"If I Had A Hammer ..."

A long time ago when I was just a young girl (oh it was another time, another age of humankind, believe you me - at least it feels that way) there was a song we used to sing about 'if I had a hammer'. If you're old like me or for some reason have heard this song, you'll know the one I mean.

Haven't thought about it in many years except to find myself singing it once in a while as I search through the chaos of my studio looking for an actual hammer ... 

However, I'm doing research for the Alianora book set, which is up next on the agenda here ... hers are the years between 500 and 800 CE (A.D.) and I'm digging around on line, going through the histories of the places pertinent to 'our' family. 

And of course I ran smack into something that I knew was there but it was tucked away into the back of my mind in terms of these books.

Charlemagne doesn't come along until 800 (yes he's there before that but the year 800 is a big one for him) and that's the beginning of the Sass timeline so I didn't focus much on him.

Ah but ... Charlemagne didn't just spring out of thin air, now did he?

Nope.

He had a father ... and a grandfather ... who just so happen to fall into our story during Alianora's timeline.

I can't ignore them - his grandfather in particular has much to do with Aquitaine, for one thing, and don't forget Alianora is the Keeper of the Faith.

Charlemagne's grandfather was Charles Martel also known as 'The Hammer'.

And so the plot thickens.

Significantly.

As Ullin of Iona would say, 'The wheel goes 'round and 'round ... '

This set of books has just become somewhat more complicated than I could have imagined, all things considered. 

Yes, they're fiction (thank goodness) but there's also an element that involves portraying this family of Peace as the real people that they represent. As people of Peace they surely do end up fighting a lot of battles.

Stilicho mocks Ataulf with it; Joan of Chattan asks her husband Davidson 'What price are we willing to pay for the sake of a peace that will be long in coming?' or some such, can't remember her exact words ... those scenes are in Mamm of Dunnottar, go look them up if you want.

Up until now the Christianity of our people, the strength of their women right alongside of their men, their determination to protect education ... the knowledge and wisdom of times long past even in their time ... these and the values they hold most dear as a family and as a people (Faith, Family, Friends, Freedom, Future) have been behind their (mostly) concealed struggles against Rome twisting their beloved and holy Faith into something they find an abomination. They must survive; they must pass on the Legacy; they are the Keepers of that Legacy.

And now here comes a whole new threat.

I'm with Jonah on this one.

Lord, I don't really want to write these books. Do I have to?

Ach.

Look what happened to Jonah. 

Come to think of it, that Jonah guy gets mentioned more than once in the books already done - and we aren't even to the hard parts yet.

UFFDA.

If You won't let me off the hook, please give me strength.

See, the thing about studying history is that, even with the relatively little amount we have to work with, a person can't help but see that yes indeed that wheel does go 'round and 'round. 

There's GOT to be a better way, there just HAS to be ... why can't we FIND it? 

Are we truly in that on-going cycle of Scandinavian Mythology? 

Right about now there are lots and lots of people wishing for a Hammer. Me, I'm praying for a different solution this time around.

I can't change history but I can Hope for Tomorrow. *chuckling* That (Hope and Tomorrow) is Caileen's Voice in the SONG. And that set of books seems to be too far too far right about now.

Not to mention that there's a lot of other stuff going on all over the place during these centuries of the Alianora Books. Even the peace of their sanctuary on Dunnottar is going to be lost to them pretty soon (which thankfully isn't quite YET but it's coming). 

Our family is scattering already and it's got a far piece to go yet; they can't just stay holed up for centuries on end, you know. What kind of books would THAT get us? Nope. Out they go to one battle after another after another - and they take us right along with them. 

Again I say:  Give me strength. Please.