The Silent Goddess: The Otherworld Series Book 1 (21 page)

“He still comes.  You have stopped nothing here tonight.”

Duncan refused to look; his eyes remaining locked on Aine the radiant goddess in full human form.  Her own brilliant eyes locked on to him the faintest smile upon her lips.  The chaos and destruction that surrounded them faded into the background.  She took a step towards him one long pale arm out stretched reaching for him.  As he responded, reaching out with his own blood soaked arm a rattled laugh escaped from the impaled Redcap momentarily breaking the spell.  Duncan released his grip from his sword and watched the Red cap fall to the ground.

“Help me,” pleaded the voice of Annie.

             Duncan’s head snapped back to Annie in time to see her fold in half as an agonizing pain ripped through her.  Her knees began to shake and finally gave out sending her to the ground, all signs of the radiant Aine gone.  Duncan reached out for her as blinding soundless white light erupted driving every living creature to the ground.  The shock wave left Duncan momentarily stunned and his brain tried to remain alert.  Another new and powerful threat had entered the battlefield and at the moment he was powerless.  He tried reaching out for his sword but his limbs as well as his body remained paralyzed.  Only his eyes seemed to obey his will and it was the one organ he wished in that moment would not work.

The dark figure crouched down over Annie and began softly whispering and lightly caressing one pale exposed cheek.  Duncan’s ears strained to make out the words as his mind screamed and begged his body to move.  His throat struggled to make a sound his breathing becoming labored with the effort.

“That is enough!”  Shouted Caelia “You have no claim here, be gone!”  She commanded.

Duncan’s eyes moved following the direction of her voice.  An armor plated boot stepped into his line of vision.  Although he could not see her clearly she appeared to be shielding him from this new unnamed threat.  At first the figure ignored her and kept its attention focused on Annie’s motionless body.

“You need to recover quickly,” Caelia whispered down to him.

“The Faeriedae will stay where I put him,” the figure spoke his attention never wavering from Annie.  “And you will not forget to whom you owe your allegiance betrayer.”

At his words Caelia dropped to her knees in front of Duncan.  The dark figure stood and slowly began to circle them.  Duncan listened only his eyes had found their way back to Annie’s motionless body.  Her skin had grown pale before his eyes like a dream that never existed.  His internal monster raged clawing at the invisible cage this dark enchanter had imprisoned him in.

“I have been reminded of whom I serve,” Caelia said struggling to say each word.

Duncan continued to struggle and managed to make his sword hand twitch.  Caelia appeared to notice and continued to speak.  Duncan allowed all of his anger to fuel his muscles with life.

“Good,” acknowledged the figure.

Duncan paused in his struggle.  That voice awakened a memory.  He knew that voice.  A sense of relief washed over him as he knew, finally and with certainty that the Son of Lir had not been the hand that had orchestrated his daughter’s kidnapping.  His relief did not last long as he felt his body becoming light, like it was floating off the ground. 

It took his mind a few precious moments to realize that he was indeed being lifted off the ground.  The darkly cloaked figure had effortlessly lifted him.  His head lolled forward.  With all of the strength that remained in his body he willed to his one hand hoping and praying that it would be enough when the time came.

“I am sorry if I fail,” Caelia said softly, whether to him or the cloaked figure Duncan could not be sure.

“Now we shall end this.  The time has come to destroy this thing,” he said giving Duncan a shake.  “To think he ever thought of taking my place in her heart, the weak pathetic fool!”

Suddenly Duncan was flying through the air.  His body hit the ground with a loud thud jarring his body into recovering some of its lost sensation.  He instantly felt pain radiate out from his core and race screaming into every cell in his body.  He accepted the pain basking in being able to feel.  Pain was something he could use and feed off of.  He swallowed past the sudden onslaught of sensation his body was feeling and forced his throat to work for his voice.

“You have me at a disadvantage.  To whom do I correct that she was always and will always be mine?” he questioned as each word was painfully pushed out.

