Voyage of the Dawn Breaker: Tales from Crann Na Beatha, #1

By Joseph L. Wiess

After a battle at the Three  Rivers Fort, Rhyslin DarkBlade, the Draoidh falls unconscious

While he is out of action, Mathair Astinmah, the goddess of Crann Na Beatha works to set him up with the life she wants him to have.

When he wakes up, the old draoidh quickly tries to put an end to her plans, but he's too late.

Three women have set their sights on him for different different reasons.

Flur Droigheann, the golden-haired princess, desperately wants to learn what he has to teach her, even if she must become a bean-cheangail.

Ilyriatri oran Rionnag, the Queen of the desert-dwelling Ciad-Ghin  wishes to travel with him, believing him to be one of the legendary Ciah-Fhir

Vuuroena Sielmatt, Ilyriatri's daughter, has seen Rhyslin in her dreams for eight years and sees him as the one who can save her from her fate.

These three women must come to grips with what he is for each of them finds themselves falling in love with him.

 

approxamite length - 38600 words 303 pages

• Language: English
• Publisher: Joseph L. Wiess
• Release date: Oct 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223910053

Book preview

Chapter One

Allanagh looked beyond the tall wooden palisade that protected the small fort that overlooked the ford where the three rivers crossed.  She swept a strand of silver hair behind her delicately pointed ear as she watched the black-clad mercenaries pick over the battlefield, looting the dead.

Her annual visit to the Ciad-Ghin border village had been disturbed when, two days earlier, a magnificent flying galleon had descended from the sky just long enough to disembark two hundred soldiers, who had immediately started digging out scores of huge holes in the frozen ground, which they had covered with snow covered tarps.  After the galleon had lifted back into the clouds, the soldiers had waited for two days, eating cold rations, until the Orcan war band had come out of the dense forest.

They had patiently waited until the whole war band had left the woods and come into the center of the ford before quietly appearing out of thin air and springing the well-planned ambush.  The Ciad-Ghin soldiers had watched the entire six-hour battle, compared tactics, and ensured that no Orcan escaping the trap made it anywhere within two hundred yards of the walls.  When the last Orcan died, Allanagh ordered a small healer contingent to aid the mercenaries. 

Mo Bhanrigh[1], one of her soldiers said as he offered her his spyglass.

What is it, Sloan? She inquired as she took the glass and aimed the tube where the soldier pointed.

There's a survivor, and it's not Orcan, he replied as he gestured to the creature that appeared to be hanging in mid-air with its arms outstretched. 

What is it?  She inquired as she tried to get a closer view.  She was so determined to get a better view of the strange creature that she missed Sloan's shrug.  With a huff of breath, Allanagh handed Sloan his spyglass back and gestured to the three soldiers behind Sloan.  Without a word, the five of them descended from the wall and walked toward the gate, with Sloan falling in step with her.

Allanagh, he paused.  Mo Bhanrigh, are you sure about this?

Her silver hair waved as she shook her head.  No, but we would be rude not to thank our benefactors.  Sloan shared a look with his fellow soldiers.  He could tell they agreed with him but were honor-bound to obey.  Allanagh had spoken, and her word was law.

As they approached the gate, it opened to admit a group of healers back inside, and they stopped as one of the healers, a golden-haired woman with the same blue eyes as Allanagh, raised her hand and waved.  Allanagh and her escorts paused while the golden-haired woman approached and hugged the Bhanrigh. 

Mathair[2], she whispered, are you going out there? 

Allanagh nodded, I am, she affirmed, evoking an excited grin from the younger woman.  Would you like to come with us?

I would, the golden-haired woman nodded as she fell in beside her mother.  I've heard a rumor that their leader is a draoidh[3].  I wonder if he would have time to talk.

Allanagh paused, turning to her daughter.  That doesn't sound right.  I've never heard of a draoidh that would leave his woods and travel with an army, much less lead one.  She frowned as she gazed at her daughter.  Are you sure that's what you heard, Flur?

Flur nodded, Yes, Mathair, I am certain.

The Bhanrigh considered the news.  We will see, she commented as she continued toward where the strange creature was suspended off the ground.

They paused as two earth elementals pulled the dead Orcan under the ground as they crossed the battlefield.  A few minutes later, they watched a pair of young Ciad-Ghin girls direct a tree-ent as it turned the soil, removing any sign that there had even been a battle.  It took her a few minutes to wonder what bothered her about the two before she realized they were twins and moved too fluidly to be what they appeared.  Are they Dryads?

That wasn't the first thing that bothered her, and they paused a few times more as small things caught Allanagh's attention.  She froze as she heard a pair of armored hulks speaking in a guttural dissonant language and saw one of them remove a helmet from its head to reveal jet-black eyes and a pair of curved horns that she thought were part of the armor.

She looked over at Flur, who was staring raptly at the soldier.  I have never heard of Clann an dorchadais[4] following a draoidh.  Suddenly, letting her daughter come with her didn't seem like a good idea, and she was tempted to send her back to the fort's safety.  She was on the verge of sending two soldiers to escort Flur back when she remembered that her daughter had already been out among these people, healing them. 

Please, Mathair, don’t let me be wrong. she prayed softly.  Can they be evil if they saved us?  The tips of her ears twitched, and her flight or fight instincts kicked in as a large gray wolf raised its muzzle and chuffed. 

