Celtic Rain (The Battle Raven Series)

by Isabelle Stewart

  “Just a quick look. After that we will go.”

  “Do you really think that’s a good idea?” Lara asked and looked at Aodhan. His eyes lingered on Lara’s emerald green eyes for a second and looked back at Scanlon.

  “What do you think? Do you know of any area close where we can get a good look without being spotted?” Aodhan asked

  Scanlon’s eyes looked over the area. “There is a deer trail that is pretty

  well hidden on the way to the Milesian camp. The spot I’m thinking of is surrounded by tall brush. It should cover us all as long as no one minds getting a bit dirty.”

  Eion saw the stubborn look on Aodhan’s face and gave in. “Lead the way. Just a quick peek and we leave. I still do not think it wise. Will there still be daylight left to train?”

  “We should arrive at the camp just after the noon meal. It will not take as long as you think to get to the spot.” Scanlon said.

  As they were walking single file on the path, Scanlon noticed that Kedryn was directly behind him. He slightly turned and clapped Kedryn on the shoulder.

  “Why so silent and ominous?”

  Kedryn shrugged and looked at the ground as he followed. After a couple of miles of trudging through brush and grass on the small winding dirt trail. Scanlon led them to a bush covered area near the forest on the edge of the Milesian camp. Just as he said it was far enough away and close enough where they could get a good look at the Milesian army.

  Scanlon got down on his hands and knees and started to crawl. The rest followed after through the thick brush. The area cleared out and they were all able to move to a sitting position. Packs and bags were taken off. They all lay down on their stomachs on the wet grassy ground glimpsing through the sparse tall brush in front of them.

  Kedryn separated the brush in front of him further with his hand and saw the tiny spots of tents, bonfires and men. He broke out of his lull.

  “Are those binoculars still in your pack?”

  Lara let out a small laugh surprised she hadn’t thought of them herself. She pushed herself up and reached over to her pack and started rummaging through it. Pulling out two sets of tiny fold up binoculars she looked them over.

  “Good thinking. It looks like we’re going to put your Uncle Shane’s Christmas gift to good use.” she handed a pair to Kedryn and looked through. “There are so many.”

  “Can I have a look?” Aodhan asked

  Kedryn handed his to Aodhan and watched as his mom gave hers to Eion.

  “Amazing. The purpose is not much different from our spy crystal. This is much more effective. Everything is so much clearer and closer.”

  “Take a look by the main fire. Liam is talking with General Kayne.” Aodhan said.

  “Interesting. Take a look.” Eion said as he handed the binoculars to Scanlon.

  Scanlon peered through the tiny binoculars “Handy. I could have used these ages ago. His eyes swept over the whole Milesian camp taking in all of the details.” he handed them back to Eion.

  “I agree. I always thought Liam was the spitting image of his father. I would swear it was Tormey standing right there.”

  “You thought the same of me.” Aodhan said as he watched Liam pace by the bonfire.

  “My mind was in a weakened state. I see now that there is more of Orla in you. Liam though, not sure much of Grania in him.” Eion’s thoughts traveled off and he handed the binoculars back to Scanlon.

  “It looks like they are having a disagreement about something.” Scanlon said.

  Down by the huge bonfire Liam was trying to convince General Kayne that he should go and take a look at the army General Ruark had formed. He wanted to see if he would get a glimpse of any type of formations they would be using in battle.

  “They have not changed. There is no need for you to go.” Kayne crossed his arms annoyed with Liam’s rash ways.

  “I know what our scouts have told us Kayne. I would like a look for myself.” Liam said agitated.

  “I can not approve of you heading out by yourself. You are needed here. Nothing can happen to you.” Kayne said just as he kicked a log back into the bonfire.

  Liam reached up and rubbed his head. “It is only a short tracking excursion. I will not get too close.”

  “Heading out before sun down is dangerous. You could be spotted by one of their scouts.” Kayne turned away from Liam. Tormey would never be so reckless on the day and an eve before battle. Of course he couldn’t be sure since there hasn’t been a battle in centuries. Even in the little skirmishes with the Danann through the years Tormey showed his skills as being a less reckless leader.

