Sunny found Shannon and Terry cavorting with a red and white soccer ball at the edge of the village with several other boys. Shannon broke away with a wave to the boys and trotted to join her on the road. "So, did ya see that big bloke of Fury's?" Shannon asked by way of greeting.
"I did!" Sunny said, "He's beautiful!"
Shannon grinned at her his hazel eyes dancing with mischief, "You talking about the horse or Fury?"
"Oh shush!" Sunny grumbled back but rolled her eyes, "I guess the Fury men draw as much attention as their horses do!"
"Aye!" declared Shannon, "My mum says --," the boy pitched his voice high to mimic a female voice, "Oh, Fury has a magic that can dazzle ladies of every clan of every age!"
Sunny laughed. There did seem to be something highly attractive about Fury among women of all ages – what that was; Sunny couldn't put a finger on it – but it was powerful!
Shannon scuffed along the road with Sunny and when they crossed the Trickle River he looked off down the river. The men who had been fishing were now nowhere to be seen.
"Do you need to go home?" Sunny asked, looking in the same direction that Shannon was looking.
"Aye, I still have chores to get to," he murmured, then put his fingers to his lips and blew a shrill whistle. Almost immediately there was an answering whistle and the barking of a group of hounds. Shannon grinned over at Sunny, "Hey, the lads are still out!"
He loped down the embankment then turned around and waved to Sunny shouting; "Ye go straight home now!"
Sunny waved the boy away, "Okay, I'll see you later!"
Shannon turned and ran into the woods. Sunny started off the road on her own. She was alone only for a few minutes. Breaking from the underbrush four hounds galloped up and circled her a few times before disappearing into the brush on the opposite side of the road. They appeared again further down the road and as they moved back into the forest one hound plopped down on its haunches and waited. It was Shanley. The lanky wolfhound panted, his pink tongue lolling out and his white teeth glinting in a doggy grin. His tail thumped the ground as she got closer, and he barked a greeting. He fell into step with her as she came alongside.
"You look like you've been up to all kinds of mischief, Shanley!" Sunny said by way of greeting.
Shanley ducked his head and grumbled. Sunny laughed and scratched the dog's head affectionately. Sunny marveled at the size of the hound. His head came just above her hip and he wasn't fully grown yet! She wondered how big a full-grown wolfhound would get. Shanley glanced over at her then trotted ahead a few yards and barked, clearly inviting her to chase him.
She hitched her knapsack up higher on her shoulder and trotted after the hound. He yipped happily and ran ahead glancing over his shoulder to see if she was following. Sunny giggled and continued to trot after him. Her green rubber boots clumped along the road as Shanley circled her barking and teasing her for being so slow.
"Wait for me!" Sunny called to Shanley as the hound dropped off the road onto a trail that meandered into the Ballencoo wood. She caught up with Shanley and the hound playfully ran circles around her, wanting to continue the game of chase. She shook her head, "Oh no, I can't chase you – you're too fast for me!"
Shanley plopped down on his haunches and all but laughed at her. Sunny laughed with him. She looked around, she stood on the edge of the wagon road that led off to the fairgrounds and the open fields beyond the town. If she continued with Shanley it would take her into the Ballencoo woods and down behind the MacTavish's Betony House and then on to Laurel Cottage. It was not a shortcut, and it seemed Shanley wanted to continue wandering in the woods. "Come on then, I've got to get back to Aunt Fiona."
Shanley grumbled but fell into step beside Sunny. The hound continued to look hopeful for another game, but Sunny was intent on getting home. The forest was cool and quiet and only the occasional songbird calling its mate was the only sound that broke the cathedral-like silence. Shanley soon had a new game going on – it was leaping into the ferns and vetch that grew along the sides of the road for imaginary prey. Sunny watched the hound diving headfirst into the fern to come up with a mouthful of fronds or a stick. They continued down the wagon road and entered an area where the road cut deep through the forest creating a steep ravine on either side.
When the hound suddenly froze, Sunny stopped in her tracks and listened too. There was the pounding of hoofbeats in the distance. She tried to hear what direction the riders were coming from, but could not tell. She watched Shanley, his ears trying to pick up the sound and focus on the direction.
She knew she needed to get off the wagon road and let the riders pass, but there was nowhere for her to go! She found a large oak tree and headed for it. She could use its roots to protect her from getting trampled. Shanley had other ideas, he barked and loped off toward the oncoming riders, happily barking at them as they appeared on the road.
Four riders flew by. They yelled at Shanley as they steered their mounts around the hound. Shanley howled in fright, trying to get out of the way, but was surrounded by flaying hooves! Sunny could only watch in horror as the riders careened around Shanley where he cowered in the road. When they had passed Sunny hurried out to the hound. "Are you okay?"
Shanley was quivering and shuffled closer to Sunny where she knelt beside him in the cloud of dust. Then out of nowhere another rider appeared. He reined in his mount hard, and the big black reared up in protest. Both Sunny and Shanley ducked and made themselves as small as possible. The rider cursed and the horse snorted and growled as the rider fought to bring him under control.
Sunny squeezed her eyes shut and buried her head in Shanley's fur, her arms thrown up over her head and Shanley's. The dust rose in a thick cloud around them and only the sounds of the stomping of hooves and the deep rumbling of a man's voice reached through her defensive position. She flinched as hands came down on her shoulders and brought her up roughly from the dirt and away from Shanley's body. Shanley began to snarl but the man's voice sounded close to Sunny's ear and the hound broke off mid-snarl and yipped in understanding.
