Part 3
It took a while before I got comfortable enough to cast more than a glance at our surroundings, noting that we had already left the road that lead to the manor and the shadows of the forest that surrounded it like a natural barrier. Eileen was keeping the horse at a slow trot while I kept a tight hold on her waist.
I enjoyed seeing more of the stunning landscape without biting my fingernails because I had been kidnapped or I was unsure if Eileen ever wanted to see me again, as had happened in the past. True, I was sitting on a horse and the ground seemed a long way away, but I was also holding unto the one person I had begun to trust and love like I never thought I'd be capable of doing. As we continued, I began to forget about my fears and take in the elevated view.
The sights around us were absolutely incredible and the various shades of the brilliant green pastures made it clear why Ireland was called the Emerald Isle. The surroundings were vastly different from the locales a city-bred girl like me was used to calling home. Surprisingly, I felt absolutely at ease and free, enjoying the vastness around us and the yearning it stirred inside of my soul - a soul that finally found the place and better yet the person that was meant to be 'home.' I realized that this was one of those very rare perfect moments, feeling a sense of belonging that made me beyond happy; being at the right place, at the right time, with the right person was a wonderful feeling that I wanted to get used to.
Never letting go of Eileen, I listened to her comments about the various places we were passing and the variety of faeries that lived in her domain. There seemed to be no place without them; they lived in the lakes, in the grassy mounds, in the forest and under the earth. There were beings with no shape and no form at all, while others were so similar to us that I might take them for humans at first or maybe even at second sight. Some of them were friendly by nature, and some were evil; some full of hatred for humans, while others sought our presence and enjoyed our company. Some liked to stay alone and sought solitude even from their kin, while others enjoyed and deliberately chose the company of their own kind.
Many of the places Eileen showed me were sacred to her kin; it seemed to me as if Ireland was one big gathering of everything that was old and mystic, like sacred wells with thorn bushes, ring forts, cairns and so on. The list seemed endless. Listening to her stories about the history of places that seemed trivial to us humans (and particularly to tourists) caused a wave of awe to rise in my chest. Sure, there were stories, called lore as I knew, pointing out that these wells and stones were more than simple sites. And yes, there were even some people today who knew about the stories behind them, but to hear the tales from Eileen, who had heard them from Lena or her parents, and to know that these people actually lived when some things took place or knew
sidhe who did so, was something entirely different. Suddenly lore became history, something that had really taken place and would be part of my own family history rather soon.
Unbelievable!
After a while of riding, we stopped at the top of a hill which presented us with the most amazing view. There were smaller hills and ridges in front of us covered with pasture that spread like a green dotted blanket over the greater part of the countryside. I never knew that so many different shades of green existed before coming to Ireland. It seemed to me as if whoever created this land hadn't been able to decide which kind of green would fit the island best and therefore chose to use every shades available. The white parts in the otherwise green blanket were caused by the fluffy heads of bog cotton, which enforced the impression of a huge patchwork laying in front of us. It was simply breathtaking.
Eileen brought the horse closer to a big rock that was surrounded by mountain ash trees. "Come on, lass. We'll have a break here. This is a good place to wait for the message I am expecting and maybe it will do you some good to move your legs a bit."
"Aren't we in a bit of a hurry?" I asked.
She shook her head: "We have time enough for a short break and like I said, I am expecting a message. Carrick promised to send an envoy to let us know if the way is safe. I don't want any unpleasant surprises today."
Despite my best intentions of not worrying too much, I felt my stomach lurch. Remembering the fateful night when we had met all too clearly, I swallowed hard and clung to Eileen, asking, "Do you expect an assault?"
She patted one of my hands in an attempt to calm me down. "No, it is not likely, especially not during broad daylight. But one can never be sure with Madeleine, especially after her attack on my own land. I don't want you in unnecessary danger and took some precautions. That's all."
I still felt unsettled but decided to trust her judgment, though more than a hint of nervousness remained. Nevertheless, I was happy for an opportunity to stretch my legs, being unused to sitting astride a horse. Having the rock as a kind of mounting- and-dismounting block nearby wasn't a bad idea as well, because the distance from where I was sitting in the saddle to the ground was way out of my comfort zone.
