The Wrap-up Adventure for the Kin Cousin Books

It's hollering for my attention, it is.

But ... I need sleep.

Maybe I'll just do a quick outline.

Mm-hmmm ... 

It's just a short story! Does it need an outline?

Kind of.

Okay, not really.

I just want to be able to hop out of bed and write it, not have to think about it as I go along.

Since when did you start thinking as you write?

Shhhh ... 

*laughing*

What the heck. Here are the basics.

All of the Younglings of Dunnottar are now there; Merri and Dothann have just arrived from their lifetime of traveling on the Continent. Rua and Corrbed have been around for about a year and Diann has been there for two years, with Brann having been born there (he's now six, Rua's five, Dothann's seven, Corrbed's eight, Diann's nine, and Merri is eleven - just so you know).

The Kin Cousin books tell a little of the back stories of the younglings. They've come for training and for safety. Rua is now an orphan, Diann and Corrbed's homes are battlegrounds, and Merri and Dothann have been on the Continent and witnessed more than anyone realizes of the conditions there as the fifth century CE (the 400s) sees the fall of the Roman Empire - and the seeds being planted for the rise of the Holy Roman Empire. 

That's the background these kids live with.

At the time of this little piece, their individual and collective arrivals on Dunnottar are fresh in their minds, and their emotions are mixed. Of course the story isn't going to go into much, if any, of this stuff - but I want it as fresh in my mind as it is in theirs as I write their adventure.

This time their 'play pretend' has a bit of a dark edge to it. They're all glad to be safe (and together) on Dunnottar, but they're also angry and frightened.

They're angry at the circumstances of their world, and frightened by them. They've seen, they know, how horrific it is out there. Being safe on Dunnottar when their families are either dead or in danger is a mixed blessing. It's very hard for them to remain where they're supposed to be, doing what they're supposed to be doing, when they would rather be venting their anger on the bad guys (in this case 'Rome', the eternal enemy of the Celts from whose culture this family rises). 

They know that right now they are not yet ready to go out there and take on the battle, and they are also conflicted because theirs is a kind of specialized culture within the larger one of the Celtic Peoples - they are the People of Peace. The anger they carry is not natural to them; it hurts them in ways that we probably can't really understand, and nor do they understand it. They aren't going to go to the big folk with their worries - the adults have enough worries of their own.

So it is to their 'play pretend' clearing that they turn, and to one another, to try to work out how to cope with their feelings.

They've got terrific educations (relatively speaking) and part of that is taking the pieces of what they're learning and putting them together to form a complete puzzle that maybe ends up looking different from the 'original' one - but which will meet the needs that our own Younglings have at any given time.

This time it's anger, and pain, and loss, and fear that fuels them.

They're going to take the battle to Rome and they're going to do it their way.

As they choose their individual roles for the 'play pretend' time in the clearing, they're looking for powerful individuals, from whenever and wherever they find them in their studies.

Merri starts her Boudicca kick, which she is going to stay in for quite some time.
Diann chooses a goddess and it doesn't really matter which one - they've got all the times in their world to choose from and Diann knows that the deities fought and won some mighty battles back in their day.
Corrbed our scholar looks to actual history and picks Alexander the Great.
Dothann wants Loki of the Northern Tales, mainly because nobody can ever tell for sure about what Loki is likely to do at any given time.
Brann can't decide but is finally convinced to take on the role of Bran the Blessed, not the last time in his life that he gets put into that role.
And Rua, who is perhaps the most upset of them all right at this time, goes with Scathach, perhaps the most deadly woman to ever grace the face of the earth - she trains the best of the Warriors, which ought to tell us something.

Our Cast of Characters goes straight to the heart of the issue (from their perspective) and decides to head for Rome to try to talk some sense into the connivers who are plotting to take over the world of the Younglings of Dunnottar. If the connivers won't listen, they'll tie them in caves with poison dripping on them forever without killing them, with nobody to catch any of the venom in a cup, either. The Younglings are pretty angry right about now, not feeling much mercy.

