Child of the De Danann 3
Chapter 3
-Cuchulain/Harry-
"So Cuchulain," the king, Fergus, said as the food was brought to the table "what's your story? And that of your companions? How did yo all meet exactly?". As the king spoke he noticed Aeron, Merida, Elinor, and the three triplets lean forward eagerly, all of them wanting to know the tale as he shot a glance at Morrigan and Scatach who grinned at him.
"Well I met Morrigan when I was eight," he explained "my parents had taken me to the marketplace and forgotten me there so I stayed in the store that sold books and spent my time looking through a book about Scottish Legends and Lore. That's where I met Morrigan as she helped me understand what I was reading and keep all the names separate.".
"An entire store filled with books?" Elinor said with a frown "Was your family incredibly wealthy to be able to shop in such a place?"
"I'm more concerned with the fact that they left an eight year old boy alone and forgot about him." Fergus said with a scowl as the queen flushed at having missed that part.
"While yes my…parents, were wealthy that wasn't the reason we shopped there. Books are rather inexpensive in our time and most people are able to afford them." He explained, having to force out the word 'parents' as he didn't see the Potters as that, nor had he for some time.
"My 'parents' were off at a different store and had left me there after getting the man who was selling the books to keep an eye on me to see to it that I didn't wander off," Morrigan picked up as she squeezed his hand, knowing what he was thinking "And as I was walking around the store I saw this skinny little black haired runt of a boy trying to keep a bunch of new stories straight with a scowl that I couldn't help but laugh at.".
"I honestly thought she was making fun of me at first," he admitted with a sheepish laugh as he rubbed the back of his head "but she sat down next to me and helped me figure out the parts that confused me as we spent the next few hours going through the book as well as others before my 'parents' finally realized I wasn't there and came looking for me.".
"But by that time we were inseparable," Morrigan said with a laugh "neither of us had had a real friend at that point so we bonded rather fast and for the next six years we spent as much time with each other as possible. But…as I spent time with him Cuchulain's 'brother' began to take notice of me in a way that made me want to hurl.".
"You have a brother?" Fergus said, blinking in surprise.
"By birth only," he spat "that bastard is no brother of mine and I would gladly never have to set my eyes on his foul visage again if I was able, the same with the two wretches I was cursed to have been born to.".
"Cuchulain's birth brother lusted after me," Morag explained "and so Cuchulain's birth parents went to mine and tried to force me to marry the bastard so I disowned myself so they couldn't force me to go through with it. My 'father' openly told me that he was more concerned with the 'image' that the family would get and the status we would gain by my being married to a 'hero'. Cuchulain disowned himself as well and helped me escape their grasp as he managed to transport us to Scatach and Gabha who took us in. They gave us each a potion that made it as if we were the born children of the Morrigan or Cuchulain. Before we were known as Morag MacDougal and Hadrian Potter. It's thanks to the potions that we look the way we do now.".
"I had just sat down with Gabha to enjoy dinner," Scatach laughed "I was having a few rabbits while Gabha managed to grab a full deer. Just before we could start to eat though our bonfire turned emerald green as these two shot out, Cuchulain here turning to take the fall and protect Morrigan. He was hurt and injured, seconds from blacking out, and his only words were pleas for me to help Morrigan.".
"Why were your parents so obsessed with forcing you to marry Cuchulain's brother?" Merida asked Morag curiously as the king shot him an appraising eye.
"You remember the sorcerer we told you we were sent to destroy?" Morag asked and, when Merida nodded, continued "Well he was 'destroyed' once before by Cuchulain but doing so drained his magical core. When the leader of the wizard society showed up and tested their strengths he saw that Cuchulain's birth brother's was higher at the moment, Cuchulain's being drained from use, and the credit was given to Marcus, saying that someone with as low as a reading as Cuchulain couldn't have been the one to do the impossible and reflect a curse that kills whoever it touches.".
"That's highly illogical." Elinor said with a frown as he laughed heartily.
