March 7: 11 Days Before the Festival
Sunny woke the next morning as the sun was just beginning to peek over the sill of her bedroom window. She rolled onto her back, stretched, and felt a renewed sense of contentment she hadn't experienced in a long time. Her window was open, and a cool breeze drifted in, lazily teasing the leaves in the trees and ruffling the sheer curtains. Sunny heard Miggs whickering and the chickens in their coop cackling at each other. Ruth, a soft, brown-eyed dairy cow Fiona kept in her small barn with Miggs, was calling, and Sunny heard Fiona's voice, so the woman was already up and doing chores.
Sunny sat up and slipped into her slippers, ready to start the day. She wasn't sure what Fiona had planned, but she knew Fiona went on her "rounds" with her patients around the town of Ballencoo. Sunny's chores still needed to be discussed; all she knew was that she was supposed to help Fiona.
Sunny went into the bathroom, washed her face, and brushed her teeth. As she stood in front of the mirror, she thought about her mother. It felt strange that her mother, who had always stayed in touch with Fiona, had visited only a few times since Colleen passed away. Sunny's mother often talked with Fiona, having marathon conversations during Christmas and other holidays. She had even visited several times between her marriage and when she became pregnant with Sunny.
They all visited Fiona when Sunny was just a few months old and again when she was three. Then, oddly, there was a long gap during which Sunny's mother hadn't mentioned or spoken to Fiona. Later, when Sunny was eleven, news arrived of her grandmother's passing. Maire traveled alone to Ireland for the funeral. Fiona and her mother had apparently repaired their relationship, and the weekly phone calls resumed, with Sunny being included. She had grown up knowing only that Fiona was a kind and loving woman who grew flowers and lived in a charming cottage near the woods.
As Sunny grew older, she exchanged cards and letters and talked to her great-aunt Fiona on the phone even more often than she did with her mother. Fiona began calling Sunny regularly to catch up. Sunny sent cards, letters, pictures, and small pieces of artwork. If she had married, Fiona was planning to let her and Jason stay with her for a few days during their honeymoon before they moved on to other parts of Europe.
All those plans had shattered into a million pieces. Sunny looked around—there was no Jason, no marriage, and no honeymoon. It didn't seem so painful now that she was with Fiona. The huge mystery surrounding Fiona still remained firmly in place. As she thought about it, the idea of Fiona being a homeopathic healer wasn't such a terrible thing — it was, in fact, quite wonderful! After all the attempts to uncover her secrets, Sunny decided she wasn't going to get much more information from Fiona. The woman had made some kind of solemn, unbreakable vow to her mother, and she wasn't going to break her word.
"I guess I'll just have to try another way!" Sunny whispered to her reflection and winked.
She dressed in jeans and a polo shirt, then brushed her hair and pulled it into a ponytail, examining herself in the dresser mirror. She turned to the side, then checked her reflection from the back, patted her rear end, and thought it wasn't as big as she had imagined. That's when she saw a small, dark brown creature outside her window! She turned toward the window, her heart pounding in her chest. Cautiously, she moved closer, then slowly reached out to pull the curtains aside. She jerked them back, expecting to see -- what? There was nothing there!
Sunny felt silly for being scared by a trick of the light. She let the curtains fall back into place. She put on her socks and padded down the stairs to the kitchen. Fiona had left a pair of green rubber boots on the porch. She slipped them on and stamped her feet to make sure they fit tightly. Sunny took the stone path that led around to the side of the barn and the chicken coop. Fiona was coming out of the barn with a rake in one hand and a pitchfork in the other.
"Good morning, my dear!"
"Hey, Aunt Fiona, what do you want me to help you with?" Sunny asked in greeting.
"Well, if we work together, we can quickly clean up the barn. We'll need to milk the cow, gather eggs, and then we'll have a little breakfast," Fiona replied.
Sunny followed Fiona into the barn, and Miggs whickered her greetings. The gentle-eyed brown cow lifted her head and let out a mournful cry. "Let's get the stall raked out and put in fresh straw for Miggs, then we'll prepare the other stall for Ruth."
Ruth raised her head and pronounced a low, "Mawwww!"
Sunny grabbed the rake and collected the old straw and manure, tossing them into the waiting wheelbarrow. Then, she helped Fiona spread an even layer of straw in the larger stall next to where Miggs was carefully watching their work. When they finished, Fiona moved Miggs into the freshly cleaned stall, and they started on the other stall across from where Ruth was waiting.
Finally, Fiona moved Ruth into her new spot. "Come with me to the compost bins, and we'll get rid of this wheelbarrow load before it attracts any more flies."
Sunny rolled the wheelbarrow behind Fiona into the backyard nearest the garden, well away from the house. There were three tall, three-sided wood bins; it didn't smell as bad as Sunny had imagined. Along with a pitchfork and shovel, they spread straw and manure in layers on both sides of the compost bins. When they finished, Fiona placed a plank and slid it down to hold everything in place. Afterward, Fiona smiled at Sunny. "What do you think so far?"
Sunny grinned as she leaned on the handle of her shovel. "Well, I'm glad you only have one horse and one cow!"
Fiona chuckled and nodded in agreement. "Let's see to the chickens; they're not quite as bad," she replied.
The chickens in the coop included several varieties: red, white, and black-and-white speckled birds. A large, majestic rooster pranced and preened from his perch in the enclosed yard. He ruffled his black, iridescent feathers with hints of yellow, green, and blue, then turned a baleful golden eye on them as they entered the enclosure. The hens all headed for the large pan feeders. Fiona opened the shed door next to the coop. "Sunny, here's where everything is stored; the feed is in this bin. Over on the wall, there's a small rake and a heavy dustpan. Rake out the debris from the floor and gather up the eggs. You'll find a basket to use in the coop. Fill the feeders and the water jug. When I finish milking Ruth, we'll go in," she said.
