The Curse of the Morrigans

The McRose family sat around the dinner table finished a hastily prepared mean Charlotte had made. The planned dinner had been changed for a Saturday barbecue because her parents had taken the last flight into Azure Rock. Her father was over 60 now and he didn't want to spend too many hours driving to and from Azure Rock.

The girls were really excited to have their grandparents with them for the weekend. The beautiful Kayleigh Lilly, Charlotte's mother, looked like an older version of Charlotte with the same red hair, large breast , full hips and a just a few more wrinkles. She always brought news about the rest of the family and the girls loved to hear her tell old stories.

With the dinner finished and the dishes washed, dried and put away, the family seated themselves around the living room where Kayleigh continued to ask the girls about their school and friends.

"Tell us a story grandma" Holly asked her grandmother.

"Well young lady, I think it's time you finally heard about the family curse." Kayleigh said.

"There's a curse on our family?" Holly asked a little confused and excited.

"It's bullshit." Chloe said.

"Watch your language Chloe." her father said sternly.

Chloe bowed her head "Sorry dad" she said softly.

Charlotte hugged Chloe from the side and rubbed her shoulders "That's okay honey, no harm done."

Chloe nodded before she continued. "But it's just a fairy tale. It's not real."

"Oh honey," Charlotte said sweetly, "Every fairy tale and legend hold some truth in them. This story has a little more than most of the other."

"I still don't believe it." Chloe said with a scowl has she crossed her arms.

Charlotte let out a soft, sad sigh and shrugged. "You'll find out someday."

"Well... Is it true?" Holly asked still excited. "Is there really a curse on our family?"

"Oh my dear!" Kayleigh laughed "There certainly is one."

"And with that...I think it's time for Roy to show me how the new den is coming along?" said Aidan Lilly, the tall, grey haired man that was Charlotte's father. He stood up and walked to their luggage.

"Yea! Let's go before that start using us for human sacrifices." Roy said grabbing the bottle of Redbreast-12 that Charlotte had opened the other day. When he passed Charlotte he dove in to hug her and wildly kiss her neck with a laughing growl. Charlotte let out a squeal while she laughed and pretended to fight him off. When Roy pulled away, she playfully smacked his butt when he turned around. Holly smiled and laughed at their parent’s antics and how they were always showing their love and affection for each other, but Chloe just rolled her eyes.

"By the way, I brought what you asked me." Aidan said pulling out 3 small wooden boxes and one large rectangular one. "Almost couldn't get them checked in with the luggage. Good thing the guy at the terminal understood it was for a gift. Hope it's what you were looking for, didn't have a lot of time to find them."

"I think they'll work out just fine." Roy smiled has he glancing into one of the boxes before leading his father-in-law down to the basement.

After Kayleigh made sure the men had left the room, she looked at her youngest grandchild. "Well..." she said. "Now that the boys are gone let me tell you the story of how our family got cursed and blessed by the Old Gods - The Morrigans."

"Who was Morrigan?" Holly asked.

"Not Who... Whom." Kayleigh said. "The Morrigan were three sisters, inseparable in their love and devotion to each other. Not even their husbands could ever come between them. The three sisters were called Macha, Badb, and Nemain. Macha was the oldest sister; she was the goddess of fertility and wealth and she would bless women with many children and she also blessed the kings of old with strong sons. She was strongest and most powerful of the three sisters. Badb was the goddess of **** and of wisdom and her's is a dark tale. People would pray to her seeking comfort in **** for themselves and their loved ones and many would seek her bitter wisdom bought with suffering. Nemain was the goddess of love and passion, and fire ran in her veins, it was the lust for battle and the passion of a wife for her husband."

"Macha was married to The Dagda, The King of the Gods, who was also called The Shapeshifter, you can imagine why. He was the god of Life and **** and he brought riches to those that earned his favor and ruin to his enemies. Now Badb and Nemain were sister-wives and they were both married to Neit. Neit was the God of Battle. Warriors would pray to him for strength and courage before a battle and he taught men how to fight and the laws of war."

"Many Centuries ago, there was a fiery young maiden with bright red hair just like ours and sharp blue eyes. Has a child she loved to walk in the forest and hills nearby and in those woods, she found and befriended a pack of wolves that lived in the forest. The maiden and her village were safe from their hunt and many times the wolves could be seen walking in the village and playing with the girl and none would fear the wolves that would sometimes enter the village. She dearly loved those wolves and they loved her. When she was a little child the wolves would even let her ride them like they were little horses for her."

