5

A Bridle and a Lullaby

The kelpie snorted and stamped a hoof upon the shore as Belle and Gold came up to the riverbank. It tossed its proud head and made a sound sort of like a stallion's whistle, but more fearsome. Then it wrinkled its lips and spoke, the voice which emerged from the kelpie's mouth was icily precise.

"Mortals, what do you do in Tir na Nog?"

"We're here to find our daughter, who was stolen from us," Gold answered.

"Indeed? And you believe she is here?"

"I don't believe, I know it," Gold said stiffly. "I can track her with this," he showed the kelpie Ava's blanket. "And I was also told she is here by a denizen of this realm. And that we need to pass three tests before we can continue on and find her. You're the second one."

The kelpie gave a high-pitched whinny of amusement. "Am I? And perhaps your last one, laddie."

"I doubt that," Gold said coldly.

The kelpie tossed its head, then said, "You do know the terms, right? You have to stay on my back all the way across the stream. If you can."

"We can," Belle spoke up for the first time since coming to the riverbank.

"We'll see," the kelpie snorted.

Then Belle recalled something from another myth and bent and pulled her husband off to the side. "Bobby, I just thought of something."

"What?" he asked.

"You remember the myth of Bellerophon and Pegasus, right?"

"Of course I do. I took the mythology course online from Boston College," he replied. "Why?"

"Do you remember how Bellerophon caught Pegasus?"

"He used a golden bridle given to him by one of the gods, Athena, I think it was," Gold answered. "Wait a minute. You think . . . I can conjure up that bridle?"

"Or one like it. Didn't you tell me once that you had something like that in your castle?"

"Yes, but it was a golden bridle that could trap the wind," Gold mused. "It was made from fibers of the Golden Fleece. I don't know if it would work on a kelpie. It's a water creature."

"It's worth a shot, though. If you have it bridled, it can't take us beneath the water to drown us, right?" Belle said. "It has to follow your commands."

"True. All right." He concentrated hard, his brow furrowing.

Suddenly there was a flicker of purple smoke and then a delicate looking bridle appeared at his feet. "I did it!" he exclaimed quietly. Then he swayed on his feet and clutched at his cane.

"Robert!" Belle gasped, holding him upright.

"I'm fine. Don't worry. It's just magic's price," he panted. After a few moments, he bent and picked up the bridle. "Okay. Let's do this. We need to get Ava back quickly. Before she, God forbid, eats some of their food."

"I know," Belle chewed her lower lip worriedly. She was so afraid that they wouldn't be in time, that they would be too late to save their baby girl. "Bobbu, give me the bridle."

"How come?"

"Because I have a better chance of putting it on than you," she murmured.

He gazed at her shrewdly. "What are you planning?"

"You'll see," she answered mysteriously.

He handed her the golden bridle.

She took it, marveling at how soft and light it was. It was as if she held sunlight between her fingers. For an instant she doubted if the bridle would work. Then she straightened her shoulders and put aside her doubts. This had to work.

Bobby approached the kelpie first, thinking the water horse didn't look all that big. A destrier was bigger. The kelpie looked to be about the size of a large pony, therefore easy for him to mount.

The kelpie gave him a scornful look from its green eyes. "Change your mind, mortal?"

"Hardly," Bobby shook his head. Then he muttered a word and his cane shrank and he clipped it to his belt. Then he waited until Belle was beside him before he reached up to grab a handful of silky slippery mane.

"Want me to kneel down for you, cripple?" sneered the kelpie.

Bobby gritted his teeth at the mocking tone. "Don't do me any favors, water horse."

As he reached for the kelpie's mane and prepared to throw a leg over its back, Belle came and held out her hand. In it was one of the granola bars she'd brought.

"Look," she said softly. "I've brought you a treat."

The kelpie dipped its head. "What's this?" it asked, snuffling the granola bar on her palm.

"Food. Oats and honey. Try it."

The kelpie's eyes gleamed bright with curiosity, and it opened its mouth to take the granola bar.

As it did so, Belle put the bridle over its ears and then its nose.

It was so light and airy that at first the kelpie didn't even know it was there. Belle moved then and jumped on its back, holding onto Bobby's waist and gripping with her knees, giving him the reins as she did so.

Bobby gripped them in a fist in his right hand while holding some of the slippery mane in his left.

The kelpie jerked its head up and whinnied. "Now we'll see indeed, mortals!"

Then it sprang into the river and began swimming.

Belle and Gold managed to stay upon its back due to the spell Gold had cast previously, but the river water lapped at their legs and thighs, and made them shiver, for it was freezing.

About halfway across, the kelpie screamed and tried to dip its head beneath the surface, diving under to drown those on its back.

But Gold yanked the bridle and the kelpie discovered it couldn't dive, that the bridle bound it.

