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Authors: Ellen Evert Hopman
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with his gifts of food and drink for the council. He donated a pair of mogae to carry hot water for baths and to shuttle daily cauldrons of stew, roasted meats, and platters of bread, butter, and cheese from the kitchens of the royal house. In anticipation of the event, Niamh had been hoarding honey, dried apples, plums, and hazelnuts since fall.
The meeting would take place in the nemedâs outdoor ritual enclosure unless it rained, in which case it would have to move indoors.
The nemed of In Medonâs Druid was far smaller than the nemed of former years. The elaborate Fire Altar was no more; that structure had been subsumed by the stone chapel of the Cristaidi, and the herb garden that had once surrounded the Fire Altar had become a graveyard. The sacred ash still stood, but it was right next to the stone church, so there was little chance of performing a sacred Druid rite under its sheltering branches.
But hidden behind the thick screen of yew was a round enclosure of soft, mossy earth that was covered with several inches of freshly cut grass when a ceremony was to be performed. In the north of the circle stood a tall carved wooden pole, the bÃle , or world tree, emblem of the three realms of land, sea, and sky because it was buried deep in the ground, stood at ground level, and reached for the heavens.
The bÃle was carved with intricate interlace patterns that symbolized the interconnectedness of all creation, and long white feathers hung by threads from the top. By watching the movement of the feathers, the Druid could read from which direction the wind was blowingâan all-important divination aid.
âThe bÃle is placed in the north because all magic comes from the north. It is easiest to read the currents of magic from that direction,â Dálach-gaes explained to the children, who were entranced by the feathers dancing in the breeze.
At the center of the space stood a simple stone altar: three rocks upon which lay a flat slab of stone. The altar was hallowed by a grave. Daire, a former prince of In Medon who had achieved initiation as a Drui, had asked to be buried there after he crossed over, to bless and guard the nemed in death as he had sought to defend it in life. In honor of the council, the altar was now covered with a white linen cloth, its edges embroidered with green and silver knotwork designs.
On the eastern side of the stone altar, in the direction of the sunrise, was a small Fire Altar that was a hole dug into the earth. It was square and lined with stone. On the western side, in the direction of the sunset, was a deep votive shaft into which offerings could be made to the underworld Sidhe realms.
Thick oiled-wool blankets were neatly folded and placed on the freshly cut grass for the guests to sit upon or to wrap around their shoulders in case of cold and damp.
Dálach-gaes studied the fluttering feathers at the top of the bÃle for a few moments.
âThe wind is blowing from the north just now, the direction of battle. Either there is important news coming from Irardacht or a conflict is already brewing there,â he mused out loud. âIn any case, the spirits want our attention to go to battles and to the north for some reasonâto the kingdom of the eagles.â
Everyone within hearing had a sick feeling; winds from the north always presaged some kind of deadly conflict, and they steeled themselves to receive bad news.
Dunlaing and Carmac from Oirthir were the first to arrive at the Council. As was usual for Druid of the Eastern Kingdom, the Oirthiri looked sleek, well dressed, and prosperous. Carmac was the shorter of the two; his dark hair was carefully braided and decorated with golden ornaments. Dunlaing was taller, with blond braids and bright gold glistening from the interlaced designs on his belt. Both wore golden torques and immaculately clean white fleece robes into which they had changed just before entering the dun.
Dunlaing presented
The meeting would take place in the nemedâs outdoor ritual enclosure unless it rained, in which case it would have to move indoors.
The nemed of In Medonâs Druid was far smaller than the nemed of former years. The elaborate Fire Altar was no more; that structure had been subsumed by the stone chapel of the Cristaidi, and the herb garden that had once surrounded the Fire Altar had become a graveyard. The sacred ash still stood, but it was right next to the stone church, so there was little chance of performing a sacred Druid rite under its sheltering branches.
But hidden behind the thick screen of yew was a round enclosure of soft, mossy earth that was covered with several inches of freshly cut grass when a ceremony was to be performed. In the north of the circle stood a tall carved wooden pole, the bÃle , or world tree, emblem of the three realms of land, sea, and sky because it was buried deep in the ground, stood at ground level, and reached for the heavens.
The bÃle was carved with intricate interlace patterns that symbolized the interconnectedness of all creation, and long white feathers hung by threads from the top. By watching the movement of the feathers, the Druid could read from which direction the wind was blowingâan all-important divination aid.
âThe bÃle is placed in the north because all magic comes from the north. It is easiest to read the currents of magic from that direction,â Dálach-gaes explained to the children, who were entranced by the feathers dancing in the breeze.
At the center of the space stood a simple stone altar: three rocks upon which lay a flat slab of stone. The altar was hallowed by a grave. Daire, a former prince of In Medon who had achieved initiation as a Drui, had asked to be buried there after he crossed over, to bless and guard the nemed in death as he had sought to defend it in life. In honor of the council, the altar was now covered with a white linen cloth, its edges embroidered with green and silver knotwork designs.
On the eastern side of the stone altar, in the direction of the sunrise, was a small Fire Altar that was a hole dug into the earth. It was square and lined with stone. On the western side, in the direction of the sunset, was a deep votive shaft into which offerings could be made to the underworld Sidhe realms.
Thick oiled-wool blankets were neatly folded and placed on the freshly cut grass for the guests to sit upon or to wrap around their shoulders in case of cold and damp.
Dálach-gaes studied the fluttering feathers at the top of the bÃle for a few moments.
âThe wind is blowing from the north just now, the direction of battle. Either there is important news coming from Irardacht or a conflict is already brewing there,â he mused out loud. âIn any case, the spirits want our attention to go to battles and to the north for some reasonâto the kingdom of the eagles.â
Everyone within hearing had a sick feeling; winds from the north always presaged some kind of deadly conflict, and they steeled themselves to receive bad news.
Dunlaing and Carmac from Oirthir were the first to arrive at the Council. As was usual for Druid of the Eastern Kingdom, the Oirthiri looked sleek, well dressed, and prosperous. Carmac was the shorter of the two; his dark hair was carefully braided and decorated with golden ornaments. Dunlaing was taller, with blond braids and bright gold glistening from the interlaced designs on his belt. Both wore golden torques and immaculately clean white fleece robes into which they had changed just before entering the dun.
Dunlaing presented
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