12

There was no world. Only light. There was no Time. Only light.

And there were the Eternals. They were there, in the light. Of the light. They welcomed her, though there were no words. She was one of their champions. She saw herself as they saw her. A warrior. A hawk on the wing. A flash of lightning, pure and clean and brutal. A spear point shimmering with sunlight. And they spoke.

As reward for this act, we name You.

All those things wrapped together. That was who she was. That was her.

Do You accept?

They looked on her, and smiled. But there were no faces.

In that place that wasn't a place, Jenny accepted the gift.

Our Thanks, Bright One. Our gratitude. Go well.

And the light was gone.

…

The light faded slowly. And Jenny stood there. The Doctor croaked out her name. She stared out for a long moment. Then she seemed to snap out of some reverie. "Father. You okay?"

"I've been better." He said, getting to his feet. He studied the far wall. A dark burn mark, surrounded by a few scratches in the stones, was all that remained. "Nice work."

She grinned. "Thanks. It's what I'm good at, wrecking stuff."

The Doctor nodded. Then he was enveloped in a tight hug.

"You're all right!" the Walker cried, "Oh thank the stars! Is your head all right? No contusions? No subdermal bleeding? I'm so sorry, If I'd had a choice I never would have left you."

"Walker! I'm fine! Honestly, just fine. Stop mothering!" the Doctor said, fending his granddaughter off as she tried to check him over. "Besides, I think we need to be on the battle ground. Let's go!"

With that, he dashed into his ship, his daughter hard on his heels.

By the time they reached the field, the Lady's forces were just mopping up.

"When the nexus was destroyed," Ramble said, "Maeve knew her defeat. She sent her army back from whence it came."

"Just like that?" Jenny said. Ramble nodded."Indeed."

"Then you know what I think?" Jenny said. Ramble looked at her inquiringly. She grinned. "If you guys have never fought in a battle, you've never had a victory ceremony either."

That day and that night, drink and gold flowed. Cows and deer were roasted. Men and immortals danced and toasted survival and victory.

Sometime deep in the night, Jenny ended up in a waltz with William. "Glad it's over?"

"That and more!" he said enthusiastically. "I asked for three new suits an' enough money to get me to America and see me in good stead. And I was given it! Everyone who's asked has been given a grand last gift."

"Great!" Jenny called over the music, "Good luck when you get home!"

Then she spun away to a fast reel with fiddles and bodhrans. They had won. It was as intoxicating as the whiskey. Everyone had a story to tell. Even the Eternals seemed excited.

The morning seemed to come too early for the revelers, and the party went on. But soon men began to pack their tents and find Eternal friends who would ferry them home. The great war was over. Real life was waiting. Men and women returned, laden with fine gifts, to where they belonged.

There was a last meeting of the leaders. A chance to drink and boast and congratulate, to heap accolades on 'our bright girl' and to slap the Doctor on the back, which he didn't particularly appreciate. The Walker was thanked over and over for ailments she'd healed. She nodded, and Ramble, his arm around her shoulder, smiled.

A little ripple of bows and silence ran through the group. Ramble looked up, and bowed. "My Lady."

The Lady smiled warmly at the gathering. "I thank you. Each of you. Your valor, your strength, your skill."

"And our sacrifice." Finn said. He raised his glass. "To th' dead."

There was a murmur of assent, and drinks were poured on the earth.

The Lady shook her head, smiling."There shall be no sacrifice."

She looked into the puzzled faces."This is our world, and it follows our will. We say no man has died here. No man has been harmed. This is what we all say. We are the Kin of Eternity. And what we say—what we all say—is what exists. With our gratitude."

She smiled, and inclined her head. "And if I am right, there is yet one observance to be made." She said, smiling softly. "Children?"

Ramble smiled, and looked down at the Walker. Then they both looked up, and nodded.

…

They stood on top of the tor, their friends gathered around them. Her grandfather had said they might as well. A few of the men had said it was only proper. So here they were, standing in the circle of the stones, with the two of them in the center.

The Walker smiled a little. It was so different from the last time she'd gotten married. Then there had been white dresses and a chapel that smelled of incense, all sorts of frills and pomp. Now there was only her in a blue dress, the sound of the wind, her family and friends. The sun. And his eyes.

Ramble smiled down at her, his eyes golden as the sunlight coming over the hill. Do you want to use the words you did then?

She shook her head. No, not those words.

Then what, bheir mie o?

Words. Oddly enough nobody had mentioned what ceremony they'd use. She didn't have much liking for the one in the Bible that Sean had offered. The Gallifreyan ceremony was too cold and legal for her tastes. She looked up at Ramble. Are there words for this among your kin?

Ramble shrugged. No. Never needed them.

At a loss, she turned outwards. "Are there any words that ought to be spoken?"

Silence and shrugs. Then Brian Boru stepped forward. "This is what my kin always say. Might be right for you an' all."

