Something crept silently across his path and stopped in front of him. “Greetings, my friend. Are ye here to welcome Sir Stephen, too?” Silence ensued between Ian and the red fox.
“Well, if ye are not here for him, ye are welcome to join me.”
The fox angled his head at Ian as if he understood his words. He padded over to him and sat down. “Aye, I thought as much.”
They both sat still. The first stars winked at them in the early gloaming. Trees rustled with the arrival of the nocturnal creatures.
Ian bolted upright. “They’re here.”
The red fox sniffed the air, prancing twice around Ian before dashing off through the pine trees.
“Over here, Sir Stephen,” waved Ian.
“Hold, Grian.” Stephen dismounted quickly, and grasped Ian. “Greetings, young Ian. Are ye out here alone?”
“Aye. Dinnae worry, I had protection. May I see your lady?” his voice thrummed with anticipation.
Stephen went pale for a moment. Turning to help the fae down from his horse, he nearly collided with her. She glared at him, but managed to give a smile to the lad.
“Hello.”
Ian’s smile was wide. “Greetings, my lady.” He held out his hand to her. “May I?”
“Of course,” she replied eyeing him warily.
He grasped her hand firmly, noting a slight frown on her face. “Ye feel it, too? I ken who ye are, my lady.” Giving her a slight bow. “My name is Ian.”
She managed another smile, although weaker than the first. “Please just call me Aileen.”
Tugging her gently along the trees, he maneuvered them through the thick pines. Hearing a slight gasp, he looked over his shoulder. “It is all right, my lady. I will not let ye fall. And Sir Stephen is behind ye.”
When he made it to the small clearing, he released her hand. “Ye can rest by the fires and take shelter in one of the caves.”
“They are a warm beacon in the night,” she uttered softly.
A gasp came forth from a woman sitting on a boulder near the fire. “Sweet Danu!”
All activity ceased, and the people just stared at her. Ian saw her hugging her cloak more protectively around her.
“This is Sir Stephen’s lady,” pronounced Ian.
Betha stood with the help of a staff and Donal. “Does the lady have a name, Ian?”
“Yes. My name is Aileen,” she interjected.
“And I am called Betha. This is my husband, Donal.”
“Beautiful fae,” murmured someone in the crowd. They all started to come forth and greet Aileen, with a bow or nod.
Stephen snorted and moved away from the gathering.
Ian ambled over to Osgar who was standing in the back away from the group. “So the Guardian has sent us a fae.”
Osgar smiled slowly. Lifting his head to the mass of stars, he said softly, “We are honored and blessed, though, I ken Stephen will not see the light of your plan. In time, yes, in time .”
Chapter Fourteen
“The faeries spread a wreath of foxgloves, roses, and jasmine on their path, but they were blinded by their stench of nonbelief.”
The evening was spent in constant chatter about what else but her . Aileen try as she might, there was no avoiding the persistent questions. They asked about her land, why her speech was strange, and her clothing. They wanted to know if all the women wore such flimsy material. One of the children tugged at her hand and asked if there were any fae children.
Then there was the vast amount of food they kept trying to get her to eat. When she insisted she was full, they would sit back and wait, until she would nibble a piece of bread, cake, or fruits. Afterwards, they would take it away only to catch one of the small children actually burying her half-finished oatcake. Suppressing a giggle in her hand, Aileen shook her head.
“I believe I have something for ye, Aileen,” said Betha.
She held up her hand to wave off any more food. “Thank you, but I don’t think I can eat another bite.”
“Nae, not food,” she chuckled, moving from the boulder. “I have a gown that might fit, though
“Well, if ye are not here for him, ye are welcome to join me.”
The fox angled his head at Ian as if he understood his words. He padded over to him and sat down. “Aye, I thought as much.”
They both sat still. The first stars winked at them in the early gloaming. Trees rustled with the arrival of the nocturnal creatures.
Ian bolted upright. “They’re here.”
The red fox sniffed the air, prancing twice around Ian before dashing off through the pine trees.
“Over here, Sir Stephen,” waved Ian.
“Hold, Grian.” Stephen dismounted quickly, and grasped Ian. “Greetings, young Ian. Are ye out here alone?”
“Aye. Dinnae worry, I had protection. May I see your lady?” his voice thrummed with anticipation.
Stephen went pale for a moment. Turning to help the fae down from his horse, he nearly collided with her. She glared at him, but managed to give a smile to the lad.
“Hello.”
Ian’s smile was wide. “Greetings, my lady.” He held out his hand to her. “May I?”
“Of course,” she replied eyeing him warily.
He grasped her hand firmly, noting a slight frown on her face. “Ye feel it, too? I ken who ye are, my lady.” Giving her a slight bow. “My name is Ian.”
She managed another smile, although weaker than the first. “Please just call me Aileen.”
Tugging her gently along the trees, he maneuvered them through the thick pines. Hearing a slight gasp, he looked over his shoulder. “It is all right, my lady. I will not let ye fall. And Sir Stephen is behind ye.”
When he made it to the small clearing, he released her hand. “Ye can rest by the fires and take shelter in one of the caves.”
“They are a warm beacon in the night,” she uttered softly.
A gasp came forth from a woman sitting on a boulder near the fire. “Sweet Danu!”
All activity ceased, and the people just stared at her. Ian saw her hugging her cloak more protectively around her.
“This is Sir Stephen’s lady,” pronounced Ian.
Betha stood with the help of a staff and Donal. “Does the lady have a name, Ian?”
“Yes. My name is Aileen,” she interjected.
“And I am called Betha. This is my husband, Donal.”
“Beautiful fae,” murmured someone in the crowd. They all started to come forth and greet Aileen, with a bow or nod.
Stephen snorted and moved away from the gathering.
Ian ambled over to Osgar who was standing in the back away from the group. “So the Guardian has sent us a fae.”
Osgar smiled slowly. Lifting his head to the mass of stars, he said softly, “We are honored and blessed, though, I ken Stephen will not see the light of your plan. In time, yes, in time .”
Chapter Fourteen
“The faeries spread a wreath of foxgloves, roses, and jasmine on their path, but they were blinded by their stench of nonbelief.”
The evening was spent in constant chatter about what else but her . Aileen try as she might, there was no avoiding the persistent questions. They asked about her land, why her speech was strange, and her clothing. They wanted to know if all the women wore such flimsy material. One of the children tugged at her hand and asked if there were any fae children.
Then there was the vast amount of food they kept trying to get her to eat. When she insisted she was full, they would sit back and wait, until she would nibble a piece of bread, cake, or fruits. Afterwards, they would take it away only to catch one of the small children actually burying her half-finished oatcake. Suppressing a giggle in her hand, Aileen shook her head.
“I believe I have something for ye, Aileen,” said Betha.
She held up her hand to wave off any more food. “Thank you, but I don’t think I can eat another bite.”
“Nae, not food,” she chuckled, moving from the boulder. “I have a gown that might fit, though
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