Four Days Before Festival – 12:05 am
The celebration began to break up past midnight with celebrants from the various clans carrying the party to their encampments. Fiona sat in the garden with Sunny, Tully, and Nicodemus. "I think it went off well."
Nicodemus nodded glancing over at Tully who was beginning to nod off, primarily from the large quantities of whisky and beer he had consumed. "I believe everyone will attest to the success of the ceremony. It was an excellent idea to ground Siobhan with the locket."
"Aunt Fiona's idea," Sunny murmured and stretched her hand out to take hold of Fiona's fingers.
Tully began to snore softly, and Sunny began to giggle at the sound.
Bracken was still sampling the food forgotten on the tables, on plates scattered around the garden, belched loudly and caused Sunny to dissolve into gales of laughter.
"How much have you had to drink?" Fiona asked her.
"Oh, tons!" Sunny burbled.
Nicodemus smiled faintly and angled a look over at Fiona, "It appears you and I are the only sober ones here."
"Looks like it," Fiona replied. She looked up into the trees and found there were still a few ravens in attendance. "It also looks like Sunny has picked up a few more admirers."
Nicodemus looked up and studied the ravens. He sighed heavily, "We've not treated them fairly,"
"Speak for yourself," Fiona said, her eyes snapping at him.
He smiled and wagged a long eloquent finger at her, "You've had a bit more to drink than you let on."
Fiona scoffed indignantly at him, "Maybe so, but it is true.
"Yes," Nicodemus responded, "It is the truth you say, but I have supported the doer Nemed in my time – and against the wisdom of my elders."
"And they were wrong!" Fiona snapped back.
"No fussing!" Sunny murmured, "It's a party!"
Fiona smiled indulgently at Sunny where she lay on the bench. She looked over at Nicodemus. "Could you take Sunny up?"
He glanced over at Sunny and nodded. He bent over and gently shook her shoulder. "Come on Siobhan, time to sleep."
Sunny roused herself and looked up into his face. She blinked several times to clear her vision. The mirage was happening again! A double image of Fury floated before her. One that was young and beautiful! The other was older, but just as beautiful. She only smiled and as he lifted her into his arms she leaned her head against his shoulder.
Nicodemus could feel the immense energy flowing from the woman in his arms. It resonated and thrummed with the beat of his heart and was drawn deep into his core of energy. It was far more intoxicating than any liquor!
Fiona turned back to see if Fury was behind her, she paused to study them. There was an odd coupling of energies that danced around them. Then as quickly as it appeared, it faded away. She led Fury through to the kitchen door. "Sunny's room is the first door at the top of the stairs," Fiona said as Fury passed her. "I am going to make Tully come in. He can sleep in the parlor. I'd like to talk to you before you go."
Fury paused and faced Fiona. "I will be right down and help you with Tully."
Fiona nodded and closed the back door behind her. Nicodemus looked at Sunny, the flood of energy poured over him like a waterfall! He tried to dismiss what he felt but he could not! It played havoc with his carefully placed shields.
At the top of the stairs, Fury paused and studied her features. As he did she opened her eyes and looked at him with open curiosity. She moved closer, and he was captivated by her incredibly clear green eyes. "Who are you?" she asked him. "Why do I see two of you?"
"Too much strong drink," Nicodemus murmured. He pushed her bedroom door open with his foot and stepped into her room.
"No," Sunny announced, "I have always seen two of you."
He set her on the side of her bed and started to leave when Sunny grabbed his hand in hers, "You can't hide from me, Nicodemus Fury!"
Fury took her hand and lifted it to his lips, kissing it gently, "I have no intention of hiding from you," Sunny curled up on her bed and sighed contentedly. He covered her with the quilt from the foot of the bed, and ran his fingertips across her forehead, "Go to sleep, acushla."
Sunny smiled, then yawned, "Acushla? What does that mean?"
"Good night, Siobhan," Nicodemus whispered and was gone.
Nicodemus breathed in the cool night air and calmed his racing heart. He already knew what Fiona wanted to discuss. He found her coaxing Tully to his feet. He came over, pulled the blacksmith up, and draped an arm over his shoulders. "Come on Tully, you cannot sleep out here, you will freeze to death!"
Tully grumbled, but he roused enough that Fury did not have to carry the smith on his back. Fiona opened the kitchen door and followed them into the parlor. Fury eased Tully down on the couch and Fiona pulled his boots off and covered him with a quilt.
Nicodemus then followed Fiona back into the kitchen. She faced him, "How much of the Da'ark did you retain?"
"Is it the deflection spell that concerns you?" Fury asked.
Fiona shook her head. "No, Sunny concerns me," she told him. "I can see how she is drawn to you. I can see how your energies are drawn together – you cannot allow it to go any further, Nicodemus!"
"I have told you before," Fury said with annoyance creeping into his voice, "I will protect Siobhan, I pledged my fealty only a few hours ago! What else do you want from me, Fiona? I will not deny it - I am drawn to her energy, but I will not harm her, and I will kill anyone who tries!"
"Do you hear yourself?" Fiona asked. "You will kill?"
"To protect Siobhan," Fury declared, "Yes! Yes, I will kill to protect her! As for the Da'ark, my gate of energy is closed. I do still have a connection to my powers. They are not any more powerful than those of the Partholan."
