Aislin lets out a weary sigh, wringing her hands anxiously. "Well...you see, brother, the child was inscribed with ritual markings by a...a vampiress, just yesterday. Some manner of pagan rite to purge the corruption from her lungs."

Sean's brows shoot up at that. "Ritual markings, you say? Then I must see these inscriptions at once!"

I pull down the collar of my luxurious sapphire dress, revealing the intricate crimson markings etched into my skin. Sean's icy blue eyes widen slightly as he takes in the arcane symbols.

"Those are indeed the ritual inscriptions I expected," he murmurs, leaning closer to inspect them. "Though I confess, their blazing crimson hue is...most unusual."

A slow grin spreads across Sean's chiseled features. "Ah, but of course - only the vitae of a true vampire could produce such a vibrant ruby luminescence!"

I can't help giggling at his words, delighted by this strange new world of magic and monsters. "Aye, 'twas Dumitra herself who marked me so!" I pipe up in my best imitation of a childish lilt.

Sean nods sagely, seemingly unsurprised. "I know that vampiress well from past dealings. A most...singular woman, to be sure."

His brow furrows slightly as he continues studying the markings. "Wise and benevolent in her own way, I'll grant. But Dumitra also has certain...proclivities that some might deem untoward."

I tilt my head curiously. "Proclivities?" I echo, feigning innocence.

A faint smirk tugs at the corner of Sean's mouth. "Aye, little one. You see, that crazed woman once tried to seduce me into sharing her bed - and when I refused, being her subordinate at the time, she boldly declared her intent to visit the stables instead!"

I can't stifle my laughter at that, the sound pealing out in bright childish giggles. The mental image of the regal, predatory Dumitra rutting with some hapless stable beast is just too deliciously absurd!

Sean chuckles as well, though his eyes hold a hint of wariness. "I'd hoped the vampiress spoke in jest that eve. But with one as ancient and powerful as Dumitra, one can never be too certain..."

He trails off with a heavy sigh, then turns to regard my mother where she sits on the bench. "Well now, Aislin - I've regaled you with my own tale this day. 'Tis only fair you do the same and recount the life you've led since last we parted ways as babes."

Aislin's shoulders slump wearily as she nods. "Aye, I suppose you've the right of it, brother..."

And so she begins, haltingly at first, to spin the tragic yarn of her existence - the brutal beatings and rapes at Oisin's hands, the endless cycle of pregnancies and stillbirths that have ravaged her body over the years, the constant struggle just to survive in this wretched backwater. With every agonizing detail, I can see Sean's handsome face contorting in a rictus of barely contained fury, the cords of muscle in his neck standing out like steel cables.

By the time Aislin finishes, my uncle is practically vibrating with rage, his icy eyes blazing like twin suns. "That miserable wretch Oisin has damned himself a thousand times over!" he snarls, slamming a meaty fist against the table with enough force to make it jump. "Father and Mother must surely be trembling in their graves, seething at the torment their own daughter has endured!"

He rises in one smooth, explosive motion, reaching for the hilt of his sword. "I'll gut that bastard like a stuck pig and leave his entrails for the crows, so help me! No man deserving of the title treats a woman so!"

"Sean, peace!" Aislin cries, her eyes going wide with alarm. She scrambles to her feet, placing a restraining hand on his arm. "There...there is more you must hear first, brother. More to the tale that may yet give you pause."

Sean halts, nostrils flaring, but nods curtly for her to continue. Aislin takes a deep, steadying breath before speaking again.

"You see, when Lile was but a babe of two summers, Oisin came home in one of his foulest rages yet. I'd naught but looked askance at the brute, and he flew into a berserk fury - began beating me bloody with those massive fists of his, kicking me in the ribs and belly until I could scarce draw breath..."

She shudders, wrapping her arms around herself as if reliving the horror. I feel a surge of impotent rage on her behalf, my tiny hands clenching into white-knuckled fists.

