by Candace Sams
Each evening, he held the baby in his arms and sat by the fire. They waited for Kathy to come upstairs with the evening meal. Having their meals in their room, where it was cozier, became a habit when Rome and Cairna decided to finish their own cottage. They stayed away a great deal, but the arrangements would only be temporary. The younger couple was also planning their handfasting which, like so many others, had been postponed until Oestre or the Spring Equinox. Luckier than most, they had a house full of beautiful, well-made furniture that Kathy had given them. Cairna had joked that Kathy just wanted them out of their cottage sooner so the new babies would have more room. And he knew there would be new ones one day.
When he heard Kathy approach, Tearach put the baby in her crib, amazed at the rate she was growing. Time seemed to move so quickly. One day soon, Cairna and Rome would have babies of their own. The Sorceress had been right about so many things. He smiled thinking of how she'd had to make him dig septic tanks so he'd see sense. If he'd trusted her all along, the anguish he'd put himself and his people through would have been unnecessary. But Kathy was right about his head being hard. Connemara marble would be soft in comparison.
"What are you smiling about?” Kathy asked, grinning as she placed their evening meal on a small table.
"How time has a way of changing people's minds. Of opening them, I should say."
She offered him a glass of wine. “This has been the strangest year of my life. But I wouldn't change a moment."
One eyebrow raised in surprise. “Nothing?"
"All right, maybe just a few things. Like how you felt when you found out I was pregnant, and the time when you got punished. Then there was that time I ran away, and the time you got caught in the fire and almost died."
He took a deep breath and lifted his glass. “Here's to not changing a thing."
She raised hers in return. “But I still love you, the baby, Cairna, Rome and the people in this wonderful, magic place."
He lifted a length of hair off her shoulder and studied it for a moment. “You know, we could save that roast chicken for later.” He gave her his most seductive stare and hoped she would respond accordingly.
Kathy glanced at the chicken and then back at Tearach. “Well, I love cold chicken."
They drank their wine, put the glasses down and moved toward one another. It looked as though another hot night of experimental lovemaking was about to be under way. But Tearyn had other plans. She let out a loud, playful laugh.
Kathy's eyes widened in surprise. Tearach sent her an equally shocked look. The baby had never been quite so loud or forceful. Kathy walked toward the crib. “Now, then little Miss Bruce. What is so important that you'd ... Tearach, get the Sorceress."
The hypnotized expression on Kathy's face immediately alerted him. “What's wrong, love?"
"Just get the Sorceress. Quickly!"
He watched as she picked up the baby, blanket and all. Tearyn was still gurgling happily, so there couldn't be too much wrong. So, why was his heart beating so hard? Why was Kathy's expression so galvanizing?
Tearach ran to a window, threw it open and yelled for the nearest guards. Voices in the treetops responded when he called for the Sorceress’ presence. He turned back to Kathy. “She'll be here soon, love. Now ... what's wrong with the baby?” He held out his hands and Kathy handed the swaddled the infant to him. When he looked down, a white little girl with blue eyes looked up at him. Her pointed ears were gone and her dark hair had lightened to a soft, medium brown.
"Tearyn!” he shouted and almost dropped her. Kathy ran forward and reinforced his grip. The baby looked up at them both and laughed as though the world was one big playground and she was the only child in line for the swing.
"Whatever this is ... w-whatever is happening ... she doesn't seem to be in any pain. S-she isn't frightened,” Kathy stammered.
"Goblin children can't change this young. Most don't do it until they're shown how,” Tearach insisted.
"Well, she didn't come with a rule book pasted to her rump, Tearach. No one told her. Besides, you keep forgetting. She's half human."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to sound that way. It's just that, well, look at her.” He raised helpless eyes to Kathy.
She took a deep breath. “Okay. Let's get a grip here. Tearyn is just a little early at this. At least we know she has the power to change now. Maybe she was provoked into it somehow. Maybe I did something while trying to play with her earlier today.” Kathy thought for a moment. “She seemed interested in that stuffed bear Cairna gave her."
Tearach stared at her. “Stuffed bears don't cause us to change form."
