March 5: 13 Days Before the Festival
The lush scenery of Ireland was visible through lightly tinted convex windows of the passenger train. Endless stretches of a rolling patchwork of fields in every shade of green passed by endlessly. The bright yellow and blue passenger train sped into deep gullies that offered little to see but gray slag stone and tufts of grass waving in the wake of the passing train. All of this flashed past Sunny's window in an unending blur. The rhythmic beat of the wheels on the rails and the varying whirring sounds lulled Sunny O'Neil into a trance-like state. The occasional high-pitched blast of the horn as the train passed through villages would briefly wake her from her woolgathering.
Since the plane landed, Sunny had no time to dwell on her sadness. It wasn't until she settled into her seat on the railcar and sped overland toward her Aunt Fiona, who waited to gather up the wreckage of Sunny's life, that she began to sink into obsessive depression.
When Sunny's plane landed at Dublin Airport, she collected her bags and the large trunk on a rented pushcart, then hurried to a taxi that quickly took her to the Connolly Train Station. The process had taken several hours, and she had no time to think about anything besides getting off the plane, catching the train, and settling in for the long journey.
On the Train to Longford
After several train changes, she sat by the window of the railcar, her right shoulder pressed against the cool glass. She leaned her head against the thick pane and tried to forget everything that had happened in the past three weeks.
No matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn't push the event away for long. The memories of that day were burned into her mind's eye and kept flashing before her constantly, like the afterimage of a giant flash bulb. It refused to fade. It kept exploding in her thoughts again and again. Luckily, she no longer cried when the memories surfaced from the depths of her mind. There were no more tears—only intense feelings of betrayal and seething anger that constantly simmered in the marrow of her bones. That unreasonable anger troubled her. Sunny had never felt such intense rage before, and if she let that anger rise, she would feel this bubbling pain start deep in the pit of her brain.
Sunny took a deep, steadying breath and pushed that aside. She looked out at the rolling landscape through her window. She knew she was extremely exhausted. The plane ride had been a series of restless naps mixed with hours on her laptop researching everything from the fascinating behavior of crows and ravens to the coins she had been given.
Her hand reached up to finger the silver half-crown coin hanging around her neck. She rubbed her thumb over the face of the coin and smiled. She had taken the coins to a classmate whose side hustle was jewelry making. He created incredibly intricate and one-of-a-kind pieces of metal jewelry.
Two Weeks Earlier – Kinderhook Metal Works
Sunny arrived at his metal shop, moving over from his forge while wiping the sweat off his face with a scorched beach towel hanging around his neck. "Hey Sunny, I was glad to hear from you. You doing okay?"
Sunny nodded. "I will be, Lee. Thanks for asking."
"What can I do for you?" Lee asked, his dark eyes curious.
Sunny reached into her purse and pulled out the small drawstring bag where she stored her coins for safekeeping. "I was wondering if you could take these coins and make me a bracelet and maybe a necklace from the silver half crown."
Lee emptied the pouch into his hand and examined each coin. He grinned at each one. "You want these coins that all have the dogs on them as a bracelet and the other as a necklace?"
"I'd like it," Sunny replied. "I'm leaving for Ireland in a week, so do you think you can do it for me before I leave?"
Lee nodded. "Sure can! Since they're Irish coins, I'll add a little Celtic knot around the fitting of the horse coin. I'll put it on a leather cord for you with a sliding knot so you can adjust the necklace length depending on what you're wearing."
"Sounds wonderful, Lee," Sunny said. "What about the bracelet? I'd like it not to be too fussy."
Lee motioned her over to a worktable. He measured her wrist. "Simple charm bracelet with a good, strong clasp. It'll jingle, but it won't get in the way or snag on anything."
"Sounds exactly what I'm looking for…"
On the Train to Longford
She took her smartphone out of her purse and started browsing through the photos. She felt a bit disappointed, realizing Dublin was like most busy cities—a large place filled with people moving around, traffic noise, and smells and sights that overwhelmed her. She hadn't missed the chance to take many photos with her phone's digital camera. She planned to upload them to a computer, print the ones she liked best, and send the rest to her parents.
The train had Wi-Fi, but the service was unreliable as it traveled from town to town. During the brief stops to pick up and drop off passengers, she checked her email and sent her parents a digital album of her trip photos so far.
The train slowed and glided into a station to pick up and drop off passengers. She flicked through the images on her phone, trying to decide which ones to send to her mother during the brief stop. She frowned at the screen when she noticed the signal was particularly strong and five email messages loaded with a series of chimes. Sunny clicked on the envelope icon, and the list of messages appeared. One was from her mother; the other four were from Jason. Her 'Missing you' subject line appeared on all four. Her thumb hovered over the icon briefly, considering whether to open the messages. Anger pierced her, and her head began to throb. Why put herself through more pain by reading his deceitful messages? They all felt the same. She sent them to the digital trash can and then permanently deleted them. The action gave her a bit of satisfaction, even though she had been tempted to open them and read what Jason had tried to say to win her back. Instead of dwelling on the threatening negative feelings that now constantly hovered near the surface, she tapped the envelope icon with her thumb, and her mother's message opened.