"I lay there, half-dead and choking on my own blood, certain I would soon join our sweet parents in the next life," Aislin continues in a tremulous voice. "But then...a figure emerged from the tree line, swathed in a tattered cloak that hid her features. An old crone by the look of her stooped frame, yet she moved with surprising swiftness to kneel at my side."

Sean frowns, clearly skeptical. "And this mysterious woman was able to heal you? With what manner of arts or remedies?"

"Herbs and draughts of her own making," Aislin replies, shaking her head slowly. "Though I'll admit, they worked with uncanny efficacy - mending shattered bones and closing wounds that should have left me crippled, if not outright slain me."

She meets Sean's gaze levelly. "This old crone, Eithne by name, continued visiting in secret over the years since. Providing salves and potions to ease my suffering whenever Oisin's fists found their mark once more. I'll not claim to understand the nature of her gifts, brother - only that they allowed me to persevere, to survive long enough to see my Lile grow into the bonny young lass before you now."

Sean's brow furrows contemplatively as he regards me. "And this...Eithne treated the child as well, did she?"

Aislin nods. "Aye, she did. Lile took many a nasty blow or kick from that drunken bastard over the years, much as it pains me to admit it. Yet Eithne's concoctions always had her hale and whole again in no time at all."

A heavy silence falls over the cramped hovel. I can practically see the wheels turning in Sean's head as he processes this latest revelation.

At last, he turns back to Aislin, his expression unreadable. "Tell me, sister - did you ever stop to question the nature of this crone's...talents? Or from whence her knowledge of the healing arts sprang?"

Aislin's eyes go wide, and she quickly shakes her head. "Oh no, Sean! I'd never dare judge the poor woman, not when she showed us such Christian charity in our darkest hours!"

But Sean simply arches one thick brow. "Is that so? Well, I for one would dearly love to make this Eithne's acquaintance someday. Such preternatural gifts could prove most...valuable to our order's cause, if properly cultivated."

I can't help letting out another peal of childish giggles at his words, delighted by the thought of the fearsome witch hunters being aided by a kindly old forest crone. This strange new world just gets more wondrous by the minute!

Aislin sighs heavily, her shoulders slumping as she wrings her calloused hands. "Sean, I beg of you, do not harm Oisin. For if he were to perish, Lile and I would become..." She swallows hard. "We would be sold to McDermott's tavern as...as sex slaves."

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Sean's face contorts with rage. "What?!" he roars, fists clenching at his sides. "How is such an atrocity possible?"

"Oisin struck a deal with McDermott," Aislin explains, her voice trembling. "Should my husband meet his end, the tavern master will claim ownership over all Oisin's...possessions. Including Lile and myself."

A muscle twitches in Sean's jaw as he grinds out, "Then I'll simply have to kill two foul cretins this day - that drunken wretch, and this McDermott filth who dares traffic in human misery!"

Aislin's eyes widen with alarm. "No, Sean! You mustn't make our plight worse with rash actions!" She shakes her head vehemently. "There...there are other factors at play here."

Sean scoffs, his icy eyes blazing with righteous fury. "What other injustices could possibly justify such depravity, woman? I can scarce stomach the thought!"

Another deep sigh gusts from Aislin's lips. "You must understand, brother - Lile has been promised to the village healer, Colm. Each week, Oisin receives three silvers from the man in anticipation of the day my daughter...flowers into womanhood. Upon that joyous event, Colm will pay Oisin a further three gold coins to claim Lile as his bride."

She meets Sean's incredulous stare levelly. "Should Oisin mistreat the child before then, Father Brogan himself has vowed to intervene on Colm's behalf, judging and punishing my husband accordingly."

Sean's brow furrows as he processes this information. At last, he shakes his head slowly. "But you, Aislin...you are not afforded any such protection from that bastard's cruelty, are you?"

My mother's shoulders slump further as she simply shakes her head mutely. Sean lets out a weary sigh, raking a hand through his golden locks.

