickly to put out the incense and the candles. Once finished, they joined Brigid and the twins. Usually Brigid as high priestess would escort a tested girl home. However, all three priestesses would escort the twins home. It seemed more important since Iora had been chosen. Lugh was sitting in front of his house. He was mending a tool handle as the women approached. He immediately set the project aside. “A waste of time as I told you,” Lugh said. “Leta could have used the girls’ help today. Girls, go help your mother.” Brigid placed a hand on Iora’s shoulder. “Iora was chosen, Lugh.” “What?” The man’s face went scarlet. “You lie!” “I do not lie,” Brigid replied, an edge to her voice, “especially about shrine matters.” “And Iona?” he asked, throwing an accusing glare at his other daughter. “She was not.” “Iona, get into the house.” The girl didn’t even risk a glance at her sister as she complied. Iora moved to follow. However, Lugh moved to block her path. “Father?” “Do not call me that.” The girl went white. “Father?” “Don’t call me that!” “Lugh, what are you doing?” Brigid demanded. “Since you have chosen her, you can have her!” He grabbed Iora by the shoulders and shoved her toward the priestesses. The girl was unable to keep her balance. She cried out as she fell at the priestesses’ feet. Nori rushed to the girl’s side. Assured that Iora was more frightened than hurt, she glared up at the man. “Think about what you are doing, Lugh. This is your daughter!” “She is no daughter of mine!” Iora burst into tears. Leta and the other children appeared in the doorway. She surveyed the scene before her with wide eyes. “Lugh? “Stay inside!” Leta obediently stepped back. Iora sobbed louder. “Quiet, girl!” “Let’s calm down,” Brigid suggested. “We don’t want to do anything rash.” Nori helped Iora to her feet. The girl was hiccupping from her sobs. She glanced nervously at her father as she wiped her face with her sleeve. “We’ll go inside and discuss this,” Brigid said. “No,” Lugh barked. “She is not welcomed.” Nori growled in frustration. “Lugh, be reasonable!” “Don’t tell me what to do!” “Nori, please,” Rian hissed. However, Nori ignored her sister’s warning. “For once in your life, Lugh, don’t be a fool!” “How dare you!” he roared. It happened so fast. Lugh grabbed the tool handle. As the man rushed forward, Nori turned and pushed Iora aside. The wood came down, crushing into Nori’s temple with a sickening crunch. The priestess crumpled to the ground. “Nori!” Rian screamed running to her sister’s side. Brigid went pale as she turned to Lugh. “What have you done!” Arle, one of Lugh’s sons, wrestled the tool from his father’s hand. He threw it far away. “Father, get inside!” Lugh made no motion to move. He stared at the fallen priestess in disbelief. With the aid of his brother, Arle managed to wrestle his father inside the house. But Rian ignored the man and his family. Her focus was entirely on Nori. She tried to stop the blood flowing from head wound. But it would only slow. Nori would not open her eyes despite Rian’s pleas. “Goddess, help us,” Rian sobbed. “Goddess, please.”


Part VII Back