9: Triple Betrayal

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#CC9900" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="047005a0dwnjzk.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cassies Writing"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B>     | </B><B> </B><B> </B><B>  </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Cassie's Writing</B></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="1: Surprise Encounter"><U><B>1:  Surprise Encounter</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2: A Proscribed Venerable Love"><U><B>2:  A Proscribed Venerable Love</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="3: Stalked by the Vampire"><U><B>3:  Stalked by the Vampire</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="4: Flight to the Auld Country"><U><B>4:  Flight to the Auld Country</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="5: Ally From Nowhere"><U><B>5:  Ally From Nowhere</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="6: Tales of Pookahs and the Sidhe Peopl"><U><B>6:  Tales of Pookahs and the Sidhe People</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="7: The Middle Kingdom"><U><B>7:  The Middle Kingdom</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="8: My Lady Healer"><U><B>8:  My Lady Healer</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><B>9:  Triple Betrayal</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="10: A World Apart"><U><B>10:  A World Apart</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="11: Flight From Tara"><U><B>11:  Flight From Tara</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="12: Imbas Forosna"><U><B>12:  Imbas Forosna</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="13: Wheel of Fortune"><U><B>13:  Wheel of Fortune</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="14: Wednesday, the Best Day of All"><U><B>14:  Wednesday, the Best Day of All</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>9:  Triple Betrayal</B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> A light breeze blew; it wasn't cold, but it carried a sea mist with it.  It was going to rain soon.  The breeze ruffled Julia's hair.  Now she shivered a little, wondering how the Fir Bolg were going to react to Daoirdre's kidnapping.  Daoirdre had helped her cure Quentin, and her family had been nothing but kind since their arrival.  Although Julia had nothing to do with what Jason McGuire had done, she felt guilty because of Quentin's complicity.  She was sure that Quentin had betrayed Daoirdre because of her.  His head was still nestled on her shoulder, his long body still leaning against hers, pressed close for reassurance.  Finally, she asked:  “Quentin, what are we going to do?”</div> <div>      After a moment, he answered, “Go home.”</div> <div>      She was astounded.  “Go home!  How?  Do you know the way?”</div> <div>      “Ruan was taking us toward the rath.  I'd say we keep moving toward the rath.”</div> <div>      Julia shifted around, surprised and disturbed.  Quentin meant for them to just run away?  Feeling her pull back, he sat up.   They looked at each other for a moment, and then Quentin looked away, flushing guiltily again.  “You want us to just leave?  Without a word to the Fir Bolg?  Or to Barnabas?”</div> <div>      “We don't owe Barnabas anything,” Quentin muttered, casting his eyes down and away.  Julia could see his profile, his cheek and ear becoming bright red.  “I'm sorry about the Fir Bolg.  They won't hurt Daoirdre, Julia.  She is half their people, too, and she's a healer.”</div> <div>      “But Quentin, her family-“ Julia objected, thinking of Niamh, Caoimghin, Muireann, curious little Aoife, and all the rest of Daoirdre's family and in-laws.</div> <div> Quentin swallowed.  Then he said roughly, “Look, don't go native on me.  We don't belong here.  We need to go home.”</div> <div>      She felt herself growing angry.  She knew he was right about going home, but she also knew he was feeling very guilty and that's why he didn't want to go back to the Fir Bolg first.  She grabbed his face and turned it toward her.  “I am not `going native' on you, Quentin-I am talking about decency here!  And Daoirdre has been stolen away from her family.  Did you know this was going to happen?  Did you?”  She looked steadily into his eyes, even when they darted away.  She wouldn't let go of his face, willing him to look at her.</div> <div>      Finally, reluctantly, he admitted, “Yes, I knew they were going to take her.  But, Julia, I didn't know it would be now.”</div> <div>      “Yes, you said there were some things you needed to tell me,” Julia prompted.</div> <div>      “I'll tell you on the way,” Quentin proposed.  He managed to free himself and stood up.  He reached his hand down for Julia.  She allowed him to help her get up.</div> <div>      “I'm not sure that we should leave yet,” Julia objected.  She was worried about Daoirdre and about what Niamh would think when they didn't come back.   She knew the family would grieve for their missing sister.  And Barnabas!  She shuddered.</div> <div>      As if he knew what she was thinking, Quentin said, “Look, if for no other reason we should go because of what Barnabas might do.  I'm sorry about the Fir Bolg, I really am, but they're not our people, Julia.  Our people are Elizabeth and Roger and Carolyn-are they're in Sligo, wondering where the hell we are.  And as for Barnabas-Julia, he set us up, too.  You know that, don't you?”</div> <div>      At that, Julia made her decision.  Yes, she knew that Barnabas had set them up.  He pretended to be concerned with them and sent them off with a guide who would deliberately delay and confuse them.  The purpose of that was so that Quentin would go through the transformation, rampage through the countryside and terrorize or kill some of the Tuatha De Danaan.  Julia couldn't be entirely angry with Quentin alone.  “Yes,” she agreed, taking his hand.  “But I won't go without leaving them word.  We have to let them know.”</div> <div>      “Julia!”</div> <div>      Julia's lips pressed together, and her jaw set stubbornly.  Quentin had grown to know that expression well and knew what was coming.  Sure enough, her green eyes narrowed.  They still flashed with irritation.  “I am not leaving this spot until you agree to come back with me and at least let them know that Daoirdre was taken!  We don't have to tell them that you were involved!”</div> <div>      Quentin sighed angrily.  The only alternative was to tell her the whole truth, and he couldn't bear to do that.  Besides, it was still daylight-Barnabas and Ruan would still be away.  Although Barnabas could move about freely in his room during the daylight hours, the sun was a danger to him.  He preferred to sleep the daytime hours away.  We can go back, tell the Fir Bolg that Jason's got Daoirdre, grab provisions and be on our way, he thought.  He wished Julia wasn't so stubborn, though.  He'd always managed to get Beth or one of his other women to do things his way.  Not Julia, though-she had a mind of her own.  “Let me do it,” he said.  He knew, in reality, that he was asking her to let him take care of it.</div> <div>      “Why?”  Julia frowned.</div> <div>      “Because I don't want you getting caught up in all the weeping and wailing!” That was the truth.  He sounded exasperated.  “Julia, please.  I'll get us some provisions from the kitchen, and I'll tell them.  I don't want to get caught there with all the keening they're going to do.  You'll feel bad and you'll want to stay and help them.  And we can't.”</div> <div>      “You sound very cold-blooded about it.  You're really going to tell Niamh?”</div> <div>      “Yes, Julia, I swear I will.  And if I sound cold-blooded, it's because I want to get us away to safety.”  He took her by the arms and looked at her earnestly.  “Please?”</div> <div>      “All right,” Julia relented.  Relieved, Quentin kissed her.  They walked back toward the Fir Bolg village, and Quentin had Julia wait near the huge dwelling that belonged to Niamh and all of her family.  </div> <div> People were gathering to the bruiden for the noon meal.  That was good, Quentin thought.  He went to the larder first, ignoring the bustling Tuatha De Danaan slaves who were bring out platters of food to serve.  He found a sack and began to fill it, taking along two bottles to fill with cold liquid.</div> <div> Through one of the openings in the kitchen area, he saw other women hanging up lines of clothes.  Carrying the provisions along, he went outside to talk to them.  They looked at him and giggled shyly.  They didn't look much older than Aoife, Niamh's youngest sister.  “My lady needed a change of clothing,” he began.  He himself felt much more comfortable in the Fir Bolg clothing and thought Julia would appreciate a change.</div> <div> “These would fit my Lady Healer,” one of the girls said shyly, taking what appeared to be a shirtdress off the line.  It was soft, dried, and smelled of fresh air.  </div> <div> “And these,” another of the girls said, offering a pair of leather sandals.  “They would be better for her feet than those tight boxes with lifts on them.”  Quentin almost laughed at that description of Julia's low-heeled shoes.</div> <div> “Thanks.”  Quentin hesitated, then said:  “I need to give an important message to Niamh.  Do you know if she can read?”</div> <div> The girls looked insulted.  “Of course she can-so can we all!  Do you think we're sheep, then?”</div> <div> “No, I'm sorry-I meant no offense.  Do you have anything for me to write on?  So I can write Niamh a note?”