Happy late St. Patrick's Day.
We celebrated as usual by having Rubens for supper which aren't Irish. :D
For a little something special I wrote a story based off the old CCC movie.
Fire in the Hearts
Based on St. Patrick:
Brave Shepherd of the Emerald Isles
I
Sheila dipped her bucket
into the pool of ice cold water and shivered. She could feel Fergus'
narrowed eyes on her back. Fergus glowered at everyone, but today he
had been watching Sheila for a long time, and she was getting rather
nervous. Once he started towards her, but at that moment Milo came in
and took Fergus aside. Sheila sighed with relief. It was never a good
thing when Fergus took notice of any of the servants. But she knew it
was worse for the slaves. They had no rights.
“Sheila?” one of the
other women whispered. The young woman pushed aside her red hair and
looked at the older woman.
“Lia?” she responded.
“Old Fergus has his eye on
you, girl.” Lia whispered back, as she pretended to fill her bucket
up, “Better make good this chance.” Sheila's gaze drifted over to
Milo and Fergus, they were muttering. Milo was a big man with flaming
red hair and a bushy red beard. Fergus was younger and thinner, but
with fair hair and a closely cropped beard. Sheila did not like
either of them.
As Sheila watched Fergus
and Milo, a stooped wizened old man, who leaned on a stick, shuffled
out of the stockade. Immediately all the women servants froze. The
druid was a much feared person among the peasants. If anyone dared to
cross him, he called the wrath of the gods down on them. Sheila
frowned. Patrick had said that there was only one God. But Patrick
had been gone for a long time and the horrible Lugud was still
around. Sheila smiled sadly. She missed the runaway slave with his
stories about the one true God.
Lugud turned towards Sheila
and for a brief second their eyes met. His watery blue eyes narrowed
and burned with hate. The druid had no proof but Sheila knew that he
suspected that her family had helped Patrick escape Ireland. They
had, but it would be a terrible thing if the druid, Milo or King
Leree found out. Milo had been Patrick's owner. He was horrible and
cruel man, but much esteemed at King Leree's court. Sheila picked up
her pail and started hurrying down the path towards the farm.
As the girl walked through
the trees, a young man with auburn hair leading a flock of sheep came
from the opposite direction. Sheila did not know Sean very well. He
was King Leree's cousin. His parents had died when he was small and
Leree's father had taken him in out of charity. Sean had worked hard
to earn a few sheep and leave the court. Rumor said the boy was to
proud to except his uncle and cousin's charity. He was to poor to
even own one slave. Sheila sighed. Sheep reminded her of Patrick. The
slave that now cared for Milo's sheep was a bitter Irish slave.
Sheila and her twin sister Islee staid away from him.
“Fair Morning.” Sean
said, as he pulled his cap off and nodded. Sheila barely looked at
him, as she fled past. Sean may have been taking care of his own
sheep, but he was still of royal blood and certainly believed he
could have whatever he wanted.
II
Sheila reached the small
cottage, where she lived with her parents and brother and sister.
Little Calchun was seated on the grass in front of the cottage
playing his reed pipes and patting Rory, their old dog. Calchun waved
to her. Islee was spreading wet laundry in the grass.
“You are late!” she
called, “What detained you, sister?”
“Lia must talk.” Sheila
said with a weary sigh, “And Fergus was there.” Calchun blew a
sour note on his pipe.
“Lia talks far to much!”
Islee giggled, “She would master even the druid in babbling.”
“Hush!” Sheila whispered
nervously, “We mustn't speak of the druid.”
“I would!” Calchun cried
and blew a shrill blast on his pipe. Islee giggled some more. Mum
came out of the cottage and pushed her long black hair out of her
face.
“Sheila, hurry.” she
called, “Bring the water. We must finish our cooking before the sun
sets tonight.”
“Tonight is the Feast of
Darkness!” Calchun said solemnly. Sheila made no reply, but she
looked at Islee. For once the other girl was not laughing.
“Girls?” a man's voice
boomed from the forest, then a tall well built man stepped out of the
forest. He was stooped under the burden of a heavy cart full of wood.
Rory ran to greet him barking joyously. Sheila handed Calchun the
bucket then rushed to her father's side.
“Da, let us-” she began.
“Help you.” Islee
finished as she joined her sister. Da wiped his arm across his
forward.
“Thank you girls.” he
said wearily. Mum sent Calchun into the house with the water, then
hurried to her husband's side.
“Dear, you work to hard.”
she said sadly.
Sheila and Islee, Rory the dog, Mum and Da and Roster the sheep.
