Rowen

After parting with my sister, I head over to the men’s banquet and start placing some apples on the tables. When there are only two apples left in the basket, I keep these 2 last ones for myself. Well, one for me and the other for my friend. The guy really likes apples. Then I place the empty basket on the side. Now I am free to hang out with my friends.

It doesn’t take me long to figure out where Merlan is. He has a seat at the banquet together with his brother, Kynan, as well as Kynan’s friend, Fionn. I can already overhear him talking to them about the bonfire event. Not a big surprise. It is what’s on moist people’s minds today. I walk over to them and get a place right in front of them.

“Personally, I think you two are …” Merlan says, then interrupts himself to greet me. “Oh. Hey, Rowen. Got an extra apple?”

“Sure thing.” I say and toss him one of the apples.

Merlan catches the apple and says, “Thanks man. Anyways …” And goes back to talking to Kynan and Fionn. “I think the both of you are just being too nervous about the whole event. Yes, there are guys who don’t exactly get a great catch, but it’s not as if it’s the end of the world.” Then Merlon takes a bite from the apple.

“It is if it results in a Samhain child.” Kynan replies. “I can tell you, I am not ready for that. I’ve only started being an adult earlier this year. I am simply too young to start having children.”

“Yeah, and in my case, my sister is participating too.” Fionn says. “I am honestly thinking of skipping this event up until my sister is married. Then it will be safe for me to join.”

“Fionn, I heard there are 16 girls who are participating.” Merlan continues. “That means you have a 15 out of 16 chance the girl is not going to be your sister but could be Dunla instead. Or Lynet. Or even Riannon. Do you really want to accept the certainty of not having a great night with one of those three?”

As we are having our discussion, I notice some guy standing a bit behind Merlan. He is looking over at us and looks as if he is listening in to our conversation. He is probably too shy to come sit and join. I don’t recognize the guy so he must be part of the travelling clan. The Irish travelers are a group of nomadic people who travel from one village to the next. They buy local products and wherever they go and sell them in the next village. This particular clan comes back here every 5 years and sells metal ores to the local smith.

I wave at him and ask, “Hey, you. What’s your name?”

The guy focusses on me and says, “Uhm, it’s Duane.”

My friends now notice him too and pay attention to him.

“Are you curious about the bonfire, Duane?” I ask.

Duane looks unsure, maybe worried about his choice of words, then says, “… I hear a lot of people talking about it, but I don’t really know what it’s about.”

“Well, then.” Merlan says. “Sit down next to us, grab some food and mead and enjoy yourself, and I will tell you all about it.”

“Oh no. I don’t want to be a bother …” Duane apologizes. But I interrupt him saying, “These two kids here are joining for their first time themselves. They could use an explanation of how the event is going to go themselves.” While waving in the direction of Kynan and Fionn. “So, it really is no extra effort.”

That is when Duane relents and says, “Well, ok then.” And sits where Merlan told him to sit.

“Ok, first things first.” My friend tells Duane. “My name is Merlan. I am apprenticing to our local druid. This kid over here is my little brother, Kynan. The kid over there is Fionn, my brother’s friend and son to one of our produce farmers. And that guy there is Rowen. He is my best friend and works as a farmhand at his uncle’s orchard.”

Whenever one of us gets introduced, we raise our hand to help Duane know who’s who.

“So, first thing you should know is that today is the day of Samhain. Which means it is the say where gateways open up between our world and the spirit world.” Merlan explains. “It is the day of the year when our ancestors can come pay us a visit and see how well we are doing. Which first, all of us show, by having a feast. Later tonight, we do so again, by having the girls perform a bonfire in the woods.”

As Duane is listening, he grabs a mug of ale, as well as a chicken leg to chew on.

“The interesting thing is that the girls will be doing their dance around the bonfire naked.” Merlan says.

This catches Duane off guard and has asks, “… naked?”