She opened her eyes and looked into Shanley's wide golden-brown eyes. She sat back on her heels and realized the man was holding her firmly by the shoulders. He asked a question in a language she did not understand. When she did not immediately answer, he shook her and asked again. Sunny grew angry at being manhandled and shrugged off his grasp. "We're okay!"
He let go of her and stepped back. "You should not be out alone on the road."
She climbed to her feet and began slapping the dirt off her shirt as he went back to calm his horse. "I was just trying to get home," she muttered at his back. "I didn't expect to be in the middle of a steeplechase!"
Shanley got to his feet and began to vigorously shake the dust and dirt from his shaggy coat. He stirred up a massive cloud sending Sunny out of the way but not before she got a mouthful of dust. She sputtered and stumbled over to the tree to retrieve her backpack.
"I suggest you take the main road to get there," He told her.
Sunny glared over her shoulder at him. His tone was high-handed and bordering on arrogance as he prepared to remount his horse. He glared at her over his shoulder, she frowned at him. It was too late to veil himself! He cursed under his breath as he busied himself with the cinch.
Sunny continued to frown at his back. "Who are you anyway!" she demanded.
He froze. He could not understand how she could see past his glamor so easily. He kept his back to her for a moment longer then turned and faced her, hands on his hips. Sunny gaped at him! He had to be related to Nicodemus Fury because they looked so much alike that they could be father and son! "Wait a minute! You're --," she stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes were playing tricks on her or maybe she had gotten dust in her eyes, and they were tearing up. The man standing before her was blurry and out of focus as she glared at him. "Are you related to Fury?"
He folded his arms over his chest and gave her an appraising look. "And if I am?"
"Figures," Sunny flung at him. She hitched her backpack higher on her shoulder and started back the way she had come. Sunny sent a withering at him as she moved past him. "Give my regards to the Rom Baro!"
She stomped away and Nicodemus watched her for a moment. On impulse, he decided to follow her. He mounted and lifted the reins of his mount, and the stallion followed behind Sunny without urging.
Sunny heard the horse and rider following behind her. She glared over her shoulder then faced forward again and continued walking back the way she and Shanley had come on the wagon road. It was difficult not to be impressed by his beauty. He was probably the most majestic-looking man she had ever seen! Something was off! She stopped in her tracks, turned, and waited for him. Fury could see her annoyance in the pink flush of her cheeks. Fury reined in his horse and studied her.
"Will you stop following me?" Sunny met his look with narrowed eyes. He was the epitome of tall, dark, and smoldering! The most riveting was his eyes; black obsidian that glittered down at her with a mixture of annoyance and smug self-assurance.
He regarded her and her outrage and thought it was amusing. She continued to glare up at him. Why did he look so familiar? Finally, she pulled her clear crystalline green gaze from his and looked at the wolfhound, "Come on Shanley."
The hound barked happily and bounded back up the road. Fury watched her storm off. He gathered up the reins of his mount and prepared to continue his way home. It was his mount that began to follow behind her. When he tried to rein him in the stallion bowed his head against the reins and continued to follow her. He released the pressure, and his mount resumed his tracking behind the woman and the wolfhound.
Sunny heard the heavy footfalls of the horse coming up behind her. She did not stop but continued up the trail. "Are you going home?" he asked. His voice was soft and strangely familiar.
She stopped and faced him, throwing a frosty look up at him. "I don't know who the hell you are and where I am going is none of your business!" She turned on her heel and continued walking away.
He was suddenly captivated! She did not recognize him at all! She was seeing his true self, and she did not know him! He chuckled. Sunny felt an odd chill spill down her spine at the sound. His mount caught up with her, and he leaned forward in the saddle the leather creaking softly. "Tell me."
She halted in her tracks and glared up at him. He was surprised at how his mount leaned forward, lowering his head down to breathe in her scent. Her scowl softened and she reached up and stroked the broad plane of his head. He felt the stallion relax as he pressed his head into her chest. "What is his name?" she asked.
"Kai," he answered. "Now you tell me; are you going home?"
Sunny scoffed up at him, "I don't think so!" She gave Kai a final stroke on his cheek and turned and marched away.
He rested his elbow on the pommel of his saddle, the reins held loosely in one hand while Kai continued to follow her. Sunny continued on her way back up to the high road toward Laurel Cottage, with her horseman following. Shanley had disappeared and she found herself on the road alone with the brooding and taciturn rider. The black stallion pranced alongside, and Sunny had to admit both horse and rider were awesome together. She nearly dared to pull out her sketchbook and pencils and start sketching them as they shadowed her. Sunny knew she would be able to draw them from memory; she had developed an uncanny ability to draw from memory – a photographic memory – her college instructors had told her.
When they reached the rose-covered archway of Laurel Cottage, his black gaze rested on her and then drifted to the cottage. "Your home?"
"My great-aunt, Fiona Dannan," Sunny responded.
He smiled. "While the tribes are here, keep your travels limited to the high roads for your safety." He told her.
She lifted her chin defiantly and met his dark gaze for a long moment. Those eyes! When she felt her face begin to heat as his eyes provocatively locked with hers, she turned and marched to the sky-blue door and went inside, closing it solidly. Sunny slithered over to peer out the living room windows. He had turned his horse around and was headed the way he had come. "Awesome!" she murmured to herself, "What an awesome and arrogant jackass!"
She pulled her boots off and set them on the shelf in the hall tree alongside Fiona's dark green Wellingtons, "Aunt Fiona, I'm back!"