Dearest Sunny, Dad and I finally heard from Aunt Fiona. She called late last night. She's going to meet you in Longford. She's arranged to get a rover from someone in town. I hope she has a valid driver's license! I was trying to remember how far Ballencoo was from Longford, but I can't; it feels like so long ago now. If you can, once you reach the village, give us a call – no matter what time it is, just let us know you arrived safely. Love you, Mom.
Sunny smiled, then used her thumb to press the reply button and turned her phone sideways, causing the small touch keyboard to rotate. "Hey, Mom and Dad! I'm on the train now heading to Longford. The Wi-Fi signal keeps dropping, so I don't know how long I'll have service. I tried to find out how long it would take to get to Longford, but I could never find anyone who knew much about Ballencoo to tell me. Folks are kind of vague about that. As soon as I meet up with Aunt Fiona and get to Ballencoo, I'll call you.
I'm going to send a few more pictures to you and Dad since my signal is hovering around four bars! I've been taking a ton of pictures and have finally gotten into the sketchbooks you gave me for my trip! Hope to upload most of the pictures as soon as I get a strong signal again! I miss you heaps and bunches! I love you both! Your traveling child, Sunny."
Sunny found the pictures she wanted to add to the email, tapped the 'send' button, and shortly afterward heard the swishing sound of the email being sent from her phone. She turned off the phone and dropped it back into her purse.
Several passengers had gotten on board, found seats, and stowed their bags in the overhead compartments. An elderly couple settled into the seats ahead of Sunny. They nodded to her as they passed by on their way to their seats. A young man with a blue duffel bag arrived next to Sunny's window seat. He looked around at the other seats, then opened the compartment, angling a look down at Sunny. "You care if I put my bag up here with yours?"
Sunny looked up at him and nodded her head briefly. "Go ahead; there should be plenty of room if you turn my bag around."
"Aye." he turned her bag slightly, hefted his up, and closed the compartment with a loud 'snick'.
Sunny watched him out of the corner of her eye as he shrugged off his jacket and looked at her with interest. She tried to act casual as she reached into her purse again, rummaging around as if searching for something. He folded his jacket and placed it on the seat across from her. The ticket agent approached and asked to see his pass. He reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out the ticket. Sunny glanced at him as he briefly talked with the ticket agent. He was of medium build with light, slightly curly, sandy-colored hair. Sunny thought he was cute, and when he turned and caught her staring, he flashed a wide, toothy, contagious smile, making Sunny smile pleasantly as he picked up his jacket and sat down facing her. "You look to be traveling light."
Oh, the rest of my caravan is somewhere in the baggage car," Sunny replied with a grim smile.
He tilted his head to one side as he listened to her. "From the States, eh? On holiday?" he asked; his brogue was light and crisp.
Sunny nodded, then realized that this man might be a robber or worse! She frowned gloomily as she remembered Jason had always told her she was too trusting and thus an easy target! Recalling such an incident, when Jason had lectured for what felt like hours about being too trusting, she suddenly felt anxious. The man with the boyish smile frowned at her. "Ach! Something—or someone just made you sad. I hope it wasn't me!"
She looked up, startled, at him, and he laughed softly. "Ah, now where's the sunshine?" He extended his clean, manicured hand. "I'm Sean Calhoun, by the way."
"Siobhan O'Neil," she answered and shook his hand. "Everyone calls me Sunny."
Sean leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Now why am I not surprised? I told myself that you had to have a name to match such a lovely face."
"You told yourself that, did you?" she replied with a smirk.
He pretended to be hurt and then leaned forward. "Tell me; you're not married, are you?"
At the mention of marriage, Sunny felt herself falling, and Sean instantly saw the hurt in her eyes. He took her hand and rubbed it between his warm fingers. "Hey, now none of that! Don't you waste another tear on the bloody bastard!"
She had to laugh. "Is it that obvious?"
Sean released her hand, sat back, and assessed her. "Aye; very."
Sunny sighed heavily and looked down at her phone in her purse, recalling the email messages from Jason she had deleted.
Sunny looked up at Sean, noticing he was waiting patiently for her response. She shook her head. "Sorry, it's not easy for me to talk about," Sunny replied.
Sean nodded understandingly. "Aye, well, wasting another thought on him is time ill spent, Sunny."
"That's what my dad says," She replied.
"Smart man!" Sean replied. "So, you're on holiday?"
"No," Sunny replied. She slipped her phone into her purse and looked back at Sean with her emerald-green eyes. "Off to stay with my great aunt.
"Does she live in Longford?" Sean wanted to know.
"No, in a place called Ballencoo, do you know it?" she asked.
A strange and sudden expression crossed Sean's face, then he looked at her and shook his head as if trying to shake off a dark thought. "Going back to visit?"
I was last there when I was a little girl—maybe three or four years old," Sunny replied. "I don't remember much, just that my Aunt Fiona was a lot of fun to be with."
"And if I were to come visiting," Sean said with a wry grin on his face, "What's your aunt's name?"
Sunny laughed softly. "If you came to visit, you'd look for Fiona Dannan. It's an old name, I understand."
"Aye," Sean replied, still looking thoughtful and confused. "Very old indeed!"
"Do you know it?" Sunny asked.
He was still frowning in thought, then looked up at her and shrugged lightly. "No, but I'm a newcomer to Ireland. My folks settled in Roscommon. But O'Neil is an old name, too."
