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THE SMALL GROUP WALKED in silence, following Léachtlann through the forest for some distance, until we came upon a huge tree unlike any Teagan had ever seen before. It was easily the width of a car and the center of it was completely hollowed out. Looking through the hollowed-out tree trunk, it seemed as if there was nothing but forest beyond it. When Léachtlann passed us and stood in front of the tree opening his arms wide and closing his eyes, Teagan held her breath.
A small gust of wind blew through her hair and she could smell the strength of Léachtlann’s magic as he called to it in the wind. Teagan gasped in amazement as the opening in the giant trunk shimmered and a bright green light expanded, causing her to turn briefly from its brilliant flash. As Teagan turned back, she was stunned to find that the opening in the trunk had turned into a doorway of sorts, and as they passed through it, they entered a thriving city.
“Fáilte. Welcome to Dé Taíltíu.” He said proudly with outstretched hands.
The city seemed to Teagan as if it were shrouded in a blue hazy mist. All around were massive white trees, like the one at the doorway to the city, carved into elaborate tunnels burrowing deep into the ground. Other trees supported ornate steps reaching upwards as far as the eye could see, disappearing into the mist. The whiteness of the tree wood gleamed brightly against the blue hazy mist. As Teagan’s gaze traveled farther upwards, she gasped in wonder. Elaborate bridges made of white wood and impossibly thick green vines swung from tree to tree and connected to what could only be described as terraces which seemed to magically float around the trees without any support; suspended only by air.
“It’s amazing.” Teagan breathed in an awed tone. She felt Aidan’s arm tense under her hand and she hastily sent him a message through their link.
“Be easy my love, they do not wish to harm us.” Teagan felt him calm instantly at her words.
Small children ran along the roadside following them as they passed through the city. The sight of the children made Teagan’s heart swell. Their beauty was indefinable and at the same time completely distinct. Gently flowing wavy locks of gold framed flawless creamy satin skin which seemed to be illuminated from within. Each child shone with brilliant perfection. Seeing the children here in Dé Taíltíu running wild and free made Teagan wonder why she had never seen any children at Breena. With the thought, came another tensing of Aidan’s arm under her hand and she paused briefly eyeing Aidan with curiosity.
When Léachtlann finally stopped walking, it was in front of an opulently carved staircase, easily the width of three men, which wound its way spiraling up a tree that looked thousands of years old. When she looked up at the massive tree, all she could see was a solid wall of grey as far up as she could tilt her head back and as far around so that she could see nothing on either side of it. Teagan was still gazing up, trying to see the top of the tree, when Léachtlann’s solid voice brought her full attention back to his face once more.
“This is my baile, home.” Léachtlann said modestly.
Teagan could feel magic vibrating all around her and her senses hummed in response to the magic. When everyone in the small group had caught up, Léachtlann continued and led the way up the lavish staircase with Árdghal close on his heels. Aidan and Teagan climbed the stairs side by side following closely after the others with Colin bringing out the rear, always watching her back. Teagan couldn’t help but feel the tension in Aidan as he held tightly to her arm as they climbed. She slowed intentionally falling far enough behind the others so that they couldn’t overhear their conversation.
“Aidan, what is it? I can feel that something is troubling you.” Teagan asked him in hushed tones.
He glanced at her, and Teagan could tell he was hesitant to speak his mind.
“Aidan, what is it?” She said beseechingly.
He shook his head in confusion.
“I just don’t trust him Teagan,” was his stoic response.
“Well, is there a reason you don’t trust him, or is it just a feeling?” Teagan whispered in reply wondering what on earth had him so spooked about this guy.
“I’m getting it too,” Colin whispered from behind them. “Plus, Árdghal doesn’t seem to trust them either. And we don’t even know anything about them; I mean who are these people? Where did they come from? Doesn’t it bother you that they just suddenly revealed themselves to the Fae when they have obviously been here for thousands of years?”
Teagan eyed both of them carefully, weighing their words thoughtfully before she attempted a response.
