บท 12: Chapter Twelve: Trust is a Two-Way Street
Laurel Cottage
When they got back to the cottage, Hugh was in the courtyard helping Fiona down from the cart. Sunny glanced down at Bracken who rolled his eyes and darted into the brush and began climbing the oak that grew nearest the path. Once he was out of sight Sunny called out to Hugh and Fiona.
Hugh turned his smile wide and happy. Sunny greeted him with a quick hug, "It's great to see you, Hugh! We didn't expect to see you until you had emerged from under your mountain of paperwork."
He stepped back his eyes sparkling down at Sunny, "Fiona took pity on me!"
Fiona shooed away his comment. "You're always welcome here, my boy!"
Hugh rolled his eyes at Fiona then combed a hand through his hair, "Well I had to get out or else go mad from sorting through all the registration papers and photos of mares, lineage papers – it's a mess!"
"All work and no play they say," Sunny told him wagging a finger at him.
"Aye!" Hugh declared, "I didn't come empty-handed, I brought muffins!" He reached into Fiona's cart and drew out a small basket. "They're some of Katie's muffins." Hugh pulled back the cloth covering the basket revealing an assortment of walnut, oatmeal, blueberry, and sweet cherry muffins.
Fiona nodded, "How long has Katie been with your family, Hugh?"
Hugh frowned in thought. "I don't remember a time when Katie's not been there." He nodded as he remembered something, "Well, there was this one time – back when I was about thirteen or so; she left during the spring festival and came back during the fall. She went to stay with kinfolk."
Fiona pointed to Sunny's backpack, "Been out sketching?"
Sunny swung her pack around and hugged it, "I went out to explore the Thornegate Cloutie well,"
Fiona paused at the door and looked over her shoulder, "The Cloutie well?"
Sunny fell into step with Hugh and together they went into the hallway with Fiona, "I ran across your mother's entries on the sickness. She had drawn a map of all the Cloutie wells and the wishing trees in the area. The well at the Thornegate ruins was the closest," She looked up at Hugh, "There's a wishing tree in your back pasture."
They entered the kitchen, and Fiona went to draw water into the kettle, and Hugh set the basket of muffins on the kitchen table and sat down, "We don't get many folks coming to put up offerings; not since I finished the fence."
Fiona put the kettle over the lit burner and turned to Hugh, "You enclosed the tree behind a fence?"
"Aye," Hugh said then looked up at Fiona. "Should I not have?"
Fiona shrugged her shoulders lightly, "It's on your land to do as you wish, but anyone wanting to put an offering ---,"
"Oh, they still can," Hugh replied. "I'm planning to put Orion there until he acclimates to being among other horses. Nicodemus said he was a bit --- high-spirited around other stallions and that it would be best to keep him separated for a time."
Fiona's brows rose in surprise, but she said nothing more. Sunny pulled her sketchbook out, flipped a few pages, and showed Hugh her sketches of Orion and the other horses. "He's high-spirited, all right," Sunny said handing the sketchbook to Hugh.
He whistled low as he studied each of her drawings, "Come next spring, I'm hoping for some of that spirit in this next batch of Vanner foals."
As the kettle began to sing, Sunny went to fetch the cups and saucers. Fiona took her teapot and poured the hot water into the pot. They sat, and the conversation turned to other topics. Sunny wanted to ask Fiona about the apparition at the well, but with Hugh there and content to spend the afternoon with them, she had to set aside her questions until later when they were alone.
Hugh stayed well after dinner and finally left when his stableman came leading a mount for him to ride home. He took his now empty basket and gave a quick hug to Fiona and had a lingering embrace for Sunny. She walked to his horse, smiling up at the stableman who tugged politely at the brim of his cap.
"When do you think you'll be finished with all your paperwork?"
Hugh checked the cinch strap on Domino's saddle and slapped the well-muscled shoulder affectionately, "Well I'm hoping by the first day of the festival. I want to be able to enjoy the week and not have all that hanging over my head." He turned to Sunny, "But don't let that stop you from coming over to ride or even look at the wishing tree.
"I will," Sunny said, "I want to see the tree and maybe your mother would let me sketch her?"
"Absolutely!" Hugh declared, "Come anytime." He mounted and clucked to Domino, "Let's go fellah!"
Sunny watched them ride off then turned, and perched on the front stoop, Bracken sat glowering up at her. "All huggy-huggy with Laird!"
Sunny grinned wickedly at the creature, "Aw Bracken do you need a hug too?"