  Liam waived a hand in front of Kayne’s face “General Kayne. Are you still with us?”

  Kayne shook his head and turned to look at Liam. “Yes.”

  “My point is that I want to see the men not how many campfires they have. I also want to see how much of a threat the woman among them is.”

  He gave Kayne a serious look. “I could leave here and be back without any of you being the wiser. I thought I would bring it past you first. I respect you enough for that”

  “I am asking you to respect my advice. Do not go.” General Kayne looked at Liam’s determined face and let out a huge sigh.

  “Very well. Niall and I will go with you.”

  “No. You must stay. The men need to stay focused and I would rather go alone.” He decided to let Kayne win this time. “As you wish. I will notify Niall. We will make our preparations to leave.”

  Kayne noticed Liam’s annoyance at having to take Niall along. “He may be young but is the best. He will not slow you down.”

  “I realize that.” Liam said stubbornly and started to turn from him and the bonfire and walk away.

  Aodhan gave the binoculars to Lara.

  “Looks like they worked it out. General Kayne looks none too happy.” Aodhan said.

  Lara decided to get another look and focused around the bonfire to see what and who everyone was talking about. She followed the man walking away from the bonfire and he turned around facing in their direction. Lara felt her heart break all over again and took in a deep breath feeling as if she couldn’t breathe. Kedryn looked over noticing she couldn’t catch a breath. He had only seen her like this once before and was about to shake Lara and she started speak.

  “No. no. no.” she kept repeating. Lara had dropped the binoculars shoved herself up to her knees and put her head down with her hands on the side of her head. “It can’t be. It just can’t.”

  “What is it?” Kedryn put his arm around her shoulders. He saw that she had turned ghost white and when she didn’t answer he picked up the binoculars and looked in the direction that she had been.

  “Holy Shit!” he said.

  “What?” asked Eion, Aodhan and Scanlon said at the same time. “Hold on a second let me adjust these in closer. I want to have another look.” Kedryn said as he looked through the binoculars.

  “Who is the one with the shaved head and the tat’s?”

  Lara said with a shaky breath “Wash. It’s Wash.”

  She took in a couple of deep breaths to calm herself down. Lara was determined to not completely break down in front of any of them.

  “Who is this Wash? That is Liam down there.” Aodhan said.

  “I will explain later. Get Lara out of here. Scanlon, can you go ahead and let General Ruark and Lord Blaine know we are on our way?” Eion asked.

  “Sure.” Scanlon said as he gave Lara a look of concern and grabbed his bag and scooted back out.

  Kedryn squatted by Lara and waited a couple of minutes before he tried to start to bring her out of it. He wanted to see if she could do it on her own. He finally squeezed her shoulders and started talking to her in a quiet voice.

  “Mom. You need to get up. It’s not Wash. Wash is dead. It’s not him.” he patted her back and tried to get her to quit rocking and sit back. Finally she sat cross legged on the ground with her head still between her hands.

  “Y
ou’re right. I know …” she looked up at Kedryn shaking.

  “It’s ok.” Kedryn said.

  “OhmiGosh. It just threw me off guard. I know it can’t possibly be Wash. Not unless I’m seeing a ghost.” she took in a couple more slower deep breaths.

  “Faolan is utterly devious. We should get going.” Eion said and started cursing in a language they wouldn’t understand.

  “What do you mean?” Kedryn asked as he listened to Eion’s rambling realizing by the sound of it he was cursing in another language.

  “Let us get your mother to the camp.” Eion said.

  Lara took in a deep shaky breath “I’m ok. Let’s go” she reached down for her pack and shrugged it on.

  “Ok my butt.” Kedryn whispered.

  Aodhan got on his knees and crawled his way back out of their cover and stood up. He watched as the rest of them came through and offered his hand to Lara. She took it and stood up on her legs wobbling from the shock. Lara noticed all of them looking at her with concern. She straightened her back, angled her chin up and looked at Aodhan.

  “Lead the way. I’ll be Ok. Besides, the troops can’t see the “Lady Battle Raven” looking like a torn up mess.” she looked up at the sun that hit the high point in the sky.