"In the kitchen dear!" Fiona called back.
Sunny padded in her sock feet to the kitchen carrying her knapsack. She found Fiona in the kitchen just pouring hot water into the teapot. Fiona looked up and frowned, "What on earth have you been doing?"
Sunny chuckled, "Grubbing around in the dirt with Shanley. You should have seen the commotion when the Fury horses hit the town!"
Fiona chuckled, "No doubt,"
"And I saw the most beautiful horses in the whole world," Sunny replied. "Orion was one and the other was Kai!"
"Big white brute, wasn't he?"
"Yes!" Sunny exclaimed, "Magnificent and so proud!"
"Many a time I remember watching Nicodemus and his family bringing in ten or twenty horses," Fiona said sitting down at the kitchen table and folding her dishcloth thoughtfully as she spoke, "All of them wild-spirited creatures with flowing manes and tails!"
"Orion was exactly like that," Sunny said, "I managed to bang out a quick sketch or two before he was gone. The other was a big black charger, named Kai – a big, beautiful horse with a jackass riding him! Oh, and I ran into Tully; he said he'd see you later."
Fiona chuckled as Sunny rambled on about her day. She wondered idly who the 'jackass' had been but when she finally was able to get a question in she forgot to ask and instead asked Sunny about someone else on her mind. "Did you speak to Nicodemus?" Fiona asked.
"No," Sunny answered, "But I saw him and his men coming into town. Orion broke free and charged down the road straight toward me."
"Really?" Fiona was curious, "What happened?"
"This horse was snarling and wild one second and the next a gentle lamb! I was not even scared as he came up to me and put his head down right into my chest." Sunny said softly as she recalled the event.
Fiona nodded as she listened to Sunny's ramblings. This was such a young girl! She regretted having blurred her memories, but it was for her protection. Fiona focused once again on what Sunny was saying: "Anyway, I picked up a ton of mail while I was in town. There were a lot of letters from – Jason." She opened her knapsack and took out the stacks of mail and catalogs and set them on the table between Fiona and herself. "I had Ruth Brooks send them all back unopened – and she's going to send any others that come 'return to sender'."
"You don't seem too upset that he's trying to contact you," Fiona replied.
Sunny tilted her head to one side in thought, "No I wasn't upset as much as I was irritated by it."
Fiona glanced out the window and then back at Sunny. "Why don't we get our tea and head out to the side garden. We can talk there."
"Great, I'll get in some more sketching." Sunny replied, "I'd like to do more of you, eventually do a portrait."
They fixed their tea to their liking and Fiona put everything into a basket they would need for the late afternoon snack. Sunny slung her knapsack over her shoulder and took the tray Fiona handed her with plates, eating utensils, and cloth napkins. Once outside they sipped their tea and ate the finger sandwiches Fiona had fixed for them that morning.
They settled in the wicker chairs and Fiona poured each a cup of tea. Sunny sipped experimentally from her cup, added a drizzle of honey, and stirred slowly. Fiona glanced around the yard. She drew a deep breath in and sighed softly. As Sunny drank half her tea down quickly she pulled her knapsack into her lap and rummaged for her tin of pencils. She had brought out her sketchbooks, one from town and the other with her drawings of Tully and the arch. She pulled two pencils from the tin and quickly sharpened them, tucking a spare behind her right ear. She tossed her knapsack on the wicker chair nearest her and began sketching Fiona.
Fiona pointed to the knapsack Sunny had with her. "Does this book have your drawings from town?"
"Yes, I sketched just a bunch of people today!" Sunny handed the sketchbook from town over to Fiona and she opened the book marveling at the artistic talent of her great niece. She turned page after page of Sunny's sketches and drawings. The quick sure lines of the sketches captured the clutch of buildings in the village of Ballencoo with an expert eye. The sketches of the postmistress caught Ruth's charm and smiling eyes. The dumpling roundness of Ruth Ferguson's face and her eternal cheerful smile made Fiona smile back at the sketch. There were plants and flowers Sunny had drawn on her way to town that were small botanical masterpieces. Then there were the studies of Tully, with this round top caravan, and Cherry Brumble, his gentle red and white Cob mare. Sunny had tinted with watercolor, the gypsy wagon with the same vibrant splashes of yellow, orange, gold, and lime green, and depicted with amazing accuracy the exact color of the bright sky-blue painted canvas top. Fiona continued to leaf through the sketchbook. She stopped as she came across the arch. They were rendered with amazing detail and accuracy. "I see the arch has caught your attention more than a few times."
Sunny looked up from her sketch pad, her pencil poised in the air, "Oh isn't it marvelous? I was able to sketch from the same position great grandmother had drawn from in her journals."
"Aye," Fiona murmured studying the drawings with interest then looked over at Sunny. "You know, even when you were just a little girl, I always knew you were going to be an artist."
Sunny looked up briefly at Fiona as she worked on the detailing of Fiona's eyes, "Mom said I was drawing even before I could write."
Fiona nodded her silvery white head. "Aye, you were just a wee thing, but already you were showing such talent." Fiona reached into the pocket of her dress and took out a piece of folded paper. It was yellow with age, and she carefully unfolded the paper and handed it to Sunny. "I found these when I was looking through the box of your drawings I've saved."
Sunny put aside her sketchbook and tucked her pencil behind her ear alongside the spare. She took the drawing Fiona offered. "Hey, I remember drawing these!" she exclaimed, grinning as she recalled when she had drawn the picture. "I must have only been what – three?"