Naturally, as these are mainly Warriors they've chosen, they have to fight their way across the Continent. They find foes aplenty and they find friends and allies as well, some in unexpected places.

Just as naturally, some of them fall in battle and the rest have to go on without them.

Finally there are only Scathach, Loki, and the goddess left as the mortals die along the way. They worry a little about Scathach because nobody really knows whether or not she's immortal - but she isn't worried. She just wants to fight the bad guys, come what may ... and so she does.

Ironically, when they finally make it to Rome and find the connivers, nobody can see them or hear them. They have the head of Bran with them, of course, but nobody in the Rome of 487 CE is likely to pay attention to a head that has no body to go with it.

The dragons show up and get a little attention but are gone with their riders before anyone has gotten over the shock of seeing them so the attention is short-lived and soon forgotten.

They go get Bran's Cauldron, collect Boudicca, Alexander, and the body of Bran, get everyone back to 'normal' - and are in short order back in their own 'play pretend' clearing.

They're disappointed that they haven't been able to change anything in their world, but the 'battles' have vented much of their rage, which helps at least a little. 

Their conclusions?

They decide that what they've gotten out of their adventure is that all they can do is the best they can do in the time and the place that is given them, with whatever they have to work with - and to know that always there have been, are, and will be others who are also doing the same in their own times, their own places.

Then they set up their targets while a flock of doves flies into the clearing to sit on the branches of the surrounding trees.

Hmmm ...

That's pretty dark all the way through. Loki and Scathach are going to have to provide some comic relief as we go along.

Good Lord.

I'm liable to have nightmares.

If I can't sleep, I'll get up and write the darned story and get it out of my system.  

*sigh*

Welcome to my life.

I have found the Geats!

The map is from the 12th century, but the Geats were there LONG before that ... just wanted to pop this in ... theirs is the blue area with the Swedes in yellow.

Here's an 'earlier' version: it's supposedly from the days of Beowulf ...

Not that they were ever lost, mind you.

It's just that I've only discovered them.

I ask you: how is it that I could have lived so much of my life in North Dakota and Minnesota, where there are plenty of Swedes and Norwegians, and never once in all that time heard a single word about the Geats?

No, it had to wait until I get started on ALIANORA, which takes place during the time of the Vikings, and am in the middle of researching a long-standing trade (friendly) relationship between Dunnottar and Sweden (going back to previous research about the name itself and a possible connection to a Swedish king called Ottar and his ancestors) ... and there were the Geats, smack in the middle of good old Sweden.

Me being me, I saw that word and immediately thought, 'Hey, that's a lot like Getae - I'll make them related to Alaric, but not let on until later in the book!'

Right.

THEN I looked it up.

O_O

I had been getting a chuckle about the Getae of the North having an on-going trade thing with Dunnottar for a really long time without even knowing that they might be related ... and the chuckles went straight into outright laughter when I read about the logic of a serious argument some centuries back when some claimed that Sweden had defeated the Roman Empire.

Because the Geats were Getae (read Goth, read Celt, read Alaric) and a part of Sweden, therefore it was Sweden who triumphed over Rome. Apparently there was a big to-do about it between Swedes and Spaniards in the 1400s.

And I can't help thinking, 'Wouldn't our Alaric have gotten a laugh out of that!'

Yep, and me being me, what have I done, besides putting all of the above into a public blog?

You guessed it. Got the relationship between Alaric and the Geats into the story line first chance I got.

*sigh*

I never could keep a secret.

Can't Stop Smiling

Remember the post about the Stonehaven Fireballs, how I loved the whole thing and was so lacking in the c-c-c-courage to just tell them? Here's the link to that post:

http://shielabranson.blogspot.com/2015/01/stonehaven-fireballs-links-and-saying.html

I did send it on. And found in my email inbox a reply that is responsible for the grin on my face today.

