A Betrothal
Once upon a time, in the ancient land of Britain, a great king named Bran ruled with wisdom and grace. His kingdom flourished, and his subjects lived in peace and prosperity. Early in his reign he would travel often to different parts of the isles, meeting with other rulers and people of influence, seeing to their safety and trying to encourage harmony between them.
There was a particular minor kingdom in the highlands where he saw a young woman, called Eilidh. She was the first daughter of the king there, Fergus MacAlister. Bran thought she was more beautiful than any other woman he had seen. He was surprised to hear such a radiant beauty was yet unwed, thinking that surely she would have no shortage of suitors. But, Bran was told by Fergus that she knew her husband would have to help rule their lands after her father’s death, and so had been very selective as to who took her eye. Bran thought this very wise.
On Bran’s second visit he talked again to Fergus about ruling, trade, and diplomacy. But also, of Eilidh. Her father boasted freely of her, “She knows she will rule after me, and so she has made herself my equal or better in all things.” He told how she could pass judgements, use a sword and spear, work the sheep of the hills, speak the languages of many people, and command their troops all as well or better than he.
On Bran’s third visit he began to lament to himself that Eilidh would never accept the hand of a giant. But decided he would enjoy her radiant company while he could anyway. He asked her to dance at a feast the night of his arrival. When she took his hand to dance they seemed to suddenly be the same size. And she danced beautifully, well enough to make up for some of Bran’s giant-footed steps.
Efnysien hated the highlands and thought not well of the humble broch and its clever, friendly people. So, one day he visited there himself. He had visited alongside Bran and made no friends on that visit, such was his distaste for the place. So, now he arrived as Manawyddan, favoured brother of Bran. Fergus was happy to see an envoy from Bran and invited him to his home. He stayed for a week of nights in the broch, taking advantage of their hospitality. And wooing Isla, the younger daughter of Fergus. He was pained, however, to hear from Eilidh, Isla, and Fergus how much they admired his brother Bran and asking when he might return.
Eventually Efnysien’s plan came to pass. After he had been there for a week he told the king “I was sent by Bran to see for myself the quality of the people here, particularly Eilidh. And, if I found her even half so beautiful, skilled, and wise as Bran has told me, I should make an offer of marriage on his behalf.” At this Eilidh and her father looked delighted, and Efnysien knew the bait had been taken.
“I would go further, though, and ask for the hand of sweet Isla, who has enchanted me so during my visit”, said Manawyddan. Fergus could see that his eldest was taken with Bran and saw sense in the marriage. He had also seen how Isla had taken to the charming Manawyddan during his visit. Fergus knew his daughters and could see in their eyes all he needed. Fergus agreed and thanking Manawyddan for his part in making the match said how pleased he was that it was not Efnysien who had been sent. This made Efnysien burn with hate, but he smiled and bided his time.
The next day Manawyddan was wed to Isla, and a great feast was had. Celebrating the marriage and the betrothal. A few days after; Eilidh, Fergus and a small retinue set out to travel to Bran’s holding far in the south and complete the marriage. Not long after Manawyddan told Isla he was going hunting and would be some time. In truth he followed the small happy party into the south.
Once well away from the broch and nearing the centre of the land Efnysien came upon the travellers and crushed most of the retinue. Then he beheaded Fergus, and took Eilidh and abused her before he drowned her in a river. Efnysien threw her body out into the stream where it eventually floated down river and past where Bran lived, visiting her death upon him and causing him great sorrow.
From time to time Manawyddan would return to the little highland broch, acting as its ruler with Isla, who he progressively made more and more miserable. The charming Manawyddan she had married seemed to be becoming more and more like his miserable half-brother Efnysien. Eventually, one day when she heard Manawyddan was returning she went to the top of the broch and threw herself off of it, dashing her body on the side of the mountain and ending her misery. The people lamented the loss of Fergus and his beloved daughters, for which Manawyddan only taxed them more.
Marriage of Branwen
One day Bran sat on the shore at Harlech pondering life and how he could best serve his people, when he saw thirteen ships coming towards the shore from Southern Ireland. The men from the boats soon came ashore and declared themselves emissaries for the Irish Lord Matholwch. Matholwch desired an alliance with Bran and sought the hand of his sister, Princess Branwen, in marriage. Word had reached Matholwch of Branwen’s extraordinary grace and beauty.
So, Matholwch had come to Wales with a grand entourage, bearing gifts and tokens of goodwill. He approached Bran with humility and respect, asking for Branwen’s hand in marriage. The proposition intrigued Bran, who saw an opportunity to strengthen the ties between their kingdoms and ensure lasting peace. After careful consideration and counsel from Branwen and his advisors, Bran agreed to the union.