I was slowly sliding down Cinnia's back when I heard Eileen giving me some belated advice, "Be careful, lass. Your legs are not used to riding."
And boy, was she right! When I finally touched ground, my knees were extremely wobbly and I was not so sure if I would ever be able to straighten them out again. I couldn't even stand on my own and involuntarily collapsed on the rock, feeling like a toddler who was not used to walking on two feet.
Eileen dismounted gracefully and left Cinnia to graze, giving the horse an affectionate pat on the withers before coming over to my rock. She sat down next to me, bumping my shoulder with hers. "Funny legs, eh?" she asked.
I groaned while trying to massage my knotted thigh muscles.
Damn big hay burner! Damn sidhe! I thought. Couldn't they live where they could be reached easily with a car or any other advanced means of transportation?
"Let me help, lass." Eileen had a small smile on her face, as if she was amused. Before I was able to respond, she knelt down on the grass in front of me and worked magic with her fingers, rubbing my legs and causing me to lean back on my elbows. I groaned from sheer pleasure.
God! That was so good. Another groan escaped my throat.
Looking down through half-closed eyes, I saw Eileen was observing me closely. "Well," she said in a voice as smooth as silk, "that sure is a sound I would like to hear more often. I trust that you like what I do?"
I tried the most menacing face expression I was capable of mustering, trying to ignore the clenching in my gut that meant I was already responding to her sultry voice. "Well, let me put it like this: I kill you if you stop!" I blurted.
She snorted softly, obviously not taking my comment seriously, but continued her massage and in my book, that was what really counted. I felt my muscles loosening up and beginning to relax. Every one of my nerve endings enjoyed the way her touch made me feel, sending shivers down my spine. I closed my eyes and sighed.
Her seductive voice broke into my blessed-out state. "You know, lass, you will most definitely need a good hot bath tonight. It will do wonders for your muscles."
I could only agree. A hot bath, yes, that would certainly be good for my muscles. Solely for therapeutic reasons, a massage from Eileen given in the bathtub would add to the positive effect of the hot and steamy water…
bad girl! Down!
I shook my head slightly to clear my thoughts, trying to give them a different direction, trying to think of… cold showers… being alone… but opening my eyes, I saw that Eileen's condition wasn't much different from mine. Her passionate expression and the way she looked at me, her blue eyes alight with desire… for a second time that day, I was close to throwing my good intentions over board, but I knew that this wasn't the time or place to lose control. Prudence was rather frustrating, I have to say!
Suddenly, Eileen stopped her ministrations. She was looking around the forest as if searching for something. I did the same and was irritated by a dancing ball of light next to a nearby tree. Without warning, brilliant illumination burst on the spot and I had to shut my eyes to protect them from the searing blast. When I cautiously opened my eyes again, a young boy with flaming red hair and alabaster skin stood buck-naked in the spot where the light had been. The mysterious youngster bubbled over with laughter while I tried to scramble away and get some distance between us.
Was he friend or foe? Where did he come from? Where there others?
I looked helplessly at Eileen, ready to run or fight or whatever she deemed necessary, but she just shook her head and set her arms akimbo, wiping the grin of his face with an infuriated yell, "Turlough!"
"Sorry, mistress." He looked rather guilty all of a sudden.
In the meantime, my heart was still trying to beat its way out of my ears.
Who was this, for goodness' sake!
When she spoke, Eileen's tone reminded me of my mother's whenever she caught me doing something stupid. "Turlough, I promise you, if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I'll have your hide! And the only commission you'll get from me in the future will have to do with a lot of dung and horses."
He looked bashful and said with uncertainty in his voice, as if testing new waters, "I came to deliver a message from Carrick, mistress. Honestly."
Eileen didn't seem impressed. "Then don't babble and let hear what your master said."
"Yes, mistress." Turlough bowed his head. "He asked me to tell you that the way is free and that he expects you and the lady."
"Good. Off you go before I forget myself and skin you alive for your tricks." She took a step in his direction as if wanting to prove that she was keen on putting her words into action.
