Foretold Fate (Sisters of Danu Series Book 2)

by Mia Pride

  Wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and her legs around his waist, she pulled his face down closer to hers, feeling his hot breath against her lips. “I am yours, Brocc. Forever.” He released a gust of breath, as if he had been inwardly awaiting her acknowledgement. His rhythm increased along with his urgency and he buried his face into her neck, inhaling deeply as if trying to breathe her into his very soul. His sweat-slick chest pressed against hers and his crisp ebony hair tickled her neck as her body arched and tensed beneath his. His movements became labored and rigid as she felt his intensity increase. Her own pleasure was building in rhythm with his and they both built up with sensation, panting breaths escaping from their grazing lips. With a groan and a shudder, Brocc went limp and brushed his lips against hers, cradling her face with both of his palms.

  Rolling Una onto her side with him, Brocc held her closely as he listened to her breathing begin to slow and the beating of her heart in rhythm with his own. They lay in each other’s embrace, enjoying the peaceful silence as they savored the afterglow of their love making. Their hands continued to lightly roam and explore as they gave each other soft kisses and whispered words of love.

  Just as sleep began to overcome them both, Brocc forced himself up on one elbow, starring down at Una as her brown waves of hair spread across his chest and her eyes slowly fluttered shut. “Una?”

  Her eyes flew open at the sudden change of his tone and mannerisms. He had gone from soft and pliable to rigid and serious all in the same breath. “Aye? What is the matter?”

  “Nothing is wrong, mo chroí. Tis only…now that you and I have made amends, I have some very serious news for you.”

  He looked at her warily and her heart dropped in her chest. What could be so serious as to change his demeanor so suddenly? She sat up abruptly in the bed and swallowed hard. “Well, out with it then.” She knew she sounded brusque, but her anxiety was building as she took in his sudden change of mood.

  “I met some travelers on the way back to Darini. They know you…or of you, and wish to be reunited with you at once. I brought them with me and they are here, now…in your mother’s roundhouse.”

  She shook her head and furrowed her brow in confusion. “Reunited? Do I know them?” He shook his head slowly and she saw the small frown draw his lips downward. “Well, how can I possibly be reunited with someone I have never met?”

  Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and grabbed hold of her hands tightly. He was scaring her in earnest now. Hesitation was not Brocc’s style and she reached out to shake him by the shoulders. “By the gods, Brocc! You have me frightened now! Tell me who awaits me at my mother’s roundhouse!”

  “You have met them, Una, only you have not seen them since the day you were born over twenty summers ago. They are your sisters. Your identical sisters. And they await you with a tale that will change you forever.”

  “This is torturous!” Ceara grumbled as she paced back in forth in the vacant home that had once been Una’s. “Here we are, standing in our sister’s home and we have to wait to see her? I hope Brocc works everything out swiftly!”

  “Well, I understand the man’s need to find out if she will marry him without knowledge of the legend. I saw first-hand with Gwynneth how it can alter one’s perspective.” Liam sent a mocking smile over to Gwynn, who was leaning next to him against the wall, far too anxious to sit still. She wrinkled her nose remembering how she refused to marry Liam at first, thinking that it would go against her destiny. If he had only told her he was the new king of Iverni right away, she would never have believed he was forbidden to her. She decided to keep her mouth shut as she smirked to herself. She had made enough of her own mistakes with her incredible jealousy over Fiona and refusing to accept his love.

  “I suppose so, but I am dying of the anticipation!” Ceara was wringing her hands together as she walked back and forth along the length of the home. “Gwynn! Are you not just as anxious?”

  “Of course I am. But I also know that her life is at the brink of so much change. Brocc needs to allow her a chance to sort out her life with him, before he can even begin to explain where we fit in.” Gwynneth smiled at her sister with amusement. “Although, I am enjoying watching you be the anxious one for a change,” Gwynneth laughed.