“Aidan, tell me truthfully, if your existence was threatened because you were a member of the brotherhood, wouldn’t you and all of your brethren go to extraordinary lengths to conceal your existence? Don’t you? My own father left me when I was a child instead of telling me the truth.” As he opened his mouth to deny it, Teagan rushed on knowing what he was going to say, “In part, yes, he did it to protect me, but he also did it to protect the brotherhood. How is that logic any different than theses people’s logic? Why condemn these people, before we even know their story, for something we ourselves would do?”
They had reached the top of the stairs leaving no time for Aidan to answer her, but she was sure she’d struck a note with him, and he was at least considering her words. They followed the others into a large circular room and her mind drifted away from conversation. The room was stunning. The lit scones, placed strategically around the room, illuminated the room with a magically soothing glow and enhanced the beauty of the wooded carvings. The floor felt cushioned under her flats which intrigued her into looking down.
Strewn randomly about the wooden floor were several beautifully handcrafted rugs. The rugs swirled fluidly in an amazing riot of colors and the lights played off them making the swirls seem to come alive at their feet. One would have thought so many colors would be overwhelming but instead the menagerie of colors added to the euphoric atmosphere of the busy magical room.
Off to one side of the room a huge table, laden with an overabundance of food and emitting rich spicy scents into the air, sat with its pleasing aromas inviting the newcomers temptingly. Teagan’s mouth watered as she watched several women rushing in and out of an arched opening beside the table, all of whom were carrying bowls piled high with steaming, delectable foods. Teagan trained her attention elsewhere afraid she would fall on the table like a ravenous beast and devour all the scrumptious food before anyone else could even get a taste of it.
As she tried to distract herself, Teagan allowed her eyes to follow the wooded curvature of the room and was pleasantly enchanted. A beautifully carved, white-wood, staircase curved gently and flowed up into another part of the tree-house. Teagan assumed that was where the sleeping arrangements were. Following the curve of the room farther, her eyes rested on an opulently carved fireplace. It was nestled into the wall on the far side of the room, ablaze with some sort of bluish green flames. Teagan’s eyes raised in surprise. Before she could comment on her surprise of the use of flames inside of a house that was made solely of wood, however, Léachtlann interrupted her thoughts.
“The fire is magic-woven; it is not real flame.” He explained with a mischievous smile lighting his eyes.
“But I can feel its warmth.” Teagan responded in wonder, walking closer to the fire and holding her hands out to the flames.
“Magic is very useful when one knows how to use it.” He nodded for emphasis and winked at Teagan then he turned towards the table.
“Come, eat, and let us talk.” He said energetically and swept an arm towards the generously laden table.
Léachtlann waited for Teagan to take her seat at the table and then he placed himself beside her. She heard Aidan’s barely concealed growl in her mind as he sat down on the other side of her. She chose to ignore him, but when Colin took the seat across from her, sharing the same look as Aidan, she almost lost it. Of all the overbearing, overprotecting... This is nonsense boys. Stop it at once. You’re acting like jealous children. Her silent chiding got through to them, and they both slummed back in their chairs.
As the steaming bowls were passed around and Teagan helped herself to small amounts out of each one, the mouth-watering scents teased her nose and almost undid her composure. She couldn’t control her stomach, and it growled loudly in response to the appetizing scents. She smiled nervously hoping that no one had noticed and then saw Léachtlann’s face as he tried to hide a smile at her obvious embarrassment.
“You are hungry Highness Dearbháil?” He asked with a small laugh.
“Oh, you can just call me Teagan.” She said as she shrugged her shoulders in a nonchalant manner.
Teagan closed her eyes as she spooned the first tasty morsel into her mouth. She rolled the bite around on her tongue not caring what it was but fully enjoying its exotic flavor. When Teagan finally swallowed the tasty morsel, after savoring every moment of it, she chased it with what looked and tasted like champagne and answered him.
“I haven’t eaten anything since I arrived in Tir na nÓg, and I’m afraid that using magic really heightens one’s appetite.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Teagan regretted them, and she sucked in a breath.
