A Witch's Quest

by Leigh Ann Edwards

  “Have the two of you set a wedding date then?” Alainn had simply said as she smiled at Cookson and Lily as they made passionate eye contact often and could scarcely keep their hands off one another.

  “Well we can hardly be wed until you and your husband return from Scotland,” Cookson insisted. “We’d of course want the two of you in attendance and we’d also like you to sing at our wedding as well, Alainn.”

  “I can find Father Sean this day to perform the nuptials and I am more than happy and willing to sing at your wedding before we set off on the morrow.”

  “But I haven’t a gown for the occasion. We’ve made no arrangements,” Lily argued.

  “Of course I am certain you wish for your wedding day to be special and your gown perfect. However, if you wait till Killian and I return I fear the gown you may need to don may be considerably changed as may your form.” Alainn smiled knowingly at Lily and winked at Cookson.

  Cookson’s face turned bright scarlet and Alainn felt some glee in seeing him embarrassed and uncomfortable when he had often good-naturedly taunted her and Molly through the years.

  “You think we should be wed straightaway then?” he said as he cleared his throat.

  “You may wed whenever you choose, Cookson. As chieftain Killian has already given his blessing to your upcoming marriage, and you both know you will always have mine. I am well pleased you have found each other and fallen in love. I do long for both of you to know many, many years of happiness together. I only feel I must point out Lily is but five and ten and you might consider whether you are ready to listen to a squalling child with soiled wraps in need of changing often.” She found herself sounding like a lecturing mother after all, even though it had not been her intention.

  “We of course want children one day.” Lily’s rosy lips smiled, but her eyes were wide with some hesitance.

  “Aye, surely we want as many children as Ma and Da.” Cookson beamed.

  “Fourteen babes?” Lily gasped. Having been the only child in her family this was clearly a stretch for her to comprehend.

  “Aye, fourteen,” Cookson added joyfully. “More if you’d like.” Cookson grinned.

  “You are certain to be aware this does leave considerably less time for romance in the bedchamber when there are wee children and babes to attend to,” Alainn cautioned, chastising herself for needing to be the responsible adult.

  This apparently caught their attention and Lily’s already large eyes grew steadily wider and Cookson’s cheeks glowed rosy red once more as they stared at one another.

  “Well maybe we’d rather wait a bit of time and have some time just the two of us before the babes arrive,” he declared as he stared at Lily with uncertainty.

  “Aye, well abstinence is truly the only way to ensure the babes don’t arrive. It only need happen once and then nine moons later...squalling, soiled wraps, spew galore...”

  Now the two young lovers appeared entirely downtrodden by this undesired conversation.

  “But I do have some herbal remedies and preventative suggestions that if used properly and consistently can prove to be effective. Come to the herb chamber with me Lily so that we might discuss this further.”

  The two young lovers had heaved a collective sigh of relief, and Lily had obediently followed Alainn.

  Alainn stood in the expansive stables and was now staring at the large white horse before her. Lightning looked back at her with his huge golden eyes, and she whispered to him.

  “You must return to the realm of the gods. No magnificent magical being should live the life of a normal creature.”

  He reared his head and whinnied loudly in understanding though he couldn’t speak to her as he had during Samhain. She patted his head and rubbed his soft nose as he nuzzled against her.

  “I will miss you much, Lightning, but go now to the realm of the gods and return to being Enbarr, Lugh’s magical steed. This life here without magic isn’t for you!” He nodded again and bowed to her surely in gratefulness.

  Alainn held her arms before her and she saw a white light encircling the horse. She inhaled deeply, wished the animal away and she then stood staring at the empty stall with some sadness in her heart.

  Within her mind she heard the voice of Lugh, the Celtic god who was one of her guardians.

  “Why do you send Enbarr back to me? He was to assist you in your realm.”

  Although Alainn was alone in the stables, she still chose to answer Lugh in the same telepathic manner.

  “I do not desire for him to be a simple creature in our world when he is a mighty majestic and magical being in your realm. Besides, we set off to Scotland by dawn’s first light and I sense there will be possible, perhaps even certain peril.”

  “So be it then, beautiful witch! I will welcome my reunion with Enbarr. Keep you safe on your journey and I will assist you if I am able, and if the council of the gods deem it to be permitted.”

  Alainn’s eyes filled with uncertainty as she placed her hand to her belly. She despised the fact that the evil being grew within her, and yet a part of her, the maternal part of her wanted a child more than anything. Speaking to Cookson and Lily regarding the more difficult tasks associated with motherhood had only made her more deeply aware of how greatly she desired to be a mother. Her arms continued to ache at wanting to hold a child, and her heart still grieved the tragic loss of Cian and of the disappointment of the loss of the girl-child she had carried as well. Then she had been told repeatedly she would never ever conceive another child, never carry a child within her and that, too, had been injurious to her heart.

