It was then I understood. I silently vowed to never take this for granted. Cyn was right. He was mine, and I was his, and whatever would come we would endure it together.
"I love you," I whispered as the emotion overwhelmed me. A tear slid down my cheek as he claimed my lips.
His body began to move into mine, so deliciously.
Our moans mixed and my world righted itself as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Gripping his hair, I kissed him with every single ounce of love I held inside me… and he made love to my soul.
Cyn's chest rose and fell softly with his breathing. I loved resting my head on his chest and laying half on top of his body while we slept. That is, until I got hot and pushed him out of the way to cuddle my cold, crisp sheets instead. Not right now, though. Not tonight. We lay naked on the soft grass next to the waterfall. His arms embraced me tightly to him. He was sound asleep, while I admired the planes of his face under the light of the moon. It was an entirely stalkerish thing to do, but I loved it.
Tonight had been such a magnificent night; I didn't want it to end. I smiled placing small kisses on his chest and became still when the fluttering of wings reached me. I remained silent, trying to decide what was causing the sound. It seemed too pronounced to be a butterfly and too grand to be a bug. My head lifted from Cyn's chest, and I searched the bushes surrounding us, looking for the little fella making such a big noise. The fluttering came again, and my eyes returned to Cyn to make sure he was still sleeping. Slowly, I pulled his arms from my waist and stood. A small glimmer caught my eyes next to a couple of trees close to the left side of the waterfall, and I slowly walked over to it. My gaze searched the place once I got there but I could no longer see anything. The fluttering came again, except this time it was behind me. I turned around and then I saw her.
Her wings were an iridescent white, and I could see the veins that ran through them and the delicate patterns it created it. They were easily my size, and if I extended my arms, I could probably cover the width of one of them. A small part of my brain told me I should probably be scared, except I wasn't. How could I possibly be? I was mesmerized. The Queen Bee that floated in front of me was about Cyn's size and absolutely gorgeous. She seemed pulled from a mystical fairytale. Her body seemed almost human. Although, there were a few aspects of her that remained bee, like the antennas on her head, her eyes, wings, and her abdomen, the rest of her was curvy and soft like a woman's form. Her head was slightly heart shaped, her hair curved at the top, forming a crown, her eyes were big and oval like a bee, but they had lids and lashes. Her nose was small and her lips soft and curved. Her skin a beautifully soft, yellow tone. The moonlight fell on her wings creating rainbow-like dashes of light around her as she floated, carried by her majestic wings. Our eyes met, and she smiled, bowing her head. I bowed in returned, completely at a loss for words. I wasn't sure how but I knew without a shadow of a doubt who she was. She was my Spirit Animal.
I took a deep breath as Cyn’s arms enveloped me. He stood behind me and kissed my cheek.
“Can you see her?”
He shook his head. “I can feel her. You are looking at her through your spiritual eyes.”
I frowned. “Then how can you…” The question died on my lips. “Our connection.” He smiled and nodded. “What do you feel?” my gaze shifted to him.
He searched my eyes. “What do you feel, my Goddess?”
I looked at her once again, contemplating my answer and closed my eyes. I allowed her feeling to engulf me, recognizing it.
“I feel calm and conviction… a sense of purpose.” Cyn nodded. I grinned, my gaze returning to the queen. "What is your name?"
Her head tilted as she looked at me but remained silent.
“It is none but you who shall name her, my Goddess. She is here for you.”
"Oh." I watched her as she elegantly bent her elbows and held her hands in front of her with all the grace of a real queen. Even her posture was royal. "Will you please help me? I want a Celtic name for her." I said, enlightened to have her here.
Cyn nodded. "What do you wish her name to signify?"
I thought about it for a moment, and her rainbow twinkling wings caught my eyes again. “Splendor, radiance, brilliance. Is there a name that means any of that?”
He smiled. “Aine.”
My head turned to the queen, and I smiled. It fit her perfectly. "Welcome, Queen Aine. Thank you for coming into my life."