"My father's very proud of his Irish ancestry."
"And his daughter? How do you feel about your Irish blood?" Sean asked.
"I'm the proud daughter of Erin!" she announced proudly.
Sean grinned, glanced at his watch, and lightly tapped the face. "I'm starving; want to join me for a bite to eat?"
When she looked down at her hands, Sean muttered under his breath, then took her hands in his and gently shook them. "You have to eat! Come on, don't make me have to eat all by myself!"
"All right," she said, relenting. "I'll have a little snack."
"Nae, you'll have a proper meal!" he told her. he got up and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, Siobhan O'Neil."
She giggled like a schoolgirl as she reached down for her purse and let him pull her up the railcar to the dining car.
They arrived, found a spot, and sat down. Sean pulled the menu and ran a finger down the selections. As the waitress arrived and set two glasses of water down, he frowned at the water, then looked at the woman's name tag. "Hannah, we're famished! We're in sore need of a good meal. What do you say to a couple of pints and two cold plates?"
Sunny examined the menu and noticed that the cold plates included sliced meats, cheeses, bread, and seasonal fruit. It was more food than she could eat in a day! 'Hannah' nodded and returned with two large glasses of dark beer. Sunny had always loved the beer's rich, smoky flavor, and she took a long, satisfying sip, closing her eyes in enjoyment.
Sean Calhoun was a medical resident heading home to visit his grandmother in Roscommon, which is beyond Longford. He was an only child; his father had died young, and his mother and grandmother raised him until his mother passed away a few years ago. Now, he cares for his grandmother. He was an avid rugby fan and played the sport as an undergraduate. He planned to practice medicine in his hometown. He was unattached; the girl he had planned to marry wasn't willing to wait until he finished medical school, and she married one of his friends instead.
Sunny picked at her food, trying not to give in to the urge to eat everything Sean had chosen. He pointed at her plate. "Are you just going to chase that food around your plate or eat it?"
"I'm trying to watch what I eat," she murmured.
"That's what you seem to be doing—watching your food!" Sean wagged a scolding finger at her. "You need to eat; you're too skinny!"
Sunny laughed out loud. "You're kidding!"
"No!" Sean told her. "Not sure where you got the notion that you need to starve yourself to death!"
I'm not starving to death," she said, chuckling. "What a ridiculous thing to say."
"You are starving to death, Sunny," he responded. "You're starving more than just your body! You're starving your soul. I don't need to be a doctor to see it in your eyes."
She met his warm, friendly hazel eyes and smiled. "I guess you're right, Sean."
"So, eat up!" Sean told her, giving her a stern look. "Doctor's orders!"
Sunny ate as they chatted about all kinds of topics. They spent over an hour and a half in the dining car talking about everything and nothing. Finally, the conversation shifted to her. "What's next for you, Sunny?"
She watched him cut sections of a red apple and take the piece he handed her from the knife he was using. "Well, I've finished my studio work and graduated. I'm scheduled to start working in September in the graphics department of an advertising agency. I interned there last summer and earned a spot on the staff."
"And have those plans now changed?" Sean asked gently.
Sunny smirked. "You could say that. My whole plan has changed a lot."
He cut another slice of apple and offered it to her. She took it and chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "Oddly enough, it was my mother who suggested I come here. I didn't protest at all; in fact, I am running away, trying to get as far away from things as possible. Aunt Fiona's been asking me to visit for years, so — here I am."
Sean replied, "I'm glad you decided to come home."
She smiled at Sean. "I am too. Aunt Fiona and I have kept in touch through cards, letters, and phone calls. I've never forgotten my time with her, and now that I'm here and so close, I feel like that missing puzzle piece in my heart has fallen back into place. I have a feeling that it's going to be hard to leave."
"You could always choose to stay," Sean said. "Start fresh."
When they returned to their seats, Sunny pulled her travel sketchbook from her purse and, as she and Sean continued to chat, sketched him.
"So, what all have you drawn so far?" Sean asked her as she paused.
Sunny flipped back through the pages, a tiny frown knitting her russet brows together. "Not as many as I wanted, but I've taken hundreds of photos and sent most of them back to my parents. I may have done it partly to ease their minds, showing I'm going to be okay. I plan to sketch more once I get to Ballencoo. While I was trying to finish up school, I put my sketching on the back burner, so I plan to make up for it now."
"May I?" Sean leaned forward, and she handed over her sketchbook. He looked down at his portrait, squinted critically, then flipped through the pages. "You have an amazing talent, Siobhan O'Neil."
"Thank you," she murmured, blushing a pretty shade of pink as he grinned at her, then continued to examine her sketches. He flipped back to his portrait and held out his hand for the pencil. "Just one thing missing here."
"What's that?" she asked, handing her pencil over to him.
The train whistled loudly, and she looked out the window; they had arrived in Longford. Time had flown by, and she was about to leave her new friend. Sean held up the book so she couldn't see what he'd added, then closed it and handed her both the book and her pencil.
"So, you're going to be spending a while with Aunt Fiona?"
She grinned. "I am!
He pulled his cell phone from his jeans pocket, held it up, and snapped a picture of her. "I want to see you again, Sunny," he told her. "You mind sharing your phone number with me?"
