Stoc (A New Druids Series Book 3)

by Donald D. Allan

  The teachings began the next day. Nadine and I taught them all we knew. Nadine explained the draoi powers and how they worked and the rules that bound us to Gaea. Foremost that we could not use our powers to harm others. Some tried minor things to see if it was true and learned quickly to avoid it. We explained how Gaea shared her power with us and how we borrowed it for our use. Our history was taught, and we all agreed that the future required change. We decided to no longer keep our abilities hidden. Nadine wasn't happy, but she agreed. The draoi would make themselves known to the world. We could no longer hide in the shadows.

  Around us, the farm continued to recover and grow. Steve and Franky met with my students and told them they were safe and protected. When I told Steve I was confused, he smiled and clapped my back.

  "My crew will always be here for you, Will," he had said. Franky had looked surprised and stormed away. "Never mind her, I can see your people have a need for protection. You have it from me, Will."

  I had blinked back tears as my emotions overwhelmed me. I had never considered needing guards but now I had them promised to me and I valued them. The Church and the Sect were still out there and a threat. They had come once to destroy the druids and would do so again. Brent Bairstow and his gift had destroyed the black creature Erebus but he was long gone with his friend James Dixon and likely back to Munsten by now. His last letter had informed me he was heading there with James. He had asked for my support and I had refused him politely. My draoi had a long way to go before we could be involved in politics and the Church, if ever. I had wished him well. For now, my draoi had Comlin's men and women to avoid further persecution by the Church. It let me sleep at night.

  In the Draoi School, we learned what each of the students could do with their magic. As I had suspected they each had unique skills. We discovered those strong in healing, those strong with animals or plants. Some demonstrated strength in manufacturing potions and unguents. Some could twist plant and animal parts into wonderful works of art or tools. Each of them had an ability in vision, sense and influence in varying degrees of strength. We taught them how to see the other druids and the ropes of power that tied us together.

  They had started as duilleogs, but by the end of March, they were each craobhs ready to become stocs. Nadine told me Gaea was pleased with our progress. In time, the students would become the teachers and the school would grow. It was all happening so fast.

  My only disappointment was with Katherine. She refused to take part in the school despite her earnestness I start it. She stayed away from the farm more and more but always with Dog at her side. Her loss was too much. I had tried to get through to her. To talk about my loss but she wanted nothing to do with it. She argued with Nadine and always found fault with her. Nadine stayed clear of her when she could. Katherine was like a dog fighting another over the same scrap of food. Hackles were raised and a growl always rumbling in the background. Dog even sided with her. They moved as one and it was hard to tell where Katherine ended and Dog started. For Nadine and I it was too much and so we kept our distance out of respect. We knew it was only a matter of time before she would leave and not come back to the farm.

  "She's wild, Will," Nadine said one evening in bed. "Something broke in her that night her parents were killed. No child should ever see that and then the horror of them becoming aos'si. She has gone wild, and she's filled what she's lost with her bond with Dog."

  Aos'si was the word we found in the manuscript for the animated dead. Aos'si was a use of our power forbidden centuries ago and I had agreed once I read what it was. It was a horror and changed the druid who used it. They became sluagh sidhe. This is what we assumed Erebus was and Seth had been. Gaea offered no knowledge but Nadine and I often spoke of it. Nadine was worried that Katherine would follow down that same path. I knew she would not. She could never become something that could do what had happened to her parents.

  "Aye, she is at that," I agreed at last. "Wild. Her bond with Dog has become something more than it should. I fear she has lost a part of her humanity. I lived with wolves for a long time but never did I want to become one of them. Nor did I have magic that would allow that to happen. She has no such reservations."

  I felt Nadine nod her head on my chest before she spoke. "I fear for her. Why she hates me so I do not understand although I suspect it has everything to do with authority."

  "She doesn't hate me."

  Nadine smacked me lightly on the chest. "Dummy. You don't use your authority over her. I do. I'm always the one that has to tell her what to do. You don't get involved. If you did you would fall under her wrath, too."

