Moonlight (10 page)

Aowyn crashed into the water toward them, wading knee deep. They surrounded her.

Lorgaire turned his head from side to side.
Aowyn. You’ve changed.

Aowyn watched him, confused.

Caoin Croí swam around her.
My, yes.

Rógaire honked and playfully nipped Aowyn.
Look at you. A girl no longer.

Aowyn shook her head. Her brow knit.

Gaze into the water,
Lorgaire urged.

Aowyn waded a little deeper and gazed at her reflection. She had lost her baby fat. The camber and lines of her face were defined and handsome. There was a curve to her waist and roundness to her hip. She folded her arms over her chest self-consciously.

Caoin Croí swam over to her and nudged her elbow.
Do not hide yourself.

Choróin came up beside Caoin Croí. His neck arched.
Brothers, our sister has become a swan
.

Rógaire honked joyfully.
Wynnie, you are beautiful.

Aowyn glanced between the four of them. Her shoulders hugged her ears as her cheeks flushed.

Lorgaire circled his brothers and sister.
You were pretty before, but oh! To behold you now…
.

The four brothers lined up before her and touched their heads to their chests regally. One by one they repeated the same reverent phrase.
My queen
….

Aowyn’s brow lifted as she took in a breath.
Queen
.

Their happy reunion ended abruptly when Choróin’s head lifted, and he flew toward the bank.

Aowyn turned her head as her brother rushed angrily toward Xander. Lorgaire, Caoin Croí, and Rógaire followed, hissing their displeasure.

Aowyn rushed to the shore and stood between them and Xander as she had once stood between Xander and Eagnaí. She spread her arms protectively and shook her head. She wished her brothers could hear her plead with them. She wished they could know how Xander had become a friend.

The swans stretched and snaked their necks.
Him!

Murderer.

You took our brothers.

You killed our baby.

Aowyn knelt before the swans and clasped her hands near her heart, shaking her head to try to show that they should forgive Xander.

Why?
Rógaire hissed.
Why should we forgive him?

There is no way he can right such a wrong
, Choróin honked.

Aowyn sat back on her heels and wondered how she could prove that Xander was a decent person. Her sight settled on the spot where Eagnaí and Stór were buried. She glanced at Xander, then back toward the trees. Aowyn held up a hand to her brothers. She turned to Xander and grabbed his wrist. She yanked him around to the other bank and began digging. She waved her hand to suggest Xander aid her.

Xander crouched beside her and helped until Aowyn produced the gold chest. She brushed off the earth from it and showed her brothers. The swans waddled slowly and touched their beaks to the chest. Aowyn wondered if it would be enough.

Choróin blinked at Aowyn.
You would have him bear it to the cairn
?

Aowyn motioned to herself. She would have the help she needed at last to bring her brothers to their rightful resting place.

Lorgaire and Rógaire asked if this would be acceptable to their eldest brother.

After a period of contemplation, Choróin nodded to Caoin Croí.

Caoin Croí gurgled,
Go, Sister. I will sing their swan song.

Aowyn held the chest under one arm and took Xander’s hand. She knew he did not understand, but he followed her willingly. Caoin Croí lifted his head and began to sing as Aowyn and Xander walked away.

The Cairn of the Ancestors lay less than five leagues from An Cuan Áille. Aowyn made her way solemnly, and though her arms ached after some time, she did not pause to rest or lay aside the chest. Xander hung beside her. He did not ask where they were going or what they were to do.

It occurred to Aowyn that Xander might follow her anywhere. She swallowed a lump in her throat and readjusted the chest in her arms.

At last they made their way into the cairn and wound their way down toward the Chamber of the Kings. The air was still. It did not feel as though the sídhe wished them to leave today. Still, Xander drew his sword warily as the hairs on his neck and arms came to attention.

Aowyn kept her eyes forward until at last they arrived beside Sulwen. Aowyn lifted her head as she fought back the dull ache in her heart. It had been over a year since Sulwen had passed away. Though Aowyn still felt sorrow, time had diminished it. She blinked painfully and knelt beside her mother.

Xander glanced between Aowyn and the body. He did not know who she was, but he dropped to one knee beside Aowyn.

Aowyn ached to speak with her mother and tell her all that had happened, to say how she wished she were still here to guide her. Especially now that Aowyn knew she approached her fullness as a young woman and future ruler.

Carefully she moved to her mother’s feet and fit the golden chest in the darkest corner where it would remain safe and unseen. She felt in her heart that Sulwen’s spirit would guard it. Eagnaí and Stór belonged in this place of honor and birthright amongst the ancestors. Aowyn kissed her fingers then laid them upon the chest.

She folded her hands and bowed her head in prayer, silently asking for the ancestors to protect her brothers and aid Sulwen in her stewardship. She got to her feet and made her way out of the cairn with Xander.

When they emerged, the sky was inky purple. The moon waxed full and large and bright as firelight. The forest surrounding the cairn glowed with brilliance. Aowyn gazed at the moon and noticed two new, shining stars beside it.

Xander’s hand slipped into hers.

Aowyn’s breath caught. Nervous energy flowed through her. She wove her fingers with his. The moon glowed brighter, and the two new stars twinkled.

As the summer months approached, Aowyn spent only enough time at the castle to check on her father and more and more time with her brothers and Xander. Watching Ciatlllait’s belly grow sickened Aowyn. Normally Aowyn enjoyed summer, but the oncoming heat only reminded her time dwindled, and a new heir would inherit the crown. It troubled her, but she kept distracted enough to avoid completely agonizing over it.

However, Aowyn noticed something strange about Ciatlllait. The bigger her belly got, the more tired and weaker Ciatlllait became. She remained testy, but did not come across with the will to exercise total dominion. Aowyn began to wonder if the pregnancy might be taking more out of Ciatlllait than a normal woman. Aowyn wondered if it was affecting Ciatlllait’s powers.