She smiled. I was glad she approved of the name. Looking at me one more time, she graciously lowered her arms and bowed her head slightly.
Aine shimmered, disappearing before my eyes.
Cyn’s hands caressed my arms as he turned me around and held me against him. I sighed, melting into the warmth of his skin against mine. My cheeks heated wildly, the second I felt his hard body against me. He smirked and I couldn’t help but feel naïve about us. There were so many things I didn’t know, that I hadn’t experienced when it came to intimacy. Only Cyn had been this way with me. I had only shared myself with him.
“It is alright, my Goddess. You need not be shy with me. We shall experience this together. I will do anything you ask of me to fulfill your every desire. Show you everything you need to feel the pleasure only the purity of our love can elicit. Just as my essence and heart are yours… so is my body.”
My blushed deepened and his lips curved into a full-blown smile. His naughty dimple caught my eyes as his gaze became even more intense. His hands slowly cradled my face then slipped through my hair a second before his lips claimed mine. They moved so sensually, robbing me of sanity. I barely felt his hands settle on my waist and lift me from the ground. However, I did feel him, soft, warm, and hard inside my body. My breath caught the second he became part of me and I clung to him while he walked back to our bed of soft grass and flowers.
CHAPTER 4. PRISONER
BRIANA
* * *
I stood in front of the mirror and stared at my reflection until I went cross-eyed. I chuckled as I felt the Déjà vu feeling settle in me. I was wearing the long, cream dress with lace that I had worn at the beach the day Cyn first saw me. A few strands of my hair were braided, and I had the tiny metal-carved clips holding the end of the braids. It seemed like only yesterday I had been on the beach with Grandpa, listening to the story of how my parents met, for the millionth time, and dancing in the water. Cyn had admitted to me that he had been watching.
It was surreal to see myself now and realize how many things had changed. I was in a new place, surrounded by new people and learning a new culture and way of life. Grandpa was no longer here, and I had a destiny greater than anything I could have ever imagined. Yet, a part of me remained the same. Looking at myself in the mirror now, I couldn't help but recognize how my Celtic-Druid heritage had always been a part of me. My braided strands were proof of that. Most of the women here, including Seima wore their hair like this. Some wore more intricate braids and styled it a bit differently, yet they were the same. Even some of the male warriors, braided their hair. As it turned out, the tiny clips I had once fallen in love with and obtained from my old friend e-Bay, had Celtic runes and markings on them. My long “Boho” dresses were nothing but an extension of who I was deep inside, even though I hadn’t realized it yet.
Taking a deep breath, I turned and walked towards the door to join Cyn outside. He was waiting for me to begin the “Blessings and Peace offering” rites like we had done together for the past three weeks. Today was Grandpa's Birthday, and I couldn't think of a better way to honor this day than being at peace with his Druid family and my new life.
The leather sole of my golden beaded sandals crunched as I walked over the gravel, and dirt covered ground. We really needed to do something about these paths. Maybe we could create streets and level the ground to make it easier on everyone's bodies. The strain caused by walking over these uneven and rocky surfaces was something my back was already complaining about. I put a mental post it to talk to Art about
it. He was the "architect" of the village. He had designed and actually used his hands to build this place. He and the other Warriors had created this magical place out of literally nothing. He loved to work with his hands.
Cyn’s lips brushed my cheek the moment I stood beside him.
"You look stunning, my Goddess." He whispered in my ear and turned to face the villagers.
I smiled while my eyes took in all the new faces among our people. Some of Cyn's Druid family had been hesitant and unsure of me at first. Not everyone had welcomed me into the clan yet, but every day there were new faces in the crowd. That made my heart warm. I knew it would take time for the rest to accept me, but that was ok with me. Everyone healed a different way, and I knew that after everything they had been through, some were still healing. I knew I was.
I took a step forward and offered a smile to the little girl in front of me. Cyn had just blessed her, and it was my turn.
“Haigh”—Hi there.
I said, bending at the waist. She looked around three years old and was sucking her thumb as she looked at me with big eyes. I couldn’t remember seeing her before. She looked a bit scared. My eyes found her father who was chuckling standing right behind her.
