ArtTrade: Madailien

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Madailien was a farm girl living off the coast of Scotland. One day she went into the woods to forage for food, when suddenly she found a bear cub caught in a trap. She knew she couldn't  just leave it alone, so she freed the cub. However not too long after, the cub's mother caught her scent and attacked her.
Aidan, who was gathering wasp eggs for ink, heard Madailien screaming and went out to investigate. There he saw the bear ripping up Madailien's shoulder. Quickly Aidan struck the bear with his staff and drew it's attention towards him, giving Madailien a chance to flee. The bear was hot on Aidan's tail, but he escaped it through the trees. As soon as the bear lost him, Aidan followed a trail of blood to the stream where he found Madailien attempting to treat her wound. He sat by her and badged up her wound with a piece of his cloak and led her back to her village, all the while Madailien got to know Aidan and where he came from. She grew fascinated by the monk and couldn't get him out of her head as soon as they went on their separate ways.

However, her dreaming came to an abrupt stop when she was arranged to marry another man in her village by the help of her parents. At first she tried to swallow her sorrow and make her family proud, but over the years she lived with her husband the more she detested it. Her husband was wealthy, but he could easily turn spiteful and abusive if he ever caught her doing something he didn't see fit. Anything that of an intimate nature became nightmarish and left emotional scars on her consciousness. Before long she was carrying his child... 
But not too long after that, the scourge had attacked her village and Madailien was forced to flee. Now widowed, homeless, and expecting her child, Madailien journeyed to Iona in hopes of baring her child in the safety of the abbey's sanctuary. She recalled Aidan worked there and was eager to see him again, but she was disappointed to find him absent. According to the Abbot, he and another fellow brother were sent off to Clonmacnoise in Ireland to expand their teachings and illuminating skills. But for the time being, Brother Bernard assigned to look after her during her pregnancy.

In time both of them became very close and trusted each other with their secrets. Bernard was very sympathetic about Madailien's past knew all too well about her fears of her child growing up to become a monster like her husband. There he reassured her that a part of her is in her child and under the love and care of Madailien her child would be bound to take after her. Fear lifted from Madailien's shoulders, but she knew it was easier said than done.
When she heard about Bernard's ability to "Dream Seek" she didn't know quite what to believe. But when she was told and introduced about his guardian whale "Beast", she became intrigued and wanted to hear his tales of his Dream Seeking encounters and prophet-like visions.
Suddenly the Cardinal visited Iona and wasn't pleased by the liberal teachings at the abbey. Things got worse when Bernard predicted the death of figure of major importance. As soon as the Cardinal got word of Bernard and his visions from the elderly Brother Hector, he began accusing Bernard of witchcraft and needed to be taken away. But with the help of Madailien and Simon, they helped defend Bernard's innocence and helped save his life.
Bernard was forever grateful. In return, he helped Madailien bring her daughter, Nona, into the world. 

A few years passed and Aidan and Syrus had finally returned… Baring the corpse of Abbot Matthias. Everyone at the abbey was devastated when they heard about his murder at the Abbey Kells. The brotherhood arranged a funeral for him and Syrus became the new Abbot of Iona and Aidan became the keeper of the Book. When Madailien saw Aidan, he looked awful, grief had worn down his mind over the loss of his mentor and father-figure. Madailien consoled him and tried to help him ease his pain. Aidan was thankful for her kindness. But as grief stricken as Aidan was he could sense that Madailien was offering him something far more than just mere comfort… And Aidan knew he couldn't return it.
Madaililen knew Aidan wasn't getting any better, it was now effecting his illuminating skills too. She knew she had to reach him somehow… after all… it worked for her husband. 
One sleepless night, she attempted to console him in the scriptorium. But Aidan could sense something felt off about her, as if something was being forced. Before he could react, Madailien kissed him! Aidan was stunned, but something in his gut told him something wasn't right. Her touch suddenly became personal and uncomfortably rough. It happened all too quickly and Aidan didn't like it. He pushed her away to make her stop and confessed that he couldn't love her in the way she wanted him to. Madailien was disheartened, but was understanding and left him to his thoughts.
Bernard was well aware of Madailien's feelings towards Aidan, he had foreseen it in a dream. But he didn't care and comforted her when she felt like her heart had lead her astray. Although he never showed any signs of physical attraction to anyone, he did love Madailien. In secret he helped her put aside the traumatic physical impulses of her past and just let her lay in his arms for the rest of the night. For once she felt perfectly at peace. 

It was not too long before her daughter, Nona, helped pull Aidan out of his grief and got him back into working on the Book again. 
Just as Bernard predicted, she took after her mother. However she was much more adventurous and headstrong than anyone was expected. Nona became best friends with Desmond and looked up to both Bernard and Aidan as father-figures, since she grew up not knowing her real father. She had snuck a peek of the Book and urged Aidan to keep going, she longed for him to each her how to illuminate like him and would leave gifts in return. This warmed his heart tremendously. 
Together, they had become a family. 

The Secret of Kells © Cartoon Saloon
Madailien ©