Page 33 of May Queen: May Day

“A necklace?” Her hand went to her pouch and the necklace that her mother had given her. “So, as soon as you find it, you are leaving?”

“Aye. There will be no need for us to risk our lives by staying here any longer.”

“What makes you think the necklace is in this area?”

“I lost it six months ago. It was at the same time that your mother and uncle visited Black Creek Castle.”

“Aye, she was here with my uncle when he made the alliance for Lord Ricard to marry my cousin.”

“She snuck away and came here to visit me. Flora, that is when I first found out about you.”

“Are you saying my mother never told you that you had a child?”

“Aye, that’s right.”

“Why not?”

“She was angry with me, Flora. I used to be a knight and served the king. But when I found out about my ancestors, I left to join the Druids. I was ready to walk a different path in life. Your mother and I were betrothed at the time.

“So you never married her?”

“She refused to marry me unless I left the Druids, which is something I didn’t want to do. I tried to convince her to join us, instead. She came to the Beltane festival twenty years ago to talk me into coming back, and I guess that is where and when you were conceived.”

“Why didn’t she tell you?”

“She couldn’t. I left and traveled with the Druids for many years. We only recently returned about a year ago.”

“Oh,” said Flora, not sure how to feel about everything she’d just heard.

“Your mother told me she named you Flora – after the Roman goddess of flowers. She also said she was thinking about coming back to me and bringing you along as well.”

“But then she got sick,” said Flora with a nod.

“Aye. She died before she could return.”

“It was hard growing up without a father,” Flora admitted. “Plus, I was lied to my entire life. I was told you were dead.” They walked together over to a cove where she saw Rosemunda and several other of the sect.

“Belenus, what’s she doing here?” growled a man.

“Why do they call you Belenus?” asked Flora.

“That is the Druid name I took. My people say I brought a ray of sunshine to them, and so I am named after the Celtic sun god.”

“Belenus.” A short man with bowed legs and graying hair walked over to them. “Explain.”

“Mug, this is my daughter,” said Oren. “Her name is Flora.”

“She is only going to bring us trouble,” Rosemunda told him.

“Flora, this is my wife.” Oren put his arm around the woman.

“I know. We’ve met,” Flora answered, having no good feelings for the woman who took her mother’s place.

“Flora, you have half-sisters and half-brothers that I would like you to meet some day,” said her father. “They are in Ireland and about your age.”

“So you don’t have small children living in the village?” Flora glared at the woman.

“Nay, but I had to make Lord Ricard believe I did,” said Rosemunda.