Sunny didn't mind at all and tapped in the number as she recited it. He looked up at her with a warm smile. "Come on, I'll walk you to the platform."
He pulled her bag down from the overhead compartment and carried it to the exit, then stepped down to the platform and offered his hand to help her down the steps. She took his hand and stepped onto the platform. It was a little chaotic as passengers disembarked and others boarded. Then they paused and stood looking at each other.
"Have a safe trip to Ballencoo," he told her.
"Thank you," she replied, then on impulse, she leaned in closer and kissed his cheek.
He grinned broadly, and as the whistle blew, he turned to step back onto the train. "Until we meet again, Siobhan!"
Sunny waved to him as the train started to pull away. He blew a kiss to her, then pointed over her head and waved. "See you soon, Aunt Fiona!"
Sunny turned and saw a woman approaching from the station, wearing a long paisley-printed dress with a royal blue shawl draped over her shoulders. Fiona waved and smiled as if she knew the man. There was no mistaking Fiona; she hadn't changed from the memory Sunny held in her mind's eye. Long, silvery hair coiled around her head like a crown, held in place by hairpins, each adorned with tiny pearls.
"Aunt Fiona!" Sunny hugged the woman and caught the warm scent of lavender and rosemary; it suddenly felt familiar and comforting.
Fiona hugged the young woman tightly. She sensed a swirl of sadness around her, and as she stepped back, she felt something else that caught her off guard: a surge of feelings both familiar and strange. It was the very same feeling Maire had experienced! Fiona held Sunny's hand warmly and, with her other hand, pointed toward the departing train, saying, "Turn and wave at the lad!"
Sunny looked back at Sean and waved, her smile just for him. "His name is Sean Calhoun from Roscommon."
Fiona smiled and waved to him along with Sunny. "A transplanted Scotsman, is he? There's an interesting story about the Chief of the Colquhouns."
The train took the bend, and Sean disappeared. Sunny looked at Fiona. "Really? What's their story?"
Together, Fiona and Sunny walked into the station. "Well, the King issued a command to the chieftain to seize a well-defended castle in Scotland. The chieftain wrote the King back in French, the language spoken at that time, and he wrote, 'Si Je Puis'; which means 'If I can' – by the way, that is the Calhoun motto."
Sunny smiled because Fiona was just as she remembered her. Fiona always had a story. They walked over to the baggage claim area, and Sunny handed her claim tickets to the porter, who went off to find her bags. Fiona continued her story, "Anyway, the Chief gathered a group of his best men and hid them in the woods outside the castle gates. Then he lured a great red stag past the gates where it would be seen by the garrison at the castle. Seeing the first meat in days go strolling along, the starving garrison threw open the gates to chase the stag. The clansmen rushed the castle and captured it for the King."
"Anyone killed?" Sunny wanted to know.
"Maybe the stag," Fiona replied with a wink. "But no human that day lost his life. Quite an accomplishment, I'd say — for that day and time."
Sunny laughed happily. Fiona smiled and pointed to the exit. "The rover is just outside. We'll get the porter to roll out your bags, and we'll be on our way."
"I don't remember; how far is it to Ballencoo?" Sunny asked.
"Oh, it's a fair piece to Ballencoo. Might be getting dark by the time we get there, so we'll be staying in town overnight and heading out to my place in the morning," Fiona replied. "Miggs can see perfectly well in the dark, but I can't!"
"Miggs?" Sunny echoed.
"My cob mare," Fiona replied, "and the main mode of transportation. Not many of these beasts in town—running." Fiona tapped the hood of the green Range Rover. It had several dents and was a bit battered on the side doors. Sunny looked through a window and saw that it was a manual three-speed with only a simple dashboard and no radio!
Sunny found a porter and pulled her claim tickets from her purse, then Fiona and she waited a few minutes while the bags were gathered. The porter rolled the small luggage cart around the side of the brick building and started loading the bags into the back of the Range Rover. When he finished, Fiona tipped the man. Sunny got in and looked for a seat belt as Fiona started the vehicle. It sputtered a bit but then settled into a steady rumble. Fiona patted the dashboard and murmured under her breath, glancing over at Sunny. "Always say a prayer at the beginning and end of a journey."
Sunny's cell phone buzzed; she pulled it from her purse, looked at the screen, and grinned. "It's from Sean."
"He's missing you already, is he?" Fiona said.
Sunny giggled and held the phone up to show Fiona. "You're psychic!"
"Nae," Fiona replied. "I just know human nature. The lad was captivated – but I don't have to tell you that! Tell him there's a festival in two weeks. March seventeenth — why don't you invite him to Ballencoo?"
"A festival? The seventeenth is St. Patrick's Day, isn't it?" Sunny asked as she started to type the message.
Aye, but the real festival is on the twenty-first," Fiona replied. "The Vernal Equinox marks a balance between light and dark. The clans come to trade and barter among themselves."
Sunny nodded. "Sounds like fun." She texted Sean back the invitation and dropped her phone in her lap. She leaned back to enjoy the drive. "Sean said he was glad I had come home. You know, I feel like I'm home too — is that strange to feel that way?"
"Certainly not!" Fiona declared.