*smug smiles from Danann and Sidhelagh*

Oh MY. Danann's Book - I have to quote Mamm: 'WHAT!?!?!'

It is the year 3487. 

Danann, Sidhelagh, and Ullin have the current family gathered beneath the boughs of the Mother Tree, the ancient Yew of Perth.

They are only just coming to fully realize the extent of the damage and loss to their family over the course of three thousand years.

As the situation calls for a bit of a celebration, Sidhelagh thinks to treat them with a Story.

Dothann suggests she begin at the beginning.

So she starts with Genesis. 'In the beginning ... '

Oh my.

While Danann respects and reveres the Scriptures, he's been looking forward to a different sort of Story for three thousand years.

And he gets Genesis?

As an introduction to the Storying Tradition, it just seems to lack a little something.

Luckily for all concerned, Boudicca's Story is up next on the agenda.

I'm working on drafting non-sequential scenes, putting together details, and fitting the Characters into their proper places (and times).

Stonehaven Fireballs - Links and Saying Thank You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCif9XkL34Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXlSYeNTTBk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm5cqvnZ2eE

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSou3h2A3xmL1U_o3agfCRWlUOZMjxp0F0l-jDLcKdT3CUcdiFtNA

This image goes with the photo URL above.

SPECTACULAR

I watched it from a live feed and here are my comments:

2014  12  31  1630  (US Central time)

Holy buckets! I have to get myself to Stonehaven or they’ll be doing the fire walk thing without me!

SOOO excited! People, people, people … so many people.

I was afraid I’d missed it, not thinking of the time difference, right? But those people aren’t leaving the area, and there are more and more of them coming … so maybe I haven’t missed it after all …

The Stonehaven Fireballs have a camera posted with a live feed. I’m watching with more intensity than I could have possibly thought likely for an event that’s taking place clear on the other side of the world.

1710 – it’s 2310 over there …

More and more people are crowding the sides of the street and people in what looks like black pants and white vests are the only ones who are really in the open area, keeping it clear I reckon …

Oh I hope to high heaven this connection doesn’t fail!

SUCH a crowd!

1720

Ach buffering … ! It stops the video feed …

Who are the ones in the white sleeves I wonder …

I could go watch last year’s, or the year before … but I want to see NOW, to almost kind of be there … sigh.

1725 is 2325 and it’s buffering again … even so, I can’t WAIT! I can feel the excitement from clear over here!

1728

Ah, there’s an ordered group in black … wish there was audio or a commentator or something … oh but this is FUN!

There’s a truck, coming this way … oh it’s stopped … nope moving on now …

How excited I get over this  … who would think?!?!?

1736

OH! Were those pipers? It’s so hard to tell and I’m so ignorant (not by choice, mind you, just circumstances beyond my control).

1740

Here’s where I’m watching from:

http://stonehavenfireballs.co.uk/firecam

‘The web cam is mounted in the clock tower and gives a view up the High Street towards the Cannon. Web camera kindly provided by SoilEssentials, Brechin, and the broadband connection by Craig-ma-Cair B&B, Stonehaven.’

1743

A little group with a lady …

Buffering … the only good thing about buffering is that I get a chance to feed my fire here. The kitchen wood stove is keeping me toasty on this cold Dakota Long Dark night!

1745

There’s a group, are they drummers? WISH I could hear!

And yes I know I can wait and watch it later, but that wouldn’t be the same at all, would it? Dang the connections while blessing them in the same breath … I get so impatient …

I wish I had a Stonehaven friend, someone who could take me places and to events and stuff – like Tess takes me shopping with her in Minneapolis … electronically, since I can’t be there really, either. Sigh.

1755 buffering again

Do I wait it out or refresh the page and hope for the best?

Refresh the page.

Blue – I’m seeing blue at the top of the screen …

I  AM going to have to watch this later, but I’m not giving up, buffering or not.

This time I’ll wait it out, see what happens.

Maybe.

