Lady of Avalon Read online

  ( ) = dead before story begins

  * = historical figure

  Praise for the novels of Avalon

  Lady of Avalon

  “Bradley’s women are, as usual, strong and vibrant, but never before has she so effectively depicted the heroic male…. An immensely popular saga.”

  —Booklist

  “No prior familiarity with Bradley’s Avalon titles will be required in order to enjoy this ongoing saga…. Fine characters mark a moving story.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  “A nice blend of historical and mystical elements, and Bradley’s interpretation of the priestesses and their role in Britain’s power struggles is quite interesting.”

  —FutureFiction.com

  The Forest House

  “Compelling, powerful.”

  —San Francisco Chronicle

  “The setting evokes a fascinating time of change…. The mythic elements grow to hint satisfactorily at the Arthurian wonder to come…. The stuff of legend.”

  —Locus

  “A seamless weave of history and myth.”

  —Library Journal

  “The sure touch of one at ease in sketching out mystic travels.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  “Compelling reading.”

  —The Green Man Review

  Priestess of Avalon

  “The message that all religions call on the same higher power should go over well with fans of Mists [of Avalon]. Paxson’s own skill at bringing historical characters and places to vivid life enriches Helena’s story.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Stunning…this rich and moving novel merits its place beside Bradley’s fantasy classic.”

  —Booklist

  “Bradley creates a powerful tale of magic and faith that enlarges upon pagan and Christian traditions to express a deeper truth.”

  —Library Journal

  “Priestess of Avalon does a stunning job of recapturing the legendary power of the original…brings rich imagery to its prophetic scenes.”

  —The Green Man Review

  Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Ancestors of Avalon

  “Magical….[The Mists of Avalon] devotees won’t feel let down by Ancestors…. Provides plenty of pleasurable reading hours.”

  —Fort Worth Star-Telegram

  “An elegant stylist, Paxson captures the awe, tragedy, and resounding mystery of ancient Britain and mist-enshrouded Atlantis.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Paxson fashions an entirely new entry in the Avalon saga…. [Her] storytelling features the requisite veins of mysticism, but, like Bradley, she excels at bringing the vast sweep of imagined history to an accessible level…. A rich and respectful homage that will dazzle readers longing to revisit Bradley’s sacred, storied isle.”

  —Booklist

  “Once again, Diana L. Paxson has beautifully elaborated on Marion Zimmer Bradley’s beloved Avalon saga with this dramatic new installment…. [An] extraordinary journey.”

  —SFRevu

  “Paxson is an excellent choice as successor to Bradley for this series. Her style and the details of the plot retain the sense of the mysterious past and the feminist awareness that was an underlying theme in the originals.”

  —Chronicle

  “Ancestors of Avalon may be the best of the Avalon tales. The story line stands alone due to the strength of the characterizations…yet also interconnects the myriad plots from the previously published books.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

  The Mists of Avalon

  The Forest House

  Priestess of Avalon

  Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Ravens of Avalon

  Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Ancestors of Avalon

  Lady of Avalon

  Marion Zimmer Bradley

  ROC

  Published by New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi -110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  Published by Roc, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Previously published in Viking hardcover and Roc trade paperback editions.

  Copyright © Marion Zimmer Bradley, 1997

  All rights reserved

  Ritual excerpts in chapters 10 and 23, and the song in chapter 19, courtesy of Diana L. Paxson.

  Map by Peter McClure.

  REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA

  ISBN: 978-1-1012-1278-3

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  To Diana L. Paxson,

  without whom this book could not have been written,

  and to Darkmoon Circle, the priestesses of Avalon

  Contents

  People in the Story

  Places in the Story

  The Faerie Queen speaks:

  PART 1The Wisewoman

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  PART IIThe High Priestess

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  PART IIIDaughter of Avalon

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  People in the Story

  {Part 1}

  Priests and Priestesses of Avalon

  Caillean—High Priestess, formerly of the Forest House

  (Eilan)—formerly High Priestess of the Forest House, Gawen
’s mother

  Gawen—son of Eilan and Gaius Macellius

  Eiluned, Kea, Marged, Riannon—senior priestesses

  Beryan, Breaca, Dica, Lunet, Lysanda—junior priestesses and maidens in training

  Sianna—daughter of the Faerie Queen

  Bendeigid—former Arch-Druid, Gawen’s British grandfather

  Brannos—an ancient Druid and bard

  Cunomaglos—High Priest

  Tuarim, Ambios—younger Druids

  The Christian monks of Inis Witrin

  *Father Joseph of Arimathea—leader of the Christian community

  Father Paulus—his successor

  Alanus, Bron—monks

  Romans and others

  Arius—Gawen’s friend in the Army

  Gaius Macellius Severus Senior—Gawen’s Roman grandfather

  (Gaius Macellius Severus Siluricus)—Gawen’s father, who was sacrificed as a British Year-King