She felt a stabbing pang of uneasiness coming from Aidan’s direction and knew he was upset that it hadn’t crossed his mind to offer her food. Hoping to ease his discomfort, Teagan felt around under the table until she found Aidan’s taunt muscled leg and gave him a small but reassuring squeeze. He had no reason to feel bad; she hadn’t told anyone she was hungry, so the fault was her own. Teagan smiled briefly as she felt Aidan’s hand clasp hers firmly in his and squeeze back, and the small but now familiar electric shock that came whenever they touched made her smile widen with pleasure.
Teagan almost choked on her next bite of food, however, as Aidan pulled her hand up and placed it on the table, tightly wrapped in his own. It was an obvious display of claiming, and, although Teagan wasn’t embarrassed, she was slightly shocked at his display. Was it for Colin or this new threat? She heard the slight humph that escaped Léachtlann, as did everyone else at the table, and Teagan rolled her eyes at her Colin, who had the distinct pleasure of sitting across the table from her watching the scene unfold. He had the nerve to look amused, and he grinned wickedly from ear to ear.
“The food is wonderful Léachtlann,” Teagan said, trying to avoid aggravating the situation. “Thank you so much for inviting us.” She noticed that he nodded his response rather stiffly.
“You said you saw a Fae force lying in ambush us this morning?” This came from Kylan, and she breathed a sigh of relief as everyone’s attention was diverted away from her to the conversation at hand.
“I did, although we didn’t know it was an ambush planned for you and your men. We assumed they were planning to attack us again.” Léachtlann said in-between bites of his food.
“Why have they been attacking you, and how did they know you were here?” Árdghal questioned and then spooned another mouthful of food into his mouth.
“My best guess is that when they first attacked us, months ago, it was for supplies for their army. As to how they knew we were here, I’m assuming they use scouts as we do. My scouts have recently informed me that there is a large force camped just south of the wood at Mag Mell. It is safe to assume they are not your men then?” Léachtlann gave an intimidating look as he sized Árdghal up, as the queen’s Captain of the Guard gave his answer. He was obviously weighing the truthfulness of Árdghal’s words.
“No, they are not warriors of the queen.” She could tell he was slightly offended by the tone of Léachtlann’s voice, and Árdghal’s eyes narrowed as he continued, “Those of us in the queen’s inner circle believe a council member may be responsible. He’s been caught using draíocht dhubh, dark magic. We’d assumed he’d assemble an army of rogue fae, perhaps numbering in the thousands. We just weren’t sure where or when.”
“Once again, I offer my apologies for the misunderstanding, and I feel it is only fair to warn you that if this is all the warriors you brought, you are in trouble my friend for his force numbers in the ten-thousands. How many warriors are in your party?” Léachtlann asked in all seriousness.
“We could gather a few hundred of the Guardians, maybe five thousand of the Queen’s finiest.” Teagan could hear the worry in Árdghal’s voice, and she looked uneasily from Léachtlann to Fae. Five thousand against ten thousand would not be a war, it would be slaughter. How could they let the Guardians fight?
Teagan sat back abruptly, pushing her almost empty plate away from her, and excused herself from the table. She suddenly felt light-headed and needed some air. As Aidan rose to join her, she waved him off mumbling something about him finishing his food before it got cold and that she wouldn’t go far. Teagan heard Árdghal once again questioning Aidan on the number of Guardians he could gather, and she watched curiously as Léachtlann also excused himself from the table and walked through the arched opening in the direction the food had come from. Teagan shrugged and exited the suddenly too warm room through the front door and stepped out into the cool, calming, blue mist of De Tailtíu.
Teagan walked carefully along the porch, that seemed as if it floated unsuspended in the air, as it encircled the massive tree which Léachtlann called home. When she came to a spot where the sun seemed to stream down from the sky above and break through the heavy veil she stopped and turned her gaze upward, relishing the feel of the sun on her face. A cool breeze gently blew her hair back from her face and Teagan smiled as the drops of mist from the haze landed delicately on her cheeks, tingling wherever they hit. She had been to Niagara Falls once as a child and this is how it had felt as the spray from the falls had landed gently on her face and tickled her skin. Of course, it had been much louder there. A small scuffle on the wooden porch caused Teagan to look around and she found Léachtlann several feet away watching her curiously.