The figure laughed.  It was the genuine laugh of a man who found amusement from a joke and not that of someone who had lost his mind.  Duncan had hoped he was dealing with an enchanter who had gone mad and not one who still retained all his faculties.

“Why would she want a mortal when she could have a God,” he said stripping away the dark cloak that had hidden him.

Duncan remained unfazed.  His dealings with the Seelie court had left him with little use for the so called “Gods” of the Otherworld, and this fair haired man before him paled in comparison to others in the court.  “Should I know thee?” he asked.

The man laughed again, “I have existed on the outskirts of your court.  But my name is still mentioned from time to time.  I would not expect someone as lowly as you to recognize your High King.”

“My High King I know well,” Duncan responded.  He hoped to keep the Fae man talking. He was beginning to regain feeling and strength as his body began to regenerate after the magickal shock it had endured.  He needed more time.

“That is a false king,” the man hissed back.

Duncan kept the man’s concentration focused on him as his body began to cool from the painful impact with the ground.  Unwilling to give away his returning strength he feigned weakness as he fumbled like a weak and beat man trying to regain his feet.  The ruse appeared to work as the unidentified High King laughed again at him. 

“This is the greatest warrior in the Sidhe army?  Well then my court will easily over take the weakening Seelie’s if this is the best they can muster,” the man said seemingly speaking to himself.

“Revelation
,” Duncan thought.  “Bres,” he said aloud.

“The one and only High King of Tara, sacred seat of the Sidhe,” he said with a proud boastful bow.

              Bres at one time was indeed the High King of the Sidhe; he was deposed when his cruelty and self-serving attitude became apparent to the other members of the royal court.  He along with his supporters were thrown out of the Otherworld and banished centuries before Duncan’s own mortal birth.  No one spoke of Bres.  Speaking his name resulted in instant punishment.  The Seelie had always feared a revolt from those few Sidhe who remained loyal to the original High King.  For the moment it appeared as though that fear was indeed well founded.

              “That honor was stripped from you long ago,” boomed an authoritative voice.

              “Mannanan, show yourself you cowardly usurper!” screeched Bres.

              The earth seemed to shake as the ocean waters rose from the beach into the shape of a man.  The water man glided effortlessly over the blood stained sand.  He stretched out his arms and the injured or incapacitated Fae slowly began to regain their senses as they stirred noisily on the ground.  Finn and his warriors tried, prematurely, to get to their feet only to fall harshly back down.  The lights of the Dryads began to flicker and brighten a sure sign that they too would recover.   All of the Seelie fighters began to show signs of life, all except for Annie.  Annie still lay motionless and pale on the sand feet away from Duncan.

              “I have been called many things Bres but never a coward,” Mannanan said angrily.  Bres seemed to shrink slightly as the water god slowly approached him.

              Duncan, thankful for the distraction began crawling his way towards his sword.  He had thought briefly about calling it to him, but his energy levels were to low and he needed all he had if he were to have enough power to swing a death blow.

              “She is mine!” Bres spat as he pointed at Annie.  “She was promised to me ages ago.”

              “She was promised to the true High King, and you are not the true High King,” Mannanan responded calmly.

              Duncan froze in shock.  His eyes bounced back and forth between Mannanan and his sword.  Answerer laid still and quiet.  Duncan’s heart seized in his chest as the truth was finally revealed to him.  Aine was never his.  Suddenly the Battle Queen’s curse seemed more like a blessing.  She had always and still was protecting him the only way she could.

              “That is a lie,” hissed Duncan.  The denial had escaped him before his mind had time to process the thought.

              The watery visage slowly morphed into the form the High King usually preferred.  His clear blue eyes filled with sadness looked down at Duncan with pity.  “What does Answerer tell you?” he inquired.  Duncan refused to look at either his High King or the sword he had been crawling to retrieve. 

              “None of this matters!”  Bres interrupted.  “She is mine and only I can free her.  I claim her as mine and hence the Seelie throne!” 

              “No!”  Screeched a small powerful voice. “She is not yers!”