The phone buzzed, and Sean's text came back: "C U then! ;-)"
The drive through the countryside to the village of Ballencoo was long and winding. The roads were sometimes just a single lane, which seemed unusual to Sunny since almost everywhere else had proper roads. The borrowed Range Rover easily navigated over small stone bridges and through narrow roads lined with stone fences. Finally, they were stopped by a shepherd and his flock. The man waved to Fiona, and she slowed down to a stop and rolled down the window. "Oi Fergus, how's the hip?"
The man rested his elbow on Fiona's Rover door and pushed his cap back on his head. "That balm did the right trick!"
"Glad to hear it," Fiona replied.
Fergus squinted in at Sunny. "Who you got there with ye, Fiona?"
"This is my great-niece, Siobhan O'Neil. She's just arrived from the States."
Fergus tugged at the bill of his cap. "Ye do favor the Dannan clan, Miss."
Fiona smiled smugly first at Sunny and then at Fergus. "Aye, that she does."
The last of the sheep sauntered past the bumper of the Range Rover and Fergus patted Fiona's arm. "I'm away. Slán go fóill!"
"Slán leat," Fiona responded and cranked up the Range Rover, and they rolled off again, leaving Fergus and his shaggy sheep. Sunny waved to Fergus as they passed him.
"Are we close to Ballencoo?" Sunny asked.
Aye, almost there, " Fiona replied. "We'll get settled, and if the phones are working, we'll give your mom and dad a call.
The scenery flashed past, and they stopped at the gates of a manor house. "O'Donnell's place is over the rise. Alister O'Donnell is the current laird. His lady wife is a customer of mine."
"A customer?" Sunny asked. "What kind of services do you provide?"
Fiona smiled. "Oh, this and that."
"That sounds mysterious!" Sunny replied, glancing over at Fiona.
Fiona chuckled. "Nae, I take over a few things to try in her tea."
"Well, if it's like the Christmas tea you've been sending to Mama for years – it's delicious!" Sunny exclaimed.
"She went off to get 'cured' by the doctors in Dublin," Fiona replied, putting the Rover back into gear and driving off. "Now she's home and needs to be 'cured' of the damage those doctors caused."
"What was wrong?" Sunny asked. She decided it was best not to share that Sean was finishing his residency.
"Cancer," Fiona replied. "Her physicians have done all they can do; now it's my turn."
"And how is she doing?" Sunny asked.
"She's better every day, I'm glad to report." Fiona declared. "A medical phenomenon, her doctor in Dublin tells her.
As they drove along a long stretch of road, Sunny looked out her window and saw a group of ravens flying high overhead. She reached up and fingered her necklace. "Aunt Fiona, I had an interesting thing happen to me. Mom said you'd know more about it."
"What's that?" Fiona asked.
"Ravens visited me, and one bird in particular brought me this silver half-crown coin. Some of the others with him dropped other coins; Mom said they were wolfhound sixpence coins."
Fiona was silent for a moment. "Did they follow you?"
"I believe one in particular did. He stood guard outside my bedroom window."
"I can't imagine Maire liking that!" Fiona commented.
Sunny laughed lightly. "No, she was scared of them."
"And you?" Fiona wanted to know. "Were you scared?"
"No, I was just curious why they would be drawn to me," Sunny murmured. "I was drawn to him, too."
Fiona asked, "What did you do with the coins?"
"I had a friend turn the half-crown into a necklace," Sunny said, fingering the coin, which hung from a leather cord. "The wolfhound coins he added to a charm bracelet."
"It's a tribute," Fiona replied. She slowed down as they rounded the last hill and crossed a large stretch of land that rolled into the growing twilight. "It's very unusual, but you should be very flattered."
Well, I didn't talk to Mom about it, but on the flight over, I researched ravens and their complex network. It was fascinating how they could communicate with each other.
"We'll need to keep an eye out and see if they contact you again," Fiona said. "You don't need to worry too much; they're just curious."
"I'm curious too," Sunny admitted. "I hope they passed the word along that I'm someone they can trust."
Fiona smiled. She couldn't really say much more. The ravens had definitely watched over Sunny. Fiona wondered who had asked them to keep watch over the girl.
They passed the moss-covered wooden road marker that welcomed them to Ballencoo. Sunny examined each storefront and watched people walking along the cobblestone sidewalks. The Rover sputtered and shook slightly as they entered town. The streets were wide, and besides the struggling Rover Fiona was driving, there didn't seem to be any other motor vehicles in town.
Fiona pulled the Rover up in front of 'Cluny's Tavern' and turned off the now wheezing engine. "Well, we made it!" she announced. "You feeling hungry?"
I'm feeling a bit hungry, Sunny replied.
"Good." As they sat in the car, a man in his mid-sixties opened the bright blue tavern door and waved to them. "I see you made it back in one piece!" he called.
He walked up to the driver's door, opened it, and helped Fiona out. She patted the man on the arm. "Aye, Piper, this is my great-niece, Siobhan O'Neil."
His moss-green eyes widened as Sunny approached him. "She's the image of your grandmother, Fiona!" he grinned kindly. "To hear Fiona say you were just a little girl! Now you're a really pretty young woman!"
Sunny smiled back and shook Piper's large, rough hand. "The last time I was here, I was about four years old."
"She grew up," Fiona replied, examining her great-niece with an approving look.
