TRESSA
I had forgotten all about the bainis garden that was nestled in by a stream that ran through the woods at Pine Ridge until I started planning my own wedding.
My grandmother had planted the garden many years ago, and it had been stunning in its day. Now the stream, swelled to overflowing from the rainy spring, had flooded the plants closest to it. The bushes and weeds of the forest's underbrush, exploding with new growth, had started to reclaim the rest. And yet, it was still a beautiful, peaceful oasis.
Traditional Sidhe weddings were held outdoors next to a body of water. They were generally intimate ceremonies with only a handful of those dearest to you to witness the creation of a new life: the couple's life together. Gardens like this were scattered throughout the Otherworld and were popular for weddings. No doubt my grandmother had planted this one for just such an occasion.
A sense of melancholy fell over me as I imagined how different things would be if Mamó were still alive. Perhaps she would have found a way for me to marry in this charming spot.
A rustling in the woods and the earthy scent of sandalwood and rosewood signaled Alexander's approach. He hung back at first, not immediately coming into the clearing.
"You looked so peaceful, I wasn't sure I should interrupt," he said as he stepped into sight. I tried to smile, but I couldn't shake the sadness of missing my grandmother. He came to me quickly then and hugged me. I held him tight, feeling a deep sense of calm at his touch.
"What is this place?" he asked.
"A traditional wedding garden, apparently forgotten by the Brounies. See how the weeds are strangling the day lilies and the primrose?"
He frowned as he glanced around. "I'm sure they could get it in order if you want to use it. You just need to ask."
"It wouldn't matter." I shook my head and sighed. "The space isn't large enough. We've decided on the lake as a good alternative; there's enough room there to accommodate everyone, and that's where we first met." I squatted by the lilies and pulled out a few of the plants growing in and around them.
"It was silly of me to think I could do a small wedding," I said, speaking to him over my shoulder. "If I were just a niece to the King, perhaps it would have been possible. But as the King's Jewel…" I shook my head as I made my way to the stream, swishing my hands in the water to wash away the dirt. Suddenly the image of a wedding for the King's twin daughters popped into my head and I burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Alexander asked.
"I just had a vision of Rosheen and Keelin having a double wedding. Can you imagine the chaos?" He snorted with amusement.
"Do you think they would survive it?"
"They would thrive on it. The question is, would Uncle Lomán and Aunt Cierra make it through?" I laughed again.
"I'm more interested in our own wedding. Tell me, will there be dancing?" He took my hand and twirled me twice before gathering me into his arms.
"Undoubtedly, with Keelin in charge of the party." We danced together, slowly moving to imaginary music. I lay my head on his shoulder as I followed his swaying movements.
"So there will be a crowd at this wedding. Will the people closest to us be there as well?"
"Aye, of course."
"Hmm. It doesn't sound so bad to me," he said, a hint of humor in his tone. I chuckled and pulled away, slapping his arm playfully.
"Okay, okay. I get it. It will be wonderful, even if it can't be held here."
"We could always get married in the church," he said, a tinge of hopefulness coloring his voice. He had suggested this idea before, however I couldn't imagine getting married indoors.
"The lake will be grand."
Our eyes locked as he cradled my face in his hands. He leaned down and kissed me, tenderly at first and then with deepening passion. He brushed his thumbs along my cheeks as he gazed into my eyes and said, "I'm looking forward to doing that for the rest of my life."
We left the bainis garden, walking arm and arm. I heard the faint strains of a harp playing a seductive tune as we headed toward home. It wasn't a faraway noise travelling on the wind, but rather like something just out of reach.
"Do you hear a harp?" I asked Alexander, although he couldn't hear nearly as well as me.
"Maybe it's someone playing in the camp," he said. I shrugged as the music faded away.
"I had a visit from Tom Lynch today," I said as we came out of the woods and into the yards around the estate. "There have been complaints about the noise coming from Pine Ridge. Evidently one or more of the resorts believe we're providing hospitality without a license."
