the big
soldier demanded.
Siobhan turned sad
eyes toward her husband. “They have much to conquer in this life, but if they
persevere, they will have great rewards.”
Niall walked the two
of them over to the bench by the fireplace and settled them onto it. He oftimes
got lost in his wife’s cryptic pronouncements and this was definitely one of
those times.
Siobhan absently
patted the old Druid’s hand. The smile she offered him did nothing to hide her
fatigue. “She is no witch, Niall, despite what you think. Nor is this some illness
or disease that will infect us all.”
Niall opened his
mouth to protest, worried that the Druid had also succumbed to her pain.
“Your wife speaks
true, Niall,” Odhran confirmed quickly. After a pause to catch his breath, he
added. “The girl is changing into a woman.”
“Nay,” the big man
spat. “I’ve never seen a cailín suffer that change as this one does.”
Odhran shook his
head, thinking for a moment. “Mayhap, my big friend, ’ tis the other way
around. The woman is changing into a girl.”
Niall stood there, a
look of total confusion splashed across his face.
Siobhan cut her eyes
to the Druid. The old man patted her hand now. “You feel it, too, daughter.
There are two within her. Until one or the other wins out, there is little
hope. And, if the wrong one does...”
“What gibberish is
this?” Niall demanded. “You said she was not a witch, but then how can there be
two?”
Siobhan stood up and
laid a restraining hand on his forearm. “She’s no witch, Niall. I will vouch
for that with my life.” She turned to face the Druid. “The pain comes from the
joining?”
The old man nodded,
suddenly worn out. “Aye. The one who is must become the one who was.”
“What of the
MacDermot?” Niall demanded, still confused by the Druid’s ramblings.
“What of him?”
Odhran blinked owlishly.
“Her pain is
fearsome and it becomes his. Can she survive it? Can he?”
“She may not.”
Odhran sighed. “Mayhap, he as well.” At Niall’s sharp intake of breath, Odhran
hastened to add, “Nay, his life will not be forfeit. His heart? That is yet to
be seen.”
Later, after Odhran
had been fed and given a place to sleep, Niall sought out Siobhan. He’d checked
on Ciaran and Becca, confirming both still slept peacefully, wrapped in each
other’s arms. Niall stood in the doorway, watching the man he’d helped raise
from boy to clann chief. A look of peace gentled Ciaran’s face, the expression
was one Niall hadn’t seen since Ciaran’s childhood. Shutting the door, he’d bid
the guards good night.
Siobhan had taken a
room not far from Ciaran’s so she could tend to Becca as needed. She was
already in bed when he entered. She looked fetching with the coverlet pulled up
to her chin, and he suspected she had nothing on underneath. He started
dropping his clothes at the door. Siobhan, her lips curled in a cheeky grin,
urged him to hurry.
“ ’ Tis been
too long, dear heart,” he growled. He kicked off his boots and his trews
quickly followed. He dove under the covers Siobhan held up and gathered her
into his arms. He found her full breasts, one with a rough hand, the other with
his mouth. He loved her long into the night. He loved her until they were both
exhausted and sleep claimed them.
Just before dawn,
Niall woke Siobhan and loved her all over again. When they were both satisfied,
he pulled her close.
“I am a man thick
with no wit, my love,” he admitted. “I dinnit get much that was said last night
by the Druid. Can yee straighten out my thinking?”
Siobhan kissed his
chest then laid her head on the spot. “Odhran thinks Becca’s soul has gotten
lost,” she explained. He made a sign to ward off evil but she stayed his hand.
“He thinks her soul came back to find Ciaran’s. When she was here the first
time, they missed each other, and so her soul went on to other lives. But there
was no living for her without him, so she’s come
soldier demanded.
Siobhan turned sad
eyes toward her husband. “They have much to conquer in this life, but if they
persevere, they will have great rewards.”
Niall walked the two
of them over to the bench by the fireplace and settled them onto it. He oftimes
got lost in his wife’s cryptic pronouncements and this was definitely one of
those times.
Siobhan absently
patted the old Druid’s hand. The smile she offered him did nothing to hide her
fatigue. “She is no witch, Niall, despite what you think. Nor is this some illness
or disease that will infect us all.”
Niall opened his
mouth to protest, worried that the Druid had also succumbed to her pain.
“Your wife speaks
true, Niall,” Odhran confirmed quickly. After a pause to catch his breath, he
added. “The girl is changing into a woman.”
“Nay,” the big man
spat. “I’ve never seen a cailín suffer that change as this one does.”
Odhran shook his
head, thinking for a moment. “Mayhap, my big friend, ’ tis the other way
around. The woman is changing into a girl.”
Niall stood there, a
look of total confusion splashed across his face.
Siobhan cut her eyes
to the Druid. The old man patted her hand now. “You feel it, too, daughter.
There are two within her. Until one or the other wins out, there is little
hope. And, if the wrong one does...”
“What gibberish is
this?” Niall demanded. “You said she was not a witch, but then how can there be
two?”
Siobhan stood up and
laid a restraining hand on his forearm. “She’s no witch, Niall. I will vouch
for that with my life.” She turned to face the Druid. “The pain comes from the
joining?”
The old man nodded,
suddenly worn out. “Aye. The one who is must become the one who was.”
“What of the
MacDermot?” Niall demanded, still confused by the Druid’s ramblings.
“What of him?”
Odhran blinked owlishly.
“Her pain is
fearsome and it becomes his. Can she survive it? Can he?”
“She may not.”
Odhran sighed. “Mayhap, he as well.” At Niall’s sharp intake of breath, Odhran
hastened to add, “Nay, his life will not be forfeit. His heart? That is yet to
be seen.”
Later, after Odhran
had been fed and given a place to sleep, Niall sought out Siobhan. He’d checked
on Ciaran and Becca, confirming both still slept peacefully, wrapped in each
other’s arms. Niall stood in the doorway, watching the man he’d helped raise
from boy to clann chief. A look of peace gentled Ciaran’s face, the expression
was one Niall hadn’t seen since Ciaran’s childhood. Shutting the door, he’d bid
the guards good night.
Siobhan had taken a
room not far from Ciaran’s so she could tend to Becca as needed. She was
already in bed when he entered. She looked fetching with the coverlet pulled up
to her chin, and he suspected she had nothing on underneath. He started
dropping his clothes at the door. Siobhan, her lips curled in a cheeky grin,
urged him to hurry.
“ ’ Tis been
too long, dear heart,” he growled. He kicked off his boots and his trews
quickly followed. He dove under the covers Siobhan held up and gathered her
into his arms. He found her full breasts, one with a rough hand, the other with
his mouth. He loved her long into the night. He loved her until they were both
exhausted and sleep claimed them.
Just before dawn,
Niall woke Siobhan and loved her all over again. When they were both satisfied,
he pulled her close.
“I am a man thick
with no wit, my love,” he admitted. “I dinnit get much that was said last night
by the Druid. Can yee straighten out my thinking?”
Siobhan kissed his
chest then laid her head on the spot. “Odhran thinks Becca’s soul has gotten
lost,” she explained. He made a sign to ward off evil but she stayed his hand.
“He thinks her soul came back to find Ciaran’s. When she was here the first
time, they missed each other, and so her soul went on to other lives. But there
was no living for her without him, so she’s come
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