"I must return to this Colm and judge the measure of the man for myself," he declares grimly. "For if he proves unfit to claim my niece as his bride, I'll not suffer her to be shackled to such an unworthy lout!"

Aislin nods, a faint spark of hope kindling in her pale eyes. "I've played what meager hands I could to secure Lile a better life than my own, brother. But now...now I am out of moves to make. All I can do is wait and pray."

Sean's jaw tightens, and he suddenly whirls to slam his fist against the rough wooden door, the impact making the entire hovel shudder. Again and again he strikes out, until at last he simply sags against the abused portal, chest heaving.

Seizing my chance, I pipe up in my most childish lilt, "But Uncle Sean, papa has been good lately! He got me this pretty ribbon, and new boots for mama too! He even replaced our old table and bench with nice new ones."

Sean turns to regard me, his expression a mixture of pity and simmering outrage. "That matters not one whit, child," he growls, shaking his head slowly. "For your father is no true Christian man - his soul is as black and twisted as the paths of Hell itself!"

He straightens, blue eyes blazing with renewed determination. "Nay, I'll not rest until I've spoken with the village priests about this injustice as well. This foul situation cannot be allowed to stand, no matter what meager scraps that wretch Oisin deigns to toss your way!"

Haha, I get front row seats to the fireworks! Buckle up lads!

I tug at Sean's pant legs, looking up at him with my best childlike innocence. "Please don't hurt papa too much, Uncle Sean," I plead in a small voice. "I know he did bad things, but if you hurt him like he hurt mama and me, then I won't have a papa anymore."

Internally, I can't help but snicker at the shitstorm I've just unleashed in Sean's mind. I bite the inside of my cheek hard to stifle the urge to cackle maniacally at how perfectly this is all unfolding.

Sean's handsome face contorts into a rictus of pure, unhinged rage. Aislin rushes over, tears streaming down her sallow cheeks as she buries her face against his broad shoulder. Sean wraps his arms around her, one hand gently stroking her lank blonde braid.

"I'm sorry, sister," he murmurs gruffly. "I've been away for far too long, allowing such horrors to fester unchecked."

Pulling back slightly, Sean meets Aislin's watery gaze. "You must know, I only recently arrived in Baile Rois after being assigned to this village's garrison. The previous soldiers...they all vanished without a trace, every last one."

A sly grin tugs at my lips as the realization hits me - of course, this must be the handiwork of Mary and Eilis! Their awakened powers drew Sean here like a moth to a flame. I have to bite my cheek again to keep from cackling gleefully. Oh, how the cosmic gears are turning, aligning all the pieces into place so exquisitely!

Bwahahaha, oh my fucking sides! I can't breathe, this is too good! Uncle Sean is gonna go full Hulk smash on that drunken douchecanoe Oisin, beat him so hard his ancestors will feel it! Ohohoho, I'm cackling like a hyena in heat over here!

And if the comedy gods are merciful, I might even get a front row seat to watch Sean turn that McDermott fuckwit inside out like a tube sock! I haven't laid eyes on that greasy turd burglar yet, but holy hell, I'm drooling at the thought of witnessing his rectal remodeling, courtesy of my dear uncle's righteous fists of fury! Ahahahahaha!

Karma, you magnificent bitch, I could tongue-punch your sweet cosmic fartbox right now! Oisin and his band of merry asshats are about to get a painful lesson in cause and effect, delivered express via Sean's size 13 boot! Hahahaha, I'm wheezing, I can't even!

But wait, there's more! It's time to dump a tanker truck of gasoline on this dumpster fire and watch the flames shoot into the stratosphere! I'll just casually mention to Sean that his precious sister Maeve is probably getting her sin cave jackhammered by half the village in that festering gash of an alehouse. Yep, our dear sweet Maeve, reduced to a cum-guzzling cock socket for any unwashed peasant with a fistful of coppers! The delicious irony is giving me a raging justice boner as we speak!