</div> <div> “I can get you paper and pen,” one of the girls offered.  Her forehead wrinkled.  “Why should you do that?  I can fetch her for you.”</div> <div> “It's a surprise,” Quentin hedged.  It wasn't an outright lie-this was a surprise all right.</div> <div> “I'll be right back.”  The girl sped off, leaving Quentin with the other.</div> <div> After a moment, Quentin said conversationally, “We wanted to eat out-you know, a picnic?”  When the girl gave him a knowing smile, he blushed and didn't say anything else.  The first girl returned with some paper and a modern fountain pen.  Startled, he asked, “Where did you get this?”</div> <div> “Oh, that was left by one of the Milesians in Sithein.”</div> <div> “Milesians?”</div> <div> “Like you.”</div> <div> “And my lady?” Quentin added.</div> <div> “Oh, no, she is not Milesian.  You are.  She is like us-and the Tuatha De Danaan.”</div> <div> Inexplicably irritated by her knowing attitude, Quentin began to argue with the girl and then decided it wasn't worth it.  He unscrewed the fountain pen to make sure there was ink in the cartridge and then asked, “What are you going to do when this is out of ink?  Pinch another?”</div> <div> “If one is left,” the girl answered, unruffled.  “Or we'll just return it to Sithein.”</div> <div> “What is a Milesian?” Quentin asked, as he began to write out a note.</div> <div> The girl looked surprised.  “The people who live in Sithein now.  Those who defeated the Tuatha De Danaan.  We thought you knew that.”</div> <div> “Where did they come from?”</div> <div> “From the sea-from the south.  They traveled north.  Some overland and some by boat.  They had dark hair and blue eyes-like you.  Some had dark hair and brown eyes.”</div> <div> Quentin nodded absently, more involved with his note.  The Milesians-maybe they Spaniards and Italians, moving outward from their own borders to conquer land and people.  That was ancient history, but then so were these people.  He wasn't satisfied with the note he wrote to Niamh, still it was better than leaving her with no word at all.  He folded the note carefully and gave it to the girl.  “Count to three thousand and then find Niamh and give this to her.”</div> <div> The girl laughed delightedly.  “Oh, a game, is it?  All right!”  Quentin picked up the sack of provisions, the clothes and walked back toward the field he'd left Julia.  Behind him, he could hear the girls counting.  “Nine, ten, eleven, twelve…”</div> <bR> <div> Quentin had put everything into the sack and carried easily, slung over one shoulder.  He found Julia where he'd left her, shading her eyes from the sun.  He thought she might still be annoyed with him, so he was relieved when she moved into his arms.  He kissed her, gratified when she returned the kiss.  “You talked with Niamh?”</div> <div> “She knows,” he answered evasively, moving past her.  He didn't want to look at her, sure she would know he was lying.  Or was it a lie?  Surely the girls had reached three thousand by now.</div> <div> “What are they going to do?”</div> <div> “Well, I said which direction they'd gone off in,” Quentin answered.  He really had written it down.  “They're going to look for her.”  Now he made a guess based on earlier conversations.  “They'll bargain for her.”</div> <div> “Were they very upset?”</div> <div> Quentin looked exasperated.  “Do you really want every little detail?  Julia, I did what you asked.  Yes, they're upset.  You're not going to feel guilty about this, are you?  We have to leave!”</div> <div> Julia looked at him doubtfully, but then decided he was right.  She wasn't so sure he'd talked to Niamh at all.  More likely, he'd passed the information to her another way.  He was holding his free hand out for hers.  He's keeping something from me-but he's doing it for my sake, she thought.  She reached for his hand.  “Which way, dearheart?”</div> <div>      He looked up and around, searching for the rath they'd been watching as they walked with Ruan.  He saw it.  “There.”  They began to walk, hand in hand.  As they walked, Quentin began to talk.  He told Julia that Jason had prevented him from killing or harming any of the Tuatha De Danaan.</div> <div>      “How kind of him,” Julia said dryly.  “Pookahs are mischief makers, though, aren't they?  What did he really want?”</div> <div>      “Information,” Quentin answered uncomfortably.  </div> <div>      “I'm just curious-what has Daoirdre to do with all this?”</div> <div>      “Well, the Tuatha De Danaan want Barnabas with them.”</div> <div>      Julia understood.  “And Barnabas will go to them to find Daoirdre?  You told them that?”  Oh, Quentin, she thought, dismayed.</div> <div> He was ashamed of himself.  “Yes,” he admitted.  Then he added defensively, “Julia, remember-Barnabas was the one that sent Ruan with us.  And you know what happened as a result of that!”</div> <div> “Yes, I know,” Julia agreed.</div> <div> “Well, it's worse than that-Jason told me that Barnabas intended for me to kill or injure some of the Tuatha De Danaan.”  Quentin paused to look at her.  “Julia, they're going to treat Daoirdre with a lot of respect because of who and what she is.  I never would have said anything to Jason at all about her if I didn't know that.  Barnabas-he didn't care if I hurt or killed people.  He just wanted to horrify everyone-and most especially, you.”  He felt her squeeze his hand.  “If I had killed someone…” He let his voice trail off.  That part of it was sincere.  He never intended to kill anyone, and if he had he wasn't sure he could've taken the guilt of it.</div> <div> They'd been walking along the stream; it had gradually widened and seemed to be a small river now.   The rath remained the same distance away, although Quentin was sure they'd been walking over an hour.  Rolling hills and dark green grass surrounded them, the hills dotted with wild flowers.  The breeze carried with it not only the light drops of the sea (where ever that was) but also the sweet fresh smell of spring grass and flowers.  “Do you get the feeling that this is like walking in the desert?”  Quentin asked.</div> <div> “I felt that way with Ruan,” Julia answered, laughing.  “Are you sure we're headed the right way?  It doesn't seem that we traveled this far getting here.”</div> <div> “I don't know,” Quentin shrugged.  “I was out the whole time.  Don't you remember?”</div> <div> “I only remember being pulled through, and there we were-we were already in Niamh's house.”</div> <div> Quentin stopped, frowning.  “That was inside.  And now we're outside.  But what outside is this?  And if we got to that rath, would there be an opening for us to go through?  What if it's not the same one?”</div> <div> “Well,” Julia began slowly, thinking, trying not to panic, “if you remember what the shanachie said, there are raths all over Ireland.  One would work as well as another, wouldn't it?  And Niamh herself said the openings are like windows.  We'd just have to wait for one to open.”</div> <div>      Quentin nodded, feeling a little better.  They stopped by the river to eat, refilling their bottles.  “We don't have to worry about water pollution here, I guess,” Quentin remarked.</div> <div>      “Well, we have to trust that the sanitary habits of the people here includes not peeing in the water.” Julia laughed when Quentin momentarily dropped his flask.  “I think it's all right-I don't think the Fir Bolg have been using the river as a toilet.  They seem to have a reverence for it.  The old legends are right-especially here.  I got the feeling that the people believe that the souls of the gods and goddesses run through the water and the hills.”</div> <div>      Julia and Quentin sat in the shade of a tree on the riverbank, leaning against each other as they ate.  Several fish leaped out of the water, sailing through the air for a few moments before diving back into the river.  They were beautiful-rainbow colored with long streaming tail fins.  “I've never seen anything like that,” Quentin remarked.  “Is that a prehistoric trout, do you think?”</div> <div>      “I don't know-they're pretty, aren't they?”</div> <div>      “I'll bet they taste good, too.  I wish I had a rod and reel.”</div> <div>      “Pity to eat something so pretty,” Julia said wistfully.</div> <div>      “Oh, come on,” Quentin said practically.  “People eat cute animals all the time-Bambi and Thumper-“</div> <div>      “I have never eaten deer or rabbit meat!” Julia replied in a teasingly haughty voice.</div> <div>      “If you're hungry enough you will.  We may have to catch one of these things for dinner if we don't get to that rath.”</div> <div>      Julia brushed the crumbs away.  “I don't want to be here long enough for dinner.  Let's go.”</div> <div>      Quentin got up obligingly, putting one arm around Julia's shoulders and the other carrying the much lighter sack.  The sky had become a duller shade of gray, and it began drizzling.  “Great,” he complained.  “Here in Fairyland the weather can't be sunny and warm all the time, it's got to be rainy just like in the real world.”  It might be a parallel world, but apparently obviously the latitude and longitude were still the same.  </div> <div> They walked on for a while in silence. The light drizzle was slowly wetting them but not uncomfortably so.  The grassy hills slowly filled with trees until the couple seemed to be walking through woods. The trees helped shelter them from the light rain.  Presently, Quentin heard the sound of rushing water.  A fall, he thought.  They came to a bend in the water and saw it.  </div> <div> Julia gasped.  It was beautiful.  It seemed to just appear out of nowhere, in rocks jutting from a mounded hill.  