Sunny nodded and began her chores. The hens kept softly clucking inside the wire enclosure, scratching the hard-packed dirt for insects. There were soft cedar shavings in the nest boxes, and Sunny grabbed a stiff brush to clean off the droppings clinging to the sides of the boxes where they met the floor.
She grabbed a broom and swept the coop floor. She used a large dustpan to collect everything meant for the compost pile. When she finished, she started gathering eggs. Some eggs were brown, others creamy white, and the eggs from the speckled hens were grayish white with dark spots. She left the coop and placed her basket on the shelf next to the feed bins. She opened the first bin and filled a small bucket with chicken feed.
As soon as the hens and the rooster heard the scrape of the bucket in the feed, they began to flap their wings and squawk loudly in their enclosure. When she entered the large run, they scrabbled around her. "Ladies, please!" Sunny admonished her charges, "There's plenty for everyone!" While they ate from the metal feeders, she went out, filled the water bucket at the nearby pump, and refilled the waterer. When she finished her tasks, she stood watching the hens eat and scratch in the well-packed dirt.
"Aren't you supposed to share all the latest gossip with them?"
Sunny spun around at the sound of the male voice and then recognized Hugh O'Donnell. She giggled like a nervous schoolgirl. "You startled me!"
Hugh smiled, the smile lighting his mossy grey-green eyes with a boyish gleam. "Sorry 'bout that. You need help?"
"No, I just need to make a deposit in the compost pile and then take these eggs in," Sunny replied, dusting her hands off on her jeans. "And I think that's bees you're supposed to fill in on all the latest gossip."
"Oh, silly me," Hugh said in mock chagrin.
"Hello, Hugh!" called Fiona as she emerged from the barn with a pail of creamy milk. "You're just in time for breakfast!"
"Good!" Hugh called back. As Sunny stepped out of the chicken yard and latched the wire door, Hugh stepped out of the way, and his injured leg buckled unexpectedly. Sunny moved in under his arm to support him until he found his balance.
Hugh was surprised by her action but smiled down at her and gave her a quick, grateful shoulder squeeze. She reciprocated by wrapping her arm around his waist, then silently stepped back. She handed her egg basket to Hugh and carried her oversized dustpan of chicken droppings to the compost pile. Fiona paused, watching them together, then ducked her head and went inside with her bucket of milk.
Sunny returned to where Hugh waited for her at the chicken yard.
"I'm hungry!" she reported as she stored the rake and the pan in the shed.
Hugh handed her the basket of eggs. "Thank you," he said softly and ran a hand down his hip and upper leg.
She took the egg basket and smiled over at him. "You haven't eaten, have you?"
"No, just coffee," He replied.
"Come on, let's find out what's cooking in the Danann's kitchen!" Sunny replied.
They walked up the path to the kitchen steps. Fiona came out with a wash basin and set it on the porch with a towel. Fiona greeted Hugh again with a hug and waved him inside, "Coffee is brewing; it'll be ready in a second!"
Hugh stepped in after Fiona but waited at the door, watching Sunny as she pulled her green Wellington boots off and set them next to where Fiona had left hers.
"How do you like your eggs, Hugh?" Fiona asked.
Hugh watched as Sunny bent over the wash basin to wash her hands. "Yes." He answered.
As Sunny dried her hands, she heard the unmistakable "Grok!" of a raven. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw the prominent dark figure of a raven perched on a limb. "Good morning, Your Highness!" she called.
Hugh opened the screen door and frowned up at the raven. "They're nosy creatures!"
Sunny smiled at the raven. "I was hoping I'd see them again. They kind of watched over me back in the States."
Fiona turned from the stove, glanced out the window, and saw what Sunny and Hugh were studying. The ravens were back. She knew they would eventually show up again. She wondered who had sent them and why they were so watchful. She frowned at Hugh; he was completely entranced with Sunny. She wasn't sure whether this was a good distraction for Sunny or if she needed more time to recover from Jason's heartbreak. Fiona shook her head as she realized what had distracted the man. She cleared her throat lightly. "Ahem, your eggs?"
Hugh looked blankly at Fiona for a moment before grinning almost wolfishly when he realized he'd been caught ogling Sunny.
Sunny poured the water from the pan onto the flowers around the porch and then went into the kitchen. "I like mine sunny side up—of course!"
"As do I," Hugh replied, laughing at her pun. "Of course!
"Aunt Fiona, do we have anything a raven might like?"
"You don't need to encourage them," Hugh told her. "They'll make a nuisance of themselves if you feed them."
Sunny frowned at Hugh. "Now don't tell me you're like my mom! She fussed every time they visited."
Hugh waved away her disapproving frown lightly. "No, Mr. Poole and the others that work the barns leave treats for the local ravens all the time. A few of the birds even hang around and alert us when the foxes get too close."
Fiona nodded, "They can be helpful if they choose to be." She pointed to the pantry, "Look in one of those crocks and put a few peanuts out. They might like those."
Sunny went into the pantry to search through the crockery jars until she found one with peanuts. She took a small handful and stepped outside onto the back porch. The raven hadn't moved from his perch on the limb. Sunny placed the peanuts on the wide railing. Before she could step away, the bird swooped down and landed on the rail. It scooped a peanut into its beak and flew back to the tree limb. Sunny grinned happily.
Hugh nodded. "Just like Mr. Poole," he replied. "Now he'll be waiting for another handout from you."
Sunny looked at the raven again. "I hope so."
"Come inside, breakfast is almost ready!" Fiona cooked eggs for them with crisp bacon and buttered toast. There were pots of amber-colored honey, blackberry jam, and fig preserves that Fiona used on her toast.