"Ha! Well when you put it that way, that's exactly what we're doing."
"Aye, well, no one else can know that." He nodded in agreement.
"So what's your plan?"
"We're going into the camp after dinner. Keelin will ask the trees in the area to help contain the noise." As I repeated the idea my cousin had suggested, I didn't feel as confident as I sounded. For what felt like the thousandth time, I reminded myself that we only needed to get through one more week and then everyone would leave.
Alexander took my hand, pulling me out of my reverie as he led me toward the lake. We made our way to the glider under the old maple tree, nestled in among the bushes and flowers.
"I was going to ask you to go into the camp tonight for another reason," he said as we settled onto the glider and he draped his arm around my shoulders. "Let me explain before we go into the house."
We had both come to recognize this spot as the best place to have a peaceful conversation while the twins were in residence, as long as the Pixies who lived in the maple tree didn't interrupt us.
"I ran into a few Sidhe on the way home from work. It turns out that one of them is sick."
"Sick?" I asked, my brow creased with worry. "In what way?"
"It looked like a severe cold or flu, but she was in a bad way—really struggling to breathe. Bad enough that I'd have taken her to the emergency room, in normal circumstances. I couldn't do that, so I gave her a cold tablet and brought her here."
"A cold tablet?" I asked, astonished. He shrugged.
"I didn't know what else to do. It helped a little, but you need to check on her. I gave them a lift to the camp."
I shook my head, a bit amused. I wouldn't ever have thought of giving a fae human medicine.
CHAPTER FOUR
It was just before dark when we set out for the camp. The setting sun cast long shadows as we made our way past the estate's landmarks: the farmhouse, the lake and the labyrinth.
Sophia and Keelin came with us. Rosheen had stayed behind, unwilling to leave her sewing machine even for a few hours. Not knowing what malady affected the Sidhe woman, I carried a purse-sized backpack filled with the herbs, ointments, and tonics I used most often.
A foot or two inside the forest was all it took to reach the edge of the camp. I looked around in amazement at how settled in the fae appeared. Puball cloth, brought from Faery, hung from midway up the tree trunks to act as roofs, marking each household's temporary home. Its waterproof quality protected the inhabitants from the rain and shielded them from the sun. The fabric looked like layers of leaves from above, making it a perfect camouflage as well.
Each of the dwellings had furniture inside made from tree branches twisted or carved into chairs and tables. Hammocks and cots with cushions and covers of soft cloth gave the shelters a cozy and inviting air.
The collective colors of the Sidhe auras, brighter and softer than human auras, made me nostalgic for my home in Faery.
"Sophia, do you want to come with me?" Keelin asked before she left to speak to the trees.
"Can I go over there instead?" Sophia asked, pointing to a spot of bright auras where a ring of children listened with rapt attention to an ancient looking man telling stories. Keelin looked at Alexander and me with a smile.
"Let her listen to the tale. I shouldn't be long; I'll pick her up on my way back." We nodded and she headed off on her o
wn.
Sophia skipped ahead of us as we walked toward the story circle. She nuzzled into the group, sitting on a rock next to a little boy with tight florescent green curls.
"And do you know what the Dagda—the great King of our own Sidhe people, the Tuatha dé Danann—did when the Fomorians stole his harp?" the old man asked in a crackling voice. Sophia leaned forward with the rest of the children. "He went after Bres and his Father Elathan. Lugh of the long-arm and Ogma went with him, and they caught them in a feasting-house. They couldn't deny what they had done, because the Great Dagda's harp hung on the wall."
"I thought the Dagda had the Undry? The cauldron," Alexander whispered.
"He had both. You hear about the Undry more often because it's one of the four treasures," I explained. Satisfied that Sophia was happy and settled, my mind returned to my own task. "Any idea how to find these women you saw earlier?"
"No, afraid not."