Piper waved a hand toward the door of the tavern. "Go in, and I'll get some of the boys to bring in your bags. Let Cassie show you up to your rooms, then we'll tuck you into some supper."
Fiona led the way into the pub. The soft jingle of bells greeted them, and as Sunny stepped over the threshold, she felt a warm, protective wave wash over her. She looked up at the tiny silver bells and smiled. Cassie, Piper's wife, was just as happy to see Fiona and Sunny as he had been. She came around the bar to greet them. She was a small woman with warm, sparkling brown eyes and mouse-brown hair, graying and twisted into a bun on top of her head. "Come with me; I'll bet you are exhausted after such a long trip."
They all climbed the wide stairs leading to the second floor of the tavern. The main hall stretched the entire length of the building, with rooms on both sides. Cassie opened one door and stepped back. "Fiona, not your usual room; we moved you here so you would have connecting rooms. Siobhan, you're next to Fiona."
The rooms were bigger than Sunny expected. Hers was similar to Fiona's. Each had an oak four-poster double bed. Cassie visited Fiona for a few minutes, then, when she heard the boys bringing up the luggage, she waved them into Sunny's room. The two young boys were not much older than fifteen or sixteen. They quietly set the bags inside the door, then shyly glanced at Sunny and grinned as she gave them a warm smile and a thank-you. Cassie shooed them out, and they hurried back down the stairs the way they had come.
Once the door closed, Sunny sat on the bed and finally realized she was in a different country, thousands of miles from everyone. It felt a little odd not to feel homesick. She missed her parents, but they didn't seem that far away. She pulled her cell phone out of her purse and turned it on. There was no signal at all, and then, as she watched, the phone's battery drained completely! "Aunt Fiona, I've got no signal and now no power on my cell."
Fiona peeked her head in the door. "I'm afraid you won't have any luck with that contraption. We can call your mom and dad downstairs; there's a phone booth down in the pub. That's what we all do when we need to make calls."
"Okay", Sunny murmured.
Fiona tilted her head to the side in curiosity. "Something you're thinking?"
Sunny shook her head. "Not really. Just still confused."
Fiona nodded. "The shadows will pass before you know it, my pet. Don't expect your heart to heal itself in just a few days because you're in a new place. It can help to be somewhere fresh with new things to distract you, but eventually, you'll have to face everything and put it behind you so you can move forward."
"You don't think being here will help me forget?" Sunny asked.
"Haven't you already started to forget?" Fiona asked. "I expected to see a sad, pale shadow of a girl at the train station. What did I find? A moon-struck boy, hesitant to say goodbye to a beautiful young woman he'd met on a train."
Sunny chuckled softly as the image of Sean Calhoun appeared in her mind. Fiona pointed at her great-niece and said, "You see? Already, all those terrible memories are being replaced with beautiful new experiences. Forgetting is the easy part," Fiona told her. "Forgiving is the difficult part."
Sunny nodded; that coil of anger twisted again deep inside her core. "Yes, I will have to work on that."
Fiona saw that flash of rage and was surprised to see how intense it was in the young woman. It was something she hadn't encountered in many years. She pushed aside that concern and chuckled, her own green eyes sparkling with amusement. "Come downstairs when you've freshened up. We'll have a pint, call your mum and dad, and then listen to the new gossip."
Sunny smiled happily. "That suits me right down to the ground!"
Sunny joined Fiona downstairs in the tavern just as Cassie was bringing in a basket of bread and butter. Fiona pointed to the phone booth and told Sunny to call her parents. Sunny closed the door of the phone booth, sat down on the bench inside, and collected her thoughts. She picked up the heavy black receiver and started feeding coins into the machine. She spoke to the overseas operator to place her call. After a few minutes, she heard her mother on the other end.
"Sunny, I'm so glad you made it!" Maire declared. "How's Aunt Fiona?"
"She's great!" Sunny exclaimed. "It was a long trip, but we're finally here in Ballencoo — And it's beautiful!"
"How are you feeling, dear?" Maire asked.
"I think I'm going to be fine, Mama," Sunny said. "I really am going to be all right."
"Hey, sugar!" It was Thomas O'Neil's voice on the extension.
"Hi, Dad," Sunny called. "I just wanted to call and let you both know that I'm here safe and sound."
"That's good, honey," Thomas replied. "Have a good visit with your Aunt Fiona."
"Thanks, Dad, love you," Sunny called through the telephone receiver.
"Love you too, honey," Thomas replied before hanging up, leaving Maire to talk to her daughter.
"Are you going to Laurel Cottage tonight?" Maire asked.
"No, we're staying at Cluny's Tavern and heading to the cottage in the morning," Sunny replied. "This place looks like a movie set; I keep expecting to see Maureen O'Hara biking through town at any moment. It's idyllic!"
Maire laughed, and her anxiety began to fade as Sunny kept talking. The operator came on and asked for more coins, and Sunny added the amount they had discussed for a few more minutes. Then Sunny reassured her mother again that everything would be alright. "I hope so, dear," Maire said. "Tell Aunt Fiona I said hello."
"I will," Sunny promised. "Love you, Mama, and don't worry."
"I love you too, my girl," Maire said. "I'm glad you're feeling better."
"I am, Mama, goodnight!" She hung up the phone and went back to Fiona at the table. "Mama says to tell you hello."