As they sat around the small wooden table in the kitchen, Hugh told them why he was visiting. "Well, I thought Sunny should begin her riding lessons," he told them as he sipped his second cup of coffee. "I have a sweet little mare that will be perfect to start on."
Sunny looked over at Fiona and then at Hugh. "I'm not sure…"
"Nonsense," Fiona responded. "I won't be needing you until later in the afternoon."
"You're sure, Aunt Fiona?" Sunny was eager to help Fiona in her apothecary, but she was also looking forward to being with Hugh.
"Absolutely," Fiona said. She looked over at Hugh. "You should ride toward the ruins at Thornegate. Show Sunny where the folk will be staying for the next few weeks."
Hugh nodded. "Good idea. There's already a small group setting up camp."
"Is it the Thorne clan chieftain?" Fiona asked.
Hugh nodded. "Yes, Rainbow Wells and his family are trading their leatherwork."
"His name is really Rainbow?" Sunny asked, smiling at the name and the mental images that came to mind.
Hugh chuckled, "Well, that's the name he uses with outsiders. I don't know his real birth name. I don't think he'll ever tell me."
Fiona nodded her head. "The folk can have four or five names," she replied. "They have their true birth name, a public name, a family name, and even a nickname, but you never really know what their true names are."
"I wonder if they know themselves?" Hugh asked aloud. "I've known Rainbow and his family for close to twenty years. Our family has always bought their saddles and tack from him."
"I suppose we don't really know anyone," Sunny said, thinking of the people she thought she had known so well and counted as friends, only to realize she had never truly known them.
Hugh noticed the dark, sad look that crossed Sunny's face and felt his own sadness seep into his mind like a wounded creature. "Sometimes we are fooled by what we want to see or fail to see."
Sunny looked up at him and realized he understood exactly what she was thinking. She smiled, placed a hand on his arm, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Well, that's all behind us. On we go, right?"
Hugh grinned as the shadows lifted the moment Sunny touched him. "Yes, on we go!"
"And on you both should go!" Fiona said, shooing them out of her kitchen. "Go and have a good riding lesson."
They got up and headed out through the kitchen door. Sunny slipped on her green boots and followed Hugh around to the front. The horses were tied and waiting near the gate. "Let me introduce you," Hugh said as they approached the horses. "This is Payne's Grey."
The cob mare was a dark grey-and-white "pinto" with a creamy white mane and tail. Her "feathered" legs were also a creamy white. "Oh, Hugh, she's lovely!" Sunny murmured, then looked aside at him. "And she's named for an artist's color?"
Hugh laughed, ducking his head slightly. "Well, I wish I could say yes, and impress you with my artistic knowledge, but she's named after an old friend of mine."
"Ah," Sunny responded as she came to stroke the mare's neck and silky mane. "And Payne's companion?"
Hugh lifted his chin toward the other cob, which was slightly larger and more muscular than Payne's Grey. "That fellow is called Domino. He is one of the purchases from the folk at last year's festival."
Hugh handed the reins of Payne's Grey to Sunny, and he adjusted the girth strap and the stirrup. "Let's get you mounted up, then we'll take it easy down the road for a bit until you get the feel of things."
Sunny approached the left side of the mare, slipped her foot into the stirrup, bounced a couple of times, and then swung into the saddle. Hugh nodded in approval as she settled comfortably and loosely held the reins. He quickly adjusted the right stirrup and stepped back. "Looks like you're a natural!"
"I haven't ridden in years, but I hope to be a quick study," she replied.
Hugh mounted Domino and placed his cane into a sheath meant for a crop or another device. "Shall we?"
They guided the horses into a slow walk. Hugh offered a few tips but mainly let Sunny get used to the horse's movement. Domino was eager to pick up the pace, but Hugh kept him firmly under control.
After a while, Sunny, on her own, set Payne's Grey to a relaxed lope. She felt very comfortable and confident with Hugh beside her. Domino easily kept pace, tossing and shaking his shaggy head while the pale gray mare responded with a toss of her silky mane. They turned onto a grassy trail, and Sunny slowed once again to a walk. Hugh angled his mount next to Sunny and asked, "Eager to romp through the field?"
Sunny grinned, "I'd like to, but ---,"
Hugh nodded and pointed across the seemingly endless field. "It's all clear and clean from here to the Thornegate ruins. Don't worry, I'll be right beside you if you need me."
Without further encouragement, Sunny lifted the reins, signaling Payne's Grey to pick up the pace. The horse shifted from trot to gallop in just a few beats. Sunny felt as if she were about to take flight! It was an exhilarating sensation! The mare thundered across the field with Hugh and his horse just a stride behind. The mare appeared to be enjoying herself as much as Sunny was.
They crested a gentle hill, and Sunny reined in. On the next crest was a large pile of old stone blocks that used to be a castle. Moss, ivy, and young trees covered them almost completely. Not far away was a modern-looking silver-and-black travel trailer and a silver-and-black truck with a built-in caravan. Four children of different ages and genders were playing soccer with a red-and-white ball.
When the children saw the horses on the hill, they stopped playing and waved. The adults came to the trailer door and waved too. Hugh waved, cupped his hand around his mouth, and yelled, "Hello."
"Is that Rainbow?" Sunny asked.
"That's him," Hugh replied and grinned at her. "Ready to meet a chieftain?"
"I would, indeed!" She replied.
Almost immediately, a shrill whistle issued back, and Hugh turned to Sunny. "We're to come down."
"What if he hadn't whistled?" She asked as they began to descend the hill.
"We would've gone on and let them be," he replied, "but Rainbow's never turned away potential business."
