Chapter Nine

"Move up ye old basterd, let the girl sit down." Niamh shouted at the unfortunate old nymph, who picked up his ancient staff, and moved away to let me sit down on the log. Niamh had brought me back to where her clan resided – an area of woodland somewhere in the south of Ireland – two days ago and the fact that the bond between witch and nymph has run deep for centuries made me a welcome addition to the clan. I hadn't even gotten a chance to properly speak with Niamh until tonight, what with day-long drinking parties to distract me. As I looked up at my friend, I remembered that first time I'd met her, when I was alone in the forest after the failed hunt. I probably wouldn't have found my way back to the Cult, who'd somewhat abandoned me as I'd failed as a Bait on that occasion, if it she hadn't found me. She still looked the same, with pale, waxy skin and mousey brown, wild hair, and eyes coloured a pale green. "So, what can I do ye for?" She asked, sitting beside me on the log, not caring that her tattered white dress was about to gain another green stain from the moss.

"I need smoke and water," I answered. Smoke and water was the term for a treatment nymphs used to read a person's mind, and I couldn't think of any better way of clearing my head from the turmoil of the past few years.

"Can ye not clear yer mind yerself?" She barked, as another nymph crossed from the bonfire in the middle of the small clearing, and handed us two wooden tankards of some kind of strong, nymph alcohol. I shook mine away – I'd had too much drink for a lifetime.

"No. You're the best, Niamh, and the state my head's in, I think I need the best."

She reared back to look at me properly, before her eyes widened, "Oh, I see how it is!"

I looked away, embarrassed, but she persisted. "Ye got yerself a lover, now! Well, I can see why ye'd need yer head clearing with dat!"

"Indeed,"

She turned to look at the nymph who'd just offered us drinks, "Der'll be no need for a party tonight, Saorise. Der are other things at hand."

The nymph, named Saorise, nodded briskly, before returning to the group of drinking nymphs, whose loud laughter and singing hinted that a party was probably going to happen anyway, just without me and Niamh. She shook her head at the group, her expression longing, but she turned back to me and grabbed my hand, "Come on then girl. We'll sort ye love life out."

She led me away from the clan, towards the pond. Every nymph clan needed a pond for their sorcery, and it often depicted where they'd next make camp. This pond was small, but it was big enough for me. "Get yerself in the water, Morgana. I'll be there in a moment,"

I stepped into the pond, and moved through the water to lay on my back. "Now close yer eyes." She commanded from the bank. I obeyed, and the black water soon lulled me into relaxation, its cool touch welcome on my aching temples.

"Ye know, ye really need to cut that hair of yers," She commented, as my black hair filled out around me, like a dark halo.

"Just get on with it, Niamh."

I felt her fingers touch the water – the pulse of magic swimming out to meet my head, pulling my mind well into itself as she read my thoughts, my memories. When she'd finished, and the blackness seeped from my brain, she gasped.

"A vampire? Sweet Jesus, Morgana! Now that's a forbidden romance if I ever saw one," She cried, "What were ye thinking?"

"You tell me,"

"Well, ye love him, if that's what ye wanted to know, but from yer thoughts, I'd say that ye a'ready knew dat. Be it a little deeper down den usual."

"Are you sure?" I asked, my voice taking on an edge.

"Don't snap at me, girl, I know what I'm sayin' and so do you,"

"Well, did you see the part where he has a soul mate,"

"Eck! Soul mates," She spat, "Old wives tale,"

I straightened up in the water, "No it's not,"

"I don't know what yer Cult told ye, Morgana, but surely no magic would ever break – or numb - something as deep and mysterious as de bond between souls."

"Well...they can't have lied," I protested, treading water.

"I saw that ye left 'em too," She added, "And yer tellin' me that ye didn't see somethin' fishy goin' on."

"I left them because they made a mistake that could cost the lives of innocent creatures. I was being moral."

Niamh barked a laugh, "Now dat's the funniest thing I've ever heard, Morgana. You moral? Savin' the world one innocent leech at a time,"

"Don't speak about them like that," I warned, swimming to the bank and pulling myself out. She sniffed at me,

"Believe what ye like, witch, but I know what I saw. Ye love dat vampire, Jasper, and from what I saw of him in yer head, he loves you too." She nudged my arm, "And since when have you given up on somethin' because a lady vampire stands in yer way?"

I thought of Alice, and grimly answered, "She loves him too, and she's been with the guy for a century at least."

She shrugged, "All de more reason to win him over."

"What?" I asked, shaking my head in confusion,

"If he can be tempted away after that long o' bein' with someone, then a split is goin' to happen sooner or later. Get yerself ready for that, and move in when the coast is clear,"

Something about this plan made me feel warm inside, but I sighed, "I don't know, Niamh,"

"Hey, since when have I been wrong before?"

I admit, she'd never been wrong about anything I'd asked her before. I bit my lip and she looked at me properly, "My girl, I've never seen ye like this before. Usually, if ye don't mine me sayin', ye only care about yerself-,"

"Thanks,"

"But whoever this Jasper be, he's won yer heart. Look at yerself. Yer hurtin' and confused because ye think that yer relationship is doomed. It aint. Now toughen yerself up, and get back in der fightin'."

I couldn't help but smile at her, "I knew I was right coming to you,"

She dismissed me, "Ar shut yer mouth. Come on, be off with ye. Ye've got a vampire to seduce,"

I laughed quietly and got up, "I have to give them some time."

"Well, ye welcome to stay here," She assured me, standing up too, although the constant supply of alcohol in her body made her movements a lot less graceful than my own. The thought of the drink made me pull a face,

"You know, I think I'm just going to travel for a bit. Maybe just watch over them for awhile."

"Whatever ye say girl, but just remember something."

"Yeah?"

"When ye slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in de wrong direction."

I furrowed my brow, "...Thanks, Niamh..."

She smiled, and walked back to the clan, obviously informing them of my sudden departure. I went around the side to pick up my bike, not wishing to run into any nymphs, who'd be sure to drag me into a farewell party, and I wouldn't leave until at least the day after tomorrow...with a hangover. Once I'd roared out of the wood, and the open Irish countryside had surrounded me once more, I couldn't help but smiling. There was a chance for me and Jasper, and it wasn't a bad thing. If soul mates weren't real...
I shook my head, not quite believing it. Could it really be possible that soul mates were a thing of myth? But, weren't we all myths, really? Witches, vampires, nymphs...we shouldn't exist. I shook my head, the last thing I needed was any more confusion.

...

The flight back to Seattle was long and boring, but it gave me a chance to relax. My head hadn't felt so clear and orderly in a while, and I was making the most of it. I kept to my word in when I left the airport, and found myself a hotel to stay in. With Carlisle's money, I got myself a penthouse suite, but I already felt out of place, especially without my rucksack with me. I realized how much I missed my bow and arrows, and hoped Rosalie had looked after them. I shook my head at myself; I was already tempted to sneak back to the Cullen household. It worried me slightly that they'd move, but I guess if Alice saw my future decisions, she'll realize that I'll search for them. I wasn't sure if that would be a good thing or a bad thing, especially if she realized that I was coming to essentially steal her husband. I could always hide it as a search for a family, and not a love. I checked the clock; time had really been ignored in the last few weeks, "Six pm," I said aloud, before dropping onto the bed, exhausted. I felt like I needed to sleep for at least another week.

...

Ah, I love nymphs XD But I apologize for the frankly vulgar language and warped Irish accent writing – in my opinion it was absolutely necessary for such characters!

Please, please review! I'll only write faster if you dooooo... :D