The wedding was decidedly set at the coast to Aberffraw. All this had to be set inside specially erected tents since no house had yet been built that could accommodate the giant King Bran. The air was filled with joy and hope for a harmonious future. Soon after all the wedding and celebration took place Bran’s half brother Efnysien returned to Wales and was puzzled to see so many foreign horses stabled. He asked whom the horses belonged and was enraged to find his sister had been given away without his consent. He despised the idea of Branwen leaving their homeland and sought to disrupt the harmony of the marriage. In his anger he maimed all the Irish horses by cutting their lips back to their gums, their ears down to their skulls, eyelids to eyeballs, and their tails to their rumps. Matholwch’s courtiers discovered the horses in this state and advised him to see this as a calculated insult from the Welsh and was in the end persuaded to head back home in great offence. The alliance held, but at a knife’s edge.
As the newlyweds travelled to Matholwch’s kingdom, the seeds of conflict were planted. Still, their early married life was initially happy. At first sight the Irish loved their new queen, and they brought many gifts to the castle celebrating Matholwch and Branwen’s union and in due time Branwen bore a son Gwern and the realm once again rejoiced.
A Sidhe Alliance
It was during this time that Efnysien travelled to Ireland for a time and met with a Sidhe magician named Fear Doirich. Fear Doirich told Efnysien of the Sidhe people, and their ways, and how he had been spurned by them and rejected by the Sidhe princess when he pledged to marry her. He told how he had turned her into a deer for a time so that she must stay alone and away from all lest they kill her in a hunt.
Together the two plotted other schemes they could work upon the hill folk and the Irish alike. As a result they roamed much of the land bringing the hill folk out of their secret places and causing them conflict with the local people, or simply slaying them outright. This greatly reduced the Sidhe in the land, and made them dislike the human folk, and helped create a sense of fear within the Irish as well.
Irish War
A few years passed and the counsellors began to reflect once again on the maiming of the horses. They believed that Matholwch had not acted like a man and probed him to take out this injustice on his wife Branwen. The council made him expel her from his court and forced her to work in the kitchen. In the kitchen she faced being bullied by the cook and stared at by the kitchen boys who even boxed her ears. This mistreatment continued on for three years, in that time Branwen had been taming a starling to help take her mind off things. One day she fastened a letter to the starling meant for her brother Bran pleading for help. The bird made its way to Wales and dove from the sky during one of Bran’s legislative assemblies. What Bran read inside made him feel despair then fury. He declared war on the Irish to exact revenge for his beloved sister. Spurred on all the more by Efnysien.
Bran led all his armies down the shore to Ireland. From the shore Matholwch’s swineherds saw an awesome sight, an entire landscape it seemed moving towards Ireland. They soon saw Bran wading through the water ahead of the fleet since no ship could carry him. The Irish ran across the river Shannon and barred the way from the sea so that no ships could travel up the river. Just before Bran’s troops landed they saw that the Irish had destroyed the bridge and blocked the river. Nevertheless, Bran with his awesome size helped his troops cross the river and they continued on as if unimpeded. Matholwch’s men, seeing the Welsh advance successfully, said they would atone for the injustice done to Branwen by ensuring the kingship of Bran’s nephew Gwern. That alone did not satisfy Bran, so they offered to build him a house that would accommodate his massive body. Bran only accepted after Branwen’s plea, for she feared bloodshed.
The house the Irish built however was a clever trick as they hid one hundred soldiers inside bags throughout the home instructed to jump out at the feast and kill the nearest Welshman. They did not however factor in Efnysien, who arrived at the house to inspect it, obviously expecting foul play. He went around and crushed the skull of every man hidden inside a bag, foiling the ambush unbeknownst to the Irish.
Soon after the great feast took place and Gwern went around charming his new-found relatives from Wales. Efnysien complained the boy had not greeted him, and then suddenly grabbed the boy by his heels and cast him head first into the huge fire. Branwen in a craze tried to leap into the fire, Bran stopped her knowing she would die too. He then protected his sister from the fight that broke out escorting her outside the house. The Welsh had the advantage until the Irish brought out their secret weapon, the black cauldron that could reanimate the dead.
Thus the fight continued over many days, the Welsh having to fight Irishmen constantly reanimated from the dead. Bran tried to call out to Matholwch that they were better served being allies, and both desired peace for their people. But, in the rage of battle Matholwch could not hear Bran’s calls.