  Garreth was propped up against the wall with one booted foot behind him, casually smirking at his wife from across the room. Apparently, this behavior was, indeed, rare for Ceara based on the entertained look on Garreth’s face. “Calm down, Ceara,” he murmured, “not every woman takes what she wants, like you did. She requires some wooing…”

  Stopping in mid-stride, Ceara spun on her heels and pointed an accusatory finger in Garreth’s face. “Do not say another word, Garreth…”

  With a booming laugh, he shrugged his large shoulders and threw his head back in amusement. “What? You cannot deny that you pursued me quite shamelessly when—”

  “Oh! So, that is how you see it, do you? I pursued you?” This time, it was Ceara’s turn to tilt her head back with sarcastic laughter. “What do you call beating the shite out of Aaron Mac Tavish because he innocently kissed my hand during the Lughnasadh festival?”

  “Aaron,” Garreth’s mouth turned down in distaste, as if just the man’s name made him want to punch a wall. “I told you to never say his name again, Ceara! That randy bastard…and you encouraged him! Only to make me—”

  “Jealous?” Ceara cut in with a suppressed smile on her face and a quirked red brow.

  “Aye,” Garreth grabbed Ceara and pulled her against him, playfully tugging her red plait back and tilting up her head. “It worked.” His lips crashed down on hers and Ceara let out a muffled laugh against his mouth.

  Just then, the door swung open allowing in a cold gust of wind. The hearth fire flickered as Brocc’s authoritative presence filled the door frame and blocked out some of the intruding light from outside. He stepped forward slightly with a serious face. “Greetings,” he nodded his head and looked around the room. “Una is with me, as is Patrick.” Gwynn and Ceara lit up at the sight of Patrick’s familiar face, but they had to keep their emotions focused on the moments ahead. The happy reunions would have to wait until later. Patrick gave them a reassuring nod and his kind smile lit up as he stepped into the room.

  “Go easy on her,” Brocc warned with narrowed eyes. “I have only informed her that she has identical sisters she never knew about and that I met you by chance in my travels. That was shock enough for her. It is up to you to tell her the rest.” He gave them an anxious look, urging them to be delicate with her emotions, as he took a deep breath and pulled Una hesitantly into the doorway, holding her around the waist.

  Before she had even spotted her sisters, she looked around nervously, feeling as if she may collapse. She had not stepped foot in her mother’s old roundhouse in many moons. To think she was here now, to meet two identical sisters she never knew existed, was enough to make her hands shake and her pulse quicken so fast that she had to remind herself to breathe. She clutched the linen skirt of her dress tightly, trying to control her worrying fingers, but once her eyes locked with those of her sisters, panic overcame Una and she froze in her steps.

  Brocc grabbed her gently and kissed her on the forehead as she hugged him for strength. “Tis alright, Una. I know tis a lot to take in. We will go in together.”

  He took her hand and they both walked in. The room was silent for a moment that seemed to linger for an eternity. It was just as well that nobody spoke, for the ringing in Una’s ears had become deafening. Her eyes roamed up and down her sisters’ figures, taking in their every detail. Two identical faces with eyes that sparkled like the purest of emeralds stared back at her with kind, sympathetic smiles upon their soft red lips. They had high cheekbones and proud straight noses on their slim faces. Strangely, one sister had hair so red, it burned almost as bright as the hearth fire illuminating her figure. The other sister was possessed of hair so fair, it seemed almost silvery, like the surface of a
glittering lake beneath a hot summer’s sun. How odd. She had never seen anything like these two fascinating women.

  Her eyes looked back and forth at her sisters while her free hand rubbed her abdomen and her gaze scrolled down their bodies, pausing on the roundness protruding from beneath both sisters’ skirts. Her blonde sister cupped one hand under her bump and rubbed it gently with her other in response to Una’s questioning look. Were they all three truly with child? Nothing made sense.

