A Witch's Destiny

by Leigh Ann Edwards

  “You carried two children within you, created in healthy passion and mutual love.”

  Aine showed her a vision of herself great with child, her hands placed lovingly to her belly and she appeared radiant and beaming happily in anticipation when she carried Cian. The next vision was of her newfound joy when she carried the girl child whom she’d sadly carried for only a few weeks.

  “I thought your intentions were to make me less maudlin, to have me count my blessings. Reminding me of my lost children is hardly uplifting.”

  “And were you not overjoyed with each movement you felt with your son? Were you not blessed to look upon his sweet face and hold him in your arms? No matter the grief and heartbreak at losing him, were you not honored to have carried him? Did your heart not soar at feeling the girl child when she first moved within you?”

  The tears poured down her cheeks and she nodded at Aine’s unfailing intuitiveness, for no matter the pain she felt in having lost them, she would always treasure carrying those two precious lives within her and rejoice in the memories of the sensation of their movements.”

  “There is a young druid down this very corridor who would give his own life to protect you, and has done so on numerous occasions in the lives you have lived together. Even though his heart is filled with unspoken love for you, he has never been anything but respectful and helpful though he has no more say or control of his life than you.”

  Danhoul’s strong face appeared before her and she watched him fondly as he pushed his blonde hair from his eyes. She grinned in spite of herself at seeing his familiar common gesture.

  “Telling me Danhoul is in love with me, especially now that I know my mother and his father were half-siblings is surely not the wisest consideration if you hope to lighten my heart or unburden my soul.”

  The Goddess simply spoke on. “You have the rare gift of seeing spirits and conversing with them as well. You have formed a distinct bond with spirits and consider yourself fortunate for having them in your life, which is entirely uncommon.”

  Soon the image of the faces of Shylie, Diadra, and once more Morag, were shown to her.

  Aine continued to show her many more visions of the numerous people she had healed through the years, the people who had lived and thrived because she had been a learned healer, a magical healer.

  “You have brought health and wellness to not a few, Alainn, and you felt pride and gratification in the many years you have served as a healer.”

  “I did not ever claim a difficult life, or that I hadn’t known much joy and have many reasons to be grateful.”

  “But you must hold on to all those benevolent memories now, when everything around you and within you seems bleak and dark, hold on to those memories, those people who have enriched your life and nourished your soul.”

  Aine purposely had not mentioned Killian in all of this, and that tore at her heart. Maybe Aine felt mentioning him would cause her greater pain or perhaps she knew that this time what was broken between them, would not ever be capable of being mended. She surely was wise and intuitive enough to know that if she summoned an image of Killian’s face, with his green eyes so endearing to Alainn, it would only cause her heart to shatter even more, and surely undo all she had accomplished in calming her.

  “It is nearly time,” Aine stated.

  “Aye.” Alainn nodded and stood without hesitation even knowing she was quite possibly taking the last steps before she would meet death.

  Aine was clearly contemplating something for she appeared deep in thought. “I shall return directly,” she simply said.

  *

  Many hours passed and dragged unbearably. Alainn reasoned it was certain torture to keep her waiting for such a lengthy time. She couldn’t begin to determine what was taking so long for Aine to return. Alainn had intermittently paced the floor, stared out the window, and sat down on the bed, numerous times throughout the day. Now Alainn stood and gazed out the narrow window and estimated the sun would soon set on Samhain, the time when magic was plentiful and unbounding… the day that was to hold mystical promise.

  She sighed deeply and attempted to keep her thoughts from Killian. Yet, she fell short on that count for her mind inevitably often went to him. She wondered how he fared, for when last she’d looked into his eyes she had seen a tortured man sorely damaged. Her breath caught in her throat and she contemplated going to him even now. But she once more envisioned his wounded body and pained eyes and she simply longed for Aine to return so they could do this, and be done with it one way or the other. She felt the movement in her belly and the now familiar pain that accompanied it.

  She started when the door opened without warning. Aine stepped inside the chamber and she wore an odd, unreadable expression on her face. Instead of the always confident, unwavering goddess, she appeared flustered and uncertain.

  “This is highly irregular and I am sure to meet with more displeasure and harsh reproach from the gods for my actions. In truth, I may be banished from my realm forevermore, but no matter, my youngest kin. I feel this will surely be the greatest inducement to bring you hopefulness.”

  Alainn stared at the goddess as though she’d lost her mind, for she had no notion as to what she referred to. Aine must have caught Alainn’s doubtful expression for she actually smiled and then continued with her hurried explanation.

  “Be warned, he has no knowledge of your identity. I leave that to you to inform him. We thankfully recently discovered his precise location and I have gone to the future to retrieve him. He is a gifted searcher and an important asset to the gods”

  “Whatever are you speaking of, Aine?” Alainn confusedly asked. “You intend to have me take audience with the searcher who saved my life? You bring my father to me now?”

  “I was unaware you had come to know his true identity?” Aine appeared startled, but she once more left the chamber and Alainn went to the door now undeniably curious at speaking with her father and possibly telling him of their connection.

