Flanna’s long hair was peculiarly tangled with reeds from the river and Alainn recalled her twirling her lovely hair in her fingers less than a day earlier. Alainn wanted to simply look at the hair and not allow her eyes to fall upon the rest of her. But Morag actually pushed her to her knees beside the lifeless body and without a spoken word made certain Alainn looked.
The fall had shredded her clothes, and the sharp rocks had torn them from her body. What remained of her ragged frock covered one breast, but the remainder of her body was completely exposed. The river’s water had thankfully washed away the amount of blood that she must have lost. Her skull was clearly crushed and her face not recognizable. Her neck was bent in a way that would suggest it had snapped. Surely half the bones in her body were broken. But worst of all, her body had been split open by the rocks as well. Along with many of her body parts that should have been inside her, the child that had been within her now lay beside her as well. Whether it had been ripped from her body by the force or she’d given birth upon her death, which occasionally happened during an injurious fall or mishap, Alainn wasn’t certain. She only knew the life cord was intact and the two remained joined.
Morag’s accusing eyes burned into Alainn’s back and she waited for the harsh words and the angry tone.
Instead, Morag’s voice was low and filled with both regret and wisdom. “You are young, leanbh cailin. ’Tis true, you possess magic and uncommon abilities, but you do not know the ways of the world, or the injustices. You believe people to be decent and good. Soon enough, you’ll learn they are more often not. You expect life to be fair even though your own life has not been entirely without difficulty. You are afforded the youthful judgment of one who has not yet experienced life or witnessed what I have in these more than ninety years on this earth.”
Alainn wanted to tear her eyes away from the young girl and her babe, but she seemed unable.
“You did not send the girl to the cottage in the woods for your Christian morals would not allow you to see a healthy, perfect child destroyed. You would not consider that to be a possibility. Now two lives are senselessly lost. I will not place blame on you entirely, for I well knew of your views on such matters. It is doubtful I shall ever change your views on this entirely, nor would I want to. We must all find our way and it would not please me if you did not use the brilliant mind you possess. Nor is it my wish for your loving heart to darken and despair, but you must assess each situation differently. You must always weigh the options carefully, and without judgment, not as what might be best for you and your conscience, but for the person who seeks your healing or asks your assistance.”
Alainn nodded and tears fell down her face.
“But know this, leanbh. This girl’s death is not on your head. It was not you who took her innocence, nor was it you who abandoned her. It was not you who made her stand on that high river bank by the darkness of night feeling there was naught to do but end it all.”
“But I might have sent her to the cottage in the woods and…” Her voice had cracked and the sobs had finally wracked her body.
Morag had then gently patted Alainn on the head, which was as much affection as the old woman had ever shown her.
“And she might have been one of the many who died from the bleeding that follows or the purulence that oft sets in later. We’ve both seen it before and sure we’ll see it again.”
Alainn had finally stood beside Morag, and as she brushed the grass and reeds from her skirts she’d stared down at the bent old woman whose eyesight had been failing even then.
“How am I to know what is best, Morag? How am I to take the responsibility for all that might occur regardless of the good intentions of my decisions?”
“You do what you feel is right… for them, not you, as I have said. Use your knowledge as a healer and use your magical intuition, Alainn. Although I oft advise against it, your powers are a great advantage to you as a healer.”
“Do you know who fathered Flanna’s child?” Alainn asked.
“I cannot say for certain, but I suspect it was her uncle. He’s been known to be at young girls before.”
“Why hasn’t anyone done anything about it?
“He’s a man of some means, a brother to the chieftain’s tailor. He has a wife and sons. Sure the girls he’s accosted were not willing to risk being accused of speaking falsehoods, and even if they were believed, it’s unlikely he’d meet with but a slap on the wrist or a tongue lashing. We live in a world ruled by men, and men are always favored no matter that a good many of them are deplorable.”
“What can be done about it? What can we do, Morag?”
“Well, sure we can’t do much about the state of the world and how grimly women so often fare, but maybe we can do something for young Flanna.”
“How can we help her now?” Alainn had said through regretful tears as she’d stared down once more at the lifeless body of Flanna and the child.
“You will use your abilities, Alainn, and when we know for certain it was her uncle who did wrong by her, I’ll simply add some hemlock in the elixir I mix for the pain in his legs.”
Alainn’s eyes had filled with disbelief at Morag’s words.
“If precious unborn children continue to be killed at an alarming rate by the crone in the woods to hide the shame of the young women defiled at the hands of lewd, depraved men, and we’re helpless to do much about it, with your assistance we will at the very least seek our justice for poor dear Flanna and her wee babe.” Morag said and, for the first time ever, the stoic, usually emotionless old woman had tears in her eyes.