Fiona frowned and turned away from him. She was not convinced, and Nicodemus knew she would never trust him. "I plan to speak to Sunny," she told him.
Fury inclined his head. "Do as you think best," he said. He walked out through the kitchen door and into the backyard of Laurel Cottage.
Since Tully was asleep, he decided to check the property's perimeter. He found everything quiet. He stopped in the yard and looked up at Sunny's bedroom window. She was awake and pacing back and forth. She stopped and pulled the curtains back as she spotted him. She raised the window, "You're leaving?" She called down to him.
"Yes," he called softly to her, "Why are you not asleep?"
"I was," she said, "But I woke up and felt anxious."
Fury stepped closer, "What are you anxious about?"
She leaned out. "Wait right there! Don't leave!"
Nicodemus started to warn her off, but she disappeared from her window. A few minutes later Sunny appeared and hurried toward him. She wore a pair of pajamas and had hastily stuffed her feet into sandals.
When she arrived, she wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled her close. "See if you stay, I won't be anxious," she told him.
He smiled indulgently, she was still intoxicated! "Fiona --," He did not finish because Sunny pressed her mouth to his. He was surprised by her and his reaction! Fury pulled back, but she had other ideas!
"I can see you clearly," she told him. "And I'm not afraid of you!"
Nicodemus realized the precarious situation he was in, and he leveled a hard glare at her, "Little girl, you should be!" His mouth was cruel and demanding as he kissed her. He hoped it would scare her away – but she caught his lower lip in her teeth and matched his hungry kiss with her own. Before things got completely out of hand, Fury set her away from him, issued a silent command, and sent her dreamily off to her bed.
He touched his mouth and scoffed lightly as he watched her walk away. She had drawn blood! He was lost! Nicodemus Fury was completely lost to Siobhan Colleen O'Neil! He would never be able to let her go!
When Sunny woke she found herself in her bed with her quilt tucked around her. The sunlight was streaming in her window and standing on a limb just outside the window was a large raven. When she sat up, it bobbed its head at her and flew off. She wondered if it was Danu or one of his brothers watching over her.
She shuffled off to the bathroom and examined her face in the mirror. She didn't feel any different. She fingered the gold locket and felt the slight vibration of power in the metal. Sunny guessed that was what the charm was supposed to do. Sunny wondered why she was so accepting of all the strangeness that had suddenly come into her life and why the normal things she encountered did not seem to make any sense to her. With the appearance of beings like Bracken, which looked like a cross between a lemur and a nightmare; the daemons were fearsome-looking creatures that escaped description! Then there was Nicodemus Fury – dark and mysterious, and otherworldly! She smirked at her reflection. Otherworldly was an understatement! Where was this other place? Tully had mentioned this place was on the other side of the arch – She turned away from the bathroom mirror, went into her bedroom, and closed the door. "Bracken?"
Almost immediately the watcher poked his head up in the window and tapped on the glass. Sunny went over to the window and pushed it up to let him in. He hopped up on her dressing table and patted his bulging stomach, "I eat everything! Good eats!"
"Bracken, how do I get on the other side of the arch?" Sunny asked.
The watcher looked up at her huge round eyes and smiled, showing just a few of his fangs. "You walk!" He giggled then and rocked back and forth clutching his distended belly.
"You know exactly what I'm asking you!" Sunny accused shaking a finger at him, "How do I get to the other side of the arch?"
"Cannot," Bracken grumbled. "You cannot go."
Sunny pulled her sketchbook out, unfolded the pages that had been torn out of the book, and wagged them at Bracken. "I went there this way – how do I go there for real?"
Bracken growled showed all his teeth at her and hopped back to the sill of the window. "I do not tell – big, big Fury troubles come!" He jumped out onto a limb and disappeared into the trees. Sunny tossed the sketchpad on the bed and scowled after the watcher. "I'll find out on my own!" she muttered under her breath.
She dressed and went downstairs to find Tully sitting with Fiona drinking coffee. From the way Tully held his head in his hands, he was still suffering from a wicked hangover.
"Good morning," Sunny whispered and winked over at Fiona, "How do you feel this morning?"
"I feel fine!" Fiona cheered, making Tully wince and glare up at her through his fingers.
"How it that you both are not suffering any ill effects from last night's festivities," Tully growled, casting a baleful eye at them both, "And I know for a fact you both drank more than your share of ale and stronger brew last night!"
"It was the tea," Fiona replied.
"Really?" Sunny questioned. "The tea kept us from a massive hangover?"
"Aye," Fiona replied with a mischievous grin, "Something mum showed me."
"Smart lady," grumbled Tully. "I wish I had thought to partake of it last night before drinking to the bottom of the barrel."
Sunny poured coffee into her cup and added cream and sugar. She was careful not to clink her spoon against the sides of the cup and spare Tully's head. She sipped experimentally and nodded in pleasure as the warm brew reached her stomach. "Very good coffee, Skye."
Fiona arched a brow at her great-niece then smiled, "So have you decided on which gown you'll be wearing to the first day of the festival?"
"The girl needs to think about her maiden's wreath even before any gown she is to be wearin'!" Tully grumbled.
Fiona looked surprised at Tully's remark then nodded in agreement, "Aye, you're absolutely right. I think we should decide what your maiden's wreath shall consist of and what the message should be."