“Mhà mi a 'cumail a h-”—May I hold her?
I asked, looking at Cyn to make sure I had actually said the right thing. He nodded.
"Yes, you may." The father answered, and I was relieved he spoke English.
I bent down and picked her up, holding her on my hip. She gasped, and her little eyes widened. I chuckled and placed my lips on her forehead. My kiss elicited the flow of peace from me and into her essence. She pulled back dazed and smiled. With a tight hug, I put her down again and watched her father kneel.
I put one hand on his shoulder and the other on his head, and felt the energy once again travel through me.
“Sìth maille riut”—Peace be with you.
I lifted my hands from the old woman and wondered what her name was. She was the same lady that had urged me to try the day I had first done it. Before I could ask, she had already walked away. I frowned, realizing she hadn't been among the rest of the people since Cyn and I had begun this routine. Maybe she didn't need to receive blessings every day, or maybe I just didn't remember seeing her. I put a post it in my mind to ask Cyn her name later.
Once everyone was gone, Cyn and I headed to Seima's hut for breakfast. Art was apparently busy this morning with something important, and Seima had offered to cook for everyone. Lia was already there when we arrived.
“Good morning, Linda.” She said standing from the table and hugging me.
“Good morning.”
She kissed Cyn on the cheek while I hugged Seima. The food was already on the table, and it smelled delicious, yet I couldn't rip my eyes from her. Seima was tall like most of the women Warriors. She had soft honey-blonde hair that fell to her mid back. Her body was slender, but she had an hourglass figure that made her look very sexy.
What? Yes, I am a woman, but I can still say she looks sexy.
Her eyes were blue, very similar to mine except they had a hazy quality in their color. Almost like a milky blue, if such a color existed. She had the kind of lashes that made you look like you always had eyeliner on, and the curve of her eyes was almost feline. Her lips were thin. A bit pouty, which totally added to the beach-Warrior-bombshell look she had going on. She was wearing a light gray linen dress, with a hay cord around her waist, which was definitely from the first century and was walking around the kitchen barefoot. She looked so different now compared to the first time I met her at the battle of the lake. She looked feminine and soft. Innocent even. Not the fierce Warrior I had witnessed. The one that had protected Grandpa, Lia, and I. My heart constricted at the memory of Grandpa, but I cut it off immediately. I had left that behind. I was trying my best at least. There was no space in the new me to think about that day. I couldn't let the anger and hurt take over me again. I had turned over a new leaf, and I would try my hardest to commit to this new life.
“I am thrilled to have you here, a chara,” she said to Cyn then smiled at us. “Please, sit down. I made my special Porridge with honey and Bannocks. Come on. Eat.” She placed a plate of round flat cakes that looked like pancakes in front of me.
I had eaten Porridge before, it was essentially oatmeal, and it was excellent. I loved oatmeal. Lia rubbed her stomach like a child before taking the first bite and, Cyn and I chuckled.
“Seima’s Porridge is the best I have ever tasted. My mother’s included.” He said, winking at me and taking a bite.
I was impressed. I tore a piece of the pancake and hummed when I put it in my mouth. It had blueberries in it, and it was truly delicious.
“So, I decided that you guys totally conform the cast of Star Wars.”
Lia announced, making me choke on the Bannocks. Cyn frowned. Seima smiled and looked at her expectant. I reached for the ale.
“How is that?” I asked perplexed.
"Well, the mister over here is obviously Obi-Wan Kenobi." She said, pointing at Cyn and I almost spat out the food with laughter. "Episode One, of course, because this version of Star Wars is definitely hotter," She added quickly, and I laughed. Cyn's frown deepened. Seima just looked at us amused. She seemed happy just to have us here. She didn't care that she had no clue about what Lia was talking about. She smiled and paid attention to everything Lia said as if it was the most amazing thing in the world. Seima was the sweetest.
