There are no records as to whether Bridei married, or had any children, so in my story I create a romance between him and a young Angle woman, Hea.
Background to Pict culture*
Gods and Goddesses
The Mother: Goddess of enlightenment and feminine energy—the bringer of change
The Warrior: God of battle, life and growth, of summer
The Maiden: Young goddess of nature and fertility
The Hag: Goddess of the dark—sleep, dreams, death, winter, and the earth
The Reaper: God of death.
Pict festivities
Earth Fire: Salute to new life and the first signs of spring (February 1)
Bealtunn: Spring Equinox
Mid-Summer Fire: Summer Equinox
Harvest Fire: Festival to salute the harvest (Aug 1)
Gateway: Passage from summer to winter (October 31/November 1)
Mid-Winter Fire: Winter Equinox
* Author’s note: I have taken ‘artistic license’ when it comes to the names of the festivities and Pict gods and goddesses. The historical evidence is very scant, making it a challenge for me to get an accurate picture of these details. The Picts were an enigmatic people, and we only have their ruins and symbols to cast light on how they lived and whom they worshipped. To make my setting as authentic as possible, I have studied the rituals and religions of the Celtic peoples of Scotland, Ireland and Wales of a similar period and have created a culture I feel could have existed.
Glossary of Old English (in alphabetical order)
Cyningtaefl: “King’s Table”, an Anglo-Saxon form of chess
ealdorman: earl
Englisc: Old English
Ēōstre: Easter
fæder: father
fyrd: a king’s army
handfasted: married
heah-setl: high seat (later called a “dais”) for the king and queen
hlaf-mas: Lammas Day (an Anglo-Saxon festivity – takes place sometime from 1 Aug to 1 Sept to celebrate the first wheat harvest)
hōre: whore
Lindisfarena: Lindisfarne Island (Holy Island)
mōder: mother
Nithhogg: a fire-breathing dragon that lived in the underworld
nón-mete: midday meal (literally “noon-meat”)
thegn: a king’s retainer
Thrimilce: May (Old English – literally ‘month of the three milkings’)
thrymsas: Anglo-Saxon gold shillings
theow: slave
“Wes hāl”: “Greetings” in Old English
wicce: a witch or enchantress
wyrd: fate
Cast of characters (in alphabetical order)
Beli king of Alt Clut: Bridei’s father
Bridei mac Beli: Pict prince who fostered at Bebbanburg, later becomes king of Fortriu
Broga: an ironsmith, Rinan’s father
Ciara: Heolstor’s wife
Croí Cróga: Bridei’s stallion later in the story (Brave Heart in Scottish Gaelic)
Cuthbert: Prior of the Lindisfarena (Lindisfarne) monastery
Ecgfrith: King of Northumbria
Flann Fína mac Ossu: Ecgfrith’s half-brother, currently lives on the island of Iona
Fritha: Hea’s friend in Bebbanburg
Hea (Heahburh): seer and herbalist
Heolstor: An Angle warrior and Bridei’s childhood friend
Irmenburgh: Ecgfrith’s wife
Léoma: Bridei’s first pony (Ray of Light in Old English)
Lewren: Hea’s mother
Longus and Gurid: two Pict warriors
Modwen: healer at Dundurn
Rinan: Angle warrior
Rowan: Hea’s pony on the campaign north
Tolarggan: smith at Dundurn
Una: servant at Dundurn
Acknowledgements
Thanks once again, to all my readers … without you these novels would never have been written. I love hearing from you, and your feedback really helps me when planning out new stories. I’m always looking for ways to give you the emotion-filled stories you want!
I’m also grateful to Kindle Direct Publishing, who have given me a place to publish and promote my works … and to the Kindle Unlimited program which has helped me reach even more readers!
And of course a HUGE thank you goes to Tim, who helps me at every step of the process. I couldn’t do this without you, my love.
Your free short story is waiting! Join me in 4th Century Scotland and receive a 7,000-word prequel to The Warrior Brothers of Skye series. Immerse yourself in the Dark Ages!
More works by Jayne Castel
HISTORICAL ROMANCE SET IN DARK AGES BRITAIN
THE KINGDOM OF THE EAST ANGLES
Prequel novella: Night Shadows
Book #1: Dark Under the Cover of Night
Book #2: Nightfall till Daybreak
Book #3: The Deepening Night
The Kingdom of the East Angles: The Complete Series
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Get Jayne's FREE Starter Library and read the prequel novella and Books #1 and #2 to her first series, THE KINGDOM OF THE EAST ANGLES: www.jaynecastel.com/home/sign-up
THE KINGDOM OF MERCIA
Book #1: The Breaking Dawn
Book #2: Darkest before Dawn
Book #3: Dawn of Wolves
Click on the banner below to find out more about this series.
THE KINGDOM OF NORTHUMBRIA
Book #1: The Whispering Wind
Book #2: Wind Song
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HISTORICAL ROMANCE SET IN DARK AGES SCOTLAND
THE WARRIOR BROTHERS OF SKYE
Book #1: Blood Feud
Book #2: Barbarian Slave
Book #3: Battle Eagle
EPIC FANTASY ROMANCE
LIGHT AND DARKNESS
Book #1: Ruled by Shadows
Book #2: The Lost Swallow
Book #3: Path of the Dark (to be released in 2019)
About the Author
Award-winning author Jayne Castel writes Historical Romance set in Dark Ages Britain and Scotland, and Epic Fantasy Romance. Her vibrant characters, richly researched historical settings and action-packed adventure romance transport readers to forgotten times and imaginary worlds.
Jayne lives in New Zealand's South Island, although you can frequently find her in Europe and the UK researching her books! When she’s not writing, Jayne is reading (and re-reading) her favorite authors, learning French, cooking Italian, and taking her dog, Juno, for walks.
Jayne won the 2017 RWNZ Koru Award (Short, Sexy Category) for her novel, ITALIAN UNDERCOVER AFFAIR.
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