  She was about open the door and peer out, when it was flung open. She jumped back when she saw the tall man she’d met twice before. But this was the first time she’d seen him since she knew he was her father, therefore she stared at him watching his every movement and taking in every detail.

  His hair was honey blonde, a shade or two lighter than her own, and shorn in an unusual fashion. He possessed a rugged face, undeniably attractive with blue eyes much darker than her hers that held a distinct seriousness. He was surely twenty years her elder for his forehead and the corners of his eyes held the creases that accompany perhaps nearly four decades of life. He wore peculiar dark colored garments. His trews were nearly to the floor and his tunic was shorter than most and now tucked within his trews. On his hip he possessed an odd weapon. Alainn assumed it was a weapon for it was held in an object similar to a scabbard, yet much smaller.

  “Hello,” he said a hurried acknowledgement as he entered the chamber, but he left the door open and he looked out the window to assess the hour as though he might already be impatient to leave.

  “I’m not sure what Aine was thinking for she knows I’m really incredibly busy. I’ve told her a dozen times; I don’t have any time to train another searcher no matter what magical powers you might possess. I doubt Aine will be very popular with the gods if they find out she insisted I come back here when I’m on the trail and so close now.”

  Alainn stood staring at the man as he paced back and forth as she’d done only moments earlier and he didn’t actually look at her.

  He rubbed his hands together not in nervousness, but simply in impatience at wanting to get back to what he had been doing. Alainn recalled her grandfather often did just that. She stared at him and she recognized many similarities to her grandfather and to her cousin, Rory.

  She sat down upon the bed for she felt light-headed and unsure what to say to him.

  “I’m really not clear why Aine insisted I come to see you, but she said it was important, so h
ere I am.” But still he looked toward the door and not at her.

  Alainn remained sitting on the bed gazing more toward the floor than at him when he briefly looked toward her for the first time.

  “We’ve met before; you’re the magical witch who is supposed to be crucial to the battle with Odhran. I’ve saved you a couple of times. What trouble have you gotten yourself into now?” he jested and grinned broadly, but continued to stand near the door as though he didn’t have time to waste on some foolish woman with magical abilities who continued to find herself in need of saving.

  “If I’m supposed to train you to become a searcher, I admit, I really am honored, but there are others just as capable in training searchers and right now we are so close to finding Odhran, I know we need to keep on before the leads get cold.”

  “You have made progress in your search for Odhran?” she queried and it was the first time he heard her voice.

  He turned sharply and when he glanced toward her his face grew pale and he stammered. “You look so much like my young sister, Shylie. I can’t believe I didn’t see the resemblance before, although admittedly the previous two times we met, you were in serious danger. I just wanted to save your life so I really didn’t spend time looking at you. But now, I see how very much you are like Shylie, and your voice is remarkably similar as well. My god, can it be? Are you Siobhan’s daughter, and therefore my niece? Is that why the gods want me to train you because you possess some of the same druid abilities as Siobhan and me?”

  She looked up into his face and the early evening sunlight pouring through the window caught her unusual light blue eyes. This time he actually staggered backwards and had to lean against the wall to steady himself.

  “Mara,” he said under his breath. “Your eyes are so like hers.”

  She stood and slowly drew nearer to the astonished man. “You are Teige O’Rorke?” she asked in a quiet voice.

  “I am,” he said, still uncertain of who stood before him.

  “I am Alainn.”

  “Alainn?” he said and he repeated it, “Alainn. Lovely or beautiful in Gaelic,” he stated.

  “Aye, my mother, Mara named me …”

  “Mara is your mother, but you look so much like Shylie. If Mara is your mother, then… sure I am your father.” He finally understood as it dawned on him.

  He looked as though he might have been punched in the belly, so taken aback was he, but he slowly walked toward her to stare down at her and to allow the truth to sit with him for a time. He hesitantly touched his hand to her long golden hair.

  “How can this be? Mara was killed when she carried our child.” His face went from anguished to hopeful and back again.

  “She lived, but was told the same cruel falsehood regarding your fate.”

  “And is she alive even now?”

  She nodded and his eyes revealed his relief and his deep confusion.

  At that precise moment, Aine came through the door and Alainn estimated she wore the broadest smile she had ever seen upon her usually stern face. “Your daughter possesses much powerful magic, Teige. She is one of the predicted three. We were unable to inform you of any of this for it may have put all of you at risk. Even now, it was perhaps not the best of notions, but Alainn required one truly hopeful moment. She needs to hold on to hope for the future.”

  “You couldn’t have told me that Mara was alive and that I have a daughter? You allowed me to grieve all this time when I could have spent many years together with them?” His fury was evident on his face, and Alainn recognized she often wore a nearly identical expression when she was enraged.

  “I know you will both be experiencing many of your human emotions and that you are certain to have numerous questions. One day, they are sure to all be answered, but for now, Teige, you must return to the future. It must be so. I have risked much to bring you here this day to meet your daughter, and should the council of the gods discover the truth of it, you know what punishment I may face.”

