Mamm of Dunnottar : toward the end of the book

AND SO THE LONG DARK PASSES on its way and the days begin finally to grow again rather than shortening.

On one evening at the hearth-circle, Brann has a question.

‘Mamm?’

‘Yes, Brann?’

‘Is our Story over with now?’

‘Oh no, Brann! There is still much to come, and many to tell it!’

‘Well, will we get to hear any more of it?’

‘Of course! I can tell you a little more of it now if you would like.’

‘I would like, Mamm. I really would like.’

Smiling, Mamm asks her question.

‘Where were we?’

Laughing, Dunnottar just looks at her.

‘Your guess is as good as ours, Mamm, and probably better! Aine has fallen into the eyes of Kalann and won’t come out.’

‘Ah yes, that’s true beyond a shadow of a doubt!’

Chuckling, Mamm picks up the Story as best she can.

Dunnottar is blessed with the Peace of the Mother but the rest of the world isn’t all as fortunate.

Although the church of the romans brings some sort of order to the chaos, there is much discord.

Our people thrive here on Dunnottar, in Chattan, in Perth, in Tarnos, in Andorra, in Aquitaine – but we are, I think, exceptions to the rule.

As we hear from our own returning travelers, and from the few Traders who are able to come, divisions, betrayals, war, and politics pervade the land - from the emperors and their new generals to the church leadership to the ordinary person – all are affected.

We here on Dunnottar just do what we do and keep our heads down as best we can.

As it is illegal within the ever-expanding lands of the roman church to disagree with their mandates, our Culdee do what they have to do to protect us and to preserve our Libraries and our freedoms.

If bad goes to worse, and it probably will, the Libraries may not survive at all.

So what will that leave us with? We will have only our own selves, our own ways, to show that Freedom of Choice ever existed in the first place.

And Dunnottar, Iona, Tara, and the so few other places, bide.

It is a dangerous game we play, not a game at all but a deadly serious battle – of a sort that requires not so much Warriors and strength of arms but patience and the Will to continue for as long as it takes.

Generation after generation after generation if need be, we will bide.

The legions of Rome could not manage to completely subdue our people, not in the many hundreds of years they tried.

Here we are, safe and sound on Dunnottar.

And where now the legions of Rome?

What the legions failed to do so too will an army of priests fail to do.

Yes, we fight a different sort of battle now, but it is not less deadly.

Here is Aine, searching the lights of the sky and finding in them wisdom to share with us. She and Kalann are so filled with love that none of us can help but love in response.

Here are Caileen and Talorc, teaching as rapidly and thoroughly as the minds of our younglings can absorb information.

Here is Sass, Healing and praying with all the formidable strength of her not just for the physical Healing of individuals but for the Healing of our world.

Here are Alianora and Drustann so recently returned from the bigger world out there, happy and relieved to be home again within the Peace of the Mother – they lead us with kindness and the Faith they share beyond measure.

Little Merri and Sidhelagh Sing in the Grove as they tend to the trimming and cleaning there – in the branches of the oaks do they chatter non-stop, making up one exciting Story after another after another, and their laughter rings.

Danann is in the smithy, cussing out loud more often than not but producing with the strong muscles and bones of him the things we all need. His Voice too rings in time to his hammers, in Song when not in cussing.

Catan and I rest in the Grove, sometimes reading there and sometimes just listening to the Voices of Dunnottar, happy in the serenity of the days.

Sometimes, it is true, I will mount my old grey mare and we will go for a bit of a jaunt, to survey the crops or to Stonehaven perhaps, and Catan flows as effortlessly as ever at our side.

Life is calm, at Peace, on Dunnottar and we are happy and content.

And yet -

The wheel goes ‘round and ‘round.

     

     Look to the symbol of Dunnottar,

    

    Its Circles of Family, Friendship, Freedom, and the Future are firmly linked by the central Circle of Faith while they also link firmly to one another.

     Just so do the generations of our family, and of all families, link together.

     So too the comings and goings of the nations of the earth. Each will lock with the one before and the one to follow.

     And yet –

     The Trinity has been always and will be always, come what may, the center Circle which holds all together.