As Sheila and Islee started
to push the cart from behind, a black ram darted out of the woods
bleating wildly. Da bent over to pat the wooly head.
“Rooster, what are you
doing here?” he asked, “You are supposed to be in the meadow.”
“I like Rooster.” Islee
said, as she dropped to her knees beside the sheep, “He reminds me
of Patrick.”
“Hush.” Mum whispered,
“We mustn't talk about Patrick. What if Milo discovers that it was
us that helped him.”
“I think he suspects.”
Sheila said softly.
“Darling, it has been many
years.” Da sighed, “By now Milo will have almost forgotten he
ever had a slave called Patrick.” Sheila did not agree, but kept
her mouth closed.
Suddenly a horse neighed.
Rory growled. Mum cried out softly. Sheila and Islee clenched their
fists. It was Milo and Lugud who were riding out of the forest.
Sheila would have preferred a wolf any day.
“What is this?” Lugud
sneered, as he eyed the wood. Sheila noticed with horror that two
slaves were leading a cart behind Lugud and Milo. The cart was almost
full of wood.
“Were you perhaps going to
light a fire, before King Leree lights his?” Milo demanded.
“Oh no.” Mum protested
in terror, “No one must light a fire before the king.”
“Can we trust them?”
Milo demanded as he cocked his head.
“No!” Lugud hissed,
“Besides all the people must donate wood for the king's fire.”
“Confiscate that wood!”
Milo shouted. Da stepped back, his face pale, as the two slaves
snatched his cart and threw the contents into their cart. A day's
worth of work was gone.
Laughing cruelly, Lugud and
Milo rode off. The slaves and the cart following behind. Sheila and
Islee rushed into their father's arms.
“Oh Da.” Sheila cried.
“What are we to do?” mum
sobbed.
“Why must we give our wood
to the heathen gods' of the druid?” Islee cried.
“Hush!” Da and Mum
gasped.
“You sound like Patrick.”
Sheila said softly, “You know how he angered Lugud. Try to stay
quiet, sister.”
III
Far off in the forest a
bell began to toll. Rory barked. Rooster cocked his head, bleated
then bounded off in the direction of the sound.
“Listen!” Islee cried.
“Can it be?” Sheila
whispered.
“Patrick?” they said
together.
“I know that bell
anywhere!” Da shouted. The four of them dashed after the black
sheep.
Patrick Returns to Ireland
Walking through the trees
towards them was a tall dark haired man. In one hand he held a
shepherd's staff. In the other hand was an old iron bell, which he
was clanging gently.
“Patrick.” the four
peasants cried in surprise.
“I have returned.” the
man said calmly, “As I said I would.” he clanged the bell. Rory
jumped up on him. “Rory?” the man cried.
“Why do you have a staff?”
Sheila asked.
“Are you still a
shepherd?” Islee asked.
“Yes, but now I am a
shepherd of souls.” Patrick said calmly, “I have returned to
teach you about the one true God!” Joy flooded through Sheila's
heart. The loving God she had heard about when only a small child.
The God of everything.
Suddenly a spear slammed
into a tree, only inches from Patrick's head. The man turned around.
Sheila and her family gasped in horror. Milo and Lugud were riding
towards them.
“What luck!” Milo
jeered, “The gods have returned my slave to me on the eve of the
feast of darkness.”
“I am no longer your
slave, Milo.” Patrick said gently.
“Oh ho.” Milo laughed
nastily as he leaped off his horse and reached for his spear. It
wouldn't come out of the tree. Sheila and Islee giggled as he
struggled wildly.
“You fool!” Lugud
snarled. Milo yanked the spear and the staff broke off of the shaft.
He stared at it incredulously. Da chuckled silently and even Mum let
a giggle escape.
Milo's face darkened and
two red spots appeared on his cheeks. He hated to be laughed at. Now
he was humiliated by a slave in front of three women and a groveling
peasant scum. He swung the broken spear at Patrick. The ex-slave
raised his own staff.
“Oh no.” Islee cried.
Sheila gasped in horror and clutched at her sister. Milo's triumphant
smile vanished as his spear staff broke in half across Patrick's
staff. He cast aside the piece.
“You slave.” he spat,
“We will return for you!” He mounted his horse and galloped off.
“Remember that tonight is
the feast of darkness.” Lugud hissed and galloped after his friend.
“Patrick, they can make
much trouble for you.” Da warned in a shaky voice, “You are not
safe here.” Patrick smiled and pointed upwards.