*
While Morag lived, Alainn had still chosen to send the women in need to Morag who in turn sent them to the crone in the woods, and Morag had been entirely in agreement with that arrangement for she knew how it wore at Alainn’s heart to know innocent children would never be born because of an adult’s choices or lack thereof. After Morag died, Alainn had on more than once occasion begun to send those desperate women to that very crone in the woods, and at times she had been forced to heal the damage done when the uprooting had been especially difficult, but always she would recall staring down at the body of Flanna Burke and her unborn child. The image would influence her judgment from that day forward when she needed to make critical, difficult decisions and, no matter how many years had passed, it would haunt her always.
Alainn had known in her heart she would never ever be driven to ending the life of a child she carried, but, alas, as with so many circumstances in her life, there were no certainties even when magic was involved.
The brutal pain she was feeling brought her back to her present unenviable predicament and strangely she saw the spirit of Flanna Burke even now standing beside her. It was certainly not unusual for Alainn to see spirits. In truth, they were so plentiful and consistent at times she did not acknowledge them or perhaps even allow herself to dwell upon them. But this time it was as though her dwelling upon Flanna and her sorrowful misfortune had summoned the specter. Alainn thought Flanna might wear an expression of blame or accusation when Alainn hadn’t assisted her in her dilemma, or perhaps even smug satisfaction that Alainn was now in the same position she’d been, needing an unwanted child ridded from her womb.
However, Flanna appeared not much changed from the last time Alainn had seen her in life. She was noticeably melancholy and filled with hopelessness even after so many years had passed since her death. That in itself added to Alainn’s already grim countenance as she watched the old woman beside her now placing her ineffective tools within her pack.
“You cannot leave!” Alainn pleaded in a pain-filled voice. “You must see this done!”
“It canna be done, milady! You’ve lost too much blood already, and you’ll lose your life-blood entirely if I should continue.”
Alainn wanted to argue further, but instead she simply nodded, aware the irksome yet intuitive woman spoke the truth. The old crone scurried out of the chamber as though she might be snatc
hed by the palpable evil within the room if she remained one moment longer.
With the woman gone and Alainn and Danhoul silent, the chamber had become eerily unsettling.
“We must summon the gods!” Danhoul suggested as Alainn finally straightened her skirts and attempted to rise from the table.
She felt undeniably light-headed as she glanced at the large amount of blood upon the cloth beneath her. She longed to heal her wounds by way of her magic or to terminate the bleeding at the very least, but was hesitant to call her magic even to save her life. She considered that might truly be the only way to prevent this child from ever being born. If she died now, the evil would die as well.
Danhoul clearly heard her forlorn and hopeless thoughts and she responded in a noticeably feeble voice. “Although it may have been an ill-advised and ineffectual, I’ve been tryin’ to summon the gods for I fear we are soon to be without a means to thwart this evil!” Alainn assured him as he took her hand to assist her. “But when I attempted it not only did I sense the evil within me growing, the pain became worse as well. I believe the unborn child, the demon or someone connected to it, can cause me excruciating pain!”
“Then I will attempt to summon them.” Danhoul responded.
“You shall need to summon Aine. If she is protector to all women, I would suggest I am in need of protection at the moment and she did once inform me the gods may need to attend to this.”
They barely had a chance to contemplate whether the fairy goddess would answer his summoning pleas when they saw the huge bright orb appear in the room. Soon the glowing circle of light transformed into the fierce-looking goddess with her armor, sword, and shield. Though they had both seen the female entity many times before on earth and in the realm of the gods, Alainn noticed how Danhoul gazed at the goddess.
She felt undeniably intrusive and uncomfortable as she awkwardly heard his thoughts in observing the goddess’s lengthy golden blonde hair not unlike Alainn’s blonde hair. He was noting many similarities between the two women. He openly stared at the female in an odd manner and Aine clearly noticed as well for she turned and glared at the young man.
“’Tis hardly the time to be gazing at me so unabashedly, young Danhoul! Remove those lustful thoughts from your mind immediately! It is not as though you have not laid eyes upon me before, although I sense your male desires surging within you. Perhaps it is only the natural primitive urges found within a man, but I sense the demon may have inflicted further lust within you, for if you are in a constant state of lusting, your mind will not be keen and your powers may be affected also. It is high time you took a woman to your bed before you end up ravaging my great-granddaughter. That would surely cause a great rift between you and her husband, further weakening your ability to keep Alainn protected. Although, admittedly, if it had been you she had shared a bed with, perhaps she would not be in the quandary she now faces.”
“How would it matter who fathered the child? With the dagger so filled with a vengeful curse how would the paternity affect what evil is within the child?” Alainn sniped in a less than cordial manner.
The two women looked at each other with seriousness, and Aine’s sword and shield disappeared as she stepped toward Alainn.
“If Danhoul had sired the child, the cursed dagger would have caused a certain amount of darkness in the child’s soul, but the young druid’s goodness and his magical abilities would have fought against the evil. Even if your husband had been the one to sire the child, the situation would not be so grave. Although you may not be aware of it, your husband possesses a certain amount of abilities himself. Guardians always do, and his mother was magically gifted but because her own mother died when she was only a child, she was never schooled in honing her skills and mostly chose to conceal her abilities. They were never perfected as they might have been.
