Fiaha, Fianna and Fiahra, the three brothers of Kiaran, were as much alike as three acorns from one oak branch, as three knives made by same blacksmith. They were born on the same day, with only a quarter of an hour separating them. Since their birth they could not be told apart, even by their own mother, except by their birthmarks. The eldest brother Fiaha had a birthmark above his left brow, the middle brother Fianna, on his right cheek, and the youngest Fiahra, on his chin.
From their youthful years the triplets excelled in strength and dexterity, in hunting, fencing and other arts of the field. They joined the army of Kiaran and won renown as excellent warriors, every one of them killing great number of enemies. They were always inseparable, by day and by night. They ate together, slept together, fought together and stood watch together. Time and again their commanders offered to appoint all three of them centurion, yet the brothers refused, unwilling to part with each other.
In vain maidens tried to catch their gaze, and women to bewitch them, and quite a few men to make a pass on them. The triplets never looked on anyone with desire.
As soon as Ashurran chanced to lay her eyes upon the brothers, her heart was pierced with longing for them. Fetching indeed they were, comely, good of character, fit of body, five and twenty of age. They were tall and straight as three pines on a seashore, broad of shoulders, slim of waist, with necks of a stag, with legs of a pure-bred stallion. Their grey eyes gleamed like steel, under lashes long and black as the Shighuns' arrows. With just batting an eye they could inflict incurable love wounds. Their hair was blacker than a raven's wing, their skin whiter than an apple-blossom, their birthmarks prettier than a black pearl.
"Who are those three?" Ashurran asked, burning with desire.
"Those are Fiaha, Fianna and Fiahra, the triplet brothers of Kiaran. Indeed they are well-loved and war-skilled, with manners of ripe maidens, and hearts of brothers, and valor of bears, and fury of lions."
"Nothing in the world I desire more than to share their bed and their tent also," Ashurran said, slamming her fist into her palm.
Soldiers laughed at her words.
"Forget your desire, oh best warrior amongst women, best woman amongst warriors! Those three share their bed and tent only with each other, for they forswore all women except for three triplet sisters, who should be as much alike as three dew-drops. Besides, those sisters should have the exact same birthmarks as the brothers themselves. Since it's clearly impossible to find such sisters, those three are most likely to never lie with a woman."
"We'll see about that," Ashurran said, her eyes shining with mischief.
She waited for the three brothers to go swimming in the forest lake, and hid in a shrubbery. She broke off a hazel branch and painted a birthmark on her chin with its brown sap. Meanwhile the brothers took their clothes off and went into the water. Ashurran sneaked up closer, for not in vain she spent her time in the gang of thieves, and snatched the embroidered sash of the youngest brother.
After swimming to their heart's content, the brothers came out to the shore and got dressed. Fiahra looked for his sash, but couldn't find it anywhere.
"Don't wait for me," he said to his brothers. "I'll find my sash and catch up with you at once."
As soon as his brothers were out of sight, a tall maiden clad in a warrior's clothes came before Fiahra. His sash was in her hand. Fiahra looked at her and saw that she was dark and good-looking, her dark-blue eyes sparkling, her smile fetching, and she had a birthmark on her chin very similar to his. Fiahra's heartbeat quickened, yet he tried to assume a haughty look and said,
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Gates to Glory: Epic Fantasy Adventure Tale (Ashurran #1)
Adventure[FINISHED]She was born in a tribe of fierce female warriors. Swords and spears have been her toys from the cradle. She has the only path before her, to become the tribe chief after her mother. Yet Ashurran dreams of strange lands, of bigger battles...
