Reagalund looked at the clouds coming in over the dark sea. The moon, encircled by the rainbow,
shone on the clouds, as they piled in above Reagalund's head. As she sat by the two old yews, which had been twisted by years of winds from the sea, Reagalund saw the rain clouds building, like steps in the sky,
All her life, Reagalund had lived by the
yews, in the cold country of the rain and wind. She loved the moon and stars
when these came out of the clouds, like lamps through the linens over the
windows to keep out the mosquitoes. She thought the clouds looked like steps
going up into the heaven, big, giant steps, for Orion, perhaps, the Strider, to
walk up to seek his prey, chased by his dogs in the Western Sky.
But, tonight, there were only two lights in
the sky, one small and still, the other, the moon.
The rains were coming and Reagalund wrapped
her woollen cloak about her legs. She wore soft skin shoes and a linen dress
under her heavy cape. Her father was a leader, not the king, but a leader of
the clan.
Reagalund watched the clouds come in and in
and in. Far away, she thought she saw
the twinkle of a small light, but she knew nothing was out on the sea. No
tonight.
Reagalund's father, a widower, named
Edmere, had gone into the town that morning with the dogs and some other men
from the village. They would not be home before the moon set. It was far to the
village and back and men only went there a few times a year for meetings with
the king and for bartering. Her only brother, Edgar, had gone with them.
Tonight, Reagalund was excited. She would
not sleep. This was the day her father had decided to ask the king for a mate
for her. She knew who she wanted, the king's own son, Miccallan, but he was
promised to a great king's daughter across the dark sea. Reagalund wondered
what her father would do. The king could not ask his son to break his promise
without shame and Miccallan had never seen Reagalund. She had seem him at the
moot a year ago and loved him at once. He was with the great king's beautiful
daughter, Sliem, a tall, dark-haired,
dark-eyed, exotic woman of many talents. But Reagalund was not beautiful. She
was rather short, and had plain, brown hair and brown eyes. She was not rich
like Sliem, whose jewels were from the ancient world, bought by her family and
kept for centuries. But, Reagalund loved Miccallan and prayed for him to the
unseen Spirit.
Monks had brought some new religion to
Reagalund's father. They spoke of a Father, a
Son and a Spirit. They had fought with the old priests and won some
strange contests of power. But, Reagalund knew that Micclan had followed the
new religion and Sliem did not.
She wondered at this.
Reagalund's heart had been won by the monks
and she was baptised with her father and all the clan last spring. Since then,
she carried her black book and her small dog
to the Church near the sea to hear the Mass, and sing the strange new chant the
monks had brought. The prayers she said for Miccalan were prayers the monks had
taught her. But, so far, none of her
prayers were answered.
She had prayed for Miccalan's mother, when
she got the sickness of women, and died young. She had prayed for Miccalan's
older brother, the king's heir, but he died of the wounds of the battles fought
for the king over the sea. She had prayed for Miccalan himself, but he was
betrothed to Sliem.
Still, Reagalund
prayed,as the monks had explained to her that the Triune God had His Will and she
had to discover this Will. It had been His Will to take the young queen to
heaven, and to take the heir to heaven. Now, Reagalund wondered if her prayers
for Miccalan would be answered.
She only wanted God's Will, and thought
that it seemed like her life with Miccalan was not God's Will. She had seen him
from afar six times, and remembered the sound and smells of the days like a
magical painting. Every detail seemed full of meaning, but he was not hers.
The rains began and Reagalund ran back to
her own hut. Since she was of age, the monks watched over her and she did not
live with her father and brother. On a low, rectangular stool in the corner of
her room, a cross stood. The monks had given it to her when she was Confirmed.
All was silent except the rain, but then something strange happened.
The dogs began to bark loudly and the rain
stopped. Reagalund looked out and up at the sky. The rippling clouds looked
like a large giant hand in the sky above the yews. And like a hand, the fingers
stretched out to the horizon. There, racing out of the fingers of the cloud
hand, like a ring falling from one of the fingers, was a huge fireball. The
ball of fire passed through the clouds and came down towards the sea. It was
not falling, but arching, as if drawn by a plan or design in the dark sky, In a
short time, the fireball fell into the sea and steam came up and mingled with
the clouds with a loud hissing noise. The dogs barked and ran to the edge of
the cliff, yelping at the hissing, their cries mixing with the strange steam.
Reagalund saw the monks running to the edge and two ran down the path to the
beach.
The clouds broke and the moon shown over the bubbling sea, as if showing
the end of the fire to the world,
After a few minutes, all was quiet again.