We wandered through the camp looking for the new arrivals as many people prepared their dinners. The choking smell of the campfires overpowered what would otherwise be a mouthwatering aroma of grilled vegetables and meat. I moved as far away from the flames as possible and gripped Alexander's arm as we passed.
It didn't take long before people began to notice us. I was easily recognizable to all the Sidhe, as I had been in the public eye since birth. Most of them had never seen Alexander, but they could guess who he was just by the fact he was the human by my side.
They gathered around us, slowing our progress as they murmured congratulations and good wishes. They curtsied, bowed and tittered with their excitement over meeting the wedding couple. I smiled and thanked them, trying to acknowledge everyone by meeting their eyes as I glanced around.
I had never seen such an odd group of my brethren. Most of them wore traditional Sidhe travelling garb: flat boots and long tunics in greens and browns. Others who were more accustomed to visiting the human world had on jeans and other clothing to help them fit in with the world outside the camp. The considerable number of first time visitors fueled my fear of exposure. Any number of them might easily forget to use their glamour to conceal their identity from the non-fae. I scrutinized the group, but everyone I saw seemed to have on a gemstone or natural object to anchor their glamour.
"I have heard there is one here newly arrived who is ill and in need of healing," I said. "Can anyone tell me where to find her?" A fresh-faced lad stepped forward.
"Aye, I know her. She just came into the camp today."
The crowd began to disperse as the boy led the way down a rough path, bumpy with tree roots, rocks and fallen leaves from the previous autumn. Still more fae gawked at us as we passed; most of them also waved or called out congratulations.
We followed the boy as far as the very last fae dwelling at the far end of the encampment, bordering the same stream that ran along the bainis garden.
A young lady with strawberry hair and ruby eyes leaned against a tree trunk, her knees pulled up to her chest. She watched listlessly as her sisters set up their campsite. I turned to thank the boy, but he had already faded back into the forest.
These three women had tried to blend in with the humans, but someone had given them dated advice. They wore dresses and elaborate hairstyles reminiscent of 1940s post war era, which had the opposite effect of making them conspicuous. I grimaced as I thought of them going around Marywood University dressed like that.
"Good day, ladies," I called out. The sisters, preparing their makeshift home, startled when they saw me. They dropped what they were doing and scurried in my direction.
"My Lady," the eldest said with an awkward curtsy. She looked at me, star struck, and opened her mouth to say something else, but nothing came out.
"Oh my, you're Nuada's Heir! Sir, we must apologize," the younger sister said. She blushed with embarrassment. "We spoke so casually to you earlier."
Alexander shrugged off her apology.
"I understand one of you is ill; I came to see if I could help." My words shook them out of their stupor. The sisters hurried to the younger girl who still leaned against the tree with half lidded eyes. They helped her to her feet and guided her to a cot they had just assembled under the puball cloth awning. They supported her under her arms as she gingerly relaxed onto her back. The eldest lay a pillow under her head as she stretched out.
"She became disoriented soon after we came through the threshold," the elder sister explained. "She couldn't hear the noise of the camp on the wind, so we were afraid for her to flit here with nothing to guide her. That's why we decided to make several small flits, until we met up with—" she broke off, not sure how to address Alexander now that she knew who he was. "The poor dear has just gotten worse. The pill Sir gave her helped for a while, but it wore off about an hour ago."
"What's her name?" I asked as the sick girl's body spasmed with deep, moist coughs.
"Kyla."
I sent her to find a pot of hot water as I sat next to the sick girl and took her hand.
"Hello, Kyla. My name is Tressa. I'm going to see if I can help you feel better. Is that okay?"
Kyla looked up at me with listless eyes and nodded. She seemed so weak. I started by pushing a bit of my Sidhe essence into her to see how much that would help her improve. My essence could heal bruises and broken bones easily; illnesses needed some treatment as well. I expected it to add at least a little strength to her dull aura, but I saw no noticeable improvement.