I am impatient, you remember …

1800 here

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO STONEHAVEN!

Cameras flashing all over the place!

It’s a white glare in the street.

AAAUUUGH! ‘We are unable to connect … blah blah blah.’

A flash of movement and light then ‘We are having problems with playback …’ … sigh …

By the time I get connected it will be over and I’ll have to sit here and weep.

OH there they ARE!

What a thing to watch, even from across the world and fighting buffering and etc.

At least this time it stopped with a darned impressive picture on the screen, moving lights halted in place, filling the street.

1812

Ah it’s magical, beautiful … sentimental me, my eyes are blurring the view.

It’s all moving lights and once in a while you see the people who are swinging the fires.

How I wish I could be there for real … even though this is very special for me, how oh how I wish I could be there for real.

What must it feel like to be a part of something this magical and powerfully moving … I am so very glad that there’s someplace in this world of ours that holds fast to such things.

Kudos to Stonehaven’s Fireballs.

Totally impressed and moved to tears and almost beyond words.

1822

Holy buckets look at the crowds filling the street!

And I thought I was impressed before.

Well yeah, I AM impressed – but the sight of THIS takes it to the next step.

Wow.

This time I really am going to wait out the buffering. Gives me time to dry my eyes and such.

What an awesome thing for Stonehaven to not only protect and preserve but to share with me (others too of course, but I don’t know about them – I know about me) from clear the other side of the world.

Call me a sentimental fool, but Holy Mother of Christ I love this. And don’t fret yourself that I might be using profanity – I’m not and the Mother is not offended, trust me on that one.

1830

Okay, eyes dry and all that. Let’s see what happens with a reload this time.

Oh my. A very full street with everyone going the same direction, very few going against the flow. Where have all these people come from I wonder. Stonehaven can’t have THAT many people, can it? Ha. What a question. I would be there my own self if I weren’t poorer than the proverbial churchmouse.

Now I can search on line and see if anybody’s got stuff posted yet. I want to see it all in one piece …

I have to say I’m darned pleased that Dunnottar snagged me, truly happy about that I am.

1900

*big sigh*

Of content because I got to ‘see’ the Stonehaven Fireballs presenting that astounding display, and all the people who were lined up (and behaving themselves, which in many places wouldn’t happen, you know)?

Or do I sigh because I’m not quite all the way content with seeing it from across the world? Grateful for the chance, bet your bottom dollar on THAT, but still …

Well maybe one day I’ll find a way; in the meantime I’m quite very happy to pop in now and again to see how things are going. Thanks to the Mearns Leader, and hibernator that I am, I think I keep better track of Stonehaven than I do of my own little Small Town USA.

And why do I snoop on some place that’s clear across the world from me?

Because it pleases me to do so.

Even more pleasing is that I’m finding a community of which the SONG Characters (fictional though they are) would be all-fired proud. If they were real, and if they were NOW, the whole lot of them would be preening, I tell you. Preening. And I wish I could somehow let Stonehaven know how precious it has become to me.

I know that sounds downright weird. I don’t know a soul there and not a soul knows me nor probably would want to.

Even so.

Me and the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz … ‘If I only had the nerve …’

Sadly, I haven’t got the nerve.

But Danann and Sidhelagh now, that’s another Story. Those two have nerve and to spare.

No I haven’t lost all my marbles (got one on a chain around my neck to prove it). I know Danann and Sidhelagh don’t exist; they’re fictional Characters for heaven’s sake, made up out of my own head as a matter of fact.

But, as my sister said, ‘They can still have their Voices, can’t they? Even if they’re dead.’ Even if they never existed in the first place?  Maybe.

Hell, the two of them have been spouting off about this, that, and the other thing all along, dead or not, real or not.

And I have this internal debate, right?

The Celt in me says, ‘Go for it!’

Me:         They’d think me crazy.

Celt:        Well, and aren’t you?

Me:         Shhhh!

Celt:        *laughing*

Me:         I have no c-c-c-courage.