“I am under the protection
of the One True God. Lugud and Milo can not harm my soul.”
“Have you really come to
stay?” Sheila asked.
“And to teach us how to go
to your God's Heaven?” Islee added.
“Of course.” Patrick
said, “Tonight may be the feast of Darkness, but it is also Holy
Saturday and I know just how to celebrate it.” He glanced over his
shoulder and gestured in the direction of some thick bushes. “Come
on out John, we must prepare for the Easter Vigil.” A boy of about
thirteen or fourteen slunk out of the bushes. He was carrying two
large bundles. He looked scared. Sheila stared at him. He had blond
hair and dark blue eyes. She wondered if he had come with Patrick
from beyond the sea. He certainly wasn't Irish. But neither did he
look like a slave.
IV
Sean drove his ship into
the stockade, ignoring Fergus' nasty look. The soldier was afraid of
Sean, ever since the younger man had beat him in a wrestling feet.
Sean hated wrestling, but he hated Fergus more and did not think
twice of excepting the soldier's challenge. Nobody thought Sean would
win. So Sean had won. He gloried in proving people wrong. If everyone
thought he was going to win, he would have lost just to spite them.
Sean would not be beholden to any man either. Every year he brought
five ship to his cousin King Leere. He was going to pay off all the
Charity he had received. Leere found Sean an embarrassment, but he
never said no to the sheep, even though it was a steep price to pay
for someone as poor as Sean.
Sean headed towards the
door. Usually he just left the sheep then left, but today, for some
strange reason, he felt compelled to see his cousin. The guards let
him in reluctantly. Sean entered the hall. Leree was seated on his
chair surrounded by druids. Milo was there too. Sean liked Milo less
then Fergus. Milo was a bully, whereas Fergus had some decency.
“But this Patrick could
make trouble, your majesty.” Lugud was whispering his his hateful
voice. Sean hesitated.
“What is all this fuss for
a runaway slave?” Leere complained, “Someone just go and get
him.”
“It is not that simple.”
Lugud murmured.
“The man is dangerous, he
says he is here to turn everyone away from our gods.” Milo spat,
“That man will destroy everything.” Leere turned and walked out
the back door to the veranda. Lugud and Milo followed. The rest of
the druids gathered together muttering angrily. Sean moved forward
cautiously.
“Look!” Leere cried as
he gestured across the darkening countryside, “Not a fire to be
seen. Tonight everyone honors our gods. No one would dare light a
fire.” Sean looked out the door and his gaze was immediately drawn
to the hill of slain. Was that light he saw there.
“Huh?” Lugud gasped and
pointed, “Fire on the hill of slain!”
“It must be Patrick!”
Milo spat.
“I don't care who it is!”
Leere cried in a rage, “I will deal with him tomorrow. But for now,
just go and put out that fire!”
Sean was no longer
listening. He turned and dashed back into the hall. The druids
muttered angry curses as he plowed through them. Sean ignored them
and bolted for the door. He had to get to the hill of slain before
Milo and Lugud. In spite of Leere they would murder anyone on the
hill.
V
“King Leere will kill us,
Patrick.” Mum whispered softly as she knelt reverently on the
hilltop beside her husband and three children. Patrick's fire was
blazing will a brilliant light. It could be seen for miles.
“Mum, we must call him
Father Patrick now.” Sheila reminded her mum.
“He is a Bishop.” Islee
said proudly, although she did not understand what a bishop was.
Calchun who hadn't been born when Patrick had last been in Ireland
simply stared at the missionary in awe. John was quite superior to
what he called the poor pagans. Sheila did not like him. Bishop
Patrick held an Easter Vigil Mass and preached a beautiful sermon.
As the bishop offered the
last blessing to the four pagans and John, there was a crashing in
the thick wooded side of the hill. Rory growled, then a young man
came scrambling up the embankment. Sheila recognized Sean and gasped
softly. Islee grasped her arm. Mum clutched at Calchun. Da put his
arms around Mum and Calchun. John hid behind the Bishop.
“Blessings on you my son!”
Bishop Patrick said calmly. Sheila held her breath. Would Sean try to
kill the Bishop? He had the right.
“Are you insane?” Sean
yelled wildly, “Put out that fire. Milo and Lugud are riding this
way. They will put out the fire and kill you all.”
“No they won't!” John
said angrily, as he peered out from behind the bishop, “I'll
protect you Father Patrick.”
“Hush, John.” the bishop
ordered. He looked at Sean.
“My God will protect me.”
he said.