              Rian appeared gripping the athame Annie had given him and in a moment of rage had screamed the denial beating Duncan.  In one breath he was screaming at Bres and in the next he was launching himself towards the offending man, arm drawn back ready to strike.  He landed on Bres’ stunned back and sunk his blade up to the hilt between his shoulder blades.  Bres let out a wail and flung the tiny Brownie to the ground.  Rian bounced as he hit the ground and remained motionless.

              “That blade is spelled and poisoned with Redcap blood,” Mannanan informed Bres.  “Flee and heal while you still can.”

              Without another word Bres vanished.

              Duncan, exhausted and defeated collapsed onto the ground and willed death to claim him.

Chapter Seventeen

Many Locks Open

Magick, that mysterious energy which draws its power from the infinite universe put the wharf back to right.  Within minutes of Bres’ departure no resident, tourist or curious cat would have known that the first, of possibly many battles between the Seelie and Unseelie had taken place.  Mannanan or Manny as he instructed everyone to call him had effectively erased all signs of the battle.  The wounded and recovering where transported to Annie’s house for treatment by Fiona and the nameless wise woman.

              Griffin and Kat were declared well enough to return to their own house with strict instructions to eat and sleep.  Robert, still high on adrenaline was put in charge of caring for the swords and armor of Finn and his men under a watchful, yet grumpy Knacker who was more than bent out of shape about having to leave Duncan’s side.  Only when Finn assured him that should Duncan have need of anything that he would be called upon first.

Callum and Colin were put in the back spare bedroom and were snoring in peaceful harmony after the well fought battle.  Fiona kept herself busy in the tiny kitchen preparing tea and poultices for every minor injury she could think of; her hands keeping busy so her mind and mouth could and would remain silent.  Rian was laid out on the couch in the living room as the wise woman whispered healing prayers over him.  Brownies, the most retiring species of Fae, were never known to act so bravely and boldly.  After sustaining such a jolt of harsh and raw magick from Bres it was unknown what sort of ill effects would linger in his minute body.  But Kat reminded them to have faith, power, she reminded them was often hidden in small packages.

Of the four who remained only two were still conscious at this late hour.  Manny and Finn kept watch over their children as they slept.  Both men hoping the sleep was dreamless as dreams and nightmares were the last thing either needed.

Both Annie and Duncan had suffered terrible blows.  Annie’s mortal frame had channeled a Goddess’ full power and lived.  A mortal body unblessed by the Otherworld had never survived the true force a Sidhe could wield; never mind that the Goddess Aine still resided somewhere inside her.

Duncan had suffered the worst injury of them all.  Physically his body was whole his injuries lay buried deep inside his chest where his heart struggled to keep beating.  The wise woman had done all she could for him declaring that it was his choice to live or die.

Finn paced nervously in Annie’s bedroom.  It had been decided without words being spoken that Annie and Duncan would be put in her room laid next to each other.  If and hopefully when they awoke they could be given time alone together.  For the time being two fathers stood in silent sentry duty over their hurting children.

“What a mess,” observed Finn as he surveyed the ruins of Annie’s room.

“She never was very neat,” replied Manny.

“Tis not exactly what I meant,” Finn said with a shake of his head.  “The window has been shattered from the inside,” he said pointing to the offending window.

A knock sounded and Fiona requested entry, she entered carrying a tray of tea and toast.  She laid the tray carefully on the dresser and silently made her way back to the door.

“A moment mistress,” Manny called after her.  “How did the window come to be broken?”

Fiona hesitated, curtseyed quickly in front of the High King and cleared her throat as she stalled for time searching for her proper speech.

“Speak plain mistress Fiona we are merely curious,” encouraged Manny.

“Twas Duncan’s doing when the Redcap was attacking my mistress.”  Finn and Manny exchanged confused looks as Fiona, finding her tongue continued with her tale.  “Oh it were right frightening.  That nasty thing had his claws dug in deep.  Knackers, Rian and I were banging down the door and right when we broke through, pop, crash!  Duncan shatters the window and dives right through he does.  Chased away that Giles right quick ‘e did”

Manny held up a silencing hand and Fiona quickly quieted her rambling tongue.  “Let me ask of you mistress one question and I’d ask that your answer remain short as tonight has been difficult enough.”

