May it be made of 100-year-old oak,
And may we plant the oak tree together, tomorrow
~ Old Irish Saying ~
Sean had been very skeptical when Ashling claimed that not he too might be gifted with magic. He’d almost come to terms with the fact that she was a woman with magical gifts. The way she could read his mind, and the amazing medical cures he’d seen her perform in Rundimahair, had convinced him that she was someone very special. The part about him having such gifts was going to take a lot more convincing.
They were back in his room at the bed-and-breakfast, after walking on the beach until well after dark. She was still trying to explain how they knew that he too was magically gifted.
“The truth of it is, we didn’t save you on that stormy night outside of Rundimahair,” she explained. “We felt someone tap into the invisible, magical, protective sphere that surrounds our fair town. That should have been impossible, even if a very powerful wizard made the attempt.”
“But that’s my point, Ashling. I’m not Merlin the Magician or any other type of make-believe wizard,” he said.
“What makes you think Merlin was make believe?” she asked with a teasing smile. He was Scottish instead of Irish, which is a sad misfortune for him. Still and all, he was a very powerful wizard in his day.”
“I’m not even going to go there,” Sean said. “Let’s stick to one absurd notion at a time, shall we?”
“The only thing that’s absurd is you trying to deny the truth that’s as plain and true as you are stubborn. Bye the bye, that mile-wide stubborn streak in you only proves my point. Only an Irishman could be that rock-headed stubborn, and that’s the truth of it, Sean Quinn.”
“So, you’re saying that I somehow touched a magical globe that surrounds Rundimahair and used its power to save me from going off into the ravine?”
Ashling sighed deeply and said, “The fact that you’re sitting here being stubborn instead of dead at the bottom of that rocky ravine should easily prove my point.”
Sean stared into her eyes intently and realized she was telling him what she believed to be the truth. “Maybe I struck your magic force-field with my SUV and it somehow turned on the magic that saved me and my car,” he said.
She sighed deeply and said, “It doesn’t work that way, Sean. Don’t you think that we’ve exhausted our minds trying to explain what happened? Why do you think we let you stay in our town?”
“I’ve been wondering the same thing,” Sean said. “You could have just let the accident take its course and I’d be dead and gone at the bottom of that ravine. That would have saved you all of this trouble.”
“Sean Quinn!” she shouted. “How could you believe for one moment that we’d let you crash into that ravine? Sure, and it’s true that you’ve been a major pain in our backsides since you showed up out of the clear blue sky, but that’s beside the point.”
“What is the point, Ashling?”
“The point is that we hold all life sacred. It is the most precious gift we’ve received from our loving Creator, and we would never willingly take someone’s life.”
“What about that dragon?” Sean asked.
“Dragon? What dragon are you jabbering on about ya’ silly mortal?”
“I vaguely recall an ugly flying reptile soaring through your kitchen. The dreadful thing could breathe fire and had made a serious mess of your kitchen. If I’m not mistaken, you blew it to smithereens in a shower of sparkling, colored stars, or something like that.”
Ashling rolled her eyes and said, “You weren’t supposed to remember that part, which just proves my point. Only someone with powerful, latent magic in their blood would have ever recalled any of the memories I removed.”
“Maybe so, but I’m just saying that you were willing enough to take that gross thing’s life away,” Sean said, smiling.
“May the good Lord preserve me from persistent fools,” she muttered.
“That’s not an answer,” he replied stubbornly.
“For a man with magical, Irish blood flowing through your veins, you’re sure and true as dense as a fence post, Sean.”
“I don’t think insults will help–” Sean started to say before she cut him off.
“If the shoe fits then wear it, you big eejit!” Ashling shouted.
Sean stared at her in surprise now that he was seeing her temper up close and personal. He wasn’t sure why, but he just started to laugh.
“Oh, and what’s so funny then?”
“For such a fine looking and dainty woman, you’ve got a fierce temper,” he said, still chuckling.
