User:168.105.122.69/sandbox3

Role in ‘’Branwen, Daughter of Llyr’’
King Bran was sitting on the rocky shore at Harloch when he saw thirteen ships over the horizon coming from southern Ireland. The flagship came right before the rock Bran was sat upon. Soon the boat men came to shore declaring the fleet belonged to the Irish Lord Mattholoch who came seeking Bran’s sister Branwen’s hand in marriage. Of course to Bran this union made sense, someone worthy of his sister had come forth and their union would bring forth a powerful alliance. Bran readily welcomed Mattoloch ashore and gave him great hospitality. As early as the next morning Bran’s council had met and discussed the many benefits this brought the two countries. They began making formal arrangements at once, the wedding would be set at the coast to Aberffraw all had ro be set inside specially erected tents since no house had yet been built that could accommodate the huge Bran. Soon after all of the celebration took place Bran’s half brother Evnissien returned to Whales and was puzzled to see so many foreign horses stabled. He asked to whom the horses belonged and was enraged to find his sister had been given away without his consent. In his anger he maimed the all the irish horses horridly he cut their lips back to their gums, their ears down to their skulls, eyelids to eyeballs, abd their tails to their rumps. Mattoloch’s courtiers advised him to see this as a calculated insult from the Welsh. Mattoloch was confused why they would give him Branwen in the first place but was in the end persuaded to go head back home in dudgeon. Bran sent his best messengers to attempt to sway Mattoloch. He send with them a stick of solid silver as tall as himself and as thick as a finger along with a plate made of gold the circumference of his face. He also offered to replace every horse maimed and begged Mattoloch to see his family delima, Bran could not execute his own brother. He begged to meet with the Irish King face to face so that he might make a humble apology. The two kings meet again, however during the meeting Mattoloch expressed his feeling that Bran’s compensation was to small. This is something that Bran could not stand for so he offered Mattoloch a magic black cauldron that could bring the dead back to life. Mattoloch was astounded by this great gift and forgot all unpleasantries that had come before. The next morning the fleet of thirteen ships left for Ireland with Branwen and Mattoloch side by side.

At first sight the Irish loved their new queen and they brought many gifts to the castle celebrating Mattoloch and Branwen’s union. Of course in due time Branwen bore a son Gwern and the realm once again rejoice. A few years later when all of the joy and excitement died down the cousellers began to reflect once again on the maiming of the horses. They believed that Mattoloch had not acted like a man and probed him to take out this injustice on his wife Branwen. The counsel made him expel her from his favors in the 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 of things. She trained it to speak and to carry out small errands for her. One day she fasten a letter to the starling ment for her brother Bran asking for help. The bird made its way to Whales and dove from the sky during one of Bran’s legislative assemblies. It landed on Bran’s shoulder and delivered the letter. What Bran read inside made him feel despair then fury. He declared war on the irish to exact revenge for his beloved sister. Bran lead his armies down the shore to Ireland. From the shore Mattoloch’s swineherd's saw an awesome sight, an entire landscape it seemed moving towards Ireland. They ran to Mattoloch trying to divine what this strange sight ment. They soon saw Bran wading through the water since no ship could carry him and retreated across the river Shannon. The Irish 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. At that moment Bran said “The man who would lead his people must first become a bridge” then he positioned himself across the flow so that his troops could march across. Mattoloch’s men seeing the welsh advance successfully say that they will atone for the injustice done to Branwen by ensuring Gwern Bran’s nephew’s kingship. That alone did not satisfy Bran to they offered to build him a house that would accommodate his massive size. Bran only accepted at Branwen’s plea for she feared bloodshed. The house the irish built however was a clever trick as they hid soldiers inside bags throughout the home that were instructed to jump out at the feast and kill the nearest welshman. They did not however factor in Evnissien 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. Soon after the great feast took place and Gwern went around charming his new found relatives from Whales. Evnissien complained that 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 should would only 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 cauldron that could reanimate the dead. Evnissien seeing the great trouble he brought his country men he decided upon one last act of valor. He hid himself in the bodies of the fallen irish so when the cauldron attendants came along and threw him in he spread his body out in all directions, shattering the cauldron. During the fight Bran took a fatal blow to the foot 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, turning my head towards France.” Ceremonially they cut off Bran’s head and left Ireland. When they returned to Whales Branwen and had time to contemplate all that had happened she died on the spot of a broken heart. The men buried her where she fell and continued on their quest for London.