In the Kingdom of All Tomorrows_Eirlandia, Book Three by Stephen R. Lawhead

Author:Stephen R. Lawhead [Lawhead, Stephen R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy
ISBN: 9780765383488
Amazon: B07X175NG4
Goodreads: 52378663
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 2020-07-14T00:00:00+00:00

18

A short journey inland from the shore brought the travellers to a steep rocky path leading up to a high, windy, gorse-covered moorland. Away to the east and north, the land rose higher still to form the crags and peaks of a serried mountain range. Atop one of the moorland’s rounded hills stood a stone circle much like those Conor knew in Eirlandia: a series of enormous upright slabs linked together by horizontal lintel stones and arranged in a great ring surrounded by two deep ditches. But this stone circle was not only much, much larger, it was also topped with a steep, conical roof thatched with reed and perched atop the lintel stones like a hat. Each space between the many standing stones became a huge door; and each door was overhung by a curtain of heavy material woven into patterns of swirls and spirals in green and silver.

There were other structures, too. Scattered around the stone circle were several large round turf-covered barrows, a handful of dolmens, and several of the beehive-shaped structures like those seen on the shore—and all had doorways covered by the cloth hangings bearing the same spiral design.

Conor took in the strange settlement and it seemed to him a wilder, more austere and primitive place than any faéry habitation he might have imagined—and certainly far different from those inhabited by the Tylwyth Teg, which he knew well. Perhaps the Aes-sídhe settlement reflected both the severe nature of the storm-worried island and the otherworldly beings who lived there. To Conor’s eye the contrast could not have been greater or more complete. Where the faéry of Tír nan Óg lived in a woodland paradise of tall trees and flowing water, the faéry of Eilean Ceó lived on a wind-blasted scarp of granite amid purple heather, bracken, and the perpetual heave and sigh of the restless ocean round about.

Unaccountably, the entire day had passed as they toiled up the long winding path, and the travellers arrived just as the sun broke through the haze in the west to paint the stone circle in a soft yellow light. A few early stars kindled in the wind-scoured sky to the east and from somewhere came the dull, clanking sound of a cattle bell.

Coming into the settlement, they were greeted with fine hospitality by the inhabitants, who showed a genuine, if reserved, esteem for their king, and a reticent recognition of their mortal visitors. The horses were taken away to be groomed and fed, and a young maid with hair white as eiderdown appeared with a silver bowl filled with mead, which she passed to the king, then backed away with a bow; another maiden followed bearing a silver platter with tiny flat loaves of sweet brown faéry bread. As the mead and bread were brought to the king, Conor noted the aspect of the people, most of whom gave every appearance of being just as dour and forbidding as their moorland surroundings.

‘Welcome to Socair Sídhean,’ said Lenos, passing the mead cup to Conor and Fergal in turn.

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