With one last coordinated blow, Ronan and Eghan took down the three Warriors they had battled, and ran towards their horses. They both looked the same, black and beautiful with a white mark on their muscles. They kissed right before jumping on them and let out their cries. The “fallen” Warriors then took on each other trying to earn their chance to get on their respective horses.
“Look!” Bri squealed, pointing in Art’s direction.
My eyes caught his hands in mid air, swinging his swords upwards. They spun while he ran and leaped onto Deanna, then fell to the ground piercing the center of a couple of white "X's" that were drawn in different places of the path. As Art came back around, he lowered himself to the side gripping Deanna's mane and pulled out one of the swords. Holding her neck, Art quickly wrapped his legs around her shoulders and rocked himself back up on the other side, pulling the second sword in the process. He jumped standing on her back, arms wide open, and began twirling the swords in a blur, all around him. His arms switched from front to back, somehow maintaining his balance while she ran.
“Holy shit!” I yelled, gasping as Art opened his legs and fell on top of Deanna. He let out a war cry, both swords raised. “Did he just swing himself around his freaking horse’s neck?” Bri looked at me sharing my shock, and I plopped back on the trunk. "Holy shit," I said again not believing my eyes.
“Stop.” She protested, uncomfortable with my swearing.
"I'm sorry, but didn’t you just see that?" I looked back at the clearing and clapped frantically. "That was freaking awesome! Go, Art. Woohoo!!" He looked at me and flashed me a smile that made me weak in the knees. "Crap." It was a good thing I was sitting down.
“I know,” Bri answered, as though knowing exactly what I was thinking. “It’s the dimples.” She added. “They are dangerous.”
I laughed as she nodded knowingly. “Damn.”
At that moment Cathair and Jarvis came out of the trees laughing as more war cries reverberated in the air. I had no idea who had caught who, but they seemed ok with it. Cathair rushed forward when he saw Ciaran approaching and leaped on his back. Gripping his mane and without wasting a second he jumped off, yet his feet touched the ground only to propel him up again. He used the momentum to raise himself on Ciaran's back like a handstand, then fell on its other side touching the ground and pushing himself up once more. He repeated the stunt, but when he pushed himself up this time, he turned 360 degrees, over Ciaran's head, sitting once more on his back.
"Jesus!" I gasped, but he wasn't done showing off yet.
His feet touched the ground one last time, and when he jumped up, his legs opened, and he turned himself in the air, falling on the horse backwards. He raised his arms and crossed them behind his head lounging as though he was on a couch or something. He didn't even bother to let out his cry. He knew he was the shit. Turning around once more, he caressed his horse's neck thanking him, and urged him forward. At that moment all the others changed their pace. Bri, and I gasped at the same time when the Warriors began to pass each other. Their horses switched places, and intertwined along the way as though they were ribbons forming a braid.
It was such a gorgeous sight as the sun illuminated them and their laughter's mixed with the wind.
Once their Warrior playtime was over, I walked towards Jarvis as the others gathered around their own horses, talking or tending to them. I smiled when I caught Ronan pull out a brush, and begin brushing his Mare. As I understood it, he had a Mare and Eghan a Stallion. Teyrnon, The Regal One was Eghan’s and Ula, The Sea jewel, was Ronan’s. Their horses were twins, which wasn't common. A mare didn't usually carry more than one foal to term, it made their pregnancy very risky, but it did happen. Cathair had taken excellent care of their mother during the pregnancy, and the twins were born healthy and beautiful. This thought brought my attention back to Cathair. Unlike the rest, he was standing far away towards the trees with Ciaran. I stood next to my gentle giant.
“Hey, ye hen. Enjoy the practice, did ye?”
I smiled. “I did. Your horse is striking.”
He grinned caressing his mare's hair. “Her name is Aodh, it means The Flame.
My eyes roamed her, admiringly. She was a true red head. Her mane fell in orange-red strands towards the side. It wasn't as long as Deanna's hair, since it only reached her shoulders, but it was still stunning. "I never knew horses could be red heads."