With another flash of light that came as unexpectedly as the first, there was suddenly a fox in his place. The animal ran off into the bushes, quickly disappearing from sight. I opened my mouth to say something when Eileen turned around and beat me to it.
"I am sorry, Julia," she said. "He is in his adolescence and gets on our nerves to an astonishing degree, but he is one of the best messengers and we are in sore need his service right now."
"Is being naked a necessity of being a good messenger?" I was confused and still felt ready to bolt the next second, not sure if more unexpected visitors would appear out of nowhere.
"Well, no," she said without a trace of humor, "the last time he changed into the form of a trout that was just served for dinner at the manor. Even we were surprised to have our meal speaking to us! He has an absolutely weird sense of humor, thinking of himself as a talented jester, and I'll wager he thought it was hysterically funny to shock you like that. I will have a serious conversation with him tomorrow, but there is no one whom Carrick trusts more when delivering urgent messages. He is as sharp as a new pin, the damn boy." She sighed.
I sat down on the rock, feeling somewhat calmer; wanting to believe there was no reason to be afraid. "He scared me shitless for a moment. I didn't know if we were going to be attacked from naked enemies the next second. Where did he come from?"
"He is a shape-shifter, a very useful thing for a messenger."
Good God! What else would that day bring? First the cat, then the
clurricaun in the kitchen, riding on a horse for the first time and now a naked boy delivering messages.
I can't wait to see what is going to happen in the village, I thought.
Eileen joined me on the rock and took my hands into hers, brushing her thumbs across my knuckles in a soothing motion. "Would you prefer riding back to the manor?" she asked. "I would totally understand. We can visit the village tomorrow if it's too much for you. I sometimes forget that things that are a part of my everyday life are totally new and maybe frightening for you. I am really sorry about Turlough's behavior."
I shook my head. "No, it's okay, really, it just feels like such a rollercoaster ride today. Well, at least it was easy to determine his gender."
We looked each other in the eye and simultaneously burst into laughter. She touched my face, stroking my cheek with the backs of her fingers. "You are one of a kind, Julia. One minute you seem scared to death, afraid, helpless and the next moment your curiosity or humor wins over. I just love that," she said, her voice softening, "I love you." And then she leaned closer and captured my lips in a lingering, tender kiss that made me forget everything else.
I rested my head on Eileen's shoulder after ending the kiss. "If you wanted to distract me, well… it worked." I smiled and shifted, allowing her to get up. Grasping her extended hand, I let her help me to my feet and lead me away from the rock.
She was not totally convinced as it seemed and asked again, "Are you really sure you are up for more surprises, 'cause if not…."
I laid a finger over her lips, silencing her. "Hush. You have to show presence. It is your responsibility and I do understand. I want to be at your side when you do. I don't feel pressured to come with you, it is my free decision!"
After a moment of hesitation, she seemed to accept my sincerity and gave a short whistle. Cinnia trotted over, still munching on a mouthful of something green, regarding us with an impatient expression as if wondering whether we could continue our ride at last.
Eileen mounted first and this time I took her offered hand. Surprised anew at her strength, I found myself back in the saddle behind her without much effort on my part. The sun wasn't producing as much warmth any longer as it was already well into the afternoon, but Eileen created enough body heat to make me feel very comfortable as we continued our ride. This closeness to her was a precious gift that I cherished.
Not long after we continued on our way, she stopped on a small hill and twisted around, observing me with a twinkle in her eyes. "Are you ready, lass?" she asked. "It will take us some more minutes and then we will be there." I glanced around and saw her pointing into the direction of a gathering of small houses down in the valley directly in front of us.
Although my stomach fluttered, I was looking forward to our time in the village, wondering what kind of surprises would be waiting for me there. I said a bit more cheerfully than I felt, "Yes, let's go."
Eileen urged Cinnia on, and we rode down the hill towards the village of the
Aorí Tuaithe,
the shepherds of the lands.
I hung on tight, excited and nervous and glad to be here with the woman I loved.
Continued in Chapter 4