  Aodhan put his hands to the side of her head and kissed her forehead tenderly.

  “Let’s get out of here.” Aodhan said as he pushed some of her hair behind her ear.

  Eion and Kedryn exchanged a look both wondering if a bit more happened in the cottage that night.

  The next few miles were a daze for Lara. She remembered them asking how she was and her shaking her head yes or no. Other than that their conversations were a blur.

  Eion asked Aodhan if he minded if he took Kedryn aside and ask him a few questions. Aodhan agreed and put his arm around Lara’s shoulders walking her ahead of them. Eion and Kedryn backed away enough where they would not be heard.

  “Tell me about Wash. I need to know everything.”

  Chapter 18

  As Scanlon predicted they started making the climb to the top of the camp of the Tuatha de Danann around noon. Lara looked up and saw three small pavilions decorated with shades of deep blue, emerald green and dark maroon. All had intricate designs in silvery white that she couldn’t quite make out. The larger pavilion amongst them was a dark chocolate brown trimmed in gold. It looked to be constructed of three smaller round pavilions connected by arched covered hallways. The pavilions were placed on a hill facing East above the Duir plain looking over the rest of the camp set out on a sloping hill below that rolled down to the plain.

  Aodhan led them to the entrance of the large pavilion and walked up to two men standing outside talking. Scanlon was one and the other she had not met yet. Lara watched Aodhan nod as he bypassed Scanlon and headed straight to the other.

  “Devlyn it is good to see you. Where are my father and General Ruark?” Aodhan asked as he clapped him on the back.

  “Straight to the point and demanding as usual.” Devlyn said as he smiled and slapped him on the back. He looked over the party that stood before him and walked to where Eion was standing.

  “Glad to have you back.” Devlyn said as he clasped forearms with Eion.

  “You do not know how good it is to be back.” Eion said

  Devlyn’s eyes moved to Lara and stopped. He immediately stepped over to her, took her hand and kissed the top of it. His face turned up from her hand and he gave her a huge grin and glanced at Aodhan.

  “This lovely woman must be the Lady Battle Raven.”

  “Back off smooth talker.” Aodhan said giving him a wary look.

  Devlyn let go of Lara’s hand and glanced Kedryn’s way. “Picking up stragglers along the way?”

  Aodhan gestured to Kedryn. “This is Kedryn. Lara’s son.”

  Kedryn held out his hand and Devlyn clasped his forearm in welcome. “You have a good firm grasp. You any good with a sword?”

  “Well, I do my best.” Kedryn said.

  Devlyn let out a laugh and shrugged. “Kedryn was a surprise to us all. Your father and General Ruark are in the war room looking over some maps and still sorting out some of the details.”

  Devlyn paused at the entranced and turned “I suppose I should warn you. Bevin is here.”

  “What? Why? I thought she would stay where she was at the palace in Milburn. Not here.” Aodhan said.

  “Apparently Bevin and Liam do not agree on a few things and Dillon is here. It seems he changed his mind about which side he wanted to be on.”

  “Dillon. Here? How on earth did that happen? Having Christian with us put a dent in Liam’s plans. Now Dillon? Does Carrick know that Christian and his wife are here yet? He did not say anything about it when we were in Tralee and I did not wish to go against Christian’s wife’s wish to surprise her sister.” Aodhan said.

  “Carrick knows now. Christian wanted his defection kept quiet. I am just as surprised his wife has not rushed off to her sisters with them so nearby. As for Dillon. He followed Bevin here. She fled the palace shortly after her father died.” Devlyn said a little irritated he had to keep something from the former General.

  “Who’s Dillon?” Kedryn asked as he leaned Aodhan’s way.

  “He is the one she wants to marry.” Aodhan said.

  Kedryn belted out a laugh. “Awkward . . .”