  I thought about that for a time. Nadine fell asleep and snored. I felt a wet spot on my chest and chuckled. I looked down and saw the drool. Nadine was the love of my life but had some of the most amazing quirks. Poor Katherine, I thought before sleep stole me too.

  The snows had cleared early and Ostara Day in March arrived. Nadine surprised me with a birthday party marking my nineteenth year. It was the first birthday party I remembered having, and it was a fun day. The draoi, crew and farmhands all gathered outside and Gaea made a silent appearance. Everyone gasped and moved aside to give her room. A quiet settled on the gathering. I smiled at Gaea and she smiled back.

  "Get out!" came a shocking loud screech from Katherine. We turned and saw her standing with fists clenched at her sides, her face red and furious. "Get out of here, you cailleach!" Her spittle flew.

  Gaea looked back with a sad face and said nothing. The moment stretched and Katherine growled deep in her chest. Dog whined and looked from Katherine to Gaea, unsure what to do. Without another word, Katherine turned away and strode off to the house. Dog ran alongside her looking back to us and Gaea.

  I moved to follow her, but Gaea stopped me. "Leave her be, Freamhaigh. She blames me for the loss of her parents. And she is correct."

  I hung my head. "It pains me to see her like this. Nothing Nadine and I do seems to help. She is lost to us, I fear."

  "But not to the earth, Will," replied Gaea, and I looked to her. "She is furious with me but she is still very much a part of me. Katherine knows this too, and it fuels that anger. She can no more lose that tie than she could sever her own legs and still walk. She will leave soon. Let her go. I will watch over her. Dog will be there for her. Your bond to her grounds her. Believe in that."

  "She is family and I would rather she stays with us, but..." I struggled to finish the thought for I knew the words would be final within my heart. "But she can no longer stay here." I looked out to the far distant tree line to the north. "I need her to leave and find herself. Hopefully, she comes back to us." Nadine wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me tight against her.

  "Perhaps. Time will tell. Look what your time in the wilderness did for you."

  I snapped my gaze to Gaea and felt an anger simmer.

  "See? That anger you feel toward me, it is so much stronger in Katherine. She needs to find peace with it and herself."

  Defeated, I released the anger and looked to my students standing nearby with looks of awe on their faces. They stared at Gaea with such adoration it caused me to chuckle. "Look there, Gaea. There is love, no?"

  Gaea smiled at the students. "You are all doing so well. You are almost stocs and sure in your abilities. I am proud of you, my children. Enjoy this day where we celebrate the renewal of life."

  The students cheered and moved closer to reach out and touch Gaea. A few farmhands joined them. She let them and then turned her face to regard me and I sucked in a breath. Before me stood my mother. Nadine made a soft cry and covered her mouth.

  "Happy Birthday, my Will."

  I nodded past swimming eyes and with no sound Gaea disappeared and the students laughed and spun around.

  Nadine drew me into an embrace. "Happy birthday, Will, my husband and love." Her lips touched mine and then she wiped the wetness from my eyes with gentle fingers. "Enjoy your day."

  Later that afternoon, I wander
ed out past the orchard trees and crossed the fields toward the small wooded high ground that marked the northern border of the farm. I reached out with my senses and felt the awakening of life all around me. Spring was here and with it the chance for new life and new beginnings. The fields had been planted and for a time the farm focused on fixing up the damage of winter and taking a deep breath before everything changed.

  Steve and Franky were drilling the crew every day at daybreak and for most of the afternoons. It was a side of Steve I had never seen and I admired his leadership with the crew. Franky and he made an excellent pair, and the crew was getting into shape better than Steve had hoped. The draoi joined them when they could as a distraction.

  The sounds of the farm faded behind me and I followed the thread that led to Katherine and Dog and I saw them up ahead. Katherine was tossing a stick and an excited Dog was running barking after it and bringing it back. As I approached, I could sense that Katherine was aware of me. There was little draoi could hide from one another. It was a blessing and a curse.