The dogs strayed back to the huts and the monks walked back to their Church
speaking softly with one another. Reagalund thought that this fireball was some
sort of sign. Then, the clouds came together and the rains started again,
pelting the earth with giant drops, as if the sea was throwing its contents
onto the earth. The young woman walked in the cold rain to her hut. She stood
at the door for a long time wondering at the strange event.
She had only seen a fireball twice before
and then, only after wild storms had ripped across the trees. Those fireballs
had been green and danced across the tops of the fir trees, tracing the line of
trees like a chain of light. Both times, the fireballs faded away in their
dance over the trees.
This fireball was different It had been
bright orange and yellow and white, clearly on fire and not the cold, green
light of the other fireballs.
This fireball did not come with the storms, but
came from the heavens, far above and through the clouds.
This fireball did not
dance, but plunged in an arc toward the sea, as if the sea were calling it down
from the skies.
This fireball was truly fire, whereas the
others were a strange light not made by men.
Suddenly, Reagalund felt cold and she laid
down on her woollen bed. Soon, she was asleep in a heavy sleep without dreams.
When she awoke, she heard the voices of her father and brother outside, talking
with some others-the monks among them. The woman took a jug of milk, some
cheese, and flat bread from a stone hole in the wall of her house and quickly
ate and changed into her day clothes. Her dress was a pale orange and her cloak
green. She put her soft shoes on her feet and went outside.
Her own little dog came up to meet her. She
could see the men in the distance by the beach. Their voices had sounded closer
in the cold, still air. The men, about seven, were looking at something in her
father's hand.
Reagalund walked down to the beach and was
greeted. Her father looked solemn, but welcoming. She went over to him and
looked down at his gloved hand. He was holding an enormous diamond, the kind of
which Reagalund had never seen before.
One of the monks spoke.
"It was on the beach.
We think it is the fireball somehow washed up on the shore."
Reagalund's father
placed it in her hand. The stone out-shown the fireball in brilliance and beauty.
How could this be that gigantic flame which went into the deep sea? But, then,
from where else did this come?
Edgar spoke loudly. “This belongs to us, as
we are the oldest family in this village.” Edmere said softly, “No, son, it
belongs to the Church and the monks, as it was sent from heaven and will stay
in heaven on earth.”
The monks took the jewel. The eldest and
abbot, Michael, said they would make it into a tabernacle for the Consecrated
Hosts, and all agreed. But, Edgar was sullenly silent.
Later, Edgar came into Reagalund's hut. He
threw himself down on the pile of warm skins in the corner. He seemed angry. “I
wanted you to have the stone, Reagalund.” He grumbled.
“But, why, Brother? I do not need nor
deserve such treasures. And, surely, Father is right.”
“I wanted it for your dowry, as I know you
pine for the Prince Miccallan. He would have changed his mind and spurned Sleim
for you.”
Reagalund looked at the floor, and then
embraced Edgar. “Dear Edgar, love cannot be bought. It happens or it does not
happen. The Holy Spirit of Love gives love, as the monks have taught us.”
Edgar sat up. “I saw the Princess yesterday
at the moot, Sister, and she does not love Miccallan. She loves his position,
his power, his status, his wealth. But, I saw that she did not love him. A man
can tell. Why Miccallan loves her I cannot tell. You are worth more, in your
simple gowns and simple Faith than her.”
Tears came to Reagalund's eyes. “You cannot
see into his heart, nor can I, dear one.”
She took her brother's hands. “I shall pray
that they are happy.”
Edgar continued. “Jesus does not care about
a diamond. How useful it would be, for you. Now. You are of marriageable age and
have no suitors.”
Reaglund stood uap. “I cannot be bought or
sold, Brother, and I do not want a man who cares if I am rich or poor,
beautiful or plain. I must be loved because I am Reagalund.”
“You are correct, as usual, and I am boring
you. I am going hunting and shall see you tomorrow. I am going up into the
hills.” Brother and sister kissed gently and he was gone.
Reagalund was left with her sad thoughts.
Perhaps Miccallan loved this Princess in order to be a free man, and be happy
with such treasures as beauty and wealth. She did not know.
One of the monks came to the door everyday
for food. He, Brother Maurus, was there now. Reagalund gave him milk, bread,
meat, and berries. “I have no fish today, Brother Maurus. The men said that the
fireball frightened the fish to the bottom of the sea for many days to come.”
“Do not worry, Child.” Reagalund spoke
quickly, “Brother, how do you know something is God's Will?” The monk stared
kindly at the young woman. “If you are in grace, and you are, and you have a
persistent thought, which will not go away, it is probably God's Will for you.
Be at peace.”
“Thank you, Brother. I shall think on that.”
And, he left. He wondered at her question and offered a silent prayer on the
way back to the monastery.