Sunny laughed and urged her mount to follow Hugh and Domino down to the trailer. As they got closer, the children swarmed to greet them. The woman stayed at the trailer door, and Rainbow came out to greet Hugh first. He was a thin man with a shock of black-brown hair and a neat, thin beard and mustache. His tanned face was broad and ruddy from exposure to the weather. He wore blue jeans and a red plaid cotton shirt, with a worn leather vest and shiny gold buttons on both sides of the opening. Apparently, it was more decorative than functional.
Good day to you, Master O'Donnell."
"And to you," Hugh replied. He didn't dismount but turned slightly in his saddle and nodded to Sunny. "Allow me to introduce you to the Dannan's great-niece, Siobhan O'Neil."
Sunny noticed the formal and unusual way Hugh introduced her to the man, referring to Fiona as 'the Dannan,' but she didn't comment on it. She simply smiled warmly as Rainbow's closed expression shifted to her, and he looked her over with solemn brown eyes. He stepped over to Sunny and nodded. "An honor, Miss O'Neil. I trust the Dannan is well?"
"Thank you, sir. Yes, she is doing very well. I will let her know you asked about her," Sunny replied.
Rainbow nodded and looked back at Hugh. "You will be staying to visit?"
"The Dannan thought it would be a good idea to bring Sunny over to see the ruins," Hugh replied. He still didn't make any move to dismount. Sunny glanced up at the doorway of the trailer where the woman was still standing, waiting for some signal from her husband.
Rainbow glanced back to Sunny. "Aye, you can stake the horses here."
Hugh nodded and grabbed his cane. He looked at Sunny and gave her a slight nod to dismount. Rainbow moved over, taking the reins of Sunny's horse, and kept the mare steady as Sunny stepped down. Her thighs and rear were starting to ache, so walking to the ruins would help keep her muscles from getting too stiff.
The children eagerly gathered closer to their father to get a better look at the newcomer. Rainbow looked from side to side and saw his children watching their new visitor intently. A solemn-eyed girl tugged on her father's sleeve, "Papa, can we go to the ruins with them?"
Rainbow smiled down at his child, then glanced over at Sunny. "This is Willow; her brother is Ash." Both children looked at each other and then together looked at Sunny.
The youngest girl, hugging a well-worn, well-loved rag doll, pushed forward. "They are twins!"
Sunny smiled. "Oh, yes, so they are!"
"I am Poppy. I am six!"
"The youngest of my girls," Rainbow responded. "That one over there eating grass is the youngest boy, Buck."
The toddler was sitting in the knee-high grass, chewing on a bright green blade while watching damselflies flutter around him. Then a young boy appeared next to Hugh, waiting to take Domino; he was nearly a duplicate of Rainbow, with the same eyes and solemn demeanor. "And my eldest, Fox."
Hugh handed the reins to the boy, who quietly led the horse out into the grassy field, then came back to collect Sunny's mare. He looked over at Sunny, whose hair fell in a silky cascade of brown over his face. His rich mahogany eyes took in everything.
"This is my good wife, Lily." Rainbow stepped to one side as his wife came up beside him.
Sunny smiled at the woman. "A pleasure to meet you and your family."
The woman studied her closely for a long time, then smiled back, extending her hand to Sunny. "Welcome to the Thorne Clan."
"Come, I will show you the ruins," Willow said quietly to Sunny, "They are magical, you know."
"Aye," Poppy said, her tone and expression gravely serious, "They say there are haints that wander the ruins."
Hugh chuckled, "Well, maybe we'll see one and catch him by his toe, eh, Poppy?"
Poppy giggled, grabbed Hugh's hand, and pulled him toward the ruins with Ash and Fox following leisurely behind.
"They're the will-o-the-wisps," Willow said softly for Sunny's ears only. She gently touched Sunny's arm. "I'll show you the place where they come from, Sunny."
The Thornegate ruins were tall jumbles of stone covered by hundreds of years of moss, dirt, and other plants. Sunny stood in front of what Hugh recognized as the remains of the Eastern castle tower. Rising about eight to ten feet among the larger stones was a grand Rowan tree. Other Rowan trees grew in what must have been the courtyard. Sunny carefully stepped over the stones and listened as Willow recounted several strange and mysterious sights of lights in the ruins.
Sunny stood in the middle of what used to be the courtyard and began imagining what the structure must have looked like. "It must have been lovely in its day," she said softly.
Hugh stepped up to stand across from her. "There have been odd lights sighted around here," he told her. "I've seen a few myself over the years."
"What do you think they are?" Sunny asked.
Hugh chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know."
"Da says they are natural things and to leave them be," Fox replied as he and Ash jumped down from the crumbling stone staircase that rose into the air and tumbled into a cascade of stones and dirt on the other side.
"Aye, and when we see 'em," Poppy responded, "we leave 'em be!"
"Seems rather a sad sort of place," Sunny said as she moved further into the ruins where the castle would have stood. She sat down on a moss-covered stone and was suddenly overcome by dizziness. She turned to look over her shoulder and saw the face of a young woman with bright blue eyes staring at her from a dense clump of underbrush. "Help us, please!"
Sunny closed her eyes and felt the world spin around her. Hugh was beside her, his moss green eyes filled with worry as he sat down next to her. "Sunny? What's wrong?"
Sunny looked up at him and blinked in confusion. "What?"
"Are you all right?" He asked her again, "You look very pale."
She shook her head, mostly to clear her mind and to clear away the image she had seen. "I'm fine; just felt a little woozy for a second."
Poppy suddenly pointed up into the Rowan trees. "Look, the ravens are here!"
Sunny looked in the direction Poppy was pointing and spotted several ravens perched strategically in the tree to get a clear view of the scene below.
"Probably these moldy old stones," Hugh murmured, his eyes still roaming over her face in a worried manner. "Let's get you out of here, shall we?"
