Blade of Fortriu (78 page)
Authors: Juliet Marillier
He could look at Drustan and keep his features calm. One could not hate Drustan, despite the gnawing jealousy, the constant awareness of the impossibility of matching up to such a man’s example. The fact was, Drustan had taken from him the only woman he had ever been able to love. Drustan had stolen his treasure and, despite that, he could not help liking the man. It was a conundrum,
and he’d be glad to see the last of it. That farewell was not so difficult.
and he’d be glad to see the last of it. That farewell was not so difficult.
But Ana … Ana at dawn, holding his hands in the chill of the upper courtyard, and the glint of tears on her cheeks. Ana trying to tell him something that began with
if
only
and stopping herself with the back of her hand over her mouth to block the words, dangerous words. If only what? If only a woman were allowed to love
two men? If only they had turned back at Breaking Ford, and never come to a place where love and loss awaited them? Or merely, if only Faolan had not sung a song, and crossed a river, and given away his heart despite himself? He would never know what she had wanted to tell him. He only knew he had to go away, for all their sakes; for the three of them.
if
only
and stopping herself with the back of her hand over her mouth to block the words, dangerous words. If only what? If only a woman were allowed to love
two men? If only they had turned back at Breaking Ford, and never come to a place where love and loss awaited them? Or merely, if only Faolan had not sung a song, and crossed a river, and given away his heart despite himself? He would never know what she had wanted to tell him. He only knew he had to go away, for all their sakes; for the three of them.
So, looking back now as the little door
by the gate was opened and there was no longer any excuse for delay, he met her gaze as she stood by Drustan, and he made no effort to conceal what was in his eyes, but let her see his love and his sadness and his hope for the future; her future and Drustan’s. And what he read on her face brought a sudden hot rush of tears to his eyes, but he did not let them fall until his back was turned, and he
was through the doorway, and his feet were carrying him on a path westward; westward to Laigin and a place that had once been home.
by the gate was opened and there was no longer any excuse for delay, he met her gaze as she stood by Drustan, and he made no effort to conceal what was in his eyes, but let her see his love and his sadness and his hope for the future; her future and Drustan’s. And what he read on her face brought a sudden hot rush of tears to his eyes, but he did not let them fall until his back was turned, and he
was through the doorway, and his feet were carrying him on a path westward; westward to Laigin and a place that had once been home.
The Bridei Chronicles are based on real history; Bridei himself, his mentor, Broichan, and the various territorial kings who appear in these books were all real people. Bridei became king of the Picts (Priteni) in A.D. 554, and approximately five years later he led his people against the Gaels of Dalriada, inflicting a crushing defeat on the forces of King Gabhran.
The
details of Pictish daily life, religious observance, military organization, and political structure in these books are based loosely on the existing evidence. However, that evidence is quite slim, as the Picts did not leave any written records of their own. Historians are reliant on the writings of other cultures such as the Romans, who were scarcely unbiased, and Christian clerics such as Adomnan,
who penned his
Life of St. Columba
approximately one hundred years after the events in these books took place (the
Life
was written well after Columba’s death and is more hagiography than history). Pictish artifacts such as the famous symbol stones give us further clues about their culture.
details of Pictish daily life, religious observance, military organization, and political structure in these books are based loosely on the existing evidence. However, that evidence is quite slim, as the Picts did not leave any written records of their own. Historians are reliant on the writings of other cultures such as the Romans, who were scarcely unbiased, and Christian clerics such as Adomnan,
who penned his
Life of St. Columba
approximately one hundred years after the events in these books took place (the
Life
was written well after Columba’s death and is more hagiography than history). Pictish artifacts such as the famous symbol stones give us further clues about their culture.
My notes at the end of the first book in this series,
The Dark Mirror
, discuss the use of imagination and
informed guesswork to fill in the gaps in the known history of the period. A more detailed version of those notes can be found on my Web site at
www.julietmarillier.com
under the link “Bridei Chronicles.”
The Dark Mirror
, discuss the use of imagination and
informed guesswork to fill in the gaps in the known history of the period. A more detailed version of those notes can be found on my Web site at
www.julietmarillier.com
under the link “Bridei Chronicles.”
The political story of
Blade of Fortriu,
concerning the first major military campaign of Bridei’s kingship, is broadly based on history, as is the gifting of the island of Ioua (which got its
current name of Iona through a slipup in penmanship) by the Dalriadan king to the Irish priest Columba. Gabhran’s generosity led to later complications when the staunchly pagan Bridei won back the territories of the west.
Blade of Fortriu,
concerning the first major military campaign of Bridei’s kingship, is broadly based on history, as is the gifting of the island of Ioua (which got its
current name of Iona through a slipup in penmanship) by the Dalriadan king to the Irish priest Columba. Gabhran’s generosity led to later complications when the staunchly pagan Bridei won back the territories of the west.
For readers new to this series, the geography of the books is that of the Scottish Highlands. However, I have taken some liberties with distances and locations in the interests
of better storytelling. The notes on my Web site include a description of the method I used for inventing place names appropriate to the period and culture.
of better storytelling. The notes on my Web site include a description of the method I used for inventing place names appropriate to the period and culture.
This is a work of fiction, not a history. The story of Faolan, Ana, and Drustan has little basis in historical fact. I imagine most powerful leaders of the period needed someone like Faolan at hand to deal with those situations calling for
swift, silent solutions. The Caitt were a real tribe (Caithness in the far north of Scotland gets its name from them) and they were known as wild, independent, and warlike. Ana’s situation at the court of White Hill is based on fact: it is documented that Bridei kept hostages in order to control his vassal king in the Light Isles (Orkney).
swift, silent solutions. The Caitt were a real tribe (Caithness in the far north of Scotland gets its name from them) and they were known as wild, independent, and warlike. Ana’s situation at the court of White Hill is based on fact: it is documented that Bridei kept hostages in order to control his vassal king in the Light Isles (Orkney).
For readers wanting to find out more about the Picts,
my Web site includes a bibliography of reference books I found useful.
my Web site includes a bibliography of reference books I found useful.
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