Darerca

CHAPTER 5

Prophetic dreams and visions came in many guises but perhaps nothing as strange as that of Darerca's second husband - Conan Meriadoc, the man who founded Brittany. His eldest son, by Darerca, would be Gradlon Mawr or Gradlon the Great who survived the flooding of Y's, a town previously built on a dyke. It was rumoured that his daughter had stolen the keys of the dyke, opened the gates, and destroyed the whole city by flooding it.
A prophetic tradition of Brittany claims that Conan was often seen as a messianic saviour who would one day return to save his people. Darerca didn't see any of that in him but she definitely saw potential. Husband material.
Still, she played coy when he approached. "Darerca?" he inquired with an open smile. Your father advised me who you were."
She nodded.
"I'm Chonan," he introduced. "Folk call me Conan."
She smiled in return.
"I understand you like horses?"
"I do."
"Anywhere you'd recommend for a ride," he persisted. "I'm new to these parts."
"There's the Brecon Beacons,"she suggested, "or the Pen Y Fan slopes, and much forest and moorland."
"I think I may need a guide for much of that?" he suggested.
"Eight o'clock suit?" she responded. "I like to get out early. I've chores later in the day"
"Sure," he agreed. "Eight, she'll be."
And so began a series of outings that brought them both together. He had been married once before, just like Darerca, but he let her know that he was free to marry again and a year into their relationship he had approached her father and asked for her hand in holy matrimony.
Her father had shaken his hand and had let out a whoop. It was rare to see him happy now that Patrick was gone.

*

Darerca's first husband had been Restitutus of Lombard, a fine man from Italy. He came from a large family with at least six brothers, all of whom accompanied Patrick the second time he visited Hibernia, having landed on its northern shores. They were mainly along to see that he came to no harm. A trait peculiar to the Restitutus family was that of multiple births - twins, triplets or even quadruplets.
Such a birth was seen as miraculous and the women of the settlement would help out as best they could. Little did she know it but Darerca's first birth would involve ten babies -  decuplets. Seven boys and three girls.
It would be impossible to raise them on her own but luckily she had sisters who could help. One, Lupita, had been trying for a baby for years so perhaps her prayers had been answered too.
Lupita had proved to be a Godsend and had taken four of the babies. Two girls and two boys.
There were many gifts showered upon them because of the nature of the birth.
Darerca lifted each of her babies in turn and hugged them one by one.
Strangely enough it happened again with Conan, her second husband who by a strange quirk of fate also had a history of multiple births in his family genes and three of Darerca's sons with Conan were triplets - Reat, Aedh and Nenn.

*

The next few years saw Darerca busy with rearing babies. Within a year of giving birth to decuplets, she found herself pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter. Perhaps someone who could help with the boys in a few years? Who knew?
Her life was now hectic.
She had little time to wonder about Patrick and his work in Hibernia. Often at night when they gathered en masse in front of the fire she would tell her family about him and of how he found himself drawn back to Hibernia. They listened dutifully.
They had heard so many stories.
She lived in the kind of community where help was a given. It was also a community of Christian faith. One of prayer, devout belief.
Every evening they prayed the Rosary together as a family and nobody was allowed to shirk their duty. Tied up with their sense of duty towards their beliefs was the notion of work. It was encouraged from an early age; so much so that the older members of the clan could be seen helping younger siblings except of course with the decuplets who were all the same age. On their birthdays it could be a disadvantage as they were all grouped together for presents and cakes.
Still, they wouldn't have had it any other way. There was a strength in numbers; in this case a family strength and bond. They were tied by bloodshed and kinship. By loyalties and by family honour.
Another thing they were tied to was the land. Though the work could be back-breaking it meant something to them to have their own land and to be capable of producing their own food. What they didn't have they bartered with others, sometimes trading in local marketplaces and villages. They had a cart and oxen to help ferry goods. The villagers joked that they could be heard long before they were seen. The children milled around as children do, causing mischief.