Bracken growled at her, showing all his awful fangs. She wasn't afraid, although, in the back of her mind, she thought she should be, those razor-sharp fangs were lethal looking. Instead, she frowned disapprovingly at him, "Have you lost your mind?" Sunny scolded, "Don't you growl at me!"
Immediately the watcher looked contrite and folded his arms over his grass-stained shirt, "I grump; maybe I need choc-o-lots!"
Sunny continued to glare at him and then shooed him to the house. "Come on then, so you can get your head right again."
Bracken bounded into the kitchen, pouncing on Sunny's backpack. He rummaged a bit then held up the bag of foil-wrapped chocolates grinning victoriously. Sunny smiled down at the watcher, "Remember don't eat too many, they'll give you a belly ache."
The creature frowned but took only six of the candies, and carefully put the plastic bag back in her knapsack. He took them to the table. Sunny brought the kitchen stool over and he hopped up and began lining the candies in a neat little row like chocolate soldiers. Fiona had finished up with the dishes and came to sit down at the table with them. Sunny nodded to Bracken as he began a careful inspection of his chocolates.
"We went to the Cloutie well and a Sidhe—"
"A Sidhe!" Fiona declared.
Sunny nodded and continued, as she watched Bracken drop one of the candies into his toothy maw and shook her head in dismay. "She told me to leave and not try to ask any questions."
Fiona's cheeks went pale, and she looked at Bracken accusingly, "How is it that it was called up?"
Bracken paused with a chocolate candy poised to disappear in his mouth. He scowled at Fiona, "Pebble work on the first try,"
"What kind of pebble?" Fiona asked angling a severe look at the watcher.
Bracken reached into a trouser pocket and tossed a silvery white pebble up on the table. Fiona snatched it up and glared first at it, and then at Bracken, "This is what you tossed in?"
Bracken chortled and then glowered back at Fiona. "What good is 'splorin' if there nothing to 'splore?"
Fiona held the pebble up to show Sunny. "This calls up a Sidhe."
"Well, the Sidhe told me to go away," Sunny said. "And told me that she and her sisters would not be able to protect me. Who is out to get me?"
"There is no one out to get you," Fiona told her. "The tribes are anxious to put a first daughter in control of the geis. What we can't explain is how you managed such a work of magic without being awakened."
"We?" Sunny echoed. "Who are we?"
"The we is the Derbhfine," Fiona replied. She pronounced the word as, 'der-vinn-ah'. "Usually, they convene together to select a new clan chieftain, but sometimes they are required to be something more."
"Are they part of the High Council?" Sunny asked. "I've been reading the journals, and after the illness, there was a special meeting of the High Council to select someone to oversee one of the clans until the chieftain had fully recovered from the sickness."
Fiona nodded. "There are members from the High Council serving with others that comprise the Derbhfine. There are scholars, historians, members of the clans, and peacekeepers."
Bracken scowled at Fiona then looked at Sunny, "Soldiers not peacekeepers." He grumbled.
"I'd agree with you – if it weren't my family that needed protection," Fiona told the watcher. She leveled her worried green eyes on Sunny. "There is no explanation for why you possess these certain abilities. The members of the Derbhfine are researching the historical records and any other document that might provide answers."
"Would any of the Danann's journals have any clues?" Sunny asked.
"Perhaps," Fiona said, "It would require going back maybe hundreds of years and I don't have all the Danann's journals. Most are in the great library in Tara' Nechtan."
"Is that in Nu'Ada?" Sunny wanted to know.
Fiona nodded, "The royal palace of the Partholan." She replied.
Bracken grumbled under his breath, and slowly put a chocolate candy in his mouth and scowled at both women.
Fiona sighed heavily and brushed a stray strand of hair back into place. "Honestly, I don't think there is any precedent – what is happening to you must have something to do with my sister's defection so many years ago."
"And shouldn't you tell me what we can do to fix it?"
"To fix this, it would require that you fully understand what you would be sacrificing," Fiona told her.
"Then tell me," Sunny stated, "Promise or not; I think I need to know."
Fiona shook her head. "Sunny, if you were staying – then I would tell you everything; but when the time comes, you will go home and start your career,"
Sunny frowned. "I'm beginning to think that my choice is being made for me,"
Fiona studied Sunny, "What you're feeling is what Colleen felt when she was to begin taking an active role as the Dannan. It is a natural stirring of power. It comes to all first daughters. But Colleen left to avoid it, and your mother is not here – "
"But I am," Sunny told Fiona, "And like it or not -- like all the other first daughters before me -- My fate seems to be tied forever to the promise that Eyru made so long ago."