“Your husband’s soul is without malevolence so we would perhaps be capable of saving the child. But, as it stands, with you giving yourself to the unquestionably nefarious king of England, there is no hope for this abominable child, and it remains to be seen if even you shall live through the ordeal!”
Danhoul’s head turned quickly to stare at the female with uncommon displeasure.
“What in hell do you mean, she won’t live through this? She’ll live no matter what means we must employ. She did not survive the damnable cursed dagger to simply die because she carries a child! And you dare to suggest she simply willingly ‘gave’ herself to the bloody king.”
The anger and emotion in the young man’s voice and on his face were clear as he continued with an outraged tone. The fairy goddess held up her hand and though Danhoul’s mouth still moved, no words could be heard.
Alainn smiled despite herself, even knowing Danhoul was defending her, and she found herself near laughter desperate the dire situation and the inappropriate time. She finally looked at Danhoul once more and she could no longer suppress her laughter. She began to laugh in earnest. Danhoul’s eyes grew large.
“Has she gone mad?” He finally found himself able to speak once more.
“I am sane enough,” she managed, “I was simply thinking I must attempt that feat next time I do not care to listen to you and your lectures, Danhoul Calhoun!”
“And you think this is the time for laughter then, do you; when your own kin and the strongest of the fairy goddesses fears death may soon be upon you?”
“Aye, well, sure I’d as soon meet with death than have Killian learn I carry the despicable king’s evil child, or deliver this evil into the world, so if Aine cannot undo this predicament, this may be the last time I experience laughter and then I simply pray my death will be swift.”
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Alainn, you sound resigned to death!”
Aine stepped nearer to her and placed her hands to Alainn’s belly. She drew in her breath and Danhoul saw the light radiating from the female’s hands.
“You are aware the use of magic strengthens the powers of the being that grows within Alainn?”
Aine nodded her head but continued.
“It is hoped the powers of a goddess will have different results.”
Though her face remained grim, and Alainn jumped at the heat that was searing through her, the other female continued and all three remained silent.
“The old woman might have caused your death or certain barrenness at the very least, Granddaughter! I should have been made to come to you before this day.”
“I have been attemptin’ to summon the gods for nearly a fortnight, Aine!”
“Aye and I did attempt to come to you earlier, but, as you have gleaned, the council of the gods is often unwilling to intervene with dealings of a human nature. In their defense, they do remain otherwise engaged, dealing with the ramifications caused when you were in our realm. War has long-lasting and far-reaching effects even in the realm of the gods. I had thought the Fomorians had finally agreed upon a truce with the Tuatha de Dannan, and this one might hold, but it was short-lived and once more they are battling. I have been attempting to settle the unrest by way of discovering a peaceful solution. But I did not know your situation had become this severe,” the goddess reluctantly admitted.
“Aye, but can you not sense when Alainn is in grave need, then?” The young man snarled, “Especially when she is supposedly a great asset and apparently vital to the gods. Would she not be worthy of saving?”
“I am the protector of all women, Danhoul. Have you any notion how many women need my assistance each and every day? And you are as belligerent as her husband in your dealings with me! Were you not her druid guardian and a necessary element in her life, I might teach you some manners in how to address your elder.”
Aine looked at the young man with interest and Alainn remembered how she had gazed at Killian in an identical manner when she and Killian had spent their honeymoon in a fairy glade back in Ireland. Aine had admitted to her she had always found human males to be unusually appealing, which was why she’d uncharacteristical
ly mated with a human and that union had produced Alainn’s grandmother, a tweenling, half-goddess and half-human.
“And if you were not so hopelessly in love with your charge, you would be of greater benefit to her. You cannot employ your powers to their best degree if you are yearning and lusting after her every moment!”
Danhoul’s face turned a bright crimson and he averted his eyes from both females.
“Then you might choose to entirely wipe away my memories of the past lives we have lived together,” Danhoul whispered more to himself than the goddess.
“Aine, you needn’t be so critical of Danhoul; he has protected me on many occasions. He and Killian have saved my life more times than I can calculate.”
“When you are through defending your guardians, you might employ your powerful magic to assist me.”
“But his evil darkness spreads when I employ my magic,” she argued.
“It grows at an alarming unnatural rate now with magic or no. Together, we must accomplish this and see it gone from you. Envision the unborn child being swiftly and painlessly expelled from your womb. Although that may wear at your mortal conscience even knowing what evil it possesses, know this, my kin, should this child be born and grow to become a man, he will cause the end of anyone you hold dear to you. He will destroy all that you love in attempt to make you turn to the dark side of the powers and assist him! It has been foreseen. And I am aware you have witnessed these dire truths in your own visions.”
Alainn’s heart filled with fear at remembering the most disturbing vision. She had clearly seen the unborn child, now a grown man, and he had indeed caused the death of everyone dear to her, including Killian and Danhoul, and with that dismal consideration in mind she called upon her powers to assist the goddess. She felt a sharp pain and a deep burning within her. Aine called to their male companion.
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