The Meaning Behind Hros Linde and Ciardha

Names carry echoes of the past, and in Child of Conquest: Daughter of Ashes, I chose them carefully so that they whisper history and character into the story.

Hros Linde [1] can be traced back to ancient German roots: hros, meaning horse and linde, derived from lind, meaning soft, gentle, friendly. Together, the name suggests a land tied to horses not just as beasts of burden, but as companions, symbols of freedom and loyalty. For Seraphina, this land becomes a reminder of resilience and trust, even when the world around her begins to fracture.

Then there is Ciardha [2], the name given to her Serpaphinas great brown stallion. It comes from old Celtic roots meaning dark. The name suits him well, not only for his colouring, but for the quiet power and mystery he carries, a shadowy strength that Seraphina both admires and fears. Like many names in my story, Ciardha is not just a word, but a reflection of the character himself.

By weaving meanings like Hros Linde and Ciardha into my novel, I wanted to capture how the Saxons and their neighbours once understood the world: every hill, every animal, every soul was named with purpose. These names don’t just describe they tell a story all their own.