I am a priestess of Brigid at Cill Dara and head healer of the sanctuary. I start off with that sentence because that is the most important thing about me. I know isn't proper to say, but I've never believed in false modesty and I try to tell only the truth. That said, forgive me if I seem overbold or immodest.

I am also fair to look upon, or so I've been told by various lads in both Kildare and Limerick. I suppose they're right, if you like pale skin, blond hair, and green eyes. There's a Viking somewhere in the family, or I might have had the red hair I wanted. The family Viking must have been ages ago because I find my best qualities are those of a good healer: patience, compassion, and a good sense of humor, or so I was told when I became head healer.

Lastly, I never turn up my nose at hard work. I have a cottage in the woods that happens to be but a short distance from Cill Dara, where my fellow priestesses live if they don't have homes of their own. Of course, it's also enough far away to have peace and quiet, not to mention to be alone when I have need of solitude.

Aye, 'tis a nice place to rest in, indeed. I have codexes on magic, herbalry, and some writings from ancient Egypt. There's a lovely owl named Athena that lives there and seems to thinks that it is her that owns the cottage. The garden is lovely in the spring, but I've talked how wonderful it is to live in my space more than enough.

As I get paid in kind for my services as midwife, I don't have to worry about planting anything that isn't lovely flowers. Local farmers from the surrounding ten towns bring me wheat, flour, barley, fruit, vegetables, and fruit. Once I even received a horse from a man who was lucky enough to have three fine sons. As I'm paid in kind, I might have a bit too many chores, but one can always ask a novice to help out with things. Speaking about chores, I should tell you of my family. As you may gather from my name, I am from Munster and you may gather from my name that I was born near Cnoc Áine.

By some miracle, my mother has all of her children alive, so there are eighteen of us: eleven boys and seven girls. Yes, as you might think, I am the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter and also was born with a caul over my head.

Oddly enough, since I stay away from men, my brothers don't seem as protective as they have been with my sisters. As a matter of fact, I think my brothers fear being turned into some animal if angered.

So, I am as well taken care of as can be and, moreover, I take care of myself. I consider what I have to be a nice life, although my best friend, a fellow priestess named Rhiannon, says that I could use adventure and a man.

However, she thinks everyone needs adventure and a man. Of course, one of these days, I just well may take her advice. Only Brigit knows what's in my future.

Adventure will come soon, for I leave the Sanctuary with a small group of people in search of a baby. As for a man, why would I need one of those ?