Ahlva: Unbound

Chapter 3

Ahlva

Long ago, according to legend, before the arrival of the Milesians, there lived the Tuatha Dé Danann, a race of otherworldly, almost mythical beings that lived far longer than our mortal lifetimes. They were skilled in all magick and possessed great knowledge of the natural world, they lived in harmony with nature and lived in peace until the Milesians arrived. Power-hungry, the Milesians ravaged the land, destroying and killing the natural world of animals and plant life. War erupted and Ireland was dark, full of bloodshed, disease, famine, and tears. Seeing that the Milesians would never change their destructive ways of greed and war, the Tuatha Dé Danann had decided to save themselves, by leaving this world. Through their mystical powers and knowledge, they escaped to another world that the Mother Goddess Danu created for them. The Mother Goddess Danu blessed these lands to be eternally beautiful and full of youth, so her people could live in harmony once again, this world is known as:  

Tír na nÓg.

"What are you reading?" A voice sounds, jolting me out of my focus as my heart pounds. I immediately turn to see it is Ronit. 

"Ronit" I chuckle, while clutching the arm of the chair. "You scared me" I look at her soft, shocked face. 

"I did call to you, though you must not have heard me seeing as how focused you were" She peers slyly into the book I was reading but I close it and stand. 

"It's nothing, just folktales my mother used to tell me" I quickly answer he unasked question, before asking a question of my own. "Did you find the bridge?" My eyebrows raise in expectation.

Ronit nods. "I did"

I exhale a breath I didn't know I was holding and relax my body ."They were fed well and played with, just like you asked" Ronit nods before giving a small smile, her soft brown eyes glistening. 

"Thank you Ronit, it means a great deal to me" I hold the green book closer to me. 

"Why don't you ask your father to take the pups to raise and train them for hunting season?" Ronit questions as she looks off to the side before we start walking back to my chambers. I decide to keep the green and gold book to add to my under-bed collection.

"Do you think he would allow it?" I ask, surprised by her suggestion. 

"Your Father does love the hunting season, I imagine he would be thrilled" She replies with a slight laugh. 

"Maybe once they're a bit bigger, you can bring them to the castle? I fear they are still too young to be moved. I will ask Father if they can stay in the kennels with the rest of the hounds" I look to Ronit with a genuine smile. 

She looks at me and nods once again.

                                                                                        ----------+----------

Dusk approaches and my stomach growls as I watch the sunset from my balcony. The clouds lazily drift by as they bask in the last pinkish-red sun rays before the sun eventually disappears behind the mountains. A cool breeze blows through my hair, rippling past my skin, goose skin peppering my neck and arms. I think of when I walked in the forest with my mother and I would complain of the chill before she wrapped her shoal over my small arms.

"Ahlva stay close, I don't want you getting lost again" I giggle and look up at Mother. I always found her beautiful, with her small nose that reminds me of the faerie drawings she once made for me. 

"Alright, we are here" I stop walking and look up. The large trees of the great forest seem to be leaning inwards as the leaves rustle from gentle breezes. The night air feels cool against my skin while the small openings in the tree tops let the twinkle of stars shine through. I don't understand why Mother decided to bring me here so late at nigh-