Nimue, ever vigilant and attuned to the needs of the land, heard Bran’s plea. She appeared before him, her presence radiant and serene. With her mystical powers and deep understanding, Nimue devised a plan to mend the broken bonds and restore harmony. Nimue mediated between the warring factions, encouraging open dialogue and understanding. Her words touched the hearts of both Branwen and Matholwch, revealing the truth behind Efnysien’s deceptions.
Hunting and Chaining
During the fight Bran had taken a serious wound to his foot, but he swore he would find Efnysien, who had seemingly fled Ireland, and put things right. Nimue put her hand to Bran’s wound, which soothed it, and told him he had served the people and the country well, and proclaimed him the first great defender of the people of the isles. She told Bran the wound would not trouble him, but for a limp, until he found justice for Efnysien.
Thus Bran forged great chains, made from the iron of the northern hills, joined with the metals of the Cornish folk, heated for shaping by burning wood of the deepest forests as selected by the Irish druids, cooled in the sacred rivers, and blessed by Nimue. The shackles themselves he forged from broken pieces of the cauldron of resurrection. Once he finished his great forging, he set off in search of Efnysien.
Efnysien, aided by his alliance with the cunning Sidhe sorcerer Fear Doirich, devised a web of deceit and mischief to evade Bran’s pursuit. He roamed the land, changing his appearance at will, assuming false names such as Manawyddan, and infiltrating the courts of neighbouring kingdoms. Under these guises, Efnysien sowed seeds of doubt and suspicion, weaving lies to discredit Bran and undermine his authority.
In the court of King Rhydderch, Efnysien, disguised as a charismatic advisor named Morcant, whispered poisonous words into the king’s ear. He spoke of Bran’s supposed weakness, his inability to protect the realm from unseen threats. Stirring the flames of dissent, Efnysien stoked King Rhydderch’s ambitions, fueling a desire to challenge Bran’s authority and claim the kingdom for himself.
Unbeknownst to Bran, Efnysien’s machinations spread like wildfire, as whispers of discontent reached the ears of other rulers. He manipulated events, orchestrated misfortunes, and turned allies into adversaries, all with the aim of tarnishing Bran’s reputation and sowing division among his loyal subjects.
In the bustling market town of Caerleon, Efnysien, under the guise of a humble merchant named Gawen, circulated tales of Bran’s alleged tyranny. He spoke of unjust taxes imposed upon the common folk, tales of vanished wealth, and embellished accounts of corruption within the royal court. The once unwavering support for Bran wavered, as Efnysien’s web of lies grew stronger, casting a shadow over the king’s reign.
Bran, unaware of his brother’s deceptions, embarked on a relentless quest to bring Efnysien to justice. His journey took him across the verdant landscapes of the British Isles, from the ancient stone circles of Stonehenge to the misty shores of Loch Lomond. With every step, Bran encountered the aftermath of Efnysien’s misdeeds – ruined villages, families torn apart, and lives shattered by his wicked influence. But Bran knew wherever people were most discontent was likely where he could find Efnysien.
In the heart of an enchanted forest, Bran finally cornered Efnysien, who had taken on the guise of a revered elder named Manawyddan, and advised each nearby settlement in such a way as to cause strife between them. The two brothers locked eyes, and a fierce battle of wills ensued. Efnysien, empowered by Fear Doirich’s dark magic, unleashed a torrent of spells and illusions in a desperate bid to escape Bran’s grasp.
But Bran, fueled by love for his people and the pursuit of justice, stood resolute. With each blow, he shattered Efnysien’s illusions, tearing away the deceit that had plagued the land. The truth stood bare before all, revealing the depths of Efnysien’s wickedness and the devastation he had wrought upon the realm.
Eventually Bran was able to subdue Efnysien and bind him with the chains he had forged. Bran left him under Nimue’s supervision at the bottom of a mystical lake, he would remain there until such time as he redeemed his soul and repented for his wickedness. For his part, Bran pledged to never say his half brother’s name again.
Having defeated and bound Efnysien, Bran’s wounded foot began to trouble him again, and proved to be mortal. As he lay in his deathbed he gave his men these last instructions: “Cut my head off and take it to London. Eventually you must bury it in the state on the White Hill of London (thought to be the location where the Tower of London now stands), turning my head towards France”. Ceremonially they cut off Bran’s head and left Ireland. When they returned to Wales and Branwen had time to contemplate all that had happened, she died there on the spot of a broken heart. The men buried her where she fell and continued on their quest for London.
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