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The Veil

Kernunnos had been a dear friend to Brigid. She had been hurt to hear of his death at the Battle of Sengann Fortress. He had died fighting to save her. So it was that in Henti's home, Brigid sat alone. Her friends Borte and Pebatjma had tried to comfort her, Zuvowang had tried, Henti had tried, even Ekoto and Alaksandu in their absurdity tried but she would have no comfort from anyone until she had recovered on her own.

In her hands was a veil. It was green in color, made to cover her hair. It was something that Evabon women and girls did. They either chose the braids or the veil but Brigid was to have both. She had one braid among her locks of hair for fashion reasons. The veil was for a completely different reason. She would wear the veil till the day she died or Kernunnos come back to them here in Wilusa. And that day would come but not until Balor was Chieftain of Evabon and known as Balor of the Isles.

So it was that Brigid donned the veil!

Standing up from the stool she had been sitting upon, Brigid ventured forth into Wilusa. No one looked at her. She was just another girl wearing a veil.

She walked past Pwyll, people still congratulating him for defending Piyamaradu against the conspirators. If not for him, they would be mourning one more. Had Mumm-Ra's strike been fatal there would have be two more funeral pyres. Had he killed Balor there would have been three more.

She walked past Llud and Arnuwanda discussing becoming more active in the lives of their families. Llud had always been for being active in lives of the Gardites. For Arnuwanda it took Kernunnos's death to consider getting more active in the lives of his fellow Dalvings.

She walked past a carving being made. This carving was of the Battle of Sengann Fortress. She and Henti could be seen in windows. The Wilusans fighting against the Labinnac horde were before Sengann, with the Wilusans on the left and the Labinnac on the right. Donalbain, Orsino and Jaques could be seen from the walls of Sengann with arms outstretched and weapons in hand. It would be a beautiful carving for sure but Brigid would not look upon it till she was ready to.

Seeing Balor walking upon the walls of Wilusa with Kashta and Chinggis following him, she went up to him. Kashta and Chinggis spoke to Balor about a great many things.

"Come now, Balor, lets at these do something!" said Kashta. "First funeral here and we are not going to the treasure cave!"

"Well, to be fair the cave has one skeleton in it already, Kashta. You being there would just cause jokes to be made." Commented Chinggis.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You look like a walking cadaver and your face is like a braincase! It's a wonder you weren't thrown on a funeral pyre!"

"This coming from the boy who was born without lips!"

"Now wait a minute here!" objected Chinggis. "Because of my lack of lips, I've always got a happy look on my face!"

"Happy? Happy! You look creepy!"

"You're one to talk!"

This was what Balor was getting for being friends with fellow disfigured children. They ended up arguing on the funeral days where the children went to the treasure cave where there was a skeleton out in the open. A hunchback with a slight curve in his spine instead of a huge hump a walking cadaver and a boy with no lips. They were quite the trio.

Sighing, Balor turned to look at Kashta and Chinggis. "Brothers, and I do not mean that in way that I think of us as such, please leave me alone. I want to be alone. Any other funeral day maybe we could all be at the treasure cave doing whatever it is we do but one of the people who died at Sengann was a friend of mine. So I'm asking you kindly to leave me alone."

"Want us to get you something to read?" asked Kashta. "I've got a very gripping epic about Procyon's battle at Eimor."

"No! Get out of here!" And with that, Kashta and Chinggis both turned around and paused when they saw Brigid.

"Who is that?" asked Chinggis.

"It's Brigid, you idiot!" sighed Kashta. "She's wearing a veil. One of our veils not the kind that covers the entire face like what the Thunderans use."

"Go!" exclaimed Balor, at this point very much sick of their bickering. And go they did, somewhere else, presumably to the treasure cave. Now alone, Balor and Brigid just stood there staring at each other. Ultimately, it was Balor who spoke. "Why the veil?"

And so Brigid explained.