Lovers' Glade

Author's Note: This is a short tale I wrote for the Holiday Collection. This is not meant to be fully historically accurate but rather Historical Fantasy. I do hope you enjoy. Riona will return.

Also note, Meabh is pronounced "May-ve".

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Lovers' Glade

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The wind was blunted to a chill breeze as it seeped between the great trunks of the forest's depths. Torch light glinted off icicles that hung from the leafless branches arching over the procession of cloaked figures. Evergreen boughs bent beneath the weight of snow that nearly glowed as the trail of people marched into the heart of the forest, mistletoe wreathed around their heads.

The first among them, a middle aged woman, beat down the path through the snow with sturdy determination. With each footfall, the trek was that much easier for those that followed, and easier still for those behind them. At the rear, an aging woman holding herself up with a stick was able to follow without difficult save what pain the years and five children had brought to her knees and hips.

Those few creatures still awake during this time watched with curiosity as the humans trekked deeper, leaving behind the comfort and warmth of their homes. Young Riona though could not help but look about her in awe of the forest's beauty. This was her eighteenth winter, and this was to be her first Solstice not spent with the children and those not in the coven at home waiting for the adults to return so she could dance and sing while wine and ale flowed enough that her parents cared little to what mischief she got up to.

This year she was invited to join, to leave behind the last vestiges of childhood and step into the world a true woman. So she stared, drinking in all the sights about her. The pine mixed with frost, hiding the earth beneath its white blanket. She listened to the crunch of boots pressing down the powdery snow, the creak of trees swaying in the wind. Even as they struggled to cling to life in the depths of winter, still the Goddess Anu made her presence known.

When they reached the glade they had been marching towards, Riona gasped. She had seen runestones before, some of them ancient and covered in moss. The one standing in the middle of the stone circle was taller than any she'd ever seen. Perhaps three times the height of her father.

The ice coating its surface glinted in the approaching torch light, and shadows were thrown in the deeply etched runes that had been carved so many years ago. Perhaps by the giants that father said had built this place.

The procession fanned out around the standing stone, the young beating trails for their elders. Riona found herself in the middle of the pack, looking about herself. At the stones perched upon others to ring this sacred place, with snow and ice sticking to their sides and mounding atop them.

Four witches were chosen to step forward, and Riona smiled to see her father, Cruinn, among them. Each of the four had a brought a child for their first ceremony, to grow the coven. Now Cruinn and the other three pushed to the standing rune stone and found the stone bowls that had been there for generations.

Gloved hands swept out the snow and ice, before they placed their kindling, ivy, rowan and blackthorn wood.

Riona's mother, as she always did, aided the most elder of the witches to the centre. Ailis was patient, and kind with the woman, whose journey through the snow grew more difficult each year. This may well be her last leading the Solstice ceremony, but Riona was impressed by the look of determination on her face as she stepped up onto the slick before the rune stone, and didn't slip.

When she turned, all watched her, and all grew quiet. It felt as if even the forest had grown silent, that Anu herself might hear the crone's words.

"Tonight as we celebrate rebirth and the growing days, we must too celebrate death and the stretching night that has come before this moment. On this the longest night, Anu brings new life to the world. But, just as with a babe it must grow, and be nurtured until the spring comes to us. So we leave behind the old world," the crone said, and the four witches lowered their torches to the bowls they had prepared.

The flames caught in the dried flowers and burst to life. They crackled and licked at the kindling as their life cast upon the crone and the coven spread around her. Each extended their hand to those beside them, and Riona did the same, her eyes peering from beneath the hood of her cloak at those others that had gathered.

The flames had caught now, and outside the circle, the flickering blue lights of wisps circled around them. Floating between the trees as smoke rose upwards from the flaming bowls, their lights made the icicles in the trees sparkle.

The crone began to speak again, and Riona tried to bring her attention back, but instead found her eyes locked on a woman across the circle from her. A woman she had not known was in the coven. A woman with long dark hair and in the warm months, Riona knew her body was tight with corded muscle.

