Eilan

Eilan was the daughter of Bendeigid and Rheis, grand-daughter of Ardanos and a priestess of the Forest House. After the death of Lhiannon she became the Lady of the Forest House and thus the high priestess.

During the time before becoming a priestess, Eilan met a young Roman soldier named Gaius. She became attracted to him although she knew her father would never ever accept an engagement between the two as he was a Roman and Bendeigid was secretly in the resistance against the Roman Empire. After an attack from barbarians and her mother's and sister's deaths she became a priestess of the Forest House along with her aunt Dieda for protection. She later became pregnant after sleeping with Gaius at Beltane. As she became Lady of the Forest House after Lhiannon's death Dieda and Caillean covered Eilan's abscence during child birth by making everyone believe that Dieda was pregnant and Eilan left as Dieda the Forest House while Dieda played Eilan's role.

After returning to the Forest House Eilan was High Priestess of Vernemeton for about eight or ten years and involved with many current events. She protected the two daughters of a tribe's queen and gave them to villagers instead leaving them to be raised in Rome. She was also briefly reunited with her adopted brother who was killed by Eilan's guard after slapping her across the face. Eilan was also reunited with Gaius but finally ended their secret relationship as he was now trying to make Senara his wife after his promice to devorce from Julia.

Eilan died after being hit by lightening sent from the Godess after the revelation that she slept with a man, conceived a child with him and "betrayed" the Godess. She was about to be killed after being forced to kill Gaius but was finally saved by the mercy of the Godess who took Eilan into the afterlife.

High priestess of Vernemeton
During the final days of Lhiannon's life Eilan learned that she was not dying but pregnant. As it was too late to have an abortion Caillean told Eilan to inform Lhiannon and Ardanos about her pregnancy. Eilan informed both during a meeting and both Lhiannon and Ardanos were furious at the possible consequences of Eilan's pregnancy. Vernemeton was safe as long as their priestesses were living like the priestesses of the Roman Godess Vesta. If the Romans learned from this they would use it as a reason to kill the remaining druids and priestesses. Seeing that Eilan was not capable of being found guilty as it was at the night of Beltane she was not punished directly. Gaius was punished instead by being forbidden to see Eilan ever again and was forced into a marriage with Julia and living in Londinium.

Lhiannon was after this event at the prank of death. A few weeks later Lhiannon lay dying. With her death a few moments away Lhiannon asked Eilan who was watching her dying mistress to call Dieda. When it seemed to both that Dieda would be appointed Lhiannon handed the Ladyship of Vernemeton into Eilan's hands by giving her her blessing and insignias. After proclaiming Eilan as new High Priestess of Vernemeton and Lady of the Forest House Lhiannon died before Dieda could return with Caillean.

Caillean closed Lhiannon's eyes and recognized Eilan as new High Priestess and bowed before her. A few days of mourning followed Lhiannon's death and after her burial everything was prepared for Eilan's prooving to be the new oracle and the new High Priestess.

Becoming a mother
Eilan tried to hide her pregnancy as long as it was possible. Ardanos was convinced that while Eilan had to go into hiding while giving birth Dieda should take her place as high priestess as nobody would notice the smal differences between Eilan and Dieda from distance.

Not knowing that her grandfather wanted her to die in child birth she agreed to the plan and was finally able to hide in a smal house while it appeared that Dieda had to leave due to pregnancy.

Abscence during childbirth
Eilan's abscence was noticed as the abscence of Dieda but not followed for much time. Eilan hid in the house in the woods giving birth to a son whom she named Gawen, the name she first met his father and her long-life love, Gaius. Being weekened because of the birth Caillean led Gaius into the house to see Eilan and his son as this would be the best medicine for her. Although their reunion was short-lived Eilan saw that Gaius and she were growing apart and she could and would never start a life with him.

Later life
After her grandfather's death Eilan's father became the new Arch-druid and began a policy against the Roman people in Albion.

Death
Seeing that her life would end soon she sent a message to Caillean to return from Avalon as soon as possibe. She then ordered Senara to keep Gawen safe if anything happened to Eilan during the next ceremony.

Legacy
Eilan's death left Vernemeton in ruins. Caillean, Eilan's only friend, arrived too late to save the death of both Eilan and learned from the remaining priestesses the events that led to Eilan's death.

Senara returned three days after Eilan's death to Vernemeton with Gawen and left to become a nun. Caillean took Gawen to Avalon to become a druid and would become a Merlin and continue the task his mother began in uniting all people in Albion.

In The Mists of Avalon, Morgaine thinks back to Eilan as a great blasphemer and betrayer, "who had secretly married a son of the Roman proconsul and put forth pretended oracles to keep the Tribes from rising against the Romans". Like Eilan, Kevin the Harper, who stood accused of a similar crime, was killed by lightning sent from the gods.