It tells the story of a beautiful, headstrong Celtic maiden whose virginity is sacrificed to protect the tribe from the invading Roman army.
She is named after the goddess Rhiannon and the tale is steeped in ancient Celtic folklore. For example, did you know that - shockingly - the King of the tribe would mate with a mare and then bathe in her blood to ensure the clan would be safe for another year? Rhiannon discovers this hideous fact from her brother Gwyn, who is styudying to be a Druid.
Here is an extract from the first chapter:
Rhiannon, whose singing birds could wake the dead and lull the living to
sleep. Rhiannon, who galloped as fast as the wind. Rhiannon, whose mare the
King mated with, so that her strength and his were mingled and the clan would
be safe for another year. Gwyn, studying to be a Druid, had told her in secret
that after the coupling, the mare was slaughtered so the King could bathe in
her blood. She knew her brother had hoped to shock her but she could tell by
his face that he’d never witnessed such a thing. He was always accusing her of
being insolent and arrogant, with an outsized idea of her own importance, but
he’d made her feel more indispensable than ever. As the only Rhiannon in the
clan, she was sure the Geveni would starve without her.
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