  Now that had been proven untrue. But, she carried a child that was not Killian’s child, she had no doubt of that. And this child had been affected by the cursed blade and would daily grow more evil, more inherently depraved and nefarious. But how did she know that to be true? She felt her heart ache at the torment she felt and the indecision. The longer she carried this being within her, the worse it would surely become. Was it the child or the demon making her question the fact the being would be evil? The gods claimed it was evil or would soon become so, and yet they had not discovered a manner to deal with the situation or given her any guidance or assistance. Were they always correct in their assumptions or had this actually happened before in the other lives they had lived? They would have no good reason to speak falsehoods regarding the child. Surely it must be true, the child would one day cause must calamity and destruction, many deaths....and how could she ever live with that?

  A part of her knew that was true, and it made her feel ill and frightened and uncertain what to do about any of it. There was one certainty, whether simply her desire to be a mother, her maternal instincts or the fact the child already influenced her thoughts by way of his powers, she believed she would be driven to protect that child should she carry it much longer. There was much to consider, but she reasoned she must soon end this time carrying this child before she was unable to see it done. The unpleasant deed must be done straightaway one way or another.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  As Alainn left the stables, her mind filled with so many quandaries, she slowly made her way back to the castle trying to disperse her disparaging mood so Killian would not be curious as to her melancholy state. She inhaled deeply, called to her powers to calm herself and put on a smile and a face of contentment and even excitement at the prospect of the journey they would embark upon on the morrow. She hoped it was convincing. As she drew nearer to the castle, she saw Killian speaking to a small statured woman who stood with Eibhein. This must surely be Roisin, the midwife’s niece who had come to take over the healer’s duties while they were off to Scotland.

  As she drew nearer, she observed the young woman’s curly auburn hair that shone with health as the sun caught the many lengthy locks. She noticed her pale green eyes and gentle demeanor. She had a soft laugh as she spoke with her aunt and Killian. He towered over the small woman and he looked down at her with a certain fondness in his own
deep green eyes.

  She sensed the woman possessed a kind nature even with the obvious torment she had suffered at the hand of her late husband. She saw Killian put his hand on her shoulder affectionately in welcoming her to their castle.

  Alainn approached the three of them and Killian smiled at her and placed his arm around her waist as he introduced her to the young woman who was surely older than her, but younger than Killian’s three and twenty years.

  “Alainn, this is Roisin, Ebhein’s niece. You’ll know she is to assume the duties of healer in your absence. Roisin, this is my wife, Lady Alainn.”

  Alainn held out her hand and the gentle woman meekly accepted it.

  “Aye, I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Roisin. Your aunt has spoken often about you and sung your praises in regard to your various abilities in healing and midwifery. Your skills will be much appreciated here.”

  Roisin appeared somewhat uncomfortable with Alainn’s warm welcome and confidence, but she smiled and her cheeks grew pink. Alainn continued to speak.

  “I have seen to it the previous healer’s cottage has been cleaned and tidied in preparation for your arrival, and her healing chamber has been organized and well stocked with many of the ingredients you will surely require for a time. The herb garden is most aptly established and the woods beyond and the lakeshore area are both rife with any other plants you might need for your remedies. If it pleases you I will accompany you to the chamber and the garden later this day after your aunt sees you settled within your cottage.”

  The shy young woman appeared to remain ill at ease in her presence and with her esteemed praise, but she curtsied to Alainn.

  “I am pleased to meet you as well, Lady Alainn. I am grateful you offer a warm welcome to me for I have heard it said you are a healer with uncommon abilities. I am certain I will benefit much from working alongside you. I sincerely thank you for all that you have done.” She politely spoke in a timid voice and her eyes soon went to Killian again.

  Alainn was certainly accustomed to women of nearly every age and of all stations gazing longingly at her handsome and undeniably appealing husband. His tall and muscular stature was impressive and his face was strikingly stunning and surely comparable to few. Together with his alluring green eyes and charming mannerisms, she supposed she could not fault women for being drawn to look upon him in appreciation of his physical grandeur.

  As Roisin continued to stare at Killian, her cheeks colored and her aunt cleared her throat which apparently stirred the woman from her besotted entrancement.

  Killian looked from Roisin to Alainn and must have presumed Alainn may be given to jealousy soon enough and so he spoke.

  “Roisin and I knew each other when we were younger. My older brother Cian was most smitten with her when we were all children.”

  Alainn nodded at the explanation. Eibhein, too, apparently sensed the awkwardness that had formed and she soon took leave and hurried her niece away to her cottage abode.

  “So I am to assume it was not only your brother Cian smitten with lovely young Roisin?” Alainn smiled as she linked her arm through his.

  Killian grinned at her perceptiveness.

  “We might have both fancied her, I suppose. She was always demure and a bit timid. After her mother died, she seemed understandably morose and in need of someone to look out for her and make her smile.”

  “And now that she’s had a husband who was abusive and most unkind to her I suspect she will be in need of just that once more.”

  “She’s been harmed at the hands of a man?”

  Alainn sadly nodded.

  “She deserves far better than that,” he softly added as he looked toward the healer’s cottage as they walked together.

  “And who did she fancy, then?” Alainn queried.