  “You can’t expect me to go back now when Alainn and I have just met. I have so many questions. I want to learn more about you and your mother.” He looked at Alainn with a gentle smile on his face.

  “And I you,” Alainn whispered as she clasped her hands together nervously.

  “You wear a ring?” he observed. “You are married?” he questioned even though Aine was directing him to the door and insisting he leave.

  Alainn’s face must have clouded, she lowered her eyes and he noticed.

  “Has the bastard been unkind to you?” His hand went to the odd weapon he possessed.

  When Alainn did not reply, Aine answered for her. “Alainn is wed to Kieran’s son, Killian.”

  His brow lined with consternation and then he looked at Alainn once more with doubt in his eyes. “You’re really married to Killian?”

  Alainn nodded.

  “But I thought he’d been killed. That’s what we believed. Clearly that was a lie as well. Wow, this is all overwhelming, and just a little too much to comprehend. Kieran’s son, Killian O’Brien… he was only a feisty wee lad when I left.”

  “He’s not wee any longer, by any measure,” Aine suggested.

  “Kieran is a great guy, always kind and respectful of women, I wouldn’t have thought his son would be anything less, but clearly he’s done something to make you look so upset. Maybe having his father gone for so long he didn’t inherit his good-natured demeanor… Wait, was Killian sent to be raised by my sister and her bloody husband? Siobhan is a good caring woman, and I’m sure she would have raised Killian with as much love and diligence as her own sons, but that bastard of a husband is so much like his immoral father. It’s no wonder Killian turned out to be a clout if he had no decent male role model in his life.”

  “Killian is an honorable man and a loving husband. I could not have fared better in being wed to any other!” Alainn boldly stated in Killian’s defense.

  “Alainn and Killian have recently been dealt some grave hardships. But, Alainn speaks the truth; her husband is a good man, as good as his father in many regards.”

  “I can’t wait to tell Kieran that his son Killian is alive… and that our children are married?” He smiled at that thought.

  “It would not be wise, Teige, or he, too, would desire to return and it is said the two of you are close to discovering the truth surrounding Odhran and where he is located.”

  “Killian’s father is with you in the future?” Alainn’s face must have shown her surprise as her jaw hung open.

  “He is. Kieran’s wife and daughter died of fever, and only a few months later he thought his two sons were killed as well. That’s the reason he finally agreed to become a searcher. Like me, he thought he had lost nearly everyone he had ever loved, that this time period didn’t hold much for us here.

  “When Aine told me with using my magical abilities, I would be capable of assisting others and righting wrongs, and going to the future, I agreed. I’ve been doing this for nearly two decades. Then about six years after I had been recruited, Kieran appeared through a portal as well. It didn’t take me long to convince him to stay and help me as a searcher. We have worked together all these years and managed to save many people and thwart much evil. The last few years have been dedicated to finding Odhran and the many demons he sends out to aid him.”

  Teige smiled once more and couldn’t help but stare at his lovely young daughter and her resemblance to both his late sister and to Mara.

  “Why were you in a prison in Scotland?” Alainn queried although there were surely a hundred other questions she might have posed to him.

  “That’s a very long story?” He grinned again.

  “There is no time for further discussion, you must return to the future before it is discovered I have summoned you here. And I must take your daughter before the council before the sun sets upon this day.”

  “You’re taking Alainn before the council? For what? That sounds ominous. Are they already sending her to the future
as a searcher without proper training? But what of Killian, you can’t intend to separate them. Christ, that would be cruel! Is that why you were so sad when you mentioned Killian?”

  “It is not something that you can attend to, Teige O’Rorke. There is no time. Go back now and do what you must do, and one day soon enough, it is hoped you and your daughter will surely be reunited.”

  “You do plan to send her to the future?” His face grew both pained and excited with that knowledge.

  “It is as I have said; she is the first of the three.”

  “The most powerful?” he said in a quiet tone.

  Aine nodded and urged him to head to the door.

  He briefly took Alainn in his arms and held tight to her for a moment and then looked into her eyes once more with combined joyful pride, and regret. She pressed her head against his strong shoulder for a moment, holding tight to the memory of his protectiveness, and then he hurried out the door.

  Chapter Twenty

  The urgency in Aine’s tone forced Alainn to follow though her legs felt leaden and her mind remained ever weary. She had believed she was prepared for this. Of course she wanted to be ridded of the evil within her, but her mind was on Killian and now on her father, the thoughts of Teige filled her with a glimmer of unexpected hope. She longed to be able to tell Killian his father still lived and it was as she had always believed even though it had seemed, farfetched at the time. Their fathers were truly together. As she walked down the lengthy corridor, she was ever fearful she might not live to tell him. She stopped walking and Aine turned to beckon her forward.

  “You must tell Killian the truth regarding his father should I not be able to relate that information to him. And Kieran has a right to know his son is alive as well.”

  “He cannot know, Alainn. It would only endanger him and perhaps impede the discovery of Odhran’s location.”