She took his hand, and together they strolled out of the ruins into the sunshine. Sunny inhaled deeply and smiled up at Hugh, who still looked pale with worry. "Depressing sort of place, isn't it?"
On impulse, he threw an arm around her shoulders and hugged her to him. "Aye, but no more of that - for either of us!" He turned to look over his shoulder and frowned. "Let me gather up Rainbow's brood, and we'll be on our way."
The Raven Prince narrowed his eyes. The man's arm around the girl stirred something in him, very unwelcome. He cut the connection with the raven, scoffing at the flicker of jealousy.
It's the raven, he told himself. Too attached. Too invested.
"Watch the girl," he said aloud. "Nothing else." But even as he spoke, the ache in his chest did not fade. It was not the raven's. It was his own.
Hugh left Sunny and quickly returned to the entrance of the castle ruins to call out to the children. Sunny noticed that his usual pronounced limp was barely noticeable as he walked away. He had to call a few more times before Poppy ran out with Ash and Fox chasing after her. Willow strolled out at a more relaxed pace, gathering wildflowers as she walked.
As Hugh rejoined Sunny, she saw his limp begin to grow steadily more pronounced. He sighed heavily and offered her his arm as he tucked his walking cane close to his side. After a few steps, the limp gradually faded away again. They walked slowly back to the camp. The other children had already moved on to other activities, and Willow wandered off into the field to gather more flowers.
"Hugh, have the O'Donnell family always lived at Thornegate?"
"No, we're newcomers. My fourth-generation great-grandfather bought the land and built his Thornegate around 1784, give or take," he answered. "Now your family, the Dannan clan; they've been here long before St. Patrick drove the serpents out of Ireland."
Sunny giggled at his comment, and Hugh mirrored her smile. He was so tempted to kiss her mouth! He was surprised at himself for losing control over his body. He was glad when they reached the camp. Rainbow and his wife had brought out refreshments and were waiting to serve when they arrived.
"Come and have a spot to drink!" Rainbow announced.
Lily poured a pale bronze liquid into small squat glasses, handed one to Hugh, and then handed Sunny her glass. When Lily had poured her own glass, Rainbow held up his glass in a toast. "To friends; old and new!"
They drank. The liquid was mellow as it went down, and as it hit Sunny's stomach, the warmth spread all through her body. She took another small sip and looked over at Lily. "This is delicious! It sure packs a nice punch!"
Lily laughed, her dark eyes twinkling merrily. "Aye, it is good for what ails you."
Rainbow drained his glass and daubed his mouth with a fingertip. He looked over at Hugh, "So you plan on bargaining with the Burke brothers?"
"Maybe so," Hugh responded. "I know they will have a good string of ponies and several brood mares for me to look over."
"To introduce your Greystoke to?" Rainbow asked with a chuckle.
"That's my hope," Hugh replied. "Whitey Burke told me last year that he hoped to be bringing back an old line. He hinted that maybe we'd see a Fury horse this year. Something special."
"I have heard as much," Rainbow said, then glanced over at Sunny. "Will you be looking for a ride as well, Miss O'Neil?"
"Oh, I'd love to have a horse of my own, but they are a huge expense," Sunny replied.
Hugh smiled at her, then looked to Rainbow. "Sunny's welcome to any of my horses. I thought Payne's Grey would be the best mount, to begin with."
Rainbow nodded, watching the soft, doe-eyed look Hugh gave Sunny and glancing at his own woman. Lily, just as perceptive, caught Rainbow's look and offered a small smile. He shifted into a more comfortable position in his camp chair and said, "Aye, she's a gentle lady's mount. She's one of Tully's suggestions, isn't she?"
Hugh laughed merrily. "Right you are!" he replied, taking another sip from his glass. "Tully's found me several fine horses! I don't know how he manages it."
Rainbow and his wife exchanged significant looks that Sunny saw flash between them. "I've heard so much about Tully; I hope to meet him soon."
"Aye, you'll meet up with Tully soon enough," Rainbow replied. "He'll arrive before the festival and be here to tend the horses about Ballencoo."
"He just has a way with every horse he encounters," Hugh told Sunny. "I'd never have anyone else touch my animals."
"A lot of people feel that way," Rainbow replied.
Hugh squinted up at the sun as it filtered through the grove of trees where the trailer was parked. "I'd best get you back to Laurel Cottage; Fiona will be looking for you." He reached out and patted Sunny's knee. Hugh regretted the touch almost immediately, for he had to stop and fight his body to prevent himself from embarrassing himself. What was happening to him?
As she stood up, she felt her muscles protest and groaned, "Oh my gosh! I'm rusting up!"
Hugh deliberately ran a hand down his injured thigh and felt the stabbing pain shoot into his knee and ankle. That had the desired effect and drove the pleasurable throb in his groin away.
Seeing his obvious discomfort, Rainbow stepped over, helped Hugh to his feet, and finished the gesture with a handshake and a friendly slap on Hugh's shoulder. "Do not forget to visit me for your new saddles."
Hugh nodded and gripped Rainbow's shoulder. "No, I won't, my friend!"
"You'll be sore for a few days until you get used to riding," Lily told Sunny as they moved toward where the horses waited with the boys. "Please give the Dannan my best."
"I will," Sunny said, turning to Lily. "Thank you for your hospitality."
Fox and Ash led the horses, and as Sunny mounted, Fox leaned in to give her a boost while her leg muscles protested. She carefully settled into the saddle; her thigh muscles were just as sore as her calves. Hugh looked at her with concern and asked, "You going to make it back?"
Sunny made a face and then laughed at her situation. "Oh sure, no pain, no gain!"
Hugh gave a lopsided grin and said goodbye to Rainbow and Lily. They all waved as Sunny and Hugh turned their horses back the way they had come.
"You will be better by the afternoon," Hugh told her as they rode along the trail.