"Well, I'm pretty new to this, Tearach. I'm just trying to find a reason why she'd do this now. Why she'd do it at all."
He began to calm down. “She doesn't seem to mind."
"No, she doesn't."
He studied her for a moment. Tearyn smiled up at him and he felt a sense of complete joy. “She's all right. Why do I get this impression of ... It's like she's playing."
"That's probably because she is.” Shayla stood in their open bedroom door. “Hand her to me. I've been wondering if she'd be able to change earlier than normal. I've sensed abilities within her that are unusual. She's developing much faster than I'd have expected."
Tearach handed the baby to the Sorceress and waited for her assessment. Kathy stood beside him, and he wrapped his arms about her tightly.
"You were right to send for me. Luckily, I was near, or you two would have certainly made an incident out of nothing. Why, I could hear you both carrying on from outside.” She took a look at the baby and laughed. “You're a little bug, aren't you?” She cooed to Tearyn and rocked her. The child laughed and chortled as if the entire world loved her and she knew it.
"My daughter just changed colors and you're telling us not to carry on?” Kathy put her hands on her hips.
"When Tearach said she was playing that was a correct analysis. I thought she might have this ability early on because of Kathy's blood. But there was no sense mentioning it since I couldn't be sure.” She tickled the baby's tummy and received a loud cry of glee. “This little minx is playing with the both of you. For some reason, she wants attention and has found a way to get it. I suspect she's tried it before, and just wasn't able to get it right until now."
"She's just a little baby,” Tearach pointed out. He ran his hand through his hair. “How could she consciously make a decision like that at this age?"
"I don't know that it is conscious. She's doing what makes her happy and gets her attention, just like any baby,” Shayla explained.
"And in her case, that's changing colors.” Kathy put her fingers on either side of the bridge of her nose and shook her head.
"And what's so wrong with that?” Shayla asked. “No one on this Earth is the same exact color."
"Even her eyes changed,” Tearach pointed out.
Shayla walked toward him, carefully bouncing the baby against her shoulder. “Is having a little girl who isn't green offensive to you, Tearach? Tearyn's eyes are now like her mother's. Does that bother you?"
"Of course not,” he bit out. “She's my little girl and I don't care if she's purple with horns and a tail."
"That's good,” Shayla responded. “Because she could be able to stay this way for a very long time. Longer than any Goblin has been able to."
Tearach looked at the older woman suspiciously. “If I suspected you of being crafty, I might say that's what you intended all along, Sorceress."
"If that's what you think, then why don't you try it yourself and see if my craftiness has worked."
"What are you suggesting?” He instantly knew the older woman had cornered him into something, and he was about to find out what. The Sorceress’ next words confirmed his suspicions.
"Why don't you change into human form and stay that way as long as the baby does?” Shayla taunted.
"Can that hurt him?” Kathy asked as she put her arm over Tearach's."
&
nbsp; "No. If he can't stay in human form for any length of time, he'll automatically change back, whether he wants to or not. No harm done.” She handed the baby to Tearach. “Take her hand and change. Let the baby's power guide you."
Reluctantly, Tearach knelt. He watched Kathy back away, and he held the baby close to his chest. “If this works, and I can stay human for longer than normal, I'll dance in the dark for you, Sorceress. Nude."
"Well ... that's a wager I simply can't refuse.” Shayla smiled. “Can I bring a few of my lady friends to watch?"
He rolled his eyes. “Whatever."
Kathy put her hands to her face as Tearach changed into human form. It had been so long since she'd seen him that way, it actually looked strange. It was like seeing an entirely different person. But the advantage of being able to shift into human form, and to stay that way for as long as he needed to, was obvious. He could go anywhere. It was worth the time it took to experiment.
"I'll see you in the moonlight, Tearach. I'll pick the place and time.” Shayla happily stole a small roll from his dinner plate, popped it into her mouth and walked out.
Kathy looked at the baby. She was still as white as a pair of dove's wings. And Tearach was very human. Except for his dark eyes. “Well, now what?"
He gazed down at Tearyn. “I really don't care, you know."
"Don't care about what?"
