A goddess, a tale of honour and a picture

Last night I decided to try my hand at the current rage for images on tumblr and make one for one of my most favourite characters I have ever created. Elspeth Lyon. She is one of the lead characters in the ‘Children of the Immortals’ series, and really because of her a lot of the stories there and elsewhere exist. She has had a most adventurous and somewhat terrible life at times over the last 8,000 years since she found herself a young girl in a field with no memory of who she was or what was going on. The only person I could ever imagine playing my Els is Gemma Arteron, she has the beauty and the strength of the character.

So I thought I would share the image I created and a snippet from a WIP to give you a glimpse into the woman. Enjoy…

Honour in Death

“This is as men should be.” Els settled back against the tree and watched the men drink and remember. They had done well today, they had upheld honour and though they had lost a brother they celebrated his life and his sacrifice. Tears welled up in her eyes once more. At times, so often Els despaired of what humanity had become, had always been, but times like today, today she saw the greatness that was within men. It was that which kept her going sometimes, kept her returning no matter the pain in her heart to walk amongst them, to be one of them.
The girl was safe back with her family, the lord was dead and someone else would come to take over the lands; there was hope it would be someone with more honour than the late lord had found. What kind of man takes a young girl from her home to have his way with her? Elspeth was proud to have stood with them, to have fought with them, to have known their brother in arms if just for a few days. It had been sheer luck that she had been here at this time, that she had come across the weeping women, the angered men. Once the story had been shared there had been no way that Els and Herger would not have helped their cause. Els smiled as Herger settled down beside her handing her the cup of mulled wine. The herbs were strong and the drink warmed Els all the way through. Snow would come soon to this place. Winter settling in as it did every year. Elspeth hoped they would make the crossing to Ireland before the cold took hold.
Laughter burst out across the group as a more mischievous story of the fallen’s antics was shared, the kind of story that would have grown in every telling.
The funeral pyre burned on as the night settled in. Loud stories turned to laments and the sharing of grief. Els did not even attempt to stop the tears as they fell down her cheeks as the men mourned together. She rested back against Herger’s chest and let him comfort him. He had been such comfort to her since their shared loss. One of the men approached and knelt beside them. He inclined his head in respect to them both. “We would ask if you might honour our fallen comrade with a song.”
“I do not…” Herger started knowing the state that Els was in but she placed her small hand across his worn one.
“It would do me honour to be given that opportunity.” Her voice was pleasant enough though she was not a great singer and she stood wrapping her cloak around her as she walked into the middle of the group as it cleared a space for her in sight of the pyre. She pushed her hood back and her hair spilled out around her shoulders, the firelight bringing out red hues against the green velvet of the cloak.
“If I should fall
Carry me home
Carry me on
Carry me still in your heart
I do not die
I just move on
My time here
My time gone
Until I come again
Carry me on
Carry me home
Carry my name on your lips
My deeds in your mind
My love in your heart
I do not go
I do not die
I live here within you still
Carry me on
Carry me high on my shield
Carry me home
Live for me
Love me still
Carry me on
Carry me home
Carry me always
Carry me in your heart
Carry me…”
Her voice cracked as the words became too much and another voice took up her song, more followed and soon all sang the lament and it carried out into the woods. There was no other sound as if the woods themselves and all within it stopped to pay respect to the brave dead and send him on his way to the Otherworld and perhaps, rebirth to another time and life.
Herger’s arms tightened around her as he appeared at her side and he led her back to their seat. “We carry him always within our heart Elspeth.” She didn’t need to ask of whom he spoke. Balor was dead many years for the world but for them mere months had passed since he had been lost. The grief was still burning in her heart and she wondered if it would ever burn out, or if it would simply consume her. “We live on and fight on to honour him. He would be proud of you today, as I am.”
Elspeth rested her head against his shoulder and in silence let her tears fall, each one for a loved one lost. She was glad to have Herger with her, and knew that it would please Balor to know she was watched over by such a friend as him.