Chapter 27: Children

After another love making session, the couple finished their food and put the blanket and their dried clothes away. The boys were clean, for the most part, and the group set on their way. Following the directions, the Morgans eventually set across a cave in woods and Lilly immediately got a bad feeling about it.

"Oh, I don't like how this place feels," Lilly commented eerily.

"Me neither," Arthur said.

The boys were both growling and snarling at the cave entrance and Lilly sighed. "Well, as if we needed more confirmation..."

"This is a place of Evil," someone said behind them.

Lilly drew her revolver, as did Arthur, as they turned around and aimed. Lilly's jaw dropped and they lowered their guns. "Morrigan! What are you doing here?!" Lilly asked excitedly.

"I've come to help. This is where Evil resides...Dothur."

"Dothur?" Lilly asked her.

Arthur pointed at The Morrigan. "I remember you. You were...Jesus Christ, you..." Arthur backed up a bit. "I remember comin' outta my...oh boy."

Lilly looked at Arthur. "Mo chuisle, you okay?"

"Yes. No. I dunno. I'm...god dammit. I remember comin' outta my grave and you were there."

"Yes," The Morrigan said with a smile. "I brought you back to life."

Arthur's mouth dropped. "That was you?!"

"Yes."

Arthur looked the woman up and down. "Lilly...this is the Goddess of War and Death?"

"And Destiny and Fate, let's not forget those two things," The Morrigan added cheerfully.

Lilly blinked. "What? You never mentioned that."

"Well I'm mentioning it now."

Lilly laughed. "Aren't you supposed to be in Tír na nÓg?"

"Yes, but as I said, I'm here to help you. This is where Dothur resides."

Lilly blinked a few times and shook her head, then it suddenly dawned on her. "Oh my God. Evil is an actual living thing?!"

"Yes, as is Violence and Darkness. Honestly, Lilly, when did you stop paying attention to your visions?"

"When I didna have them fer over a feckin' year! When ya promised me Arthur would be healed and he died anyway!"

The Morrigan pointed at Arthur. "He's healed now...and with perks."

Suddenly there was a roar that came from the cave and the wolves started barking. Lilly, Arthur, and The Morrigan backed up from the entrance a ways. Then there was a scream and Lilly drew out her bow. "I'm goin' in."

After she said that, she charged in. "Lilly, wait!" Arthur snapped as he drew his revolvers and ran after her.

The Morrigan and the boys came in after Arthur and Lilly led them all down through the cave. Another roar sounded out and another scream followed. Lilly stopped walking and pulled out the lantern, then she lit it and continued onwards. They turned down an alcove into a narrow corridor. They ducked down a little and Lilly saw lights up ahead so she doused her lantern. They moved quietly, like mice, down the way until Lilly saw a deep, spacious cavern. There were a bunch of people in dark cloaks, and there was a cage full of three adults and two children. They were dead. This made Lilly's heart ache. They were too late to save the missing citizens of Caterham. The people in cloaks seemed to be worshipping a bonfire...with an image of a woman floating over it. Lilly recognized the raven-haired woman immediately. It was Carman.

"I have not looked on her face in years, and yet my blood still boils when I see it," Adair said in Lilly's mind. Lilly also noticed Willow, the blonde woman they saw in Athlone. She was speaking to the apparition of Carman. And then there was a boack giant wolf standing next to Willow. He was humongous. Even bigger than the werewolves Lilly'd been fighting this whole time. "That is Evil. That is Dothur."

"That wolf is Carman's youngest son, Dothur," Morrigan whispered. "He is the one causing all the dead werewolves to rise in England. The other two, Dub and Dian, are wreaking similar havoc in Ireland and Scotland. It is fortunate we have found the lair of Dothur."

Lilly looked over at Arthur who was checking his guns. "Well, what do we do now?" Lilly whispered.

A low growl echoed through the cave and Lilly looked over to see Dothur staring right at them. Well, so much for that question. Lilly immediately drew her bow and fired a shot at Dothur. He ducked, then he roared at the invaders. Everyone's attention was brought to Lilly and her group. The battle began instantly as Lilly ordered Brian and James to attack. The Morrigan shapeshifted into a giant red wolf and followed the boys down the way to feast on the Carman worshippers. Lilly and Arthur fired from above them and killed off the cloaked people one by one. Dothur and Willow retreated further into the cave until they turned and ran. Lilly watched as The Morrigan, Brian and James pursued them and she walked down the walkway to Carman in the fire, who was watching with curiousity.

"So, you must be Lillian," Carman said with a full Greek accent.

"And ya must be Carman,' Lilly replied.

"Nice to finally meet you."

Lilly scoffed. "I canna say I feel the same way, lady."

Carman chuckled evily. "Oh, I would imagine so."

Lilly glanced over at the cage with the dead people and frowned. "Why are ya doin' this?"

Carman sighed. "I wish to break the world, of course. I'm just getting started."

Lilly looked up at the fiery embodiment of Carman. "Why did they have to die?"

"Oh, they're not exactly dead." The bodies in the cage started twitching and Lilly aimed an arrow at the cage. "They're just new members of my army."

Lilly watched in horror as the bodies twisted and turned, the sound of bone snapping and crunching as they started growing bigger and started getting black fur all over their bodies. They were becoming werewolves. Shit. Snarls and growls echoed throughout the cavern and Lilly glared at Carman before she started shooting arrows through the cage. She shot Mr. Beasley down first, then the two women. By the time the two children were done transforming, Lilly aimed two arrows and shot them in their eyes and they went down. Her heart broke at the sight. Carman laughed and Lilly glared at the woman. "I will find you, and I will kill you," Lilly said.