"Aye," Fiona replied.
Sunny looked at each one and then stopped, "This one is different." She turned it around for Fiona to see.
"Do you remember what you called him?" Fiona asked.
Sunny studied the drawing of the creature. Her brows knitted in thought, then she beamed a smile at the picture as she remembered. "It's Bracken!" She looked over at Fiona, "It's Bracken! You know, Mama told me I had lots of imaginary friends when I was little."
"Did she now?" Fiona pursed her mouth in mild annoyance.
Fury reached his camp and found a messenger waiting with a note from Hugh O'Donnell. The young man handed up the handwritten note to Fury. He wanted to meet to discuss the terms of Orion staying at Thornfield Manor. O'Donnell requested that they meet in a neutral spot and conveniently suggested Laurel Cottage. Nicodemus handed down a coin to the messenger, "Tell O'Donnell that I agree to the meeting time and the place."
The messenger nodded sagely and hurried off. Fury would need to reinforce his glamor, especially when he was in the company of both the Danann and the first daughter! He rode off toward Laurel Cottage.
When he arrived near where the wagon road was close to the back of the cottage property, he dropped to the ground lightly and left Kai in the forest to graze freely. He walked the rest of the way to Laurel Cottage. Fury paused at the edge of the forest as he spotted the two women seated in the side garden. He wondered if she had any inkling of just what kind of magic she possessed. He could see it as the energy shimmered in waves around the young woman and as he got closer he could feel it soaking into his carefully constructed glamor.
Neither of them heard or saw the figure emerge from the shadowy edge of the woods. "Good afternoon ladies," Sunny looked up and recognized Nicodemus Fury! He came and greeted Fiona, bowing courtly in her direction. He nodded at Sunny. Rarely did he find a man or woman who gave him pause. Their eyes met and for several heartbeats, she studied him. Then it was over. Sunny pulled her knapsack off the chair so he could sit with them. He sat back and looked over at Fiona. "I was asked to meet Hugh O'Donnell here – neutral ground to strike a deal," Fury replied.
"Hugh is going to take Orion?" Sunny asked.
"For a time," Fury answered taking the last sandwich off the plate. "Orion needs a place to stay, and Hugh needs Orion for his mares," Fury said.
"Orion is beautiful," Sunny murmured.
Fury looked over at Sunny. "I understand he made an impression today, yes?"
Sunny had to smile. She flipped back a few pages of her sketchbook and handed it to Fury, "He is a splendid subject!"
Nicodemus studied the sketch. Then turned to examine several pages, "You have captured his essence," he told her, "Your talent is quite remarkable."
Fiona smiled at Sunny, "She is a true artist!" she said with pride.
Fury continued to look through the sketchbook. Her subjects seemed to jump off the page. He stopped to look at the drawings she had done of Tully and his wagon. "I see you seem to have a soft spot for Tully and his mare."
Sunny nodded silently. Something about him was triggering all kinds of warning bells in her head! When she did not respond he looked up from the sketchbook and met her gaze. She was seeing two different people superimposed over one another! She blinked several times, and the strange mirage was over. She felt a shiver race down her spine and she tore her eyes away and she rummaged in her knapsack to divert her attention elsewhere. Fiona raised her eyes to look out and nodded. "There is Hugh now!"
Sunny twisted around and jumped up, "Excuse me." She hurried away, feeling like a silly schoolgirl. 'It was just part of the Fury charms'
Hugh tied Domino to the hitching post and raised a hand in greeting as he spotted her coming out to meet him. "Hullo, sunshine!"
Sunny laughed lightly and as Hugh tucked his cane in at his side she came in and linked arms with him. "I saw Orion in town today."
"You did? Is he as grand as Fury tells it?" Hugh asked, having her so close, made his heart beat faster.
"Oh, he's magnificent, Hugh!" Sunny exclaimed.
"Hugh my boy, how are you?" Fiona asked as they walked into the small side garden.
Hugh reluctantly left Sunny's side and came to greet Fiona. He bent and hugged Fiona's shoulders. "I'm grand Fiona." He looked to Fury and inclined his head, "Rom Baro, I am glad to finally meet you."
Fury nodded. He let his gaze slide from Hugh to Sunny. She was too familiar with O'Donnell, and he found that he was annoyed by that easy familiarity! Nicodemus gestured to the chair Sunny had vacated. "Let us discuss the details of Orion's stay with you."
Sunny collected her sketchpad and pencils. She patted Hugh's arm, "I'm going to leave you all to the negotiations, but I'll talk to you before you leave, all right?"
Hugh nodded and grinned up at Sunny capturing her hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. He looked down as the toe of his boot encountered the knapsack. He leaned over and handed it to her with a wink, "I'll holler for you."
It was a good half hour before Sunny met Hugh again in front of the cottage. "So, you get everything all hammered out?"
Hugh nodded, "Aye, Orion will be coming to Thornefield. Fury and I have agreed upon the terms of the stud fee – which he's being vague about -- so I suppose we're good; for the time being."
She followed him to where his horse waited. "When does all this take place?" She asked him.
"During the first few days of trading of the festival," Hugh replied. "Once we get Orion loaded up, we'll take him to the back pasture for a few days to get used to things then bring in the first of the mares."
Sunny nodded, "You're not going to spend all your time trading and bartering during the festival, are you?"
"No!" Hugh declared. "It's five glorious days of revelry, dancing, drinking, eating, races, tournaments, games, and trading and shenanigans."
