Dagda's Cauldron

“No, sorry, you have me at a disadvantage. I do not know who you are nor where I am.”

“My apologies, I have not been around a human in some time, I am out of practice.”

“When you say you have not been around humans, are you implying that you are not?

“What do you know about the Tuatha De?”

“They were one of the four tribes of Ireland, children of the goddess Danu. They are gods, living in Tir Na Nog, a world parallel to here in the world of mortals.” As I said those things, answering his bizarre question, his mouth turned up into the most beautiful smile. I had never seen a smile quiet like it, a smile that could brighten the foggiest day in Eire.

“My name is Dana, now that I have told you my name, I still do not know yours. All I have been given is a riddle.”

“Forgive me my fair maiden.”

He bent his knee, lowering it down on to the ground, holding my hand with the softest of touches, kissing each of my fingers, sending goosebumps along my too sensitive skin.

“Aengus, my name is Aengus, and we are in Tir Na Nog.”

“The Otherworld?”

There was that smile again.

“That means that you are one of them, a god.”

The impossibility of what was happening to me was falling over me like a blanket of dark clouds.

“Aengus? Stories are told around the fire; your name has been mentioned a time or two. Your father is Dagda, King of all the gods and a powerful druid.”

“Yes, my father won the war against the Fomorians.”

Did I happen to hit my head during dinner? Is my father there with me, trying to wake me up from consciousness? This could not possibly be real.

“You look like you are going to be sick lass.”

“I, I am, I guess that is the result from me hitting my head and even in my dream state I am still feeling the effects.”

“You are not dreaming Dana, come sit down, rest while I explain myself to you, why have I brought you here to my world.”

There was no furniture in sight when we had first entered, now there was a gold framed bed, big enough to fit four full grown men on it. It was covered with lady’s bower; the scent was empowering. It was difficult to think between the glorious bright colours and the smell. He looked so elegant just sitting there, he was royalty, and he looked the part, the bed was just an extension of that. He patted a spot on the bed next to him. “Have a seat Dana, then we can talk.”

Looking around for a place to sit, there was in no way I could sit on a bed with an unknown man, even if he was a god. “I am okay with standing Aengus; besides, I do not believe that my father would approve of me being on a bed with a man who was not my husband.”

“I am sure that your father would make an exception for this, you have been called upon by the gods, please Dana, have a seat next to me.” The gods want me for help, I was a slight thing, nothing special worth mentioning, what could I do to help the Tuatha. Even though everything inside me told me not to, it was wrong, I sat myself down next to him. The coverings of the bed were silk, intense gold and greens sparked my skin. My father had already picked out a husband for me, I had been betrothed to him since I was fifteen. My brief meeting with him, which now is seeming like a lifetime ago, was ugly. I loathed him but the wheels were already set in motion. My body heated at the closeness of Aengus; he was even more exceptional up close.

“Now that we are comfortable, it is time for us to talk, for me to ask of you of a favour that is of great importance.”

I was waiting with bated breath.

“My father’s cauldron was stolen, taken to where we believe is in your world, hidden from our presence. As you know there are four powerful druids, each druid holds a treasure. A cauldron, spear, sword, and the stone. With these four treasures that was a gift from Danu, she gave a chance for us, her people to defeat the Fomorians. In the hands of our enemies, our world and even yours is in great peril. We do not have a chance of defeating them and protecting our worlds.”

This was even more nauseating than when I first thought that I had hit my head. Trying to wrap my head around the words that were being told to me.

“I do not understand what my part in all of this is. I am neither a deity, nor a Fomorian. I am just me, Dana, father is Aodh, mother was Aine, betrothed to Cuidightheach, nothing special, just Dana.”

“You are more special than you think. I need a mortal to help guide me through your world. I need you to help me navigate your world and find my father’s cauldron.”

His hand made it some how to my thigh. I did not notice it at first, his voice was music, everything just seemed to fade away when he spoke. “I am to be married to Cuidightheach at the next full moon. I am sorry, I cannot go on a quest with you, I am to be a wife and a mother.” Even saying it out loud I could even hear the lies dripping from my lips. Not the lie of being a wife, that is all true but the lie wanting that, to be married to a man that not only I did not know but who seemed harsh and violent. I would prefer to go on a quest with a god to find a magical cauldron.

“If we have not found my father’s treasure by the full moon, we will be dead anyway so there will be no wedding or being a wife and a mother.”