Meabh was, four years elder, and perhaps the best in the village with a spear, and the best hunter. Riona had spent many days of her youth pestering the poor woman to teach her, until Riona's own mother had forbidden it. So, Riona spent many a day watching Meabh train, and fight with the warriors of the village. She grew infatuated with the woman and the beauty of her body moving beneath the sunlight, the sheen of sweat that would glisten on her in the summer sun.

The woman's green eyes turned slightly and found Riona staring. Even from here the young woman saw the hunter's lips curl into an amused smirk, and a blush heated her cheeks as she forced herself to look back to the crone who spoke of Anu and rebirth. The coven was chanting, and Riona hurried to jump into the words she had been taught since she was a girl. Praising Anu, and calling her touch back to the dormant world.

As one the coven lifted up their hands, calling to their Gods and the fairy folk to protect the land. They called upon the conception of life that would spark this evening, to grow to bring a bountiful year.

And Riona found her attention and gaze slipping again, across the circle to Meabh, and found her still staring with an amused smirk upon her lips. Riona swallowed, looking away almost immediately as the crone before the rune stone finally called the ceremony to a close as the fires in the bowls began to fade into cinders.

Ailis went up again to help the aging woman, and the coven turned again to walk out from the stone circle. The journey back was far easier, following their path from before. The solemn silence they held on the way outwards was broken now by easy chatter as they worked their way back to the village. To ale and cakes, song and dance. And love making of course.

Riona though just wanted a sip of ale and to dance with her friends, and perhaps sneak out to play at the forest's edge with the others her age.

Until a hand grasped her wrist and pulled her from the procession. Riona let out a yelp of surprise, and a few faces turned towards her before she realized it was Meabh herself that had pulled her free. The hunter was grinning, and Riona looked up into the opening of her cloak's hood to the pretty features beneath.

"Come. I have something to show you," Meabh said, and pulled again on Riona's wrist pulling her from the path and towards the forest, lit only by the light of Meabh's torch.

Riona glanced back, and caught her mother's attention. Ailis just smiled, gave a gentle shake of her head, but she said nothing and continued forward with the rest of the procession. So, Riona let herself be pulled into the dark and led into the wood by the woman who confused her loins.

"Where are you taking me?" Riona asked, and Meabh only laughed. It was unlike the hardy laughs she often heard from the woman when talking with other warriors and hunters. This was softer, and tinged with amusement.

"You'll see," was all she said, pulling Riona along as the young woman struggled to contain the fluttering of butterflies in her stomach. They had left the procession far behind, the light of their torches well lost behind them and swallowed by the night. Neither of them had one, so together they plunged through the dark, snow kicking up around their knees.

A chill seeped into Riona's skin through her cloak and clothes, as snow melted into her boots. But still she ran, her hand clutched by Meabh who seemed to know exactly where she was going. The hunter's cloak billowed behind her, fluttering across Riona's legs as they bound through the shadows of the forest.

Riona swore as she saw Meabh ducking suddenly, and only barely missed running into a low hanging branch that had snapped out from the darkness.

"Watch yourself," Maebh said with some amusement, and Riona felt her stomach churning with nerves and affections she could never bring herself to admit. Not out loud.

"Where are you taking me?" Riona almost screamed it, as fear slithered into her mind with the venom of paranoia. What if Meabh was just taking her out here for some joke, or prank that the others had thought would be funny.

Meabh stopped then, causing Riona to run into her. The older woman let out a grunt of surprise even as Riona felt her face pressed to the woman's shoulder. For a moment she clung there, seeking the warmth of her, before realizing what that must have seemed like and took a step back. Meabh clutched at Riona's arms though, keeping her close. The mist of their breathe swirling together as it rose in the chill air.

"It's a surprise. Besides, as the druids said and our coven follows, the mistletoe is used to mark where no violence or harm shall be committed," Meabh said, lifting a hand to tap at the wreath wrapping around Riona's hood.

"That's, true," Riona said, hesitant.

"I know I'm asking a lot, but trust me. Please," Meabh said, and Riona looked up into her eyes. For the first time ever she saw a slip in confidence, a crack in the hardy shell she was known for. Riona saw the woman beneath, and felt her fears slipping away as quickly as they'd arrived.