"All that in five days?" Sunny asked laughing.
Hugh adjusted the girth of the saddle of Domino and glanced over at her, "You need a pretty dress and dancing slippers, all the lasses do it up big."
"Oh, I plan on dancing up a storm," Sunny replied.
Hugh chuckled and gathered up the reins to prepare to mount, "I hope you save a dance or two for me?"
"Of course," Sunny acquiesced with a coy smile, "As many as you like young laird."
Hugh chuckled softly, his moss-green eyes sparkling with mischief as he leaned in close. "I just might claim more than a few turns with you, lass."
Sunny giggled and on impulse tiptoed and kissed his cheek. "See you tomorrow, Hugh!"
She hurried off and he was unable to do more than watch her retreating figure. She turned and waved to him. He reached up and touched his cheek then realized he was standing there like a statue. He waved back, then mounted. Taking one last look at the cottage door she had disappeared through he urged his mount off in a canter.
It was later in the evening when Tully and Nicodemus sat before the campfire gazing into the flames for answers. Finally, Tully glanced up at Fury, "How do you think Skye did?"
"I could not sense she remembered any of what happened," Fury answered softly. He stared into the flames of the fire. He was still stewing over the kiss the girl had given to O'Donnell. He had not felt jealousy in a long time! It was an unfamiliar sort of pain. He tossed a small piece of firewood into the already burning campfire. "Fiona may not be a first daughter, but she did a good job clouding the girl's memories."
"What about the pictures," Tully asked. He poked at the coals to coax the flames up.
Fury reached into his shirt, brought out a folded packet of paper, and wagged them at Tully, "I have them," He tossed them into the flames, and watched the edges turn black and curl on the edges then slowly crawl over the paper and burn to ashes. "Now no one will have anything to remember."
"Fiona will be upset with you for taking those," Tully replied.
"She gave them to me," Fury replied, "She took them from the sketchbook when Siobhan was talking to the O'Donnell fellow. Fiona gave them to me to dispose of. Fiona will continue to reinforce the notion of bad dreams and fatigue."
"Then we can stop worrying," Tully murmured. He poked at the ashes and stirred the remnants of the drawing paper into the coals.
"Let us hope so," Fury said. "Good night, Tully."
"Good night Nico," Tully answered as Fury got to his feet and walked off into the woods toward where he kept his camp set up. Tully watched the fire for a few minutes, then got to his feet and went off toward Laurel Cottage to see what he could do to help Fiona with her nightly work.
When Fury arrived at his campsite he looked around. Someone had come to bank his fires and left a basket of food on the step of his caravan. He picked the food basket up and unhooked the wineskin that hung near it. He stepped into his caravan and closed the doors tight against peering eyes. He sat on the edge of the cot and reached into his shirt, drawing out a packet of folded drawing paper. He carefully unfolded the packet and studied each fantastic drawing of the fight between himself and the daemons. What held his attention were the drawings of himself! He studied each of the two pages. Sunny had drawn him so accurately that he found it impossible to believe she had done so without magic!
He had not corrected Fiona and Tully who both thought all the drawings were of his nephew. He wondered if Sunny ever remembered the event, she would believe it as well. He studied the drawings closely for several more minutes, then folded them carefully and placed them for safekeeping in his saddlebags.
Tully arrived at the back door of Laurel Cottage, he whistled softly, and Fiona came to the kitchen door and opened it. He slipped his boots off and left them at the back door and silently made his way into the apothecary where Fiona waited.
"The lass is asleep?" Tully asked.
Fiona sighed heavily then nodded. "Aye, she's been asleep a few hours." She replied and began to assemble the items she would need to further induce the sleeping trance Sunny was in. "I checked in on her a bit ago and reinforced her sleep."
"Do you think this will work, long term?" Tully wanted to know as he watched Fiona place several drops of purified oil in the mortar.
"I don't know, Tully," Fiona replied wearily, "I hope so."
Tully nodded, "Well let's be done with it."
She nodded silently and quickly ground all her ingredients with the oil and then poured it all into a small bowl. Tully followed Fiona upstairs to Sunny's room where the girl slept soundly. Fiona motioned Tully to the chair that sat next to the bed and Fiona perched next to Sunny on the bed. She dipped her fingers into the bowl and gently applied the contents to Sunny's forehead. She began to reach into Sunny's sleeping consciousness. Tully joined her and Sunny began to dream.
Sunny was sleeping deeply and in a highly receptive state when Fiona further blurred her memories of what had occurred and reinforced that it had all been a very bad dream. As Fiona needed the extra energy Tully took Fiona's hand and joined her. They began to descend deeper into Sunny's subconscious and complete their work. Suddenly an unexpected presence appeared! It pushed Fiona and Tully out and slammed the dream door!
Fiona gasped as she surfaced and for a horrifying moment, she did not recognize the young woman sleeping so innocently in front of her. A ghostly pall shimmered across Sunny's features then slowly sank into the creamy white flesh and delicate features. Fiona looked at Tully who was just as surprised by the emergence of this powerful entity that he took Fiona's arm and drew her away from Sunny believing that physical distance was necessary. He picked up the soft cloth Fiona had brought with her and gently wiped away the unguents from Sunny's forehead. When that was done, they both retreated from the room. Once they were back in the apothecary Tully turned to Fiona. "What the hell was that?"
"I don't know," She murmured, "I've never felt anything like that before in my life!"
"It was Da'ark," Tully muttered, "It could not have been anything else! It was Da'ark!"
