Nicodemus came downstairs and entered the kitchen. It was empty, and he heard voices outside. The crew Lucy Bishop had taken into the woods to harvest the elderberries had returned. There was plenty of help in cleaning and separating the berries into batches for the cooking cauldrons. He opened the door and stepped out onto the back porch. He spotted Sunny among the throng of women sorting through the baskets the harvesters had carried in. She glanced over at him and smiled.
Just her smile filled him with light! He was experiencing something he had not felt since he was a boy! It felt wonderful, but it was also frustrating. In his present form, he had to hold himself back. Pretend to be a doting uncle!
Tully appeared in the yard below where Fury stood watching the activity and his eyes never leaving Sunny! "You are not doing a very good job at hiding your thoughts, Nico!"
Fury looked down at Tully and frowned at the blacksmith, "What are you talking about?"
Tully scoffed lightly. "I know your scheming ways," he told Fury, "But you should at least try to hide it for Sunny's sake!"
Fury leaned on the railing, "Fiona already knows, I will protect Siobhan with my life – why can you not see it?"
"Oh, I see it," Tully admitted glancing over his shoulder where Sunny stood with the women cleaning the elderberries, "But you forget that I have those same feelings for Fiona. If you do anything to hurt Sunny, you will have me to reckon with, family or not!"
Nicodemus nodded. "I understand."
A small band of soldiers was just emerging from the cover of the forest from the Badger clan. Nicodemus broke away and went to the leader. They spoke in low tones for a moment then they headed back into the woods.
Sunny joined him in the secluded area of the yard, "Something happening?" Sunny wanted to know.
Nicodemus sighed heavily, "The Arch is beginning to close."
"I thought because of the full moon that it would stay open longer than usual," Sunny said, feeling a sudden foreboding prickle her scalp.
"It appears that is not the case this season," Nicodemus said. "I will need to alert the other clans and those selected this season to go to Nu'Ada."
"I'll go find Tully," Sunny said. "Tell him what's happening, and he can notify the others."
Nicodemus nodded and stepped away only to stop and look over his shoulder at her. "I think that you should say your farewells to your captain and Fiona. We will be leaving for Arwyn tonight."
Sunny watched him disappear then turned and started the walk back to the yard where the pots of elderberry elixir were now being cooked down with other ingredients. She spotted Tully with Lucy and waved to him and went into the kitchen. When he could ease away he joined her. There, she told him what Nicodemus had found out from the Badger clan soldiers.
He glanced upwards at the ceiling then down at Sunny. "If the arch is closing early, we won't have long then," he was frowning in thought. All the charting that he and Nicodemus had done in thinking the arch would remain open longer had suddenly evaporated.
"Has it ever closed early before?" Sunny asked.
Tully was still lost in thought then he looked over at her and smiled fondly. "There is a first time for everything," He saw the worry spring into her eyes, and he hugged her shoulders. "Not to worry lass."
"I've got to see Hugh, his feelings are confused right now and then spend the rest of the evening with Aunt Fiona," Sunny told him, already jumping ahead to her plans for the rest of the afternoon.
Tully took her hand in his two rough calloused ones, and he held them gently. "Lass you will always have men who will be confused as you say, there will be men who will die for you and men who will love you with a fierceness that will take your breath away. You will love them all, and care for them all – as the mother of all – as the Daj Sultana."
"That's a daunting task," Sunny murmured. "I hope I can carry the weight of that responsibility."
"You will my girl," Tully said with a reassuring wink, "It is the men that cannot always share equally between the geis and themselves. By the time you have to take up the mantle of the Dannan, you will be ready."
Tully turned to leave through the kitchen door when he stopped and looked over his shoulder at Sunny, "You do not need to look for Hugh; he is here."
Sunny turned and saw Hugh coming up on the kitchen porch. "Looks like you have an entire regiment of ladies boiling up brews and stews!"
Sunny laughed. "Well, while Aunt Fiona is recuperating, she is going to need help with the folks that are sick. Cassie will be helping as much as she can for the next few weeks."
"So, you're still planning on leaving?" Hugh asked.
Tully clasped Hugh's arm in farewell, "I will talk to you later, laddie."
Hugh nodded and offered his hand. "I'll catch you up later at Cluny's."
Tully winked good-naturedly and left. Hugh sat down at the kitchen table and Sunny took a seat across from him. "Hugh, it looks like the clan will be leaving sooner than I thought."
He nodded silently looking at his clasped hands that rested on the kitchen table. "I saw that Rainbow and his clan were beginning to pack up. I guess everyone is leaving."
Sunny studied Hugh for a moment then as she examined his somber features, the thoughts of Orion came to her clearly as if the Pooka had been sitting in the room with them. ["I have a replacement for your captain."]
["He will know!"] Sunny sent.
["He will not,"] came Orion's sonorous reply. ["One of my brothers has come to take my place – he comes on the orders of the emperor."]
That was an interesting development! Sunny smiled at Hugh, "I will be leaving in the early morning with the Dannan clan. But I will be leaving Orion with you as Nicodemus had originally arranged."