"Aye,” he said separating her strands and continuing to braid it. He wrapped a thin leather string at the end. "Bonnie cuddy." He said, leaning in and caressed her chest. I agreed with him. Aodh was beautiful. Turning to face me, he looked me up and down and frowned. "Are ye feet a gowping, Aye?
I frowned, I swore Jarvis needed to come with an interpreter. I had no chance to ask him what he’d meant as he snatched me off the ground. What the hell was it with these Warriors and picking me up? I mean, I could easily get used to hot men carrying me around, but still.
“Much better.” He said, securing me to his chest. “Wee hens get tired easily. Not to worry. I take care of ye.”
I repressed a chuckle. “First of all, I’m not a wee hen. I’m a full hen just a little smaller than the hens you usually see." He laughed. "Second of all, thanks for carrying me, my feet were killing me." He grinned, and it suddenly occurred to me that is what he had meant. "Does gowping mean tired?”
“Sore.”
“Oh.” I unconsciously looked towards Cathair again. Jarvis followed my gaze and smiled.
“Do ye want to go ower there? I take ye.” He began to walk towards Cathair without me needing to answer.
"Thanks." I wrapped my right arm around his neck and placed my left hand on his chest holding myself as I looked at him. "Why do you speak so differently from the others?"
He sighed, and his brown eyes suddenly became serious. His light, playful spirit seemed to disappear, and I wondered if maybe I shouldn't have asked. "I am Scottish. Art found my wife and I as the Romans attacked us when he was fleeting Ireland with his clan."
My heart sank. "Was Art able to save your wife too, or just you?"
His smile returned. “My wife is safe, thanks to him.”
My fingers reached up and I gently caressed the scar that crossed half his cheek. “Is that how you got this?”
Jarvis looked at me with a small smile and nodded. “Art saved me before the Roman’s plunged their sword through my head. They sliced my skin first just to toy with me as my wife screamed in the background.”
My chest tightened. That must have been a terrible experience. The Romans had done that to him just to prove they were powerful. Another thought suddenly crossed my mind. If Art was the one that saved him, and Cyn wasn’t with him at the time Art wouldn’t have been able to heal Jarvis in time. It must have pained Art not being able to help him heal.
“Does it hurt you? Looking at the scar every day?”
He looked at me kindly and shook his head. “It reminds me of how lucky I am. That day changed our life forever. Art and his brother brought us here afterwards, and gave us a hoose. A new chance at life. A family.” Jarvis added smiling fully again. His eyes filled with gratitude.
I smiled as a realized how true his words were. I looked around us, correcting my initial assessment of the Druids. They hadn't come here to hide. They weren't running from a fight. They had been moving towards a place where they could all be safe. Where they could offer their loved ones peace, and a chance at a new life. Looking for a sanctuary where hate and ambition couldn't' reach them, or hurt them anymore.
"Were you a Warrior before you met Art?"
Jarvis shook his head. "I began to train when I came here, and saw the camaraderie they had. They are brothers, and I wanted that too. I also wanted to be able to defend my wife if anything were to happen again. Art trained me and welcomed me into his family. The High Priest heard our plea, and made us immortal like the rest."
That made perfect sense. Art and Cyn were just good men through and through. Everyone here
was. “Is your wife a Warrior too?”
Jarvis laughed wholeheartedly. “No. She is a wee hen just like you.” I chuckled. “I take care of her and our wean. She became pregnant after we had been happy here for many years.”
“Is wean your kid?” He nodded. “Is it a boy or a girl?”
“Boy.”
"Awe, I want to meet him. How old is he?"
He chuckled and turned to look behind us. “Eghan! Wee hen wants to know how old ye are!”
I gasped. “Shut the front door! Eghan is your child??”
He laughed, his eyes sparkling with humor and I shook my head, shocked. Jarvis was Eghan’s Dad?? I had not seen that coming.
"I'm seven hundred and twenty-eight years old!" Eghan bellowed from where he stood with Ronan.
I smacked Jarvis on the chest. "Why hadn't anyone told me that?" Jarvis just shrugged amused. "When did Eghan become immortal?"
