The Empress of Magic

Chapter 83 : Hope dies last, even when Madness lurks

When Celestia was little and still a prisoner of HYDRA, Niamh, the Irish soul she was began telling her about different legends from the land of her Ancestors and the battles surrounding it.....

There were many, far too many for Celestia to count, though she remembered them all by heart.....

But there was one that always made her unintentionally smile whenever she thought about the red-haired witch, the story of the first half-Mortal King of Scotland, Robert the Bruce...

Born in 1274 at Lochmaben castle where he was a Knight and Overlord of Annandale. In 1306 he was crowned King of Scotland and subsequently tried to free Scotland from the English enemy...

After being defeated in battle in 1306 by the Earl of Pembroke at Methven, Robert the Bruce went into hiding, supposedly in the Western Isles. He resided in a cave for three months, at the lowest point of his life and struggling to come up with a plan about what to do next, contemplating leaving the country never to return.

However, while Robert the Bruce was waiting, legend has it that he watched a spider building a web at the entrance to the cave. The typically stormy Scottish weather, not one to disappoint, made the spider's task difficult as droplet after droplet destroyed the creature's intricate work. Finally, against all odds, the spider succeeded with its web.

Robert the Bruce was inspired by the spider's efforts, so he decided to get up and face another fight. He is said to have told his men: "If at first, you don't succeed, try, try and try again," something that over the course of time, became the words of House O'Sullivan.

While being born Irish and never even having stepped foot onto Scottish soil up until the moment where she was handed her Hogwarts Letter, Niamh had lived by those very words until her end.

,, While I myself nor anyone else of my family was born in Scotland, my Ancestor, Ronan O'Sullivan , was a Knight who always searched for adventure and got himself into more trouble than good..." she had told her, smiling brightly down at her as she held the tiny half-Veela close to herself, hair sprawled out all over their shared pillow and brown eyes filled with amusement......

She had been beautiful, kind, and warm, the closest thing Celestia had to a parental figure who she could identify with, without feeling rude for thinking like that when the situation was far from ideal for any of them...

,, On such an adventure he met none other than Robert the Bruce, who saved him from getting decapitated by the giants Otis and Ephialtes...." she whispered, not wanting to wake the others up. ,, As payment for the life debt he owed, Ronan swore to serve him as a Knight in his army. To follow, guide and protect him until death came to take their souls....."

The witch then reached for the half-Veela's hand, taking her pointer finger before making her gesture to herself. ,, ....... Now.... You may not be an O'Sullivan by blood... but I have accepted you as my kin.... and while I might not survive this, I know you will. Do you know why?"

At the time she had shook her head and curiously stared up at her, like any four-year-old would have done........

Niamh had given her another beautiful smile, eyes sparkling as she let her hand run through the white curls of the little girl's head and answered. ,, Because you, my star, are greater than any of us will ever be........ And like the spider who inspired Robert the Bruce, I know you will never cease to come to a stop. You are a fighter...... and because of that, I gift you the words of my House, for you may not be of the water from my womb, but you are the blood I have chosen..."

,, Try.... and once you fail try again until you succeed...." she said. ,, For only then will you be able to become the best version of yourself.. A Queen like no one has ever seen........ "