  "Hi, Freamhaigh," she said and tossed the stick once more. Dog barked at me in joy and ran after the bouncing piece of wood. "Happy birthday."

  "Hmm, thanks," I replied. "I don't feel any older."

  Katherine squinted at me. "Nope. You don't look it either."

  We looked out across the fields toward the farm buildings and watched smoke rise from the chimneys. We could see people moving about and with our vision we could track all the draoi as they did one activity or another. I stole a glance at Katherine and caught her stealing one from me. I laughed at her and she punched my arm.

  "Ow!" I yelped and rubbed my arm. "What is it with the women in my life always punching me?"

  "You ask for it."

  "What? How is that possible?"

  "You just do with all your weird ways."

  "Me? Weird? I don't think so. I'm the head of our kind. Well, me and Nadine. That deserves respect, don't you think?" Katherine smirked back at me and looked out to the woods. Dog ran up and dropped the stick and sat and lolled his tongue from his mouth.

  Katherine looked at Dog and nodded at some word between them and then looked at me and I could see the sadness in her eyes.

  I reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know, Katherine. Just ready yourself. Come see me tonight and I will tell you what you need."

  A look of fright crossed her face. "You know?"

  I used my hand on her shoulder to pull her into an awkward embrace and she started to cry gently, hiding her face in my arm. "Of course. I'm the Freamhaigh. Go. Out there somewhere. You and Dog, both. See me tonight. I can tell you how best to survive. It's easy when you know how, plus you'll have Dog with you."

  She nodded her head against my shoulder and then cried a little more. "I can't..." she said, her voice muffled against me. "I can't be around people anymore. Everything about the farm reminds me of my mum and dad. It's too much. Dog agrees and said we should go. I didn't want to at first but I'm convinced now. It scares me, Will."

  I glared at Dog who at least had the common courtesy to look ashamed and lower his head to the ground. "I understand. I do. And I agree with Dog, despite his nefarious ways. Dog knows the land. He can help you hunt. Keep you safe. And you have your powers. You are the strongest of us all I think. Be careful."

  Katherine pulled away and hid her face from mine by crouching down to hug Dog. Dog looked over her shoulder at me and winked with both eyes. I glared at Dog. He was becoming a bad influence. But he was right, I'd give him that. I poked his nose for good measure and then wiped my wet finger on Katherine's back.

  "You'll have to explain this to your father. Steve needs to hear it from you and not from me."

  Katherine wiped her nose dry with her sleeve and then held Dog's face in her hands. "He's not my father. My dad's dead and buried."

  "Aye that he is. But Steve Comlin is your da, Katherine. He loves you in his way and he's only just learning how to be someone for you. Don't leave him now without telling him why. He'll take it personally otherwise and run after you. You know that."

  "I'll think about it." Dog prodded her with his nose and she laughed and rose to face me. Her eyes were red.

  "Steve is like a father to me as well, Katherine. That makes us kin."

  "I suppose it does at that. Brother?" she asked testing it out and then laughed and shook her head. "Freamhaigh. That sounds better."

  "Fine. See me tonight. After supper, okay?"

  "Okay, Freamhaigh. I'll be there."

  I turned and started back to the farm. Behind me, Katherine softly called out to me. "Thank you."

  I stopped and turned back to her. "Don't thank me. If I had a choice, I would make you stay. We all love you, Katherine. We love you enough to let you go, too."

  Katherine chewed her lower lip and nodded.

  I turned and waved a hand behind me and kept walking. My feet were heavy on the ground and my heart felt broken. The tilled furrows of the fields let me hurry back to the farm house. The sun was sinking fast and the afternoon would soon be over. I saw Nadine step out from behind the orchard trees and cross her arms over her breast and hold herself tight. Through our bond, I could feel her emotions stack on my own. I was not the only one who was suffering and kept my head high as I approached. One of us had to remain strong, and I voted for myself.

  Two

  Rigby Farm, Early May, 901 A.C.