“If they don't kill you
tonight, the King has given orders for you to appear before him
tomorrow.” Sean cried desperately, “Hide.” Sheila glanced at
Islee. Was Sean actually trying to help them? Was it possible?
“Put out that fire!”
Milo's voice boomed as he rode up the open side of the hill. Rory
growled. Lugud was behind him on another horse. John pulled a knife
out of his belt. Sean grabbed John and jerked him towards Sheila and
her family.
“Fool!” he whispered,
“He could skewer you with his spear.” John looked terrified. He
started mumbling in Latin.
The Bishop picked up two
pails of water and approached Milo. The big soldier pointed his spear
at the Bishop.
“I'm afraid I cannot do
that.” he said gently, “But you are quite welcome to try.”
Grunting angrily, Milo snatched one of the buckets and tried to fling
the contents on the fire. Nothing happened. Literally. The water
remained in the bucket as if it were a solid lump.
“Huh?” Milo gaped.
Sheila and Islee giggled softly, Calchun and John started laughing,
Mum and Da smiled, Sean stared and Bishop Patrick made the sign of
the Cross.
“You fool!” Lugud
screamed, “Put out the fire. Are you a moron?” Milo's face
darkened and he hurled the water in the direction of the fire. But
this time the water left the bucket. Milo's triumphant cry died away
as the water drenched the druid. Lugud's face was livid as he marched
up to Milo, snatched the other bucket from Patrick and hurled the
contents over the dismayed soldier's head. Sean snickered. No one was
scared of the druid or soldier now. They seemed so foolish now.
Lugud whirled and glowered
at the laughing people and the silent Bishop Patrick. Sean shrugged
and kept snickering. Sheila stared at him in surprise. He was very
odd. Then Lugud picked up Milo's spear and handed it to him.
“Here, put it out with
this.”
“Lugud, age has crippled
your mind.” Sean jeered, “No one can put out a fire with a little
spear.” Milo snatched the spear and started poking at the fire. The
end burst into flames and broke off. Milo tossed it aside and glared
at Lugud.
“You put out the fire!”
he growled, “Call on the god of the sea to send water, or the god
of sky to send rain.” Lugud looked up then back at Milo.
“I- I- well- I could.”
he stuttered, “But I won't. I must save my energy for tomorrow when
we apprehend this slave and take him to King Leere.”
“That won't be necessary.”
said Bishop Patrick, “I will be there.” Muttering angry curses,
Lugud and Milo mounted their horses and galloped off.
“Oh Patrick you must go
away. King Leree will have you killed.” Mum cried as she clasped
her hands. Da nodded.
“Alright, lets go father
Patrick.” John said.
“Have faith.” the Bishop
said kindly, “God will protect us.”
“Which god is that?”
Sean asked in confusion, “They all answer to Lugud?”
“God is supreme.” the
Bishop said, “So there can only be one, and he does not answer to
druids.”
“Patrick, you must let us
go with you.” Sheila cried.
“Yes, you must.” Da
agreed.
“Then come.” Bishop
Patrick said, “God will protect us.”
VI
The following morning there
was quite a stir in the court of King Leere as Bishop Patrick entered
the court. He was accompanied by John, Da, Mum, Sheila, Islee,
Calchun and Sean. Patrick made the request to preach about God.
“Why do we need another
god?” Leere demanded, “We have a god for everything?”
“But this is the One True
God. The God of All Things!” Patrick said calmly. Leere considered.
Lugud saw that Patrick was swaying him. He leaned over quickly and
whispered in the King's ear.
“Would you listen to the
god of slaves?” he whispered, “What can his God do that ours
cannot?”
Leere stood up. The hall
grew silent. Sheila clasped her hands and glanced at Islee. Her twin
sister was watching the king intently. Sheila glanced at Sean his
gaze met hers. He looked worried.
“I propose a contest.”
Leere said. The assembly of druids gasped in horror.
“Do you think our gods
would care to compete with this slave?” Lugud asked loftily as he
crossed his arms and tilted his long sharp nose in the air.
“Are you afraid of losing,
Lugud?” Sean demanded, as he marched up to the druid and his
cousin.
“Well, Lugud?” Leere
demanded, as he put his hands on his hips.
“What- I- I- no!” Lugud
stammered.
“Then let the contest
begin.” Leere cried. Everyone cheered.
Leere and his court
followed Patrick and Lugud outside. Sheila grabbed Islee and
Calchun's hands. John got down on his knees and began praying in
Latin.
