"The Morrigan or phantom queen sometimes even called the great queen isa figir from Irish mythology who appears te have once been a goddess, although she is not explicitly referred te as such in the texts.
"The Morrigan isa goddess of battle, strife, and fertility. She sometimes appears in de form of a crow, flying above de warriors, and in de Ulster cycle she also takes de form of an eel, a wolf, and a cow. She is generally considered a war deity comparable with de Germanic Valkyries, although her association with cattle also suggests a role connected with fertility, wealth, and the land.
"She is often depicted as a triple goddess, although membership of the triad varies; de most common combination is the Badb, Macha and Nemain, but other accounts name Fea, Anann, and others.
"In the 12th century pseudohistorical compilation Lebor Gabála Érenn she is listed among de Tuatha Dé Danann as one of de daughters of Ernmas, granddaughter of Nuada" the professor droned on about the subject for the week. We were, coincidentally, discussing the Goddess Morrigan as part of our Irish Mythology seminar that Tristian and I took.
It has been a few months since what happened at my house, well, my aunts house. Since then I have moved back to the farm, took in a few more horses and broke of things officially with Silas and Julius. Silas insisted that it wasn't fair to him and I insisted that all of this was not fair to me. As much as I told him that he was a wonderful person and that I would love to have him as a friend, he ended up walking away. I had too much on my plate to worry about men anyways. I had a being that had possessed my Aunt, was out there somewhere and possibly coming back for me, for all of us. I couldn't be tied to anyone.
Julius, I think he was the most disappointed. With the bond that we shared, and it never got any duller, I felt on several occasions Julius's worry and anxiety. I called him often to see how he was doing. He tried hard to convince me to come to the club, to sit with him, to talk with him, to just spend time with him and I did, on occasion when Portia was summoned there for business. He kept insisting that he had something important to tell me, but honestly, I wanted as much space from Vampyre's as I could, which, now, months after the revelation, was getting harder by the minute. And when your best friend was now one, it was kind of impossible to get away from.
Tristian tapped me on the elbow and his eyes crossed the room as I stirred out of my mental dialogue and notice that I was being called on in class.
"Ms. Dammen, Ms. Dammen, are ye paying attention?"
"Yes, Professor McBain." I answered.
"Den tell me what ye learned from dis tale." He inquired.
"Well, Morrigan is part of the Danu, a Goddess in some eyes. She is a shape shifter and she's not very welcoming. Granddaughter of the chief of the Fey, Nuada, she slept with the enemy and Nuada kicked her out of Ireland for eternity."
"Very good. Now…" Professor McBain continued to drone on about who she was and what she was capable of. Only little did they know that I had first hand experience with the Goddess Morrigan and she wasn't even close to the tame woman that they depicted her to be in the school books.
I was exhausted by the time that class was over. It was my one late night class that ran until about ten in the evening. Tristian always went with me and escorted me home. In a way, he was the only thing left of what happened, other than Portia of course, that I would still continue to be with. It's not as if we were a couple, but close friends. I had no interest in being anyone's couple. Plus, when the two of us can read each other's minds and push our own images to each other, it made for some very interesting conversations.
"You coming over tonight?" I asked, walking towards the Jeep, knowing that he wasn't so keen on riding in it, since it was mostly steel and he couldn't really handle metal very well.
"I think I might just meet you over there. Have fun on your ride home." Tristian smiled, which was still beautiful through the marks on his face, which were glamoured to keep people from gawking at. That was a cool trick that I had learned from Tristian. He was teaching me all sorts of fey magic. How to glamour yourself, or make yourself uninteresting to others is what I practiced most and I was grateful for the lessons. It really helped in thwarting unwanted guests.
Before I could say anything else, Tristian popped out of existence, and most likely to the house where he would be cooking up a pot of god knows what for us to share before we started on our Irish lessons. You know, it's funny, how being an American; you are so ignorant to think that everyone speaks English. Though, most countries do, but even a country like Ireland, had its own language. Tristian was teaching me some words and sentences. I could now say, "Another pint of beer please" which came out sounding like. "Elle point bra-ach lie do towel". Needless to say, my Irish wasn't very good.
I took my time getting to the house. The bitter chill of mid-fall was coursing through the air. Almost time to put the hard top on the Jeep and keep the doors on. But I itched for longer days to spend with my foot hanging out of the door. Even at 50 degrees I would still have the top down and the doors off, as cold as that would seem going 65 miles per hour on the highway. I was pleasantly surprised to see Portia's new car in the driveway. She bought herself a new Austin Martin DB9 as her "new" change car. It was perfect for her, and reminded me that I would need to ask her to let me take it for a drive around the neighborhood.
"Portia!" I called when I entered the house that was now mine. I had changed a lot since Morrigan left. The house was brighter, and with Portia's help, not that I needed it, I updated everything. The walls were rustic and original, but I had a new kitchen, new flooring and furniture. Which thank god for that because the sofa that used to be here was so drab.
"Hey girlfriend!" she said as she swooped around the corner and gave me a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Julius asks of you often, so does Silas."
"That's nice." I admitted. Granted I talked to Julius often, because it was unavoidable when he would call incessantly and demand that I come to see him, which I didn't. But Silas, not a word from him since the day after what happened with Morrigan when I broke things off. I mean, seriously, was he really going to continue to consider being with a woman who had a crazy aunt and a totally messed up life who also slept with and bonded with his cousin? No way. And I wouldn't allow it either. I cared too much about Silas to do that to him.
"Silas wishes that you would call, though, he won't admit it." Portia said as she walked into the living room and flopped down, draping her extra slender leg over her knee. "Really, Ani, he's a total and complete wreck. You need to talk to him."