Sunny cast her eyes upward in thought, "Well I love daisies," she murmured softly and looked over at Fiona, "How about shamrocks?"
Fiona noticed something different in Sunny demeanor, "Aye, both are easily found," she replied glancing at Tully, "Anything else?"
"Peppermint," Sunny added, and after a moment she nodded as if confirming something, "And flax."
It was then Tully raised his head from his hands and looked at Sunny, "You want to add flax?"
"The wreath speaks of the maiden," Fiona told her, "Every flower, plant, and herb placed in the wreath tells a story about the woman."
"I know," Sunny said nodding her head in agreement, "Then we should add Hawthorn as well."
"Why?" Tully asked.
"Hope," Sunny responded looking at Tully and then at Fiona.
Fiona looked at Sunny closely, "Sunny is that you?"
Tully sat up and turned to Sunny. Whatever presence that inhabited Sunny was not alarmed at being discovered she smiled warmly and regarded them both with bemused humor, "You know me well enough, and I you!"
Then Sunny nodded; the glassy look in her eyes fading away, "Yes, I think daisies, peppermint, shamrocks, hawthorn, with beautiful blue flax would be perfect; don't you?"
"Sunny, did you feel a presence around you just now?" Fiona asked her.
Sunny frowned slightly, "No, why?"
Tully pulled thoughtfully at his lower lip then pointed to Sunny's neck, "Still wearing the locket?"
Sunny nodded, pulled the locket from beneath her shirt, and let it dangle from its chain on her index finger.
"You think it was your mum?" Tully wondered aloud looking over at Fiona.
"I don't know," Fiona murmured then looked over at Sunny, "Do you remember calling me Skye?"
Sunny shook her head, "What did I say that makes you think I was channeling your mother?" Sunny wanted to know.
"I called your name and asked if it was you," Fiona said, her frown deepening in thought, "You answered, 'You know me well and I you'. I don't know who else it would be."
"Maybe the ceremony last night opened a kind of ancestral party line?" Sunny suggested.
Tully shook his head, "That would take quite a lot of doing – supernatural doings," He pointed to himself and then to Fiona, "None of us, or the Dannans, have ever practiced or dabbled in those areas."
"I don't know, then," Sunny said lightly, "Maybe the ancestors have found a way to connect and communicate?"
"Perhaps so, but do you understand the items to be placed in your maiden's wreath and their significance?" Fiona asked Sunny.
Sunny thought for a moment, "You mean like the language of flowers? I guess so; like the saying, 'fresh as a daisy'…"
"Daisies would be innocence," Fiona began ticking each item on her fingers, "Peppermint, warmth; Shamrocks, lightheartedness; Hawthorn, hope, and Flax, fate."
"Or geis," Tully replied looking grimly at Sunny, "Which means no young man will go after your wreath."
Sunny smiled at him and patted his arm comfortingly, "That's no problem," she replied. "I'm not ready to jump into any relationship – of any kind."
"You could leave the flax out of the wreath," Fiona suggested.
"Well, that would be lying," Sunny said, "I've had more than enough of that in my life too." She rose and put her coffee mug in the sink. "I think the wreath will be very pretty with that emerald-colored gown, don't you think?"
"Aye," Fiona murmured, "Very pretty indeed,"
Sunny nodded she glanced out the window over the sink, "I think I'll gather up my stuff and go out and do a bit of sketching unless you need me for something."
Fiona shook her head, "No dear, I've nothing going on, I go out tomorrow morning to see a few folks."
"Good," Sunny threw over her shoulder, "Then I'll be off, I wonder who will be tagging along with me?"
Tully chuckled, "You never know."
Sunny leaned over and placed a light kiss on Tully's temple as she passed him on the way out of the kitchen. "Feel better!"
When she had gone, he looked over at Fiona and whistled low under his breath, "What was that exactly?"
Fiona frowned in thought, "I'm not sure," She said glancing toward the hallway Sunny had gone through, "She is different somehow."
"The naming ceremony would not have done anything in the way of further awakening her gifts," Tully said, also looking at the way Sunny had departed, "As you say, she is changed --- and something else," he said looking at Fiona in amazement.
"What's wrong?" she asked him.
"My head," he replied, "It feels fine."
Fiona raised her eyes toward the ceiling, "She told you to 'feel better', her gifts are surfacing without any training."
"You're certain she's not been somehow awakened?" Tully asked.
"I am certain," Fiona replied. "There has been no blood oath given or taken."
Tully got to his feet and sighed heavily, "I'll stop by Cassie's and talk to her, maybe she will need to strengthen the spell."
"Aye," Fiona murmured. "I'll see you later this afternoon?"
Tully nodded. "I've got a bit of business to attend to, and then I'll be back."
Fiona watched him leave through the kitchen door, then gazed up at the kitchen ceiling thinking of Sunny and all that had transpired in the last few weeks. How in the world would she ever return to a normal life in the States? Knowing the truth of her fate?
Tully headed out to his wagon, glancing up into the trees to catch sight of both Watcher and raven activity. He sighed heavily, and Cherry Brumble nickered greetings and the blacksmith came and scratched in the spot she liked just behind her ears and down her neck. "Come on my girl, we have a bit of visitin' to do!"