Carman laughed again and sighed. "I look forward to meeting you in person, Lillian."

Carman's face disappeared and Arthur approached Lilly. "You okay?" he asked.

Lilly walked over to the cage and opened it, tears rolling down her face. She caressed the dead children's half wolf faces and sobbed. "No, I'm not okay."

Arthur put a hand on her shoulder. "We will get her, Lilly. We'll get her back for this."

The Morrigan, Brian and James came back empty handed. "They escaped," The Morrigan said.

Lilly nodded and wiped her tears before walking to the fire. "We need to burn the bodies."

She took a torch and lit it, then after grabbing all her arrows, she tossed the torch into the cage.

Arthur watched his wife as if her heart just hardened to stone. They all left the cavern and headed back up Alco Farm, where Mrs. Beasley grieved for the death of her husband as well as the deaths of the other four missing people. Lilly had nothing much to say on it as they informed the townsfolk of what had happened. The whole town was devastated. Lilly, Arthur, the wolves, and The Morrigan left the town to head on to the next one to investigate: Redhill. By the time they got there, it was nightfall, and Lilly hadn't said a word. The Morrigan had taken her leave when they reached the small village and Lilly, rather than get a head start on the investigation, apparently decided to drown her sorrows in alcohol in the local pub instead. Arthur wanted to comfort Lilly but she was inconsolable, so he decided to go out and take care of this werewolf problem for her. Luckily for him, it was just the one undead werewolf that he had to kill and he and the boys did it with ease. He burned the body and when he came back to the rather generic looking pub, Lilly was drunk out of her mind. He sat down next to her and ordered a pint of porter from the barkeep. Lilly stood...or rather wobbled at the bar as she chugged another pint of her own.

"I could'a saved 'em, Arthur," she muttered. "But I let me hormones get the best of me and we...had our way with one another. Twice. If we hadna done that, they might still have lived."

Arthur sighed and chugged his porter, then he ordered another. "You can't change what's done. You can only move on," he said to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "But let's just remain vigilant in the future, okay?"

Lilly nodded glumly. Arthur escorted her over to a table so she could sit and they ordered more drinks. Lilly drank in silence, so Arthur did as well. He'd never seen his wife like this, at least not to his recollection. There was just no way of making her feel better. Eventually they got a room for the night and while Arthur tried to hold her, she merely pushed him away and kept her back to him at the far side of the bed. Arthur frowned but he persisted.

"Arthur, I really don't-"

"Stop." Arthur turned her around and held her face in his hands. "Don't shut me out, Lilly."

Lilly scowled at him, but Arthur kissed her softly and she eventually melted into his arms. "I killed two children tonight," she said with a sad frown.

"They were already dead."

"But maybe I could'a done somethin' different, Arthur."

Arthur shook his head and kissed Lilly again. "I doubt we could have. But hey, it was interestin' having The Morrigan with us, wasn't it?"

Lilly nodded as Arthur held her in his arms. "Yes. I wonder how she found the time to come when Tír na nÓg is still in trouble."

"Maybe they are winnin'."

"Maybe, but Nemain said I had to defeat Evil, Violence, and Darkness in order to help the war in Tír na nÓg."

"Hmm. Well, these gods and goddesses work in strange ways, I guess."

Lilly prodded her face into his neck and yawned. "I'm tired."

"Me too."

Lilly eventually fell asleep in Arthur's arms, then Arthur drifted off as well. The next morning, Lilly felt a little better, which made Arthur glad. For the next five days, they spent their time going to the surrounding villages that were on their list and defeated undead werewolves. After the last village, they finally made their trip back to London. They got back to their hotel and went walking to their room.

"Man, I'm exhausted," Arthur said. "I could use a big nap."

"Me too," Lilly said, grasping Arthur's hand and kissing it.

Arthur chuckled and stopped her from walking, his finger caressing her chin. "Mmmm, first I think we should try for a baby again."

Lilly laughed as she grabbed the hotel room key from her pocket. "Mr. Morgan, you're so frisky," she teased.

Arthur was frisky. He wanted his wife every second of every day, he simply could not help himself. He grabbed her bottom and pulled her close for a kiss. "Yes I am."

Lilly wrapped her arms around him and they kissed each other deeply. "Well, you have me convinced," she said into his mouth.

They walked and kissed at the same time and Lilly struggled to get the key into their door. Arthur laughed and helped her. "Let me," he said, his lips vibrating along her throat.

Arthur inserted the key and turned it, then he opened the door and they kissed while walking in.

"Well well, look who's finally back together, Hosea," Dutch said.

Arthur and Lilly stopped what they were doing to see Dutch, Hosea, Aoífe, and Junior in the room. Lilly squealed and ran to them all with hugs and kisses. Arthur smiled as he walked over and picked up Arthur Junior and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Daddy!" Junior screeched happily.

"Mummy!" Aoífe said joyfully.

Lilly grabbed Aoífe and kissed her forehead. "Oh, my babies! I've missed you!" Lilly gaped at Dutch and Hosea. "What are you doin' here?"

Dutch and Hosea laughed. "The babies missed you," Hosea said. "We decided to come for a visit."