In their place, the butterflies in her stomach twisted and turned as they fluttered. Around them the forest took shape as her eyes adjusted to the dark, but somewhere, in the distance, was a light. Beckoning like the wisps.

Then Riona realized she hadn't answered, that her lips were dry as she tried to think of what to say.

"Okay," was all she could manage, and Meabh's smile returned, her confidence folding back over her expression.

"Good. You'll love it," she said, and with one hand holding Riona's, took off into the forest again, towards that distant light.

Riona yelped again, as she stumbled with the pull, and began chasing after the woman. The light grew brighter, but Riona had trouble seeing exactly what it was through Meabh. It was a gentle blue colour, soothing in many ways, casting soft shadows through the forest.

Meabh stopped again, spinning and catching Riona this time as she barrelled forward. Her hands had slipped beneath Riona's cloak, settled on her hips, and a pleasant shudder slipped through her lips. She looked up at the hunter, wanting to get even closer.

"Close your eyes. Don't worry, I'll be with you," Meabh said, and Riona nodded as she did as she was told. She heard snow crunching beneath Meabh's feet as she slowly moved around the younger woman. Her arms soon wrapped around Riona, with her body pressing to the younger woman's back.

"No peaking," she whispered, and gently began to move, guiding Riona forwards, as soft blue light played upon her eyelids. Meabh's body was pressed tight to the woman she guided forth, her hands gently holding to her hips.

As they stepped forward, the biting chill of the breeze became stronger, and Meabh set her chin upon Riona's shoulder. It was an affectionate gesture that Riona never expected, so she accepted the bitter chill.

"Open your eyes," Meabh's words were soft, inviting, and Riona did as she was asked, and gasped.

Before her was a glade surrounded by tall trees who looked pristine even without their leaves. In its centre was a pool, iced over and gleaming from the blue light that shimmered beneath the surface. Snow gusted along with the breeze, catching the pool's glow and twinkling in the night.

Jaw hanging open, Riona couldn't help but just drink in the beauty of what she saw before her. The rest of the world slipping away except for Meabh's warmth, and this sight before her.

"It's beautiful," she mentioned as her cheeks started to burn beneath the cold touch of the wind.

"I found this last Solstice, and it's not glowed like this any other night. But, I've wanted to show somebody ever since," Meabh said softly while Riona continued to gaze, not quite willing to pull her eyes away. She now knew what being enchanted felt like, as she looked about the glade though, she spotted a small tent off to her left. It looked newly pitched.

"Why me?" she asked, and felt herself being turned, the wind at her back now as she looked up into Meabh's face.

"Because I've seen the way your eyes lingered when you thought no one was watching. I've seen the catches in your breath when I spoke to you," Meabh said, and Riona felt her eyes widening as she was called out. "Because I wanted you to know you weren't alone."

Now the young woman tilted her head, lifting an eyebrow, until Meabh leaned in. She moved slowly, her eyes closing as her lips drew closer. Riona's heart hammered in her chest as she felt hands sliding beneath her cloak and across her back to pull her close, their bodies touching.

When their lips met, Riona all but melted.

Meabh held her tight, stopping her from collapsing, and Riona gingerly reached up to her hands upon Meabh's shoulders. She couldn't believe it was happening, even as she felt the soft warmth at her mouth. She felt tears threatening to spill in her eyes as her fingers curled to clutch at Meabh, while she managed to get her legs properly beneath her.

The kiss broke, the moment crystal in Riona's mind. She stood there, her misted breath washing over the woman before her. The woman she'd ached for, for so long. Then her voice came, splitting into her thoughts.

"Are you okay?"

Riona opened her eyes to see the look of concern on Meabh's features, and felt a few tears run down her cheeks. She couldn't speak, so found herself dumbly nodding in response to the question. The hunter smiled, lifting a hand to wipe away those spilled tears, and that brought forth the words Riona held inside.

"I'm not alone. I never imagined. Well... I imagined, but I never believed," she muttered, and Meabh smiled, her hands slipping lower, into the small of Riona's back, and pulled her close.

Their lips met again, but this time Meabh's mouth opened. The warmth of her tongue pushed into Riona, and the young woman whimpered. A delightful sound that almost had Meabh chuckling as she broke the kiss.