Oh, but here's the the shit-covered cherry on this turd sundae - that waddling scrotum with legs Oisin actually BOUGHT Maeve to keep as his own personal womb slave! Can you believe it? He's gonna stuff her baby oven with his rancid baby batter and crank out a whole litter of fucktrophies, the sick bastard! Please, please, PLEASE let it be the real Maeve and not just some random snatch with the same name. I'm crossing every appendage in desperate hope that the universe isn't cockblocking me on this one.

Sweet zombie Jesus, if this all plays out like I'm envisioning, it's gonna be a buffet of schadenfreude so delectable, I'll need a goddamn forklift to carry my bloated carcass out afterwards! Ohohoho, my revenge boner is throbbing at the mere thought! Fuck me sideways with a rusty chainsaw, I can hardly wait to watch this glorious shitshow unfold!

I look up at Sean with wide, innocent eyes and ask in my best childlike voice, "When is my new mama coming? I'm so excited to meet her!"

Sean's brow furrows as he glances down at me. "What do you mean, child?"

Aislin lets out a weary sigh. "Oisin plans to purchase a slave girl from McDermott's tavern. A lass who shares the same name and family as our sister Maeve."

"Maeve?" Sean's eyes widen in disbelief. "Which one? Our Maeve or some other woman?"

"The slave's name is Maeve as well," Aislin replies, wringing her hands anxiously. "Though I cannot say for certain if she is our own blood kin."

A muscle twitches in Sean's jaw. "The odds of another woman bearing our family name are nigh impossible here. It must be our Maeve."

I can't help but giggle at the absurdity of it all. Sean shoots me a look, then shakes his head grimly.

"This is too much to stomach. I'm going to that wretched tavern right now and getting to the bottom of this madness!"

"Sean, please!" Aislin cries, grabbing his arm. "Do not act rashly, I beg you!"

But Sean's eyes blaze with fury as he growls, "If that filth McDermott dares traffic our own sister, and Oisin means to purchase her for his depraved lusts, then I'll kill them both where they stand!"

With that, Sean flings open the door - only for his eyes to widen in shock as Oisin's hulking frame fills the doorway. Oisin's pale eyes go round, his brow furrowing in confusion at the sight of Sean.

A low grunt rumbles from Sean's chest. I can't contain myself any longer, dissolving into a fresh peal of giggles as I take in the deliciously tense tableau.

Oh yes, the fireworks are about to begin! This is going to be utterly priceless...

"Who is this, wife?" Oisin bellows, his hulking frame filling the doorway as his pale eyes widen in confusion.

Sean calmly walks over to me, his icy gaze focused and intense. He takes the sheathed sword from his belt and hands it to me. "Go into the sleeping area, little one," he says in a low, even tone.

I nod obediently, trying my best to look like a curious but well-behaved child. Can't let on that I know exactly what's about to go down! Taking the sword, I scamper off to the cramped sleeping alcove, clutching the weapon tightly.

"Who is this soldier, woman?" Oisin demands again, his voice a rumbling growl. "Why is he in my home?"

Aislin lets out a terrified whimper, then suddenly darts across the room to crouch in the corner, her face pressed against the wall as she covers her head with trembling hands. The poor wretch is utterly petrified.

Peering around the alcove's entrance, I watch with bated breath as Sean strides right up to Oisin, arms spread as if going in for an embrace. "I am Aislin's twin brother," he declares in a steely tone.

Oisin's beady eyes go wide, his meaty fists clenching as he braces himself. But before the drunken oaf can react, Sean's powerful arm lashes out, his knuckles cracking against Oisin's jaw with a sickening thud. The big man crumples like a sack of turnips, hitting the dirt floor hard.

And that's when the real fun begins! Sean doesn't hesitate for an instant, throwing himself bodily on top of Oisin and raining down blow after merciless blow.

"This is for every time you raised a hand to my sister, you miserable wretch!" A vicious right hook splits Oisin's lip, bright crimson welling from the gash.

Another savage punch, this one a brutal kidney shot that makes the bastard wheeze. "For every kick, every cruel word you spat at her while she cowered in fear!"[...]