"Most witches and wizards don't have an ounce of logic in their heads," he said merrily "they rely too much on their magic and keep their heads in the clouds. That's one of the reasons I train so much with my weapons, it helps keep me grounded in something real so I don't become like those fools…it does make them fun to trick though.".
"You train with many weapons?" Fergus asked him eagerly as Morag sighed.
"Oh boy, here we go." His closest friend groaned as Scatach laughed merrily at the girl's discomfort.
"If it's a weapon and I can get my hands on it I use it," he said with a shrug "but my spear is by far my favorite.".
"How do you like the idea of a little spar later?" Fergus asked eagerly as Morag and Elinor sighed in tandem, both of them pinching the bridge of their nose in irritation.
"Might not be a good idea there old man," he said with a grin as he leaned back in his chair "I'd hate to embarrass you in front of your people.".
At his answer Scatach and Merida both burst out laughed as Elinor scowled at them, "Merida," the queen glowered "a princess does not Chortle!".
"I'd say it was more of a cackle but that's just me." Scatach said with a shrug as he grinned and gave her a high five which confused Elinor, Fergus, Merida, and Aeron…the triplets simply began copying the gesture but 'missed' quite often and slapped each other across the face.
"That's it you mouthy little brat," Fergus scowled but he could see the merriment in the gesture "let's go. A duel of swords.".
"Alright," he said with a shrug as he grabbed a leg of mutton "lead the way.".
"Fergus!" Elinor hissed only to be hushed by Morag "I don't know about your husband but it would take something major to rip Cuchulain away from a fight.". Getting to the courtyard, and subsequently tossing away the stripped bone, he reached into an expanded pouch at his waist and drew out his sword while the King drew one from a weapons rack.
"After you old man." he said with a grin as he and the king began to circle one another, looking for any possible opening they could exploit.
"I'm not old!" the King protested in irritation as the man lunged forward and swung at him as he ducked underneath the slash with ease.
"Then why's your hair going grey?" he asked with a laugh as he danced around the man's blade, knocking it to the side with his own when it came to close.
"I'll show ya grey ya varmint!" the King yelled as the slashes began coming faster as he began to use his sword to block more and more before the duo become a whirling mass of steel.
"This is amazing," Merida said in awe "I've seen my da go against six full grown men at once and win but Cuchulain's matching him blow for blow.".
"Cuchulain is one of the greatest warriors in the world," Morag said with a snort making him grin "not surprising given whose blood runs through his veins. The only one who can beat him with any weapon is myself and Scatach and I can only beat him with the bow, Scatach can outdo him with the sword and daggers.".
"While this has been fun," he said calmly as he felt the tip of the king's sword whistle through his hair "I think it's time to end it so I can finish breakfast…I'm hungry at that was some good mutton.". His statement finished he slammed his blade into the king's sword as he sent the larger weapon flying before holding the tip of his weapon at his opponent's throat. "That was fun," he said with a grin when the King raised his hands in surrender "I haven't had a fight like that since the last time Scatach went all out on me.".
"You earned it and you know it!" Scatach said with a laugh as she twirled a dagger, "Don't even bother trying to deny it!".
"It was an accident!" he protested "And I still insist that one of you lot tripped me.".
"What happened exactly?" Fergus asked as they walked back inside, the man moving awkwardly under the piercing gaze of the queen.
"He tripped and fell into my bosom." Scatach said with a snort.".
"But didn't you give a very…um…detailed threat for a man just propositioning you?" Merida asked "How come you actually let him get a weapon and fight back if he did that?".
"Accident!" he protested hotly as he flushed a brilliant red before grinning "And I guess I'm just special that way.".
"More like it's fun to have a target that can fight back and keep things interesting," Scatach said with a snort before she sent him a smirk "plus your flushed face was simply adorable as we fought.".
"Agreed." Morag said with a nod as he groaned.
"Oh great," he sighed "now they're both against me. What's next, are you going to recruit Merida as well?".
"They already have." The princess said with a shrug as Morag and Scatach cheered while he slumped and glanced at Aeron who shuddered at the girls reactions "We're doomed my friend." He sighed as the giant man copied his stance and all three men walked into the hall cowed.