"NO! Tricked me!" it screamed, slamming the water with its hooves and thrashing about. "How dare you bind me, magician?!"

Gold hung on, as the kelpie went crazy beneath him, bucking and plunging, trying to shake its passengers off that way. It hooves ground into the river bottom and it sunfished and twisted, screaming its rage at the magician and his wife.

Belle was jarred from the bucking animal, and felt like she was stuck on the back of a hurricane.

Bobby could feel the anger of the kelpie through the bridle and knew if the creature ever succeeded in ridding itself of the bridle, they both would drown. The bucking was sending shockwaves throughout his backbone and his leg ached also from keeping it tense against the beast's side.

He gathered the reins and sent a firm command down the bridle. Stop this! And swim us across the river. Now!

The bridle shimmered and the kelpie suddenly quit bucking and swam sedately across the rest of the river.

Upon reaching the other side, the kelpie stepped lightly out of the water and stood once more upon the riverbank, its head lowered.

Bobby unraveled the charm and slid from its back, nearly crumpling to the ground. Fortunately, he managed to grab the kelpie's mane and muttered the release word so his cane was enlarged back to its usual size.

"You okay?" Belle asked as she slipped from the kelpie.

"Yes." Bobby shook off the exhaustion he felt and rubbed his leg and his backside absently.

The kelpie glared at him from beneath its forelock. "You are the only mortals in over five centuries to manage that trick. Take this . . . thing off me!"

"No," Gold growled. "You'll keep that on until we return with out daughter."

The kelpie shrieked in rage. "I am a fae! Not a beast of burden!"

"You are a tricky wicked creature, and I can't trust you." Gold declared. "So, you shall stay and wait here for us. We shouldn't be too long."

"Take your brat and get out!" the kelpie snapped, shaking its head with the bridle glinting upon its black skin. "The bloody imp screamed so loud it woke me up!"

"That's what we intend to do," Belle said briskly.

Then she took Bobby's arm and they continued onward.

It took about five minutes for Gold and Belle to stop aching as they walked up towards the castle. The path was wide and littered with cobblestones, and it was lucky that they were wearing sturdy boots, because they might have turned an ankle navigating the stony path.

It seemed to take hours to get closer to the castle, and just when it appeared they were going to cross the moat and drawbridge, which was lowered, two huge black dogs the size of ponies sprang onto the path before them.

Each dog looked like an Irish wolfhound, but ten times the size, with fangs the size of daggers and inky fur and yellow eyes. They blocked the path and growled menacingly, streams of drool dripping from their jaws onto the ground.

The two adventurers halted, and Belle said, "Bobby, these must be the guardian hounds."

"Yes, the black dogs. Ocras and Ainle."

He poked experimentally with his cane at one of the animals.

The dog immediately lunged and its teeth snapped upon the ebony wood.

Gold tugged it free with an oath. "Crazy animal!"

"So how do we get past them?" Belle asked.

"Well . . . most dogs like to eat," Bobby murmured. "And one of them is named Hungry. So . . . what do we have to feed them?"

Belle rummaged in their pack. "I have a package of turkey jerky."

"Good. Let me have it." He gestured and the package of jerky was multiplied twenty times.

Then he floated all the packages over to the two dogs.

One of them, the one on the right, darted over and began tearing into the packages, wolfing down the jerky like there was no tomorrow.

Gold grabbed Belle's hand and they crept around that one.

But the other dog exploded from its standstill and leaped in front of them, sizzling the air with its menacing growls. It was clear that if they attempted to try and run past, the dog would happily tear out their throats.

"Dammit!" Belle swore. "What do we do?"

Bobby cupped his chin in his hand. "Well . . . this dog's name is Warrior."

"So we're supposed to fight it?"

"Or outwit it."

"We have to hurry, Bobby. If Ava eats their food . . . or the other dog finishes the food we gave it . . ."

"I know. I know. Let me think," her husband said, a trifle irritably. "What else does a dog like to do?"

"Chase things?"

"Yes . . ." Gold conjured a ball and threw it hard.

Ainle glanced at it, but made no attempt to go after it.

He conjured other things, toy rabbits, a squeaky bone, and threw all of them at the black wolfhound.

None of them made the dog move.

"Bobby . . . maybe you can immobilize it with your magic?"

Gold gestured, but he felt the magic flow over the dog and refuse to take hold.

"Belle, it's not working!" he cried in frustration. He stared into the dog's deep yellow eyes.

He could attack the dog, but something told him that would not be a good idea. The animal was a guardian, and probably warded against magical attacks, plus it went against his principles to hurt an animal that was just doing its job. The black wolfhound was a noble animal and he didn't relish harming it. Yet he needed to save his daughter.

He thought of Ava then, recalling her sweet smile and the way her little hands wound about his neck, the smell of honey and milk as she breathed on his cheek when she drifted off to sleep . . .