As the water rolled downhill, it fanned out and splashed  down over the rocks before forming a pool below.  It looks like a bridal veil, Julia thought, suddenly struck by this fanciful image.</div> <div> “Julia!” Quentin exclaimed, jabbing her in the ribs with his elbow.  He couldn't believe what he was seeing.</div> <div> “What?  Don't do that, Quentin!” Julia exclaimed irritably, unwillingly to tear her eyes away from the view.</div> <div> “Look!  Do you see that?”  Quentin asked urgently, pointing.  Julia followed the length of his arm to his finger and looked.  She started and gasped again.  “Is that a satyr?”</div> <div> “Well, I don't know-it does appear to be half-human and half-goat, doesn't it?” Julia gulped.</div> <div> Whatever the being was, it had sharp ears.  It had been carrying a load of peat on its back but, turning in their direction, set it down and ambled toward them.  Oh, man, this is really getting weird, thought Quentin.  It had been disconcerting enough to find himself in this world but at least the folk he'd met looked human, like himself.  Barnabas was a vampire, but he was also Quentin's cousin and he was used to that truth about him.  He had no idea what this creature might be like.  He felt Julia taking refuge behind him and didn't blame her a bit.  He tried to look more courageous than he felt as the half-man, half-beast creature approached.  “Lost?” it asked gutturally.</div> <div> It didn't seem to be threatening them, so Quentin forced himself to relax a little and nodded.  “Lost, yes.”</div> <div> “Where do you go?” the beast asked, its speech slow and ponderous.</div> <div> Quentin thought.  “Sithein,” he said, hoping the beast would recognize the word. It did.  Surprised, the nostrils flared and the green eyes became huge.  The pupils were two tiny little dots.  Unnerved, Quentin asked, “Do you know the way?”</div> <div> “Way, yes.  Take, no.”</div> <div> Julia peeked out from behind Quentin and asked timidly, “Why?”</div> <div> “Night soon.  Safe is not.  Not now,” the beast explained.  </div> <div> “Tomorrow?” Quentin asked hopefully.</div> <div> The beast hesitated and then nodded.  “Yes, tomorrow.”  He left them and waded into the river near the falls.</div> <div> Quentin sighed and turned to Julia.  “I wish I thought to bring a blanket.”</div> <div> “Oh, look!”  Julia pointed.   Quentin turned to look and saw that the beast had reached into the river, pulled a fish out with his hands, snapped the neck and tossed it up on to the riverbank.  “Maybe it will catch us something to eat?” she wondered hopefully.</div> <div> As if he'd heard, the creature looked up at them and ordered:  “You fish you want eat!”</div> <div> “Oh, great,” Quentin muttered irritably.  “I've never fished that way before.”</div> <div> “Maybe they don't swim fast.” Julia encouraged him.  He made a face at her but obligingly pulled off the soft leather boots he was wearing now instead of his sneakers.  Julia bit her lip, watching as Quentin waded into the river.  He tried to copy the man-beast, watching the water for the movement of a fish.  He made an unsuccessful swipe at the water, lost his balance, and tumbled over.</div> <div> Placidly, the man-beast caught another fish, gave Quentin a slightly pitying contemptuous look and threw his catch up on the riverbank beside the first one.  Julia decided to go into the water, too, and help.  “What are you doing?”  Quentin objected.  “You're just going to make us both look stupid and we'll both be wet.”</div> <div> Julia had a feeling, though.  She closed her eyes and concentrated, picturing the fish's swimming bodies in her mind.  She bent over and put her hands under the water.  It felt cold but not unbearably so.  She could feel the movement of the fish all around her.  Come here to me, she called out to them.  To her great surprise, she felt a wriggling body between her hands.  She grabbed it and stood up with her catch.  “Oh!” she exclaimed.</div> <div> “Holy shit!” Quentin exclaimed, shocked, as the rainbow colored fish seemed to soar above their heads.</div> <div> Julia screamed, half in fright, half in disgust and flung the fish up onto the riverbank.  It flopped around wildly, moving back toward the river.  Quentin ran to it and quickly killed it.  “Julia, it's just a fish!” he exclaimed, thinking:  women!  She catches the fish and then screams about it.  </div> <div> “Healer!” the creature exclaimed, sounding alarmed.  At the tone in its voice, Quentin turned around and saw Julia supporting one hand with the other.  Blood ran freely from her hand, down her arm, and dripped into the water, turning the area under her red.</div> <div> “Julia!” Quentin was alarmed now, too, and was beside her in a moment, grabbing her by the elbow.  “What happened?”</div> <div> “The fins-they're so sharp!” Julia exclaimed, her face pale with shock.  There was a very deep cut across the palm of her hand.  Nauseated, Quentin realized he could see muscles, tendon, and was that a bone?  He helped her up onto the riverbank and sat her down.  “Oh!” Julia looked faint.</div> <div> “Julia, listen, can you heal yourself?” Quentin shouted at her, trying to keep her from passing out.</div> <div> Julia gave him a stunned look, slowing closing her injured hand into a fist.  She covered it with the other hand and closed her eyes.  Concerned, Quentin sat beside her and put his arm around her.  Shocked, he realized her flesh was getting hot.  It almost burned his hand to have it rest on her shoulder.  Her breathing had slowed considerably as she relaxed, leaning against him.  He could see that the blood flowing from her clenched hand slowed to a trickle and then stopped. Incredible!  Slowly, Julia's eyes opened.  </div> <div> Quentin took her hand in his own, opening her fist.  It was as if nothing had happened.  He let out a sigh of relief.  “Someday you're going to have to teach me how you did that so that I can stop worrying about you.”</div> <div> Julia smiled wanly at him.  “I don't know about that, but maybe I could show you how to catch the fish.”</div> <div> “Leave out the part where the fin cuts my hand,” Quentin teased, and they both laughed.  Quentin put his arms around her pulling her close, running his hands through her damp hair.  “Julia, Julia!”  He kissed her deeply.</div> <div> “Eat soon!” The creature called impatiently from the river, throwing another fish onto the bank.  He'd managed to catch two more while Julia was healing herself.  Laughing, they broke apart.</div> <div> Julia coached Quentin, having him close his eyes as he put his hands under the water.  She watched the water and saw the approaching fish.  “Can you feel it coming, dearheart?  When you feel it between you hands…” She broke off as Quentin closed his hands around the fish and triumphantly lifted it into the air, snapping it the way he'd seen the goat-man kill his fish, and threw it onto the bank next to the one Julia caught.  Eagerly, he put his hands back under the water and almost immediately caught another fish and then another one.</div> <div> “This is easy!” he said excitedly, tossing this fish onto the bank.  He reached down and caught another one.   Within a few minutes, he'd caught two more fish, his face flushed with excitement.  He felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment, and Julia's praise in his ear spurred him on.  He really wanted to impress her.  He was about to put his hands under the water again when the man-goat called out roughly:  “No more!”</div> <div> Surprised, Julia and Quentin looked up at him.  He was sitting spraddle-legged on the bank, fish between his legs.  He had a sharp instrument and was gutting and cleaning his catch of six fish.  His green eyes flashed at them.  “Enough!  You eat all you catch?  You better-no make Mother Boand angry!”</div> <div> Quentin looked at Julia.  “Mother Boand?”</div> <div> “Part of the trinity-remember?  Goddess of the river, do you suppose?” Julia murmured.  “He has a point, dearheart. A dozen fish between us is plenty to eat, don't you think?”</div> <div> Quentin nodded.  He spread his hands out and shrugged his shoulders at the creature, the universal gesture of apology.  “Sorry.  I wasn't thinking.”</div> <div> “Better you sit down then,” the creature responded grumpily.  “Must cook fish!”</div> <div> “How?” Julia asked.</div> <div> The creature held his instrument out to her.  “Clean first, then cook.”</div> <div> Julia took the instrument, wrinkling her nose a little at the blade covered with gore.  Carefully, she wiped it off on the grass and then held it under the water.  “Thank you,” she said politely.  “My name is Julia.  This is Quentin.  What is your name?”</div> <div> “Name?” the creature repeated, looking puzzled.</div> <div> Quentin pointed to himself.  “Me, Quentin.”  He looked at Julia, grinning broadly.  He pointed to her.  “Her, Julia.”  Then he pointed to the creature.</div> <div> “Oh!  Me, Urisk.”</div> <div> “Pleased to meet you, Urisk.  You don't happen to have another of those knives, do you?”  Urisk nodded.  He walked toward the river but didn't go in.  Instead, he walked the stones until he was at the falls.  He took another step and disappeared.  “I will be damned!”  Quentin exclaimed.  “Julia, did you see that?”</div> <div> “There's probably an opening to a cave behind the falls,” Julia explained.</div> <div> “Well, shit, why don't we go in there?  We'd stop getting wet.”</div> <div> “We haven't been invited.”</div> <div> With a few moments, Urisk was back with another sharp instrument.  Quentin and Julia quickly cleaned and gutted the fish.  