"I already have Portia, what else do you expect me to do?"
"You talk to Julius often, how do you think that feels to Silas? His cousin gloats all the time how he see's you and talks to you. Silas is a mess because of it." Portia waved her hands. She and Silas had gotten considerably close in the past few months, maybe because Silas turned her. However it was strictly a friendly relationship they had. Portia had admitted after everything went down that night, that horrible night, that she had feelings for Ruben. Ruben and she have been dating since. I thought it was an odd pairing, but to each their own.
"I talk to Julius because I have to. It's not easy having a bond with someone you would much rather not talk to at all. I kind of have to. He's like a child. Begging me to come back. It's pathetic. I mean, seriously. Aren't they supposed to be Vampyre's, and the oldest ones to boot? You'd think they'd have more balls."
Portia laughed and her skin glowed red as if she was still human. She looked human. "My friend, I love you, but seriously, you need to get a handle on the love life. You have two, excuse me, three men at your call" she eyed Tristian and licked her lips as he walked by.
I turned to see Tristian putting hot plates of bread on the table. He was wearing his chefs apron. He was cute. He looked my way and I smiled at him and he winked. "Dinnéar Tá beagnach réidh" he said.
"Uh, what?" I asked as he went back into the kitchen where I couldn't see him and he said it again.
"Dinnéar Tá beagnach réidh" he said.
"Ok, seriously, what does that mean?" I got up off the couch with Portia, and she followed, into the kitchen when Tristian was. I had my hand on my hip and was tapping my foot on the ground looking at him.
"Dinner is ready? You really need to study harder Ani. I thought we were doing well, I guess I'll have to go back to basics with you." Tristian laughed as he took the big pot off the stove and placed it on the table, pouring two bowls of what smelled like heaven.
"Well, you two eat, I will go hunting. Silas is close. I can feel him. I will return shortly." Portia said as she gave me a hug, a small kiss and whispered for me to be good and she would return shortly so we can have some much needed girl time.
When Portia left the house became very quiet as I sat at the table in front of the window. Tristian went to the radio that hung under the cabinet on the edge and turned it to a light, classical station that was perfect for dinner. I hummed to the beat of the strings and closed my eyes wishing I was nothing more than a ballerina in a dance. When I opened my eyes I saw Tristian staring at me from across the table. "Something wrong?" I asked.
"No, not at all. Did you want some wine?" he asked as he got up and went to the wine chiller to pull out a bottle of Claret, my favorite.
"Yes, please! After that day at school, I need a drink or two to destress." I blurted as he sat the large glass in front of me, nearly full to the brim with wine. He spoiled me. "Yum!" I said out loud, which only made him laugh.
Tristian sat in his chair and took a sip of the wine along with a bite of food from the soup or stew would be the correct term. It was delicious as I took the first bite into it. Tristian had done alot of cooking since he had been here. When I left Portia's that night, he followed me. I tried to brush him off, tried to get him to go away, but he wouldn't. I still remember it clearly, as if it just happened yesterday.
"Anabelle! Wait!" Tristian called after me as I walked even faster out of the house and down the long driveway. Soon enough, he popped right in front of me.
"What do you want?" I asked him. My tone was not grateful, it was spiteful. I had meant to cut all ties and hoped that if I was alone, I couldn't hurt anyone else. None the less anyone connected to this weirdness that was my life at the moment.
"Slow down, I just want to talk to you." He grabbed my hand and soon enough it turned to the vision of him and I in the Amsterdam type field with thousands of tulips at our feet.
"Would you stop that! Just because you can make me see anything, doesn't mean you should all the time! I'm tired of games! I just want to go home. I just want to be normal!" I cried and yelled, not meaning to take out all my frustration on him, but having no one else to take it out on, he was who got the brunt of it.
That is when he walked towards me, put his hands on either side of my shoulders and pulled me into the most comforting hug I've ever exerienced, apart from my parents, but that didn't count. He didn't say a word, didn't try to comfort me by saying anything other than just holding me there and letting me cry. I cried for myself. I cried for Portia, and how her life would be changed forever. I cried for Silas for what I've not intentionally done to him, and I cried for Julius who seemed so obsessed that he couldn't come to terms anymore.
That is when he took my hand and lead the way. We haven't much parted since. I sat there thinking of that and Tristian just looked at me with a goofy grin on his face. "What?" I asked.
"I find your thoughts humorous" he said putting yet another spoonful of stew in his mouth.
"My thoughts? So, I see someone's been listening in at their own discresion."
"Yes, your thoughts, though I did not intentionally listen in, you pulled me in. You're getting much better at it like I taught you" he laughed before he got out of his seat, patting his mouth with his napkin before taking the chair next to me. "I'm glad that I can be here for you when you wanted no one. It means a lot to me."
I couldn't look at him. I was projecting my thoughts when I didn't mean to. That wasn't a good thing either. When I wanted to do it, I couldn't and now when I didn't mean to, I did. "Well, you're not so bad yourself." I teased and fake punched him in the face with a smile on my face.
That's what did it. Tristian grabbed me and pulled me onto the floor, laughing and tickling me in every ticklish spot I had, which was everywhere. I laughed and screamed and laughed some more as we rolled on the floor of the kitchen just having a good time. We rolled over enough that he ended up strattling me. His strong legs on either side of my waist and his hands pinning me down on the floor. My breathing was rapid and so was his as we sat there and stared at each other. Each moment, each second, I almost begged for him to bend down to kiss me. There was something to be said about Fairy influence, it was strong. Very strong. And I couldn't help but feel as though I was falling in love with him.