"Art is Chewie, for obvious reasons," Lia continued. "And I'm Han Solo because he and Chewie are inseparable of course.” We laughed. “Now, keep in mind that in order to fit all these Warriors we need to use the entire Star Wars Universe, not just the original characters. So, with that in mind, I'd say Cathair is Lando Calrissian. You know, cause he's hot in a groovy kind of way. Or maybe he can be Poe Dameron because YUM, #Sexy."
I laughed out loud at that. "Amen, sister!" We high-fived, and I took a bite of the Porridge. The world nearly stopped. Cyn was right. It was incredibly delicious. Seima grinned, knowing exactly what my expression meant. “Unbelievable.” I took another bite and sighed.
Cyn looked at me raising a brow. “Do you consider Cathair to be ‘Hot and sexy?’” he asked, with a glint of jealousy in his eyes.
Crapola!
I shook my head, frowning. "Not at all baby." I kissed his lips and turned to face Lia hoping that he wouldn't realize I was flat out lying to him. Cathair had extreme hotness going on.
“Your Grandfather was definitely Qui-Gon Jinn, and the Mother Goddess is totally Yoda.” Sweet mother of fandoms, she was on a roll. “Also, I think that Eisha is Ahsoka, in the Star Wars Rebels, not the Clone Wars, of course, because she's totally bad ass, and Seima would probably be Amidala, because, reasons."
Seima perked up; excited she had gotten a part in this super weird version of Star Wars. “Really?” She asked, looking at me and waiting for confirmation.
I smiled nodding. "Yeah she's also a super bad ass, and she's a queen."
Seima squealed and looked at Cyn. "I am a queen! Queen Amidala. I like it." She was so happy it made me smile. She seemed so in awe of us because we were the "unknown" everything about us was so different and new to her. Cyn winked at her and continued eating.
“Except for the whole ‘dying after being strangled by her husband, and giving birth to twins’ thing of course,” Lia added, and Seima’s eyes grew wide with horror. Poor girl.
"Just ignore her," I said, waving my hand dismissively. Seima chuckled and nodded.
"And you, Linda, are definitely Rey. You came into the force unexpectedly, and you have a huge destiny before you. The rest of the Warriors I'm still working on, so…"
Her rant was suddenly interrupted as the door swung open. We all turned at the noise and saw Art walking towards us with a hard expression on his face.
"Brother." He said, reaching Cyn and leaning close to him. He whispered something, and Cyn straightened.
Cyn grabbe
d the cloth napkin and cleaned his mouth. "Thank you for the meal Seima. It was delightful." He took one more sip of ale and cradled my cheeks. "I have to check on something, my Goddess. Will you remain with Seima today?"
I nodded, wondering what Art had told him. “She promised to teach us how to work the leather.”
He smiled, pleased. “Then you shall enjoy yourselves. I will see you later.” He kissed me and without another word, disappeared with Art by his side.
CYNWRIG
* * *
Our steps were swift as we headed to Art's hut. It was the closest to Seima's, and I did not wish for anyone to see us open the portal.
“He is awake.”
The simple sentence Art had shared resounded in my ears.
Felix had awakened.
I took a deep breath, trying to figure out a way to share the news with Briana. I would not dare utter a word until I knew in what kind of mental condition he was. Briana would want to confront him for what had transpired, and I was not in a position to deny her that. She had every right to do so. After the battle of the Lake, he had been gravely injured, and had come within an inch of his death. Our healing magic could not heal it all, but his essence had endured. I used an ancient spell Mo meantóir had taught me. The air ais bhroinn—restoring womb had been used on our people when the plague had attacked our mother village. The plague, which had killed my parents. The spell had saved a few, but the rest had perished. For some, their bodies had healed, yet their essences had not been strong enough to survive the illness.
Essentially, the enchantment created a healing film that covered the person like a cocoon. It enthused the cells of the body to regenerate and heal while the individual remained unconscious. The process was painful, so the victim was placed under a unique deep sleep spell. This ensured they would be able to endure the healing. Once the body had fully regenerated the person would naturally awake.
Renewed Magic (The Ancient Magic Series Book 2) Page 6
