Since I was heir to the Iceni rulership, sometimes my grandmother did not like that I served and looked after every person –servant, slave, and noblemen alike. However, in this area I had power, and I rebelled against Sorcha with glee, knowing that in this alone I could do my own will.
To my great sadness, when I was 14 winters old, Sorcha married me to Gwalyn, the leader of the Demetae, and a year later I carried my first child: a red, fiery daughter. She was followed by another daughter, this one, had the look of the Old race; small and dark, with knowing eyes.
Now my two daughters are full grown women. Ana, the eldest, rules in my place as Queen of the Iceni, since I never had the heart to rule my people. Indeed, Sorcha took Ana under her wing before she could walk, and even before Sorcha died, all our people knew that Ana would be our queen.
My youngest daughter, Morgaine is herself sworn to the Goddess, though still maiden, and lives her life as a priestess and Wise-woman. She is respected highly among our people. Sorcha thought she was Elian reborn. I like to think so.
YGERNE ICENI'S TALE
My mother was named Elian, and was the last surviving daughter of the Iceni Queen, Sorcha.
I was born in one of Albion's coldest winters, and my mother passed at my birth, to journey to the Otherworld.
Thereafter, I lived with my grand-mother, though I was almost a stranger to her. Before I could speak my own name properly, I knew by heart how I was to address my grand-mother, always as "Mylady" or "Majesty". She only had need of me because I was her heir, and she made this clear to me every day of my life.
Therefore, my childhood was generally not a happy one. I never knew my father, and could not remember my mother, and I was despised by Sorcha. This was because I had lived, while her daughter had died. And I had not even inherited my mothers great Gift for magic.
However, I did possess the abilities and skills in the healing arts, and by the time I became a woman I was famed throughout our lands as a great healer. Also, as I was to one day be Queen, however Sorcha may despise the truth of this, I studied hard under my Roman tutor: learning Greek, Latin, astronomy and theology. I also learnt herbal lore from the priestesses to develop my abilities, and studied the Old ways under the druids who regularly visited Sorcha.
My ancestor Boadicea, the famous Warrior Queen, charged and nearly beat the Romans off our shores. But that was fated not to be. Liken to Boadicea, I have been trained as a warrioress, yet I am not unique in this. All the daughters of my people are trained in ways of war, for since even before the Romans came, war has touched our land.
With my daughters I lived among the Dematae for a time, but I felt no love for my husband. It had been a union to link our warring tribes, nothing more, nothing less; therefore I dare not betray him with another, though I was never tempted.
Three years after I became Gwalyn's Queen, he was struck down in a raid, and myself and our daughters returned to the Iceni lands; and to Sorcha.
Here I remained for a time, tending my people as healer and mid-wife. I became sworn to the Goddess, as after bearing two children and burying my husband, I had no urge to become a wife again.
And so the Great wheel turns, from maiden to mother; yet I should not yet be Crone. So for this time between times, I have come to live as Mistress of this island caer, alone except for the maidens who come to me for training in the Old ways. Here, I will await my destiny.