March 15th
Three Days Before Festival – 9:25am
Sunny stood at the Arch looking at the structure critically then walked under the stone vault, wondering what exactly held it in place. It looked ancient; the stones were covered in green and white lichen and moss and the massive climbing rose twined itself up and around one side and dripped blossoms and leaves over to the other side. Sunny guessed the width to be more massive than she had first thought.
In examining the arch, she had initially guessed it might be of Roman design. She wondered if it was part of an aqueduct or part of a palace. This was, however, not of Roman construction, but far older than that. It seemed to be constructed from multifaceted stones. She frowned as she traced the way the stones seemingly melted into one another creating a patchwork of stone placed so close together that not even a piece of her sketch paper would fit between them. She could not identify the stone either and that puzzled her – where had this stone come from? She looked up at vaulted stones that soared overhead. How could these stones possibly be standing for so long?
"What you look for?"
Sunny spun around to find Bracken sitting on a pile of stones by the climbing roses. She frowned at him then back up at the arch. "How in the heck has this stood for so long?"
"Baro dook!" Bracken responded.
Sunny scoffed at his comment. "That's your answer to everything, Brat!"
The creature showed his teeth, it was more snarl than a grin. "Good answer to everything you ask."
"Is this a duplicate of what's on the other side of the arch?" Sunny wondered out loud.
"Aye, part of big, big wall!" Bracken declared. He stretched his thin arms wide and rolled off the pile of stone, jumped to the side of the arch, and scaled up the side to peer over the edge at Sunny, "Big, big wall long gone from here, but stands on the other side. You draw in the picture book."
Sunny looked down at her sketchbook and flipped back to the sketch she had done.
"This is a gate to a city. Sunny asked, "What city?"
"Gate to big, big city," Bracken said. "Eastern gate."
"There's a freakin' wall around the whole kingdom of Nu'Ada? Who the hell are they trying to keep out?"
Bracken giggled and swung down from the arch to land on the ground near where she stood. "You very funny," the watcher told her, "Big freakin' wall make Nemed feel safe. Wall not baro dook, only wall. Many holes in the wall."
"I see," Sunny replied still looking at her sketch then frowned up at the arch. "The eastern gate; then there are three others. How far away is it to where the Ne'Medians make their home?"
Bracken rolled his dark Bassett hound eyes up at her then pointed into the trees, "No speak, no troubles, no bad hurts to the Dannan."
"I'm not the Dannan yet," Sunny muttered and looked up into the trees where Bracken had indicated and saw the shadows of other watchers.
Bracken shrugged his shoulders. "Not know." He turned and bounded down the trail and up the nearest tree and disappeared.
Sunny sighed and went to pick up her knapsack where she had dropped it. She tucked her sketchbook inside and slung it on her shoulder. In her exasperation, she went up to the rough side of the arch and slapped her open hand against the stones. "There's got to be a way in – if the Dannan tribe can go back and forth, then there's no reason a first daughter couldn't go back and forth too!"
As she stood there, she heard the sound of hooves and the creak of a heavy wagon. She walked under the arch and down the trail a bit. She walked down the rough wagon trail and saw a wagon as it appeared from around the wooded bend – it was Tully.
Tully reined in Cherry Brumble and looked startled at Sunny, "Sunny?"
"Hi!" Sunny called and walked over to the wagon and looked up at the smith. "I was out poking around, trying to get some answers from Bracken, but he's not very cooperative!"
Tully leaned down, "Sunny, you should not be here. How did you get here?"
"What do you mean?" Sunny asked, feeling confused and suddenly lightheaded.
"Child you are in Nu'Ada!" Tully said.
"What?" Sunny looked around the woods then back up at Tully, "How could that happen?"
"I don't know," Tully said looking down into her frightened eyes. He wrapped the reins around the brake and stepped down to stand at Sunny's side. "We should head on back." He took hold of Cherry Brumble's halter, "Come on we'll just stroll on back the way you came." He took hold of Cherry's halter in one hand and Sunny's elbow in the other.
Sunny followed close beside Tully, back toward the Arch. As it came into view, she realized that something was different. The colors of the forest were more intense, and the air had a different quality about it.
The moment they crossed under the Arch, Sunny felt the change and when she looked back it was as if it had all been a dream.
Tully led Cherry off the side of the trail and let the mare nibble the grass. He came to stand next to Sunny, "What were you doing just before?"
Sunny frowned in thought, "Well, I was – I was talking to Bracken about the origins of the arch, and I was looking at the sketches I'd done." She said.
"You still wearing the locket?" He asked her.
She nodded and pulled it up by the chain.
Tully frowned at the locket, and then looked into Sunny's eyes, "That is not possible!"
Sunny looked down at the locket. A sudden and horrifying look washed over her face. "No, it's not! How?"
Tully knew as well as Sunny did, that no one could go into Nu'Ada with any kind of metal, charmed or otherwise! How could she have gone into Nu'Ada with any kind of metal without being consumed? How could he have not been harmed? He had been holding her arm when they passed through the arch back into Arwyn. "What were you doing just before you walked through?"