She held his gaze levelly for a few moments before he broke the silence and spoke.
“Do you know how the Fae came to be here in this realm?” He asked her.
When Teagan shook her head no, he stepped closer to her and continued.
“Long ago, a great warrior king of the Goddess Danu and the God Dagda, whose name was Nuada, led his people the Tuatha Dé Danann from the great northern islands, Falias, Gorias, Finias, and Murias, to what is now called Ireland’s shores. The people of the Goddess Danu arrived in great ships on the eve of May 1st. They had a great feast to celebrate their arrival and good fortune. The day of the great feast later became known as Bealtaine. Upon their arrival, Nuada ordered the ships that had carried his people across the seas burnt. Huge black clouds billowed thickly in the air.” Léachtlann paused for effect and looked out over his magical city.
“Human legends state that the Tuatha Dé arrived on the great black clouds and that they were gods descending from the heavens which were here to wreak havoc on the sinful men that inhabited the isle, which at that point had no name.” He harrumphed.
“They weren’t Gods, but the warriors of Danu did wreak havoc. Nuada and his mighty warriors fought their first battle at Magh Tuíredh and defeated the once dominant race that lived on the isle, the Fir Bolg. The Tuatha Dé Danann became the new rulers of the island. So here they were, the Tuatha Dé, the illustrious Fae, ruling the island with their mighty kings and queens and the poor helpless people of the island believed them to be Gods and Goddesses.”
He almost laughed at the absurdity of it as he spoke the words, and Teagan could tell he was lost in thought as he remained silent for a few moments. She looked at him questioningly, knowing that there was more to his story then what he had told her so far. So, she prodded him to continue.
“So, if the Fae were the rulers of Ireland at one time, why are they here in another realm instead of in Ireland?” She asked innocently.
He turned sharply and looked steadily into her eyes.
“Has no one told you who your ancestors are?” He asked and it seemed as if he were trying to look into her very soul.
“I’m afraid there hasn’t been much time for history lessons since I arrived.” Teagan answered shortly, a little put out by his bluntness. “Besides, how would you know about my ancestors?”
“You are Nuala’s granddaughter, are you not?” He asked sarcastically. One of his eyebrow crooked up.
She nodded her head. He had a point. She was sure every Fae in Tir na nÓg would know who her ancestors were if she asked them.
Léachtlann sighed dramatically and continued his history lesson.
“The Tuatha Dé Danann ruled what is now called Ireland for hundreds of years and fought many battles, and although many tried, no one could defeat them. Until the Milesians, the ancestors of modern Gaels, showed up, the Tuatha Dé remained undefeated. The three queens of the Tuatha Dé Danann, Banbha, Fodla, and Eriu, for which the island is now named Eíre, and their three husbands, were the rulers at the time of the Milesian invasion. They battled hard and the Tuatha Dé Danann, fearing loss, pleaded for a three-day truce, at which time the Milesians were to anchor their boats some distance from the shore.
The Milesians agreed to the truce. But the three kings were cunning, and they called upon a magical storm to drown the Milesians at sea. The sea crashed upon the Milesians in wild fury and yet they did not drown, for they had called upon their master poet, Amergin. It is said that Amergin calmed the sea with his verse and the Milesians landed upon the shores of the Isle of Eíre and defeated the Tuatha Dé Danann at the city called Taíltíu.”
“As agreed, upon between the two forces, Amergin was called to divide the lands between the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Milesians equally. Amergin sneakily decreed that the Milesians would rule Ireland, and that the Tuatha Dé Danann would be allowed to rule Faery, a world equal in size to Ireland which coexisted with the human world in a parallel universe. The Tuatha Dé Danann were shamefully led underground into the Sidhe mounds by the Dagda himself. As punishment for the loss, the three queens and their kings were stripped of their titles. Thus, the Tuatha Dé Danann, from that day forward, became known as the Fae.” He finished and took a deep breath.
