Daughters of the Goddess

Daughters of the Goddess

Part 1

Rian walked slowly down the central path of the village. Most of the villagers were out in the surrounding fields, tending to their crops. The growing season was going well.

She rubbed a hand over her gravid belly. She hoped the child would appear before harvest. It would take all three priestesses to perform the necessary rituals.

"Good morning," a voice called.

Rian saw Leta at the doorway of her house. The priestess paused and then returned the greeting. With a sigh, she made her way to the woman.

"Such weather," Leta said, eyeing the cloudless sky before turning her gaze to Rian. "No rain for days. I hope we are blessed with rain soon."

"It is as the Goddess wills," Rian said.

"Yes, as the Goddess wills. But the crops are doing so well. We may have more surplus than last year. It would mean so much trade for the village."

"And for Lugh," Rian commented. "The spice plant is not barley and should fetch much more coin. I hope that you will have enough grain to get you through the winter."

There was almost a scolding tone to the priestess's voice. Leta felt her cheeks flush. "Of course, we will. My Lugh is wise. We will eat well come winter."

"I must be on my way," Rian said. "Blessings be unto you and your house, daughter."

The older woman's face went even redder. "Thank you," she managed before whirling into the house.

Ever since her husband Lugh began to make the most from surplus crops, Leta had felt herself most important among the village's women. She demanded more respect than she deserved. The foolish woman was even wearing a decorative comb as she did daily chores. Such a comb was usually worn for certain ceremonies and even then with great care.

It was another disturbing sign, like Lugh's spice crop. The village was blessed a few seasons ago to have enough crops to have surplus for trade. The next seasons had provided the same. Surrounding villages were happy to have some of her village's fine grain and were willing to part with metals, tools, and furs.

Now the village was focused on ensuring more surplus for trade. A few like Lugh were trying exotic crops to try to get even more from trade. Some had even risked their families' stores to provide more land for the unusual plants.

Rian eyed the fields as she made her way out of the village. Each year more and more land was being cleared. Each year the priestesses were asked to call upon the Goddess for more and more protection and growth.

Each year more of the forest was gone. A hunter had recently remarked on the smaller number game. Yet the push for more crops continued.

Where would it end?

She did not know. She and her sisters as priestesses of the Goddess had asked the elders to slow if not stop the expansion. There was a limit to what they could do, on how many offerings and prayers they could provided. They also worried about the new focus on the things trade provided could affect the village.

Yet, the elders ignored their concerns. Trade provided comforts. Comforts were something their old bones had become accustomed to so quickly.

The child gave a kick. Rian rubbed her stomach in answer. She murmured soothing words as she entered the cool shade of the forest.

She kept to the more sunlit areas first. She wished she could convince Lugh or one of the other men to grow some of the healing herbs. Only her husband and one of her bothers-in-law did so. Yet the needs of the village required more than Esus and Taran could provide. The priestesses were forced to continue to scour the forest for the herbs.

She found a patch of one herb, though it was smaller than most patches she had found in the past. She knelt by the plants and offered a prayer of thanks to the Goddess. Though she really needed most of the plants to tend the village's ills, she left about half of the plants behind. She refused to let greed and convenience override stewardship.

She was rewarded with two more patches, supplying her with the need amount while leaving enough of the plants behind. She made her way deeper into the forest to find the other herbs she needed.

Her gathering took up most of the day. The sun was already sliding toward the hills as she emerged from the forest. She smiled at the villagers in the fields as she walked back home.

She caught a glimpse of Leta as she gossiped with another wife. The two women froze. Rian inclined her head and moved on without seeing their reaction.

The pot was still simmering on the stove, faithfully attended by her daughter Dia. She greeted the girl with a hug. As she caught the aroma of the stew, she praised Dia's work. Together they prepared the herbs Rian had found in the forest.