Then, the winter set in and it was hard, the
coldest and wettest in the memory of many old villagers. Some died, and the
Church offered Masses and prayers for their souls. Almost fifty old and very young died
of the cold and fevers.
Among them was Edmere. Reagalund had gone to see her
father an early, very frosty and cold dawn. The sky was black and the stars
vibrant in the cold air. She knocked at his door, and there was no answer. She
knocked again and the chill of the morning crept into her body and surrounded
her heart. Something was wrong, as she could not hear the dogs or her father
moving about in the dawn air.
She opened the door and the two dogs were
lying next to the fur bedding. They raised their heads and looked sorrowfully
at Reagalund. Her father lay still, too still. Reagalund knew.
She went over and touched his face. He was
stone cold. The dogs began to whimper and Reagalund knelt by his bed. Edgar
came up to the door. “Where is Father? He is wanted at a meeting.” Then, she
stopped and noticed the dogs, and Reagalund's tears.
“Oh, no. no. Last night, he said he felt
poorly and that he was going to bed early. I did not think anything of it. I
did not think and now, now I cannot speak with him. He cannot hear.” The sister
spoke first after a long time. “Go and get the monks and we shall take him to
the Church.”
Edgar left, running and Reagalund took her
Father's hand and kissed it. She wept. She felt like a failure, like a daughter
who had not made her Father happy. She was not a bride.
Edgar and Brother Maurus came into the room
with the priest, Father John. He blessed the body and then let Reagalund put
Edmere's best clothes and armour on. The dogs watched silently, and Reagalund
cried.
After the funeral and burial, the dogs came
with Reagalund to her hut and she kept them.
They stayed by the door for days
and then, as if some strange magic were working, they both died the same night.
Brother Maurus let the dogs be buried in Father's grave, which was still soft
earth. He said it was good for them to rest with their master.
Reagalund felt pushed into a terrible
loneliness. She knew Edgar would leave someday, as he wanted to do things in
other places. He wanted to explore and hunt far away. Reagalund was lonely and
was glad for the company of her small dog.
The winter continued and the rains came
more, daily.
Reagalund moved in and out of the hut covered in her green cape.
Edgar hunted for the village and brought back much meat, so that there were no
more deaths.
But, Reagalund felt a dying inside her.
She
could hardly remember Miccallan's face or his voice. She had not seen him for
months and did not even know where he was. She knew he was not yet married, as
the celebration would have encompassed the entire land. But, she knew nothing
else.
She hated it that his voice and face were
fading in her mind. But, several times, she felt his presence, as if he were
standing next to her. She thought this was strange and prayed for her
imagination to go away from such fantasies.
Then, as the thaw began, a strange thing
happened. Rumors of Sleim travelled across the sea. Sleim the vibrant had married
someone else. Another prince, older and richer than Miccallan had come to her
and demanded that she come with him to his warm country far away. Sleim's
father, the king, was angry, as this change would bring shame upon him and his
people. Sleim defied her father, and left with the rich king. Both countries
faced shame.
And, there was talk of war.
Edgar was called to a council. He left, with
a small bag under his cloak. A monk, Brother Maurus accompanied him to the
moot. The village talked and talked, but all was conjecture. No one knew what
was happening. Reagalund, after two mornings, went to the priest, Father John,
and asked him what her brother carried.
“We gave him the fireball stone,” whispered
the priest. “It will save the country from shame and the monks were happy to
part with it. It can go into the Cathedral which the king is building for us
all.”
Reagalund stared. “Whose idea was this?” she
whispered.
The priest looked at her with great, kind
eyes. “Edgar told us that he thought the diamond belonged to the country, to
all, in the capital. He convinced us that this stone would cover some of the
shame of Sleim's desertion. He also told us something else.” Reagalund felt her
face become hot. She was ashamed. “Do not be alarmed, Reagalund. Let things
happen. Let God's Will be done.”
“I cannot
be bought and I do not want Miccallan to think I want his position, or
wealth, or status. I want none of that. I only love and I love freely. Even if
he were not the prince, and a poor fisherman, I would love him no less.”
“I know this, Reagalund. I know this, which
is why I agreed to the plan. Watch, wait, pray.”
Father John blessed the confused woman and
she left. She did not know how to feel. She felt like she was being bartered.
How could Edgar suggest such a thing?
But, as she sat by her door and listened to
the waves on the shore, Reagalund began to understand Brother Maurus' words.
How does one know God's Will? Let things happen. Pray, and stay in grace,
knowing that your thoughts are from the Holy Spirit. Trust.”
Reagalund looked at the sky and realized
that the fireball had come to her, for her.
She was content to wait, to pray,
to trust.
