Part 2:

Morrigan laughed as Ian raced Draco across the field. She squeezed his waist tighter and looked over her shoulder at Sara who was trailing not far behind. Sara smiled back at her. Morrigan had only spent the evening and morning with her cousin and his family but she felt apart of it already. Ian slowed the horse as the crested the hill above Morrigan's house. She had called her father the evening before after dinner and told him she'd be home in the morning. He'd sounded worried, but he'd oked it. He was standing in the garden before an aisle working on his latest painting. Looking up, he waved at them.

Ian shifted slightly. "I'm nervous."

"Oh," Morrigan patted his shoulder. "He'll love you, don't worry."

Sara pulled her horse to a stop next to them. "What a lovely house."

"Yeah," Morrigan's smile broadened. The house wasn't nearly as large as Culhcain and Arraine's, but it was still better then the tents she'd grown up in.

They rode down the hill to the house. Her father moved towards them. When Ian slowed the horse, Conary reached up and grabbed the reins staring up at Ian the whole time. Ian dismounted Draco and helped Morrigan down. She walked over and hugged her father as Ian helped Sara down.

"Father," Morrigan said pulling him towards Ian and Sara. "This is Ian and Sara Nottingham. Ian is Gregor's son."

"That much is obvious," her father shook Ian's hand. "My name is Conary. Please come inside."

"I'm going to go check on Epona," Morrigan said starting to move away. "I still can't believe she threw me. Please don't leave before I get to say goodbye."

"We won't," Sara smiled at her.

With the Morrigan turned and ran towards the stables.


Ian followed Conary into the house with Sara right behind him. They were led into a small seating area and asked if they were thirsty. They declined the offer

"I was so scared when Epona came home alone," Conary sat. "She is all I have now."

"Why did you leave the gypsies?" Ian said. Morrigan had told them, but Ian suspected there was more to it then she had said.

"I could not live up to what was expected," Conary replied, looking at his hands. "I am neither of my brothers. Both were wonderful leaders. I prefer to paint." He looked up. "I didn't know my brother had a son. I knew he had married, but I didn't know you mother very well."

Ian nodded. "She died not long after I was born. Do I have other cousins?"

"Dermot has five children, they are still with the family," Conary said. "Morrigan told me on the phone that you mother's sister lives about two miles away."

"Yes, we are visiting them for the summer," Ian said.

"You should come over sometime," Sara smiled. "Meet the children. They have really taken to Morrigan."

"I would like that," Conary said.

Morrigan entered the room. She had changed from the skirt to a pair of pants. "Well," she said sitting next to her father. "Epona seems fine. I gave Draco and the other horse water, too."

"Thank you," Ian said. "I am sure that it was Draco that spooked her." He stood. "We should be going. Arriane will most likely have lunch ready when we get home."

The other three stood as well. Morrigan hugged Sara and then Ian. It was agreed upon that she would come visit the day after the next with her father riding over for dinner. Ian shook Conary's hand and followed Morrigan out of the house. He helped Sara mount up before moving to mount Draco.

"Ian," Conary appeared next to him. He held out a box. Ian took it and opened it. A dagger lie inside. The handle was made of ivory and was carved to resemble the head of a dragon. The scabbard was silver. "My father gave it to Gregor and I think you should have it."

Ian put his arms around the man. "Thank you." He mounted Draco. With a nod, he turned the horse away from the house.

He and Sara rode over the countryside in silence for a while. They walked the horses mostly so they could hold hands.

"I can't believe he gave me this," Ian said looking at the box. "It is mostly likely one of the few things he has of his brothers."

"He thought you should have it," Sara replied. "Probably a tradition, eldest son to eldest son."

"Then I wonder why he had not given it to Dermot's eldest," Ian sighed.

"Wishful thinking maybe or maybe Dermot had no sons," Sara said, and then smiled. "Morrigan is something, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is," Ian smiled. "And she seems to already love the children."

"I've noticed people take to them quite quickly," Sara replied. "Must be their charm, which they obviously got from me."

Ian cocked an eyebrow at her. She burst out laughing. She was trying to cheer him up. Thing was he had no reason to be down. He'd just discovered more members of his family, yet he wasn't as happy as he thought he should be. He could think of nothing that would put Morrigan and her father in danger from knowing him and Sara. He let out a sigh and Sara squeezed his hand.

"I should be happy, shouldn't I?"

She smiled softly. "Yes, I am. They are good people and I am glad the children will know them. They need more normal people in their lives."

"A pair of ex-gypsy hardly count as normal," Ian replied grinning.

"Well, they are normal by our standards," Sara said.


After dinner Sara sat with Arriane in the garden. She was worried about Ian; he seemed distant. It was odd. Speaking of Ian, he and Gabe came out of the house together. Gabe was holding the dagger that Conary had given Ian. They'd been doing research on it. Arriane leaned over to pet Pryderi. The dog's ears popped up and it stood. Sara watched the dog walk, then run towards the hill behind the house. Sara stood and moved past Ian to follow the dog. When Pryderi reached the top of the hill, he turned towards them and started barking. Sara and Ian ran to him.

Sara gasped when she reached the top of the hill. Smoke billowed up in the distance. She turned to Ian to find him already running back down the hill towards the stable. Sara followed Pryderi right on her heels. Ian didn't even saddle Draco, he simply leapt on his back and had the horse jump the fence. Sara climbed the fence and went to grab a saddle.

"What is it?" Arriane said as Sara saddled Guivre.

"Fire," Sara replied. "In the direction of Conary and Morrigan's."

Arriane covered her mouth with her hand, then grabbed the bridle and put it over the horse's head. Sara mounted up and pulled Guivre towards the gate, which Arriane opened, for her.

As an afterthought she turned towards her husband's aunt. "Don't tell the kids yet."

Arriane nodded. Sara guided Guivre away from the house and then had the horse break into a run. The black smoke continued to billow up in the distance. Sara urged the horse to move faster. Guivre raced across the fields. As she neared Morrigan's home it became more obviously that it had to be her house on fire. Reaching the top of the last hill, she slowed the horse. The house was totally engulfed in flames. Draco was standing near the coral near Epona. Ian was nowhere in sight. She urged Guivre down the hill to the stable. She pulled him to a stop next to the black stallion and jumped down.

"Ian," she yelled as she carefully walked closer to the house. She felt a lump forming in her throat. "IAN!" she called again. Tears began to well in her eyes as thoughts of Ian racing into the house only to get trapped.

He appeared suddenly carrying someone. As he came towards Sara she could tell it was Morrigan in his arms. He knelt down in front of Sara and laid the raven-haired girl down on the ground. He glanced up at Sara before turning back towards the house. Sara reached out to try to stop him from going back in, but he moved from her grasp. Sighing, she dropped down to her knees to check Morrigan's vitals. The girl was breathing and had a strong pulse she just wasn't awake. Thankfully Ian had yet to reenter the house before it collapsed. Sara watched him fall to his knees. She knew it would tear him up that he couldn't save Conary, the same thing had happened when Amelia's mother had died. Looking down at Morrigan, she rubbed her thumb across the girl's cheek. Poor thing would have so much to deal with when she woke up. She was an orphan now, just like Ian and Sara. Ian suddenly appeared on the other side of Morrigan. There were tears in his eyes.

"You did everything could," Sara said. "You saved Morrigan."

"Yes, but now she's alone."

"No, darling, she isn't," Sara reached over and squeezed his hand. "She has us."