"Hello to Maire," Fiona said, then waved to Piper at the bar, who filled two glasses with dark beer. The pub was already filling with early-evening customers. A group of young men played billiards on one side of the pub, and in the back, a group of men and women played darts. The bar was right in the center of the tavern, with one side dedicated to families and the other reserved for more serious drinkers. A few older men sat at the bar.
Piper came over to set the glasses of beer down on the table. Sunny took a sip and smiled appreciatively. "Wow, that's not a commercial beer!"
Piper smiled broadly. "Nae, you're right! It's my own brew!"
"It's wonderful, Mister Cluny!" Sunny took another long sip and licked her lips.
"Ach, call me Piper, lass, no need for formalities," the tavern keeper said. "Fiona and I have known each other since our school days."
"Aye," Fiona replied, rolling her eyes up at Piper conspiratorially, "In and out of trouble since we were wee children!"
The tavern door swung open, bells ringing. Everyone paused to look. A plump woman with silvery gray hair stood in the doorway. Her face was round with rosy cheeks. She smiled and waved as several people greeted her. Piper and Cassie both called out to her in welcome. "Molly, where's your other half?" Piper said as he left Fiona and Sunny's table to hug Molly.
"Oh, he's coming," Molly said, then clapped her hands in surprise when she saw Fiona. "Gracious! You're back!"
Fiona got up, hugged Molly, and then pulled her over to the table. "You and Ian come and join us," Fiona said. "I want you to meet Siobhan."
Molly's eyes widened as Sunny stood up to greet the older woman. "Oh, Fiona, she's the spitting image of your grandma!"
Sunny smiled. All she had ever seen was a faded, sepia-toned portrait of her great-grandmother and namesake, but she did resemble Fiona's grandmother remarkably. Her parents and Aunt Brianna had noticed the uncanny similarity early on. Sunny had the same clear, alabaster skin, an oval face, and a slightly upturned nose. Her wide, almond-shaped eyes were the color of clear emeralds. As a little girl, Sunny thought her eyes were the color of lime Jell-O, but as she grew older, they deepened with shimmering hints of gold and red fire around the iris—especially when she was angry. Sunny had full lips, straight, even teeth, and when she smiled, she could brighten any room. Her hair was deep, rich copper and had a natural wave that seemed to have a life of its own. She learned early in her teens to leave it alone and let it curl naturally. It had been very short and very long during high school, but now it fell well past her shoulders. Often, she pulled it into a ponytail, but lately, she decided to let it fall softly over her shoulders.
The tavern doors swung open, and cheers of greeting filled the air. The man stepped inside and roughly waved to everyone. Molly gestured for him to come over, and the stern line of his face softened as his eyes met his wife's. He took off his cap and looked at Fiona, then at Sunny. "So, this is your great-niece?"
"Aye," Fiona replied. "Siobhan, this gruff old thing is Ian McTavish."
Sunny grinned, and McTavish definitely noticed. He let a faint smile appear on his lips. His face was broad and expressive. His crystal blue eyes sparkled with humor and a hint of defiance. His skin was reddened from the sun and wind. He wasn't tall, but he moved with the confidence of someone who was used to getting his way.
Molly sat down next to Sunny, and Ian moved to sit between Fiona and Sunny, with his back against the wooden-paneled wall. Cassie served two more bowls of stew and brought additional bread. They talked quietly among themselves when a man at the bar slightly turned toward where Fiona sat. "I heard that Erskine's bullock showed up!"
"Aye," came a reply from further down the bar. "And now Fergus is missing his black ram!"
"It's them Gypsies!" declared the first man at the bar.
"Nae," Piper replied, "I don't think it's the Gypsies."
Then who do you think's nippin' all the livestock, huh?" the second man at the bar wanted to know.
"Well, I don't know," Piper said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "But I don't think it's Gypsies."
"Sumthin' is goin' on!" said another man from across the bar.
A chorus of "Aye's" sounded out.
One of the younger men at the billiard table approached to refill his glass. "Did you hear about Colin McGee? I heard he had saved up to buy some prize-winning pullets, brought them in, and went to bed. The next morning, they were all gone!" he made a "puffing" sound to illustrate his point.
"Aye," Piper said with a chuckle, "I heard that, but old McGee probably left the coop door open, and they all flew out!"
There was a quick burst of laughter. The man at the bar shook his head and slammed his hand down loudly on the counter. "I tell you it's Gypsies!"
"But the strange thing is," the young man said with a grin thrown over his shoulder at his friends, "Less than two weeks had passed when McGee went out and found all his pullets back full grown and laying double yolks!"
"That can't be true," Sunny whispered to Molly softly.
"Oh, but it's true!" Molly exclaimed behind her plump hand. "I've paid a pretty price for those very same eggs!"
Sunny frowned and then took a sip from her glass. "Well, if that's true, it sounds like Mister McGee got the better end of the deal."
Ian chuckled and leaned toward Sunny, winking devilishly. "Aye, you're right 'bout that, my girl!"
Fiona turned to the men and said, "It's not the Gypsies; only one comes through here, and he is the one who will ferry your horses!"
"We're not speakin' of Tully," said the second man at the bar. "Tully takes good care of all my animals!"