He shrugged. “That she looks more like you. She's beautiful and I love her."
"I know that. And so does she."
He sighed. “Well, I guess the wager is on, eh?"
Kathy took a deep, cleansing breath and exhaled slowly. “We might as well eat. It doesn't look as though our daughter is going to change back any time soon."
Tearach nodded in agreement, put the baby back in her crib and sat down next to Kathy. Neither of them spoke through the entire meal. They just watched the baby, each of them trying to get used to the change in her appearance.
* * * *
The length of a day came and went. Then, five days passed. Word of what was happening flew through the forest like a fall leaf. It was the focal point of all the gossip. The Goblin Leader, aided by his infant daughter, was able to sustain human form for longer than had ever been done. On the afternoon of the sixth day, Kathy woke up and quickly checked to see which Tearach slept beside her. She was quite used to keeping Goblin hours, as she referred to their nocturnal habits, but she was unused to sleeping with a humanlike Tearach.
She pushed back her hair just as Tearach sat up. “How long have you been awake?"
He shrugged. “I don't know. Half an hour maybe."
She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “Why didn't you wake me?"
"I like watching you sleep. And I think I'd better come clean about something."
Kathy's eyebrows shot up. “And what is that?"
He nuzzled her cheek and whispered into her ear, “I've never made love in human form. I like it."
Kathy burst out laughing and turned her face into the pillows. “Stop joking around.” She wiped tears of mirth from her eyes. When she looked again, Tearach wasn't laughing. He just stared down at her with a feral gleam in his eyes. “You're not kidding, are you?"
"No. When I make love in this form, I don't have the stamina, but I don't lose my ability to see either. And..."
"And what?"
He smiled, wickedly. “I like the way it feels. It's a bit ... exciting."
"Shayla has created a sex fiend?” she joked.
"Which way do you like it, Kathy?"
She chuckled. “My darling man ... my dearest, deepest heart ... I like it any way you can give it to me."
He smirked. “Then I'll give it to you every way there is."
"On that note, I think I'd better move, or we won't get anything done.” Kathy playfully pushed him away, got up and went toward the crib. When she got there, she took one look at her laughing, green daughter and chewed her lower lip. “Tearach?"
"Hmmmm?” he moaned as he stretched.
"Come look at what our daughter has done."
Hearing the strange tone in Kathy's voice, he quickly got up and looked at Tearyn. “How long has she been green again?"
"She may have changed last night. But you're still human.” She paused for along moment and thought it out. “That means you can probably shift into human form, and stay as long as you want, without the baby's powers. Whatever those are."
"This is Shayla's doing. She knew the baby's power, or influence, could cause this. But I don't understand how it works."
"Neither do I. Maybe we're not supposed to. A Goblin has never mated with an outsider. Anything could have happened."
"I wonder if Tearyn can change back to being a human child again."
"I'm pretty sure she can. Why?"
"Because, dammit! As soon as Shayla hears about this, she'll call a halt to this insane wager. I'll be dancing naked on her lawn for her and her friends to ogle."
Kathy put a hand to her face and tried to cover her grin.
"It's not funny."
Her shoulders began to shake.
"Do you want a lot of women watching me dance nude?"
"I-I'm sorry, Tearach. The Sorceress said I could watch, too."
He grabbed for her, but Kathy ran into the bathroom and closed the door. He had to listen to her laughing all the way through her shower. Tearyn smiled innocently, lifted her tiny arms toward him and kicked her feet. “Why would you do something like this to Daddy, poppet?” He ruefully smiled, shook his head, and prepared to let the Sorceress know she was right. Again.
* * * *
"Before I begin, I just wanted to let you all know that I'm doing this as an apology to the Sorceress. I've disobeyed her commands in the past. And wouldn't believe that she ... that she knows what's best.” He took a deep breath and hoped he could survive the humiliation ahead. “Without further ado, I hope you enjoy the performance.” He walked into the nearby woods to take off his clothes. Surprisingly, Tearach was met there by many other men of the Order.
