“Say rather, that I want what battle can win,” he corrected. “Justice. Order. Safety for the folk beyond the frontier so that peace can grow…” He fell silent, his ruddy skin reddening further, and I judged he was not a man who often let his feelings show.
“Your fortunes will turn,” I assured him. For a moment he eyed me uncertainly, and I reinforced the illusion that disguised me. “But now we should sleep,” I went on. “Tomorrow’s journey will be difficult after such a storm.” But in truth, it was not the riding that had exhausted me, but the effort to conceal my essence when what I really wanted was to offer him my body and my soul.
The rain had stopped by morning, but as I had anticipated, as the day grew warmer, the saturated ground gave up its excess moisture in wisps of fog. As we rode it grew thicker, until tree and meadow disappeared and the only thing visible was the path.
“Domina,” said Constantius, “we must halt, before we wander from the road and end up sinking in some bog.”
“Do not be afraid. I know the way,” I answered him, and indeed, I could feel the power of Avalon drawing me forwards. We had come around by the higher ground to the north and east, where a narrow neck of land ran out to the isle.
“I am not afraid, but I am not a fool, either!” he snapped back at me. “We will go back to the shelter and wait for the weather to clear.” He reached out to take my bridle rein.
I kicked the pony forwards and reined it sharply around. “Flavius Constantius Chlorus, look at me!” I let the illusion of ugliness fade and called up the power of the priestess to take its place. I could tell I was succeeding when his face changed.
“Lady—” he breathed, “now I see you as I did before…”
I wondered what he meant, as this was the first time I had used the glamour, but the power was continuing to build around me.
“I have been sent to bring you to the holy isle of Avalon. Will you come with me freely and of your own will?”
“What will I find there?” He was still staring at me.
“Your destiny…” And Aelia, I thought then. For a moment I wanted to cry out to him to turn, to flee.
“And will I return to the human world?”
“It is there that your fate will be fulfiled.” Ten years of discipline spoke through me now.
“And will you go with me? Swear!”
“I will. I swear it by my eternal soul.” Later, I told myself that I had believed he was asking if I would go with him to Avalon, but I think now that a deeper wisdom made that vow.
“Then I will come with you now.”
I turned, lifting my arms to draw down the power, and as I spoke the spell, the world changed around us, and with the next step the mist was rolling away to either side and we entered Avalon.
Since dawn the drums had throbbed through the earth of the holy isle, the heartbeat of Avalon, filled with the excitement of the festival. White hawthorn weighted the hedges, and creamy primroses and bluebells flourished beneath the trees. It was Beltane eve, and all the world trembled with expectation. All but Aelia, who was trembling with fear.
“Why has the Goddess laid this upon me?” she whispered, curled upon the bed that had been hers while we awaited initiation. There were currently no priestesses in training, and they had given the house to us to prepare the Beltane Bride for the festival.
“I do not know,” I answered her. “But we have been taught that often Her reasons for setting our feet upon a path are not apparent until we reach its ending…” I spoke for my own sake as much as for hers. In the three days since I had brought Constantius to the isle I had not seen him, but he haunted my dreams.
Aelia shook her head. “I never intended to go to the Beltane fires. I would happily have lived a virgin until my life’s end!”