Annwn: A Story of Battle

“We cheat Death from his rightful victory. No one can defeat us we are glad to plunge feet first into Annwn in the knowledge that we will rise.” A lady is left behind and her love off to battle.

She cried as her man clapped her hands tightly as they both stood on the moors of their land. Her long brown braided hair fluttered and twirled in the cold bitter wind and she snuggled into her green shawl. Her man was leaving for war and she knew they would never see each other again.

"M' love…return to me." Her words seemed cold as the winter wind blowing through his ebony hair. He stared into her golden eyes one last time and gave her a small nod. It was not a promise, but he hoped.

He turned from her and started down the grassy hill they had stood upon with his rifle upon his shoulder. Sobs reached his ears and he knew his lady was crying. They would never see each other again. A man who goes off to war never returns to his lady dear.

"Mace!" 

Stopping, Mace turned his head over his shoulder to look upon her. She was everything to him, and he will remember the way she called his name that day.

With tears in her eyes she spoke the only last words she wanted him to leave with. "I love you." 

He only smiled softly as he use to when he was a young boy trying to catch her eye. With that, he turned away from his lady fair and made his way to the camp, to war. His lady Rosemary buried her face in her hands to cry. Never would they look upon each other again.

/|

Months of fighting had taken its toll of Mace but he rushed into battle for his country. Scars of battles won and loss seem to be on every inch of his body and face. With rifle in hand and his captain's voice blaring in his ear, he charged onto the battle field. 

His comrades fell all around him and the smell of blood and gun powder was intoxicating. Mace felt it in his very soul this was his last. 

Hot, piercing metal shot through his chest and he finally fell to the found. The dirt and dead grass covered his face and he felt his blood drain from him. All he could think about was his love, his Rosie. The way she stood there that day he left home, left his lady behind. The way her blood red dress fluttered in the cold wind, the way her eyes stared back into his, and how much his heart she had in short years they had been together. 

A trembling hand reached into his pocket and grasped onto a picture of his lady dear. The last image he would see before he would plunge into Annwn; his lady smiling back at him.

/|

She stood there upon the moors again, the snow fall fresh upon the hard ground. There stood her man's tomb stone. Rosemary knelt down on the cold soil of the grave and placed two roses, one white and one red for their love. She knew they would never see each other again, not at least in this world. She knew she would have to win her place in Annwn to be with Mace again.

A silver knife flashed in the twilight of on coming dawn and there she cut her chestnut braid. Gently she laid it next to the roses and stood, her hair short for she was no longer his lady fair. And there as the sun rose over the moors she sang a song of battle.

"Gafflwn Dihenydd, o'r fuddugoliaeth wiriol sydd. Ni fydd neb yn ein Drechu, Falch ydy ni i drochu traed o flaen i'r Annwn yn y gwybodaeth fe godwn ni."

She, his lady, left with a gun over her shoulder. She left for battle. To jounrey to Annwn.

Author's Note

I wrote this based on my own character and a song I heard (watch Halo Reach to know what song I'm talking about). I guess the normal stuff like how did the image seem like to you.

Reviews

[Tabitha t]

I liked this one very much. there was a few things I did not understand like awnnw or however you spell it( lol) but I really really enjoyed this jesse! the imagery was spot on and it had a great flow. great job and i mean it!

[Jessica Carter]

Oh goodness I forgot haha. Annwn is the Celtic afterlife. It is death. Many fallen warriors find there way to the land of Annwn.

[Tabitha t]

ok I guess plot clues that I did understand that part I just wanted to know the actual meaning. but great job