Cerridwen

Celtic Goddess of Magic, Wisdom, Rebirth and Inspiration.

[cerri-dwen]

@thexhowlingxgoddess

She always tried to be quiet when in the forest, not due to a fear of other animals, but purely out of politeness and consideration for the creatures that inhabited the place she was merely a visitor. It usually worked, that is, until this time around she found a wolf. Cerridwen stilled, palming her bag full of herbs. She wouldn’t hurt the wolf, wouldn’t cast a spell of pain or throw a potion, but if she needed to, she would cast a short stun spell, though she sincerely didn’t wish to. “Alright, just wanna get past you there...” She whispered, mostly to herself as she knew the wolf couldn’t understand her. “I promise I’m not here to hurt you...”

[tara-of-the-hills]

If only if only

[tara-of-the-hills]

The wind felt like it had been dragged out of her very soul, but not from her mother’s embrace. She felt the tears that she hadn’t shed fall down her face. For a moment she closed her eyes and she felt as if she was back home as her arms wrapped around her. 

She shook her head when her mother apologized. “You didn’t want to leave. They took you. Thats what the others said when I found them. They took you.” 

Tara didn’t have anyone else. Not a single person to truly miss her, but to think that her mother had made the grown woman want to ball like a child. She had never asked for forgiveness for what she had done. She still didn’t want it from them. But her mother - she needed to understand that she wasn’t a monster. They had been the monsters.

“I- I went to the village and they told me you were a monster. After all you had done for them. Ma - they lied. They said you were a monster. They called me - ma. It isn’t true.” There was a hysteria there. in her voice as years of her anger rushed up with her. She hadn’t explained it to anyone - but she hadn’t had anyone to explain it to. 

“I- I Ma. Forgive me. I thought they had killed you. Mother I did things - oh gods. I wanted to make them pay. I don’t regret what I did, but Ma. Please let me stay with you.” 

[cerri-dwen]

It was something that couldn’t be explained in one word, perhaps even one sentence. Cerridwen held the child - nay, woman - in her arms tightly, unable to process how it felt, she felt guilt, she felt happiness, she felt pain, she felt joy, and so many more emotions swirling inside of her body.

“They did, they did, but I never wanted to leave you.” She mumbled into her daughter’s hair.

As her daughter spoke, she blinked, processing what was said. It didn’t matter what her daughter did, as she would still love her all the same. “Baby, baby.” She soothed, pulling away slightly and placing two hands on either side of her daughter’s face. “You are not a monster.” Far from it. 

Then she said it, but rather than be upset, because she wasn’t, rather than scold her daughter, she just leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Whatever you have done, I don’t care. Nothing will make me turn you away.” She said, blinking back a few tears, tears of happiness she assumed. “You can stay with me, of course you can, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[hermes-the-thief]

“I’m a traveler by trade. No doubt they expected me to leave. It still hurts though, doesn’t it. Knowing you didn’t get a choice in it.” 

[cerri-dwen]

“I feel like it’s different when it isn’t your choice to leave, and perhaps it hurts even more then.”

[the-bitch-of-egypt]

“..I know. What you’ve got?”

[cerri-dwen]

“It’s a simple mix of some herbs from the garden, it just takes away the pain.”

[hermes-the-thief]

“Hey never said they didn’t love me, they just don’t like me much. I guess that’s what they all think eventually right? Doubt they told them we were here. Then again maybe they did.” 

[cerri-dwen]

“I assume the believe we abandoned them, yet another reason to hate the humans I suppose.”

[the-bitch-of-egypt]

“If it’s going to be one of your teas, you know I won’t drink it. You and Hekate both, with your teas..”

[cerri-dwen]

“It’s worth a try. You know I would never kill you or drug you up with something bad.”

[tara-of-the-hills]

If only if only

[tara-of-the-hills]

Tara froze at her name, and although it had been nearly two decades she knew that voice. When she looked up she didn’t recognize the younger woman for a moment. Her mother had been older timeless but a mother’s age. The woman in front of her looked almost younger then her. 

Still she sounded like her mother. Like a bubbling cauldron and a fairytale. She looked different, but she sounded the same. The exact same. 

“M-Ma. They told me you were dead.” Her accent thicker then normal as she tried to piece together everything. She hadn’t dwelled on this, not for a decade at least. It made her scared for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime as she remembered all the things she had done in the face of losing her. 

“You never came back, and then - I went to find you. They told me that you were dead.” 

[cerri-dwen]

It was as if a huge grog had been lifted from the goddess, as if she had her eyes closed for centuries and suddenly there ways light. She didn’t think, her body acted completely on its own, and she was rushing forward and grasping the child in her arms, pulling her closer than she probably should, squeezing the poor girl tightly for just a second before letting up a little.

“No, baby, but I felt so dead without you.” She whispered into the girl’s hair. As many years that had passed, as grown as the child was, all Cerridwen could see was her baby girl.

“I’ve missed you so much. I’m so sorry I left you.” 

[tara-of-the-hills]

If only if only

@cerri-dwen

Tara didn’t really have much hope in finding her, even when she had realized that the gods weren’t dead - it had been long ingrained in her head that her mother was gone. 