  Lucius Rufinus—centurion in charge of recruits for the Ninth Legion

  Quintus Macrinius Donatus—Commander of the Ninth Legion

  Salvius Bufo—commander of the cohort to which Gawen is assigned

  Waterwalker—a man of the marsh folk who pole the barge of Avalon

  {Part II}

  Priests and Priestesses of Avalon

  Dierna—High Priestess and Lady of Avalon

  (Becca—Dierna’s younger sister)

  Teleri—a princess of the Durotriges

  Cigfolla, Crida, Erdufylla, Ildeg—senior priestesses

  Adwen, Lina—maidens being trained on Avalon

  Ceridachos—Arch-Druid

  Conec—a young Druid

  Lewal—the Healer

  Romans and Britons

  Aelius—captain of the Hercules

  *Allectus—son of the Duovir of Venta, later on Carausius’ staff

  *Constantius Chlorus—a Roman commander, later Caesar

  *Diocletian Augustus—senior Emperor

  Eiddin Mynoc—Prince of the Durotriges

  Gaius Martinus—an optio from Vindolanda

  Gnaeus Claudius Pollio—a magistrate of Durnovaria

  Vitruvia—Pollio’s wife

  *Marcus Aurelius Musaeus Carausius—Admiral of the Britannic fleet, later Emperor of Britannia

  *Maximian Augustus—junior Emperor

  Menecrates—commander of Carausius’s flagship, the Orion

  Quintus Julius Cerialis—Duovir of Venta Belgarum

  Trebellius—a manufacturer of bronze fittings

  Barbarians

  Aedfrid, Theudibert—warriors in Carausius’ Menapian guard

  Hlodovic—a Frankish chieftain of the Salian clan

  Wulfhere—a chieftain of the Angles

  Radbod—a Frisian chieftain

  {Part III}

  Priests and Priestesses of Avalon

  Ana—High Priestess and Lady of Avalon

  (Anara and Idris—her second and first daughters)

  Viviane—her third daughter

  Igraine—her fourth daughter

  Morgause—her fifth daughter

  Claudia, Elen, Julia—senior priestesses

  Aelia, Fianna, Mandua, Nella, Rowan, Silvia—novices of the House of Maidens, later priestesses

  Taliesin—chief bard

  Nectan—Arch-Druid

  Talenos—a younger Druid

  Britons

  *Ambrosius Aurelianus—Emperor of Britain Bethoc—Viviane’s foster-mother*Categirn—Vortigern’s older son

  Ennius Claudianus—one of Vortimer’s commanders

  Fortunatus—a Christian priest and follower of Pelagius

  *Bishop Germanus of Auxerre—an enforcer of orthodoxy

  Heron—one of the men of the marshes

  Neithen—Viviane’s foster-father

  Uther—one of Ambrosius’ warriors

  *Vortigern—High King of Britannia

  *Vortimer—his second son

  Saxons

  Hengest—leader of the Saxon migration

  Horsa—his brother

  Figures from Myth and History

  *(Agricola)—Governor of Britannia A.D. 78–84

  Arianrhod—a British goddess associated with the moon and the sea

  *(Boudicca)—Queen of the Iceni, who led the Great Rebellion in A.D. 61

  Briga/Brigantia—Goddess of healing, poetry, and smith-craft, Divine Midwife, and territorial goddess of Britannia

  *(Calgacus)—British leader who was defeated by Agricola in A.D. 81

  Camulos—a god of warriors

  *(Caractacus)—first-century leader of the British resistance

  Cathubodva—Lady of Ravens, raven goddess, a war goddess, related to the Morrigan

  Ceridwen—British goddess of the “terrible mother” type, possessor of the cauldron of wisdom

  The Faerie Queen

  The Horned One, Cernunnos—lord of the animals and the dark half of the year

  Lugos—bright god of all talents

  Maponus/Mabon—the young god, Son of the Mother

  Minerva—Roman goddess of wisdom and healing, identified with Athens, Sulis, and Briga

