Cari Ellys

Cari was born on December 2nd, 617 to Arnall and Cerridwyn Ellys. She was the youngest child of four. Her brother Bedwyr being the oldest, five years ahead of her. Eirwyn was but one year younger than him, and her sister Meleri was two years older than Cari. The Ellys family lived in a small fishing village in the North Eastern coast of Gwynedd. Her father was a fisherman, and would often take her brothers to learn the family trade. This left Cari rather bored, because her sister Meleri spent most of her time with her mother. So Cari spent most of her time with her grandmother. Her grandma was the village ‘healer’ and often dealt with wounds or illnesses the local populace. Cari was fascinated with the aspect of turning plants and roots into poultices to help cure those that needed it. She was mostly secluded from the rest of her family, choosing instead to follow the teachings of her grandma.



Another thing her grandma had taught her was how to read and write, skills she had thought Cari would need to know. She educated Cari on what plants and roots did what, and which ones to avoid entirely. She’d also spend a lot of time in the forest around her village, studying the herbs her grandma worked into ‘magical’ poultices. On one occasion she remembered seeing a small fawn whimpering, she came to it and realized it was injured. Using the information her grandma taught her, she made a quick salvant, and applied it to the fawn’s wound. This helped her grow her love and appreciation for not only helping people, but animals as well.



When she was sixteen, Cari had seen a force of men come to the village, they were asking all and any true Britons to fight for their king Cadwallon’s just cause in taking over Northumbria. Cari’s father and brothers answered the call, and so went off to war. Cari wasn’t always much for religion, but she would often pray for her family’s safe return. The women in her village had begun to take on the tasks the men had left, and although her mother and sister would go fishing, Cari still remained at her grandmother’s side. The old woman’s health was failing however, and Cari spent day and night at her grandmother’s side, trying to keep her with her for as long as possible. But one day, whilst sleeping in a chair beside her grandmother, she had passed. The loss was devastating to Cari, and she remembered running away from her home, staying a few days in the woods, surviving off of berries and other roots she knew were safe.




One day, whilst still living amongst the woods in mourning, she saw a large group of men on the road to the village. Cari followed, these men were obviously in the King Cadwallon’s army. Were her brothers or father injured? Worse? She rushed towards the village center where the men had gathered. To her relief both her brothers and father were alive. Bedwyr however, was sitting upon a cart, a pale look to him. “We won the battle, against the Angle King Edwin. He is dead.” Her father explained, “Bedwyr took a slash from an Angle. Is your grandmother here to see to him?” Cari had to break the news of her grandmother's death, but she knew she had to take her place. She made a rather effective poultice to clean her brother’s wound, and with the work of some herbs and roots she was able to help Bedwyr feel as if he hadn’t been injured at all.



Two more years had passed, the King Cadwallon defeated another Angle king, and was ruling the Northumbrian kingdom effectively. Cari spent these years perfecting her art of herbalism, taking her grandmother's place as the village healer. Eventually however, King Cadwallon called for warriors once again, a new threat had posed itself, Oswald, claimant to the Kingdom of Northumbria. Her brothers and father took up the call to arms, and this time so did Cari. She marched with them, hoping to heal the men who would fight for their glorious king. The Angle Oswald’s army was at Heavenfield, and it was here that King Cadwallon would fight him.



Cari saw the terrors of war first hand, arrows would strike down men just as fast as another would take his place. She stayed in the back lines of the army, helping to heal all those who were brought to her. One of the men brought back was already dead, but the soldier dragging him refused to believe it. Cari saw a boy as young as she was be dragged into the small tent she would operate in. He was riddled with arrows, and begged for his mother. Cari could do nothing for him but give him some soothing herbs to calm him in his last moments of life. She heard rather loud commotions, and poked her head from the tent to see men fleeing left and right. The King’s men were retreating. Cari moved from the tent, seeing the Angle hoard upon the fleeing soldiers, cutting them down. She looked to a small stream to see it running red with blood, and she could see men drowning each other.


In the heat of the moment, Cari ran, taking her medical satchel she ran as fast as she could, knowing the angles would spare no one in the bloody lust. She was certain her father and brothers were fine, but she had no clue where she was. She couldn’t even see the wall anymore. Deep in a forest, she found a settlement. It was lead by a Llywelyn ap Maelwys, a druid priest. For some odd reason, Cari felt right here, as if she belonged. She decided to stay, working as an herbalist and studying her art further. Although her existence here was secluded and peaceful, she knew that soon things would be different, a creeping ‘danger’ approaching. She wasn’t quite sure what it was, but she knew everything would change soon enough.