Sunny turned and looked at the arch. "I was studying it, trying to figure out what it was made of and how old it might be. I walked around it and under the arch several times, studying the stones, and touching them. Then Bracken found me, and we talked, but he wasn't answering many of my questions, and when I pressed him, he disappeared. I was annoyed so I picked up my pack and was about to head on back when I---," she frowned in confusion. "I ended up --,"
"In Nu'Ada," Tully responded.
"Yes," She looked up at Tully, "Do you think I can do it again?"
"We could give it a try," Tully replied. "But I think you should stow that locket away. Just to be on the safe side."
Sunny's hand went up to her throat where the locket chain rested against the side of her neck. "Yeah, I think we can say it's not working as it should."
"Something more powerful is protecting you, Sunny." Tully watched as she carefully took the locket off and then laid it in the tin of pencils she had in her knapsack with her other drawing supplies. "Try drawing me and the wagon, a safe enough subject!"
She nodded, drew out her sketchbook, and pulled two pencils from the tin, tucking the spare behind her ear. With quick and easy strokes, she began to draw Tully and the wagon. Quickly she began to capture the lines of the caravan and the red and white Vanner mare. As she drew, Tully sensed rather than saw the change. He looked to the arch and very clearly felt the doorway into Nu'Ada open. It was not in the usual way the portal opened; it was very different!
"Sunny, did you feel it opening?" Tully asked.
She looked up from her sketch, pencil poised above the sheet. She looked over at the arch. "It's open?"
"Aye," Tully responded, "But not in the way it's supposed to be. There's something else going on here."
As they were standing there the area of the arch seemed to darken – like the coming of a thunderstorm. Sunny took a step toward the arch with Tully catching her arm. "Stay back away from it!"
As they stood frozen on the spot the sudden appearance of darkened figures appeared. They seemed to be as surprised as Tully and Sunny. Tully took one step toward the arch then looked sharply at Sunny, "Close that book – Now!"
Sunny snapped the sketchbook shut and with that same action, the doorway of the arch closed as well. She looked down at the sketchbook as if it were about to burst into flames. "How could it happen? What happened?"
Tully rejoined her and took her wrist. "That the same book that you were drawing in the night the daemons attacked? The book you drew the protection spell in?"
"Yes, yes, it is." She replied. "I have another in my pack I can try drawing something in that one."
"Get it," Tully said, "This time I want you to draw something very different – not me and not the arch."
Sunny went to her backpack and pulled another sketch pad from the bag. It was a bit smaller but was the same kind of sketch paper, and from a set she had purchased at the same time as the pad that had opened the arch. She opened the pad and pulled her pencil from behind her ear, "What do you want me to draw?"
"I want you to draw a wagon trail going off into the distance, there are hills in the far distance, and in the open pastures to either side of this road are flocks of sheep and there's a shepherd boy with his dog, the dog is black and white with a large black spot over his right eye and ear. That eye is blue like the sky and the left eye is golden. The left side of this dog's face is white."
Sunny sketched quickly, hinting at the scenery, and concentrating on the dog. Tully described the dog in detail and as he watched the space of the arch, he heard barking. It was far off but coming closer. Then a haze began to bloom in the center of the arch opening. Tully heard the distant bleat of sheep and the faint but shrill whistle. Tully stepped toward the arch and whistled, immediately there was an answering bark. Tully peered into the growing haze, "Here!"
The barking continued and from the fog, the very animal Sunny was sketching appeared. Tongue lolling to one side and yapping happily. Tully grinned, "Connor!"
The dog bounded up and stopped short at the opening of the arch and whined. Sunny stopped and looked up. Tully squatted in front of the dog on his side of the arch, "How are you, my boy?"
The dog tilted his head to one side and yipped. Tully rubbed a hand over his face and scrubbed at it worriedly.
"Where is this?" Sunny asked stepping up beside Tully.
The smith glanced up at her and then stood. "Not where, this is a memory, a 'when'."
Sunny frowned, "What?"
"This is a memory," Tully said sadly, "A memory of when I was but a lad. This is Connor my best friend."
The dog barked and started to wag his tail and pace back and forth in front of the arch – but not crossing.
Tully worriedly looked at the dog, then at Sunny, and back again. The shepherd boy was approaching, and Tully stepped back. "I remember this happening only I was curious why Connor was standing on the hill just barking and whining."
"So, it did happen," Sunny replied. "This is the past! Your past!"
"Aye, it was a curious thing." Tully said softly, "I called Connor to come but he would not, just paced back and forth and barked at something I could not see. Then as I got halfway up the hill Connor turned and ran off back down the hill as if nothing had happened. I always wondered what he had seen."
Sunny looked into the arch and saw a figure coming up the hill. "Looks like you're coming to see what is going on."
Tully looked into the arch and shook his head, "Close the book."
Sunny did as she was told, and the memory and the haze dissipated and dissolved away. Tully sighed heavily and looked at Sunny. "This is something I have never seen before. I have heard the seers from the Sisterhood can call up memories, but not like this."
"Are they from the Da'ark you talk about?" Sunny asked.
Tully nodded his head and looked sadly at the young woman. "Let us try one last thing before we go."
Sunny frowned, "I'm not sure tinkering around with this is such a good idea."
"You have the control, Sunny." Tully told her, "You have all the control; I do not know how, but you do. This time do not draw what I tell you, let me tell you and you visualize it." He pointed to the arch, "Visualize it there."