  Modron—Mother goddess

  Nehallenia—territorial goddess of the Netherlands

  Nemetona—goddess of the grove

  Nodens—god of clouds, sovereignty, healing, possibly related to Nuada

  *(Pelagius)—a fourth-century British religious leader

  Rigantona—Great Queen, goddess of birds

  Rigisamus—lord of the grove

  Sulis—goddess of the healing springs

  Tanarus—thunder god

  Teutates—tribal god

  Places in the Story

  Aquae Sulis—Bath

  Armorica—Brittany

  Branodunum—Brancaster, Norfolk

  Britannia—Great Britain

  Caesarodunum—Tours, France

  Calleva—Silchester

  Cantium—Kent

  Clausentum—Bitterne, on the Ictis, near Southampton

  Corinium—Cirencester, Gloucester

  Corstopitum—Corbridge, Northumbria

  Demetia—Dyfed, Wales

  Deva—Chester

  Dubris—Dover

  Durnovaria—Dorchester, Dorset

  Durobrivae—Rochester

  Durovernum Cantiacorum—Canterbury Eburacum—York

  Gallia—France

  Gariannonum—Burgh Castle, Norfolk

  Gesoriacum—Boulogne, France

  Glevum—Gloucester

  Ictis—river that empties into the bay at Portsmouth

  Inis Witrin—Glastonbury, Somerest

  Lindinis—Ilchester, Somerest

  Londinium—London

  Luguvalium—Carlisle

  Mendip Hills—hills to the north of Glastonbury

  Mona—Isle of Anglesey

  Mons Graupius—a mountain in Scotland, site of the battle in which Agricola destroyed the last British resistance to Rome

  Othona—Bradwell, Essex

  Portus Adurni—Portchester (Portsmouth)

  Portus Lemana—Lymne, Kent

  Rutupiae—Richborough, Kent

  Sabrina Fluvia—the Severn River and estuary

  Siluria—the Silure tribal lands in South Wales

  Segedunum—Wallsend, Northumbria

  Segontium—Caernarvon, Wales

  Sorviodunum—Old Sarum, near Salisbury

  Stour River—river that passes through Dorchester and empties at Weymouth

  Tamesis Fluvivus—Thames River

  Tanatus Insula—Isle of Thanet, Kent

  Vale of Avalon—the Glastonbury levels Vectis Insula—Isle of Wight

  Venta Belgarum—Winchester

  Venta Icenorum—Caistor, Norfolk

  Venta Silurum—Caerwent, Wales

  Vercovicium—Housesteads fort, Northumbria

  Vernemeton (most holy grove)—the Forest House

  Vindolanda—Chesterholm, near Corbridge

  Viroconium—Wroxeter


  The Faerie Queen speaks:

  In the world of humankind, the tides of power are turning…. To me, the seasons of men go by in moments, but from time to time a flicker will attract my attention.

  Mortals say that in Faerie nothing ever changes. But it is not so. There are places where the worlds lie close together as folds in a blanket. One such bridge is the place that men call Avalon. When the mothers of humankind first came into this land, my people, who had never had bodies, made forms for ourselves in their likeness. The new folk built their houses on poles at the lake’s edge and hunted through the marshes, and we walked and played together, for that was the morning of the world.

  Time passed, and masters of an ancient wisdom crossed the sea, fleeing the destruction of Atlantis, their own sacred isle. They moved great stones to mark out the lines of power that laced the land. It was they who secured the sacred spring in stone and carved out the spiral path around the Tor, they who found in the contours of the countryside the emblems of their philosophy.

  They were great masters of magic, who chanted spells by which a mortal man might reach other worlds. And yet they were mortal, and in time their race diminished, while we remained.

  After them came others, bright-haired, laughing children with burnished swords. But the touch of cold iron we could not abide, and from that time onward Faerie began to separate itself from the human world. But the ancient wizards taught the humans wisdom, and their wise folk, the Druids, were drawn to the power in the holy isle. When the Legions of Rome marched across the land, binding it with stone-paved roads and slaughtering those who resisted, the isle became a refuge for the Druid-kind.

  That was but a moment ago, by my reckoning. I welcomed to my bed a golden-haired warrior who had wandered into Faerie. He pined and I sent him back again, but he left me the gift of a child. Our daughter is as fair and golden as he was, and curious about her human heritage.