She looked like she was going to take that temper to the next level, but somehow managed to rein it in. Ashling took a deep breath and said, “I’m afraid it’s true that I inherited the fiery temper of the Cahir clan.
She looked so frustrated and contrite that Sean stepped forward and put his arms around her. He felt her stiffen briefly, before relaxing into his arms. After a moment, she put her arms around his waist and said, “Ah Sean, I couldn’t be sorrier if I tried.”
“Don’t worry about it, Ashling. It’s been an emotional discussion from the start. It’s not like we’re talking about the weather here. We’re talking about things that didn’t exist in my life until I met you.”
She pulled back a little, looked up into his eyes and said, “I’m sure you rue the day you met this hot-tempered Irish girl. By the bye, I didn’t slay that crazy little dragon, although he well and sure had it coming. I just banished him back to the realm he came from.”
“So, you would never take a life under any circumstances?” Sean asked.
Ashling rested her head on his shoulder and sighed heavily. “I wish I could say I’ve never taken a life, Sean. The truth is that I have taken the lives of those who were trying to destroy our people.”
He kissed the top of her head and said, “Then it was self-defense. Even the bible tells us we can defend ourselves and our loved ones. I see no fault in that.”
She was quiet for several moments until he heard her weeping softly. Finally, she said, “What you said is true, Sean. Still and all, I wish it could have been otherwise.”
After a few minutes passed, she stepped back and wiped her eyes. She stared at him intently, before finally saying, “I wish there were another explanation for what happened to you Sean. Believe me when I tell you that my Da and I looked for any other explanation for the past few months.”
Sean held her gaze and slowly began nodding his head. “But you couldn’t find one?” he asked.
Ashling shook her head and said, “It isn’t just the accident, Sean. When I laid my hands on your head, I knew in my heart you had magic in your veins. What I didn’t realize is just how powerfully our magic runs through you.”
“If you say it’s true, then I believe you. Tell me this if you can. How could I have not known about it until now? I’ve not had any other experiences like this until I met you,” he said.
“This type of magic can lay dormant your entire life, Sean. Someone like you, who lives in the human world, could have easily lived and died without ever knowing what you were truly capable of.”
“Unless something triggers it?” he asked.
“Or the Creator of us all decided he needed you in this fight, Sean.”
“What fight are you talking about, Ashling?”
She hesitated for a moment before saying, “I think we’ve covered enough for one day, Sean. Let’s save further enlightenment for another day.”
He started to protest, but then realized he really didn’t want to know more right now. Sean smiled and said, “Good call, Ashling. What you’ve told me gives me more than enough to think about.”
“I agree, although there is one more thing I must warn you about.”
“Why don’t I like the sound of that?” he said warily.
“Trust me when I say knowing this will make your life much easier.”
“So you say,” he said, smiling.
/> Just as Ashling was about to explain, the door to their room suddenly burst open. Actually, the door was smashed into pieces which were flying all over the room.
“Get back, Sean!” Ashling shouted, as she used some of her magic to divert the chunks of door flying at them.
Sean was about to comply when two massive, misshapen creatures charged through the space where the door had been moments before. They were both at least seven-feet tall and built like gorillas on steroids. Their muscles were bulging, and they both radiated a deadly menace as they rushed him.
The ugliest of the two freaks pushed Sean to the floor and charged Ashling. It felt like he’d been hit by a battering ram, as he struggled to catch his breath. He managed to get to his feet, but before he could help Ashling, the other foul creature grabbed him from behind.
“Time to die, little wizard,” the behemoth said, in a rough, scratchy growl.
Sean turned away from its grasp and realized that up close it was much more of a creature than a man. His face was deformed, and he had strange pointy ears. Not the kind of ears you see on elves in the movies. These were huge, misshapen things hanging on the side of his grotesquely large head.
