So, little one, you wish to know why we of House Scathach are different from other Sidhe? You wish to know why we cannot call upon the Art of Sovereign, as do our Kithmates of the other Houses? And why we cannot turn away from a battle until we or all our foes are conquered?
"And why," you ask, "do we wear naught but white, and black, and grey?" That, too, you shall learn when this tale is done, so sit down and listen...
***
Long, long ago, when the world was new, there were three sister Goddesses, the Three who were also One: Kyr?, the Maiden; Ginevra, the Mother; and Scathach, the Turner of the Wheel. They were the daughters of Kerridwen, the Great Goddess, who gave them charge of Her greatest treasure, the Cauldron of Rebirth.
In those days, we Fae did not often die, for we did not age as mortals do. But when we did die, it was Scathach who came to collect us when we reached the end of our roads, and she who guided us to the Cauldron, that we might be reborn. No one feared her then, for we knew that she was not the End, but the agent of a new beginning.
When the Tuatha de Danaan arrived, the Three welcomed them, and they swore oaths of undying friendship to one another. A prince of the Tuatha wedded Ginevra, and from their union came the first Sidhe.
And for many, many turnings of the wheel, all was well. But then, one day, Gwydion, the king of the Sidhe, determined that he, not Scathach, should have power over life and death. And to this end, he went to Scathach, and asked her to give him the Cauldron. "For such is my right, as King of all the Sidhe."
"No," said she, "for it was given to me by my Mother, Kerridwen, and I will not abandon my duty."
The king asked again, and again, she denied him. He offered her all the riches of his realm, if only she would give him the Cauldron. And still, she answered, "No."
Then Gwydion grew angry, and said, "If you will not give it to me willingly, then I shall take it from you." And he went to his sons and daughters, and told them to make war on the House of Scathach. And they did so.
Scathach gathered her children as well, and the two mighty armies clashed upon the field of battle. For many days, the battle raged on, and was joined by others, even some of the shapechangers, the children of Scathach's husband, the Hunter Gwyn ap Nudd. Yet, for all their might, neither side could prevail against the other.
Determined to win by any means, Gwydion went to his brothers and sisters and asked for their aid. In his tent, the five met: Gwydion himself, and his siblings---his brothers, Dougal, the smith, and Liam, the wise sage; and his sisters, the beautiful and passionate Fiona, and Eiluned, whose sorcerous arts knew no equal.
"And why," you ask, "do we wear naught but white, and black, and grey?" That, too, you shall learn when this tale is done, so sit down and listen...
***
Long, long ago, when the world was new, there were three sister Goddesses, the Three who were also One: Kyr?, the Maiden; Ginevra, the Mother; and Scathach, the Turner of the Wheel. They were the daughters of Kerridwen, the Great Goddess, who gave them charge of Her greatest treasure, the Cauldron of Rebirth.
In those days, we Fae did not often die, for we did not age as mortals do. But when we did die, it was Scathach who came to collect us when we reached the end of our roads, and she who guided us to the Cauldron, that we might be reborn. No one feared her then, for we knew that she was not the End, but the agent of a new beginning.
When the Tuatha de Danaan arrived, the Three welcomed them, and they swore oaths of undying friendship to one another. A prince of the Tuatha wedded Ginevra, and from their union came the first Sidhe.
And for many, many turnings of the wheel, all was well. But then, one day, Gwydion, the king of the Sidhe, determined that he, not Scathach, should have power over life and death. And to this end, he went to Scathach, and asked her to give him the Cauldron. "For such is my right, as King of all the Sidhe."
"No," said she, "for it was given to me by my Mother, Kerridwen, and I will not abandon my duty."
The king asked again, and again, she denied him. He offered her all the riches of his realm, if only she would give him the Cauldron. And still, she answered, "No."
Then Gwydion grew angry, and said, "If you will not give it to me willingly, then I shall take it from you." And he went to his sons and daughters, and told them to make war on the House of Scathach. And they did so.
Scathach gathered her children as well, and the two mighty armies clashed upon the field of battle. For many days, the battle raged on, and was joined by others, even some of the shapechangers, the children of Scathach's husband, the Hunter Gwyn ap Nudd. Yet, for all their might, neither side could prevail against the other.
Determined to win by any means, Gwydion went to his brothers and sisters and asked for their aid. In his tent, the five met: Gwydion himself, and his siblings---his brothers, Dougal, the smith, and Liam, the wise sage; and his sisters, the beautiful and passionate Fiona, and Eiluned, whose sorcerous arts knew no equal.