"The maiden grew to be a very beautiful woman and the Chieftain of the nearby Pict Tribe wanted to take her for his wife. The willful maiden had already refused the courtship of every man and boy in her village claiming that only one worthy of her love could ever claim her has a wife. The Chieftain of the Picts came to the village and asked for her hand in marriage, but she no. The Chieftain then promised her father riches and slaves if he would give him his daughter in marriage and still the maiden refused. The Chieftain then grew angry and threatened war. He demanded that the maiden be handed over and still the maiden rejected him. This angered the Chieftain and, in his wrath, he came back with many warriors. In the middle of the night, he stormed the village capturing and enslaving its people while they slept, but the maiden fled to the forest."

The Chieftain roared in fury when he found the maiden had escaped and with his hounds and horses, he chased her through the forest till he finally caught her. He cuffed her, bound her and left her kneeling on the floor. The Chieftain brought his Warlock to mark the ceremony and claim the maiden as his wife. She swore and cursed the Chieftain. She spat on his face and vowed she would never submit to him. She called him a coward and unworthy and promised she would kill him in his sleep."

"Half-way through the ceremony the wolves in the forest arrived. Silent and swift like the wind they attacked and surprised the Chieftain’s men. Some fell screaming and others fled like cowards. The Chieftain and his Warlock stayed and battled with the Great Wolf but so great was their evil that in the end they mortally wounded the wolf. When he went to strike the killing blow on the wolf the maiden threw herself in front of the wolf and begged for mercy."

The Chieftain roared in fury. "You would beg for this creature? Is he worth of you?"

"Yes!" the maiden cried out.

"Then curse you wolf-bitch." He screamed. "I'll kill it and then I'll throw you to the rabble."

The Chieftain’s Warlock stepped up and cursed the maiden. "I curse you! No man will ever satisfy your womanly needs even though you will crave for it. All men will know you and despise you for you will never bear them any sons."

The maiden cried out to the Gods in her hour of need and strove with the Chieftain, but she was no match for him. Three quick blows he struck and it seemed that he had won. She lay broken and bloodied next to the Great Wolf. It was then that the Morrigan came to her aid. With a single blow Neit struck down both the Chieftain and his Warlock. The Dagda cursed the tribe of the Picts for their foul deeds and Neit led every battle that destroyed them and soon they were no more and lost to history. The sisters healed the maiden and begged The Dagda for a boon while the maiden cried over the body of the Great Wolf.

The Dagda brought the Great Wolf back to life and changed him into a young man. "Take this maiden has your wife," he ordered to the man who was once a wolf. "Both of your spirits are now bonded for all eternity but only when you know each other like a man knows a woman will your souls be joined again." He turned to the rest and said "Give them your blessings."

"And so Macha gave them fertility and fortune that they may always have children and never have needs so long as they worked. Babd gave them the instinct to seek each other and know of danger. Nemain gave them an unbridled passion for each other that they may know greatest of pleasure but only with each other. Neit gave them courage and luck in strife. "

Kayleigh leaned back into the chair. "That is the story of how the women in our family are both cursed and blessed by the Old Gods."

"Now you know why I am such a brazen hussy for your father." Charlotte giggled.

"Yea" Chloe snorted "You know, we can hear you sometimes."

"I am sorry dear." Charlotte said hugging her daughter. "I know what you mean. Sometimes we get too carried away. The same thing happens with your grandmother and her mother too."

Chloe squirmed uncomfortably at the conversation but Holly seemed curious. "So… what does that mean?"

"It means that somewhere out there is your soulmate. A man who will fill your life with joy." Kayleigh said. "But, you will have to search for him till you find him."

"You mean it’s like love at first sight!" Holly said.

"Oh my dear heavens no!" Kayleigh laughed, "No, no, no. That’s just rubbish made up by some loose trollop to excuse her lewd behavior."

"Then how will I know?" Holly asked confused.

"Like the story said." Kayleigh said "You will know your soulmate when know him has a man and a woman know each other. Then you will be bonded with him. Then you will realize you have met your soulmate. And then you will be complete."

"See?" Chloe said, "It's just a fairy tale, it's not real."

"Anyway that is the story of our family." Charlotte said. "That is how we were cursed and blessed by the Old Gods. Why we, the women in our family are so in love with our men and they with us." she paused and let out a soft sigh "And why we only have girls in our families."

She mood licked up a bit and smiled at her daughters, "Don’t worry. You will each find that special man someday."

A light suddenly seemed to go off in Chloe's eyes and she squinted at her mother. "You're just trying to play matchmaker for me with Zack or Gavin aren't you?"

Charlotte burst out laughing and smiled. "Oh no honey.... Monica wants Zack and Ashley to marry each other. That's why she invited the Woodsen to join us tomorrow." she leaned in and lowered her voice just a little but still loud enough for everyone to hear. "You know, sometimes, sometimes I think she would have liked Hannah to be a boy for Taylor."

"Well, it's not going to happen!" Chloe said.

"If you don't want them can I have one of them?" Holly asked.

"I don't think it works that way." Kayleigh said and winked at her youngest grandchild. "I... don't think they are your soulmate dear, but you can try."