They were both soaked through now and beginning to feel uncomfortably cold as the sun began to set.  The rain stopped, but they were still chilled.  While they cleaned their fish, Urisk had been busy himself.  He dug a hole in the ground, filling the bottom with sticks and peat.  He grunted and got up to go back behind the waterfall.</div> <div> “Urisk!” Julia called.  She had a book of matches; she still had a few left.  She struck a match and lit the little underground barbecue pit.  Urisk's green eyes sparkled-obviously he was impressed.  “I guess by the time we get out of here I'm going to be an ex-smoker,” she said to Quentin, smiling wryly.</div> <div> “I don't mind the delay so much then,” he replied, smiling back.  He spoke as if he was kidding her, but she knew he meant what he said.  He'd been trying and trying to get her to quit.  She only had three cigarettes left and wondered if he'd be so happy with her when she was in the full throes of nicotine withdrawal.  Already, she'd cut back by half and felt irritable and nervous.  Her head ached sometimes, too.  What was worse, she seemed more in tune with her body here; it was almost as if she could hear her cells calling out for the nicotine.  “What's the matter?” he asked, looking concerned.</div> <div> Maybe he's more in tune with everything, too, she thought.  “It's not that easy,” she said.  </div> <div> He put his arm around her.  “I know,” he said softly.  “I know it's not easy.  It's like giving up heroin.”</div> <div> Suddenly irritated, she shoved him a  little.  “Heroin!  Quentin, really!  I'm not a drug addict!”</div> <div> “I'm sorry-I wasn't implying that you were.” He put his arm around her again, trying to mollify her.  “Julia, come on.  I'm on your side.  I'm just trying to help.”</div> <div> “Help Urisk,” the man-goat said from the pit.  He'd put all the fish in and was now placing potatoes on top of the fish.  When Julia and Quentin turned toward him, he indicated wild onions and carrots.  “Those next.”  When everything had gone into the pit, Urisk said, “Now we wait.  Come with me.”</div> <div> Quentin and Julia followed Urisk across the stones to the waterfall.  He led them behind the water to a cleft in the rock.  Julia was right-it was a cave.  The inner chamber branched off in two directions; directly in the center was a fireplace with tapers nearby.  Urisk lit one of the tapers and led them to the right.  It was damp and cool inside the cavern but a roaring fire that warmed the stone walls and floor lighted the room Urisk brought them to.  Quentin wondered about the flume and where the smoke went.  He didn't see any smoke rising from the cave or from the area of the falls at all.  “Rest awhile-dry clothes,” Urisk advised.  “Food ready, I get you.”</div> <div> “Thank you.”  Julia smiled at the goat-man with real gratitude.  Urisk left them alone, and Quentin immediately pulled the wet tunic over his head.  He draped it in front of the fire and stretched his hands out appreciatively.  “That feels good.  I didn't think to bring a change of clothes for me.”</div> <div> “Well I didn't either.”</div> <div> “I did-look.”  Quentin reached into the sack and pulled out the pullover garment for Julia and a pair of leather sandals similar to the ones he'd been wearing.</div> <div> “Oh, how chic!” Julia exclaimed, laughing.</div> <div> “Show a little gratitude, will ya?”  Quentin complained, in a teasing manner.  “At least you've got something dry to put on haven't you?”</div> <div> There was a large pile of what appeared to be skins in the corner.  Julia smiled at Quentin in a sultry way and turned slowly and walked over to it, sitting down on the skins.  She realized that it was a sort of layered mattress, with down and straw and animal skins layered over and over.  The bed was soft and comfortable.  She looked at Quentin over her shoulder and slowly began to remove her blouse.</div> <div> Quentin was beside her in a moment, his hands covering hers, moving to unbutton the rest of her blouse and then reach behind her to unhook her bra.  He found the button of her skirt behind her and unfastened it; moving down, he felt for the zipper and pulled it down.  Julia shook it off her hips and stepped out of the skirt, allowing Quentin to pull her blouse and bra off.  He let his breath out slowly.  “You are so beautiful in the firelight, my love,” he whispered hoarsely.  The breeches were easy to get off, and he threw them carelessly on the floor of the cave.  He and Julia sank down onto the bed together.</div> <div> Gently, he laid her back and moved so that he was next to her, nuzzling her throat.  Her skin smelled of the rain and the grass and the flowers.  It was as heady as the perfume she wore in Dublin.  “Oh, God, Julia, I want you,” he whispered huskily into her ear, nibbling the lobe with his teeth.  Aroused, she reached for his head, pulling his mouth down to hers, shifting so that he could move between her legs.  Every place he touched her with his hands or lips seemed to set her skin on fire.  She could feel her blood boiling-she had to have him now.  She reached between his legs and guided him toward her.</div> <div> “I want you in me-now, Quentin!” Inflamed by her quickening desire, he obligingly allowed her to guide him to her opening.  He slid into the warmth of her and almost immediately felt her contracting around him, her fingers clawing at his shoulders. She threw her legs around his hips, drawing him deeper inside.  He waited until her spasms subsided and then began to thrust slowly, wanting her to enjoy another climax.  Already, he could see her eyes becoming wild again.  “Put my legs on your shoulders!” It wasn't an order, it was a need that had to be fulfilled, which he found exciting.  He lifted first one leg and then the other to his shoulders and nearly lost control himself  as he plunged even further into the depths of her being than he'd ever been before.  She cried out-with pain, it seemed.  </div> <div> He stopped.  “Julia?”</div> <div> “I'm all right, don't stop now!” Her fingers dug into his forearms now.  It hurt but it also excited him.  He began to move again, faster and harder.   Her eyes were blazing with a fiery passion he hadn't seen before.</div> <div> “Oh, God, I can't stop,” he said through gritted teeth.  He was too caught up in his own need to explode within her to slow down but he was sure that she was going right over the top with him.  Slowly, he lowered his legs and collapsed beside her, both of them breathing heavily, and unable to move-as if they'd both been stunned.  Finally he managed to raise himself above her and kissed her tenderly before collapsing again, and rolling over on his back. He took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together.</div> <div> Julia began to stir, shifting her weight so that she could roll onto her side and rest her head on Quentin's shoulder.  He still held one of her hands twined in his, the other moved around her shoulder to pull her closer.  She still felt both drained and exhilarated.  She'd enjoyed all of the lovemaking she and Quentin had engaged in but there was something different about this.  There had been something almost animalistic about her desire to have Quentin driving inside her, and she had even welcomed the cramp of pain on her lower right side.  She'd urged him on with the idea that he would be able to reach that sore spot, and perhaps he had.  She felt a deep, hot warmth there now but she wasn't frightened-it was a comforting sensation.  It must be this place that makes everything so different, including me, she thought.  Now she felt thoroughly contented and sated.  She snuggled closer to him and sighed.</div> <div> “All right?” he asked immediately.</div> <div> “More than all right,” she answered in a contented cat's voice, purring.</div> <div> “I just wondered-did I hurt you?”</div> <div> “Hurt me?  No!”  Julia was surprised.  Then she remembered.  “Oh!  That was nothing, Quentin, don't worry about it, dearheart.”</div> <div> At that, his brows contracted together.  Julia laughed.  He looked so serious when he frowned like that that.  She traced the outline of his brows and then smoothed the wrinkles in his forehead to relax the frown.  He made a face at her and said, “When someone tells me not to worry about something, that usually means I have something to worry about.  Would you mind telling me about it, my dear?”</div> <div> “It really is nothing, dearheart.  It's just one of those premenstrual things, that's all.”</div> <div> “Oh, okay,” he answered hastily.  </div> <div> “It's normal,” she continued.  “Every few months, one of my ovaries cramps when I ovulate.  It's been a long time.”</div> <div> “Since you ovulated?  Or since you had a cramp?” he asked curiously.  Then he added quickly, “Don't tell me anything gross, all right?”</div> <div> Julia laughed again.  She stretched contentedly, feeling as if she could lie here forever with Quentin.  It was warm and cozy, and this bed was soft and comfy.  “Nothing gross.  It's been a long time since either, I guess.  People change as they get older, you know.  Well, I won't have to worry very many more years about it anyway.  It's been so long I was beginning to wonder if  it was all stopping, but I guess not quite yet.”</div> <div> He looked over at her, suddenly serious.  She was talking about menopause-he realized that suddenly.  He wondered how old she was, really.  He knew she was over forty but not how much over.  Thoughtfully, he stroked her cheek.  There was one drawback to going back “there” he thought.  That drawback was mortality-for Julia, anyway.  