"No Tully, I don't think it was Da'ark; but it was very old!" Fiona told him.
"What are you saying?" He asked.
"It was something ancient;" Fiona replied. She was beginning to feel severe weakness. "It saw into me, and it knew everything about me, Tully!"
"You need something to eat," Tully stated. He was rubbing the back of his neck, feeling the beginnings of a headache that was steadily becoming worse. "I need a drink!"
Fiona scoffed lightly, "You always need a drink, Tully! Come on then to the kitchen, I already have something prepared for this occasion."
Once in the kitchen, Fiona took a covered dish and a pitcher of milk from the icebox and set it on the kitchen table. Tully found the jug, brought two glasses over, and sat across from Fiona. They ate and drank in silence for a few minutes then Fiona looked over at Tully. "It was protecting Sunny, and it was older and stronger than anything I've been exposed to."
"You say, it was something," Tully began, "Then it has to be Da'ark! Old and dangerous!"
Fiona ate and chewed and ate some more before she answered. "Aye, but not in the way you say, the ancients were not evil, Tully."
Tully shook his head in disbelief at what Fiona was saying. Although he knew it could be true, he did not want to believe something older than time was alive in the heart of a young girl who was as innocent and gentle as Sunny. "It will eat the lass up! If it is true as you say, it will destroy her! You know how it nearly consumed Nicodemus, he was near the point of no return when we got him away from the Crimson Palace."
Fiona sighed heavily and nodded sadly. "If she stays very long it will be very dangerous for her. But one thing is for certain, this – whatever it is ---- did not prevent us from blurring Sunny's memories. It could have quite easily undone what I've put in place and there's no guarantee that Sunny won't eventually remember everything, including what I've done to her. I only hope she will understand that I've done it to protect her."
Tully shook his head regretfully and looked over at Fiona with mild reproach in his dark brown eyes, "No, Fiona – you have done this to protect Colleen. She is to blame for all of this."
Fiona felt a sadness overwhelm her whole being and she buried her face in her hands and wept. Tully got up and gathered her up in his arms and held her close. He said nothing, only supported her while she gained control of her grief. There was nothing he could say to relieve Fiona of the burden she carried.
When Fiona grew quiet and wiped her tears away, she drew back and laid a gentle hand against Tully's cheek, "Thank you, Tully."
He hugged her and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow, Skye. Try to get some rest."
"I will," Fiona murmured. She watched Tully pad out the kitchen through the back door. He picked up his boots on the porch and he closed the door quietly. "Tully is right!" She said as she looked around and found herself alone once more. She cast her eyes upward, "Oh, Colleen, look what have you done to this family!"
In the morning, Sunny woke and rolled on her back, stared up at the ceiling, and studied the shadows that danced with the patches of sunlight. It was mesmerizing and she felt something tickling at the back of her brain, something half-remembered but it was out of reach. It felt a little like that strange edge of déjà vu, there was something she should remember, but she could not sense what that certain something was trying to surface. Then it seemed to fade away like half-remembered nightmares.
She kicked the covers off and sat up, wiggling her toes in the oval rug on the floor. She pondered the designs on the rug and smiled when she realized it was a pattern of sunflowers scattered across a deep blue background. She got up shuffled her feet into her slippers and headed to the bathroom. She smelled coffee and biscuits, the sounds of spoons in coffee cups, and the buzz of conversation downstairs. The new day was beginning, and Sunny was happy to be there!
Downstairs, Fiona was the first to feel the stirrings of contentment and peace. That was Sunny waking up and the natural unfettered gifts of the young girl coming alive! Tully glanced upward, "The lass is awake."
Fiona smiled at Tully. "Aye, and it appears all is well."
Sunny came down and ate breakfast with Fiona and Tully. When Tully finished his last cup of coffee and was preparing to leave, Hugh arrived to take Sunny on another riding lesson. He waited in the kitchen with Fiona as Sunny got her boots, and then she sent them on their way.
Spending time with Hugh was the best thing for Sunny, it gave her normalcy, and Hugh was genuinely taken with her. He would watch out for her while they were out riding. Fiona watched them ride out toward town and she went about gathering up her needed supplies to take to her clients. Fiona walked into the apothecary and jumped at the sight of a visitor sitting on her worktable. She recovered and walked to the shelves and began to collect what she would need for her clients. She looked over her shoulder at her visitor. "I expect you'll be out watching Sunny and where she goes today?" she told him.
He didn't say anything only nodded. Fiona nodded back. "Good then, you'll find something in the kitchen for you."
Delight registered on the visitor's face, but he didn't move from his perch on the worktable. Fiona packed her satchel and went out the door leaving him alone in the house. After a moment, he went into the kitchen and found the plate from breakfast waiting for him. He grabbed the pot of honey and upended it over the biscuits and watched as the golden sweetness flowed over the crusty tops of the biscuits.
Nicodemus Fury was also watching the comings and goings at Laurel Cottage. He observed from his hidden spot in the dense forest just beyond the cleared space of the yard. He crouched down in the rough brush and watched as first Tully left on his way back to the Dannan camp. Then a bit later, Sunny and Hugh came around from the back of the cottage, mounted a pair of dappled grey cobs, and left. Sunny was in good spirits; Fury could easily sense her contentment. As we watched O'Donnell hovering near the girl as she mounted. It rankled him that she continued to reward him with her smiles and laughter! When he was in her company, she seemed confused. One thing was certain, the work Fiona and Tully had done last night was firmly in place.