Bending down, he whispered the words into her ear. The Walker smiled, as did her groom. "Well enough." Ramble said. He held out his hands, and in them lay two rings; two claddaghs, one silver, one gold. The hearts were red amber, burning like flames.

Stepping forward, Ramble took her hand in his, slipped on the silver ring. He brought his eyes to hers.

"With these hands I give you my heart, and I crown it with my love forevermore. I pledge my friendship, my loyalty, my love. For all the days of my life."

The Walker took the ring from his palm, slipped the gold onto his long finger. She looked up into his eyes, and she spoke. "With these hands I give you my hearts, and I crown them with my love, forevermore. I pledge my friendship, loyalty, and love. For all of the days of all my lives."

The Lady smiled proudly. "And let love and loyalty reign. You are bound."

There was a great whoop of cheering from the assembled circle. The Walker almost blushed when Jenny cupped her hands over her mouth and yelled out. "Kiss already!"

Glancing in her direction, Ramble quirked a grin."I've been given an order by the Chieftain. I shall have to follow it, then." Smiling, he wrapped his arms around her, and put his lips on hers.

…..

"Well," said the Doctor, dusting off his hands, "that's seen the honeymooners off. And you doubt my intuition. Didn't I say they'd get hitched?" he smiled, then turned his grin on the two humans. "Now, you two wanted to catch a boat. You sure?"

Mary nodded. "Much as I love Erin, a man can't live here now. Perhaps in a few years I'll be back."

"Right." The Doctor said, nodding. "So, stop by town to get your things, then TARDIS express to the gangplank. Sound good?"

…..

The bell clanged overhead. Mary started.

"First call! All aboard!"

"Sounds like you'd better get moving." The Doctor said, smiling down. "Got your ticket? Bags? Hat?"

"Oh, yes, got it all I think." She lifted up her trunk, putting on her hat. Then Maggie turned suddenly to face the Doctor, looking up. "Doctor, I just wan' to ask-"

"Ah-ah." The Doctor held up a hand, "You know I said I wouldn't tell you anything about the future, and that's…"

"No, no," she said quietly, "I don' want to know whether I'll make piles of gold over in the Americas or marry well. Or even if I'll be happy. I just wan' to know…" She looked around the dock for a long moment, then back up at him. "I just wan' to know…will they remember this? In years to come? Will they remember all this, what happened here? Not with the hill folk an' all. With the starving times, I mean. Will it change anything, what's happening?"

The Doctor looked down into her pleading face, his eyes suddenly ancient. "Oh Mary. No, they won't forget. This goes down in the history books for centuries, becomes rather a model and the first lessons in humanitarian aid really. And more than that, oh, so much more than that is what they write about all the people who leave Ireland. You people, you amazing, hopeful, dreaming fighting people, you go everywhere! Australia, England, Europe, Canada, America. And you change the world. You carry your history and your stories out there and you fight, you build huge buildings, run railroads across the country, actually run the country, change the face of nations. Oh, I could list off the top of my head at least fifty…no, make it fifty-five Irish immigrants and your descendants who change history in the next century and a half alone. And then there's your kids, and your grandkids, and their grandkids. They keep on going, down across the years and out across the galaxies. And there's always a couple of 'em, somewhere out there, who look back and say 'yep, those were my ancestors in the Potato Famine, a long time ago.' You'll never be forgotten."

Mary smiled up at him, her eyes shining. "Thank you, Doctor. May the Lord and his Mother bless you."

She stood on tiptoe, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Overhead, the whistle screeched. Mary jumped. "Oh, I'd best be off b'fore I miss my boat!" Grabbing up her bags, she rushed off down the dock. With one foot on the gangplank, she stopped and waved. The Doctor waved back until she disappeared.

There was a loud sigh behind him. The Doctor turned, and his smile widened into a grin. "William! You're headed off on the same boat, I see."

William started, looking at the Doctor as if he'd just noticed him. "Oh-oh, yessir."

"And very good luck to you!"

"Well, I can but hope…" the young man sighed again. "She's quite th' girl, isn't she just, Doctor?"

"Mary? Oh, yes, one of the best."

William smiled, lifting his trunk. "Well, one day that girl's going to be Mary Ford. I'll be seeing you, sir."

He walked away, leaving the Doctor staring after him, his mouth hanging open. Jenny came up beside him, glancing inquiringly after him. "Father, what…"

"Remember I said that even the littlest people play parts in Time?" the Doctor said distantly.
"Yeah." Jenny replied, pulling at the collar of her dress.

"Well, there goes a man who's an illustration of the point. William's going to marry Mary O'Hara. And they're going to have six kids. And one day, one of the descendants of those kids is going to name the first human warp-speed vehicle the William and Mary. Named it after his ancestors who took a ship into the unknown." he shook his head, grinning from ear to ear. "Can't believe it. Just can't believe it."

Then he smiled down at his daughter. "C'mon. Let's be going."