  THE DRAOI STUDENT on sentry duty on the southern approach road informed the others that the Baron of Turgany was approaching with a large contingent of armed men and women. It was midday and Nadine ordered Dempster to prepare for a large meal for supper. I bounced down the stairs to the main landing just as Steve emerged out of his bedroom, cinching his belt buckle. As the door to his room swung shut, I spied Franky lying naked on her side on his bed. She caught my stare and winked. She had no shame or inhibitions and smiled when I turned beet red.

  "Will," said Steve. He saw my face and glanced back to his door and seemed relieved to see it closed. He checked his sword and then gave me his full attention. "It's true? The Baron is on the road here?"

  I nodded. "Yes, he'll be here in an hour. He just passed the outer sentry line."

  "By the Word, I wish I had people with those skills when I was working the roads all those years ago."

  He often referred to his time as a highwayman as working the roads. "Yes, well, the draoi weren't as helpful back then, were they?" I chuckled to hide my ire at the thought. I still fought with Nadine over this point. She was the most stubborn woman alive. She even argued with Gaea. A smile flitted across my face thinking about my darling wife.

  "No, I suppose not. Still, would have been nice. Now excuse me, I have to round up the troops." Steve moved to go past me but I stopped him with a touch of a hand.

  "Shouldn't Franky be doing that?" I asked and grinned at Steve as colour rose to his cheeks.

  "Franky?" He glanced again to his bedroom door. "She, um, she..."

  "She's basking on your bed and probably biting her cheek to stop laughing. You forget I'm a druid. I can see all sorts of things. Like when two people are enjoying each other."

  Steve stared at me in horror. "What do you sense?"

  I laughed. "No, not that. I can sense the love between you. All emotions, actually. You care about each other. Seems wrong to hide that."

  Steve looked flustered and then I saw him clench his jaw and a steel look came to his grey eyes. "Yes, well. She's also my second. Not right to fraternise."

  A loud laugh from the kitchen came from Nadine. "Sounds like you fraternised all night, Reeve Comlin!" shouted my wife with a large amount of satisfaction somehow heard in her tone.

  Steve growled and pushed past me and out to the front door. I heard it slam and closed my eyes and watch him jog toward the main barracks building. I heard the bedroom door open and opened them to see Franky leaning against the doorframe, dressed in her leathers and stroking the handle of a long knife sheathed
at her waist.

  "You're a naughty one, Will Arbor," she purred.

  I blinked at her in response.

  She leaned forward and gave me a quick peck on my cheek. "Love, you say?" And she sauntered past me and out the front door looking satisfied with herself.

  I leaned back against the hallway wall and thought back to what I had said to Steve and then groaned.

  "You're an idiot, Will," laughed my wife from the kitchen. "But at least you're my idiot."

  I walked into the kitchen to find Nadine drinking tea and picking at the preserved apples in front of her. Dempster waggled his eyebrows at me and then turned back to whatever he was preparing on the stove. I slid into the seat next to Nadine and thumped my head into my arms. Nadine stroked my back for a moment.

  "Bealtine Day. Auspicious day for the Baron to arrive, don't you think?" she murmured.

  "I wouldn't know. I never followed the calendar days as well you know. It's just another day, love."

  Nadine made a tutting sound, the sound always reminding me of her true age of sixty-something-or-other. Her renewed youth gave her advantages beyond just looks. "They're there whether you know it or not. They bring change. Mark my words. Such as the Baron showing up today of all days."

  I raised my head and stole a piece of apple. It crunched between my teeth and I sucked in the sweetness. Being a druid allowed us to preserve fruit as fresh as the day we picked them. I spoke around the mouthful. "I suppose Gaea told you he was coming?"

  "Course. I knew days ago."

  "And you couldn't find the time to tell anyone? Say me, for instance?"

  "What's the fun in that?"

  "Old woman, you are evil, you know that?"

  "Young man, you love it..." and she reached out and grabbed me high on the thigh. I yelped and jumped in my seat. "Now be a good boy and round up the students for me. I want them presentable."