The freak took a wild swing at him with a massive fist the size of a catcher’s mitt. Despite the thing’s size, he moved pretty quickly. Sean’s thought was to move out of reach, but for some reason, he did just the opposite.
With worry for Ashling’s safety his top priority, Sean stepped forward and tried to block the colossal punch coming at his head. He was only partially successful as the punch landed on his shoulder. The pain was tremendous, and Sean thought the punch might have broken some bones.
What happened next he would have little recollection of afterward. Sean felt a surge of power rushing through his entire body. It wasn’t just an adrenalin charged fight-or-flight reaction. This felt more like his body was suddenly charged with a thousand volts of electricity. The growing fear of a slow and painful death was abruptly gone. He could hardly believe it, but Sean was actually looking forward to a good fight.
* * *
Ashling used a very ancient spell to arrest the forward movement of the creature attacking her. She hadn’t seen this type of beast before. Even so, her magic paralyzed it in mid-rush.
If she’d had more time, she might have tried to banish it back to where it had crawled out of its hole. With Sean under attack, she went for the quickest result. The spell began applying fierce pressure within the sphere she had the monster trapped in. In less than two minutes, the creature was crushed into a bloody pulp. She pushed it back into the netherworld where she could dispose of it later.
When Ashling turned to help Sean, she was shocked to see him engaging the creature in hand-to-hand combat. Even more surprising was that Sean was kicking the mountain of muscle’s butt. She breathed a sigh of relief, realizing more of Sean’s magic was coming to life.
She watched in amazement as Sean moved with inhuman speed. He struck the creature in the head four times, before it could even try to return a blow.
Next, he did a ninja-like flying drop kick that hit the behemoth in the throat. The ugly, man-like creature roared in anger and charged at him. Sean thrust his closed fist at the center of the beast’s exposed chest.
Ashling watched in wonder, as Sean’s fist punched through flesh and bone with little resistance. She knew it was a fatal blow and quickly encased the creature in a sphere that kept the bloody mess from splattering all over the room. She banished him to the same place as the other creature. Ashling would deal with them both later.
She suspected what was coming next, so she rushed in and put her arms around Sean, just as he collapsed. Ashling knew what it was like to experience the first flashes of magic. When the magic withdrew, it left the user completely exhausted and unconscious for hours.
With surprising strength, Ashling carried Sean effortlessly to the bed. She put him down gently, before sitting on the edge of the bed beside him and softly laying her hand on his right temple.
When she tapped into his physiology, Ashling realized he had a broken collarbone, several deep muscle and bone bruises, and a severe sprain to his right ankle. She could also see two deep cuts on his neck. After putting him into a deep sleep, she began repairing the damage. Ashling had never been more grateful for having the healing magic as one of her strongest gifts.
* * *
Sean opened his eyes as bright sunlight touched his face. For a few moments he wasn’t sure where he was. When he realized that a beautiful, auburn-haired woman was sleeping beside him, with her head on his shoulder, the crazy memories from last night came rushing back.
He recalled the two freakish, ugly twins who’d burst into their room with murder on their dimwitted minds. A ferocious fight followed, where Ashling crushed one creature and he somehow beat the heck out of the other freak.
He looked at the gentle beauty lying on his shoulder and smiled as he thought of the fierce warrior she had been the night before. Sean chuckled softly, as he thought that had to be the strangest first date he’d ever experienced.
As he looked around the room, he realized that it was now as clean and neat as when he’d checked in. He nodded his head and smiled, realizing that Ashling must have done some serious magical house cleaning. Even the entry door, which had been smashed to kindling wood, was back in its proper place.
When Sean moved slightly to get a bit more comfortable, memories of fierce pain coursing through his body returned. He was sure he had a broken shoulder and possibly serious internal injuries. How he could have continued to fight was another mystery.
The bigger surprise came when he realized that none of the pain or injuries he’d sustained last night still existed. He could move his shoulder with ease and his ankle was good as new. No bruises or residual pain at all. Gratitude for Ashling’s amazing healing gifts filled his heart and mind. She was truly an amazing woman in so many ways.