Aowyn sat brooding about it one night, oblivious as Xander came to the shore of An Cuan Áille and lowered himself beside her. He had learned to keep quiet on nights like these. Aowyn beheld the moon and the two stars beside it. If Ciatlllait was growing weak, it would be the ideal time to strike.

Xander’s hand crawled over the loam and rested on Aowyn’s. He squeezed it gently.

Aowyn inhaled sharply. She blinked as she jostled from her reverie and offered a smile.

Xander smiled back and squeezed her hand again. He bumped his shoulder into Aowyn’s. “Tell me your name,” he whispered.

Aowyn looked away sadly.
You know I cannot.

Xander turned her face back to him. “I cannot call you love names forever.”

Aowyn’s brothers swam quietly in the water. They had begrudgingly come to accept Xander. Caoin Croí began singing in his swan voice which sounded more lovely and sad than many others of his kind. His brothers bobbed their heads and began to honk rhythmically.

A…

Oh…

Win…

Aowyn gazed out across the waters. She listened closely.

A…

Oh…

Win….

Aowyn’s eyebrows met. She leaned her head to one side.

Her brothers honked again one by one.

A…

Oh…

Win…

Aowyn glanced at Xander. She tilted her head towards her brothers. Xander listened closely to the song. One white swan honked a middle note. The next one went up on the scale. The black one honked lowly. The honks became more distinct in his ears.

A…

Oh…

Win…

Xander turned quickly to Aowyn. “Aowyn?”

Aowyn lit up and nodded emphatically.

Xander smiled brightly. His free hand reached for her cheek and pulled her close. He leaned his forehead against hers.

Aowyn’s heartbeat quickened. She shut her eyes and breathed deeply.

“Aowyn….” Xander murmured. His nose touched hers.

Aowyn’s lips parted.

Rógaire honked loudly.

Aowyn’s eyes opened, and she glared at the white swan.

Lorgaire and Choróin joined in. Their honks sounded like laughter. They gurgled and teased her.

Xander tossed a stick at them.

Choróin
hissed at Xander as his brothers scattered.

“Come now, feathers,” Xander called, “give me a little slack.”

Aowyn giggled and chewed her lower lip.

Xander’s gaze returned to her.

Aowyn blushed. She glanced down at their hands and wove their fingers together. Xander lifted their intertwined hands and kissed Aowyn’s, never taking his eyes from hers.

Aowyn leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder. She looked to mother moon and the two shining brothers beside her and for a moment felt whole again.

***

Ciatlllait had spies everywhere. Creatures in the forest to hide and see. Ears on the wind to learn and know. Voices on the sea to seduce and upend. Yet even with all of this, she could not find where Aowyn ran to each day. Of the whole of the Summer Isle, Aowyn’s secret place stayed secret, shrouded in a veil of fog and mist, impenetrable to all those unworthy to seek it.

Ciatlllait smacked her bowl of silver ichor and kicked at one of the braziers. It overturned and the ichor bled across the floor. She collapsed and clenched her teeth. Tears flowed down her cheeks. She cursed the monster she harbored in her belly and then wiped away her tears. Ciatlllait composed herself and struggled to her feet. She could not show weakness. She smoothed out her gown and lifted her chin. The silver fluid oozed around her. Ciatlllait flattened her palm above it. A green light wriggled from her hand slowly, and with much effort she moved the mess back into the bowl and reseated it.

Why? Why could she not see Aowyn? How long could she be protected? Aowyn had passed her fifteenth name day. Sulwen’s memory had to be fading. A mother’s love only stretched so far. When Aowyn could no longer feel that love, Ciatlllait thought the girl would be at her weakest, and she at last would stand victorious over her. The children of Aodhagáin would be no more.

Ciatlllait approached the wall of shadows and laid her hand against it. “Show me.
Show me how to destroy her
.”

Ciatlllait trembled as a vision sprawled out before her. Aowyn stood in the throne room beside a young man with black hair and brown eyes. They were hand-in-hand, united. Their wrists were bound to each other in the white cloth of holy union. That old, conniving smile crept to the corner of Ciatlllait’s mouth. Aowyn was at that age where young love could blind her. Ciatlllait knew her powers were waning, for she gave all of her strength to the creature inside of her, but an opportunity now presented itself.

Ciatlllait sneered.
Love
. It killed more people than war.

War. The young man. She had seen him before. She had been fighting against him over the last year. Ciatlllait began to laugh. It would be too simple. A thrill ran through her, for now she had options. She could drive a wedge between the two or marry Aowyn off. It would end the war
and
remove Aowyn far from the throne by sending her to live across the sea. Ciatlllait tingled. She could do
both!
She could unite them, give the girl time to develop love for this whelp, and then divide them. Aowyn would be so distraught that she would see no other choice than to end her miserable days. Allow Aowyn to do Ciatlllait’s dirty deed.

Ciatlllait enjoyed wielding power, but she disliked getting her hands dirty. That remained Sylas’s job. The thought of Aowyn taking her own life pleased Ciatlllait. It pleased her
very
much.

Love, the one thing protecting Aowyn, would ultimately be her downfall. For love made one weak.

***

Ciatlllait was weak. Aowyn saw it clearly. Summer was drawing to a close, and the she-witch would soon be in her childbed. The war had drawn to a stalemate. Aowyn wondered how long Xander could hold his men together. She wondered how she could tell them that she needed them. She found a way one night when Xander expressed his frustration on the matter. Xander paced anxiously as Aowyn sat on a log by the fire, listening. Men left Xander to either make homes in town or find a way to sail home to the Twelve Kingdoms. If his ranks were sparse before, they were bare bones now.