  “Sure I think it depended on the day, for Cian and I went out of our way to make ourselves look appealing and the other not so gallant. We went to great measures to impress her and to make her laugh. Roisin had a lovely laugh if I recollect, but it wasn’t heard so often. So Cian and I did what we could to chase away her melancholia and it became somewhat of a competition.

  “It was a source of contention for Cian that I was taller than him even though I was a year his younger, and we often attempted to outdo each other in witless endeavors. My parents were made to deal with our youthful foolishness on more times than I care to remember in our pursuit in gaining Roisin’s attention. It was all in good fun for we were young and spirited at the time.”

  Alainn glanced at Killian and saw how his enchanting green eyes brightened when he reminisced about the happy times when Cian was still alive and when they had all been together here at Castle O’Donnel as a family. Their happiness had been soon shattered. They had been devastated when Killian’s mother and younger sister had died of a sudden fever. It was only six moons later that Cian had been killed during an attack on the castle and Killian’s father had been taken away never to be seen again. Killian had been severely wounded by a sword’s blow and nearly killed himself. He had been found hidden amongst the many dead bodies and apparently clutching tightly to his dead brother.

  After that day he was taken to live at Castle O’Brien to be raised by his uncle Hugh and aunt Siobhan. Alainn had healed him soon after which was how they had begun their friendship.

  She decided she would not allow her jealous nature or Roisin’s obvious fawning over Killian to taint his childhood memories in any manner. If Roisin was a pleasant memory from his past and a connection to his dear lost brother, she would not tarnish it with her unwarranted jealous tendencies.

  Besides it was not as though she didn’t have several other more disturbing tribulations she must face, and the journey to Scotland to consider. She would simply be happy to know Roisin was at Castle O’Donnel and offering healing while she was gone. She was thankful Killian had happy memories to draw from...even if they did happen to include a pretty young girl, now an undeniably lovely woman who was clearly attracted to her husband.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Alainn lay wide awake unable to sleep no matter that they’d retired to their bedchamber well before darkness had fallen that evening. Killian wanted to ensure they were both well rested when they set out on their journey at daybreak. Alainn smiled as she lay watching him sleep by the illumination of the turf fire. She had never required the amount of sleep Killian or most everyone else needed. She recalled so many long, restless nights in the tiny bedchamber she had shared with Morag. As a child, she would lie and listen to the old woman’s breathing, sometimes counting each breath in hope of finding sleep. Sometimes her vivid imagination allowed her to fill the nights with fanciful adventures until she would eventually drift off to sleep. Other times she would quietly move from her straw bed on the floor to sit by the tiny slat in the wall that served as a window. She would press her face against the cool stone wall and gaze up at the stars and moon.

  She had been a young child of only five years the first time she’d set out of the castle at night. She had diligently watched the guards, observed their habits and found a way to slip by them. Once outside the castle she had intuitively found her way to a nearby oak grove. She’d always been aware that oaks were the trees favored by the druids and knowns for their mystical qualities. Once inside the grove she had been delighted to soon find a magical portal that led to the fairy glade.

  After that, she would spend many a night in the glade speaking with and learning from the numerous fairies she had met within the fairy realm. She adored being with the fairies and they always seemed drawn to her. Although she had been warned as a child that many fairies were wicked and they should be avoided, the fairies in this realm all appeared to be benevolent. And so she would go to the glade nearly every night for years. The fairies had taught her much regarding magic and herbal magical spells and concoctions. They showed her glimpses of many realms both human and magical. It had awed and mesmerized her, and on occasion it had frightened her for they had o
ften claimed she was much more powerful and magical than any of them. Because Morag had always urged her to stem her abilities and keep them hidden entirely, she was often conflicted as to what to do regarding her magical abilities. But she did continue to visit the fairy glade despite Morag’s fears and warnings.

  It was also not long after, she had begun going to the stone close to see Mara, the infamous and allegedly dangerous glade witch who had placed a curse on the O’Brien clan in retaliation of a violent attack, a brutal rape by Killian’s grandfather. Of course Alainn hadn’t learned till only recently that Mara was actually her mother, but she had always been drawn to the location and to her. While spending time with Mara, she had played with the boy, Finn. It was believed by the villagers and the O’Briens he had been Mara’s son, but she now knew Finn was actually the old farrier’s son. Mara had gone to the farrier and his wife as the farrier’s wife was giving birth to the boy-child. He was born with several grave afflictions of the mind and the body, and Mara agreed to take him, to keep him distanced from those who might harm or ridicule him because of his grotesque physical appearance and to tend to his many ailments by way of her healing. In turn they would raise her newborn daughter and tell no one of her actual parentage.

  Alainn pulled from the distant memories of her past. When she was unable to sleep she often found herself swaying from her present unenviable quandaries and dwelling on other equally thought-provoking subjects. She tossed and turned for a lengthy time and finally sighed deeply as she slipped silently from the bed reasoning there was no need for both of them to be weary on the morrow. Killian stirred, and reached out to touch the empty place still warm from where she had been lying.

  “You cannot sleep?” His voice was low and it was clear he was only half awake, and much accustomed to her moving from their bed so as not to disturb his rest.