They’re going to kill Dónal. I need to do something, but what?

I am not strong enough to fight them, and getting closer is dangerous because if they spot me, I am dead. I could wait for Charles, but even if he was moving at top speed, it would be a least thirty minutes up and back to get the omega owl.

So that begs the question what should I do?

Pausing for a moment, I say, “Should I even do anything?”

This whole Dónal debacle will simply make our escape easier, and knowing how prideful those beastkin our, I am sure they will have a big celebration after killing him, which just increases our chances of escape.

In all honesty, we know our plan could end with him dying for his blunder of letting us escape anyway, so how is this really any different than that?

Unlike Charles, Dónal means nothing to me, so this shouldn’t be an issue. Suddenly imagines of my wedding flash into my mind, and from my head, I take the blue flower dowsed in Nero’s blood, then say, “Dammit.”

-Break-

Location: A few meters away from the River Lúide

Φ Taken my head, Ryan smashes it against the ground then says, “Look down there, you see that. It’s the pathway we are going to use to redirect River Lúide, and it will be your final resting place.”

Cian says, “It was dug out by his favourite humans, so I doubt he would have an issue with that.”

Finn says, “I bet that if we buried him in a pile of their sit he would still be happy.”

Hurt with my head pinned to the ground, I say, “It would still be better than sleeping around you bastards again.”

My words incited fury inside all of them, causing Daniel to start stomping on my head while saying, “Shut the fuck up breastmilk.”

As he finishes stomping on me, he says, “Don’t forget guys this is our last chance to finally beat on this piece of shit so don’t pass up your chances.”

Soon all the other beastkin around me, start to take turns beating me so viscously that I feel like I am at home. But despite their beatings the thing in that moment that was causing me the most pain where the tears falling out of my eyes.

My entire life I had been pathetic and when I finally gained something valuable, I wasn’t even strong enough to stand beside him. I had finally gained power, I had finally gained the ability to hold up my head.

But now it is gone, so I had wished to at least retain some of that strength when I died, but here I am just crying as I always do when faced with something hard. The truth of my life is that I have never been a failure at anything, I was just unworthy of happiness.

As Dónal lays there with bums, bruises and blood covering his body, Ryan kicks him into the moat, then says, “Let’s start the redirecting of the river.”

Φ From a distance away, I look upon the beastkin and say, “I got the gist of their plan from overhearing them, so let’s hope my plan works.”

I shout in their language, “OF THE TWELVE RED BRANCH FAMILIES, RONALD FUINSEOG HAS ARRIVED.”

Their plan hinges on that they need a high-ranking beastkin who is friends with them to rule Dónal’s death an accident, but if a high-ranking beastkin who isn’t friends with them was to launch the investigation it would end up bad for them.

This is risky because to my knowledge Dónal and his brother don’t have the best relationship, But I doubt they know that and regardless of that if his brother were to die most people would assume he would launch a personal investigation.

The second risk is if they pick up on my voice they could tell I am a human, but without a doubt, I am sure these guys don’t listen to human voices enough to be able to tell I am one, especially from this distance.

“WE ARE GOING ON AN EXPEDITION TO FIGHT BARBARIAN TRIBES TO THE NORTH AND HAVE STOPPED TO RESUPPLY. OUR LORD HAS REQUESTED A MEETING WITH DÓNAL FUINSEOG IMMEDIATELY!”

Φ Suddenly all of the beastkin in the area panic, then Cian says, “This is nothing less than a disaster.”

Rory says, “Why did it have to be him, and why did it have to be today?”

Brain says, “We’re going to die, we’re going to die.”

Daniel asks, “How do we even know that was true, maybe it was someone playing a prank.”

Finn says, “I knew you were lame Daniel but at least try and use you’re brain. The dialect used was something only people who were formally educated would use, so only nobles and no one on this plantation except for Dónal meets the qualification. So what is being said is true.”

Paul looks towards me and asks, “Ryan what are we going to do.”