"Oh, I hope so!" Sunny exclaimed. "I've really enjoyed myself this morning!"
"I'm glad," Hugh murmured. "So have I."
"So, after you drop me off," Sunny asked, "What will you be doing?"
Hugh shrugged his shoulders lightly. "I'll do a little paperwork in the office. I have a prospective buyer coming to look at one of my drum lads."
"Those are much larger horses, aren't they—sort of like Cobs on steroids?"
Hugh laughed. "Well, yes, I guess you could say that!" He sobered as he assessed her form as they rode back to Laurel Cottage. "You game for another lesson tomorrow?"
"Oh yes!" she said, leaning forward to pat the mare's neck, "I would like to very much --- unless of course, you have other things ---"
"I'll be back at the same time tomorrow, Sunny."
"With Payne's Grey?"
"No," Hugh said, "You've done so well today; I think I'll bring over Bella Rouge; she's a bit more of a challenge."
The cottage came into view, and their time together was nearly over. Hugh felt his leg start to ache, so he absently massaged the top of his thigh to ease the dull throb. He wondered. Why it hurt just as he was about to leave Sunny. He always felt so good when she was with him.
Fiona was already getting ready to head out when they entered the courtyard in front of the cottage. She smiled and waved to greet them. "So how did it go?"
"Great!" Sunny replied, "Rainbow and his family sent a 'howdy' your way, Aunt Fiona."
Fiona smiled. "You get their cheerful elixir? It will warm you from head to toe!"
"Aye!" Hugh replied with a mischievous grin. "It is always a welcome repast for me, only they only give you a taste; never more than it takes to have a wee toast."
"Any more of the stuff, and I would have never made it back!" Sunny declared, rolling her eyes heavenward. "It sure packs a wallop!"
Hugh dismounted and came around to help Sunny. "It'll be easier if you throw your leg over and let me catch you on your slide down."
She followed his instructions, feeling her thigh and back muscles start to protest. Hugh's hands moved up to her waist, and she placed her hands on his shoulders as she leaned forward and slid off the saddle. Hugh carefully set her down, bringing her very close to him. Having her nearby was even more intoxicating than Rainbow's liquor! He yearned to kiss her, feeling her body melt into his.
Before his body could fully betray him, he reluctantly stepped away and focused on the reins of his horse. Domino was starting to sense his rider's tension and began to paw at the cobblestones in Fiona's driveway.
Sunny, fetch the basket for me in the hall, and bring a few of those throw pillows from the parlor. I think you'll need them.
Sunny nodded and waved to Hugh. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, Hugh."
He nodded and waved his hand goodbye. "See you tomorrow."
Sunny went inside the cottage, and Fiona cast a curious look at Hugh. "Everything went well?"
"Aye," Hugh said with a sigh.
Fiona smiled and gently patted Hugh's arm. Hugh looked down at Fiona and offered a lopsided grin. He chuckled softly, "Sorry, old sot, eh?"
"No!" Fiona admonished. "You're a fine young man, Hugh!"
"Thank you, Aunt Fiona," Hugh replied, and he hugged her. "I'll see you tomorrow!"
Hugh mounted up and rode off. The grey and white mare trotted beside Domino, her head held high and neck arched proudly. Sunny arrived just in time to see him leave; she waved again, and Hugh raised his free hand to wave back.
Fiona got into the cart, and Sunny followed. She sat carefully on the pillows. "Hugh said I was going to be sore."
Fiona pulled her knapsack up and opened it. She took out a small crockery jar, removed the lid, and held it out to Sunny. "Take about two or three of these little morsels, chew them up good and they'll set you right."
Sunny sniffed the jar and then looked suspiciously at its contents. They were marble-sized green-and-tan balls with a minty smell mixed with the pleasant aroma of rosemary and honey. "They don't look so appetizing," Sunny murmured as she hit the side of the jar with the heel of her hand to loosen the sticky marbles.
"But they are beautiful in what they will do for you," Fiona replied.
Sunny grabbed two of the chews, put them in her mouth, and chewed thoughtfully. The honey and mint masked the flavor of whatever else was mixed in. "Hmm, they don't taste half bad either!" She picked up a third and chewed it as well.
"On we go, Miggsy!" Fiona called her horse. The cart rolled out, and they were on their way. "You should be feeling relief in a short while."
Sunny nodded, unconvinced of the power contained in the small marbles of stickiness. "I really enjoyed my ride. Hugh is great to be with."
"And what did you make of the ruins?" Fiona asked.
Sunny frowned and remembered what she had seen. "You know, it was the oddest thing," she told Fiona. "I was sitting there on the stones and suddenly, I heard someone say – Help us, please!"
"Did you recognize the voice?" Fiona asked.
"No," Sunny said in a distant voice, "Not really; she sounded desperate, and the impression I got was that she was very pale and had the most amazing blue eyes!"
Fiona nodded. "The will-o'-the-wisps."
"That's what Rainbow's children said," Sunny replied. "Funny, all the children seemed to just accept it as normal. I found the place very sad and disturbing."
"Echoes of the past," Fiona told her. "Thornegate, the original castle, had a sad and forlorn existence."
Sunny nodded sadly, then turned her face toward the golden sunshine and smiled. "But we are blessed with this wonderful, sunshiny day!"
"Aye," Fiona replied and lifted the reins higher, "On we go, Miggsy!"
Fiona stopped and visited four cottages in and around the village of Ballencoo. Each time they stopped, she introduced Sunny to her clients. Sunny smiled, conversed with them, and then they moved on to the next cottage.
On the return trip back to Laurel Cottage, the tenderness Sunny felt at the end of her first riding lesson had faded into just a memory. "You're going to have to show me how to make those sticky chews, Aunt Fiona! They're a wonder!"
