needed,” Kieran said at last. “You care for so many, Rioghan, whether Man or Sidhe, and see to every birth. It seems you scarcely take any time to care for yourself.”
Rioghan smiled. “It would seem so. I am grateful to Mil and Ceo for their constant help.”
“I walked with them,” Kieran went on, “intending to keep watch and help carry water, when I heard the men riding straight for us through the deepest part of the forest.
“Their voices carried well before them in the woods. It was clear they were determined to get your gold, even if they had to capture you and kill every one of your dogs—and we feared they might do just that, for you know the dogs would never retreat.”
She nodded again, glancing at the animals who continued to support Kieran—and thinking of those who now lay unmoving out on the cold, damp earth of the clearing. “Go on. How were you able to keep them away from Sion at first?”
He looked away. “My first thought was for the two women. Mil and Ceo are no longer young, and I feared they could never outrun the men on horseback if they were seen. So I told them to hide in the forest as the men rode past.
“They were safe. They were not seen. But the men rode straight to the stone circle, where the dogs met them, and I knew they would be at Sion as soon as they could get past the dogs. I had to stop them…and so I let them see me. I called to them and showed them this.”
Kieran reached beneath his moss-green cloak and pulled out a small, bright armband, made from a slender, twisted band of gold. “Oh, their eyes lit up. And they were glad enough to ride away from such troublesome dogs. But I knew that nothing but the promise of the gold I could bring would keep them from Sion. I felt I had no choice but to allow the men to catch me.”
Rioghan set her cauldron down onto the coals of the hearth, filled a shallow bronze dish with cool, clean water, and sat down beside Kieran with the dish and the linens. Reaching across her dogs, she tilted Kieran’s head back and began cleaning the long, shallow cuts across one side of his neck. “That was a brave thing you did. Brave…and terrible. No doubt Mil and Ceo are very grateful to you, as am I. But—as I said—no amount of gold is worth your life.”
He winced a little as she cleaned away the last of the blood. “I am glad that the women escaped without being seen. And gold is just gold. However, Lady Rioghan, many of these treasures are far more than just ornaments. They are bronze and gold and crystal pieces so ancient they were made by the gods. There was magic worked into those, just as there was power hammered into the stones of the circle…magic that helps us all to stay alive here in the forest, even with the coming of men.” Kieran looked up at her with enormous dark brown eyes. “I could not let them steal it…not any of it.”
Rioghan smiled gently and stood up to carry her basin of water and linen back to the hearth. “You are right. Your mother and grandmother have taught you very well. But Kieran…” She looked across the room at his young face. “Giving these men a few small things will not appease them. They cannot be bribed to leave us alone. If you give them a little, they will not stop until they get it all. And what will we do when we have no more to give?”
He looked away, but then just as quickly met her gaze again. “You are right. We will have to make sure they can never again get near Sion. Not any of them.”
Boldly, Kieran looked straight at Donaill. “Can you not rid us of this evil thieving Man?” he asked, his voice remaining soft. “Can you not put him to the sword and remove this threat to us once and for all?”
Rioghan stopped, almost in mid-step. Her eyes shifted from Kieran to Donaill. Would he agree to such a thing? Would he go so far as to kill one of his own men, simply for the crime of trespassing against the Sidhe?
“Oh…well…you see…” Donaill gave a short laugh
Rioghan smiled. “It would seem so. I am grateful to Mil and Ceo for their constant help.”
“I walked with them,” Kieran went on, “intending to keep watch and help carry water, when I heard the men riding straight for us through the deepest part of the forest.
“Their voices carried well before them in the woods. It was clear they were determined to get your gold, even if they had to capture you and kill every one of your dogs—and we feared they might do just that, for you know the dogs would never retreat.”
She nodded again, glancing at the animals who continued to support Kieran—and thinking of those who now lay unmoving out on the cold, damp earth of the clearing. “Go on. How were you able to keep them away from Sion at first?”
He looked away. “My first thought was for the two women. Mil and Ceo are no longer young, and I feared they could never outrun the men on horseback if they were seen. So I told them to hide in the forest as the men rode past.
“They were safe. They were not seen. But the men rode straight to the stone circle, where the dogs met them, and I knew they would be at Sion as soon as they could get past the dogs. I had to stop them…and so I let them see me. I called to them and showed them this.”
Kieran reached beneath his moss-green cloak and pulled out a small, bright armband, made from a slender, twisted band of gold. “Oh, their eyes lit up. And they were glad enough to ride away from such troublesome dogs. But I knew that nothing but the promise of the gold I could bring would keep them from Sion. I felt I had no choice but to allow the men to catch me.”
Rioghan set her cauldron down onto the coals of the hearth, filled a shallow bronze dish with cool, clean water, and sat down beside Kieran with the dish and the linens. Reaching across her dogs, she tilted Kieran’s head back and began cleaning the long, shallow cuts across one side of his neck. “That was a brave thing you did. Brave…and terrible. No doubt Mil and Ceo are very grateful to you, as am I. But—as I said—no amount of gold is worth your life.”
He winced a little as she cleaned away the last of the blood. “I am glad that the women escaped without being seen. And gold is just gold. However, Lady Rioghan, many of these treasures are far more than just ornaments. They are bronze and gold and crystal pieces so ancient they were made by the gods. There was magic worked into those, just as there was power hammered into the stones of the circle…magic that helps us all to stay alive here in the forest, even with the coming of men.” Kieran looked up at her with enormous dark brown eyes. “I could not let them steal it…not any of it.”
Rioghan smiled gently and stood up to carry her basin of water and linen back to the hearth. “You are right. Your mother and grandmother have taught you very well. But Kieran…” She looked across the room at his young face. “Giving these men a few small things will not appease them. They cannot be bribed to leave us alone. If you give them a little, they will not stop until they get it all. And what will we do when we have no more to give?”
He looked away, but then just as quickly met her gaze again. “You are right. We will have to make sure they can never again get near Sion. Not any of them.”
Boldly, Kieran looked straight at Donaill. “Can you not rid us of this evil thieving Man?” he asked, his voice remaining soft. “Can you not put him to the sword and remove this threat to us once and for all?”
Rioghan stopped, almost in mid-step. Her eyes shifted from Kieran to Donaill. Would he agree to such a thing? Would he go so far as to kill one of his own men, simply for the crime of trespassing against the Sidhe?
“Oh…well…you see…” Donaill gave a short laugh
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