Day 9 of Midwinter, Sunrise

Caisleán Corrán, Findrias

Annwn

When I awoke, I became aware that someone was in the room with me. There were no windows in my room, so I had no idea how much time had passed, but I was still tired.

Standing before me was Ériu. “I wasn’t sure if I should wake you,” she said, her voice soft.

I rubbed my eyes. “I hadn’t meant to fall asleep.”

“I came to see if you would like to go for a walk.” She half turned and I could see an opening in the wall behind her.

I nodded and followed her into the wall, leaving Monty asleep on the bed. Ériu closed the opening behind us with a simple slide of a panel, and just like that, we were inside the walls of the castle.

“Am I going to get in trouble for this?” I asked. The space was fairly tight, only allowing for single file walking. She didn’t respond, but just continued her meandering path. The passageways were lit only with the light seeping through the cracks in the walls.

She began increasing her speed, and I lost track of all of the turns we had made. The possibility of foul play had begun to creep into my mind, when Ériu turned a corner and we found ourselves in a surprisingly cozy stone room. Before us was a comfortable-looking bed and a roaring hearth. She stepped to the side of the door and extended a hand into the room as a sign of welcome.

“Where are we?” I asked.

“This is my room. We can talk freely here.”

I looked around. Her room was about the same size as the room we had just come from. My eyes glanced at the bed and the fire, and I started to panic. “Listen, Ériu, I’m flattered, but I kind of have a girlfriend…actually, she isn’t really my girlfriend, but…” I trailed off.

Ériu opened a door into a much larger room. The well-lit room contained grand windows and even though it was dark outside, the room felt open and welcoming. There were beautifully made wooden tables, bookshelves, couches, and even a small kitchen. She just smiled at me, ignoring my last comment.

“You are in a real predicament here,” she said, sitting down on one of the couches. It had half the back of a normal couch. I think they are called divans? Or was it an armoire? Insert fancy couch name here.

I remained standing. “Do you truly think I’m an enemy of Cloudfair?”

“I think you don’t know enough about this world to know who your enemies are.” She tapped the spot next to her on the ottoman…or was it a davenport? I sat down and anxiously played with my hands.

“Please relax. I don’t mean you any harm,” she said, touching my leg. That didn’t help to relax me.

“Listen, I’ve told everyone the truth. I really don’t know anything else about the Fomorians or my own birth. I don’t know what Cai has planned, or even what role Ruadan played in bringing Cai to Emain Ablach.”

She smiled reassuringly at me. “I believe you.”

“And I am certainly no spy! Wait, what? You believe me? Then why didn’t you speak up earlier? Nemain doesn’t believe I’m a spy either.”

“Neither does Badb, though I don’t know exactly what she has seen with her future-facing eyes."

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“So it’s only Cian and Ernmas that think I’m a spy?”

She nodded. “And possibly Macha.”

“What will happen to me?” I asked. I wondered how exactly the council worked. Did the first generation have all of the power?

“I would imagine you will be freed eventually. But that could take a very long time, especially by your standards.”

The thought of being stuck in that room for a duration of time that immortals felt was necessary for due process was a bit concerning. “Great. Just great.”

“That’s why we are here,” she said, standing and walking over to the high windows looking out over Cloudfair. “I would like to offer you a way home. I am, after all, uniquely skilled at coming and going from my realm.”

“And you would, what…just open a portal to my living room?

“Not quite, but there are several different ways of traversing the realms. There are enchanted vessels, magical animals, storms, mist, stone circles, raths, underground passageways, and of course, through the seas. Which of those would you prefer?”

“I get to pick?” I asked, trying to remember everything she had just said. “I think maybe I should avoid oceans and seafaring vessels for a while. And Morias told me to avoid certain animals, but I can’t remember which animals, so those are probably out, too. I’ve had my fill of mists this week, and storms just sound like a bad idea. I guess that leaves underground passageways, stone circles, or raths. What do you suggest?”

“It will likely be hard to get you out of the city given the political landscape around Findrias, so stone circles and raths won’t work. Underground passageways might take some time to work through. However…I did forget to mention what is likely the easiest way to get you back home. ”

“Do I need to cut off a finger or sacrifice a goat or something?” I asked, fearing the downside of an easy way to realm hop.

Ériu gave me a disgusted look. “What? No…I could give you something to eat that will simply transfer you to Earth.”

“That’s it? Wait…why are you doing this for me?” I wasn’t sure if she had some sort of hidden agenda.

“Because I believe you are treading water in turbulent seas and eventually you will sink. And whether it is because we are related or because you are a denizen of my realm, I feel compelled to help you.”

I sighed. “And all I have to do is eat something?”

“Not just SOMETHING. There is magic in the specifics. And it doesn’t hurt that I will be the one preparing it.” Ériu winked at me and walked to her kitchen area. She began pulling various things out of drawers and cabinets, even something from what looked like a big ice cream cooler.

After a few minutes in the kitchen, she returned with a large bowl and placed it before me. Nervously, I looked inside. I was surprised to see what looked like cream sprinkled delicately over a small cluster of red berries. “That looks delicious. What is it?”

Ériu appeared delighted by my praise. “Rowan berries harvested at dusk from our sacred greenhouses here in Cloudfair and blanched to reduce the bitterness, cream from Boann’s famous red cow, Bó Rua, and honey from the hives of the Midland bluebell meadow.”

While she talked, I began thinking about the severity of what I was about to do. This woman—no, goddess—had offered me a way back to my world. She offered an exit from Annwn, this strange magical world where nothing made sense and I was constantly out of my league and in mortal danger. She offered escape from my imprisonment in this high-altitude nuthouse and the option to simply go back to my earlier easy, lazy and self-serving life. Morias would be so proud…

And that is where my thought process turned on me. How would Morias and Fíadan take the news that I had left them here without even saying goodbye? What would happen to Ruadan? Would they ever find the Dagda and his Cauldron? How would the war between the Tuatha and the Fomorians end? What about Monty? It was this last thought of the little serpent that stuck with me, for some reason.

I had left Monty sleeping in the room. I hadn’t even told him where I was going. Would he think I was angry with him? Would they allow him to leave this prison if I was gone? I looked up to find Ériu watching me.

“This is a very big decision,” she said. “I understand that you feel conflicted.” She placed a hand comfortingly on mine. “But this world has managed for thousands of years without you, Bren Búachaill, and it will continue to manage thousands of years from now. The question is, what is the best choice for you?”

I thought of the creatures I had encountered since I saw the first wisps of color in this Otherworld. I thought of getting stabbed and slammed into walls. I thought about almost drowning. Would I be fighting for my life every day here in Annwn?

I stared at the bowl in front of me, unable to meet her eyes. “What will happen to Monty?” I asked.

“After you arrive back on Earth, you will be able to modify your relationship to your minion. Simply unbind the oilliphéist and he will be free. I will make sure he has leave to go into the wild upon your departure.”

I didn’t even look up. Before I could change my mind, I scooped a spoonful of rowan berries into my mouth, closed my eyes, and swallowed.