By a Mathair, I've never seen a wolf that large, Flur whispered in awe.  Allanagh blinked as the wolf appeared to grin before it turned and led them toward the clearing where they could now hear the creature.

No, it wasn't the creature that she heard.  The hum she heard, no, that wasn't right either, that she could feel in her bones, seemed to come from the ground itself.  What could be the source of such power?  She suppressed a shudder as they stepped into the clearing and looked around.  Oh, we shouldn't be here.  To her left were two more hulking soldiers in plate mail.  This time, she saw the curved horns and knew what they were.  Going clockwise in a circle, she saw a small pack of wolves gathered around a man and a woman.  The man was almost six feet tall and wore a color-shifting cloak covering him from the top of his head to his ankles.  When he glanced in her direction, she could almost swear that his eyes and hair were the same color as the wolf they had followed.  Leanabh na h-oidhche[5], a small part of her mind screamed. 

The woman leaned toward the man and whispered something in his ear.  Allanagh couldn't remember ever seeing a more beautiful woman in her life.  She was lithe and lush, standing just a head shorter than the man and not exactly dressed for battle, as she was wearing a loose tan blouse and a brown leather skirt, and that fiery red hair, were it free of the two braids, would fall to her waist.  When she found Allanagh staring at her, her green eyes sparked as she whispered something else to the man. 

Hearing a gasp from behind her, she turned to find Sloan shaking his head as if trying to clear his mind.  The other three soldiers, however, were staring at the woman with barely hidden desire in their eyes. 

Allanagh's eyes widened slightly as she took another look at the woman.  Is she sealgair aisling[6]?  Have I doomed us?  She tried to stave off the panic she felt rising in her soul.

Be at peace, Nighean na Coille[7], a voice whispered behind her.  You are where you should be.  A second voice affirmed.  When she felt two different hands rest on her shoulders and felt peace settle her troubled soul, she slowly turned to find two women watching her. 

The one to her right was wearing a green tunic with intricate brown and red spirals that adorned the loose collar and continued down the long sleeves.  One large silver and gold spiral curled around her stomach and under her breasts.  Her teal skirt was wrapped loosely around her hips and fell to a spot just above her brown moccasins.  She had light brown hair that framed her face in soft ringlets. 

The one to her left was wearing a red silk tunic that fell to rest just above her knees.  Her auburn hair flowed over her shoulders and pooled down the center of her back while curling around to caress the underside of her generous bosom.  She was adorned with a silver choker around her throat, silver bracelets on her wrists, and silver anklets that drew attention to her bare feet. 

Allanagh breathed deeply and whispered, Lady Lilly, Sister Analise.  A cold chill inched its way down her spine.  Why are you here?

This is a portentous moment, The brown-haired woman whispered.  A few of us came to watch. 

Allanagh almost fell to her knees as something flickered in the corner of her eye, and she glanced over to see two men standing directly opposite the horned hulks. 

The first was almost six and a half feet tall, well-muscled, with fiery red hair and green eyes that watched the battle of wills before them.  The chain mail he wore over his gambeson caught the light as he listened to his companion.

His companion was a head shorter and not nearly as muscular.  His black hair barely crept out from under the wide-brimmed hat that he wore.  Unlike his armored friend, he wore a white long-sleeved shirt, brown pants, and brown boots under a leather duster.  His single hazel eye was fixed on the scene before him. 

Is that?

Aodh and Rennar, yes, Analise whispered.

Allanagh took a deep breath, How close did we come to losing it all?

Shh, Lilly made a calming sound, drawing attention to her shirt's intricate spirals.  The moment approaches. 

As the bone-numbing hum reached a crescendo, every eye turned to the two males in the center of the clearing.  Up close, tree limbs and vines were holding the giant beast.  It was at least nine feet tall, heavily muscled, heavily furred, with huge tusks draping over a jaw that looked like it could grind bones to dust.

What, in Mathair’s name, is that?' She whimpered.  She would gladly take her daughter if she could disappear into thin air.

It's called an Ogren, Lilly whispered, almost as if she had read Allanagh's mind. 

Her attention was pulled away from the monster when a calm voice rose above the hum.

Why are you here?  The man who spoke stood facing the Ogren.  What little she could make out looked like he was a head taller than her, at around five feet ten.  A flat-brimmed black hat rested atop the head of white hair that fell about his shoulders.  From the neck down, he wore a black leather duster that flowed down his back to the tops of his black leather boots.

Am following my nature, the Ogren replied.  The strong prey on the weak.  Was going to destroy this place and take the Ciad-Ghin Bhanrigh and her people as sklaves[8]. 

Lilly and Analise led Allanagh to where she could see the man's face.  For a moment, all she could do was stare.  His well-kept beard and mustache were as white as his hair, and his face was careworn and ageless, and she wondered how that could be so.  It was his eyes that caught her attention, hazel flecked with gold.

He stared at the Ogren, then stated, That didn't work as planned, did it?

The Ogren grunted, You were acting on your nature, the strong protecting the weak.  No dishonor in failing.

Those hazel eyes pierced into the Ogren, Who sent you?

Not telling you.  The Ogren growled as it strained to pull its arms down.

The man watched the Ogren's muscles knot.  His right eyebrow arched slightly.  Without looking away from the beast, his left hand moved from the middle of