"Aye, that may be true," Fiona said. "But you've had no training; you've no idea of what is involved. It is true what Colleen feared; once you are the Dannan, you do not live for yourself."
Sunny nodded, "Then I want to be able to make that decision for myself. I don't want to have my destiny--fate or geis or whatever the hell it's called -- decided by anyone other than myself. It's not up to my mother or my grandmother -- or you Aunt Fiona, to make that choice for me. They made their choice --- let me decide whether I choose to run or stay."
Fiona did not know what to say. Sunny was exactly right, but without knowing what her life would be like if she did stay as the Dannan. "I'm afraid that if you insist on knowing more, you will not be given a choice. The geis was something Eyru did not enter lightly – to bring peace she gave her life and the lives of her first daughters until the end of time. Colleen was the first to run – I don't know perhaps rightly so – she wanted to save herself and her future daughters from a life of ---," Fiona trailed off and looked over her shoulder as she heard rustling sounds out in her backyard. There was a soft knock at the back door and Fiona jumped up to see who was calling.
Sunny rose and walked quietly over to stand behind Fiona. The figure stood out on the stoop of the back door. Sunny couldn't tell if the visitor was a young or old, man or woman, only that they preferred the shadows. Fiona spoke to the visitor in a softly whispered language that Sunny couldn't understand at all. Finally, Fiona stepped aside and looked to Sunny, "We've been called to the Morrigan."
"Who's the Morrigan and who is that?" Sunny asked indicating the shadowed figure standing in the yard.
"He is Shade, of the order of the Red Hawthorne," Fiona said looking out into the evening shadows where the figure stood waiting. "Shade will take us to the Morrigan - the reigning member of the High Council."
"Now?" Sunny asked, "It's after midnight! How do we know this person isn't one of the ones trying to harm me?"
Fiona looked back into the shadows and then turned to the watcher where he was perched on the cabinet by the kitchen door. "Bracken go fetch Tully. Tell him we are summoned to the Morrigan." The watcher was off in a flash. Sunny studied Fiona for a moment and saw that her aunt was just as unsure of the summons as she was.
"We will join you in a moment," Fiona said to the figure standing in the yard. The shadow bowed slightly and moved further into the deep shadows to wait. Fiona looked at Sunny, "I just need to lock up, and then we'll be off."
"Lock up?" Sunny whispered as Fiona closed the kitchen door and headed to the hallway. "Aunt Fiona you never lock the house up."
"I know," Fiona said softly, "I want to discourage the curious, and locking and warding the doors and windows sends that message."
Sunny nodded and went up front to lock the bright blue painted door of Laurel Cottage. Fiona latched the shutters of the windows softly murmuring under her breath. Then she lightly touched the latch of the front door Sunny had bolted. They met once again in the kitchen. Fiona took two small handheld lanterns and lit both with a long wooden match from the kitchen mantle. "I'll lock and ward the back door when we leave. That should discourage anyone snooping about."
"Do you think someone would come in after we leave?" Sunny asked softly as she pulled on her boots.
Fiona stamped her feet to make sure her boots were seated firmly. "No doubt, I only hope the wards are strong enough to keep prying eyes out."
They stepped out into the backyard with their lanterns held out in front of them. Together they followed Shade as he disappeared into the dense Ballencoo forest.
Tuesday, March 13: 4 Days Before Festival
12:20 am
"Aunt Fiona, are you sure about this?" Sunny asked as they stood at the edge of the woods, holding a lantern in each hand. She lifted the lantern in her left hand to cast its light into the gloom of the woods.
Fiona took a deep breath, "As sure as I can be," she replied. "Bracken will bring Tully."
The cloaked figure stopped and looked over his shoulder before moving on. He carried a smaller lamp that looked more like firefly light than the amber glow of the lanterns Sunny and Fiona carried.
"The Morrigan you said, is the head of the High Council?" Sunny asked in whispered tones.
"She is the High Council," Fiona replied. "I've only seen her once in my lifetime and I think I must have been about ten or twelve years old. Mother took Colleen and me before the High Council. I remember the Morrigan was there, and she was fearsome!"
Shade took them down the main track and then off toward the Dannan encampment. There was a large canvas tent, that looked almost like a small circus tent to Sunny. It was lit within and the smoke from a large fire vented out the opening in the top of the tent. Grotesque shadows were dancing along the canvas sides and darker shadows of people outside the tent made it look like a Zoetrope machine that flickered images in parlors in the early 1800s.
The tent sides were rolled up from the ground for ventilation and children crouched down to watch the spectacle from ground level. From the sound of the raised voices, Sunny could hear there were more than a few individuals upset about whatever was happening inside.
