Their Own Anam Cara...A Journey of Destiny

By Laura Veazey

Everything is a differentiation of itself; what has a front has a back, what has a back has a front and the bigger the front, the bigger the back. This certainly holds true in THEIR OWN ANAM CARA...A JOURNEY OF DESTINY, the first of the Anam Cara Trilogy. Sir Ailin Drummond and Sarah Angel Evangeline Hale, a direct descendant of Boadecia, Queen of the Iceni, in the 1600s in Scotland and Ireland are caught up in the turbulence of the times. Theyre faced with plantationists, dark and light magyk, pirates, druids and druidesses, clan battles, the whisky trade, and magical creatures. Through it all, they begin to learn what love, hate, loss, vengeance, hope, and faith can do to break or transform their lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 5, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481717663

Laura Veazey

Laura Veazey Morrison-Roets has a diverse background in traditional naturopathy, allopathic health, therapeutic and outdoor recreation, possesses an EdD in Applied Educational Studies and a PhD in Traditional Naturopathy, an MA in Athletic Administration, and is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor and Certified/Licensed Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. She is Scottish, Irish, and Cherokee and a board member of Omicron Eta Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, member of the Scottish St. Andrews Society of Springfield, MO, Scottish Club of Tulsa former board member/current member, as well as a re-enactor for Scots of the Old West, portraying Belle Starr and Calamity Jane. She is a musician and writer and loves camping, hiking, kayaking, geocaching, raising Angus and Jake, spending time with her beau, children, and spending as much time as possible at their cabin.

Book preview

THEIR OWN ANAM CARA…

A JOURNEY OF DESTINY

Laura Veazey

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© 2013 by Laura Veazey. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 02/19/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4817-1768-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-1767-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-1766-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013903122

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PROLOGUE

ONE The Beginning or the End?

TWO What If?

THREE Dreams

FOUR A Queen

FIVE Our Families

SIX Selkies, the Filid, and the Like

SEVEN Escape

EIGHT Power or Illusion

NINE A Time of Coming Into One’s Power

TEN Ceidi Fields

ELEVEN A Princess By Rights

GENEALOGY

GLOSSARY

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book was an incredible work of love for me on so many levels. Though there have been many muses along the way, there is no character which is truly attributed to one person. All that has been written in this book is fiction. It started out with my own anam cara, Peter Allan Childs, Jr., and myself talking about a vision I had had while setting up for a program I was giving out in the woods. One thing led to another and we began emailing sentence-by-sentence responses to the previous one for fun. All of a sudden, I realized that I had the beginnings of the book. In that sense, Allan began as my co-author and was by my side, critiquing the story all the way through. Thank you so much for your words, your input, insight, support, and love, Mo Ailin. This book is so much a part of you/us, and of course, is dedicated in large part to you!

Half a lifetime ago, I went through two hypnosis sessions which were termed past-life reincarnations. During the sessions, which were recorded, I went through six different lifetimes. When I later listened to the tapes, I was astounded to hear myself speak with a brogue in one; answer questions addressed to me in French (though I refused to answer in anything but English); and hear myself range in voices from a two year-old to a ninety two year-old woman. I truly don’t know if we’ve lived past lives; if what we feel when we meet someone and instantly get along with or disdain them is genetic memory; or of that 94 or 95% of the brainpower we don’t make use of, is filled with incredible stories that are just waiting to come out. What I do know and very much believe in, is the concept of anam cara; soul-friend/soul-love. I feel very strongly that each of us has someone who is our other half. No, I don’t believe that we have to have someone to make us whole; rather, that like hand-in-glove, one’s strength makes up for the other’s weaknesses and visa-versa.

I used Allan’s and my family histories, names, and the areas they were from, along with my own travels, to create the characters, their homes, and the places they ventured to. My family originally came from both Scotland and Ireland, settled on the Isle of Mann, and then immigrated to the United States. In my research, I’ve found documents from the Isle of Mann, which details life at Balligilley Farm and shows some of them to have been whisky distillers, some of whom went to gaol (jail) for refusing to pay taxes to the queen! Heather, thistle, lochs, whisky, healers, many shades of green, adventure, storytelling, tartans, druids, and rebellion; all of which seem to be major parts of who I am, and hence, have given me the foundation for my writings.

I want to thank Pauline Corrigan and Barney Brogan, both of whom were my driver-guides during my introductory trip in Scotland in 2005. They took me to Ballychulish and so many more important places, both to my history and to this book. What incredible historians and storytellers they are/were. Unfortunately, my friend, Barney, passed on, on the last day of our journey. Therefore, this book, is, in part, dedicated to you, my friend!

There are so many other dear ones that I would like to thank for their help, love, and nurturing:

My sweet old St. Bernard, Mina, passed 6 months ago. She literally walked and ran me through so much of this book. When we were a bit younger, she jogged with me and listened while I processed my thoughts for new schemes in the book. As she aged, she listened patiently as we walked. I miss you always, my Big Baby!

Now, I have another precious 4-legged, Angus O’Reilly. He’s incredibly calm and incredibly graceful; both of which I am not! As I watch him run with deer (not after deer, mind you!), I find a lot of peace and joy in his sense of peace and freedom. He reminds me of Celt, Angel’s bird in this book.

I had another friend pass this year; John McLearan. John would call and share thoughts and philosophies at least once a week over the past year. He was a great source of support and encouragement, and had an incredible sense of humor, and vast bank of knowledge. He was fascinated with wellness and holistic health. Somehow, I think he would have made a great druid in days of old. This book is also in part, for you. Cheers, my friend. I look forward to seeing you again, one day.

