» The Myth of Rhiannon

Naming characters in a book is often as agonizing as naming a child.  When I first conceived the story that became Celtic Fire, I searched the Internet for Celtic name, looking for just the right name for my heroine.

I decided on the Celtic/Welsh name Rhiannon. The meaning “Great Queen” was apt, since my heroine was to be a queen. In Celtic mythology, Rhiannon was betrothed to a man she didn’t love. In her story, a warrior sees a woman riding a white horse.  Enchanted by her beauty, he gives chase for three days, but cannot catch up with her.  On the third day, he calls out to her, asking her to stop.  Graciously, she does, telling him he only had to ask in the first place!  She promises to break off her unhappy betrothal and marry the warrior instead.

In Celtic Fire, I couldn’t resist poking fun at my Roman hero, Lucius, behind his back.  Late one night, Lucius hunts for clues in his brother’s library...

Lucius reshelved the two scrolls and chose a third.  When he unrolled it, his brother's bold scrawl leapt off the papyrus, so alive that his breath caught.  He sat down, weighted the corners, and began to read.  “This one appears to be a local fable.” 

“Indeed?” Demetrius said.

Lucius scanned the page.  “A horseman pursued a woman for three days, yet couldn’t catch his quarry.”  He made a sound of derision.  “A sorry rider he must have been.” 

The story Lucius found was the myth of Rhiannon.  At the time, Lucius was having the same lack of success with his own Rhiannon!