Sunny drew a deep breath and then nodded. "All right I'm ready."
Tully turned to the arch as well and began. "Legends tell of the meeting between the first Dannan and the Ne'Median king. They met in the valley with the Partholan armies on one side of the valley and the Ne'Medians on the other side. Eyru rode down and met Gaddis there, she would try one last time to get Gaddis to make peace. It was against the advice of the Partholan High Council, but Eyru knew there must be peace or there would be war until the last man, woman, and child was dead."
As Tully told his story Sunny began to see in her mind's eye that day. In the frame of the arch a vapor formed and slowly there was an image formed. Tully paused in his narrative. Sunny watched in fascination as the image of a flame-haired woman and a figure of a man, but a very strangely familiar-looking man stood before one another on a grassy field. It was quiet and there Tully and Sunny heard the conversation:
"Eyru it is good to see you again. You are well I trust?"
She smiled. It was a sad smile, and she moved a step closer. "Gaddis,"
His leather armor creaked as he moved a step closer. There was a soft muffled chime of chain mail and a heavy thump as his brilliant white stallion pawed the earth. "I am well, but my heart is heavy."
"It was not of my doing," Gaddis said.
"I know, but can you not make the first move to suspend this fighting?"
"So, it is I that must be the better man and call an end to a war that I did not start."
Eyru looked up at Gaddis, "Will you not make the first move to peace?"
Gaddis scowled at the ground then looked back at Eyru, "Too much blood has been spilled – I cannot."
Eyru nodded. "As Tiernan has so spoken."
"Then what do you aim to accomplish here Eyru?" Gaddis asked her.
"I had to try one last time," Eyru said softly, her hands going to her bosom as though she had been struck. Gaddis frowned in concern and stepped closer to her, but she staggered back away from the Ne'Median king, "No, it is done." She whispered.
"What have you done Eyru?" Gaddis demanded.
She sank to one knee and laid a hand on the grass. Another quick stabbing pain forced her to cry out in pain and clutch the grass.
Gaddis stepped back a pace and from behind Eyru a single rider came thundering across the valley. The man leaped from his horse and ran to Eyru's side broadsword drawn.
Gaddis stepped a pace back and drew his blade, but both men froze as Eyru screamed in pain.
Tully heard the agony in the woman's voice, and she looked up at both men who stood with blades raised to strike. "No! It is done! A geis for all time!"
Tiernan raised his broadsword higher and made a move toward Gaddis then faltered and looked down at Eyru, "What? A geis?"
Eyru looked up her green eyes dark with pain and sadness, "I have done what no other would do to bring peace. It ends here and now."
Gaddis and Tiernan both dropped their broadswords to the earth as though their arms would no longer support the effort of holding them aloft. Gaddis dropped wearily to one knee, leaning on the hilt of his broadsword, "Explain Eyru."
It was Tiernan who spoke next. It was in a low hoarse whisper, "Look there,"
The Ne'Median warlord turned, and on the hillside, a dark swirling vortex had formed and was growing quickly to fill the sky. Gaddis got to his feet and faced the massive eye that looked down onto the valley where the two armies had massed themselves.
"We are going home, aren't we?" He said softly.
"Yes," Eyru said struggling to get to her feet. "You all are going home."
Tiernan's eyes blazed at Eyru, "Back? Back to where? To Nu'Ada?"
Gaddis scoffed lightly, "Not where; when!" He hefted his battle sword and laid the flat side on one shoulder, "Perhaps that is best,"
"You will be going home," Eyru told them, "But I will remain here."
Tiernan shook his head and caught Eyru's wrist in his gloved hand, "You are my wife!"
"No longer," Eyru said softly, "I will stay here and keep the peace and serve those who ask for my aid. It will be thus from now to the end of time."
"What deal did you make Eyru?" Gaddis asked then looked at Tiernan as he stepped back away from the woman he had only recently taken as wife. It was as if he no longer recognized her.
She smiled at the Ne'Median, "I went before the one who made this and all the world possible and offered my geis to bind us to peace."
"And him?" Gaddis nodded to Tiernan who was already drifting back the way he had come. He caught up the reins of his mount and pulled himself into the saddle.
"He will find another wife, one who will be a good and obedient queen," Eyru replied.
"He will never know his child," Gaddis said.
Eyru's hands went to her abdomen and smiled, "No, but I will tell her of her father."
"What will you tell the boy of his father?"
Both Eyru and Sunny gasped at the knowledge of the second child. Eyru looked up at Gaddis and smiled through a sheen of tears, "He will know his father!"
Gaddis glanced over his shoulder as the growing eye loomed closer. He opened his mouth to say more but he began to fade as the eye began to draw him in. Eyru reached out and gently brushed his hand with her fingertips and watched sadly as he faded away. The scene Tully and Sunny watched also melted into the mist and the opening of the arch cleared.
Sunny frowned, "How do we know what we saw was fact? How could I know all this?"
"I do not know, perhaps you are a catalyst," Tully replied. "You have the power that allows memories and truths to come through and be seen."
"A catalyst," Sunny repeated, "It sounds like I don't have control or choice of what is revealed, only giving power to whatever is waiting to come through."