As he waited, he looked down where the vixen and her three kits were playing. He reached out and stroked the vixen's ears. She licked his fingers and picked her way into the brush to see to her kits. Nicodemus had run across several snares and tripped them to prevent the vixen or her kits from getting caught. No doubt the locals were concerned with foxes getting into their chicken coops. The vixen returned with her three charges following close at her heels. One brave kit, a male; tried chewing on the heel of his boot. Fury scooped up the kit, scratched between its ears, and watched as Fiona appeared with her cart and Miggs. She climbed into the cart, lifted the reins and the cobb mare was off with Fiona on her appointed rounds.
Fury set the kit down next to the waiting vixen and he tracked back around to the kitchen door and walked in. He spotted Fiona's visitor sitting on the kitchen counter wolfing down a plateful of honey and biscuits. Nicodemus scowled disapprovingly at him, "You should be out watching over the girl."
The visitor grumbled and was gone, leaving Nicodemus in the kitchen alone. He went upstairs and found Sunny's bedroom. He found her knapsack on the floor beside the bed. He sat in the wingback chair and pulled out the sketchbooks Sunny used to draw all her pictures. He opened one and carefully studied each portrait and drawing of plants and animals.
He came to the picture of himself and stopped to look at it. It was like looking in a mirror, the image of himself seemed to glare back at him accusingly. It was uncanny how she had managed to put on paper such vivid details. There were other sketches of him, his hands holding the leather lariat, his face and eyes, cheekbones. He flipped through the other pages and found one that made him pause. There in stunning detail was his true self. He was astride his black courser and looking quite bemused and every inch of him self-assured and confident. Nicodemus had to admit Sunny had captured him with unflinching accuracy. He noticed the notes she had written in the lower part of the page, and he smiled in satisfaction. "Beautiful."
Then he came to drawings of Fiona. They were stunningly beautiful and done with love, Fiona was a fine-looking woman, but Sunny had added and enhanced certain things while also taking years away. Other drawings of Fiona were more accurate, but clearly, Sunny was studying her subjects and seeing things that no other saw. He went through each of the sketchbooks, seeing more drawings and sketches of Tully and his caravan, the Ballencoo Arch, Hugh O'Donnell, and many of his horses. He checked for notes on O'Donnell and found none. He wondered why she had been compelled to write 'beautiful' under his portrait.
In the end, Nicodemus did not find what he was looking for in Sunny's drawings. He was not sure what he would find, but those few drawings of his true self and the daemons were the only ones that were different and there had been nothing since that night in Sunny's sketches that stood out in his mind to be alerted to. Fiona had blurred those memories and Sunny was oblivious to what she had done.
He returned the sketchbooks to the knapsack and went downstairs and out the kitchen door without leaving a trace that he had been there.
Sunny returned home, she had gotten there before Fiona. She glanced in the small barn and saw Miggs, and the cart were still gone. Sunny walked around to the back to enter the house from the kitchen. She pulled her boots off and left them at the door to one side where another pair of Wellingtons sat. Sunny walked into the kitchen and looked around. The cottage felt different. "Hello?"
She heard nothing. Silently she left the kitchen and walked slowly into the hall and at the staircase she peered up, listening for any noise. She heard only the grandfather clock clicking off the seconds. Then she heard a soft grunting sound! It was not a normal sound; but a sound that sent a shiver down her spine! She crouched down and peered up the staircase; the sound was coming from upstairs!
Slowly, she climbed up the flight of stairs and stopped at the landing, listening for the sounds. Whatever it was, it was in her bedroom, rummaging. She crept to her bedroom door and took a deep breath, then she burst into the room, yelling at the top of her voice.
There perched on her trunk was a creature from a horror movie! It turned and looked at her with a mouthful of peppermint candies in its maw! Sunny screamed again and it yowled back, showing an impressive set of teeth to her. It regarded her with round glassy black eyes that reminded her of a Bassett Hound. Her heart was beating so fast and loud in her ears that she could not hear herself screaming or hear the creature screaming back at her! Then there was silence. She stood frozen in place staring horrified at this unearthly creature.
Oddly enough, there was something familiar about this creature. Then very slowly like a sloth, it began to move away, its round black scowling eyes on her with every move it took. Suddenly realization hit and Sunny gasped in recollection, "Bracken! You're --- Oh my God; You're real!"
The creature's face crumbled into a deep scowl, the glittering black eyes narrowing. "I Watcher!" he announced around the half dozen peppermint candies in his mouth.
"You're stealing my peppermints!" Sunny declared.
Bracken had been filling his pockets with the candy mints when she walked in, he stuffed what was in his hands into other pockets of his clothing and glared at her. She glared back at him. "How did you get in here!" she demanded.
"Came in window!" Bracken snapped back at her.
Sunny's eyes flew to the open bedroom window and took a step toward him, "You were spying on me!" She was shouting at him, and he flinched as her terrified voice rang painfully in his peaked bat-like ears. "I saw you peeping in my window!"
"I Watcher!" Bracken screeched back. "I watch!" He glanced at the open window too, preparing to escape and get away from the crazy woman.
"Are there others out there?" Sunny wanted to know.
"Many Watchers," Bracken replied still moving toward the window. He was on her bed now and creeping toward his escape. "Watching."
Sunny felt the prickling pain in her scalp, it was a strange pain but there was also an awareness there just beyond her reach. "What are you doing in my room?"
"Sweets!" Bracken declared.
