The destruction surrounding the small cottage was unimaginable. What had once had been a neat, whitewashed family sanctuary was now like a scene from a nightmare: Glass from smashed window panes scattered the ground like ice, broken chairs, their wooden skeletons twisted and jagged haunted the tiny garden and, worse of all, a statue of the Blessed Virgin, a family treasure was barely recognizable from the pieces littering the path. In the middle of the chaos, the woman of the house, Kathleen, stood wailing. Her shawl was wrapped tightly around her, a feeble barrier against the cruelties of the world and two small children clung to her skirts, their tiny heads buried deep in the fabric.. Without a second thought, Esme strode up the path and enveloped the family in her arms.

"They came last night' Kathleen gasped through large, racking sobs. "The Tans. They took Eamon. Didn't they drag him out of the house like an animal, kicking him the whole time? God help us it was terrible. Blessed Mother forgive me but they're monsters…" Her voice failed and she collapsed, wailing, into Esme's arms.

Over the heads of the family, Esme's eyes met those of her son. Edward looked at her somberly, his face dark with determination. The Tans would pay for this, and for every outrage they had committed. He'd make sure of that.

"Musha, musha" she crooned to Kathleen "sure and won't Jasper bring him back? We'll look after you a chara." Looking around the scene of devastation, she continued. "Now you'll come home with us, isn't it plenty of space we have now?" Seeing two sets of wide eyes staring at her from tear stained faces, she bent slightly and added "Sure look at you two strong fellas, aren't you the brave boys altogether? Will you come home with me? And won't you look after your mammy now?"

"We will" said the larger of the two boys, voice resolute. Esme's sighed to herself. What kind of world were they living in when little innocents were witness to man's brutality.

Edward was silent on the way home, his jaw tightly clenched. Leaving his mother at the house, he drove directly to the town, drawing up outside Bella's door.

Bella, half way through darning what appeared to be more hole than sock, leaped out of her chair as Kitty answered the door. Seeing the terrifying look of sheer rage on Edward's face, she froze, searching his face for clues of what might have happened.

"Blessings of God on this house. Sit down girls, I've to talk to you both."

Glancing at each other in bemusement, the two cousins sat automatically. This was a side of Edward that Bella had known about but had never seen: the leader, the man of action.

"We need to act" he started, his voice low. "You know who we are?"

Both girls nodded. The Irish Republican Brotherhood. Now the Irish Republican Army. Edward, the regional Commander. Oh they knew alright and didn't they lie awake at night, knowing that he and his comrades were roaming the hills, rifles in hand, harassing the English wherever they could?

Looking straight at Bella, he continued "Bella a stor, when you told me that you would fight with me, you made me the happiest man in Ireland. The time has come a chara. We need to stand. We can't wait until the Tans start burning the town like they did in Cavan. We're going to seal off the area and hit them hard. God help me, I don't want to do this but I need you to help."

"We'll delay the wedding" said Bella firmly though her heart twisted at the thought.

Startled, Edward say up straight in his chair, light from the turf bunting merrily in the grate catching the fire in his eyes.

"Yerra not at all! We'll bring it forward. Next week. Marrying you will be the most sacred and the most wonderful moment of my life… and using our honeymoon as a cover will bring about the downfall of the English!" The girls gasped, listening in fascinated glee as Edward outlined his plans. Finally, as he paused to let the full import of his perfect idea sink in, Bella spoke:

"Edward. The day I met you, it was as though my heart had finally healed. The English killed my parents. There. I've said it. Now I don't seek revenge, I don't hate them. Sure and aren't the soldiers for the most part decent men sent over here through no choice of their own? The Tans though, those dregs of the world, those miserable thugs, they have no place in our country. Our marriage will be the best day of my life and knowing that we are freeing our land of this poisonous growth will only add to my joy."

Rising from her chair and moving over to where he sat, Bella lay her hand on Edwards shoulder. Feeling his shoulders rising and falling through the rough tweed of his jacket, she bent and whispered in his ear.

"I give myself to you and to Ireland body and soul."

Feeling the warm breath against his ear and the whisp of her plait against his face, Edward turned slowly towards her. Looking deep into her face he smiled, and to Bella it was as though the sun had emerged from the clouds, lighting the grey waters of the bay.

"Praise be to God and to Ireland. A gra mo chroi, you'll be there next week so?"

"I will. Waiting with Father Moran for you to make me the happiest woman in all Ireland." Bella paused, a wicked smile dancing across her face "and the wife of the best rebel leader Kerry has ever seen!"

Gazing deep into each others' eyes, the two lovers barely noticed Kitty slipping out of the kitchen to start organizing. Less than a week before the wedding! So much to do. And, Kitty reflected as she started folding sheets, only a week before the Tans found out what the consequences were of trying to bully Kerrymen. Smiling happily to herself, she started whistling as down below in the kitchen, Edward and Bella sat entwined, dreaming of the future. Whatever it might bring.

AN: I am so sorry for the delay! Did you know that you could get pneumonia and then bronchitis? Well you can! Back now and I will update regularly. And next, the wedding!