Teagan stood there absorbing every word.
“So how did you come to be here? You hide yourself and your people away like you are outcasts, there must be a reason?” Teagan asked inquisitively.
“My grandmother was Fodla, one of the ruling queens, and my grandfather was Amergin.” He said this slowly and nodded his head as her eyes widened with understanding.
“My grandmother left her husband Mac Gréine and ran away with Amergin, the Milesian poet. This is where they settled. With his mighty verse Amergin created the city of Dé Taíltíu, named after the place where they first met, and dedicated it to his soul’s only mate Fodla. We have been here ever since, the daoíone sidhe, ‘the people of the mounds’.”
“Wow.” Teagan said, trying to soak in all the information he’d just given her. “Now that is a love story to tell the grandkids.” She said reverently, and Léachtlann grinned sheepishly at her amazed look and then became serious once more as he continued.
“Your grandmother, Nuala, is the daughter of the Goddess Eriu. Which means, my dear, that the blood of the true Kings of Ireland runs through your veins. You hold more claim to royalty than the Faery Queen does. And there are some people who would find that fact intriguing to say the least. This man, your Fae companion talked about, be wary of him. If he knows your linage, he could try to use you to get to the throne.”
Teagan nodded her head at him, putting two and two together. She’d already made the same assumption that Léachtlann was making now. Teagan turned at a slight scuffling noise behind her and found Aidan standing there watching them.
“Relax Guardian,” Léachtlann said in monotone voice, “Anyone can sense that she is yours. Your scent lingers all over her.” He curled his lip in obvious distaste. “I merely wished to speak with her privately for a moment.” With that, Léachtlann turned to walk away.
“Léachtlann, wait.” Teagan said pleadingly.
When he paused in mid-stride, Teagan spoke hastily afraid that he would leave before she could ask her question.
“Will you help us?” Teagan implored. “You know we’re outnumbered.”
He turned and looked directly at Teagan’s face, obviously giving his decision much thought. She held her breath, hoping he would not turn her down. When he answered, Teagan could hear defiance and a touch of bitterness in his voice.
“Perhaps you would make a better queen, than the one we have now. For thousands of years we have been outcasts upon her command, why should we help her now?” He asked Teagan.
“The queen knows you are here?” Teagan asked her disbelief evident.
“We coexist in peace, as long as we remain unseen and unheard.” He said bitterly.
Teagan didn’t understand. Why would the queen choose to alienate people of her own blood? Perhaps she feared her right of leadership would be challenged? Perhaps she could not let go of the past transgression? Some would say that Fodla had betrayed her people. And yet, in Teagan’s mind she could not condemn someone who had chosen to follow her heart. The call of soul mates was strong among the Fae people. Teagan knew. She’d felt the call herself, and although it had made absolutely no sense, she had followed her heart. Teagan chose her next words carefully.
“Perhaps you are right Léachtlann. Perhaps I would make a better queen, but people can change. I believe the queen can be persuaded to see the error of her judgment against your people, and I will personally take up your cause. But regardless of whether she concedes or remains stubborn on the issue at hand, one fact remains unbending, there is a traitor out there. He uses the darkest magics to procure whatever ends he desires, and I know firsthand that he plans to enslave humans if he gains control of the throne. I cannot let that happen. So, with or without your help, we will try to stop him. The queen is innocent in this matter, and she does not deserve to be used for his evil plots. So, I ask you again, humbly, will you fight with us?” Teagan fixed her piercing gaze on him, and her eyes flashed with unleashed, raw power.
He nodded solemnly, his mind made up.
“The daoíone sidhe will fight for you, and no other, You’re Majesty Déarbhail.” As he spoke, he crossed his arm over his heart and gave Teagan his vowed pledge of fealty. “I will speak with Árdghal,” he said, and he strode back the way he had come.