He shut his eyes. Oh, Ava. I'm coming for you, baby. I'm coming.

It was then that it came to him.

Of course!

He opened his eyes and cried, "Belle, get ready to run."

"Bobby what are you planning?" she cried.

"Just do what I say," he ordered. Then he summoned something he hadn't used in years, having forgotten about his other talent besides sorcery and making deals.

A fine pale golden Martin guitar appeared in his hands. He held the guitar fondly, and murmured, "This is what will get us to the castle. Let's just hope I remember how to play."

His hands curled around the guitar and his fingers strummed it softly. Then he began to play, his fingers picking out a familiar lullaby that he used to sing to Ava back in the Dark Castle. It had its roots in his own childhood, and was one he recalled dimly his own mother and grandmother singing to him.

Rest tired eyes a while
Sweet is thy baby's smile
Angels are guarding and they watch o'er thee

Sleep, sleep, grah mo chree *
Here on you mama's knee
Angels are guarding
And they watch o'er thee

The birdeens sing a fluting song
They sing to thee the whole day long
Wee fairies dance o'er hill and dale
For very love of thee

Dream, Dream, grah mo chree
Here on your Mama's knee
Angels are guarding and they watch o'er thee
As you sleep may Angels watch over
And may they guard o'er thee.

The primrose in the sheltered nook
The crystal stream the babbling brook
All these things Lir's hands have made
For very love of thee

Twilight and shadows fall
Peace to His children all
Angels are guarding and they watch o'er thee
As you sleep
May Angels watch over and may they guard o'er thee"

As he sang the familiar tune and strummed it upon the guitar, he saw the dog shake his head. Then it yawned and slowly lay down.

He began to play louder, yet keeping his voice to a soothing hum, just as he did when he'd rocked Ava and Bae to sleep all those years ago.

Slowly, the dog's eyes fluttered and then closed. He waved at Belle, indicating she ought to go.

Belle gave him a questioning glance, then picked up her pack and ran towards the drawbridge, her feet skipping over the wooden boards. As she neared the other side, she called, "Bobby! Come on!"

He slowed his playing, his voice softly drifting in the air in a lilting sweet tone. He slowly rose to his feet and then ceased playing and slung his guitar over his back and got his cane and began to creep past the snoozing dog.

He had almost gotten past the animal when his cane struck an uneven cobble.

He stumbled, nearly going to one knee.

The guitar banged against his back, the strings jarring sharply.

And Ainle pricked his ears and woke up.

Gold began to limp as quickly as he could onto the drawbridge.

Behind him, the wolfhound shook his head and bounded to his feet. He swung his head around and saw Gold and lunged after him, a paroxysm of barks exploding from his throat."

"Dammit to hell!" Gold swore and tried to move faster, but his injury wouldn't let him.

He could feel the dog's hot breath on his back and he was sure he was going to feel the animal's teeth in him any moment.

Belle spun to see her husband struggling to get across the bridge while behind him the vicious canine was pursuing him, ready to tear into him with savage ferocity.

"Bobby!" she screamed, then she turned and grabbed her husband's hand and half dragged him across the bridge.

Just as the wolfhound's jaws clicked shut on the spot where he'd been seconds before.

As soon as their feet touched the other side, the dog halted, and did not pursue them any further.

Belle clutched her husband around the waist, and the two staggered over to lean against a tree in the courtyard. "Oh my God! Are you okay? It didn't . . . bite you, did it?"

"No . . . I'm okay . . ." he panted.

They waited several minutes so they could get their breath back, then Gold said, "Come on. Let's get moving."

They entered the castle, which oddly enough did not seem guarded by anything.

When they walked into the main hall, they found it was tiled in white marble with green four-leaf clover designs on the floor and a peat fire burned in the huge hearth. The walls were covered in gold leaf and mahogany and sparkling globes of light were situated on the walls.

"Now where's Shea?" Belle wanted to know.

"I don't know," Gold said, and clutched Ava's blanket to him. "But this says she's close."

He began to walk across the hall and through a door at the end.

There was another long hallway. "This way," he beckoned, and tapped his cane. His seeing drops revealed that this was an actual hallway, so he started down it.

Belle followed.

They went through more and more hallways and doors, but never seemed to reach the end of them.

"Bobby, we're traveling in circles!" Belle groaned. "I think we're lost."

"Or under a misdirection spell," the sorcerer growled angrily.

He halted, cursing the Sidhe with every fiber of his being.

Meanwhile, in Maeve's chambers, a certain little girl was growing hungry, and she climbed upon a chair to reach for a bowl of fruit on the table. Inside the bowl was a juicy golden pear, and her hand closed over it eagerly.

A/N: The lullaby Bobby sang is called the Ballyeamon Cradle song. * grah mo chree is Gaelic for "sweetheart".