and annoyance. Apparently
the annoyance won out because before she knew what was happening,
he had lifted up his canteen and poured a stream of ice cold water
directly into her face.
Shocked and gasping for breath, Morrigan
leaped to her feet. She coughed, sputtered, and glared at Tiarn and
his still dripping lambskin. “What did you do that for? I was
getting up!”
“I am dreadfully sorry, Your Majesty,” Tiarn
lamented, even though both his tone and his wicked smirk told her
he was anything but sorry. “I only wanted to be certain you were no
longer feeling faint. It is important that we be on our way. We
need to reach the cover of the deep woods before more soldiers are
summoned.”
“More soldiers?” She swallowed hard as she
dried her soggy face on the sleeve of her sweater. “How many more
are around, do you think?”
“As many as Queen Arianrhod can spare, I dare
say, which is probably hundreds. It was her banner which the men
bore on their shields. With your mother and grandmother captured,
they have little else to occupy their time. You are the only threat
left.”
“I’m hardly a threat,” Morrigan argued. “I
only came here to find my mother.”
“Regardless of how you see yourself, you are
still a witch of the royal line, and in Arianrhod’s eyes that makes
you dangerous,” Tiarn explained. “That’s why we should get as far
away from Dunham’s cottage as possible. Obviously Arianrhod knew we
would have to come through the portal eventually, since that is the
only way to enter Tír na NÓg. There will be more soldiers nearby.
The ones who found us were probably just the scouts. When they
alert their comrades to our arrival, more soldiers will come. This
is why we need to get into the woods where we will have at least a
small chance of eluding them.”
Tiarn didn’t wait for her to agree or
disagree, and Morrigan was too tired and still a little too queasy
to argue with him. She pulled her backpack onto her shoulders and
followed him off the stoned pathway and into the darkness of the
woods. The high trees blocked much of the light the three moons had
afforded. Tiarn had to use his lantern to guide their way through
the thick underbrush. Morrigan stayed close behind him. She jumped
every time a branch snapped or a cricket chirped for fear that
legions of armed warriors would emerge from the shadows and ambush
them. Thankfully, they made it deep into the forest with no
interruptions.
For a while, Morrigan enjoyed the music of
the night. Nocturnal birds and chirping insects serenaded them as
they traveled, and the gentle breeze seemed to hum in harmony. But
it was a long road, and it didn’t take long for her to grow tired.
Morrigan had no idea what time it was in this world, but back in
Maryland, the sun had to be coming up. She had gone the entire
night without sleep, unless she counted the few minutes she was
unconscious when she had fainted. She wasn’t sure how much longer
she would be able to make it without some rest, but she didn’t want
to give Tiarn the satisfaction of hearing her whine. Yet, she
started to lose that resolve when her legs began to drag from the
weight of her backpack, which felt like it was filled with
boulders. She was just about to beg for a break, when Tiarn finally
dropped his equipment on the ground.
“We will camp here for the night,” he
announced. “It is late, and I am sure you must be weary.”
“Not at all,” Morrigan lied and tried to hold
back a yawn. “I can keep going if we need to.”
“It seems your feline friends disagree.”
Tiarn gestured to the cats who had already curled themselves up
into one big snoring ball of fur.
Morrigan shrugged her shoulders. “Well, I
guess it won’t hurt to take a little breather.”
Tiarn was already unrolling a pair of animal
skins he had taken out from his pack. He tossed one at Morrigan,
who caught it easily. Luckily, she had good reflexes. Tiarn seemed
surprised, though he tried hard to hide
the annoyance won out because before she knew what was happening,
he had lifted up his canteen and poured a stream of ice cold water
directly into her face.
Shocked and gasping for breath, Morrigan
leaped to her feet. She coughed, sputtered, and glared at Tiarn and
his still dripping lambskin. “What did you do that for? I was
getting up!”
“I am dreadfully sorry, Your Majesty,” Tiarn
lamented, even though both his tone and his wicked smirk told her
he was anything but sorry. “I only wanted to be certain you were no
longer feeling faint. It is important that we be on our way. We
need to reach the cover of the deep woods before more soldiers are
summoned.”
“More soldiers?” She swallowed hard as she
dried her soggy face on the sleeve of her sweater. “How many more
are around, do you think?”
“As many as Queen Arianrhod can spare, I dare
say, which is probably hundreds. It was her banner which the men
bore on their shields. With your mother and grandmother captured,
they have little else to occupy their time. You are the only threat
left.”
“I’m hardly a threat,” Morrigan argued. “I
only came here to find my mother.”
“Regardless of how you see yourself, you are
still a witch of the royal line, and in Arianrhod’s eyes that makes
you dangerous,” Tiarn explained. “That’s why we should get as far
away from Dunham’s cottage as possible. Obviously Arianrhod knew we
would have to come through the portal eventually, since that is the
only way to enter Tír na NÓg. There will be more soldiers nearby.
The ones who found us were probably just the scouts. When they
alert their comrades to our arrival, more soldiers will come. This
is why we need to get into the woods where we will have at least a
small chance of eluding them.”
Tiarn didn’t wait for her to agree or
disagree, and Morrigan was too tired and still a little too queasy
to argue with him. She pulled her backpack onto her shoulders and
followed him off the stoned pathway and into the darkness of the
woods. The high trees blocked much of the light the three moons had
afforded. Tiarn had to use his lantern to guide their way through
the thick underbrush. Morrigan stayed close behind him. She jumped
every time a branch snapped or a cricket chirped for fear that
legions of armed warriors would emerge from the shadows and ambush
them. Thankfully, they made it deep into the forest with no
interruptions.
For a while, Morrigan enjoyed the music of
the night. Nocturnal birds and chirping insects serenaded them as
they traveled, and the gentle breeze seemed to hum in harmony. But
it was a long road, and it didn’t take long for her to grow tired.
Morrigan had no idea what time it was in this world, but back in
Maryland, the sun had to be coming up. She had gone the entire
night without sleep, unless she counted the few minutes she was
unconscious when she had fainted. She wasn’t sure how much longer
she would be able to make it without some rest, but she didn’t want
to give Tiarn the satisfaction of hearing her whine. Yet, she
started to lose that resolve when her legs began to drag from the
weight of her backpack, which felt like it was filled with
boulders. She was just about to beg for a break, when Tiarn finally
dropped his equipment on the ground.
“We will camp here for the night,” he
announced. “It is late, and I am sure you must be weary.”
“Not at all,” Morrigan lied and tried to hold
back a yawn. “I can keep going if we need to.”
“It seems your feline friends disagree.”
Tiarn gestured to the cats who had already curled themselves up
into one big snoring ball of fur.
Morrigan shrugged her shoulders. “Well, I
guess it won’t hurt to take a little breather.”
Tiarn was already unrolling a pair of animal
skins he had taken out from his pack. He tossed one at Morrigan,
who caught it easily. Luckily, she had good reflexes. Tiarn seemed
surprised, though he tried hard to hide
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