Fiona nodded her head in understanding.  Manny motioned to Finn who in turn deferred to the king silently encouraging him to proceed.  “How did Duncan break the window shattering the glass outside if he himself was outside?”

Fiona shrugged her shoulders.  “Don’t rightly know but he came in this room through the window.  Knackers saw it all as well,” she said as she adopted a defensive stance.

Finn held up his hands,” We believe you mistress tis just a puzzle as to how he accomplished such a feat.”

“Magick,” she said in exasperation as she threw her hands in the air.  She shook her head at both of them and turned to take her leave.  “Silly questions these are.  After all that’s happened they worry themselves over a window.  An’ me havin’ to explain magick like I were talkin’ to the mundane,” she muttered to herself as she closed the door behind her.

Manny tried hard to contain his laughter until Fiona had left and was out of earshot.  “Good Gods that Bean Tighe has a way doesn’t she?  I’m glad I chose her to look after Annie.”  He said as he wiped a humorous tear from his eye and gazed down at his daughter.

“The Bean Tighe did nothing but add more mystery to our plight,” Finn pointed out.

“How is that old friend?”

“Duncan has no magick, never has,” Finn explained.

Many shot Finn a questioning look.  “Surely some form, just because his is Faeriedae does not mean he is barren?”

Finn shook his head.  “Duncan’s never had any magick save from astounding battle reflexes.  Some would call that magick or foresight.”

“But he had a foretelling,” Manny said in disbelief. 

“I’d wager that had more to do with her,” Finn replied pointing to Annie.

“What are we missing?”  Manny asked not expecting a reply.

“Love and the hope it brings.  It is the strongest magick because it can create and destroy.”

Both Finn and many turned quickly at the sound of the voice.  Neither was easily caught off guard, there was only one being in both worlds who had such power.

“Badb,” Manny breathed.  “The whole time you’ve been here in silence?”  he accused.

The wise woman stood grinning at them from the doorway.  She winked at them and limped wearily into the room.  She pointed her gnarled wooden cane at the sleeping forms of Annie and Duncan as she continued to speak.   “Their hope has been taken away and they need to be reminded of their love.  The Morrighan needs to release the Dark Warrior from his curse for protect him it did not.”

“She listens to her own council on such things as you well know,” Manny reminded her.

“Aye and she will listen to mine on this.  My granddaughter will not fade away because of Morrighan’s protection.  There is much that remains hidden.  We must not act until the course of things has run.”

“What do you suggest Battle Crow?”  Finn asked.  “That we sit idly by and leave them in fate’s hands?”

“Perhaps, yes,” she replied simply as she sat down on the bed.  She extended her hands and let them hover above Duncan and Annie.  She closed her eyes in concentration and began speaking softly to them, whispering healing words to their hearts.  When she was done she folded her hands neatly in her lap and sat quietly for a few moments more.  Neither Finn nor Manny dared to speak again until the Crow was ready.  “The Morrighan has agreed to release her curse,” she declared.

“She changed her mind?” Manny asked incredulously.

“Queens do not change their minds they just hear better council,” the Crow snapped back.  Finn wisely stayed quiet content to let the royal family squabble.

The Crow reached out and took up Duncan and Annie’s hand in hers.  She whispered a few other quiet inaudible words then laid their hands one a top of the other palms together and touching.  Immediately their breathing fell into a steady rhythm as their chest rose and fell together.

“There that’s better,” she declared.  “Sometimes the old forget the strength and power of love; but the young have ways of reminding us,” she said as she gave their joined hands a gentle pat.  “Come let them rest alone, in peace and together; for I fear this to be the last restful night for both.”

“So, they will heal?”  Finn asked.

“Oh, aye,“ replied the Crow as she stiffly rose from her seated position and led the procession out of the room.  “Their bodies will mend and for tonight their souls are at peace.  But come dawn the torture will begin a new for they will have many questions and even more doubts and we will have no answers that will soothe them.”