"Right now, that is a dangerous thing," Tully said, "We must get you safely back to Laurel Cottage and somehow get you grounded, so this cannot happen except when you will it."
Sunny felt dizzy and weak like she used to when she dieted too much. "I'm not feeling so good." She murmured. She felt thirsty too and Tully saw her suddenly look drawn and pale. "We'll go back to Fiona's." The blacksmith scowled at the area around them, "That hunky-punk is never around when you need him!"
"Here!" Danu flew down from an oak tree and landed at Tully's feet. "Here!" the raven rasped the single word very clearly.
"Find Nicodemus Fury," Tully told the raven, "Tell him to come to Laurel Cottage as soon as he can."
Danu strutted in a tight circle angled a black eye at Sunny then launched into the air and was gone. "Where is Bracken?" Sunny wondered aloud then reeled as a wave of nausea hit her and she sat down hard on the ground. Tully hurried over to his wagon. When he got to where his pony and wagon stood, he looked up into the trees and saw the watchers gazing silently down. He did not have time to admonish them for not helping but urged Cherry Brumble to hurry to where Sunny waited.
Bracken was sitting near Sunny and looking anxiously around the forest. With reason, Tully realized, the forest was alive with curious eyes. Something had alerted them to the disturbances near the arch. He gently helped Sunny to her feet and guided her to the back of the wagon. There was a cot in the back, and he made her lie down. "We'll be at Fiona's in tic," he told her, "Just have yourself a bit of a lie-down."
She nodded and all but collapsed onto the cot. When Tully closed the door, Bracken looked up at the blacksmith with wide solemn eyes, "Not look right, look like a mushroom."
"Aye," Tully climbed into the front of the wagon and clucked to Cherry. "Make haste lassie!"
Cherry pricked her ears forward and sped off in a gallop on the road. Bracken rode on the seat next to Tully but ended up launching himself into a tree, traversing the limbs, and branches, and heading overland toward Fiona's cottage.
Sunny concentrated on breathing slowly and steadily and not passing out. When she felt the stillness and the dark stormy gray closing in, she coughed lightly and pushed blood into her brain. She had learned that trick from a nurse during one of her visits to the emergency room. Low blood pressure would sometimes make you feel faint. Coughing would force blood into your brain quickly and help keep you from fainting.
There seemed to be some urgency that she get back to Fiona before something else happened. She smiled grimly and wondered what other visions she might be able to conjure up feeling the way she did at the moment. She didn't even want to hazard a guess for fear she would trigger another memory.
She closed her eyes and felt herself begin to drift away. She was so tired! She heard voices; they were tense and seemed to be alarmed. She tried to open her eyes, but it was very difficult. She felt disconnected from her body. She drifted upwards and was suddenly looking down on a scene she could not understand at first.
"It is not your time, child."
Sunny turned idly toward the voice and spotted a woman standing next to her. The woman looked familiar, same russet hair, creamy white skin, and bright crystal emerald eyes. "Are you Colleen?"
The woman smiled, "I am known by many names, child, but I am not your grandmother."
"What's happening to me?" Sunny asked.
"You have stepped into the spirit world. It appears that this is but one of your many unique gifts. I sense that you have been given a gift that has made you even more powerful."
"Will I ever be able to control it?" Sunny asked as she watched the people below rush about.
"Oh yes," the woman said softly, "Very soon everything will be set right."
Sunny sighed heavily and suddenly found it difficult to breathe. Her head hurt, and she looked in alarm at the woman. "What's happening to me?
"It is time you returned."
Sunny was reluctant but felt compelled to return to her body. "Will I see you again?"
The woman smiled kindly at her, "Of course my dear…"
Everything went black. She felt the air being forced into her lungs. She opened her eyes and slowly focused on a pair of black eyes that were filled with great concern and something else she could not understand. He took each of her hands in his and held it firmly, rubbing it briskly between his. "Stay with me, Siobhan!"
He was shouting at her! She did as she was ordered and gazed into the dark depths of his eyes, she saw into him and saw the hurt and pain he carried. It hurt her as well and she felt hot bitter tears run down the sides of her face.
She reached up and laid a cold hand against his cheek her fingers passing over the scar that ran against the cheekbone. Fury was caught in the snare of her gaze. Then as quickly as it began, it was over, and he sat back on his heels feeling as if he had just surfaced from a deep ocean. When he saw that she was not coming back he took hold of her shoulders and shook her. "Wake up, Siobhan!" he told her his voice was commanding and stern. Sunny opened her eyes wide, took in a deep gasping breath, and came to a sitting position.
Nicodemus pulled her gently against him and held her for a moment. Sunny was immediately aware of him. His heart was hammering against her cheek. She could smell him, warm skin, smoke, horses, and the smell of the forest. She liked it and closed her eyes, melting into his embrace.
"Bring her inside!" Fiona called.
Fury met her scared eyes reassuringly. "She's going to be all right."
Fiona clutched weakly at Tully's arm then hurried to the door of the cottage and opened it wide.
"What happened?" Sunny asked softly then struggled to stand up. Nicodemus got to his feet then leaned down and held out his hands to her.
Sunny hesitated then took hold of his hands and was hoisted to her feet. She wobbled, feeling weak as a newborn calf and suddenly very tired. Seeing that she was not well enough to walk to the cottage, Fury moved in quickly, scooped her up, and carried her into the cottage with Tully following behind. Fiona was already in the entrance hall and directed Nicodemus to bring Sunny into the parlor.