"Who'd better have the first look at the newest prize animals!" accused the first man at the bar, "And probably secreting them out in those devil woods!"
"You've had way too much to drink tonight!" Ian growled, his blue eyes burning as he looked at the man now swaying on his stool.
"I heard there are ghosts out there in the woods!" called a young man from the billiard table. "There are strange lights and things of an evil nature out there — I hear."
"Someone should go in there and get to the bottom of all this thievery!" said the second man.
"Anyone caught in those woods will have their backsides full of buckshot!" Ian roared over the general chatter in the tavern. "It's protected land and will stay that way!"
"I heard there were wolves out there!"
Piper ducked down to look at the back of the bar where a group of young people was playing darts. Most of them turned away and busied themselves gathering the darts from the dartboard.
"If there is any thievery, Gavin will look into it," Piper replied.
Another wave of cheerful laughter spread through the tavern, including Ian. "Ach, the man couldn't find his ass with both hands!"
Molly admonished her husband, and he waved a hand in response.
Fiona dabbed her mouth with the linen napkin, then turned in her chair to look at the men at the bar. "It's all fun to spin a tale of strange and unnatural goings-on in the forest," she said softly. "But in truth, the Ballencoo forest is family-protected land, and it will remain protected until there are no more of my clan to guard it. I will say there are wild animals of all kinds in the forest—wolves, badgers, foxes, birds of all kinds, and possibly a wild boar or elk living in those woods. It's as it should be." She looked over at the customers at the bar. "And as for Constable Gavin, the man does what he can with the resources he has, and he does a fair job."
"Aye," Piper said, nodding in agreement.
Ian remained unconvinced. "Useless git!" he muttered under his breath.
Cassie served dessert. Sunny ate half of her portion and started feeling the effects of the long trip and two pints of dark beer. Molly looked over at Sunny and smiled. "You poor girl! You're so tired you can barely keep your eyes open!"
Fiona smiled. "Aye, I know you're ready to call it an evening."
Sunny covered a yawn with her napkin. "I guess it's all finally caught up with me."
Cassie gently pulled her up from the chair. "Come on, lovey, I'll draw you a nice, warm bath and then you can sleep until you wake up."
Sunny nodded with a sleepy smile. She looked over at Molly. "We'll see one another again soon, I hope."
Of course, dear! Come anytime!" Molly cooed happily.
Sunny looked at Ian, and he nodded, giving her a wink. "Any time, lass."
With that, Sunny waved goodbye to Piper and followed Cassie upstairs. Cassie went further down the hall, and Sunny went into her room to gather her things for her bath. Cassie met her in the hall outside the bathroom. "I'll go turn down your bed, and then all you have to do is draw the covers over you and go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning, dear!"
Sunny smiled and leaned over to give the woman a quick hug. "Thanks, you've been so nice."
Cassie patted Sunny's cheek gently. "We all want you to be very happy here."
"I am!" Sunny replied. She went into the bathroom, turned off the water, and soon sank up to her neck in a tub of warm water scented with lavender bath salts that Cassie had added. It was wonderfully warm and melted away the last of the tension in her body. She was half asleep when she padded back to her room. She closed the door and crawled into bed, falling asleep before her head even hit the pillo.
She dreamed. She was bathed in a warm, golden light, and beside her stood Fiona and another woman with long, silvery-white hair that hung around her shoulders. She looked down at Sunny, who was sleeping in bed, and smiled. Sunny opened her eyes, looked up into the woman's incredibly green eyes, and smiled back. "Welcome home, Siobhan, my love," the woman said. "Welcome home!"
Sunny couldn't say anything; she only smiled happily, closed her eyes, and drifted into a deep, restorative sleep.
Ranjai Tor
"My lord," the steward said, bowing low, "the ravens have returned. They bring news."
The Raven Prince turned away from the warmth of the fire and looked at his steward. "Where is he?"
"On the balcony, my lord."
The Raven Prince moved through the silent hall, his cloak trailing behind him like smoke. On the balcony rail, a raven waited—sleek, still, eyes gleaming like obsidian. "What news do you bring?"
The bird hopped to his shoulder without hesitation. "She is safe," it whispered. "In Ballencoo."
"Show me," the Prince murmured, stroking the raven's head. His eyes closed, and the world shifted. Through the raven's gaze, he saw her, standing before Cluny's Tavern, the Dannan beside her. The wind lifted her copper hair. She did not yet know she was being watched. "Good news indeed. Continue to keep an eye on her."
"We watch," the raven whispered, then launched into the dusk. A dozen others rose behind it, their wings slicing the twilight.
The steward waited by the fire, hands folded. "Will you return to Arwyn this season, my lord?"
The Prince stared into the flames. "I will," He answered. "The time draws near."
The steward nodded. "Yes, my lord. Shall I serve your meal now?"
"Not hungry," the Prince said. "Only thirsty."
The steward inclined his head. He knew what that meant. His master planned to drink tonight. "Right away, my lord."
The Prince turned away from the comfort of the fire. Shadows gathered around him—not just of the room, but of memory. He retreated into them, into the ache that never left. He closed his eyes against the image of the girl. Even across worlds, he could not escape her. The longing burned in his blood—ancient, forbidden, and unrelenting.
She did not know him. Not yet. But the bond was already stirring. And he feared what it might cost.