“Yup.” Merlan replies. “See that big building over there?” And he points at the large building on the other side of the village. “Later the elders will ring a bell three times. That is when all our single women are going to head over there. Inside, they will each receive a necklace made of black stones with the letters of their name on it, then they will undress, then they will head into the forest, all nude, for the bonfire.”

“Don’t bother catching a few peeks at them.” I add. “The married women will be there too, fully dressed and will chase you off.”

“Indeed. No peeking at that time.” Merlan says. “If you want to get the most benefit, you’re better off following all the single guys to the big building on the other side.” And Merlan points at the other big building. “That is where we are supposed to gather.”

“And what do we do there?” Duane asks.

“Well, we get necklaces too. With the letters of our name in it, so we can identify each other later. Except these necklaces are made with white stones. And then we get naked ourselves.”

I see Merlan taking another bite from his apple, so I take over for him.

“Then we wait for another signal. When that one is given, we are free to exit the building and it is our time to head into the forest.”

Duane raises his eyebrows in surprise and asks, “So, we’re going to chase after the girls?”

“Yes and no.” Merlan says. “The girls have a path which they can follow. It’s made of flat wide stones and flanked by a rope on both sides. But that path is their safe space. If the spirits of our ancestors see us men stepping onto it or jump across, they will see it as an insult to their traditions and will make it so you have a full year of bad luck. If you do find the path, you can still follow alongside it towards the clearing where the bonfire takes place, but you will have to cross a river.”

“Now, there are three bridges.” I take over from Merlan, so he gets to take another bite from his apple. “One that’s part of the path, so only the girls can use it. If you want to cross the river there, you will have to wade through the water. Don’t worry, it’s pretty shallow. Then there is a second bridge to the left and a third to the right. If you cross those, you remain dry. Thing is, it’ll be harder to find your way to the bonfire.”

“And if you participate, you really have to find the bonfire.” Merlan continues. “Because then you get to see the girls.”

“And what when we find the bonfire? Are we supposed to join them?” Duane asks excitedly.

Unfortunately for him, all of us start laughing at his question as if he said something stupid. But from the perspective of someone who has no idea how the event works, I guess we should have understood it as a valid question.

“I wish we could join them.” Merlan says. “But no, we can’t enter the clearing. We can hide behind the hedges that surround it and enjoy the girls from a distance. And yes, the girls know that we are trying to find and ogle at them. So, some of the playful ones will even put up a show. But the best part is when their dance ends.”

Now fully enthralled, Duane asks, “What happens after?”

At this part, I get a bit hungry and grab some bread with cheese. I will let Merlan explain now, since he has finished his apple.

“After the bonfire, the girls return home.” Merlan explains. “But not in group. They do so one at a time. And whenever a girl is sent down the path, a bell will be rung. That is how we can tell when a girl is leaving the clearing and goes back into the forest. When the bell gets rung 3 times in a row, that means the last girl is leaving the clearing.”

“And then what?” Duane asks excitedly.

“Then it all depends on the girls, really.” Merlan continues. “If the girl feels she isn’t ready for anything more exciting, she simply remains on the path and safely walks back home. But if the girl is interested in some extra fun, she can stray from the path and head into the forest. That is the part where we get to chase after her.”

Duane cocks his head and asks, “Chase?”

“The concept of the chase is very simple.” Merlan says. “Let’s pretend you are one of the girls and I am chasing you.” Then Merlan reaches with his hand for Duane and grabs him by the wrist. “There, I caught you. Now you have to stop running and give me sex.”

Duane looks at Merlan’s hand on his wrist, then back to Merlan. “That easy?”

“It is a lot more complex than he make it seem.” Kynan replies.

“True. My brother is very correct about that.” Merlan says. “You see. This chase happens in the dark. Which means it is hard to see which girl you are chasing and grabbing. If you were to recognize the girl after you grabbed her, and she is not the kind of girl you want to have sex with, sucks to be you, you have to give her your dick now.”

“Uhm … are there girls I don’t want to have sex with?” Duane starts asking, and Fionn immediately answers with “Mearna, the beekeeper’s daughter.”