Tully appeared at Fiona's elbow, and she grabbed his hand and clung to it with both hers. "Oh Tully, thank goodness!"
The smith smiled and quickly kissed Fiona's hand and winked at Sunny. "The old bird has issued a summons, has she?"
"Shade came to fetch us," Fiona said nervously, "I can only guess that one of the Derbhfine has reported to her."
Sunny could not see anything except a lot of people were crammed into the tent. The moment that the spectators recognized Fiona and Sunny they parted; and a straight path was made for them directly to where a well-padded chair was positioned on a raised platform. A wizened figure sat looking out at the assembled people. The instant she saw Sunny she raised her hand and silence fell.
"Come-come-come!"
The Morrigan's voice was strong and full of vigor; not at all what Sunny had assumed would come from a seemingly frail willow-thin woman of undetermined years.
Fiona took Sunny's hand and together they walked down the path to stop at the bottom of the platform where the Morrigan sat. Tully took up a position just behind them.
"Fiona," the Morrigan said.
Fiona curtsied. "You are well, Roma?"
The Morrigan shifted forward, her bright bird-like gaze angled critically at Fiona then moved to Sunny. "I am well enough, but this," she flicked a bony hand in Sunny's direction, "This is not sitting well!"
Murmurs of agreement moved through those gathered in the tent. Fiona looked over her shoulder at the crowd then looked back to the Morrigan. "I understand but – "
The old woman flicked a dismissive hand at Fiona and looked to Sunny, "Come closer child!"
Sunny stood her ground until Fiona gave her an almost imperceptible nod to comply with the old woman's demand. Sunny took one step closer and met the Morrigan's dark piercing gaze. "So, my girl what have you to say of yourself?"
When Fiona would have spoken the Morrigan lifted a silencing hand and leveled a baleful glare at Sunny. "Speak up!"
Sunny was perplexed as to why everyone assumed she knew everything that was going on and decided to say differently: "I don't know what the hell is happening!"
The reaction was unexpected. The Morrigan laughed; her face crinkling into a thousand wrinkles. "Well, an honest answer at least!" she quipped then glared around her, "Then l will tell you!" she raised a finger and pointed into the crowd behind Sunny, "These others here; they are jumping at shadows and clutching their arses in a panic at your arrival!"
"We are attempting to find answers," a voice to Sunny's right replied. She turned and looked at a man in long green robes. He looked like a cleric or priest of some kind. "Thus far, there has been nothing to explain it."
The Morrigan motioned him to step up, "And what have you found, Sudhene?"
Sudhene looked at Sunny then to the Morrigan, "The only notable piece of information we have found is that Siobhan O'Neil is the seventh of the seventh generation on both sides of her family."
The Morrigan raised an eyebrow at that bit of information, but Sunny frowned at Sudhene. "How can that be significant?" she asked him, "So, I'm the seventh of the seventh generation – was the sixth of the sixth generation all that unique?"
"Perhaps they were," the Morrigan said, "Perhaps they were not."
"What is more significant," Sudhene said, his voice carrying over the hubbub of those assembled in the tent, "Is the fact that Siobhan O'Neil exhibits the gifts without the benefit of ritual."
"What is this? The Dannan is on trial here?" Murmurs once again moved through the assembly. Nicodemus Fury came up to stand beside Sunny.
The Morrigan frowned at him, "And why would a Fury suddenly take interest in sept matters?"
"At last reckoning," Nicodemus said casting a fierce look around at the people in the tent, "The Partholan had a voice in any proceeding of the tribes."
"The Furys have not asserted their claim in many years – why now?" the Morrigan asked. "This is not a trial."
"Indeed!" Nicodemus scoffed at the last comment then cast a cold glare around the tent, "It certainly has all the trappings of such! Who convened such a hearing?"
"When a first daughter appears in Ballencoo," the Morrigan said, "We were all alerted to that fact. Even you, Nicodemus Fury -- as non-committed to sept as you are, were well aware of when Siobhan O'Neil came to Ballencoo."
Nicodemus looked at Sunny and smiled mildly. "Non-committed I may be, but Siobhan saved the life of a Fury and the Ard Ri's family," Nicodemus announced, "That is reason enough to be included in such --- what are we calling this --- an inquiry?"
This brought a wave of whispered comments, both fearful and suspicious. The gathered men and women even stepped back a pace from where Sunny, Fiona, Tully, and now Nicodemus stood. The Morrigan angled a look at Sunny. "I had heard of this feat from the Watchers."
