Author's note: This chapter's kind of…well, you can skip it if you want, True. Dominic, thanks for the nice review. True, if you do skip, make sure and come back next week; the last chapter's the most important.
Losses
["What was the plan?" Max asked eagerly, when Tara paused to take a drink.
"You know, it's getting really late. Maybe I should finish this another night." Tara said slyly. She made as though to rise, and at least three pairs of hands shot out to catch her. Laughing, she settled back down, lying beside the fire this time. "All right, I can take a hint. Um…the plan? Cerbhall talked to the court Druid, who had always been fond of him, and explained the situation. A couple of days later, the Druid had a 'vision' and revealed me as a lost descendant of the Tuatha de Danann…they were a race in very old Ireland, who had magical powers. A lot of them were worshipped as gods, even when I was there. There were objections…noticeably from Conchobar…but after a few demonstrations everyone was convinced. Cerbhall was given a dispensation to marry me…"
"Hold it." Taylor said. "Why did he need a dispensation? Surely as prince he could marry anyone he wanted?"
"No, not quite. There was a very old tradition in Ireland that said the king had to be physically perfect in order to rule; there was a famous king, Nuada, who lost his hand in battle and was forced to give up the throne. The restriction extended to his queen; and I'm not human, remember. In the de Danann times it didn't matter, but in Cerhall's time people were suspicious."
"But you said they had Druids. Weren't Druids magicians?" Alyssa protested.
"That was understood. I was unknown. But anyway, Cerbhall was allowed to marry me. There were loud complaints, but we ignored those."
"Who complained? Danny asked.
"Conchobar. The man just didn't like me." There was a faint shadow behind her eyes, but she didn't give them a chance to ask. "We moved out of the palace that spring; Cerbhall had a small dun—a fort—built for us some distance from Tara. We lived there very happily for a few years." She smiled faintly. "There was a fountain in the courtyard that always ran, no matter how cold it got, and the flowers always bloomed no matter the season. I owed Cerbhall that much."]
Cerbhall and Tara had been married for three years when the accident happened.
Cerbhall had been out with a hunting party; Tara had busy in the woods near the dun and didn't hear the horns as they returned. So she was faintly surprised to see the horses in the courtyard when she came back.
"Why is the prince back so early?" she asked a passing stableboy.
"They were attacked by a wolf, my Lady." the boy told her. "Prince Cerbhall returned with Lord Domnall, who was injured."
"Domnall?" Deirbhile repeated sharply. "Where are they?"
"I believe they're in the healer's hut, my Lady." Deirbhile turned without a word and hurried to the small room where the healer lived. Domnall's wife had been her maid until a few months ago, when she'd caught pneumonia and died.
["Hold it!" Taylor said. Tara suppressed a sigh and looked expectantly at the Eagle Ranger. "You're telling me you had pneumonia back then?"
"There wasn't a name for it. But people suffered with it. Can I please go on with the story, Taylor?"
"I'm not stopping you."
"Actually, you are." Danny pointed out. "You're interrupting more than the rest of us."
"What does Do-nal mean?" Cole asked.
"Domnall? World mighty. He was a good man, and he doted on his daughter."]
Cerbhall came out of the room as she reached it; the look on her face told her everything she needed to know.
"Where's Aoife?" she asked softly.
"In the kitchens, I think. I was going…" he gestured briefly.
"I'll do it. You go and petition your father to have Domnall buried at Tara." She turned before he could object and went to the kitchens, where she found their cook entertaining the several children of the dun.
"Aoife," she said quietly from the doorway, "Please come with me." Startled, Aoife pulled off a passable curtsey and followed her out into the kitchen gardens. Aoife was a pretty child of perhaps seven years old, with long dark hair and dark eyes.
"Aoife, I need to tell you something very important." Deirbhile said carefully. "Your father was out hunting with the prince today."
Aoife nodded. "He was going to try to catch me a rabbit. Did something happen?"
"I'm afraid so. The group was attacked by a wolf. Your father tried to protect the prince, and the wolf killed him." Aoife's eyes went very wide.
"My father…" Deirbhile wrapped her arms around her.
"It's all right, Aoife. We'll take care of you."
"I wish my mother was here." Aoife's voice was almost inaudible. Deirbhile nodded in agreement.
"I know, Aoife. I know."