Kathy chewed on her lower lip and listened to the Fairy harpists and those who played the drums, or bodhran, prepare. Women sat on the garden walls, drank wine and hooted for the evening's entertainment to start. She wondered if there was time to talk the Sorceress out of making Tearach do this, but he kept insisting that a wager had been struck and he would honor it. Lore, the Fairy Leader, and several others had teased him mercilessly. Even Rome had joined in the fun, but Tearach, stubborn and defiant, had insisted his word would be kept. She really wasn't comfortable watching these women stare at Tearach's nude body, and she turned to the Sorceress who sat, as regal as any queen, among her cronies.
"Shayla, I was joking about joining you in this. You know that don't you?"
She held up a hand and flicked it through the air in dismissal. “Wait, watch, and learn Kathy. Tearach is about to do something that will give more joy than you can imagine."
Frowning, Kathy couldn't conceive of how humiliating Tearach, her proud lover, could possibly do anyone any good. As other musicians gathered, her concern grew.
Soon, the women became anxious. Their shouts and hoots became more aggressive. She was reminded of a male strip club some friends had once asked her to attend. It was all in good fun, but no one knew those men. They performed in the nude for a living, not to end some silly bet.
Kathy was about to stand and put a halt to it. Tearach was leader of his people and had been through pure hell these past months. This, as far as she was concerned, was the final disgrace. Suddenly, the women applauded and began to shout.
"Look, Kathy,” the Sorceress called out, “Tearach isn't alone."
Torch light appeared from the woods. Tearach led a group of scantily clad men toward the shouting women. Some wore only a leather pouch, like the one Tearach sported, or loin cloths. Each of them looked like a Pagan god, coming to seek pleasure. The music began and the men circled. One of the Druids raised his hand toward a pile of firewood in th
eir midst. The fire started slowly, then rose. The torches were thrown into it. Women joined their men and began disrobing in careless abandon. Kathy looked on in amazement. This wasn't something Cairna's teaching had explained. What custom was this?
By the firelight, she recognized some of the men and women. Even Cairna and Rome were there. Owen danced wildly with Maureen. Their bodies all undulated to the sensual beat of the drums. Thankfully, there were no children present. Shayla had instructed some of the younger girls to collect them all, including Tearyn, and take them to the castle nursery. She'd understood it was so Tearach wouldn't be seen by eyes too small to understand such adult activities. It seemed, however, that many of their fathers joined in the dancing, along with mothers, lovers, and anyone who could find a willing partner. The night might be cold, but bodies glistened with perspiration. It seemed they'd keep warm through dancing—or other activities.
She scanned the crowd for Tearach and tried to blend in, though it was becoming increasingly difficult to do so with her clothing still on. “Dammit, what's going on?” she muttered to herself. Strong arms embraced her from behind. Kathy let out a cry of surprise, and turned to give whoever it was a well-placed knee to the groin. But Tearach stood there grinning boyishly. It seemed he looked ten years younger and Kathy couldn't help staring.
"I guess all this came as a bit of a surprise, didn't it?"
"Will there be some kind of orgy or something?” She glanced around at some of the people dancing totally nude. Wine flowed freely and men carried women into the nearby woods.
"I guess it must seem that way. But let me explain."
"Please do,” she urged.
"Let's go somewhere a little less public.” He waved a hand at the careening dancers, and propelled Kathy toward a garden wall. Once they were in a more secluded spot, he began. “When I went into the woods to undress, some of the men met me there. It seems they didn't want me dancing nude in front of their women. I explained that since I'd opened my big mouth, I was honor bound to face the consequences. So it was agreed between them that we'd all dance nude. I was shocked, but it made me feel like I wouldn't ever have to go through anything alone again.” Tearach shrugged, and then he laughed gleefully. “These people are my friends. I've only just realized that I was never alone, even when the worst was happening. Even the men I fought when I got back from Exmoor were there. They've forgiven me. I can make mistakes, and it's all right to do so. More importantly, the Goblin race will survive. You and Tearyn have given us the gift of life and a way to move safely about in the world. And I can't hate the outside anymore for what three men did. There are good people out there. People just like you. And I know it's really over. Like you said, I-I finally don't blame myself for having survived Exmoor."