No Silver Lining

Ray McCarthy

Sample Version

Four Complete Chapters

Books by Ray McCarthy

Talents Universe

The Apprentice’s Talent

The Journeyman’s Talent

The Solar Alliance

Starship Chief

The Master’s Talent

The Legal Talent

The Mission’s Talent

Tellus’s Last Talents

Celtic Otherworld

Under the Stone of Destiny

Carrying the Shining Sword

Seeking the Flaming Spear

Hero Genesis

No Silver Lining

Exiles and Rooks

Fairy Godmothers

Conspiracies and Rooks

The Fay Child

Artists and Rooks

Dwarves and Rooks

Goths and Rooks

Jewels and Rooks

The Wooing of Marion

The Ensorcelled Maid

Four Kids, one Foxe

Trader’s Isle

The Seven Talismans

The White Fire Stones

No Silver Lining

Ray McCarthy

Celtic Otherworld V

Urban fantasy mostly in Limerick. Alice (Eilis) joins the four English teenagers going to the University of Limerick, but senses a Horseman of the Apocalypse.

Kate finds that Eilis is a strange friend with many surprises.

This is the sequel to ‘Hero Genesis’ and fifth in the Celtic Otherworld series, though the books can be read as pair or even on their own. The first three books of the series are a trilogy covering Alice’s magical development for her most critical three years.

“If an in-house system fails, only one bank, or one retailer or one supplier is affected,” insisted Louise. “If everything is outsourced to the Cloud, even if it’s a hundred times more reliable it’s an apocalyptically bad event because you lose everything at once. There are too few cloud providers, who are too similar and too big.”

The cover shows a detail of ‘Apocalypse’ by Vasnetsov.

Copyright conditions: All Rights Reserved, purchases may be archived securely or converted for personal use to other ebook formats. Conversion to PDF, RTF, HTML or wordprocessor files is violation of copyright. Uploading or sharing copies is violation of copyright even if the file was obtained without cost.

Copyright © 2016, 2021 by Ray McCarthy, M. Watterson

Revision 1.18

Smashwords Edition ISBN: 9781370802807

Amazon Edition, ASIN: B06Y26M8Z6

Title: No Silver Lining

Author: Ray McCarthy

Also published by Corvids Press

Corvids Press epub ISBN: 9781801020749

Large Print ISBN: 9781801020183

Hardback ISBN: 9781801020046

Large paperback ISBN: 9781801020329

Medium paperback ISBN: 9781801020466

Pocketbook ISBN: 9781801020602

CC Audiobook ISBN: 9781801021425

BIASC: Fiction / Fantasy / General

About 65,400 words

Celtic Otherworlds

Unlike Greek and Roman myth, there are many Celtic Otherworlds that appear to be magical and often inhabited by the Fair Folk (Fay, Fairy, Elves, Sióg) or sometimes the Tuath Dé (later called Tuatha De Danann). They are not realms of the dead. The oldest Norse legends have many similar aspects to the oldest Celtic myths.

In some legends it’s told that Manannán Mac Lir led the Tuath Dé away to an Otherworld via the mounds over 2500 years ago at the end of war with the incoming Milesian Celts.

The Celtic Otherworld series has this not as world belonging to the Sióg also called the Fay, the Good Neighbours, the Fair Folk, the People of the Woods, the Elves, the Lords and Ladies and the Sidhe, but a world with Aliens that remind the humans of old stories.

https://www.corvidspress.com/

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Contents

Chapter 1: The Magic Awakes

Chapter 2: Recalled

Chapter 3: Caherbeg

Chapter 4: Horses

Chapter 5: The Ride

Chapter 6: Precautions

Chapter 7: Settling In

Chapter 8: Ties that Bind

Chapter 9: Canaries

Chapter 10: Genie-Sys Dublin

Chapter 11: The Invitation

Chapter 12: The Wedding

Chapter 13: Flinn Invites

Chapter 14: Morwenna

Chapter 15: The Birthday

Chapter 16: Cloudburst

Chapter 17: Day One

Chapter 18: Day Three

Chapter 19: Day Five

Chapter 20: Day Seven

Chapter 21: Relaxing

Other Books

The Celtic Otherworld Series

The Talent Universe Series

The Trader’s Isle Series

Chapter 1: The Magic Awakes

“Magic, it’s something very bad,” whispered Alice. “Not regular enchantment.”

Kate looked around the University of Limerick library, there was no one nearby, perhaps because it was near noon. They had all been on campus early for orientation, final sorting out of the house and sorting out Alice’s messed up documentation. Kate thought since Alice essentially had an invented identity it was miracle anything had been sorted out. They’d survived Fresher’s week, though Flinn had reminded them of Queen Oonagh’s command to have no involvement with sports or any physical activities. She wondered if the Fay had somehow created fake leaving cert results for Alice, yet it had been a fuss about a birth certificate missing.

“How do you know?” whispered Kate.

“My gran called it An Dá Shealladh, the second sight, but it’s just a thing that some Aés Sidhe have,” said Alice. “It’s seeing things as they really are.” She closed her new laptop and stuffed it in the backpack. She started to pack up her books. “Come on!”

Kate blinked in surprise at the very tall athletic girl with short ginger hair. Despite the scar down her face twisting her mouth slightly, she still looked awesome. Other than admitting it was a wound from a fight, Alice wouldn’t say how it happened or explain why it couldn’t be treated. She was sure Flinn must know. She hadn’t had it when they first met, but she did have it just over a year ago when she met Alice again. Kate had first met her at the Easter before last, about a year and a half ago, when Eilis was recognised as the Queen’s granddaughter. Alice’s unusual variegated eyes, each mostly green with a hazel wedge, looked wet as if she was about to cry. She’d never seen Alice like this. “Where are we going?” said Kate as she hurriedly packed her books. Kate had thought at now 6′ 1″ that she was embarrassingly tall, but Alice seemed unconscious of her 6′ 4″ height. Neither of them looked tall in the sense of long skinny limbs. Fortunately they both could afford bespoke clothes. However, as usual, Alice was wearing loose blue jeans, hiking boots and an Aran jumper. The thin satin gloves looked a little out of place, but then many students had eccentricities in their choice of clothes. Kate remembered that she had been the shrimp of the five of them at school, Jenny the werewolf had been tallest, now Kate was tallest. It was still strange being Fay and accepting she wasn’t human at all. Alice was the reverse, she obviously had to work at pretending to be human, or possibly it was the fact she had only spent days or weeks in this world since 1976 and had used a Fay made mobile and laptop before ever using the human ones.

“Somewhere I can privately talk to Flinn,” said Alice. “You should call the other fosterlings. It’s like a horseman of the apocalypse.”

“Not so loud!” said Kate. “I thought you didn’t like Flinn, you seem to be always avoiding him.”