  Devlyn pulled aside the flap to the entrance and Kedryn noticed that on one side there was a huge golden griffin with its wings spread for flight and on the other side there was a proud loin ready to leap. As they followed Devlyn through the entrance into a large sitting area he turned sharply. They walked into what looked to be the war room that had maps scatted all over a large wood table. A diagram of different battle plans were pinned to the canvas wall. Aodhan walked over to his father who was standing beside the table looking at some of the maps. Kedryn watched as Aodhan hurried over to his father’s side and felt a twinge of jealousy. He missed his family and friends.

  “Father, it is good to see you. You look well.” Aodhan said as he stepped up beside him to look at the map his father was studying.

  Blaine turned and pulled Aodhan in a bear hug. “I am very happy to see you.” He looked at everyone in the group “All of you.”

  Eion stepped up to Blaine and did what Lara considered the manly hug thing.

  “Better late than never”. Eion said as he walked up beside Lara and said in close to a whisper. “Doing any better?”

  She whispered back. “I’ll have to be. There will be no rest on the battle field. Besides, we will get some rest tonight.” she watched as Aodhan turned away from his father and stepped over to where they stood. He cleared his throat until he got everyone’s attention.

  “Gentlemen, This is Lara Eve O’Broin and Kedryn Ashton O’Broin.” he gestured to the men they had not met yet.

  “Lara and Kedryn may I present my father Lord Blaine MacCionaoith, General Ruark Callahan, and outside you met Devlyn Hughes.” Aodhan said as each man gave a nod as their names were spoken.

  Ruark walked up to Kedryn and looked him over. “How are you with that sword boy? It looks to be Milesian.”

  “I can hold my own sir. It is Milesian General Carrick thought it fit my fighting style”

  “General Carrick. You must have some skill if he presented you with a sword. Right now you will bunk with the soldiers.” He turned to Scanlon.

  “Your bunk is still open in Devlyn's tent. Kedryn will be bunking with Doyle and Lawler. Show him where to drop off his pack and take him to train with the men.”

  Lord Blaine looked Kedryn over. “That is a good plan. After we see him spar we will know where we can use the Lady Battle Raven’s son during the battle. Scanlon you know where to find Doyle and Lawler.”

  “Yes sir. I will show him the way. Kedryn let’s see what they are up to.”

  Kedryn glanced at his mom. She waved her hand and gave him the signal to go and she watched as they stepped out of the room. Ruark turned
his attention to Lara.

  “Lara, Devlyn can take you to the training area. Devlyn, get a group of your best men together. I wish to see how the Lady Battle Raven uses her power of confusion.” Ruark looked at her up and down.

  “I think we can do better for armor also.” Blaine said.

  Eion stepped over to the table and picked up a map and set it down again. He should have worked more with Lara instead of Kedryn and he was kicking himself a bit for that. He wondered what would happen if she didn’t catch on quickly and decided to fess up.

  “Lara still is in the learning process with the power of confusion. I have not completed her training. I have been training with Kedryn. It was a failure on my part not to see to it sooner.” Eion said.

  Ruark tugged on his beard. “This will be interesting. Lara, you can train with the men until I’m finished with Eion. Aodhan, I would like for you and Eion to stay here and give us your viewpoints on the strategy that has been devised.”

  Blaine took a sip of water and his hand shook as he sat it down. “Devlyn, take The Lady Battle Raven down to the armor’s first to be fitted.

  Christian will have his work cut out for him. I m certain he could mold a chest plate that will fit her. This will be a new record for him if he can do it in a day and a half.”

  Devlyn looked at Lara. “Yes it would be. His wife is away for the day. She could help later with some new clothes for you if you wish my lady.”

  “I think it a good idea that you should see to some comfortable boots. Ones where the laces stay put.” Eion said.

  “These are perfectly comfortable. Don’t worry I’ll double knot them.” she said and winked at him she watched as Devlyn turned from the plans at the side of the tent and walked her way.

  “This way my Lady Battle Raven.” He held out his arm and she looped hers through his. Devlyn turned his head giving Aodhan a sly grin and wink. Aodhan returned it with the best glare he could muster up.

  Ruark turned to Eion. “I will only keep you for a few minutes. After you can head down. The battle will start the day after tomorrow and have decided to give the troops the day off. I have received word that Liam will honor the Day of Rest. We will join you shortly.”