"The accounting was accurate," Nicodemus replied, "while some watchers may be suspect in their alliances, they do report truthful details of events they observe."
The Morrigan looked to Nicodemus, "The watcher that did the observing, was not particularly forthcoming when questioned."
"Bracken is not allied to any sept or tribe," Fiona responded.
"It was not your Watcher that was summoned!" Sudhene announced over the voices in the tent. Murmurs once again rose among the assembly and the ire of the Morrigan. She glared around the people in the tent, and they instantly fell silent. She looked back at Nicodemus questioningly. "So how are we to determine the accuracy of this observation?"
"Only one way that I know of," Fury replied, "And that is an impossible feat, my nephew is on a mission for the Ard Ri."
The Morrigan grunted, "Convenient!" She looked at Sunny then her eyes went in search of someone else in the tent. "Bring me the drawings!"
Sunny turned to see Sudhene carrying a packet of her sketches. She frowned and stepped toward Sudhene as he started to hand the sketches to the Morrigan. "How did you get those!"
The Morrigan waved a bony hand at her, "I wish to see for myself the drawings, and you will have them back shortly."
Fiona turned to Nicodemus her eyebrows raised in question. Even Tully was surprised. He had seen Fury drop the sketches into the fire! When Tully looked appraisingly over at Fury, Nicodemus shook his head in the negative. He wondered himself how the sketches had come into the hands of Sudhene. The Morrigan was the only one who seemed to find the situation amusing.
Slowly the old woman looked at each page. When she got to the attack and the daemons on fire, she stopped.
It was Sudhene who stepped toward Sunny, "How did you manifest this spell?"
Sunny glared at Sudhene. "I don't know how I did it," she said, "I-I just knew he was in danger and----," she paused nervously, "I mean ---- I could see he needed to be warned."
"You did more than warn, you manifested a spell that reduced his enemy to ashes!" Sudhene declared. "How did you do it?"
Sunny frowned at Sudhene, "I don't know! I don't know how I did it! What was I supposed to do, let the daemons kill him and the rest of the people in the palace?"
"That is the thing," the Morrigan said, "You are not supposed to be able to spell cast."
"Do you plan to take your rightful role?" Sudhene asked.
It was Fiona who stepped up and answered the question, "I am the Dannan. I have and will continue to honor the geis."
"And when you no longer have the strength?" the Morrigan asked.
"There is no indication that I am weakening!" Fiona declared.
"This is ridiculous!" Nicodemus growled at the Morrigan.
The Morrigan frowned at Nicodemus then looked to Sunny, "It is a valid question."
"Aye, it is!" Nicodemus growled back, "But how can you expect her to answer a question she is not even prepared to answer? Until a week ago – she had no idea of what her family was a part of."
"I was preparing to tell Sunny everything she needed to know," Fiona began.
"When were you going to tell her?" Sudhene demanded, "She should have known long before now!"
Fiona sighed sadly and looked to the Morrigan and those in the assembly, "Had you allowed me to explain in my way and in my time ---."
"It is time the geis was put right!" Sudhene told Fiona. "There is unrest here and in Nu'Ada, the Ne'Medians are pushing and casting to break through the wards – you know what will happen if they succeed!"
Nicodemus stepped up and placed a boot on the dais where the Morrigan perched in her chair. He leaned forward so only she could hear him. "As long as a Dannan; any Dannan; that lives and breathes in this world the wards will stand!" He turned to Sudhene, "You and whomever you are in league with, are just trying to spread fear among the people!"
The Morrigan cackled at Nicodemus. "So! It is a Fury who comes as the protector of this first daughter!" She pointed a bony finger at Nicodemus, and he met her gaze unflinchingly. The Morrigan leaned forward and spoke so softly that only Fury could hear. "Do not forget that I know your little secret, Nicodemus Fury!"
Both Fury and the Morrigan continued to study one another. Neither backed away. Then the Morrigan looked at Sunny, "Siobhan O'Neil you will indeed need to make a decision!"
Sudhene seemed unaffected by Nicodemus or his accusations. He glanced first to the Morrigan then to Fiona and Sunny, "You will either follow in the steps of your ancestors, or you will run--," He paused and waited until the murmurs in the tent died down, "And if you do indeed run -- make certain that you never come back to Ballencoo!"
"She will run!" someone said from the crowds behind them.
"They are all cowards!" said a woman in another part of the tent, "All of them – cowards!"