“I avoid him because I find him, um, pleasant. I’m far too young yet. Don’t you ever dare tell him I said that. I’m still very angry with him.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s on the same course. History, Politics, Sociology and Social Studies. He says because there is a year at a mainland European University. Somehow I thought I could get out of that bit of it. I’m not sure how that’s going to work for you four.”

Kate said nothing, she was used to Alice’s gnomic and enigmatic comments. Well, she was also younger than her birth certificate suggested. She looked like someone in her late twenties, or older when doing magic, though was claiming to be eighteen, nearly nineteen. She realised that’s what the fuss had been, Alice hadn’t realised that UL had her as eighteen already and the birth cert had her as seventeen. Flinn mac Haggan would also pass for being in his late twenties, yet was about 1450 years old, according to Alice. She didn’t know what age he’d put when registering as a mature student. As far as Kate could make out, he was the High Queen Oonagh’s appointed bodyguard for Alice. Or something. All Fay stopped ageing before they reached their thirties. Kate watched Alice texting Reggie, Susan and Duncan that something was up. Alice texted Jenny to tell that they might not be in for tea. Jenny was a surprisingly competent housekeeper for the six of them, seven counting Jenny, and not bad at cooking; it wasn’t a skill you expected a werewolf to have. At least this week had been fine. Kate wondered how the Aés Sidhe created the fake identities. She’d actually seen Alice’s first fake birth cert. It even looked eighteen years old, but showed Alice as seventeen, only eighteen in November. Flinn had been cross, somehow it had been changed. Her real one was probably over fifty years old, assuming one of her relatives still had the original.

“We’ll eat?” suggested Alice, pocketing her new smart phone. “Flinn’s not available for a while.”

“Somewhere off campus?” said Kate. “Depends how long we are waiting and where we will meet?” She wondered what sort of allowance Alice had as she seemed to buy anything that took her fancy. It was an expensive phone, but on pay as you go, she’d seen Alice enter the receipt for call credit.

“I haven’t a clue,” insisted Alice. “It’s very different to 1976 when I left Ireland. You decide where. Somewhere without other students.”

“I know a suitable place, you very hungry, Alice?”

“Thankfully I’ve stopped growing and I’ve not been doing much magic, well nothing obvious, so I’m not too hungry. The healing will take a few more years, so it’s not using up much.”

“Anyway, you’ve gone past it in the car,” said Kate. “It’s Café Noir at the base of Travelodge just up the main road. Flinn can easily pick us up later and it’s a short walk. Early lunch?”

Kate remembered how their friendship started, at the end of summer just over a year ago, as they walked.

The five of them had left England and gone to the Hy Brasil ‘Otherworld’, it had been only a few days before they would go back to Wychavon for their last year of school. Kate, Reggie, Susan, Duncan and Jenny. Kate had been carrying a pile of books to put away, walked around a corner in the palace library at Caherknock and cannoned into Alice. The books tumbled about the aisle as did Alice’s bag. Though Kate had known her as Eilis then.

They ordered lasagne and salad in the Café Noir at the base of the Travelodge near UL. They sat in an empty corner of the café. Kate was pleased that Alice had given up the headscarf, though she only took off the gloves at the house because of the almost missing finger and scarring. After a year her hair was merely short, much shorter than she’d expected, though she thought her own hair was growing slower. Neither Flinn nor Alice had explained the finance of the house. Perhaps he had money of his own or the Queen had bought it. Certainly it had been renovated and altered since the purchase had been completed. She’d been surprised that it was officially Flinn’s house and that he was with them at all.

“This is nice,” said Alice. “Not too busy. I suppose most people will eat on campus or go to a pub on the Dublin road. It’s still early too. You can guess which club already wanted me to join?”

“The basketball?”

“Yes, basketball, I can’t though. Too dangerous.”

“How do you mean?”

“How fast and strong are you?”

“Um, much more than I used to be.”

“I bet you I’m stronger, I’m very like Neamhain, who is one of the stronger Aés Sidhe. Are you as strong as Oonagh?”

“Nothing like,” whispered Kate. “I saw her rip out a street sign and use it like a javelin. She has the word of command too.”

“I’m not as disciplined as Oonagh and Neamhain,” muttered Alice. “I’m obviously not indestructible either. Still, I bet you wouldn’t risk any sport?”

“You’re right, none of us would,” said Kate. “We have gradually got stronger since last year. Queen Oonagh personally told us we are forbidden to get involved in any physical activity. I guess it applies to you as well.”

“I wonder what Flinn is doing?” said Alice. “I’m worried. I know I didn’t imagine it. He didn’t suggest I had either. He sensed something too.”

“He’s not at home?” said Kate.

“He didn’t say,” said Alice. “He’ll call back. Likely we can all meet there.”

“Well, you should know seeing as he’s your bodyguard or minder,” muttered Kate.

Alice laughed, which was good to hear, Kate thought she was mostly too gloomy. Presumably due to whatever fight she’d lost.

“I’m not important,” insisted Alice, “also there are few Aés Sidhe more powerful than I despite my youth. We do develop close to our full magical and physical potential by seventeen even though we are not adults till thirty-three. It’s probably true that Flinn took the job to mind you folk because I’m here, otherwise I doubt he’d have been interested, maybe I’m wrong. Neamhain and Queen Oonagh would be more worried about me happening to someone else. You’d have someone else as well as Flinn if I wasn’t here. He’s very powerful, smart, educated and experienced. You are the heir and even Susan is more important than I, even though I’m a princess and she’s not.” Alice lowered her voice. “Flinn’s not as strong at magic as me. I admit I used to be slower than him.”

“He’s not your bodyguard?” said Kate. “He’s ours?”

“Probably,” said Alice. “I can say you are safe from being seduced by him, otherwise there would be a married couple from court here. Certainly I can’t imagine why you thought you’d be here on your own like ordinary students.”

“He’s not attracted to women?”

Alice doubled with laughter. “He’s supposed to be a regular menace, or was till he met me.” She wiped her eyes. “He’s already proposed, but I said I’m not going on a date with him till I’m thirty-three, originally it was not till much later. The Sidhe raised the age for marriage to thirty-three about 1100 years ago. They banned relationships with humans 2,600 ago, but both laws get broken, though there are legal ways to get married before thirty-three. He played a childish trick on me when we first met, since then he’s behaved himself. I don’t expect though that he’d have taken the job if I wasn’t here.”

“What do your parents and Queen Oonagh think?”

“They like him! I think Queen Oonagh picked him. Of course no one is expecting me to actually date or get married any time soon. We are not like the Tuath Dé, their girls panic at the idea of being single at twenty and marry as young as fifteen for boys and fourteen for girls, though not so much now as in the past.”

“Certainly he’s rather older than you and I suppose if any of us got married in a few hundred years time it would still be hasty,” said Kate.

Alice beckoned the waitress.

“Another Americano and Cappuccino, large, please?”

