The next day as they were in their lessons, Celthair and Ciaran arrived carrying a bundle. Niam leaped up, he had been fidgeting all morning, awaiting the news of his new sibling and was taught like a bow with an arrow pulled back. He looked at Aide Oisen, who nodded at him, giving him permission to leave the lesson.
He ran to Celthair and looked down at the small face, it’s eyes were wide open.
“It’s a girl,” Celthair announced. “Her name is Grace. You have a sister!”
Niam’s face was joined by Gwen’s and her cheek was against Niam’s. Her arm around Niam’s waist.
“Aww, she is beautiful, so cute.”
Celthair looked at Ciaran with a smiling, questioning look.
Ciaran shrugged and grinned.
Niam stood upright again and saw his mother looking at him, with the same questioning face she had given to Ciaran. Her grin was wide.
Niam looked back at her, slightly cross at Gwen for breaking the news to his parents in the least subtle way possible. He rolled his eyes and looked back at Grace. He had a sister, and it made him happy. Life was good.
A few earth cycles. Called years, passed for the group. Grace was the life and centre of the group of friends. She too learned alongside them. She picked up all they had learned fast and was soon exceeding them in all the theory but was still smaller so struggled in the physical training. Yet she pushed herself hard. She was besotted with her brother and Gwen. Beside Celthair, who she adored. Niam and Gwen were the beneficiaries of her affections. But she never ignored Morrigan and Tegan, whom she teased often and affectionately called little Bro and little Sis.
They all looked older and were now quite mature compared to when they had first arrived.
One day, Aide Oisen made them stand and focus on something important he had to say. “It is time for Celthair, Ciaran and Grace to leave you all. They need to return to your world. Events there are such that they are needed.”
The four classmates cried out in unison. Gwen and Morrigan began to cry. Gwen reached out and held Niam’s hand. Niam looked stunned. Grace cried, sobbing and trying to hold them all at once. “No,” she cried. “I don’t want to go!”
Niam hugged her to him. “Do not worry, you will love it at our home, you will make many new friends.”
She cried some more. “No,” she sobbed. Niam patted her on her back, Gwen kissing her on her head repeatedly. But she was inconsolable.
“Go and say your farewells, do not be too sad, you will see them again someday,” said Aide Oisen.
They were dismissed and made their way sadly to the village.
Celthair greeted them, hugging them one by one. “I love you all so much,” she said. “Please don’t be sad, we will see you all again soon.”
Ciaran joined them all in a group hug.
“Why do you need to go?” Niam asked Ciaran.
“There is trouble in Cathair Tsolais. There has been an uprising. A group of people who have always caused trouble, have been trying to reintroduce the old ways, they worship the ways of the dark Lord. We have tolerated them; such is our way. We need to go back, to calm things down.”
Niam nodded. “I understand.”
They all watched them walk toward the portal till they were out of sight.
Aide Oisen came up behind the forlorn group. “It will not be long now, and you will be going back too. You need to be aware that many more cycles have passed back at your home world. It will be very different to how you remembered it.”
And it was not long before they were sobbing as they were saying farewell to Celeste and Aide Oisen, also the many others they had met and known over the years.
Aide Oisen beckoned to Niam and Niam walked to him. He placed his hands on Niam’s shoulders.
“I have prepared you the best I can, now it is up to you Niam. I have told you that you need to expect trials and sorrow. Your friends will help you through them. You too will need to help them at times. There will be difficult choices to make. But I am confident you will be able to make them. Remember your training, be prepared to listen to people, do not react rashly when they do wrong toward you.”
He paused, tears streaming down his face.
“It is my desire that I see you in the white eternity.”
Niam bowed down before his master.
“Where do I go?” he asked.
“Dray Goen will take you where you need to be. Don’t be worried. You will be needed first in Dun Emain. He will take you there.”
***
Back in Athlethan Tuatha and Laegaire had ruled Athlethan with peace and love for nearly twenty cycles. When Niam had disappeared, Dray Goen had told them that he would tell them when Niam would return. He would take them back to the portal when it was time.
Tuatha felt old and tired, he was beginning to think that it was just a dream he had many cycles ago. He thought of his father, now resting from his long and just reign. Of his long-gone mother, whom he still missed.