  Taking a deep steadying breath, the fair-haired sister stepped forward to take Una’s shaking hand in hers. “Greetings, Una. I am certain this is all a shock to you. I am Gwynneth and this is Ceara.” Ceara stepped forward and gave Una a warm smile. “Ceara and I were only reunited a few moons ago, and it was a terrible shock to us both. But we have become very close and we have been yearning to meet you.”

  Una searched their faces, wondering if her beauty could ever be a match for theirs. They were so elegant with their perfectly sculpted faces, long graceful necks and creamy skin. Their hair was so beautiful, while hers was a horridly plain shade of brown. She must look a fright standing next to them. Suddenly, she felt slightly self-conscious and glanced away from their curious gazes.

  Her eyes roamed over to their husbands standing by the fire. Both were very handsome men who looked to be as strong as Brocc had described them. All Brocc had told her was that he ran into two women in the woods with identical faces to Una’s. He had thought it was some sort of evil trick of the faeries, until they told him they were looking for their third sister.

  Her sisters had married kings of nearby tuatha, Brocc had said. How could they all be breeding at the same time? And all married, or soon to be married, to kings? How could she have sisters she did not know about? Una never knew her real parents, but she never imagined she could have family.

  “How can this be?” Una finally mustered the courage to speak. “I do not understand.”

  “You have an adoptive mother, aye? A mother who had the gift of sight?” Ceara raised one slim brow to Una, flashing a reassuring smile. “I do as well. They knew of our origins, but were never allowed to share it with us until the time was right.”

  Una cast her eyes down to hide her pain. Speaking of her mother would always hurt. “My mother passed away in the autumn. It was always just the two of us. She became ill a few summers ago and I took care of her until she passed. But she never mentioned anything to me about my birth parents. I always just assumed she did not know anything.”

  “We are so sorry to hear about your mother, Una,” Gwynneth said sincerely as she squeezed Una’s hand. “Please do not blame her for not telling you the truth. She simply was not allowed to.”

  Una shook her head as tears welled up in her eyes. “Why ever not? What was she not allowed to tell me? Why would we be separated and sent to different tuatha without being allowed to know? And, who would not let her tell me?” She was getting very shaky again and worried she might faint, especially after the emotional and physical trauma of the night before. As if feeling her sudden weakness, Brocc led her over to a cushion and sat her down carefully. Garreth walked over to the table to pour her a hot mug of herbal tea. He handed it to her with a smile and she nodded as she took the warm mug in her hands.

  Brocc took a seat next to her and grabbed her hand for support. “Una, it is a long, complicated story and one that will not be easy for you to understand right away. It is getting late and you have had a rough day. Would you prefer to go home and rest tonight? We can come back in the morn, once you have had some sleep.”

  Taking a sip of her tea, she let the steam trail up her face while the warmth of the mug ran up her hands. The tea was soothing and calming, thawing her fears from the inside. “Nay, I would never get any sleep. I must get some answers before I can ever begin to think about sleep.”

  Deciding they would be there awhile, the rest of them sat down at the table around her. Just then, Isobel arrived with a smile and a large jug of steaming stew. “Mother!” Brocc stood to help her carry the heavy jug. “Mother, these are Una’s sisters, Gwynneth and Ceara. And their husbands, Liam and Garreth.” Una could see Isobel struggling to hide the shock on her face.

  Clearing her throat, Isobel forced a crooked smile and placed some fresh bread and a pot of stew on the table. “Tis lovely to meet you all,” she nodded and stared from one pair of emerald eyes to the next, then locked on Una’s. Isobel gave her a genuine smile of reassurance that Una needed right now, more than ever. With a few small steps, Isobel closed the gap between herself and Una, squeezing her shaking hand in support. Una responded by gripping back firmly, but she did not smile as she swallowed and looked down with a frown. “I will leave you all now,” Isobel said with another nod and she backed out of the roundhouse.

  As the group poured stew into the clay bowls and began to eat, Gwynneth and Ceara started telling Una the whole story from the very beginning, starting with the death of their mother in childbirth, to the very last detail of the legend, declaring them the Three Sisters of Danu. Una did not touch her stew the entire time they talked, no matter how much Brocc urged her to try.