Fiona dropped her head, covering her face with both hands and wept softly. Sunny went to Fiona and hugged her. She turned to look back at the Morrigan and Sudhene, her anger was flying off in a thousand directions as she stood holding Fiona in her arms protectively.
Almost the instant Fiona realized what was happening she looked at Sunny, feeling the surge of energy flowing around the young woman in waves. "No!"
There were shouts from outside the tent; chaos had erupted from everywhere! There were terrified cries from women and shouts from men seemingly from all directions. Then bursting into the tent was a white blur; it was Orion! He roared his rage, snarling and rearing back on his back haunches. Those in the tent scrambled to get out of the way of his hooves. As men tried to bring him under control, he snapped at them with his strong teeth and kicked with powerful legs – effectively keeping everyone back.
Inside the tent chairs and benches fell into splinters under Orion's hooves! Sunny let go of Fiona and turned to face the raging stallion. Nicodemus tried to reach Sunny and pull her away but missed!
Several men arrived with whips and circled the stallion trying to steer the white terror out of the tent. Orion's ears went flat, and he reared as the whips snapped loudly around his head. Nicodemus called out for them to stop but everyone was too busy trying to avoid hooves and teeth!
Sunny ran to Orion's rescue, "Stop you're scaring him!"
Immediately the stallion swiveled on his haunches and rushed at the men that were between him and Sunny. The men barely got out of the way of the animals' bone-crushing kicks. Sunny wrapped her arms around Orion's neck and all aggression ceased. Sunny looked into the dark golden eyes of the stallion and heard a voice, ["Come, I will take you away from here."]
Sunny stoked Orion's neck, "I'd like to," she whispered, "but I must stay."
["Your will!"] Without further disruption, Orion turned and left the tent as quickly as he had entered, galloping off spreading men, women, and children in a panic in the encampment. Many of the men hurried off to find out what damage had been caused by the stampeding horses.
Bracken dropped down from the tent supports and perched in one of the chairs that had not been splintered by Orion's rampage, "Pookah too big for tent meeting."
Nicodemus looked sourly at the watcher, "A master of understatement,"
Fiona looked over her shoulder at the watcher, "Who called Orion?"
Nicodemus nodded at Sunny who was gathering up the pages from her sketchbook that had been torn out in the scuffle, "She did."
Tully entered the tent and eyed the damage, "Well, it looks like the only damage is busted-up chairs and benches; Orion has run off into the woods with the rest of the horses."
"Anyone go after him?" Nicodemus asked.
Tully shrugged; "I don't think so," he replied sitting on a bench that had escaped being destroyed, "but it looks like the Morrigan and Sudhene are going back home."
"Good," Nicodemus murmured, he looked over at Sunny who was retrieving the pages from her sketchbook, "Are you all right, Siobhan?"
She looked up from her sketches over at Nicodemus. "Yes, I just want to go home."
Fiona came over to the young woman, "Let's go it's getting late."
Tully got to his feet and chuckled lightly, "We'll have to walk, Orion took all the horses with him when he left."
Nicodemus pushed the tent flap back and held it up for Fiona and Sunny to pass through, "All of them?"
"Aye," Tully said with a great sigh of resignation, "Every blessed one of them on this side of the arch."
Nicodemus echoed Tully's sigh, "I'll fetch a couple of lanterns, wait for me at the edge of the camp."
Fiona watched Nicodemus' retreating figure then looked to Tully, "Even Cherry Brumble?"
Tully chuckled, "Aye, when Orion calls up reinforcements, even the quietest mare will kick up her heels to please that stallion!"
Sunny looked around the camp and saw a good bit of damage. "Folks will be angry when they get over the shock."
"They should have left things be!" Tully declared, raising his voice to allow those who were lingering for a look at Sunny and Fiona. "Waving their hands and flapping their gums over things that are none of their concern!"
Nicodemus handed a lantern to Tully, "Let us get them home. There is a lot to talk about and much to explain."
They all turned to leave the encampment when Nicodemus stopped and peered into the darkness. Fiona looked in the same direction, "What is it?"
"I thought I saw someone coming from the direction of Laurel Cottage," Fury said. "Anyone expected?"
"No," Fiona said, "I warded the house to keep out prying eyes." She stared a moment longer into the forest.
Fury nodded absently then glanced over his shoulder where Sunny was walking with Tully. "Do not fall behind," Fury told them, "There are eyes everywhere in these woods!"
It appeared that the two men were assigned as their bodyguards. Fury in particular seemed to have stepped into the chief role. Sunny scoffed lightly at his high-handed attitude. She looked up into the trees and saw Bracken moving along the boughs of the cedars toward Laurel Cottage.