“So why does Flinn always call you Eilis rather than Alice if you are at least friends?”

“I can only guess. It is after all my real and official name both here and at court. We are good friends, I suppose. It may be he just likes it better. It is just as much my name as Alice. Um, he does call me Alice privately, sometimes. Do only call me Eilis unless we are in private.”

Kate wondered what Alice was like with the other students. She wasn’t this communicative in company of their own house or in Court. Stiff was an understatement. She hardly spoke to Flinn, though actually really she hardly spoke to anyone in the house. She always had her nose in a book, watching TV or a movie on disk, or listening to music. Mostly reading and listening at the same time.

Chapter 2: Recalled

The seven of them had moved in a week before orientation week to the big split level house near the golf course that Flinn had bought. Certainly the bills were addressed to Mr. F. mac Haggan. It looked like a bungalow from the road, but it was split level at the rear on the hillside overlooking Limerick city. It had five bedrooms. Flinn, Susan and Niamh had a room each, though Niamh hadn’t arrived yet. Duncan and Reggie shared an upstairs bedroom. At least Reggie was supposed to share it, but he’d temporarily taken Niamh’s room, the middle bedroom downstairs. Kate and Alice shared the largest downstairs bedroom with Jenny sleeping on the floor in a big dog basket, it was a bit cramped, but for some reason only this room suited Alice. Susan and Alice didn’t want to share with each other. Kate and Jenny both insisted Jenny had to sleep in Kate’s room. While Alice and Jenny didn’t seem to talk to each other very often, they seemed to have some understanding of each other. The downstairs bedrooms were on the rear, as was the garage. Susan took the smallest downstairs bedroom with a larger desk instead of two beds. Flinn had the second upstairs bedroom on the same level as the kitchen as well as a small room that served as a study and had a server.

~

They all met in the lounge of their house, it was after 2 pm on a Friday. Jenny was invited too.

“Coffee first,” insisted Flinn.

Kate looked around. The decorating was finished. It was great that the decorating was complete, though only Jenny had seen the workmen as they had been at uni during the daytime.

“Is the decorating finished in the bedrooms and bathroom, Reggie?” said Kate.

Reggie gave her hand a little squeeze. “Just a slight smell of paint and sealant.”

“I’d make a loss if I sold it now,” said Flinn, setting a tray on the coffee table. “I’ve spent a silly amount remodelling and decorating. This is near enough the Raheen industrial estate Portals that it doesn’t need one of its own to court. Now did anyone, other than Eilis and I, sense anything this morning?”

They all shook their heads. Kate thought about the expense. Flinn was paying and not the Queen, so it was his house?

“I suppose you wonder were I was?”

“I can imagine, Flinn,” said Alice. Kate thought she sounded a little cross.

“I was trying to convince Queen Oonagh and Neamhain to order you all home.”

“I thought so,” muttered Alice. “You went out of coverage. So what did my mum say?”

“Neamhain said that if the others leave, you’d likely leave too, but if they are staying, then you and I should stay, but she’d look for permission to join Manannán. The Warband, including her sisters, are here in Ireland a lot anyway looking for the allies of Elcamar.”

“I thought it seemed ominous,” said Kate. “So what did Queen Oonagh say?”

“She didn’t say much,” said Flinn. “Except that it was up to Donal and Neamhain to decide about Eilis. She wants the rest of you to come and discuss it. Though you all will have to leave UL if she decides it’s too dangerous to stay. She absolutely vetoed the reforming of the Morrígna, or Manannán interfering. I spoke to Manannán and he agreed, we are not to interfere. Especially if it’s a horseman of the Apocalypse. Neamhain was unusually docile about Queen Oonagh’s prohibition.”

“I’m fairly sure mum just misses Badb and Macha, and doesn’t want to be in the Warband or reform the Morrígna,” mused Alice. “I’ll go home if the rest go home.”

Jenny was lying curled on the mat in front of the fire, though in her golden haired human like guise rather than her dog like wolf aspect. There was no Indian summer this year. Autumn was setting in fast with rain and wind. Though much milder here than back in Evesham or Pershore.

“What if we refused?” said Susan. “We do have families and homes here too, well in England, unlike you and Alice.”

Alice shook her head. Duncan and Susan exchanged a glance. Reggie stared at Kate. Kate knew that technically Alice maybe still had some close relatives here, but due to the Sidhe magic and genetics, it would have been almost a stretch to call the six girls from her mother’s first marriage even half sisters.

“That would be unwise,” said Alice. “I may still have some relatives here, at least two half sisters, but I don’t wish to visit them and it’s forbidden for me anyway. Your parents have all now agreed that Queen Oonagh is your foster mother in the Sidhe sense, which is rather closer to adoption than British fosterage, I know because I was fostered to Neamhain when my birth mother was still alive. Also you aren’t any longer human, though unlike me you were probably born perfectly human. I was born entirely Fay, a Sióg, entirely of the Sidhe. You are now Aés Sidhe, so you have no right of residence here on Earth at all. While your relatives alive at the time of you becoming fosterlings are alive, you can visit, by the permission of the Queen and your foster mother, till you are thirty-three. After that you need only the Queen’s permission, of course the Queen is your foster mother, when those people today are all dead, you’d be in Flinn’s situation, only able to visit on official business. I need unanimous agreement of Queen Oonagh, Neamhain and Donal to be anywhere other than the seven Fay worlds or the Inamok world, though very few Sidhe have my access to Elfland. Though it might seem like I have family here, they aren’t really. Even my half sister Catherine would be horrified if I visited again.” Alice glared at Kate beside her and focused her telepathy like a whisper. Don’t explain why, Kate.

“So we have to convince Queen Oonagh if we want to stay?” asked Reggie.

“But what exactly are you afraid of, Flinn?” asked Duncan. “Would it just be a temporary situation, like taking off sick from uni?”

“Flinn afraid?” said Alice. “I doubt it. However for Neamhain to even consider reforming the Morrígna with my great grandfather Manannán mac Lir and the Warband even if we go home, then it’s very bad indeed. How bad, did she mention any of the Demi-gods, Flinn?”

“Not specifically by name,” said Flinn. “She wondered was it any of our business at all, and if not then you’d only be liable for any collateral damage. I supposed if it’s not the actual Apocalypse, then collateral damage might be more easily avoided.”

“So we sensed a horseman?” said Alice. “More specifically, one of the four that ride out on white, red, black, and pale horses. Symbolizing Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death. I think I sensed famine.”

“I sensed famine and death,” said Flinn. “One follows the other. I don’t think it’s the actual Apocalypse.”

“You’re wrong though, Alice,” said Susan. “The first one is Conquest, not Pestilence.”

“Susan’s correct,” said Flinn. “That’s why it’s not the actual Apocalypse till the first one is present, really bad things always periodically happen.”

“Shouldn’t we stay to help our families?” said Reggie.