The people here didn't seem to age that quickly.  They'd been around for ages.  Would it be the same for him and Julia if they stayed?</div> <div> “Quentin, what is it?” Julia asked, watching his expression change from peaceful satisfaction to worry to fear.</div> <div> “Julia, do you think I'd age here?” he asked.  It was one way of addressing the issue.</div> <div> “You mean because of the portrait?” she asked.  “Because it doesn't seem to work here? If you are aging, it's not rapidly.”  She looked at him more closely.  “You really want to know if I'm going to age, don't you?  Because of what I just said?”</div> <div> “Mmmm,” he answered, non-committally.</div> <div> “I don't know, dearheart,” Julia answered slowly, thinking.  “We're not like them, yet I feel so different.  I've never been able to heal by the laying on of hands before.”</div> <div> “Maybe you always had that power but didn't know it.”</div> <div> “I don't know.  I guess we'll find out when we go back.”  Julia looked at Quentin closely.  “We are going back-right?  We have to.  We don't belong here.”</div> <div> “I know,” he agreed. He felt different here, too, but they really didn't belong here.  They had to go back.</div> <div> “Good food!”  Urisk called out to them.  </div> <div> “Thank you, Urisk!” Julia called back.  “We're coming!”</div> <div> “We did already,” Quentin whispered into her ear, running his tongue along the lobe playfully.</div> <div> “Oh, stop!” Julia burst out laughing, pushing him away.  She got up and found the pull over Quentin had brought for her.  It was a soft, comfortable garment.  “I think I like this better than my own clothes,” she commented.  “I'll bet I look shapeless, though.”  She turned to see Quentin watching her with an appreciative gleam in his eye and blushed.</div> <div> “Not shapeless, no,” he told her.  “It clings in all the right places.”</div> <div> Julia picked up the breeches he'd discarded on the floor.  “These are still damp, dearheart.”</div> <div> Quentin sat up.  “Ah, well, I'll survive.”</div> <div> “Wait.”  Julia saw what appeared to be a robe on a bench on the other side of the fireplace.  “Quentin, I think you could wear this robe.”  She held it up.  It was made of a soft skin-doeskin, maybe.</div> <div> “A robe?”  Quentin was obviously surprised.  “A bed.  A fireplace.  Do you think  Urisk was expecting company?”</div> <div> “Or he's had company before,” Julia answered.  She held the robe out to Quentin, and he put it on.  Together they went out into the outer chamber and found that Urisk had set two places for them beside the fireplace.  In addition to the food, he'd made tea.  “You seem to be very much aware of what people like. Do you live here alone?” Julia asked.</div> <div> “Alone, yes,” Urisk agreed.  He stood before the fireplace, eating from his bowl with his fingers, scooping bits of fish and vegetables into his mouth.  Looking at him closely, Quentin wondered if he was able to sit and if he could, did the short tail get in his way?  Urisk turned his green eyes toward Quentin and they suddenly flared with an emerald light.  Quentin gulped and sat down, turning his head away.  “Here we are near the border, many visitors here,” Urisk continued.</div> <div> “Someone visited and left a robe here?” Julia asked.</div> <div> “Many things are left behind.  Soon more visitors come.”</div> <div> “Tonight?” Quentin asked sharply.  “Who?”</div> <div> Urisk gave him an enigmatic smile that wasn't entirely pleasant.  “Most times gnomes come up from the inside.  Sometimes brownies visit.  Sometimes high holy ones of the Tuatha De Danaan.”</div> <div> “And what are you?” Julia asked.  “Are you Fir Bolg?  Or Tuatha De Danaan?”</div> <div> “I know not.  Here is my place.  I am Urisk.”</div> <div> The smell of the cooked fish and vegetables was enticing.  Quentin and Julia sat down together on a stone bench on the opposite side of the hearth from Urisk.  There was a bruiden over the crackling fire. Apparently Urisk had filled it with the fish and vegetables once they'd done steaming in the ground.  “This is delicious,” Julia said appreciatively.  There was a unique flavor to the meal, from being steamed on the wood.</div> <div>  Just then, from the other “hall” of the cave came the sound of tramping feet and weary voices.   A group of men entered the chamber from the hall, each one carrying either a sword or a piece of armor.  “Urisk, my friend!  Hungry are we!” cried the first of the men.  </div> <div> They were squat, broad shouldered and heavily muscled, with bristling dark hair and beards.  Quentin and Julia stood up automatically as the men came in, and they looked at the couple curiously.  The first man let out a cry.  He took three paces to Julia, facing her.  He barely came up to her chin.  He bowed low before her.  “I greet you respectfully, daughter of Diancecht.  Had I known you would be here, I surely would have made you instruments of silver rather than this poorly made sword.”</div> <div> Julia was too shocked to speak.  She looked at Quentin, who looked as confused as she felt.  Looking back at the man, Julia spoke hesitantly.  “Hello, my name is Julia and this is-this is my man, Quentin.”</div> <div> “Lady Julia, permit me to give this poorly made, humble and unworthy gift to your man, then,” the man begged.</div> <div> “Why-of course,” Julia gulped.  The small man smiled a happy, toothless smile, bowed again, and then turned to Quentin, who towered over the little man.</div> <div> “For you, my lord,” the man declared, holding out the beautifully made sword in his two hands.</div> <div> Quentin took it awkwardly by the gleaming silver handle.  The craftsmanship on the handle was beautiful.  There were runes in and around the handle, which appeared to be part of a tree.  The blade was wickedly sharp and gleamed brightly in the firelight; it was made of silver and there were runes along one edge.  “Thank you,” Quentin said, thinking it would come in handy and wishing he knew how to use it.</div> <div> “Who are you?”  Julia asked.  “What did you call me?”</div> <div> “Sit, eat,” Urisk interrupted.  “They hungry.  They sit, eat, talk, tell you.”</div> <div> As the men helped themselves to a bowl of stew from the bruiden, each bowed before Julia and gave a name: Proinsias, Lilis, Iarla, Fionn-the names became a blur in Julia's mind.  She knew she would be unable to remember all of them and concentrated on trying to remember the name of the man who'd greeted her first and then presented Quentin with the sword:  Proinsias.  She asked him to sit beside her and Quentin.</div> <div> Proinsias thought this a great honor.  He politely refused to sit on the bench; instead, he sat on the floor of the cave at Julia's feet.  Quentin looked amused, but Julia was embarrassed.  “I don't understand this,” she said.</div> <div> “You're a VIP here, my lady,” Quentin whispered, with a teasing, mocking tone to his voice.</div> <div> Proinsias, who'd overheard, spoke up immediately:  “That is true, Daughter of  Diancecht.”</div> <div> “And who is that, may I ask?” Julia asked.</div> <div> “He was the special physician of the Daoine Sidehe,” Proinsias replied.  The words translated to “Good Folk” to Julia and Quentin's ears.  He and his daughter, Airmed, guarded the spring of health.  You are much like her, and you are a healer, too, are you not?”</div> <div> “Yes, I am,” Julia replied faintly.</div> <div> “Do you know the story of how Diancecht saved the Good Folk?”</div> <div> “I'm afraid we don't-you see, we're from Sithein.”</div> <div> All of the men reacted with astonishment.  There was a loud babbling of voices as everyone spoke at once; finally Proinsias whistled and there was silence.  “We'll tell you of Dianecht if you'd be willing to tell us of Sithein.”</div> <div> “All right.”</div> <div> “A healer and a shanachie rolled into one,” Quentin whispered into her ear, putting his arm about her waist.  The other men smiled shyly at this show of affection.</div> <div> “You'll have to help me,” Julia whispered back, a little frantically.  “I'm not such a wonderful shanachie!”</div> <div> “I'd do anything, for you, dear, anything, for you dear, anything, anything, for you,” Quentin sang into her ear, and she burst out laughing.  She couldn't help herself-he sounded just like the Artful Dodger from “Oliver” and this situation was as ridiculous as the one poor Oliver found himself in.  Not only that, but Quentin had allowed himself to be heard by the other men.</div> <div> “Good show, lad,” one of them called  approvingly.</div> <div> “He knows how to put on a show here, there, and elsewhere,” another man called out.  Quentin winked and put his thumb up in the air, and the men all laughed boisterously again.  Urisk's green eyes glowed brightly with amusement.</div> <div> “All right, well, you first,” Julia said, her own green eyes glittering with good spirits.</div> <div> Obligingly, Proinsias took a stance and began to tell the tale of how the great healer Dianecht saved the Daoine Sidhe from destruction.  “There was a child born once, and Dianecht could see the terrible evil in the child's heart.  So he advised the parents to kill the child.  This was unheard of because children are our most valued possession.  However, everyone knew how powerful and wise Dianecht was-and so, the child was killed.  The parents grieved so!  Dianecht wanted to show them they'd done the right thing, and so he opened the child's body and looked into the heart.  He drew out three serpents, held them up and said, `See?  If the child lived, all the Sidhe would have perished!' And then he burnt the damn things and threw their ashes into the nearby river.  