“I-I don’t know.”

Cormac says, “What do you mean you don’t know this was your plan, you are supposed to make sure everything works.”

I grab Cormac, and say, “When did you start getting mouthy to me, remember that no matter the situation you will always be under me you got that.”

Looking past Cormac, I see all the others staring at me with contempt and muttering things under their breath.

Listening in I hear Brain say, “Why should we have to pay for your plan?”

Letting go of Cormac, I punch Brain then putting my foot on his head, I say, “Listen here, if I go down we all do. That is a fact, there is no chance that they will differentiate whatever lies told and will just kill us all. So we are all in this together.”

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Turning my head to Cormac, I say, “You wanted a plan, here’s your plan. Let’s all run as far and as fast away as we can, if we all go and run towards the countryside we will be able to hide.”

Cian asks, “But we would have to do that for the rest of our lives.”

“WE HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE! It is either this path or death, and every moment we spend discussing this decreases our chances of actually getting away.”

All of the people around me calmed down and then start to show their agreement to my plan.

“Now let’s go.”

Φ Looking from the distance, I say, “It worked! Now I should get going.”

As I move to walk away, I turn back and say, “Thank you.” Then leave.

-Break-

Location: Campsite

Φ Tapping my foot against the ground, I start to panic. “Mariana, Charles where are you two idiots.”

Throughout my body terror spreads as ideas of what could happen to them, but before these thoughts reach their worst, I hear someone shout, “They’re back!”

Getting up, I move to the front entrance and see both of them, with the omega owl flying over both of their heads.

Letting out my breath of relief, I say, “It looks like nothing will ruin today after all.”

From really close behind me, I hear a voice say, “How would today be so important that the absence of those two could ruin it?”

All motion in my body comes to a halt. That voice, I know it. Among all of the beastkin’s voices, this one is eternally engraved in my mind. Behind me in this instance, is Bricriu.

Turning around slowly, I see his smiling face, and then he says, “Well if you won’t explain those two can.”

Turning and facing Mariana and Nero again, I see Beastkin grabbing both of them and leading them over to the rest of us.

“You look surprised by my presence, but I guess that is only to be expected considering how long I have been away, and me jumping over the wall and sneaking over to you probably didn’t help with that.”

Facing the rest of the people in the campsite, he says, “Still despite that you all look worked up, no you all look like you’re in despair. Why would that be?”

We all remain silent. “Nothing to say, what a pity. Though it doesn’t matter to me if you do or don’t, but these two will need to explain what they were doing out there.”

Both Charles and Mariana are brought in through the entrance, wasting no time Bricriu asks, “Could you both please explain to me why you humans were coming back so late.”

Mariana and Charles freeze. All the words Bricriu said were polite, but the fear of death hangs in the air, as if one misspoken word would be the end of every one.

Bricriu then grabs Charles's hand and says, “Your hand looks strained, and I can tell all of this was rather recent?”

With a delightful smile, Bricriu says, “I see, you two were probably doing extra work. How delightful, what passionate workers you are.”

Patting both of their heads, he says, “Good job.”

Walking to the entrance, he says, “Now I will take my leave, but it is a bit strange that there are no guards. So why don’t I give you guys some of my men, fifty should do.”

Bricriu then snaps his finger and then a group of armoured Beastkin enter our campsite. Then standing at the entrance, Bricriu says, “Now what do you say when someone does you a favour?”

We all stand there in silence, but then as Bricriu men draw their swords, I say, “Than-.”

Interrupting me, he says, “Don’t you think your head is a bit too high, and I am doing this favour for all of you so why is only one of you doing what I asked?”

Everyone starts to grovel on the floor, and say, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome! Now I will truly be on my way.”

As Bricriu leaves, it truly dawns on all of us that our plan for escape has ended before it even began.

-Break-

Location: Beastkin dorms

Φ Sitting on a stool Bricriu stares at the strung-up bodies of beastkin who have recently gone through extreme torture.