“You can suggest that to the Queen,” said Flinn. “They could wait it out in the former alien refuge.”

“Wait,” said Kate, “are you saying the four horsemen are actual magical entities, not allegorical?”

“Magic might not be the most accurate term,” said Flinn. “It’s complicated. Things can be allegorical, symbolic and other things yet have other realities too. There are areas we are not to discuss, even only among the Aés Sidhe.”

“Yes,” said Jenny, “I’m only a werewolf with a bit of extra magic that lets me into your world. I’ll go visit Uncle Andrew, I can manage a few days separation from Kate. It was brilliant at first, but it’s getting a bit tedious now being tethered together. I’ll drive to Dublin and meet Gregory and Louise first. I’ll get the ferry. If you are not coming back you can open a Portal in Worcester and fetch me.”

“Do you want to borrow my Fiesta, Jenny?” said Duncan.

“Thanks,” said Jenny. “I’d rather drive my own Sharan, it’s less tiring for me even though it’s bigger as I’m used to it. However if Flinn is taking you all in the Nissan people carrier, I probably should take the camper truck? It’s very valuable, it’s really a custom outside broadcast van. The aliens must have had a custom body on the Ford chassis. It’s not in any catalogue.”

“If you and Kate both feel that way,” said Flinn, “I’ll see what can be done.”

“Though I like Jenny very much,” said Kate, “it’s the privacy thing.”

Pink Elephants, orange hippos, cycling, she thought, trying desperately to avoid thinking of what she didn’t want Jenny to tell Reggie.

I can keep secrets, Jenny sent telepathically via their bond.

I know you can, Kate replied mentally. What a mess.

“It’s not like you might see an actual horseman,” said Flinn. “I think if there is any trouble, Jenny, you should get all your family to stay at your great uncle’s place. Duncan can drive the camper to our warehouse. The rest of you get your families to stay at the alien’s empty bunker, as well as anyone else that knows about it, if something bad happens. Continue as normal for now.”

“You’re well informed,” said Reggie. “It’s going to be bad?”

“Maybe not,” said Flinn, “but how would you feel if there was trouble and you hadn’t done anything for your closest relatives?”

“I’ll explain to everyone in person,” said Jenny, “but if you are rushing off at once you should at least phone.”

“I’m sure we were all going to do that,” said Susan. “I doubt I’ll get my aunt to leave her house.”

“I’ll persuade her,” said Jenny, “she’s still not convinced we don’t hunt people, so she takes what I say very seriously.”

“Yes,” said Flinn, “we six will go in the Nissan people carrier from the Portal, but we should take the camper to the warehouse. Duncan’s Fiesta will be fine in the garage here.”

“I’m happy with that,” agreed Duncan.

* * *

It wasn’t long till they were in the generic Raheen warehouse with the Portals. The sign said ‘Rathmor Logistics’ and the warehouse was used for freight, mostly between worlds.

“We’ll take the people carrier through,” said Flinn. “It saves time waiting.”

“What else do you know, Alice?” Kate asked softly.

“You mean about mysterious dangerous things?” whispered Alice. “Not much. Admittedly my gran told me things, some very inaccurate and then when I was about ten or eleven, I met Donal when he visited and he explained a lot. That’s when he gave me the enchanted fake necklace I gave you, my gran had it earlier. He, gran and mum, my birth mum, were all sure I needed to go with him. He couldn’t go to any of the Aés Sidhe courts, so wanted me to come to where he was living, so he sort of glossed over the Aés Sidhe aspects, then when I was thirteen I went on my own to the Otherworld of the Inamok that Manannán had led most of the Tuath Dé to. I figured out on my own how to open the Portal. We had all left Magh Meall, on the Inamok world, permanently not long before you literally ran into me at the end of the summer before last. The earlier time we met was when we were reconciled to Queen Oonagh and stopped being exiled, though we still lived in Magh Meall.”

“Someone should have explained that before,” said Kate.

“Well, it’s kind of up to Neamhain and Donal,” said Alice. “Queen Oonagh originally didn’t want any of you fosterlings to talk to us or know any of our history at all, and vice versa. There are so many things you don’t know. That’s partly why you have Niamh. Actually Neamhain and Donal don’t know much more about current laws and customs than I do. So I rely on someone on the palace staff. I don’t pester Flinn.”

“That sounds like something about you or us embarrasses Queen Oonagh?” asked Kate.

“I think she was more concerned not to confuse you because my mother was sort of half human and to avoid embarrassing Donal,” suggested Alice. “It’s likely not possible to embarrass Neamhain or Queen Oonagh. While you four are unique, Halflings and changelings were last a feature over a thousand years ago and not sanctioned for over 2500 years. There are a few much older Aés Sidhe like me that have either one human or part human parent. What happened to you four has never happened before and now with the aliens gone, it won’t happen again. You are lucky to be alive.”

Kate looked at Alice. She seemed quite serious. It was more than Alice had ever told the others before. They found Alice’s origin quite mysterious as she hadn’t passed on anything to the other three. Alice leaned back and closed her eyes. Susan and Duncan had ‘broken up’ from being a couple. With the aliens gone and the reality of half a billion Sidhe in their five worlds, the pressure to pair up was gone. Still, it would be a long time before all the Aés Sidhe were comfortable about them and they integrated. She thought that now she just wanted friendship from Reggie, not anything deeper. Kate thought she was glad she hadn’t been stupid, yet. Susan and Duncan were still friends. She wondered why when the future was thousands of years living on the Aés Sidhe world that the Queen wanted them to go to university in the human world. She had thought perhaps it was to stay connected with their natural families. But obviously it wasn’t. Kate thought they had been steered to UL rather than a university closer to their families. Alice had put it so brutally, she hadn’t really taken it in that from a legal point of view her natural parents now had no more rights than an uncle or aunt now. The fact that it wasn’t English law and indeed laws of a people that humans regarded as myth was really irrelevant. The fact that Alice was also at uni and that must have involved an amazing amount of interference suggested there was value in it.

No wonder Alice worried about hurting people and not just physically, Kate mused. Why was Alice with them? Though her parents were dead she had mentioned other relatives still alive. Did she visit the nephew and niece in the Inamok world? Why was her Aés Sidhe father dead? Wasn’t that unusual? Unlike other Lords and Ladies at court, Alice’s biography was almost empty. Her adoptive mother’s biography had a 2500 year gap! There was far more on Lord Flinn, certainly his biography suggested security services and diplomatic services aspects of Aés Sidhe government for the last 500 years. He was no idle aristocrat.