"Aye," Fiona replied with an indulgent smile. "They are as ugly as homemade soap, but they do wonders for sore, stiff muscles."
Miggs' hooves clattered over the cobblestones in the small courtyard of Laurel Cottage and automatically headed to the barn. Sunny climbed down from the cart and took the bag Fiona handed her. Together, they settled Miggs into her stall and went inside to prepare afternoon tea.
The afternoon sun was well behind the thick trees of the Ballencoo forest, and Sunny was watching the shadows and golden light shift and jump as if they were playing a game of 'tag'. She sipped her tea and sighed. "It's wonderful here, so peaceful and tranquil."
Almost as the words left Sunny's mouth, a squabble broke out in the henhouse. "Until the broody hens start to fuss!" Fiona muttered.
"You think they're all right?" Sunny asked, leaning forward to see past the flower beds. As she did, she spotted a large grey shape on the far side of the chicken pen. "Aunt Fiona, it's a wolf!"
Fiona turned just in time to see the large animal run off into the forest beyond the fence line. "Looks like the first of the Doyle clan has arrived."
"They have wolves as pets?" Sunny asked incredulously.
Fiona chuckled. "They're big wolfhounds," she replied, putting her cup and saucer on the tray. "They're giant creatures but really lovely animals with a sweet disposition."
Sunny looked back at the hen house, then shook her head in disbelief. "Whew! That one looked as big as a horse!"
Fiona stood up and began loading the tray she brought out with the tea. "Come along, and I'll show you the recipe for those sticky chews. We can make a few batches to have on hand if we gather all the ingredients."
"Okay," Sunny replied, picking up the odd items that wouldn't fit on the tray. She suddenly remembered her bracelet Lee had made her with the wolfhound coins the ravens had left her. "Oh wow, I almost forgot!"
"What's that?" Fiona asked.
Sunny followed Fiona into the kitchen, saying, "My ravens in the States, they left me Wolfhound sixpence coins. I had a friend make me a bracelet when he made my silver horse coin necklace." Fiona's eyes fell on the necklace Sunny was wearing. She looked out the window at the woods. The ravens were sending a message. Fiona had a sudden, dreadful suspicion but refused to even call his name. No! She thought. Not him!
The Evening
Sunny bathed in sunlight. Her day seemed idyllic in many ways. The lifestyle of her Aunt Fiona and the residents of Ballencoo was slow-paced and flowed with a sense of tranquility and peace that was unheard of in the modern, bustling cities of the world. It was what many people searched for but never found. Sunny never thought she would be one of those who would yearn for a simple, quiet lifestyle. After just a few days with Fiona, she felt a sense of peace. Everything that had happened to her seemed to belong to someone else.
As Sunny sat in her lavender-scented bath, dipping the sea sponge into the water and letting it glide over her back and shoulders, she began to wonder what the next few days would bring. Sunny looked up at her oil lamp, which sat in the sconce built for it. It cast a steady golden glow like warm sunlight. She leaned back and sank further into the warm, silky bath water, thinking about the people she had met that day.
They would come from miles around to gather at Thornegate and around Ballencoo. These travelers intrigued her. Their painted wagons, unique culture, and traditions were both mysterious and a little intimidating. Sunny had never been one to pry or get into private lives, but these people were different; she wanted to learn everything she could about them, especially those camping in the woods of Ballencoo.
She pulled the plug from the large iron tub, got out of the water, and dried herself with a large, fluffy towel. She glanced out the bathroom window and saw softly glowing lights that strung out in an uneven, bobbing line in the woods behind Laurel Cottage. At first, Sunny was concerned, but as she watched the lights move deeper into the woods, she surmised that it must be the first of the folk to arrive.
In just a few weeks, the festival would draw more people to Ballencoo. She was looking forward to the festival and wondered whether Sean Calhoun, her train friend, would be coming. She hoped he would remember and visit. She wanted Aunt Fiona to meet him. She slipped her feet into her slippers and padded down the hall to Aunt Fiona's room. Fiona sat up in bed, reading.
"I saw lights in the woods behind the cottage," Sunny said. "I guess more of the folk have arrived."
Fiona closed her book on her finger to mark her place and nodded, "Aye, they travel under the cover of night. Years of conditioning to avoid the looks and stares from townspeople."
"I don't understand, after all this time, how people still are prejudiced?" Sunny asked as she leaned against the door jamb. "It's just so silly."
"Silly it may be," Fiona responded, "but there are people who will never accept the folk or their culture."
Sunny sighed softly and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, then looked down the hall as she heard loud knocking at the front door.
Fiona set her book aside. "Wonder who it could be at this hour?" She got up, put on her robe, and slid into her slippers. She grabbed the lamp by her bed and went downstairs with Sunny close behind, to see who was calling.
Fiona swung the door open and held her lamp high to cast light into the yard. Standing on her porch was a tall, barrel-chested man with heavily muscled arms and neck. His eyes were dark pools, framed by thick steel-gray eyebrows drawn down in pain, and a bristling black-and-silvery-gray mustache covered most of his tightly pressed lips. "Fiona, I've got myself into a bit of a scrape!" he said. He held up his forearm, which was bloody and wrapped with a blue bandana.
"Come in, Tully!" Fiona exclaimed. She handed the lamp to Sunny and grabbed Tully's good arm, steering him toward the kitchen.
Tully stepped in and looked at Sunny. "This must be your great-niece!"
"Aye," Fiona muttered. "Come on, man, before you bleed on my carpets!"
Tully chuckled, "Tis only a wee scratch!" He glanced at Sunny over his shoulder as Fiona urged him down the hall to the kitchen. "You're the image of your great-granddam!"