"Was that your first?" she asked with some amusement, and again Riona could only nod. "The Christians might call you a spinster."

Riona laughed a little, wiping at her nose, and aghast that she felt a bit of snot running across the back of her hand. Meabh pulled her close again, to her heat, and ran her hands up and down Riona's back before she spoke.

"I'm happy it was me. Go for what you want Riona, not what you're told to want," she whispered softly into the younger woman's ear. "Now. Let's get you somewhere warm. I have a tent set up for us."

Riona glanced up at those words, hoping her face wasn't a complete mess for this woman that she longed for. Longed for even more that she'd had her first kiss with her.

"You planned this?" Riona asked, and Meabh nodded with a beaming smile.

"I did. I had hoped," she said, and took Riona's hands, and started walking across the glade towards the leather tent that Meabh had seemingly set up. Likely at least the night before.

Together they crossed through the freshly fallen snow, and Meabh knelt down to pull back on the flap leading inwards. She stayed there, gesturing for Riona to enter. Shivering out in the cold, Riona eagerly accepted the invitation, despite the butterflies in her stomach, or the growing need in her loins. She had an idea of what was to happen within, and she craved it, had craved it for a long time. But, she didn't know where to start.

Climbing into the surprising warmth of the tent, the blue light from the pond cast within, showing furs and blankets carefully laid upon the ground. There was no snow beneath, and suspended from the pole running up the tent's spine was candle clasped in a chain. Meabh truly had planned ahead.

Scuttling further in to give room for a woman she believed would soon be her lover, Riona looked back in time to see Meabh coming in, letting the flap fall shut. The tent plunged into near perfect darkness, with only a hint of the blue glow coming from the base of the entrance. Riona stayed still, wanting this but nervous, and listened to Meabh's movements over the furs and blankets.

Then she was close by, her breath on Riona's cheek.

"Anu, gift us light," Meabh said with a snap of her fingers and a small flame caught on the candle's wick. It cast a warm glow around the tent, and cast sharp shadows across Meabh's features that made Riona only want to explore them further with her tongue.

"How, did you do that?" Riona asked, and Meabh smiled, the back of her fingers running along Riona's cheek and back to her ear.

"There are many gifts available to a witch, if you open your heart to the Gods. They will listen, to the right speaker," she said, and leaned in again for another kiss.

The press of lips was soft and gentle, and her hands plucked the wreathe from Riona's head and pushed back on the hood of her cloak, letting red hair cascade down her shoulders and back while her brooch was unclasped and the cloak pulled off fully.

Meabh broke the kiss, leaving Riona wanting for so much more. The hunter though set the cloak and wreathe aside, and slowly removed her own, her own braided hair falling from within. She looked at Riona then, a serious look at her face as she ran her thumb over the younger woman's bottom lip.

"I've, wanted you for some months Riona. Seeing your eyes upon me made my heart flutter in ways I thought was for fairy tales alone. I want to take you as my lover, here, tonight, on the night of the Solstice and beneath the eyes of the Gods. If you wish it," Meabh said, and Riona pushed her hand aside and nearly launched herself at the woman.

After a quick series of kisses with parted lips, Riona managed a few small words.

"I wish it."

With that she felt a hand run down her back and pull at her waist. Her butt scooted across the furs and Meabh lay atop her, lips hungrily claiming her own. Tongue pushing into eager mouth and swallowing beautiful moans.

Riona was lost amid the lust that swirled over her mind, overtaking the affection. Her hands explored, feeling the curves above hard muscle. The soft press of breasts against her palms as she squeezed, delighting in the pleasured groans that flood their eager kiss even as tongues danced.

Heartbeats melding together they lost time as their hands flowed and clothing was hiked up, simply savouring the warmth and touch of the other. The smell of their skin and sweat mixing into one. Then Meabh broke the kiss, her eyes wild, and Riona mewled.

The hunter grinned, and rolled onto her back, lifting up her knees to get at her boots, quickly untying the laces and pulling them off to toss them into an unused corner. Then she lifted her hips, going for her pants, and Riona stared. She couldn't bring herself to do anything else as she watched the belt come off and those trousers slip off now exposed hips.