“He has power over all the world, ocean and land and heavens above.”
Her eyes grew wide. “All of that? However does he manage?”
“He is omnipotent in all things. He can watch the fall of every sparrow and yet create powerful earthquakes.”
Thinking back to her lesson with Adhna, Clíodhna said, “Such power in the hands of one being is dangerous.”
Odhrán waggled a finger at her. “God is incorruptible. He’s not like the Greek or Roman old gods, with their petty jealousy and infidelities.”
“But you said he had a son of a human woman. Is that not an infidelity?”
“God has no wife in heaven. He rules alone. Is it not the same in your beliefs? I’ve tried to find out more of the local religion, but your priests won’t talk to me.”
“The Druí guard their knowledge unless you are a student. That sounds so utterly lonely.” They fell silent for a few moments. “Danú is the mother, but she has no consort. She has many children, however. Her children are our gods, such as The Dagda, The Morrigú, and Brighid. There are many others, but those are the main ones. Each one rules over different aspects of life. Brighid, for instance, is the goddess of the hearth, of creativity, and of healing. She is also sacred to blacksmiths and brings in the spring season. This is her time, the time when the land wakes from winter slumber and bursts forth into teeming life.”
“That’s a delightful image. God has no such helpmate.”
She bit her lip. “How can a god rule without a goddess? There is no life without fertility.”
“He relies upon his children to be fertile.”
Clíodhna still had her hands on her knees. Odhrán placed his hand over the closest one. His skin felt warm and dry against hers.
“Odhrán! Odhrán, are you out here?”
Startled apart, Clíodhna slowed her breathing. A thin, young monk came around the corner, Aileran in his arms. “This wee one is fussing strong. Is this his mother? I think he’s hungry.”
She held her hands out for her baby, suddenly needing to hold him. “Yes, I’ll take him. Thank you so much. Brother Manchan? Is that your name?”
The man nodded, his spare frame full of eager energy. “Yes, indeed! He slept most of the day, but when he woke, he simply wouldn’t stop fussing, so I came in search of you. I did feed him a bit of cow’s milk, but I think he prefers yours. I must get back to my other charges.” He left with a jaunty wave.
Odhrán cleared his throat. “I’ll go fetch your other children. They should be finished now. Shall I see you tomorrow?”
Clíodhna gave him a nod, unsure if she’d embarrassed him or not. They’d done nothing to be embarrassed about. Her husband had left, and he didn’t seem to be attached. Perhaps she misread the situation. Regardless, she’d ask him tomorrow. That would be better than guessing wrong.
She rocked Aileran and hummed a nonsense song to him, his soft skin warm against her cheek. When Etromma and Donn joined her, Odhrán didn’t reappear.
“How did you like the lessons? Do you want to return tomorrow?”
Etromma shrugged. “It was interesting. I really liked picking out the herbs and preparing them, but kneading the dough hurt my hands. Brother Éanna is good about explaining things, but he does it all in one long sentence.”
Hiding a chuckle, she turned to Donn. “What about your day?”
“I loved it! I can’t wait to go back tomorrow. Brother Cronan had me help him build a bench but I got fascinated by the pattern in the wood grain. When he noticed that, he set me to polishing a finished piece, and I asked him if I could carve a decoration in it and he didn’t want to do that, but he gave me a small burl to work with but I’m only halfway done.”
Etromma gave her brother a sidelong glance. “Exactly like that.”
Clíodhna lost the battle to suppress her laugh. After her joy of the morning, her intense lesson with Adhna and her emotional chat with Odhrán, the laughter grew far more powerful than her limited will to hold it back.
Both children smiled and then joined her. Hilarity echoed down the forest path as they approached their home.
* * *
The next morning, when Clíodhna dropped the children off at the monk’s enclave, Odhrán came out to meet them, grinning from ear to ear. When Etromma and Donn went off to their respective teachers, and she’d ensconced Aileran in the nursery, Odhrán asked her to sit on the garden bench with him. She had some time before meeting with Adhna, so she agreed.
“I wanted to speak with you about my actions yesterday, Clíodhna. I should not have been so forward to a married woman, and I want to apologize.”
Stunned, she blinked several times. “Apologize? But there’s nothing to apologize for. My husband is long gone.”
Odhrán’s face turned several shades of red, and he glanced down, fiddling with his fingers. “Within the rules of my church, you are still vowed to him. Therefore, I am not free to make advances toward you. It is counted a grievous sin.”
She laughed. “Only for you, Odhrán. I enjoyed the attention. In fact,” she put her hand on his, halting his fiddling, “I enjoy your company very much. Do you not find me attractive?”
His blush deepened further, and he visibly swallowed. “Thank you. You are delightfully intelligent and alluring, and I quite enjoy your company. That, however, is not the issue.” He took a deep breath. “While I’m not yet vowed to the church, I am still