His great grandchildren, from the family of Aillel and Dreya who was from Don Cluana, sat around his feet, and he continued the story he was telling them about the Anakim giants that he fought on the beach. He finished and they all made exclamations of disappointment. “Tell us more,” they cried out loudly.
“Okay,” said a quiet but firm voice. They turned their attention to Laegaire with cries of delight.
Tuatha walked out onto a balcony and looked over the hills he had left Athlethan over, on his journey north. It felt like it was only the previous day that he had grabbed the sword and went to get the help his people needed. He watched the light of the day slowly fade to darkness. His mind recounted the times he had stood on the walls of Athlethan and seen the fires of the enemy.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Tuatha sighed and looked at the stars. Some of them blinked out, then more disappeared. He stared, puzzled for a moment until the lights from the palace windows exposed the cause of the strange phenomenon. It was none other than Dray Goen, drifting down toward him, wings outstretches as he slowed his decent and got closer. He alighted on the edge of the balcony. Tuatha had to step backwards, almost into the room to make room for him.
“I have returned,” he announced. “It is time. Your grandson is returning to Riangbra.”
Tuatha’s heart leaped. The age he felt in his bones disappeared.
“We will go and greet him now.”
Laegaire had appeared and she heard the words, dray Goen spoke.
Without any hesitation she ran and leaped up onto Dray Goen’s leg, using her momentum to swing onto his neck. Tuatha followed her and ended up behind her, holding her waist. Dray Goen seemed to fall backwards but he twisted in the air and at the same time spread his huge leathery wings and slowly the fall turned into a glide. With a rush of air, he swooped upwards, his wings whooshing in huge sweeping flaps as they rose rapidly in the direction of Ruigate.
They arrived before the great cairn of Ruigate. The night was still and cold. Tuatha pulled down some dead trees and made a fire.
“How do you know he is returning?” asked Laegaire, shivering.
“It is just a feeling; you cannot rush them. He will arrive at the right time.” Said Dray Goen.
The wood was damp and would not take. A stiff breeze started up and Tuatha looked at Dray Goen questioningly. “A little help?” he queried.
Dray Goen looked at the pile of wood. “Not sure I can make fire that small!”
He growled gently and his throat glowed with heat. “Stand back” he announced. “I am not sure how this will go.”
Dray Goen strained his throat and coughed. With the cough came a puff of smoke. “It’s like forcing a burp,” he said, “I am used to just letting it come.” He tried again and again there was nothing but smoke.
Laegaire rolled her eyes at Tuatha.
“Just do it normally, not too long,” she said.
Dray Goen let loose a ball of fire that singed Tuatha’s eyebrows. The fire, even though it was for just a moment, turned the pile of wood into hot coals.
Laegaire ran forward and hugged a large rock. Enjoying the residual heat.
“Go get more wood,” she said to Tuatha.
Tuatha looked a Dray Goen with an annoyed expression and went off to find more wood to feed the coals of his fire.
It was just beginning to lighten with dawn when Tuatha and Laegaire awoke to the crackling sound of the open portal.
Standing before Dray Goen there were three figures conversing. On Dray Goens back was a man in white armour and a white cloak. He was wearing a sword and scabbard which glowed with almost unbearable brightness.
They walked forward to greet them.
Laegaire gasped in surprise. The man and woman, side by side, holding hands was Celthair and Ciaran, also in white. Celthair held a bundle in her arms.
The woman, regal and pure in face, held out her hands in welcome to Tuatha and Laegaire.
“I know you both so well,” she said. “I saw you here when you were young,” she said to Tuatha. “You have come so far.”
Tuatha and Laegaire looked at her in wonder. Celthair laughed at their expressions. She had been through the same emotions and seeing it in her mother and father gave her joy. She handed Grace over to Ciaran.
“Mother, father,” she said, after hugging them both in a strong embrace. “I want you to meet your new granddaughter, Grace.”
Ciaran placed Grace, who was awake and in a very good mood for a baby who demanded food often, in Laegaire’s arms. Laegaire kissed Grace on the head and then her cheeks, her tears of joy falling on her chubby face.
When she had finished fussing over Grace. She looked up at Celeste. Still awed by her presence.
“This is Celeste,” said Celthair, “one of those we once called the beings of light and indeed they are.”
Celeste clasped their hands, one in each of hers.