"How?" Hugh asked.
"I think if we bring him to the back pasture as you had planned and keep him there and introduce your mares as you want, he will be fine. Just know that no one is to ever attempt to ride him or get close to him."
Hugh grimaced. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that! I still don't know how you can ride that brute."
"We have an understanding," Sunny replied.
Hugh chuckled lightly, "Well while you're gone, I can immerse myself into the breeding program. Possibly by the time you get back the first of the foals will be here for you to see."
"I hope so, Hugh," Sunny said. "You'll have a whole pasture full of little proud princesses and princes to be watching over."
"Aye," Hugh breathed, and his light hazel green eyes danced merrily at the thought. "I sure hope so!" He sobered and reached over and captured her hand. "You said when you get back; you're truly staying in Ballencoo?"
"I am," Sunny replied with a smile. "When it's time, I'll take over from Aunt Fiona as Dannan, but until then she'll have a lot to teach me."
He frowned slightly but then decided not to question her decision. "Well, I'm glad you'll be staying on."
Cassie came into the kitchen from the yard and smiled at them. "Hello, you two! Sunny, could you check on Fiona for me? The last time I went up she was trying to get a look at what was going on. She'll want to know what all is happening."
"Sure," Sunny said she looked over at Hugh, "Come on up with me and you can distract Aunt Fiona for a few minutes."
He chuckled and allowed himself to be pulled up from the kitchen chair and followed Sunny up the stairs. He seemed a bit uncomfortable as he stood at Fiona's bedroom door. Sunny tapped on the door and opened it slightly, "Are you decent? Hugh's here to visit."
Fiona smiled happy for the distraction, fluffed her coverlet, and adjusted her bed jacket. "Come in! Come in Hugh!"
Hugh followed Sunny into Fiona's bedroom and he came to sit in the chair next to her bed. He took her hands in his and held them gently as he sat forward in the chair. "After all this time of taking care of all of us, we finally get a chance to take care of you! How are you feeling?"
"Oh, I'm much improved," Fiona responded. She glanced at Sunny as she sat on the end of her bed. "Sunny has been such a blessing, I am lucky to have her agree to stay on."
Hugh smiled fondly at Sunny, "Aye, I think we're all happy she is staying on. I'm just sorry she is having to leave so soon."
Fiona looked over at Sunny and nodded. "My last visitor told me that the clan was leaving. It was a little unexpected, but you can never predict the ways of the clan."
Hugh nodded in wry agreement, "No, I guess not!"
"I thought I heard a man's voice up here,"
They turned to the door and saw Nicodemus standing in the doorway. He glanced at Sunny and sent his silent message that he knew about Orion's switch. He clasped the young man's shoulder, "I'll be bringing the brute in question out to your pasture late this afternoon."
"You are bringing him?" Hugh asked. "I thought Sunny – "
"Siobhan will be in the caravan I'm afraid. The Dannan clan is leaving late tonight," Nicodemus said glancing over at Sunny. "It is a tradition that must be adhered to --- by everyone."
Hugh was silent. Even though Sunny could not hear his thoughts, his face said everything. When he saw her studying him he grinned suddenly at her. "Well, I think I'll just hang about until you get ready to join the clan. You can put me to work with whatever needs doing."
"Great," Sunny cheered. "Lucy and Cassie are the ones orchestrating this operation, so we can both get orders."
Hugh got to his feet, "You get better soon, Aunt Fiona! I'll come over and get you when you are well enough to travel."
"All right, my boy. Thank you. Let Lady Margaret know that I'm feeling much better and not to worry."
"I will."
Nicodemus followed them out into the hall, "A word with you Siobhan,"
Sunny nodded and she looked at Hugh where he stood at the top of the stairs. "I'll be down in a few minutes, Hugh. Find Lucy and she'll put you to work!"
Hugh was about to object then his expression softened, "All right, see you in a little bit."
Nicodemus waited long enough to hear the kitchen door open and close. He took her hand and pulled her into her bedroom. He closed the door and bolted it. He pulled Sunny into his arms and kissed her. It was a hard, passionate kiss that held a tumultuous jumble of emotions. She wrapped her arms around his neck and melted against him. Nicodemus wanted to burn all thoughts of Hugh, Sean, and Gaddis Anu from Sunny's thoughts. He wanted her as he had never wanted another woman!
He set her down so that she had to tiptoe to remain in his embrace. Both were breathless as he reluctantly eased away. "I have to attend to something, and I may need to be out of touch with you. But I will be back!" He kissed her once more, leaving her in no doubt of his words. He unlocked the door and was gone. Sunny watched him leave then she hurried downstairs and out to join the ladies where the pots of elderberry elixir were now being cooked down with other ingredients.
Lucy waved her over to where Hugh was already working on cleaning the freshly picked herbs. As they sat at a large table with other workers, they fell into a light conversation. Eventually, they all were chatting and the work they were doing was made less tedious.