Chapter 2: I am Vanora Eavan
Vanora means wanderer.
Eavan means beautiful or pleasant.
So I am the pleasant, beautiful wanderer. And so I have wandered.
When I was 14 my brother Dagonet was taken to Britain to serve in a Roman cavalry unit. I went with him and began working in the tavern.
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When I was 16 I realized that I hated the serving wenches who slept with Dag's best friend.
When I was 17 I slept with Bors.
When I was 18 he told me he loved me.
When I was 21 I bore him his first child.
When I was 22 my best friend was killed in a Woad ambush
By the time I turned 25 almost half of the knights I had journeyed with Sarmatia were dead.
When I was 28 my sister was stolen from me.
When I was 29 my love was betrayed.
So today I sit and wait for him to return from his last mission, the impossible mission. And I remember.
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I remember our first time together. His rough hands passionately yet gently leading me.
I remember his first mission after he had confessed he loved. I paced everyday. There are still marks in the floor.
I remember the way he always brought a wild flower home with him and gently tucked it behind my ear before leading me to conceive again.
I remember my first birth. And second. And third. And fourth. And fifth. And sixth. And seventh. And eighth. And ninth. And tenth. And eleventh. And how he held my hand and wiped my brow every time.
I remember the smell of the of warm grass.
I remember the soothing sound of my mother's voice.
I remember the bustling of Rome.
I remember the first time I saw snow.
I remember the first time I buried a friend plus every time after that.
I remember the first time he cried in front of me.
I remember the awkwardness with which he love was confessed.
I remember the first time we fought.
I remember the first he heard me sing.
Land of bear and land of eagle
Land that gave us birth and blessing
Land that called us ever homewards
We will go home across the mountains
We will go home
We will go home
We will go home across the mountains
We will go home singing our song...
...hear our singing, hear our longing
We will go home across the mountains
We will go home
We will go home