"Does this hurt?" I asked as I applied pressure to her sinuses. She jerked away from my touch and whimpered. I gently lifted her hair from the side of her neck, exposing a golf ball-sized lump at the base of her skull. Alexander squatted beside me.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I don't know. Considering what her sister told me, maybe an allergic reaction to something in the Human World. I'll try to make her comfortable for now, but I'll need to do some research before I know what we're dealing with."
"What can I do to help?" he asked as her sister came back with a steaming pot of water.
I sent him to find a mug as I slipped the bag off my shoulders and dug around inside it. I pulled out a large teabag made of honeysuckle root and dried pinkberry leaves from Faery and dropped it into the water. When Alexander returned with a cup, I ladled some of the brew into it.
"Drink this. It will loosen up your chest," I said, propping Kyla's head up with one arm and holding the cup to her lips. She drank tentatively at first and then took several good-sized swallows. I looked over at her eldest sister as I refilled the cup. "Let her drink as much of this as she can. It will help with the cough. Do you have a rag I can use as a compress?"
I soaked the rag she gave me in the herb mixture, intending to lay the warm compress on Kyla's chest to further loosen her congestion, but I hesitated after spotting a splattering of orange hives on her chest. I didn't recognize the marks, and I couldn't be sure that the herbs in the water wouldn't aggravate them further. I placed the compress across her forehead instead, where it would help ease the inflamed sinuses.
I took an ointment made with fish oil and white willow bark from my bag and gently applied it to the swollen lymph node on the back of her neck. I sang an incantation as I massaged the swollen area, infusing more of my essence into her and using the ointment to help it seep in. The lymph node shrank back to its normal size.
Kyla's breathing became smooth and regular. Freed from pain, she drifted off to sleep. Her sisters recognized the change in her and their own tension began to relax.
"Is she okay then?" the eldest asked. I watched my patient sleep as I debated how to answer her.
"She's better. I'll leave you some herbs so you can keep giving her the tea. The rash on her chest is unusual, so I need to do some reading on that. I'll come back tomorrow to check on her."
The worry expressed on the sister's faces eased with my assurances. They listened carefully to my instructions, nodding as I spoke. I hated to turn the conversation negative again, h
owever their behavior earlier had to be addressed.
"Ladies, before you left the Otherworld, did anyone explain to you that the Decree of the Ancients forbids revealing the existence of the fae to humankind? What were you thinking flitting into a busy community in broad daylight?"
Their cheeks went pink as they glanced at each other.
"We were told, My Lady. We had our glamour up, but once our sister started getting sick we decided to flit for shorter distances so we could check on her. I suppose our worry over her made us forget what we were taught."
"It was just the one time," the other sister rushed to assure me. "We met up with Mr. Mannus and he brought us here in a metal machine on wheels. He also gave us this lecture. We are sorry. We'll be more careful."
I sighed. She brought up another problem. "Didn't you wonder how a human knew all this? How he could see through your glamour?" The wheels visibly churned in their heads. Clearly, they hadn't thought about this until I brought it up. I sighed at their naiveté.
"Watch over your sister and stay close to camp. And keep your glamour up at all times," I chided. My features softened as I looked over at my patient. "Kyla seems okay now, but send your Pixie for me if anything changes."
"We didn't bring our Pixies; I'll come myself if there's a problem."
"Sure, just so long as someone gets me," I said, hiding my surprise. The Sidhe almost never traveled without their Pixies.
CHAPTER FIVE
Darkness had fallen by the time we bid the sisters good night. Music, singing, and whoops and hollers blasted from the opposite side of the camp, yet the faint strands of a competing melody floated toward me from the woods behind us. I turned my ear in that direction, trying to make out the origin of the sound without any luck. Alexander put his arm around my shoulders.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "Keelin texted me that she took Sophia home so we could stay a while, but we can go too if you need to."
Deaglan's Deception Page 3