It was all too fantastic to believe, yet there it was right in front of her! She looked at Tully and sighed, a headache was beginning in the back of her eyes. The blacksmith glanced over at her and smiled. "They are all infuriating, lass!"
Sunny had to laugh at his pun. Tully chuckled softly and when Nicodemus threw a disapproving frown at them over his shoulder, they both dissolved into giggling like children. "Thank you, Tully," Sunny whispered.
"You are welcome, dearie!" Tully returned. He crooked his arm, and she linked arms and caught up with Fiona and Nicodemus.
When they arrived at the cottage's back door, Nicodemus sent Tully in first to make sure no one was in the house. When the blacksmith returned to the door and gave an all-clear sign, "Little good my warding did!" Fiona muttered.
Tully shook his head, "The wards are still in place."
Fiona went up to the back kitchen door and with a few murmured words and a traced design on the door, the door latch popped open, and she went in with the others following behind. Fiona went about turning the lamps, set the kettle on the stove, and took a large teapot from the shelf to make tea.
Seeing that she was trying to put some normalcy back in place, Sunny started by gathering up cups and saucers. When the kettle began to sing Fiona filled the tea ball with an aromatic blend of tea that always reminded Sunny of Christmas. Tully returned to the kitchen, having checked the cottage top to bottom and all around the perimeter of the grounds including the barn, chicken pen, and sheds.
He sat down, rubbed a hand over his face, and scrubbed the back of his neck with his kerchief. "All is quiet."
"Seems everyone is asleep save the three of us," Fiona replied pouring the tea into the waiting cups. She handed Nicodemus his cup and poured a little milk into Tully's cup before pouring tea. Sunny watched as Nicodemus lightly sweetened his tea with a drizzle of honey from the honey pot on the table. Tully drank his tea without sweetening of any kind, just milk. Fiona looked over at Sunny,
"There is a certain amount of training that we need to see to, but if you are 'awakened' most of the knowledge you need will be there for you to draw on."
"How do I become awakened?" Sunny asked.
"That should never become an issue," Fiona replied, "only when I am unable to perform my geis as the Dannan."
Silence fell among the three sitting at the kitchen table. Fury studied Sunny until she felt his gaze on her. She looked at him and blinked as the mirage appeared and then settled in place with the older version of Nicodemus Fury looking appraisingly at her. "There is only one solution. You need to take Siobhan as your heir," Nicodemus replied as he sipped the hot tea from the brightly patterned teacup. "That will at least satisfy the High Council that order has been restored to the Dannan sept."
Fiona nodded almost absently as she studied Sunny for a moment. "Would your mother ever ---?"
Sunny shook her head, "I seriously doubt it." She said, "The lengths she's gone to keep me away from here all these years – I don't think she'd ever have a change of heart."
"Very well then," Fiona said, "You become my heir and when I am unable to be Dannan, then you as a first daughter would assume my role."
"Your mum is going to have a cow!" Tully murmured.
Sunny chuckled lightly and the whole room lit up a fraction. "Is there some sort of ceremony?"
"Aye," Fiona replied, "but nothing dramatic and arcane,"
"It is somewhat like a civil ceremony before witnesses," Nicodemus replied, "Once contracted, it is binding. It should suffice with the sept that if anything happens and Fiona is unable to complete her geis as Dannan, you will assume that birthright."
"And when that does happen," Sunny said reaching over to take Fiona's hand gently, "God willing that is many many many years from now --- when it does, how do I know what to do?"
"When you take the role of the Dannan," Fiona said. "You have the ancestral knowledge of every Dannan that ever served."
"Wow," Sunny breathed softly. "And do you have that knowledge, Aunt Fiona?"
"No," Fiona replied, "I only have the knowledge and powers my mother gave to me. Should you come to be the Dannan, you will receive all the knowledge and collective powers of the first daughters that ever lived before you."
Sunny nodded solemnly, and to be able to tap into that kind of knowledge frightened her. She wondered what she would be able to do with that kind of power.
"Somehow, you were able to command an even greater power than all the First Daughters that came before you when you helped dispatch those daemons." Fiona said, "How you were able to do that disturbs Sudhene and the others on the High Council."
"Who exactly is Sudhene?" Sunny asked crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't much like him."
Nicodemus sputtered in his tea making Tully laugh outright. "Not many do like the overstepping pompous toad!" Nicodemus growled as he daubed at the corners of his mouth. "But he is useful at times."
"Once we get this festival behind us," Fiona said staring into her empty teacup, "then things will hopefully settle down again."