Celt:        Ah, but I do. Don’t you read your own books?

Me:         No.

Celt:        No?

Me:         No. I write them down is all.

Celt:        *laughing uproariously*

Me:         Quit laughing at me.

Celt:        Cluck.

Me:         What!?

Celt:        Well I don’t dare QUACK … you don’t read your own books and wouldn’t get it.

Me:         Quack you, Celt.

Celt:        *snicker* Cluck.

Me:         I just want to tell them thank you, that’s all.

Celt:        Well for pity’s sake, just do it then.

Me:         Cluck.

Celt:        Quack.

Me:         Exactly what they’ll think of me.

Celt:        Who cares?

Me:         I do. They might think I’ve taken liberties with their community.

Celt:        Newsflash. None of them were alive in AD 487.

Me:         Newsflash. Neither were you.

Celt:        You sure about that?

Me:         *frown*

Celt:        Quit dithering and just do it. You’re not insulting them, you’re telling them thank you. What’s to get upset about in that? If they don’t like it, what’s for you to worry about? They’re clear on the other side of the world.

Me:         *sad eyes turning away* I know.

Celt:        Aw, c’mon. What’s the newspaper there that you read sometimes?

Me:         Mearns Leader

Celt:        There you go then. Blame it on Danann and Sidhelagh; they don’t care – they’ve been dead for fifteen hundred years.

Me:         They’re fictional. They can’t be dead because they never existed in the first place.

Celt:        Sure about that, are you?

Me:         I’m beginning to wonder.

Celt:        You know the Celtic people always win in the end. One way or another.

Me:         Okay, you win. If they hate me forever it’s all on you.

Celt:        What the heck. They’ll probably be polite and say ‘You’re Welcome’.

Me:         That would be ‘You’re so very welcome’.

Celt:        Thought you didn’t read your own books.

Me:         I don’t. I just pay attention while I’m writing them down. And did I not just tell you that you win? I’m going to tell Stonehaven thank you now.

Celt:        Good.

Me:         Do you ALWAYS get the last word?

Celt:        Yes.

Designs Incubating ...

These are a few of the cedar shake paintings I did some time ago ... love the colors flowing together, and have missed doing them. 

So ... drum roll please ... maybe it's time to do some new ones since the inventory on them is pretty well depleted!

I know it's not even New Year's yet, but there are dozens of Valentine Designs running around in my head, with those colors flowing in the background and maybe some metallic pretties as little accents. 

After this weekend I'll have a few days to play, and am going to have a great time with all the playing I'm planning on doing! Got a bunch of cedar shakes from the roof of my 100 year old house, some brushes, some paints, and a lot of imagination just begging to be turned loose. Instead of (or in addition to?) landscape silhouettes, think designs maybe something like these I found in my internet roaming:

Here's where I found this version of a very old pattern:
https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQDDnhVPH16PdUX-PX_zwqI2HsMSWwU-0vRX2AKX5IKJE2NK2Td

Or something like this on a hand-painted card maybe:

Somebody's rendition of a fun design ...
https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ_E5YvuEfuEE0TjFtLXMT2APaf6SIU6vRQ2HM9W-u5x0vGyIJoyA

This could get to be a whole lot of fun!

There are thousands of intricately carved stones still in existence from a very long time ago, and even more fancies to be found in the metal-work of old times. Over and under and around and through, repeat and repeat and repeat in the most amazing ways ... fascinating stuff I tell you! A person can 'create' a design that they think is new and complex, then turn around and find almost the exact same thing that someone else 'created' a few thousand years ago ... and the wheel goes 'round and 'round ... so wrap your mind around it and come up with a 'creation' of your own! It's a challenge, and it's fun.

Let's see what we can 'create', shall we?

Some of the new pieces that I'm bound and determined to 'create' ought to be at Close to Home in The Q on Main Street of Fessenden ND USA just after the dawning of 2015 - a year that's something to look forward to - only a few days away!