One thing that her magic hadn’t resolved was that he smelled as bad as an angry skunk. He recalled that the beast he’d fought had a similar unpleasant odor. Some of the stench must have rubbed off on him.
“Time to take a shower,” he mumbled, as he carefully slid out from under Ashling’s head, which had still been resting on his shoulder.
He managed to get to his feet and turn back to see if she was still asleep. His heart did a flip-flop at the sight of such a beautiful woman lying asleep on his bed.
Sean must have admired her beauty too long, since she finally said, “Were you hoping I’d join you in the shower, then?” She didn’t open her eyes when she spoke, but there was a mischievous smile tugging at her soft lips.
“What? No, of course I wasn’t thinking anything like that,” he said indignantly, as he turned and headed for the shower.
“Sean, you should keep in mind that I can read your thoughts before you speak,” she said, as she slowly opened her eyes.
“And you should keep in mind that these days I can only speak the truth, Ashling. The thought didn’t enter my mind until you suggested it,” Sean said with a ‘got you’ smile.
“She barked out an entirely unladylike laugh and said, “Either way, you’ll be showering alone, so go wash that beastie smell off. I’ll be kind enough to burn those very foul-smelling clothes for you. There’s something about evil beast stink that just doesn’t come out in the wash.”
Sean smiled and muttered something about a crazy magical woman as he entered the bathroom. A few minutes later, he tossed his stinky clothes out into the hall. He wasn’t sure if she was kidding or not, but he really hoped she did burn them. The stink was truly appalling.
When he came out of the bathroom, wearing a plush, white robe, he was surprised that she rushed over to embrace him. “Oh my, it’s the Creator’s truth how I do love the feel of these soft and fluffy robes,” she said, as she snuggled close.
Sean was thinking the same thing about how much he enjoyed a cuddling embrace from this soft and beautiful woman. H
e also noticed that she smelled like a lovely flower garden on a fresh spring day.
Ashling looked up and said, “There are more efficient ways than showering daily to stay as clean as the day you were born. Still and all, some days it’s hard to beat a nice hot shower before slipping into one of these wonderful, soft, terrycloth robes.”
“That brings two things to mind,” Sean said, smiling. “First, I look forward to you teaching me more of your awesome magic tricks.”
“And second?” she asked playfully.
“Stop reading my mind, you nosy woman!” he said forcefully.
“Fair enough, Sean. I was still connected after our little brawl with the beasties last night.”
“Shouldn’t I be able to feel when you connect with my mind?” he asked.
“Only if I want you to,” she said with a playful smile.
“Not fair! Will I be able to learn to read your mind?” he asked, with genuine curiosity.
“Same answer,” she said, laughing.
“Only if you want me to,” he said, rolling his eyes.
“The truth of it is that I don’t know for sure if you’ll one day share my gift of reading others, Sean. If I had to guess, you will likely be as good as I am and then some,” she said seriously.
“I look forward to that day,” he said.
“Be careful what you wish for, Sean. Hearing what goes on in other’s minds can be as much of a curse as it is a gift. You’ll often find things there that you wish you’d never discovered,” she said with a sad expression.
Sean thought about what she said and the almost haunted look that momentarily crossed her face, before nodding and saying, “I can see your point, Ashling. Sometimes we’re better off not knowing what those around us are thinking.”
“Especially from those you long considered your very fine and good friends,” she added sadly.
Sean considered what was best to say next, remembering he could now only speak the truth. Finally, he said, “I’ll do my best to only think kind thoughts of you, Ashling. If I ever do think an angry or unkind thought toward you; please remember that it is only a momentary feeling. From what I’ve learned so far, I believe you are a fair and open minded woman, who prefers to think the best of others.”
Rundimahair: A new hero for a new adventure Page 9