Do you know that that river boiled itself dry?  And that is how he did it.  And now-“</div> <div> “Most of these stories involve such death and destruction!” Julia exclaimed, dismayed.  The idea of killing a baby made her shudder, evil or not.</div> <div> “That is true, my lady,” Proinsias agreed.  “Sometimes, though, my Lady Healer, destruction is necessary in order to preserve life.”</div> <div> “I think that's what the government is trying to tell us about Vietnam, Julia,” Quentin said wryly.</div> <div> “My lord?” Proinsias looked confused.</div> <div> “Vietnam,” Quentin repeated.  “You'd like to hear about Sithein?  It's not so much different from here-Brugh.  What do you want to know?”</div> <div> All at once, the men began hurling questions at them:  what about the houses?  What manner of food did they eat? What kind of music did they have?  What kind of stories did they tell?  How did those loud machines on wheels that roared by on the roads manage to stay on a road?  What was it like to fly in the air like a bird?  Quentin and Julia found themselves answering questions for hours before the men finally took pity on them and allowed them to retire for the night.  Urisk gave Quentin a flask and an oval shaped bowl.  “What's this for?”</div> <div> Urisk laughed, an odd man-beast sort of bleating noise.  “There is cool water to slake your thirst.  Drink too much, you use these.  You see?”</div> <div> Quentin did see.  So much for modern plumbing here, he thought.  The dwelling they'd been staying in had some sort of rudimentary toilet-probably similar to what the Romans had used, he guessed.  Julia covered her mouth to hide her grin.  They didn't want to insult their host.  “Thanks, Urisk.  Good night all,” Quentin said.</div> <div> “Good night,” Julia added and was disconcerted when everyone but Quentin bowed to her.  Quentin bit back a snicker and bowed too, a little belatedly.  “Go on with you!”  Julia hissed at him.  The two of them walked back into their bedchamber, and Quentin no longer tried to restrain himself.  His snickering quickly became chortling and then howls of laughter.  “My lady!” he spluttered.</div> <div> “Ssssh!” Julia tried to shush him, trying to control her own laughter.  He fell onto the soft bed, still laughing wildly, and Julia climbed onto him, covering his mouth with her hand.  He licked her palm, and she lost control then, laughing loudly herself.  “Stop, stop!” she cried ineffectually.  “I don't know if they're all still out there or not-they'll hear!”</div> <div> “They won't think the less of you for doing what comes natural. I think they're assuming that I'm supposed to pleasure you,” he assured her, as they finally calmed down.  “My lady.”  He began snickering again.</div> <div> Julia pinched his ear, and he yelped.  “You're just jealous, my love.”</div> <div> He stopped laughing, looking up at her seriously.  He could see the red highlights dancing in her hair by the light of the fire.  “Oh, no,” he said.  “You are a lady, Julia.  You're royalty-a beautiful, regal lady.  As for me…” He paused and now he grinned.  “I guess you might say I'm the Frog Prince.”</div> <div> They laughed together again.  “Look, as long as they're thinking we're having a good time anyway,” he began, moving his hands down the length of her body, reaching for the hem of the shirt dress, “why don't we just go ahead and do it?  Have a good time, I mean?”  He slowly pulled the dress up over her hips, and she obligingly lifted her arms so that he could pull the dress over her head.  “Julia,” he whispered.</div> <div> She straddled his hips, feeling him harden between her legs.  “How can we have a good time when you are still dressed in that robe?”  She leaned down and kissed him.  He'd begun pulling his robe up, and she shifted her weight so that he could pull it over his waist.   He managed to get it over his head and off without dislodging her.   “That's much better, love.”  She'd begun to bite his neck softly, as she'd done once before.  He shivered with pleasure, pushing away the thought of how sensuous the vampire's kiss must be.  She was at the base of his throat now, her lips slowly moving toward his nipple.</div> <div> He made a low rumbling sound deep in his throat, his back arching at the unexpected surge of pleasurable sensations flooding his body as her lips fastened onto his nipple and gently sucked.  All of the pleasure and heat in his body rushed now to his groin.  He grabbed her arms and gently rolled her over onto her back; now he was above her.  “Here, now, my lady, I'm the one who's supposed to be pleasuring you-remember?”</div> <div> “Oh, yes, I remember.  It's time to do your duty, then, Frog Prince.”  Julia reached up to grab a handful of his hair.  It didn't hurt, not really, but she pulled insistently, bringing him back down to her.</div> <div> Sometime in the night, Julia's eyes opened suddenly in the darkness.  She wasn't sure what had made her wake up so suddenly.  She felt Quentin breathing gently in  her ear, she was nestled against him.  She felt an odd sensation from within; she had a mental image of a little archer shooting tiny arrows into her lower abdomen.  </div> <div> Her body jerked reflexively, waking Quentin.  “What's the matter?” he mumbled sleepily.  She couldn't speak.  She grabbed his arm, draped lightly over her hip, and placed it against the spot she'd felt the “arrows” go in.  “What is that?” he asked, sounding alarmed.  “You're hot!”</div> <div> “I don't know,” she answered puzzled.  She told him what happened.  She moved her hand under his.  The hot spot on her belly was beginning to cool off rapidly.  “How odd!”</div> <div> “Is it an infection?  Doesn't the skin around the site of an infection get hot?”  He sounded worried.</div> <div> “It's gone already,” she whispered softly, reassuring him.  She moved her hand and pressed his to the spot.  “See?”</div> <div> “This place is weird,” he complained.  “I'll be glad to go home.  So you're sure you're all right?”</div> <div> “Yes,” she answered right away so that he wouldn't worry.  Reassured, he lay back down, pulling her close again.  She put her hand over his affectionately, patting it.  He always wanted to be close to her at night, twining himself all around her.  She wondered if it she would ever feel smothered by it; it never  occurred to her to feel lonely at night.  A thought struck her suddenly:  I'm not alone now, I'm really not alone anymore.  It's not just Quentin.  She realized with a sudden thrill of fear and anticipation that she'd felt life beginning.  Adrenaline surged through her body now, and her eyes widened.  She wouldn't disturb Quentin again, but she knew she'd be unable to sleep the rest of the night.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> “My lady, my lady!” Urisk called urgently outside the door.</div> <div> Julia slowly managed to disengage herself from Quentin's arms and sat up, looking around for the dress she'd worn yesterday.  She found it and slipped it over her head.  She made her way quietly to the entryway and slipped through to the central chamber.  The goat-man's green eyes glowed like two little lamplights.  “Is something wrong?” she asked quietly.</div> <div> “Yes, yes, you and my lord Quentin inside must stay today,” Urisk began, hoping from one cloven hoof to the other.  “Much badness today, the berries and now visitors outside-looking for you!”</div> <div> “Who?” Julia asked, alarmed, ignoring the reference to berries for the moment.</div> <div> “Lord Dearg-due!”</div> <div> Julia gasped.  “Barnabas is here?”</div> <div> Urisk shook his head from side to side.  “His body servant.  I go see talk him again.  Today you go eat from pot, then go see Proinsias.  Go down tunnel, no go outside today.”</div> <div> “All right,” Julia agreed. Then she asked:  “What about the berries?”</div> <div> “The pookah, he freeze them.”</div> <div> “Wha-at?” </div> <div> Urisk shook his head impatiently.  “Time not to tell now.  I go see talk body servant.”   The goat-man nodded and turned toward the main entrance into the cave.  Julia wondered who Barnabas had sent after them.  She heard Quentin stirring behind her and moved back to the bed.</div> <div> “What's going on?” Quentin asked sleepily.  Julia explained what Urisk told her, and he fell back, groaning.  “When are we going home?” He complained.  Julia thought he sounded a little like a homesick child, but she could sympathize with him.  She, too, had had enough of vampire lords, goat-men, pookahs, and the other mystical creatures in this world.  She preferred the supernatural beasties of her own surroundings to this place, pleasant though its people might be.</div> <div> “Not today, dearheart,” she answered with a sympathetic pat on his shoulder.  He groaned again, rolled over onto his stomach and crawled under the covers.  “We're supposed to go play with the trolls while Urisk distracts whoever is out there.”</div> <div> “Gnomes, Julia, they're gnomes,” Quentin growled irritably.  He lifted his head up to look at her.  “Who is this body servant anyway?”</div> <div> “I don't know,” Julia shrugged.  “Maybe it's Ruan.”</div> <div> “The love talker?  Ha!”  Quentin snorted.  “Urisk will never get rid of him.” He added gloomily.  “Maybe it's Caoimhghin.”</div> <div> “Well, come on, let's get up.  You're not going to sleep anymore now anyway,” Julia cajoled.  Quentin obligingly got up and dressed.  The two of them slipped quietly into the outer chamber.  “Well, this looks interesting.”  Julia served Quentin a helping from the morning bruiden and then filled her own bowl.</div> <div> “It looks like a sausage but smells like an apple.”