Chapter 3: Caherbeg

Kate was pleased that the Queen was in residence at Caherbeg rather than Caherknock, as Caherknock was simply a village sized palace in the middle of boring plains of grain and fields with cattle and deer, though there were some woods. Caherbeg was a regional capital city with a busy sea port as well as the palace just outside in the hills. Though it was likely the Court would soon move to Caherknock in the southern hemisphere where Alice had her own large apartment. Here Alice lived in a house with her parents at the edge of the palace proper. Her Caherknock apartment was very like her own, except curiously with two extra bedrooms rather than one extra. She pressed the door intercom call on Neamhain’s door.

“It’s me,” she said, in Teanga Sióg. “Can I come and chat for a while?” She expected an answer, but instead the door opened.

“Come in,” said Alice, she changed to English. “I don’t mind if you want to speak English?”

“Thanks,” said Kate in Teanga Sióg as she hung up her cloak. “I’m still prohibited from using English here.”

“Coffee?”

“I think I’ve had too much already,” explained Kate. “We are alone?”

“Yes, Donal and Neamhain are away overnight visiting Manannán, Fand, her sisters and the others.”

“Others?” asked Kate. “They aren’t allowed near court?”

“Éthur and Banba mac Cuill, Téthur and Fodla mac Cecht, Céthur and Ériu mac Gréine. They with Manannán and Fand were the last Fay kings and queens of humans, the Tuath Dé exiled to the Inamok world to end the war with the Milesian Celts. You need to learn your history! You do seem a little edgy, really that much coffee?”

“I’m not jittery from coffee, I think I’m too magical or something to be affected that way now.”

“Sit down then. You still don’t drink?”

Kate had followed Alice into the kitchen and sat on a stool at the breakfast bar.

“Only really at a meal to be sociable. I couldn’t even drink a lemonade now right now though.”

“Do you want to watch a movie?”

“Not really,” said Kate. “I suppose you only have local ones anyway.”

“I brought the PS4, a DVD player, games, DVDs, CDs and some bluray movies that I bought in Limerick,” said Alice. “Flinn said it can plug into the flat screen here, though subtitles that need something in the TV won’t work. I have screens in my study and bedroom. He thinks that only applies to using it with broadcasting in the human world, though really I’ve decided that now the novelty has worn off, I prefer books and music.”

“So you have a study here?”

“Almost an apartment, it’s a big house. It’s even got a second bedroom for a maid even though I don’t have one! A video?”

“Well, some other time I’ll watch a video with you. As long as you don’t take notes.”

“Then why are you here?” asked Alice. “Not that I mind, I’m just curious, you didn’t say when you phoned.”

“I hardly know anyone apart from the other three and somehow I don’t feel able to talk to them about it. Not even Susan. I’m not comfortable with the sort of telepathic link and bond I have with Jenny any more, regular telepathy would be fine. Well, she doesn’t quite understand humans anyway. Certainly not the boy-girl stuff.”

“Probably has even less understanding of Aés Sidhe, which is what you are, you aren’t human. I never really fitted in, in Ireland or Magh Meall. You and the other three, I imagine, have had a more gradual awakening to being different.”

“You’ve spent much less time in Hy Brasil than I, yet you seem to fit in better, Alice?”

“I’ve always been Fay, I always knew I was different. My mother was a half breed or Halfling, maybe the last. Usually they seem human but possibly carrying Sidhe genes, like the Tuath Dé magi, though technically my mother wasn’t human enough for me to be called a Halfling, though I hoped for a while I’d be a magus like the Tuath Dé with magic. Donal is maybe the youngest Sióg Halfling, though he only has Sidhe genes. Also I’m not regarded as a Halfling at all because of my father’s magic, my biological mother’s lineage and how I was conceived. My nephew Tony and my niece Marion from my half sister don’t count as Fay Halflings because they have no pure Fay parent, they are quite like any Tuath Dé magi—”

“Magi?” interrupted Kate. “I’ve heard that before.”

“Singular magus, plural magi. Any human with magic powers by inheritance. Magician is a similar word.”

“I understand. So your mum, you couldn’t have known at the time you left?”

“They dug up her body to check the DNA. She had obviously chosen to ignore her heritage and pretend to be human, or even used magic to be human, I’m not sure. I think Reggie understands the genetics part a little, but I understand the magic. I hardly know anyone here, but it doesn’t bother me. Two people I’m friends with are royal Elves in Elfland. I’ve no idea why Flinn is so struck on me, I’m only a kid. Neamhain wanted a daughter and for reasons I can’t fathom I fit the bill. Donal happens to be my grandfather and married Neamhain not so long ago, though they were pretty friendly before the last war that involved the Fay. I believe the Queen saved the four of you from certain imminent death of a very unpleasant nature at great cost to herself. She could have died healing you. It will take her years to recover fully. Our DNA is apparently very different to humans, that’s why magic is needed to interbreed Fay and humans. The more expert and powerful Fay can decide much about the child. So Donal wanted my mum to seem normal, a human rather than Sióg Halfling, but a carrier of the magic genes. The twins Elcamar and Ealcmhar may have had plans for me. That’s one reason why the Queen was anxious that I speak with Morien and avoid hurting or killing her. That’s why all of Catherine’s full sisters were infertile, they got a bad mix of genes. Mixed parentage offspring between species are usually sterile, if possible at all.”

“So none of us five can have children?” exclaimed Kate.

“You are all 100% Sidhe, just like me, Kate,” explained Alice. “That just means we are as unlikely to have children as any Fay, though my DNA has never been officially tested, I was evaluated by Nemaron. I tested myself and it looked to me like I’m 100% Sidhe. Though it’s not an exact test. Actually anything over 97% is regarded as 100%. The test gear was developed for horses. Some of us take horses quite seriously.”

“So I should just be glad to be alive, is that what you are saying? I didn’t realise the risk the Queen was taking or how hard it was.”

“Well, no, though it’s true,” said Alice. “I’m saying that I’ve just been lucky and I don’t really know anyone here either, other than maybe Flinn and some horsey people a little. I hardly meet my great grandfather, Manannán, the three kings and queens and my two adopted aunts. I meet Queen Oonagh and Prince Nemaron more often. I do have a couple of friends in Elfland. Manannán and his people live some distance away, hence I’m home alone for the next few days.”

“Really alone?”

“There is a part time housekeeper and cook that Neamhain employs, but Chrissie usually cooks for me if I’m here alone or in my apartment at Caherknock. She’s originally a horse veterinarian, or something. I’m not sure why she’s on the palace staff, though she is on call for the royal horses.”

“She’s your mysterious advisor?”

“Yes. You are really Aés Sidhe now, but the origin of the four of you is unique. It will likely take a while for people to accept you and for you to realise you aren’t human any more. So you need to listen carefully to Niamh. Where is she?”

“Sorting out stuff in Wychavon. How do you feel about us?”

“Amazed,” said Alice. “I’m trusting what people say because you all seem more like Tuath Dé Enchanters. I know you aren’t because the DNA tests prove it and loads of Aés Sidhe don’t have your level of strength and magic. In reality you are much more robust than a human Enchanter. Right now I’m the youngest of us five, but in twenty years it won’t matter.”