  She was listening intently, nodding her head and gasping in several parts, especially when she heard that they were the born-again goddesses of the Tuatha de Danann and descendants of a faery named Dana who had married a human king hundreds of years ago. When her sisters told her they would all gain abilities to control different elements, she frowned and clutched her hands into the folds of her dress. How was all this possible?

  “This is all so unbelievable,” Una mumbled under her breath. “None of it makes sense. And yet, how can it be wrong, as I stare across the table at my identical sisters…” She was trying to wrap her mind around all that she had just learned, but too many questions swarmed around in her head, like bees buzzing in their hive.

  “Una,” Gwynneth asked cautiously, “Ceara and I are curious…” She and Ceara looked at each other and then back to Una. “Have you ever knowingly controlled earth? Or, have you ever noticed something strange happen in your presence?”

  Una took a deep breath and began to think back to her childhood, and even more recently when Collin gave her flowers. “Well, I certainly cannot control it, but my mother used to call me a goddess in the garden because flowers seem to thrive whenever I am around and animals are drawn to me instinctively. I would hardly call it a power. Only, I feel most at ease when I am in nature. Just recently,” she looked over at Brocc, not wanting to say this in front of him, but it had to be said, “a man presented me with a bouquet of lilies, and when I touched them, the unopened ones bloomed before our eyes. And when I think back, I am certain it has happened before.” After pausing to contemplate her words, she added, “It seems like such an insignificant ability! I cannot see how I can use it to benefit anyone!”

  Ceara smiled at her and shrugged. “We are both the same. We have mistakenly used our abilities in the past, but we have nay idea how to control them, or how they are expected to be used.”

  “The legend clearly states that we were not to know of our origins until now so that we could live among the humans peacefully, and learn to have a mutual respect for them…something our ancestors apparently did not have. Once we are all reunited, we should use our abilities of water, fire, and earth to help the humans…somehow. Tis the gods’ way of making amends for the terror that our ancestors, the Tuatha de Danann, caused the humans two thousand years ago during many battles. I cannot, myself, understand how we can be of use, but I suppose we will find out when the time presents itself. As for now, I would like to try and live a normal life, birth my babe, and enjoy some time with my husband! And, of course, get to know my sisters better,” Gwynn smiled as she grabbed their hands.

  “Patrick, do you have anything to add? What is to happen now that the sisters are reunited?” Liam asked and Una suddenly looked over to the druid. He had been silent the entire time and she had forgotten about his presence, until now.

  A s
mile spread across Patrick’s face while he looked at the three united sisters. “I am just so humbled, after all these years, to be in the same room with you three lassies. The last time I saw you all together was a very forlorn night, indeed.” A shadow crossed his face at the obviously distressing memory. “Your father would have so loved to be here.”

  Una’s heart plummeted as she thought of the father she never knew. To lose his wife and separate his three daughters all in one night must have torn the man apart.

  Patrick smiled again. “More will come. This is only the beginning. I may serve as a messenger of the gods, but I cannot know of their plans in this. Only that they wanted you reunited before the eve of Beltane, and tis done. You will know the moment your powers come to you. It will not be subtle, for it will take a violent act of nature to trigger what lies dormant in your blood.”

  His face sobered and he stared intensely at all three sisters and their husbands in turn. “I will tell you this. It is nay coincidence all three sisters are with child. You were all meant to meet before the birth of your children. They will be very important to us all, being born of the Sisters of Danu and their husbands, descendants of the last three High King brothers of the Danann. Together, you will all play a role that will one day, in the distant future, save the entirety of Ériu.”

  A sense of foreboding washed over Una as she thought of her unborn child and the possible harm he may suffer because of his legacy. What Patrick said felt so dark and final, as if she had no control over what was meant to become of her own life. And yet, it all made too much sense to deny.