"He was twenty-four years old when he fell in love with Ronan and decided he wanted to live as an immortal too."
"So he asked Cyn to please make him immortal?" Jarvis nodded and set me on my feet. I hadn't even noticed that we had reached Cathair.
"Thanks, Jarvis," I tugged at his shirt, and he leaned down, but I still had to stand on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek.
“Wee hen should be careful with this one, Aye.” He said feigning a whisper. “He is not as harmless as he looks.”
I laughed while Cathair snickered. Jarvis shook his head and waved us goodbye going back to the others.
"Oh, and Jarvis!" He turned to look at me. "We wee hens don’t get tired that easily. We just really enjoy being carried around.”
He winked at me. “Ah ken.”
When I turned to look at Cathair, he was staring at me with a spark of naughtiness in his eyes. Don't tempt me, boy. “What? I travel in style.”
He chuckled. “Ready for me to teach you how to ride?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
“I shall make sure you enjoy it.”
“How can you guarantee that?”
Cathair shrugged. “I have special maneuvers.”
I repressed a smile. “I see.”
“Ready to ride?” He asked again.
“The horse?” I clarified.
He grinned. “His master is available too.”
I laughed. “You think you are cute.”
Cathair smirked and turned to Ciaran. "Come on, boy. We have a beautiful woman interested in you. Time to impress her." Ciaran stepped closer to me, and brought himself all the way down almost laying on the ground for me.
"Awe. He's so cute," I said caressing his head and kissed his forehead.
"I shall lay down for you too, if that earns me a kiss."
"You can't handle me, boy."
Cathair laughed, and held my hand. I let him guide me towards the side. “Put your hands here, and grip his mane tightly.”
He placed my hands at the base of Ciaran's hair and separated two full strands for me to grab. I did, tightening my fingers around them. I looked at Ciaran suddenly nervous. Even laying down he was huge. My legs seemed too short for this. How the hell was I getting on him?
"All right. I will lift you and sit you on his back. All you need to do is wrap your legs around him, and hold his mane. He shall do the rest."
Cathair explained, answering my silent question. I nodded and felt him grab me by the waist and lift me up. I squealed as he sat me on Ciaran's back. My legs wrapped tightly around him, and I fixed my grip on his hair.
"Oh, God. Oh, God. I'm on a horse. I'm on a huge horse!" I repressed a scream just as Cathair clicked his tongue and Ciaran rose to his full height. "Holy Cannoli!" I shut my eyes and let go of his hair. Wrapping my arms around his neck instead, I hid my face in his hair. I prayed to God I didn't fall.
Cathair’s laugh reverberated through the air while my heart slammed against my ribs. “He shall not let you fall. I promise. Neither will I.”
I opened one eye and saw him looking at me, expectantly. “Is this a bad time to tell you I’m afraid of heights?”
His eyes widened. “You are?”
“No.”
Cathair chuckled, and I straightened myself. When I looked all around me, I gasped. Damn, Ciaran was a tall horse. "Now I know how tall people feel. It's like a whole new world from up here." I looked down at Ciaran and caressed his neck. Thank you, boy. I feel very safe." I gripped his mane once more and gazed at a smiling Cathair. "I'm ready."
He nodded and before I realized what he was doing, he pulled himself up on the horse, sitting behind me. He slid closer to me until his body was flushed with mine, and wrapped his arms around my waist, gripping Ciaran's mane too. He clipped his tongue, and the horse began to strut away. I was too distracted by Cathair's chest pressed against my back and his thighs next to mine to realize where we were going. Fortunately, he wasn't trying any funny stuff. He was simply taking us around the clearing. I relaxed as I began to see the bountiful sight around us. I was truly enjoying the experience. I could see the sunset far away on the horizon signaling the day was over, but I didn't want it to end.
“Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Yes,” I answered honestly, looking at Cathair over my shoulder. “Thank you so much.”
“My pleasure.”