“Mearna is not a very beautiful girl.” I sigh. “She is a very nice girl. She is always friendly and always offers to help. At times, I wish there was some kind of spell to make her outside look just as beautiful as her inside. She might become the most gorgeous woman in the whole village. But as it is, I’m afraid the only beauty she has is in her personality.”

“And as a result, she knows the only way for her to get married, is by taking a man’s Samhain child. So, you can be certain she will be hunting us.” Kynan says.

“What’s a Samhain child?” Duane asks.

“Basically, it’s any child conceived on Samhain.” Merlan says. “And it is important we make that distinction. See, when later tonight, one of the girls gets made pregnant, the spirits of our ancestors will see that as a way to get reincarnated. All they have to do is enter her womb and attach themselves to the freshly fertilized egg inside her. That is their way to be reborn into this world. Our village sees Samhain children as very important, because these are people who are perceived to have already lived a life once before and thus can take those experiences from their previous life into the next one. Hence why Samhain children are often more successful in life.”

“Riiiight, ok.” Duane answers. “So those Samhain children are kindof a big deal.”

“Enough of a deal that people are into marriages over them. It is the reason Fionn doesn’t want to participate.” Kynan says. “After all, it is possible for Fionn to catch his twin sister, not recognize her because of the darkness of the night, and put his Samhain child in her. Then he’d have to get into an marriage.”

“Oh, fuck.” Duane curses. “Yeah, I can see why he’d be worried about that.”

“It is also the reason we have the necklaces.” Merlan explains. “When you grab a girl, first you and her exchange necklaces, then you have sex. In the event she gets pregnant, so will know whose Samhain child she is carrying.”

“Right, ok. Now I see the importance of the necklaces.” Duane says. “But, do you have to leave your seed inside her? Like, can’t you just pull out at the end or something?”

“You definitely can.” Merlan says. “Some of the girls just want to have fun, not make babies. So, there are a good couple who will ask you to pull out.”

“Yeah, not the ones you want to pull out from, like Mearna.” Fionn answers. “Girls like her are going to try and you to stay inside. And the girls where you do want to stay inside, like the milkmaids, are going to ask you to pull out.”

“Well, if that’s the case. It doesn’t sound too bad to me.” Duane replies. “I mean, I think I can pull out. But do you think guys from the traveler clan like myself can join too?”

Merlan places his hand on Duane’s shoulder and says, “Yes, you can. In fact, the girls in your clan are also permitted to join, if they so choose. And if they end up with a Samhain child, they can keep that child, raise it in your clan and strengthen your nomadic tribe with a Samhain child.”

“Interesting.” Duane says as his face lights up. “There is actually a girl in my clan named Raelin. I have a bit of a crush on her but haven’t really had a chance to speak to her. She is always with her friends and I’m not good at talking about my feelings when there’s an audience. But if she’s the girl I catch, that would be a good way to break the ice, I think.”

Duane then thinks about something and asks, “And what if I were to get a girl pregnant? What then?”

“If it’s a fellow traveler girl, your tribe elders will have you marry her and both of you continue traveling while raising a Samhain child.” I tell him. “If she is one of our village girls, both our and your elders will have you marry her, except you will be given the chance to convince her to join your clan. If she does, you can continue your nomadic lifestyle with her. If she refuses and wants to stay in the village, you will be to stay here with her.”

This revelation got Duane a bit spooked.

“Oh, yeah. I’m not a big fan of being separated from my family.” He says.

“Same for our shepherd, really.” I reply. “He too used to be with a traveler clan. In fact, now that I think of it, he was part of your clan.”

“That’s right. Quinn used to be with the traveler clan that’s visiting this year.” Merlan continues. “They return every 5 years, which is when Quinn gets to meet his brother and sister and all his nephews and nieces. It is also a nice time for Riannon and Bodicca, who finally get to meet their father’s side of the family. So, it’s not as if it’s the end of your life, or like you will never see your family again. If you did end up trapped in this village because of a Samhain child, you will at least have 1 fellow traveler to share your fate with.”