Sunny was too weary to think of anything, but she was aware of the closeness of Fury! He deposited her on the overstuffed couch, the action bringing his face very close to hers for a brief moment. Their eyes met once again and with that contact, Sunny heard the name, 'moon-bear' and she looked up at him questioningly, knowing too where this individual was, "You're worried about Moon Bear. He is in the mountains, not far from the trail. He is wounded and cannot walk. He's hiding as close to the trail as he dares."
Nicodemus froze and looked searchingly into her eyes, trying to understand just how she knew what plagued his mind! "How far from the escarpment?" he whispered for her ears only.
Sunny closed her eyes briefly. She could see where Moon Bear had secreted himself. "He has had to hide in a cave below the formation of white rocks that -- that resemble a crooked witches' hat."
He frowned he could not 'see' where she was describing. Bracken appeared dragging her knapsack and Sunny reached for her mini sketchbook. She flipped quickly to a blank page and taking a sketch pencil Bracken had tucked behind his pointed ear, she began to sketch the area she was seeing. With quick sure strokes, she quickly drew both the area where the rocks made odd, crooked stacks and the location of the cave where Moon Bear lay.
When she had finished, she pulled the sheet from the sketchbook and handed it to Nicodemus. He frowned at the drawing. With those sure quick strokes of her pencil, she had captured the scene with such accuracy that it seemed she had been standing on a hillside looking down on the actual scene. He was certain he could find the area, but again he frowned, "How did he get so far away?"
Sunny shook her head. She was feeling very tired and just wanted to sleep. Those around her took her lethargy as something more serious and immediately began to rouse her.
"Perhaps this will help," Fiona said coming with a cup of tea. It was Nicodemus who poured a healthy measure of whisky into the cup. "You need to sleep."
He carefully folded the sketch and tucked it into his tunic. As he started to rise, Sunny reached up and caught his sleeve and he leveled an intense look at her. "Be careful," she told him. "There are patrols nearby and they are looking for Moon Bear too. He's made them very angry."
"Who is this Moon Bear?" Tully asked. He was standing behind the sofa leaning in to hear the conversation.
"He is one of my informants," Fury said getting to his feet. "He has been missing for several days and I was beginning to think he had run away." He glanced over at Sunny then looked over at Fiona a very serious and grave look clouding his face, "You had better keep the Morrigan, her people, and spies as far away from here as possible."
"Aye," Fiona whispered. She had no idea how any of this could have happened! She was terrified of what this meant. She looked over at Sunny and found she had fallen asleep. Bracken was sipping the rest of her tea from the cup he had taken from her hands. He had one of her drawing pencils tucked behind his ear and was perched on the arm of the couch just above where Sunny's head rested. Tully spread a light blanket over the girl and drew Fiona away to the kitchen.
Sunny slept deeply. She also traveled in her sleep to Moon Bear. As she traversed over the land, she wondered what she would find when she reached the cave where Moon Bear waited. She could smell the cedar and the sweet mountain air as it blew across her face. She spotted the cave and was swept down into the mouth of the small natural cave. Laying next to the wall was the slight figure huddled in a blanket. Her presence was felt, and he sat up and flattened his body against the arc of the cave wall. She crouched down and reached out to him.
"Nicodemus is coming for you," she told him.
Moon Bear was both afraid and mesmerized by the appearance of this woman. Sunny was not sure what she would find, but Moon Bear was not a daemon but a cross between a human and a grey tomcat. He had distinct feline features but was built like a trapeze artist. Elongated muscles that were wiry and strong like steel cables. He seemed about her height and looked very young. His body was covered in fine grey fur with stripes of darker grey along his forearms and his face had the same stripping that a bobcat would have. His eyes were copper colored and cat-like. As they regarded her, they were dilated wide in fear and pain.
"How?"
"I've told him where you are," Sunny told him. "Stay well hidden, there are patrols very near. I think I can send them away from here, so you do not have to run. Nicodemus will be here soon."
Moon-Bear showed his teeth and his distrust, "Who are you?"
"My name is Sunny." She said softly, she could sense the patrols as they got closer to where Moon-Bear had secreted himself.
She withdrew and was once again outside the cave high in the air near the treetops. She saw the patrols. They were daemons moving on foot and getting closer to the cave. She moved deeper into the forest and the scout saw movement in the area she had passed. He directed his party to follow, and they moved away from Moon-Bear.
Moon-Bear had slithered up to the mouth of the cave to watch. The scouting party moved away from him, and he thankfully shrank back to the back of the cave. The pain in his leg left him little choice, he would have to wait.
Sunny returned and woke up with a start. Fiona was seated near and was waiting with water. Sunny drank thirstily, she realized that this new ability would alarm Fiona and from the looks on Tully's face, he was frightened but refrained from saying anything to Fiona. Sunny met his eyes and there was a glimmer of understanding there.
Bracken hopped to the back of the couch where she lay and peered down at her. "Color back, but shadows in eyes. You spirit-walker now."
Fiona looked at the watcher sharply, "What did you say?"
Bracken shrugged his shoulders, leaped off the couch, and was gone.