She felt about ten waiting around the hut she had spent most of her days as she waited for the woman to come out of her house. She just needed to see her - see if it was her. Tara’s heart felt combustable at that moment and she wasn’t sure if she could do it. She almost got up to leave. 

After all who would love what she had become. Even a mother would turn away from her. Her hands went white as she balled them into fists. 

No she wasn’t going to ruin the memory of who she was. She couldn’t. 

[cerri-dwen]

Often did she spend days and days in her hut, hardly surfacing, these were the rough days, days where she cried, and hurt. Days where she didn’t wish to be seen. And yet, she couldn’t stay in her small home forever, and she did have to leave occasionally. Today was one of those days. Cerridwen sighed, pushing herself up from the floor and walking to the door, biting her lip before she pushed it open and stepped outside. It took her a few moments to register another person, and she blinked for a few moments before she spoke.

It just couldn’t be her baby. She was so grown up.

“Tara?” She said, hope ringing in her broken voice, she could be wrong, but ever fiber of her being told her she wasn’t, the only thing holding the goddess back was her fear - it had been twenty years, this might not be her daughter, she could be very wrong.

[hermes-the-thief]

“Me either, although to be fair I doubt the want to see their old man anyway. Last one was about twenty. Don’t think he hated me much, but I doubt he wanted me around.” 

[cerri-dwen]

“My children loved me.” At least, she wanted to believe that, she had too. “The youngest, she was so small when we were taken here, I worry for her constantly, I assume she feels as if I abandoned her.”

[the-bitch-of-egypt]

“Can you hand me another drink, doll?” There was no use of discussing this any further—at least that he knew, and understood. “My head’s still hurting, feel like I’ve been hit with a pan.”

[cerri-dwen]

“Sure.” She said simply, pouring the alcohol and setting the drink beside him. “I can make you something for the pain, you know all you have to do is ask.” She was a witch, after all, even if she was only a meager one now.

[lymskr-archive-blog]

“What, calling them unattractive?” 

“Or whining?”

[cerri-dwen]

“I suppose a bit of both.”

[venebalder]

“Perhaps they seek an attentive ear, one who will willingly and gladly listen to their complaints without forcing upon them the feeling of burdensomeness,” Balder responded quietly, knowing fully well how some feelings could fester in your heart for a long time before you finally mustered enough courage to voice them aloud. 

Bothersome? Perhaps to some - but he saw nothing wrong with airing a few grievances here and there.

“If it … irritates you to the point that you feel the need to comment on it, then perhaps closing your ears to it - or ignoring it - would be your best option.” Her only option, to be perfectly honest. It was either that or simply turn around and walk away. Easy solutions for a simple problem.

[cerri-dwen]

“Well I think I made it quite clear that they shall not receive such an ear from I.” To which she was alright with. Of course, those close to her, she would lend any such ear they needed, but random strangers, well, she wasn’t as kind.

“I should hope that by expressing my displeasure in it, that they should at least seek another to listen to them, we’ll see if it works out or not.”

[lymskr-archive-blog]

“So, you.. whine about others whining?”

“That’s– what is it they call it– groundbreaking.”

[cerri-dwen]

“It shut them up.”

“Which I’d call an accomplishment.”

[hatexmonger]

“Mm.” Teàrlach made a humming sound in the back of his throat, giving her an exaggeratedly thoughtful look. “You must whine a lot then.” Then he flashed her a smile full of needle-pointed teeth, not even bothering to play nice. 

“Would you like to borrow some Spanish moss? It makes a decent covering.” A nonchalant shrug. “It’s imported, but that shouldn’t affect its quality.”

[cerri-dwen]

“Well, aren’t you a doll.” She said, not bothering to hide her irritation, but not lashing out at him either.

“At a price, I’m guessing? Nothing on this island is free.” Though she could use Spanish moss in some potions.. Still, she didn’t want any at all.

[hermes-the-thief]

“Since you’re done with my whining how about you tell me something about yourself. Seems fair enough.” 

[cerri-dwen]

“My complaints are much different, mostly regarding the fact that I can’t find any of my children, and haven’t since being trapped on this forsaken island.”

[the-bitch-of-egypt]

“I’m not worrying,” denied he, though it was quite obvious.

He paused, thought for a little bit and sighed before speaking again, “Neither you nor Te were in there this time. You understand.”

[cerri-dwen]

“Whatever you say.”

“No, we weren’t, I’m not even sure what I would go through in there, but I refuse to worry about something I cannot control.” Because she was quite positive that she could not.

[venebalder]

Balder glanced askance at the woman, wondering what had prompted her to make such a comment.

“Oh, let them air their grievances,” he said with a small shake of his head - he was almost certain that these so-called whiners could care less about their own attractiveness when it came to getting their point across, even if said point was more akin to a complaint than constructive criticism. “Certain situations call for it - wouldn’t you say?”

[cerri-dwen]

“They could air them quietly, not for the whole island to hear.” she said, Cerri had never quite liked those who merely walked around and complained constantly. They should at least do it in the privacy of their own home. “Plenty of situations call for it, but they would do well to whine in different quarters.”