“You first Lugud.” Leere
said and crossed his arms. Sean watched the druid closely from behind
Sheila. Lugud looked up at the sky, so did Sean. He saw black rain
clouds gathering. The young man's eyes narrowed. Lugud better not try
and make it rain. The druid flung out his arms impressively.
“Oh god of the sky, open
the heavens and send torrents of rain to wash away the stains of this
false slave.” he shouted. Sean frowned. There was a crack of
thunder and it began to rain. Lighting flashed, thunder crashed and
the puddles began to form.
The shocked Irish people
covered their hands and trembled in terror. Lugud looked triumphant.
Sean glanced at the red headed twins. They looked worried.
“But the rain will flood
the fields.” Patrick said, “And ruin the crops.”
“Yes Lugud.” Leere said,
“Make it stop.”
“Yes- but- I- I- I already
did my part. It's Patrick's turn.” the druid protested. Leere
looked at Patrick. The Bishop bent over and plucked a single clover
out of the grass and held it up above his head.
“In the name of the
Blessed Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit I command the rain to
cease.” he commanded. Sean gasped as the rain stopped the clouds
parted revealing a brilliant sunlight.
“Patrick won!” Leere
shouted, “I pronounce Patrick's God the One True God!” Sheila and
Islee cheered and hugged each other. Sean, John, Calchun, Mum and Da
cheered.
“That is not fair!” Milo
barked, “Lugud deserves another chance. The rain was about to end,
anyway.”
“What a poor loser.”
Sean growled. Leere frowned at him then turned to Lugud.
“Oh very well.” he said
in disgust, “One more chance.” The crowd became perfectly silent.
Da took Mum's hand. Mum grabbed Calchun's hand. Calchun grabbed
Islee's hand. Islee grabbed Sheila's hand. Sheila took Sean's hand.
Sean took John's hand and they waited. Sean knew who was the fake.
Lugud had cheated, yet Leere was letting him have another chance.
In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity
Another druid came up to
Lugud and whispered in his ear. Lugud nodded and cleared his throat.
Sean gritted his teeth. The wretched man was cheating again.
“How did he pull that rain
trick?” John grumbled.
“It was going to rain
anyway.” Sean said.
“The wretch!” John spat.
“Don't talk about druids
that way.” Sean said automatically.
“But he did cheat?”
Sheila whispered.
“Hush!” Islee hissed.
“Oh god of the
underworld.” Lugud cried, as he got down on his knees and patted
the earth, “I command you to send forth crawling creatures from the
deep places.”
“Crawling creatures?”
Sean gaped, “There aren't any around here.”
“Oh no.” Sheila
murmured.
“My he is ambitious.”
Islee whispered. Sheila heard a hissing noise and looked over her
shoulder. Big ugly slithering snakes were gliding towards them. She
screamed. Her cry was echoed by other people. There were snakes
everywhere.
Soon everyone was dancing
around screaming and running hither and thither in a panic. There
were hundreds of snakes everywhere.
“Lugud has won!” Leere
yelled, as Sean picked up a stick and clubbed a snake on the head.
Another snake wrapped itself around Sheila's ankle. She screamed and
fell over in a panic. The snake flicked it's tongue out at her.
Patrick stepped in front of
Leere and raised his staff high above his head. Leere frowned. Lugud
glared suspiciously from the branches of a tree, where he was
avoiding the snakes.
“Snakes of the earth.”
Patrick cried, “In the name of the most High God, I command you to
leave Ireland and never come back!” Sheila gasped as the snakes
slithered away in the direction of the coast.
“Patrick's God is the
true God!” Da bellowed and dropped to his knees. One by one the
other people followed his example. Sean had to help Sheila up first,
through. Even Leere bowed.
“No fair!” Milo whined.
Leere whirled.
“Chain these two up as
slaves!” he snapped as he pointed to Lugud and Milo. Grinning
evilly, Fergus approached the two men, who started backing away.
Suddenly Patrick leaped in
front of them, and blocked Fergus' way. The soldier frowned and
looked at Leere.
“No.” he said, “Let
them go. No man must be owned by another.”
“Oh very well.” Leere
grumbled.
“Lets get out of here!”
Milo screeched. Then he and the druid fled. Rory barked and chased
them to the edge of the forest then returned triumphantly. Sheila and
Islee started laughing.
~E
Kayla Pendragon
Morgan
Caleb Dagonet
Madame Velna
Mister Dagonet
Alexander Gawain
Andrew Percivale
Madame Gawain
Stephen Lionel
Jacob Lamorak
Joseph Bedivere
Peter Gareth