"So, I've been told," Sunny replied as she followed them to the kitchen. Fiona reached up to the lamps overhead and turned a small key beneath each of the three lamps, drawing up the lighted wicks. They began to glow with bright, warm light that spilled down to illuminate the area where she was going to examine Tully's wound.
Fiona grabbed her medical kit, opened it, and sent Sunny to get the bag she kept with her on her rounds. When Sunny returned, Fiona had removed the bandana and was rinsing the wound to get a better look at the damage. She looked up at Tully accusingly. "A knife fight? And at your age?"
"Nae," Tully replied, "It was not like that at all!"
Sunny handed the bag to Fiona, who rummaged through it and pulled out a squat, brown bottle with a hinged top. She examined Tully, opened the bottle, and poured a bit onto a cloth pad. "This is going to sting, but it'll stop the blood flow."
As she applied the pad, Tully hissed and muttered a string of words Sunny couldn't understand, but she felt he was cursing a blue streak.
The bleeding from the wound stopped, and Fiona nodded appreciatively. "It will need some stitching up."
"How did it happen?" Sunny wanted to know.
"I'd like to know that too!" Fiona said sharply, her green eyes sparkling with vexation.
"Well," Tully began, "I wasn't the one who was fighting; it was a pair of young bucks who had drawn their blades. I was only trying to get them to settle it without fighting."
Fiona pulled a flat leather wallet from her bag and opened it. It held several threaded needles with blue, red, and green thread. She pulled out the one with the blue thread. She took a small blue bottle from the needle wallet and, with a clean cloth pad, swabbed the wound before stitching the six-inch gash closed.
An insistent knock at the door made Fiona look up from her work. "Sunny, find out who that is."
"It will be Rainbow," Tully replied. "Checking on me, no doubt."
"That's his job as head of the clan," Fiona replied. "Sunny, make sure they leave their weapons outside! I'll not have them in my house!"
Sunny nodded, took the lamp, and went to the front door. She opened it, holding the lamp high like Fiona had. Standing there on the stoop were Rainbow and another man.
Rainbow sketched a curt bow. "Good evening, Miss. I was wondering how Tully was."
"Aunt Fiona is stitching his arm up now," Sunny replied. She stepped back and said, "Please come in. Aunt Fiona's asked that if you are carrying any weapons, please leave them outside."
Rainbow hesitated, then nodded. He unbuckled the belt that held his dagger. All the men carried similar knives and daggers. He turned and handed the belt to the man standing in the shadows. He said something sharply to the man, who then turned to stand with Tully's wagon and the horses waiting in the small courtyard. Rainbow stepped inside and nodded to Sunny once more.
Sunny closed the door and then headed to the kitchen, with Rainbow walking a few steps behind.
As they reached the kitchen, Tully shot a sheepish smile at Rainbow. "It is what I get for trying to keep the peace."
"I know you are his friend, but you can't protect him, Tully," Rainbow told him. He looked over at Fiona and nodded to her respectfully. "I am thankful you know the healing arts; my continued thanks to the Dannan."
"Well, he isn't here to defend his name, is he?" Tully replied.
Rainbow frowned at Tully, then looked around to spot Sunny standing at the door of the kitchen, watching them with wide, curious eyes. He switched to Gaelic. Fiona finished her work and began to bandage the wound. When she was done, she cleaned up the area where she had been working on Tully's forearm and went over to Sunny. "I know you're tired, my dear, so why don't you go on up to bed? Everything is fine now."
Sunny frowned first at Rainbow and Tully, then at Fiona. "Why do I get the feeling that you're sending me to bed like a little kid?"
"You should let the girl stay, Fiona!" Tully called. "She's going to have to know what's going on soon enough."
Fiona looked conflicted, then she shook her head. "No, there will be time enough for all that." She looked at Sunny. "I'm not dismissing you to your room like a child – I think that right now isn't a good time to be introducing you to the more unpleasant side of things here in Ballencoo."
Sunny glanced over Fiona's shoulder and saw Tully's shrug of acceptance toward Fiona's choice. Sunny turned to Fiona and smiled. "All right then, I'll go, but you really need to tell me what's going on here."
"I will," Fiona replied, "At the right time and place; I promise."
Sunny turned, went upstairs, and closed her bedroom door. She approached the window and looked out into the backyard. Beyond Fiona's neatly kept yard, Sunny noticed strange lantern light moving through the forest. She could hear horses and the murmur of voices. As she watched the lights and sounds fade into the dark shadows of the woods, movement in the oak tree near her bedroom window caught her eye. A raven! She pulled up her window and leaned out. "Good evening, Your Highness!"
The raven dropped down to a lower branch and gave Sunny a skeptical look. She smiled at the bird. "There is some excitement going on downstairs tonight," she said casually. "Someone is coming to the festival, and apparently, he is a scoundrel. Probably just gossip," she concluded.
The raven puffed up his neck ruff and made a sound that resembled scoffing laughter. Sunny smiled at the raven. "I'm tempted to sneak down and listen, but I don't understand what they're saying, so I guess I'll go to bed." She glanced at the woods, then back to the raven. "Have a good night, Your Highness."
She closed the window and straightened the curtains. She could hear voices downstairs; sometimes they were loud but quickly dropped to a near whisper. Sunny grinned; probably Aunt Fiona was shushing the speaker to quiet down at her home. She was tempted to sneak down the back stairs to listen, but they were speaking a language she didn't understand and wouldn't learn anything useful from.
She climbed back into bed, and within a few minutes, her eyes began to droop. Her second day in Ballencoo, and there was already a mystery! She smiled and drifted off to sleep.
Fiona turned away from Sunny's closed bedroom door and nodded in satisfaction. She still had the gift of persuasion! Most Danann women possessed that talent. She grabbed her lamp and headed back downstairs to the kitchen. An impromptu clan meeting was underway, and the news they brought worried her!