Day 4 of Midwinter, Midday
Castle Arrow, Gorias
Annwn
We followed the fairies through the streets, then into a large, open meeting hall. Inside, there were multiple long tables. The room had countless stained glass windows, each a brilliant shade of red, and each bearing a flaming arrow. Seeing the symbol up close, I recognized it as the one I had seen on the coastal cutters in the harbor and on the Ellyllon uniforms.
When my gaze finally focused on something other than the decor, I noticed the two people already in the room. There was a seated, red-haired young man, and a truly breathtaking woman with long, blond hair. The woman wore a jagged tiara made of silver and gold and a dress the color of burning coals. It flowed over her body as if an extension of her springy golden locks.
She had a youthful face but wore a serious and sorrowful expression. I could see dark circles under her eyes, a sign that she hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in some time.
I thumbed my ring finger and activated the Rings of Identification.
Name: Brigid Breo-Banríon
Race: Tuatha Dé Danann
Current Power Rank - Level 51
Current Progression Status:
Physical Progression +25
Mental Progression +49
Spiritual Progression +51
Domain: Fire
As the information ran through my mind, I caught her looking at me, watching as I studied her. The young man’s voice cut the silence of the room.
“Party Foul, my good man.” He laughed, the sound echoing off the walls. His inflection reminded me of the formal way Tadg spoke, but I knew instantly that almost anything might come out of this young man’s mouth. I looked at Morias, unsure of the protocol here. How had he known I used my Rings…and was that really something that was frowned upon? And if so, why had he given it to me?
Morias approached the woman and slowly got down on both knees. She extended her right arm to him and he embraced it with both hands, bringing it to his lips for a kiss, before addressing her. “My Lady Brigid, it has been too long.”
Gently, the woman pulled Morias to his feet and wrapped him in a hug. “I have missed you. My family has missed you.”
The young man hopped up from his chair and came to join in on the hug. “I didn’t think it was possible, Morias,” he said, “but you have actually gotten fatter.”
Morias grinned. “And you are as pale as the day you were born.”
There appeared to be genuine happiness in this reunion. Then why, under all of the smiles, did the woman still look so sad?
“There is much news to share,” Brigid began. “Though I’m sure our dear Fíadan shared some of what she knows with you already, there is much more that even she doesn’t know.”
Fí fluttered to the floor and assumed a double knee bow to both the woman and the young man.
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“Oh, get up, Fí.” The man looked mildly affronted. “I thought Ma told you…”
Brigid interrupted him. Her voice was gentle as she addressed Fí. “There is no need to bow to us, after all that you have done.”
Fí stayed with her head bowed low for another moment before lifting her eyes to meet their gazes. “Is HE here?” She returned to the air, so that she and the Goddess of Fire were at eye level. The two held hands as a moment passed between them. “What is it, Lady?”
Brigid’s eyes had filled with tears, the liquid threatening to stream down her face. “So much…” She turned and took a seat at the table. At that, everyone else in the room made their way to a seat. I picked up on the cue and did the same.
“Lady, this is Bren.” Morias gestured to me. “And you know Tadg.”
The red-haired man smirked in our direction. “The Runt and the Grunt.”
Morias looked over at him and shook his head. “Ruadan means no harm.”
“That’s not true. Sometimes I do.” Ruadan smiled mischievously. He stood and looked at me. “Go on, Runt, use the Rings on me.”
I looked to Morias and he nodded. I activated the Rings again.
Name: Ramalamadingdong
Race: Unknown
Current Power Rank - Unknown
Current Progression Status:
Physical Progression Unknown
Mental Progression Unknown
Spiritual Progression Unknown
Domain: Unknown
That was curious.
“The Beauty and the Doody,” I said to him, trying my best not to show my surprise. The room was dead silent for multiple heartbeats, but then Ruadan burst out laughing.
“I like him,” he announced. “But be careful referring to Ma as excrement.” He laughed again, until he looked to Brigid, who had not no so much as cracked a smile. The room continued to sit in shocked silence at the back and forth.
“Learn some manners, kid,” Fí said and shook her head at me.
I couldn’t believe my ears. Since when did Fí hold anything in reverence? No…that’s not true. Her current level of sincerity was similar to when she had spoken of her role protecting the former High King. Then I realized what was going on. This was the former king’s family, his wife and son. But where was Bres?
“Cousin.” Tadg gave a short bow of his head to Ruadan. “It is an honor to see you again.”
“You are welcome to join this council,” Brigid announced. “I only ask that you keep whatever you hear today in the family.”
Tadg inclined his head respectfully. “Of course, Lady.”
Brigid sighed, as if gathering her courage. “I see no other way around it, so I will just tell you. Bres is dead.”
A sound like none I have ever heard before escaped Fí’s lips. It was an uncontrolled wail. Her chest spasmed as she put her head in her shaking hands and sobbed.
“How is this possible?” Morias demanded. “It is not possible.” He stood and began to pace.
“And yet, it is so.” Brigid’s eyes were sad.
I thought back to the rules of Annwn that Morias had taught me. They were:
Annwn is the source of all magic.
Nothing ages in Annwn.
Gods never die.
“That’s not all,” Ruadan said between Fíadan’s sobs.
“Give them a moment to process this, son,” Brigid said in a motherly tone. It was difficult to wrap my head around it. The mother and son looked to be only a few years apart in age. Yet, I know that both must be thousands of years old.
Fí wailed again and flew into the air with Swish and Stick drawn. Her eyes were bloodshot and her hands a deathly shade of white as she squeezed her weapons tightly. “Who was it? Tell me who did this!”
She was terrifying. Blood dripped from her face where she had dug her fingernails into her forehead, the red mixing with her tears. I slid back in my chair, and saw Tadg do the same. Morias held out his hands in a calming manner, but did not attempt to get any closer.
The door to the room burst open and the red-garbed Queen’s guard came into the room with short swords drawn. Fí’s eyes snapped to the door where they had entered and her muscles tensed. I recognized this for what it was and jumped to my feet.
“Fí, no!” I shouted, but she was beyond hearing me. She was ready to charge the intruders in an act of misplaced, feral aggression.
Before she could, though, the room erupted in a torrent of flame. Columns of fire poured from the rafters, sculpting into a wall between Fí and the Queen’s Guard. The heat was so intense that I fell back onto the table, trying to get as far from the flames as physically possible. The wall of fire flared suddenly, turning toward the Queen’s Guard.
Fí looked to Brigid, who had her arms outstretched, directing the fire as a conductor would conduct a symphony. The former queen had a look of relaxed concentration on her face until her Ellyllon were put in danger from the sudden flareup. Brigid bit her lip and furrowed her brow, bringing the fire back under control and finally extinguishing it.
“Sit down, Ellyllon,” Brigid commanded, her eyes on Fí. The fairy did as she was told. “Just as my father and my husband have needed you throughout the millennia, Flamebright once again requires your service.”
Fíadan sat on the edge of her seat, her face still wet and bloody. She hiccuped between quiet sobs, but nodded at the former queen.
Ruadan couldn’t stand it any longer. As his mother tried to find the strength to say her next words, he spoke them for her. “And Grandfather is missing.”
Brigid nodded solemnly. “It is true. The Dagda and his Cauldron are gone.”