She opened her mouth to ask another question when she heard the door open downstairs, "Sunny? I'm home!" Sunny looked over her shoulder and Bracken leaped out the window, leaving a trail of peppermint candies clattering on the floor and windowsill behind him. Sunny glared at the open window then went over and slammed it down and locked it.
"I'm going to put the kettle on for tea!" Fiona called up to her. She was about to turn away from the stairs when she felt something tug at her skirt. She looked down at her visitor with a mixture of fear and consternation.
"She see me!" Bracken whispered. "She see me!"
"That is impossible!" Fiona told him.
Bracken growled up at Fiona then climbed up to perch on the bottom staircase newel, so he was eye-level with her. "She. See. Me!"
Fiona turned away and walked into the apothecary. Tears threatened but she pressed the heels of her hands hard into her eyes. Bracken glanced up the stairs, hearing Sunny preparing to come down. He leaped up to hide behind a heavy wood beam and watched her, his round Basset Hound eyes glittering in the shadows of the ceiling.
Sunny came bounding downstairs calling for Fiona. She stormed into the kitchen and found it empty. "Aunt Fiona!" She came out into the hallway and twisted in a tight circle, then spotted a peppermint on the floor near the apothecary door. She picked it up and scowled at it. Then she marched into the small workroom and stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. "Aunt Fiona; just what the hell is going on here? There's a weird-ass creature stealing peppermints from my steam trunk!" To emphasize her point she shook the plastic-wrapped peppermint pinwheel candy in the air.
Fiona faced a determined young woman and suddenly felt very old and very tired. "Sunny," she said, "We need to talk."
Sunny's outrage evaporated as she saw the terrible tension in Fiona and the tears welling her the older woman's eyes. "Aunt Fiona!"
Sunny's demeanor did not alter as Fiona thought it might. It was evident that all her previous workings would no longer continue to blur Sunny's memories. The promise she had made to Colleen and to Maire to keep silent had ended. Now the truth needed to come out.
"You can see Bracken, can't you Sunny?" Fiona asked as they walked out of the apothecary and into the kitchen.
Sunny was caught off guard by the question and stumbled over the throw rug. She scoffed. "Yes! I wish I couldn't! What the hell is happening? What is it?"
Fiona smiled. The clan of Watchers were indeed a frightful group and Bracken was more civilized than the other Watchers; he wore clothing where the others went about with little more than scraps of cloth or felted wool around their bodies. "You should not be able to see him at all," Fiona said. "I spent a lot of time trying to hide him from you."
As they reached the kitchen Sunny turned and faced Fiona a frown beetling her forehead. Fiona set about gathering glasses and a pitcher of lemonade from the icebox. "What do you mean you were hiding him? – How long has he been creeping around?"
"Not creep, Watch!" Bracken appeared on the kitchen counter and Sunny jumped back in alarm and then glared at the Watcher, highly annoyed and very agitated with his ability to pop in and out with no warning.
"You're a sneak thief!" she snapped at him, "And a peeping Tom!"
Bracken growled at her, showing all his horrible maw of teeth, and popped out of sight.
Sunny turned her ire back on Fiona, "What is happening? My God, what's going on here, Aunt Fiona? This is like a damn horror movie!"
Fiona picked up the tray of lemonade and ginger cookies and headed out the back door of the kitchen, "Bring the glasses dear."
Sunny growled in frustration, picked up the two glasses, and followed Fiona out to the side garden. When she set the glasses on the tray, she spotted her knapsack on a chair. She opened her mouth to complain about how it got outside but decided against it as Fiona angled a sharp look up at her. "Have a seat, Sunny."
Sunny plopped down and grabbed her knapsack and looked inside. Everything was there, untouched. Agitation and a sudden fear gnawing at her insides made her pull one of the sketchpads from the canvas bag and take two pencils from the tin, automatically sliding the spare behind her ear. She put the knapsack back on the chair and clutched her sketchbook against her chest in a protective gesture. She dropped it on the small outdoor table when Fiona handed her a glass of lemonade.
"I think you should come out now, dear," Fiona said softly looking down on the ground next to her feet.
There was a rustling and faint grunting noise next to Fiona's skirt, and then popping up on the vacant chair where Sunny had dropped her knapsack was Bracken.
"She donnet 'member may!"
"Of course, she does," Fiona said. "She remembered drawing you when she was just a child."
Bracken waved a dismissive hand at Sunny then glared over at Fiona. "Been away too long!"
Fiona looked at Sunny then over at the creature and smiled as he eyed the plate of cookies and licked his lips in anticipation. "Bracken is a Watcher."
Sunny frowned first at him then at Fiona, "That's what he said!" she muttered. Glancing up into the trees, she flung a hand up at them. "Then I did see them running along the branches when I first got here. I just thought I was just seeing things."
Bracken wiggled his long brown fingers then reached over and snatched one of the cookies off the plate, crammed it into his mouth, and chewed. He scowled at them both as he realized they were talking about him.
"You've probably always caught glimpses of this and that and just thought you were seeing things," Fiona replied. "Your mother was afraid one of the Watchers might take you off, so she was hyper-vigilant, especially when Bracken attached himself to you."
Fiona handed another cookie to Bracken, "Have another dear. I'm going to tell Sunny all about us."
Bracken grumbled under his breath but took the cookie from Fiona's fingers and hunched back in the garden chair. Sunny studied the Watcher in horrified fascination then snatched a cookie off the plate and sat back in her chair in much the same way, ready to hear what had been kept from her for so many years.