"What exactly happens during the festival time?" Sunny asked, "Seems a lot is going on leading up to the festival and right afterward."
"The arch opens at midnight of the vernal equinox," Fiona replied. "It is during the festival people of the clans are selected to journey to Nu'Ada and stay with their kin until the fall. The arch opens again for a very short time during the summer and winter solstices."
"How long will the arch stay open?" Sunny wanted to know.
"It opened three days ago to allow the Dannan tribe to come to the Ballencoo. It will stay open until the spring equinox." Tully replied.
"This year is a bit different," Fiona said, "The arch opens during a full moon."
"And that is significant, how?" Sunny asked.
"Ordinarily it means the eye is open for a longer duration," Nicodemus replied, "It is rare, but it allows extra time to spend with friends and loved ones before the eye closes."
"What happens if someone is caught on this side or the other once the eye closes?" Sunny asked.
"They are guests until the summer solstice," Tully replied. "That hasn't happened in many a year – not since I was a young lad."
"When the arch is closed, are there any of the clans that can still pass back and forth?" Sunny wanted to know.
"Only the awakened Dannan is free to pass anytime," Nicodemus replied.
"Do you think once the arch closes, things will die down and everything will go back to whatever passes for normal here in Ballencoo?" Sunny said.
"I hope so," Fiona murmured.
"We have three days until the festival begins," Nicodemus replied. "The first day is the sunrise gathering and High Council meetings and then the usual trading, the games, and dancing and drinking. Hopefully, it will pass uneventfully until the morning of the seventh day."
"Then arch closes until the fall," Sunny replied and everyone around the table nodded.
"Well, we can't do anything more tonight," Fiona replied, "I say we get some sleep."
Sunny stifled a yawn behind her hands and looked over where she had left her knapsack by the kitchen door; Bracken had curled up inside the pack and fallen asleep with the flap draped over his shoulder. Fiona pointed to the parlor where there were two large comfortable couches, "You're both welcome to the parlor settees."
Tully nodded and looked to Nicodemus, "I don't much like the idea of sleeping in camp with everyone still stomping around looking for their horses."
Nicodemus smiled grimly, "We will take you up on the offer, Fiona."
"I'll show you where the extra blankets and pillows are and you two can fend for yourselves," Fiona replied.
Sunny followed Fiona and the two men into the parlor and once they had their pillows and light blankets Fiona went upstairs to bed. Sunny paused at the stairs and sat down. Having Tully and Nicodemus in the house felt strange. She could hear them quietly talking. She wondered what they might be discussing. The lamp went out in the living room and the house fell into darkness.
Sunny continued to sit on the stairs. She was tired but had too many questions running through her mind to sleep. As she sat there she became aware of a presence. She knew who it was even before he spoke. "Trouble settling down?"
She nodded, then answered when she realized they were both in the dark. "Yes, you too?"
"Yes," Fury answered.
"Pull up a stair," Sunny replied and slid over. "Plenty to choose from."
He sat down on a stair tread below her and leaned his back against the wall. They sat in silence for several minutes.
She looked over at him. "This quaint village of Ballencoo has changed overnight. It's become something unreal and dangerous."
"Yes, it has." He responded. He sensed she was opening up to him.
"As strange as it sounds," Sunny began. "This whole destiny thing and finding out there is another world out there is exciting and terrifying at the same time."
"It is not strange to be curious, Siobhan," Nicodemus said. His voice was soft and oddly calming. "You should not be afraid – cautious? Yes, but never afraid."
"Should I be cautious of you?" Sunny asked him.
Fury was taken aback by the sudden edge in her voice. He scoffed lightly. "You have been told to be cautious of me, yes?"
"Not really," Sunny answered. "But I can see the wariness in Aunt Fiona and even tonight the Morrigan didn't press you more than she dared."
Fury grunted then expelled a heavy sigh. "It is wise to be cautious of everyone, Siobhan. There is a reason for their wariness of me," he said, very aware that Sunny was studying him closely. "It is best to keep your guard up, especially around me."
"Trust is a two-way street you know," Sunny told him, "You're the one that keeps everyone at a distance. No one even knows your true self, except me. I know you're not the scoundrel everyone thinks you are!" She got up and started up the stairs. "You're one of the good guys. See you in the morning, Nicodemus."
He smiled in the darkness. "Good night, Siobhan." He watched her go up the stairs and heard her bedroom door open and close. He sat there a few more minutes thinking only of the young woman who had captivated him thoroughly! Rather than settling down to sleep in the living room where Tully slept, he decided to check the perimeter of the property.
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