“Somehow you seem older than me, though you are a year younger?”

“I’m very immature and emotional, though I hide my emotions. You seem to have been much more sensible than me. Actually you’ll notice that most Fay are very careful about anger. Be careful, because for us Fay, revenge is always a dish served cold. I might actually be older than you think, I’m officially eighteen shortly but possibly older. The actual elapsed time lived sums are tricky.”

“You don’t mind me talking like this?”

“Just don’t repeat any of it, we can be friends, I thought you knew that. I guess you miss your school friends? I made some friends at the Magi college and miss them. Empress Megra says though I can visit on special occasions. Probably it will be weddings.” Alice scowled.

“Well, you see before the alien masquerading as a teacher brought the four of us together, we were loners, no friends in school and we didn’t know each other except to say hello. I read fantasy books, did a bit of computer stuff. Susan? I don’t know, I think she studied astronomy and Physics. Reggie and Duncan studied a lot and read books.”

“But Reggie is your boyfriend?”

“We were sort of encouraged by the other adult Quadrivium. They are all dead now, the last survivor was affected badly by the other three dying and died shortly after the aliens left. We kind of paired up. Prince Nemaron actually told off Duncan for being too obvious with Susan in public. Anyway they are now just friends. I want to be just friends with Reggie. I can’t imagine why I’m telling you, except—”

“You needed to tell someone,” said Alice. “There was a boy that had a crush on me, I used a two pronged approach. I demonstrated that I wasn’t human, that’s not useful for you, and I happened on a sort of predatory girl that wanted to get married. I can’t imagine doing that again. Fortunately they are well suited.”

“So what should I do?”

“Politely tell him you just want to be friends?” said Alice. “That’s what I did. Took me ages to do it though. I’m not going to tell Reggie for you. You are both too young, for Aés Sidhe anyway, besides you are doing it the human way. Aés Sidhe don’t court like that. Well, we do go on dates, but you aren’t doing that anyway. You’re holding hands in public, kissing and I don’t want to know what you do in private.”

“Not much more,” sighed Kate, “which I suppose is good. I didn’t realise we were so obvious. You didn’t seem to be noticing.”

“I just said nothing. I did however take the liberty of talking to my grandmother, Queen Oonagh, about the other thing.”

“Is that why this urgent meeting with the Queen hasn’t happened?”

“Flinn helped. She’s going to wait and see, everyone has calmed down. Fay don’t do things rashly. As a guardian, no I don’t know what that means, she has a dilemma. She isn’t supposed to interfere generally, only to stop bad stuff to the entire human race that’s not supposed to happen. I don’t think she has list of what is supposed to happen any more than you or I have.”

“So having her four fosterlings here is just one less thing to worry about?”

“Yes. You need to worry less too. You learnt to ride yet?”

“I did, it was very sore to start with. Only Jenny and Duncan drive. Reggie and I are supposed to have driving lessons, maybe even in Ireland.”

“Do you have a pony of your own?”

“No,” said Kate.

“Well, let’s go buy one, I know a good place to try. Oh, I have to learn to drive soon too.”

“I’m guessing you grew up with horses?”

“True, though only other people’s horses at the riding school and the stud farm. I didn’t own one till I lived on the Inamok world with the Tuath Dé, in the place they call Magh Meall. I had to leave two ponies behind. So I got two horses here.”

“I don’t know if I can afford a pony,” said Kate.

“Don’t be daft, you’ll find the dealer will just send the bill to Sally or maybe Deirdre. Or is Niamh looking after you lot? You are a fosterling of the High Queen. You are rich beyond anything you can imagine. I could even afford another.”

“I am?”

“I don’t suppose you can just go out and buy anything,” said Alice, “like an executive jet, but in our position in court it’s pretty odd not to have a horse or three. We can shop for riding outfits too.”

“Don’t we need to get permission or a bodyguard or anything?”

“Not to go to the horse dealers or ordinary shops near here,” said Alice. “We do have to say if we are going out, everyone does. We’d want some official security for some other places in the City, though it’s much less risky than most places. Simply because we are children. You have one of the phones built into a hazel wand?”

“Yes, only for here, I don’t have an Aés Sidhe laptop though.”

“Then let’s exchange contacts and go. They can call us and can track us using the phones too. I’ll tell Chrissie when we are going out.”

“We just tap our phones together three times?”

“Didn’t you do it with your friends?”

“Yes. Don’t you even tell Neamhain and Donal when you are going off somewhere?”

“Only if it’s convenient. I do usually let someone on the staff know.”

“Actually why have you a separate apartment in Caherknock?”

“We’d share a house if it was big enough, but none are available at Caherknock. Neither I nor Neamhain want to share an apartment. So we don’t. Neamhain likes to be private with Donal. I’m delighted to have Neamhain adopt me, but she’s not always a very relaxing person to be with. You aren’t of age either till thirty-three and you aren’t sharing an apartment with your nearly adoptive mother, the Queen. We are all in the same building. Me having an apartment to myself is no different to you.”

“I never thought of it like that,” said Kate. “Though you were never human you do understand stuff in UL and Limerick that trips me up. Your childhood in Ireland has helped—”

“I have studied contemporary Ireland for the last year,” interrupted Alice.

“I never was even in Ireland till last year as all four of my grandparents had settled in England. Yet I always felt more Irish than English. Wychavon district is so English too, really only Duncan absolutely fitted in with Reggie’s family roots among Chinese in Malaysia and Susan’s family being African-Caribbean in origin, from the 1950s I think.”

“This court of the Sióg, the Sidhe, this clan of Aés Sidhe has quite a long standing connection with Ireland,” explained Alice. “They were the first people to live in Ireland about 12,000 years ago after the last Ice age. The Daoine Maithe and Sluagh Sidhe courts are also historically connected to Ireland. The Sheevra are connected with Wales and western England while the Alba Síth with Scotland, western Isles and Northern England. There are Fair Folk connected with other countries in the five courts too. Each of the five worlds is named after the dominant clan. We are a very clan orientated folk. The Elves and Faerie are a little different, but basically very closely related species. Inter Fay breeding is possible without magic, hence the Elven Prince Nemaron being Queen Oonagh’s consort. Aés Sidhe children are rare and such children are rarer. Hence my adoption and your fosterage. How many kids have you seen?”

“None,” said Kate, “the city only has about forty?”

“Not as many as that, only nine below the age of eleven,” explained Alice softly. “They are counting people up to thirty-two years old as children, there are thirty-one apart from us five, I think. The lowest in a long time. Though it’s a long time since anyone got killed or died. Two renegades in the last 1500 years! We are the only children in any palace in six Fay worlds, maybe seven Fay worlds. That’s why we are rather infertile. We have to be.”

“We aren’t immortal though.”