</div> <div> “It's good,” Julia exclaimed.  “I love this Celtic cooking-if that's what you call it.  There's lemons in here and watercress-I wonder if that's why Urisk was upset about the frozen berries.”</div> <div> “What?”</div> <div> “Ssh!  Listen!”</div> <div>   They could hear Urisk outside talking loudly with Caoimhghin.  His speech sounded limited to grunts of confusion, and the couple got the distinct impression the goat-man was playing dumb.</div> <div> From the entryway to the other chamber, Proinsias beckoned to them.  Sighing with resignation, Quentin finished his bowl and stood up, reaching for Julia's hand.  He didn't like being confined and was sure he'd like being confined inside a cave even less.  He was pleasantly surprised by what happened next.  Proinsias led them through what was presumably Urisk's living chamber and into another hallway.  There was a hole in the stone floor.  Proinsias swung himself down on a ladder and descended.  “Come with me!” he called, in case the couple had any doubts about what they were to do next.</div> <div> “I'll go first,” Quentin said, swinging himself down onto the ladder.  It was mounted into the stone wall.  As he descended, he saw that there was a large sleeping quarters located on this level-for the gnomes, he supposed.  Already, Proinsias was descending to the next level.  “Are you all right?” he called up to Julia, watching her take a tentative step down.  She answered affirmatively.  He looked up, grinning, waiting for her to come down a few more steps.  “Nice view!” he teased.</div> <div> “Oh, really, Quentin!  Stop looking up my dress!”  Julia scolded in a mock serious tone.</div> <div> “Actually, I was thinking I'd like to reach up your dress,” he kidded back, moving down quickly as she attempted to stomp on his fingers.  He laughed.</div> <div> “What is taking so long?” Proinsias called up to them, and Quentin nearly doubled over with laughter.  He yelped when Julia caught up and tred lightly on his fingers.</div> <div> “Move, and behave yourself!” Julia hissed.  She didn't sound like she was kidding any more, so he went quickly down to the next level.  </div> <div> It was hot on this level.  The other gnomes were gathered around a forge, where the one called Iarla was striking a newly made sword with a hammer.  “Our working area,” Proinsias said proudly.  He showed off various items made of silver-a helmet, a breastplate, several knives, and several short swords.  “Do you know how to use the sword, my lord?”</div> <div> “Uh, no,” Quentin answered, still startled at being addressed as `my lord'.  Perhaps being Julia's “man” had elevated his status considerably.</div> <div> “We can teach you,” Proinsias offered.</div> <div> “And my lady, too,” Iarla added.</div> <div> “Sounds like fun,” Julia said dryly.  </div> <div> “You need to know how to use such a weapon, lady,”  Fionn advised.  </div> <div> “Against the Dearg-due?” Julia asked, shuddering.   She doubted she would be able to raise a weapon against Barnabas.  They'd been through too much together.</div> <div> “No, lady, but you can hold off his servants if need be,” Proinsias said.</div> <div> “All right,” Julia agreed reluctantly.</div> <div> It turned out to be a fun exercise.  Both Julia and Quentin felt awkward with even the short swords; they were heavy, and both needed to hold the handles with both hands.  Proinsias patiently showed each how to wield the sword, how to deflect another sword, and how to make a basic thrust.  When they felt they had gotten the hang of it, Julia and Quentin playfully fenced with each other, laughing.</div> <div> “You're having a good time,” Proinsias cautioned.  “Don't forget, these are war weapons-not toys.”</div> <div> With that sobering admonition, they stopped to eat another meal.  “I'm just curious,” Julia said to the gnomes, “about what you can tell me about the pookah and the berries?”</div> <div> “Ah, he's angry with some one of us,” Fionn explained.  “It's his way of lepton us know how fierce angry he is.  He blows on the berries and freezes them to stone.”</div> <div> Julia looked at Quentin.  “Jason?”</div> <div> Quentin felt defensive.  “How should I know?”  Uncomfortable under Julia's scrutiny, he turned toward Proinsias.  “Is there one pookah, or many?”</div> <div> “Several,” Proinsias said.  “Last one I saw took the form of a horse.”</div> <div> “What about a wolfhound?” Julia asked.</div> <div> “I have not  seen such a one,” Proinsias answered.  He looked at Quentin.  “Do you know of such a one?”</div> <div> “Yes, we both do,” Julia answered.</div> <div> “Does he have cause to be angry with you?”</div> <div> Julia looked at Quentin.  He would know-he saw Jason last.  She knew he was keeping something from her.  Quentin sighed.  “I guess he might,” he answered.  He should have said he knew that Jason had reason to be angry with him.  Jason probably felt betrayed-Barnabas had not followed Daiordre to Ulster.  Barnabas was here somewhere-but so was Jason.  Now what?  Quentin wondered, miserably.</div> <div> “Do you want to tell us about it?” Julia asked, her lip curling just a little.  She was annoyed with him for not telling her everything.</div> <div> “Well,” he began and stopped.  She'll leave me if I tell, he thought.  Barnabas' bodyguard is right outside and she still loves him.  I saw the look on her face when he kissed her hand.  He decided he would tell part of the truth.  “He's probably mad that Barnabas didn't go after Daoirdre.  That's what I told him Barnabas would do.”</div> <div> “Why did you do that anyway?” Julia asked.</div> <div> “McGuire was going to take her anyway,” Quentin explained, a desperate note creeping into his voice.  The stern, angry look on her face was scaring him.  “He wanted to make sure that Barnabas would follow them.  Since he was going to take her anyway, I said yes.  I thought Barnabas was taken with her-I thought he'd go to bargain for her.  You heard how he was, Julia-he seems to know these people and their ways.  I thought he'd be all right-they all respect him.  I thought we could get away from him then.”</div> <div> Julia wasn't sure he was telling her everything or not.  She had a feeling there was something else but she was afraid to probe any further.  She could see how frightened he was; she was perceptive enough to know that he was afraid she'd be angry and go back to Barnabas.  She smiled, trying to reassure him.  “I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt Barnabas,” she said, putting her hand on his.  He flinched a little and looked away.  She felt dismayed.  So it was like that?  “Quentin?  Jason means to kill Barnabas, doesn't he?”</div> <div> If I tell her the truth, she might hate me, Quentin thought.  If I lie to her and she finds out, I might as well be dead because she really will hate me.  “I think he means to, if he can,” he finally admitted.  He grabbed Julia's hand, thinking of something.  “Julia, Jason's angry because I lied to him.  Barnabas didn't go after Daoirdre.  He came here, looking for us-for you, Julia.”</div> <div> “My lady, your man was trying to protect you,”  Proinsias said softly, and Quentin looked at him gratefully.</div> <div> “It's true,” he exclaimed, squeezing her hand.  After a moment, he felt her squeeze back.  She touched the side of his face gently, her feelings in turmoil.  She was upset with Quentin because he'd betrayed Barnabas-but hadn't Barnabas done the same thing to them?  She sighed.  She was sure neither intended the harm that had come out of the betrayal of each other.</div> <div> “It's the way of our people too, you see,” Fionn put in.  “Have you heard of Tara, then?”</div> <div> “Tara is where the king of kings live,” Julia answered, remembering her research.  In the earliest days, Tara was the mystical capital of Ireland.</div> <div> “So it's true, my lady,” Fionn replied, relieved.  “The Hill of Tara was the religious and political capital of Sithein until it was cursed-but that is another story. Twice in the year, Tara had a gateway that opened to us-here in Brugh.  Every Oiche Shamhna”-Julia and Quentin heard the word `Halloween'-King Aillin and the Daoine Sidhe would pour through the gateways at Tara.”</div> <div> “Why?”  Quentin asked.</div> <div> “Because we'd been betrayed, lad-the Tuatha De Danaan used to have control of the whole of Sithein, you know?  And there was always the hope of getting it back. King Conn Céadchathach held rule at Tara, and he was there with his troops to try and protect Tara.  When King Aillin came, though, he'd play on his flute and put every one of the Sithein people to sleep.  When they'd go to sleep, the King Aillin would open his mouth and spew out flames that burnt all of Tara and the buildings around it.  There was a Fir Bolg serving with King Conn, from Connacht-he was called Gol mac Morna.  Handsome man he was, and he had a troop serving under him-made up of Fir Bolg and Tuatha De Danaan.  Yet, not even they could stop King Aillin.”</div> <div> “Fir Bolg and Tuatha De Danaan in Sithein?”  Julia was confused.</div> <div> “Yes, my lady.  We pass back and forth easily.”</div> <div> Julia remembered what the shanachie, Maeve, and Francis had said and nodded.  It all was so confusing-now she knew what Alice must have felt like.  “And so Tara was burned year after year?”</div> <div> “Yes, my lady, until Fionn mac Cumhail saved Tara by wresting the troop and prestige back away from Gol mac Morna.  You see, that troop was originally all Tuatha De Danaan-led by Fionn's father.  There was factional fighting between the Tuatha De Danaan and the Fir Bolg, you see, and Fionn's father was killed.  