I smiled, and when my gaze returned to the front, my breath lodged in my throat. My eyes followed Art and Seima as they walked side by side. He discreetly caressed her hand as they spoke and walked into the privacy of the trees. I looked over my shoulder to see if Cathair had noticed, but he seemed unaware. Everyone else appeared to be too. Less than a minute passed, and they stepped out, making their reappearance into the clearing. It had been such a brief absence no one else had noticed, but I did. I always did. No matter where we were, or who was around us he always found a way to talk to her privately.
I knew they had been seeing each other for years. Art told me the second day I was here, then why did it feel so wrong every time I saw them together? Seima was an incredibly sweet woman, and she had become my friend. My chest constricted every time I saw him close to her. I took a deep breath, fighting the feeling taking hold of me and looked ahead once more. We stopped right by where we started, and Cathair helped me off the horse. He kissed my hand. "Thank you for doing me this honor."
I smiled. “Thank you for teaching me. It was a beautiful experience.” He frowned noticing something in my eyes.
“Are you alright?”
I shook my head. “I suddenly don’t feel well. Can you please open a portal and take me to Art’s hut?”
“I will get him for you. He should not be too far.”
I shook my head again. “No please, don’t bother him. Just take me home. I need to lay down.”
“If the ride was too rough I apologize. I thought you would enjoy galloping a bit. I should not have pushed, knowing it was your first time.”
I placed a comforting hand on Cathair’s chest and kissed his cheek. “It wasn’t. The ride was perfect. I promise. Could you please take me home?”
I begged feeling myself on the brink of tears. I had no clue what had made me so emotional, but I didn't want to be here anymore. Cathair nodded, and opened the portal for me. I crossed into Art's hut and waved him goodbye.
I rushed to the washbasin as the portal closed and splashed water on my face, again, and again while taking deep breaths. The cold water helped me calm down. Taking one more breath, I straightened and avoided looking at myself in the mirror. I knew if I did, I would lose it for sure. I changed into my nightshirt and got in bed. For the first time in a long time, I wasn't even hungry. My hands gravitated towards Art's pillow and brought it up to my nose. The second the baby powder smell invaded my senses tears filled my eyes but I fought with everything I had to contain them. I had no clue what was going on with me right now, but I was not going to cry. I hugged the pillow and closed my eyes, taking a settling breath.
"You left without me?" It was evident in Art's voic
e that he was pissed. Damn. "You went there with me, Lia. You don't just disappear without even telling me you are leaving. I panicked when I didn't see you there. I didn't know where you'd gone, or if something had happened to you."
I didn’t move. I didn’t look at him. I didn’t answer.
I felt him walk around the bed, but his protest died on his lips when he saw my face. "Are you ok?"
I opened my eyes and risked a glance at him. It was a mistake. “You were busy with Seima by the trees. I didn’t want to bother you.” His face paled at my explanation.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left you alone.”
“I wasn’t alone. I was with Cathair.”
The muscles of his jaw strained. "Are you hungry?"
“No.”
I turned, giving him my back but kept his pillow tightly against my chest. I heard him sigh, and he walked away. The drawer of his dresser opened and closed as I closed my eyes, begging for sleep to come. Shortly after, I heard the water splashing behind the partition while he bathed, and I felt the heat of the hearth as the water boiled for my tea. Sleep eluded me when I needed it the most.
A few minutes later the sound of the ceramic cup, being set on the night table made me open my eyes. Art sat next to me on the bed, silently watching me while I drank the passion flower tea, to help calm my nerves. His hair was still a bit wet from the bath, he was shirtless and wore only his drawstring cotton pants. Taking the empty cup from my hands, he lifted the bed sheet and slipped onto my side of the bed. My body naturally moved towards him as his arms wrapped around me. His chest replaced my pillow, and I settled my cheek over the little hairs on his pecs. It was bliss. His thigh slipped between mine, and he pulled me closer against him. His body curled around mine as though he wanted to protect me from something.
“I’m sorry.” He whispered, lifting my chin so I could look at him.
“For what?”
“I’m not sure, but I feel like I did something that hurt you and it’s killing me.”
Worthy of Magic (The Ancient Magic Series Book 4) Page 12