“We can have accidents, be killed, and even simply fade and die if we lose the will to live,” said Alice. “Actually getting sick or growing old is very rare. Yet humans outnumber all the Faerie, Elves and Sidhe together, only recently though!”

“This is why Fair folk used to take human lovers and why the Tuath Dé have so many people with magic?”

“Yes,” said Alice. “It was usually nobles, leaders, chiefs. Or the people became such. They then married within that caste and have kept the magic, the Aés Sidhe taint, alive since the exile.”

“They were exiled because of that?”

“Also they were going to destroy the later Celts, the ones the Book of Invasions call the Milesian Celts, it was the start of the Iron age. I’ve learnt a lot of the real history behind the myths and legends over the last three years. I suppose more than three years. Manannán mac Lir, Donal, the Morrígna and six other Aés Sidhe were fighting on the Tuath Dé side. They are all only recently reconciled with Queen Oonagh. Donal’s mum was Irish, well, it was over 2800 years ago, so born in the Island of Ireland would be more accurate. So you might think my mum was three quarters Irish, but it’s more complicated than that, she was less than half human. The magic in humans often skips a generation. No human ever did a DNA analysis on her, thankfully.”

“Even Aés Sidhe science can’t detect or measure magic in people?”

“Not directly, though DNA from a normally magical species indicates a likelihood of magic,” explained Alice. “Yet the magic often can’t distinguish species that seem similar. To most magic senses, an Aés Sidhe seems like a Tuath Dé Enchanter. Some people, especially Elves and Faerie can tell better. The DNA though is different.”

“So let’s go get a horse!” exclaimed Kate.

“Believe me it only gets harder if you put it off,” insisted Alice.

“What?”

“Break up with Reggie now, before we go shopping, and then sit beside him at supper to prove you are still friends. I’ll grab the seat at the other side of him and do my famous not talking thing.”

“Yes. I’ve found since I bumped into you last year that you are chattier than your reputation.”

“Well, I used to be shy. Also I was used to being secretive. You’ll find I’m still not generally chatty. I’ve ordered a car for us.”

“It’s funny,” mused Kate, “the alien pretending to be a teacher tried to convince us that we were sort of mutant superheroes. You and Neamhain practically are like X-men.”

“I have no idea what an X-man is.”

“It’s a comic book superhero series,” explained Kate.

“I know what comic superheroes are, but I did skip out forty years of recent culture. Hence my hundreds of DVDs, Bluray and CDs.”

“Hundreds?”

“We do have an accommodation address,” said Alice, “then the stuff is picked up and taken to the warehouse with the Portals and thence here, or to our house in Limerick. Unlike taking stuff from here, you can bring in anything, as long as it’s not alive, explosive or generally hazardous. I ordered a lot online so as to get up to date with Twenty-First Century culture.”

“Oh dear,” said Kate, “using the same internet connection, credit card and address?”

“Is it a problem?” said Alice. “I suppose some organisation already knows it’s an accommodation address. I presume that’s why it’s not the address of any safe house or location with a Portal. I know I’m clueless about computers, but buying stuff online isn’t complicated, I had Flinn show me and used his computer. I bought a lot in shops too. You’ll have to show me how to convert CDs to MP3s. From what I read that’s the proper way?”

“Yes, it’s more portable,” sighed Kate. “It means you can listen on your phone.”

“Go!” exclaimed Alice. “I’ll be in the main courtyard at the fountain waiting for you, so don’t be long. You are procrastinating!”

~

Kate soon found Reggie, in the Royal library as usual.

“I want to talk privately,” she said. “It won’t take long.”

“There isn’t anyone else here right now.”

“There isn’t any easy way to say it, Reggie,” said Kate. “I just want to be friends, not in a relationship or dating. No holding hands, kissing and cuddling any longer. It’s not how things are done here anyway I think.”

They stood staring. Reggie smiled.

“It’s not as if we are engaged or anything,” said Reggie. “Friends is fine, well I suppose just as well we haven’t got too intimate.”

“I thought we were pretty intimate,” said Kate. “I was getting a little uncomfortable, because while it was very pleasant to start with I felt a bit of hypocrite. I think the Munich Quadrivium and David expected us to pair up. After they were gone I’ve started to feel a bit uncomfortable about what we are doing.”

“At least we didn’t get a telling off like Duncan and Susan did.”

“Only because we have been more circumspect in public,” said Kate, “though not enough, Eilis noticed. Perhaps 1500 years ago the Aés Sidhe were more easy going about people our age being intimate. Eilis seems to think it’s now rare under thirty.”

“You mean Eilis that shares the house with us, the Queen’s granddaughter. Why is she at uni with us?”

“She was born in Ireland, though adopted, she really was born Aés Sidhe and related to the Queen via both parents. Donal isn’t just an adoptive parent, even though he’s married to Neamhain, her adoptive mother. He’s her grandfather, thus co-guardian because her birth parents are dead.”

“How did she get born in Ireland?” asked Reggie.

“It’s complicated, I’m sure it’s really private,” said Kate. “Anyway though she is a year younger than me, she left Ireland in 1976 when she was nearly fourteen. She’s a good sort. Talk to her at supper. I know she has hardly spoken two words in the house we share. She does seem to know Flinn very well and talks to me when we are alone. She’s just very private. How many other teenagers have you met here?”

“None. Obviously she’s been involved in something strange. She had long hair and no scar when we saw her the first time. Also the dates and age make no sense. I assumed she was a fake mature student and somehow along with Flinn to mind us, but then I wondered because they hardly speak to each other.”

“She was in a fight,” said Kate. “With who or why she didn’t say. She may be chatty with me in private, but she’s no gossip. I suspect she and Flinn only talk privately. She’s known him for two years.”

Chapter 4: Horses

“I did it, Alice,” whispered Kate when she found Alice at the fountain.

“What he say?”

“He just nodded and said ‘OK’, then I said I’d see him at supper.”

“Right, we’ll get the metro, there is a stop near as the horse place adjoins a race track and arena.”

Alice stroked the mare and then lifted each hoof in turn. She looked at the teeth and walked the horse around the yard, only younger Fay rode a pony.

“Can you provide me a saddle and let me ride her?”

“I thought the mare was for your friend?”

“Princess Royal, Caitrin ni Oonagh, yes,” said Alice.

“You are?”

“Princess Eilis ni Neamhain. Neamhain ni Oonagh formerly of the Morrígna,” said Alice. “Her highness isn’t very experienced at riding.”

“Sorry your highness,” he said.

“Now, Kate,” said Alice, “you do it, we’ll help. I want to see how the pony reacts to you adjusting the girth.”

Then Kate watched Alice adjust the stirrups and check all the tack.

“You want a go?” said Alice.

“Maybe later if we buy it.”

“Her,” said Alice, “she’s a mare, not a bicycle.” With that Alice mounted and was away.