Well, Fionn went to King Conn behind the back of Gol mac Morna and made a bargain-if he could stop King Aillin from burning Tara, he was to control the elite troop of Tara.  So…you have heard of Aoife of Lir?”</div> <div> Aoife-Eve.  “The step-mother who changed her step-children to swans,” Quentin said.</div> <div> “Yes, that's right.  For doing that, you may remember she was shape changed into a crane and died in that form.  She left behind some treasures, and this is what Fionn mac Cumhail used-a cap of silence and a poisonous spear.  And when on the next Oiche Shamhna, the Daoine Sidhe poured through the gate with King Aillin in the lead, Fionn mac Cumhail was ready.  He put on the cap of silence when King Aillin began to play his flute, and he pretended to fall asleep.  But when the king opened his mouth to spew out flames, he leaped to his feet with the poisonous spear in his hand.  Aillin ran as fast as he could back toward the gateway opening, but Fionn mac Cumhail killed him with the spear before he could escape.  Tara didn't burn that year, and Fionn mac Cumhail got control of the troop.  I am named for him,” Fionn said proudly.  He drooped then, just a little.  “As you might imagine, though, one betrayal leads to another and another, and the bad feelings continue.  It's the same for us as for you.”</div> <div> Julia nodded, feeling the sadness emanating from the gnome.  How odd, she thought, to think that they are capable of all the feelings that we are.  But why not?  They're people, too, after all-different, but with the same feelings nonetheless.  “Enough talk,” Proinsias decided.  “We practice some more.”  The physical sparring and lessons in handling the swords was a welcome respite from the sorrowful stories.   None of the stories was without tragedy of some sort.</div> <div> “Hssssssst!”  Urisk hissed from above.   “Dark comes! When you come up?”</div> <div> “Dark?”  Quentin and Julia looked at each other.  Time seemed to move so much more quickly here-or perhaps it was the storytelling that did it.  They felt as if they'd been sitting for hours during the tale of the burning of Tara.  The sword practice, on the other hand, had gone very quickly; it seemed they'd only just begun.  Quentin took Julia's short sword and put them both back in the place Fionn indicated.</div> <div> Proinsias grinned.  “Good!  I am hungry!” he exclaimed.  They all climbed back up the ladder and then made their way down the hall and through the chamber.  They could smell more fish stew from the bruiden in the main chamber.</div> <div> Urisk was waiting impatiently.  “Long time wait!” he complained.</div> <div> “They have gone?” Proinsias asked.</div> <div> “About time!”</div> <div> Proinsias nodded, relieved.  “We'll wash,” he decided.  “We are dusty and dirty from the practicing of the swords, and we are dry from the story telling.”  He and the other gnomes went outside, stepping carefully on the stones until they were clear of the waterfall.  </div> <div> Quentin had begun to follow them but Urisk blocked his way.  “No go.”</div> <div> “Oh, come on!” Quentin complained.  “I'm thirsty too!”</div> <div> “No go.”</div> <div> “But you said they were gone!”</div> <div> Julia could see Quentin's temper rising.  She smiled at Urisk, whose green eyes flashed and glittered with annoyance.  “Just for a moment?  I know you're just trying to help us.”</div> <div> “My lady,” Urisk muttered grudgingly.  He stepped aside.</div> <div> Quentin was irritated that Urisk was so willing to give in to Julia but not to him.  “Thanks,” he muttered irritably, stepping into the open.  He turned back to reach for Julia but felt strong arms on his shoulders, pulling him off balance.  “Hey!” he yelled in surprise and protest.  He looked to see who had hold of him-it was Caoimhghin, his face nearly purple with rage.  He dragged Quentin off the stone steps, through the water, and up on the riverbank.</div> <div> “No!” Julia protested, running along behind, heedless of splashing through the water and soaking her legs and dress.  The gnomes, who'd gone to the riverbank to wash, stood looking toward them, dismayed.</div> <div> Caoimhghin shook Quentin furiously.  “You let the Tuatha De Danaan take our Princess Daoirdre!  For that, you will come and face the Council!”</div> <div> Julia was pulling at Caoimhghin ineffectively.  “Please, Caoimhghin!  He did not know that Jason would take Princess Daoirdre!”</div> <div> Caoimhghin's only response was to shake Quentin harder.  “Why did you run?” He roared into Quentin's face.  “You will come and explain yourself to the Council!  They will decide how you will be punished!”</div> <div> “No!” A strong voice came from out of the gathering darkness.  Barnabas stepped forth, appearing out of the trees and walking down the riverbank.  He hefted his silver wolf's head cane, pointing it toward the gnomes.  As a group, they backed up several feet.  “He is my kinsman!  I claim that right, Caoimhghin!”</div> <div> Caoimhghin looked furious, but he stopped shaking Quentin and stepped back respectfully.  Shit, Quentin thought.  I think I'd rather take my chances with the Council!  He faced his cousin, feeling frightened, but determined not to show it.  “Well, Quentin, you've instigated quite an incident, haven't you?”  Barnabas gripped the back of his neck painfully.  “What shall I do with you then, cousin?  What shall I do to make amends to Caoimhghin and his people?”  His voice had a deadly serious quality to it, but Quentin felt rather like a cat's toy again.</div> <div> “What are we to do about you, Barnabas?” Quentin countered, squirming.  “You set me up.  So you might say all this is your fault-owe!”  He cried out as Barnabas fingers pressed on nerves and ligaments, sending hot bolts of pain shooting down his spinal cord.</div> <div> “Barnabas, please!” Julia protested, stepping forward to throw her arms around Quentin.  “I know how angry you are, but don't hurt him!”</div> <div> Barnabas looked at her, his coldly furious eyes penetrating hers.  They seared into her mind, searching for…what?  Julia wondered.  He blinked, surprised, his mouth opening a little as if he was about to say something.  He didn't.  The eyes suddenly looked human again, warm and brown-filled with pain and loss.  Now he was speaking.  “Oh, Julia-that is how it is?”  After  a moment, he answered his own question.  “I see-are you sure, Julia?  Are you sure?”</div> <div> Yes, I'm sure, she answered in her mind. Maybe there is a child, and Quentin is the father.  I love him, and I will protect him.  She knew Barnabas heard her.  “For your sake-and for his or her sake-I won't hurt him,” he said very softly to her.  “I must take him with me-you must not fight me, do you understand?”  She nodded slowly, hoping that she could trust him.  He'd betrayed her trust many times, but somehow, this had to be different…</div> <div> “What is he talking about, Julia?” Quentin demanded.  “His or her sake?  Who?”  He sounded confused and angry.</div> <div> Barnabas shoved him roughly.  “Shut your mouth!  You're coming with me!”</div> <div> “Oh, no, I'm not!” Quentin yelled, backing up.  He tried to circle around Barnabas back toward the cave but his cousin was on him in an instant, powerful and strong.  He had Quentin's arm and twisted it behind his back-something Quentin had done to others, never realizing until now that it hurt a great deal.  “Stop!  I'm going back with Caoimhghin-to that damn council of his!”</div> <div> “You cannot!” Caoimhghin objected.</div> <div> “Oh, no?  What about that council of yours?  Don't they want to hear about how I talked to Jason McGuire about what Daoirdre looked like and where she lived?  And how-“</div> <div> “Be still!” Barnabas snapped.  “You're going to talk to me about it, Quentin!  You're coming with me, and you will answer to me!  Do you understand?”</div> <div> Resigned, Quentin answered, “All right, all right, but let me go!”</div> <div> Barnabas let go but gave him another  hard shove.  “Follow me!” he ordered.  Quentin gave one backwards glance to Julia, feeling puzzled by what Barnabas had said to her and frightened by what he might do.  Julia's face was pale in the growing darkness, but she tried to indicate to Quentin that it would be all right.  Quentin looked at his cousin's broad shoulders and wished he could be so sure.  He followed Barnabas into the gloom, away from Julia and safety.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="1: Surprise Encounter"><U>1:  Surprise Encounter</U></A>  <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2: A Proscribed Venerable Love"><U>2:  A Proscribed Venerable Love</U></A>  <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="3: Stalked by the Vampire"><U>3:  Stalked by the Vampire</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="4: Flight to the Auld Country"><U>4:  Flight to the Auld Country</U></A>  <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="5: Ally From Nowhere"><U>5:  Ally From Nowhere</U></A>  <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="6: Tales of Pookahs and the Sidhe Peopl"><U>6:  Tales of Pookahs and the Sidhe People</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="7: The Middle Kingdom"><U>7:  The Middle Kingdom</U></A>  <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="8: My Lady Healer"><U>8:  My Lady Healer</U></A>  <A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="10: A World Apart"><U>10:  A World Apart</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cassies Writing"><U>Cassie's Writing</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>