Raising his hand, he directs one of his men to plunge a needle into one of the beastkin nails. Then as that beastkin screams, Bricriu says, “It truly was arrogant of you to try and kill a member of the red branch, and then try to run away.

With tears flowing down he face Ryan says, “I am sorry, it was a foolish decision.”

Bricriu directs one of his men to hit Ryan, and then he says, “Oh please don’t lie about this, you see the note you wrote to Liam was rather malicious and meticulous in your plan to kill the Fuinseog.”

Ryan gives a glare to Liam, who responds, “Don’t look at me like that, it is your own foolish decisions that have led you to this outcome. Seriously you guys are morons.”

“Now even though your actions are unforgivable, I am willing to give you a pass because your letter to Liam gave me reason to return here. So if you answer my questions truthfully, I will at least leave you all intact enough so that you may all still be able to feel the touch of a woman.”

Ryan nods his head, so I ask, “Now tell me why did you run away?”

“We heard someone announce that Ronald Fuinseog had come.”

“Well, he hadn’t so whoever told you such a thing was obviously lying.”

“But the voice who said it was speaking in our native tongue, and it was a rather fancy dialect. So I assumed it came from a noble.”

I smile and say, “That is simply impossible unless a human learned our language. But that is yet again impossible, so you’re lying to me.”

Standing up, I say, “Continue their punishment.”

Walking away, I hear their screams and cries, and then Liam walks up next to me and says, “I don’t think they were lying.”

“I agree, but I need to make sure they understand treason will never be tolerated.”

“But if they die we won’t be able to get information.”

“There are countless sources of information, you just need to know where to find it.”

-Break-

The next day

Location: Campsite

Φ “Nero I am sorry.”

“I don’t care.”

“Please don’t be mad Mom.”

“I said I don’t care.”

Hugging me and pushing her body against mine, Mariana says, “Please forgive me!!!!”

Charles does the same, and says, “Please forgive me!!”

“Fine, but I don’t want either of you two doing something so stupid like that ever again.”

“Right!” They both say in unison.

Suddenly we all hear a loud ringing sound, and then here, “ALL HUMAN MOVE TO THE ENTRANCE!”

“This doesn’t sound like our usual get-to-work bell, this could be bad.”

Holding my hand Mariana says, “Don’t worry about such things, everything is going to be fine.”

“Your right,” I say giving her a smile.

As we walk out to the front entrance with all the other members of our campsite, we are greeted by Bricriu and his men.

Looking around Bricriu's eyes land on Charles and he says, “I have been given reason to believe that this boy right there has committed a horrible offence against my people by learning the language of the Tuatha Dé Danann. So you will be taken away.”

Immediately I walk in front of Charles, and say, “That isn’t true, Charles is too stupid to be able to learn another language, he struggles to speak our own.”

Bricriu, says, “Please be quiet, I have substantial reason to believe this, and the only two possible suspects for this are this boy and the girl right beside you.”

Making a gesture with his hand, his men start to push through the crowd of us and take Charles.

Trying to stop them, I am hit right in the face and sent to the floor.

This causes Charles to say, “STOP!”

Charles tries to force the beastkin to let go of him, but five of them hold him to the ground and stop him from moving.

The Bricriu says, “Oh you’re rather strong. Since this may be an issue, you should take of an arm and a leg from the boy.”

The beastkin draw their swords prepared to slice into Charles, but before their blades hit him Mariana yells, “Stop!” In the Heroes song.

I stare at her, and say, “Stop Mariana.”

Looking at me, she says, “Sorry Nero.” Then faces Bricriu and in the heroes song says, “The one you’re looking for is me, so leave them alone.”

Bricriu smiles, and says, “That is all the evidence, I need. Take her away.”

The beastkin grabbed Mariana and led her through the entrance, and I scream, “MARIANA!”

But my screams and cries are pointless as she is taken away. I continuously start to breathe in and out until I can’t catch my breath anymore and collapse.