I would like to thank Lynn Andrews, world-renowned author, for having given me permission to use a quote on magic, from The Power Deck: The Cards of Wisdom. I first began dreaming bits and pieces of this book when I first began reading her works, beginning with Medicine Woman. I honor your mentorship and owe you much of my dreamtime, Lynn. You’re awesome!

There is a saying that goes, friends are your chosen family. If this is so, then I certainly have a very large family. I would like to thank so many, but in particular, the following individuals for all of their love, strength, support throughout this long process: Desiriah Gracia Mobbs (my precious daughter); Cathy Crouch (who produced the most wonderful son and man and has been an incredible caretaker of those in need); Randy Brooner (my oldest friend); Angela Frix-Ball (my Cherokee/Irish sister); Karin Ross (the most incredible animal advocate I know); Dr. Betty Donohue (what a powerful wordsmith); Dr. Siegfried Heit (my friend, ally, and defender); Dr. Janice Martin (one of the best teachers and therapists in this world); Sally Kays (for her sweet nature and incredible tolerance); Michael Settlemeyer (my friend and a modern-day druid); Jill and Meghan Brady (mother/daughter Earth mothers); Kami Hoar (my Proverbs 31 friend); Karoly Czinege (the dearest of extended family/friends); Dolores Seward (my sorority sister-mother); Dr. D’Jene Rogers (another incredible caretaker, friend, and boss); Billie Tower (one of the strongest ladies I’ve ever known and my mentor); Judy Black (one of the most loving, loyal, and caring humans God ever created); Roger Ruffner (always kind and supportive to all he encounters); Daniel Yaws (my friend who has so much strength and so much love for all of his friends and family); Ed Hornback (my dear friend, staunch supporter, and of true Irish aristocracy); Scott Burns (my friend of such wit and humor); Rosalie Childs (who has reminded me so often what true grace and patience is); Ivy Rhode (my dear red-haired friend and survivor); Chris Merle (my awesome Gaelic teacher, also full of incredible patience with my skills (or lack thereof); and Cole Martin and Pamela Stewart (who believed in me and took the time to make some of my previous book signings not only successful and fun, but became friends in the process).

Thank you to each of you for believing in me, for nurturing me, for supporting me, and for loving me. Life gets chaotic enough on its own, and yet, even with my addition to that, you continue to stand by my side.

PROLOGUE

Her name was Sarah Evangeline Hale. The year was 1625. She, a proud descendent of the Pictish people, one of the founding races of the British Isles on her father’s side and Irish and as fey as they came from her mother’s side, had been banished from the Loch Lomond area, the land, which for the most part, had been her home for the better part of her life, to the vast wilds of Ireland. The intent of the crown was that lads and lassies from Scotland would be sent to Ireland to breed out the pure Irish, and, in so doing, drive Catholicism out of the Emerald Isle.

Evangeline, or Angel, as Sir Ailin, son of Lord Aelean of Drummond called her, had been taken in the wee hours of a winter morning and placed on a ship which sailed into an area known as Belfast. Plantationists (known only to themselves, as gentlemen), picked up the unwilling passengers and transported them back to various lands for pre-arranged marriages.

Angel had been hand-tied to Ailin when they were both infants. The wisdom of this lay in both of their heritages. He, a lord and nobleman in his own right, and she, nobility from both the Pict heritage and her Lunney ancestors, who were of the first clan kings of Ireland. They grew up together, chasing through the woods and up and down stairwells in Drummond Castle. He taught her how to take care of herself in his absence; she, growing into a Celtic woman, able to war if the necessity ever presented itself, and she, teaching him the rudiments of ancient healing, as her druidic grandmothers had taught her.

It was when she turned 14 years of age that she realized what he really meant to her. As she was looking for herbs in the forest one day, the realization hit her and hit her hard. She looked up at the clouds and whispered this to Ailin, though he was nowhere near:

"Why do I feel as though I may be coming face-to-face with my destiny?

Why, when I hear your voice or read your words, do I feel a certain wholeness?

What is it about you that makes loving you so easy?

Could it be your hugs or your gentle words?

What is it about you that makes me trust you?

Is it a heart full of compassion, a thirst for knowledge,

The new-found wonder with which you see the world?

That which stands on the edge of my consciousness,

That inner voice which tells me I may be looking at my Anam Cara and what I feel is ancient recognition . . . .

Is it then true?

Have I come face-to-face with my own destiny?"

She depended on his strength and he, on her knowing. The lass had fallen in love. Together, they made a partnership that could/would sustain them through many hardships and many joys.

The two were inseparably linked. However, little did they know how soon that light would fade when, on that dreadful morning, she was taken away. Little though, did her captors know of the strengths both he and she possessed and how her Irish history would come into play.

Think of me often

Two spirits mingled through eons of time

My eyes burning into your soul

Your arms wrapping me, enveloping me, protecting me

Remembering words, joy, laughter, sorrow, loneliness, fears

Think of me often

As I do you, in my dreams

When I hear the quiet of the woods

When I see gentleness, compassion, and strength in the words

When I catch a glimpse of how marvelous what I thought were only dreams could be

Think of me often

When you dream of life being shared

Of gentle companionship

Of fierce loyalty

Of growing old

Of being loved

Think of me often.

ONE

The Beginning or the End?

It all began one bright, sunshine-filled afternoon when she was standing out on a cliff overlooking the ocean. As her mind wandered over the last few months of her life, a glimpse of color came into her view. It got brighter and brighter, and as she kept gazing, she realized