She leaned in and put her mouth between them and whispered something. When she had finished, she leaned back, watching their expressions. Tuatha looked at Laegaire and they nodded together, smiling.
Then Celeste let go of their hand.
“Say farewell to your children, it is their time to face what you already faced. Do not be afraid for them, they are well prepared.
Tuatha looked up at Dray Goen and his rider.
“Niam is that you?” he asked.
Niam looked down at his grandfather and smiled.
“Thank you for your kindness,” he said. He alighted from Dray Goen and walked into an embrace with Tuatha and Laegaire. Their tears fell on each other’s shoulders.
“You will love earth,” he said. “They will love you!”
Then they parted and Celeste took their hands and walked them toward the still open portal.
The three of them turned and Celeste spoke.
“Go, do what you must do, children of Riangbra.”
There was no fear in the eyes and heart of Laegaire daughter of Amerghin or in the eyes and heart of Tuatha, heir of Emain. Only love and pride for their children and a firm trust in their children’s resolve to continue the battle they had fought and finished. They turned and disappeared into the portal. So ended the reign of King Tuatha and Queen Laegaire. Stepping forward, tears in his eyes was Niam, the heir and rightful king of Athlethan.
They stood watching the portal. Expecting it to fade back to bare rock. Instead, three figures appeared one after another. It was Gwen, Tegan and Morrigan.
Gwen saw Niam and ran to him, and they embraced.
“I met your grandparents,” she said. “We had a long talk,” she said.
“They would have loved you,” said Niam.
“Oh, they did,” she laughed. “Laegaire gave me this.”
She opened her palm so Niam could see it.
“That’s her ring, the ring given her by grandfather when they were married,” he exclaimed. “Why would she give you that?”
“You are so silly,” she giggled. “It’s not for me yet, it’s for you to give the one you want to marry.”
She looked at Niam expectantly with wide eyes.
Niam took the ring. He looked at it closely and thoughtfully.
“I wonder who I will give it to?” he said, looking around.
“You will not please your grandmother if it’s not me, she gave it to us which means she gives us her blessing,” she said pouting her lips. Her eyes showing feigned anger. “Will it please you though?” asked Niam.
“You know it will,” Gwen murmured, her eyes demurely looking down at the ground.
“We shall see,” Niam said, putting the ring in his pocket.
“Don’t be too long, or I might wander away,” said Gwen.
“Oh, I don’t think that’s going to happen,” he said confidently.
The others had gone back to the fire to remove the chill from the cold early morning air. So, they joined them and sat around, talking, until the first Solas cast warmth on the happy group.
“We must return to Athlethan,” said Ciaran. “Preparations must be made for the people to be told about the arrival of their new king.” He grinned at Niam.
“How are you feeling Niam?” asked Gwen.
“I am not afraid, I thought I might be fearful of facing the people. That coming back here might awaken the fear of their thoughts of me. They may well think those thoughts, but I am not afraid anymore.”
Celthair came over to him.
“There are some who will try to scare you, the make you feel weak.”
“I know, mother,” said Niam. “The power they think they have will be short lived.”
“I think I am more afraid than you,” said Celthair. “It is a natural thing for a mother you know!”
Niam nodded and hugged Celthair. Celthair pulled Gwen into their embrace.
“Many think that you must be mean to survive this world,” Celthair said, “That kindness is weak. But you will show them a different way, I just know it! You will make a wonderful queen and king,” she said proudly, looking at them both in the eyes.
Celthair beckoned to Ciaran, Morrigan and Tegan to come over to them.
Gwen jumped over to Tegan and hugged her around the neck.
Celthair continued, “You will be their closest friends and support them. They will support you as well. Do not neglect your friendship. You all share something special and will need each other in the days to come.”
Niam placed his arm around Morrigan’s shoulders. Grinning at his friend.
Ciaran pulled out of the group embrace, “We really should start the walk back. It’s a long way, probably almost a day’s walk.”
“I will take Celthair and Grace back to Athlethan,” said Dray Goen, “She will prepare the council and the people for your arrival.”
Celthair nodded. “See you this evening” she said, mounting Dray Goen’s back with the help of his leg, lifting her to his back. She wrapped Grace into a bundle and then put her in a sling, so she could have her hands free for the flight. Dray Goen lifted off and disappeared into the distance.