Kate watched as she turned, trotted, cantered and did a small gallop. She trotted back.

“She’s maybe a little small for me, but really a horse rather than a pony for all that. She’ll suit you fine as long as you are not wanting to win anything.”

“Am I supposed to haggle?”

“Actually I don’t know,” said Alice. “ask Deirdre, call her seeing as Niamh is away.”

“I thought you’d bought two horses?”

“I believe they came from here. I picked them at the Royal stables.”

Kate called Lady Deirdre who fortunately answered.

“Eilis has picked me a mare,” said Kate softly, “she doesn’t know if I should haggle over the price?”

“Where are you?” said Deirdre.

Kate explained.

“Don’t haggle, just pay him what he asks if he knows who you are,” said Deirdre. “If you weren’t royalty, then you’d be expected to haggle. He’ll only charge the going rate or a little less. Tell him to send the bill to Lady Niamh of the Royal Household staff. In future, unless it’s to do with Queen Oonagh personally, you should be calling Niamh. At least Eilis knows how to choose a horse. I’d be really cross if you’d gone on your own! Don’t let her buy you anything.”

“Thanks,” said Kate and pocketed the phone.

“I never heard Deirdre so snippy, Eilis,” said Kate. “It seems stuff like this is Lady Niamh’s department. Um…” said Kate walking over to the manager. “I’ll take her. Deliver her to the Royal stables and send the bill to my secretary, Lady Niamh of the Royal Household staff.”

“That saddle and tack too,” whispered Alice in her ear.

“Along with the saddle and tack.”

“She’ll be there later this evening,” he said. “If you’ll just sign here?”

Kate could tell that Alice was amused by her signature.

“What’s funny?”

“You signed as K. Kelliher,” explained Alice. “It doesn’t matter. Many people have a signature that looks like a squiggle. You’ll have to learn your Teanga Sióg signature!”

“Should I have asked the mare’s name?”

“It will be on her pedigree records,” said Alice. “It’s irrelevant. Ride her and then name her.”

“Right, so can we go riding tomorrow?” asked Kate when they were back on the metro heading to the city.

“You know I don’t offer any guarantee the horse is really any good?” said Alice. “We can ride tomorrow if we are not back at college. Actually it would be probably be Sunday anyway in Limerick. So royalty is too posh to haggle?”

“It seems so,” said Kate. “I suppose as you are a princess you shouldn’t haggle either. You’ve more idea than I have, you looked like you knew what you were doing looking at the horse. So where to go for riding clothes?”

“I’ve no idea, I got mine in Caherknock,” said Alice. “We’ll try the place the horse dealer recommended. He’s not going to knowingly give bad advice to the Queen’s foster daughter and heir and granddaughter.”

“I’m having difficulty still taking that in,” said Kate. “Any theory why I’m the heir?”

“Nope,” said Alice, “except you are young, she likes you, you are sensible and you are sort of nearly Irish. You could have turned it down. The Aés Sidhe are a bit nostalgic and soft about Ireland.”

“I expect she’ll live for thousands more years and she or the council will pick someone more suitable,” said Kate. “Somehow I didn’t think it was feasible to argue with her.”

~

“We should go back,” said Alice after Kate was finished buying clothes.

“I thought we might eat in the city instead of the hall?” said Kate.

“We agreed you’d meet Reggie for supper,” insisted Alice. “I’ll order a car.”

~

They stood just behind the door, in the main hall, waiting for Reggie.

Kate was boggled. Alice grabbed Reggie as he came in and held his wrist. She knew now that generally Aés Sidhe avoided unexpected physical contact.

“Come sit with Kate and me,” she insisted.

They sat down at an empty part of the vast table. Kate sat on the other side of Reggie.

“I bought a horse today,” said Kate.

“How?”

“You just go to a place that sells horses and stuff, tell them who you are and get them to send the bill to Lady Niamh. Eilis helped.”

Reggie looked at Alice. “You know about horses?”

“A little.”

They ate for a while. Eventually Kate broke the silence.

“You OK, still friends Reggie?”

“Yes,” he said, “I was thinking the same, but I didn’t want to upset you or fall out. We kind of rushed into it. At least we didn’t do anything too foolish.”

Kate looked past Reggie and was surprised to see that Alice was gone.

Shortly after the meal she called Alice. “Can I visit again?”

“Sure anytime, it’s good to always check first,” said Alice. “No news yet, Flinn and some others are checking it out. They aren’t back.”

~

The door opened before she could press the button.

“How do you do that?”

“I guessed you’d called from your own place and timed it, then I sensed you, though I can sense horses better,” said Alice. “Come in.”

“Yet you claim you are rubbish at maths, science and technology?”

“I know I am. Maybe someday you can meet my science guru friend, Órlaith. She’s a Tuath Dé Enchanter and as close to a mix of a Renaissance genius and polymath as you could meet. Perhaps at her wedding, it’s got to be soon. She’s about your age.”

“Your parents still away?” asked Kate softly as they walked to the lounge.

“Yes, likely I won’t see them if we are back at uni before Monday morning, Limerick time.”

They flopped down on the couch. Kate eyed Alice suspiciously. She seemed to be wearing not much more than a green full length soft robe like a dressing gown and green furry slippers.

“Are you naked under that?”

“Only in the sense we all are under our clothes,” said Alice. “I’m more decent than you’d see on the beach under the robe. It’s comfortable. I don’t have pain as such from the scarring, but they can be itchy and tight.”

“You mean there are more scars than on your face and hands?”

“I was lucky not to lose an arm or a leg.” Alice cast off the robe and stood in her bra and pants. Then picked it up, put it on and sat again.

“What happened, was it a wild beast? You can ride?”

“Yes, I can ride fine. The pain and bleeding was healed almost immediately. I was foolish. Don’t pry, as I explained before, it will all heal like new. Even the missing finger is visibly a stump now and the tip of the other one is nearly perfect. The scars will take the longest. What about you?”

“Reggie’s fine. I’m fine.”

“I never doubted it,” said Alice. “As I said, you are all a lot smarter and more sensible than I am. Excepting Jenny.”

“She’s very loyal, apart from the mysterious tie thing, I mean she was before she swore fealty to me.”

“I see,” said Alice. “I found I have a few X-men movies. Do you want to watch one?”

“Only if you really want to, you wanted me to be honest? Maybe you can play me a game of fidchell and that would be more conducive to talking?”

“You expect me to not only buy you a horse and riding outfits and then talk all evening too?”

“I admit you helped, but I’m fairly sure you didn’t pay. Actually Niamh is still away, so will the bill for the horse be fine?”

“Someone will pay it, don’t fuss.”

“A game of fidchell?”

“We’ll see,” said Alice. “You’ll have to keep me company with small beer, it’s not a small glass, it’s a weak kind of beer.”

“I know what a small beer is, I’m really very well read. I’ll try one.”

She watched Alice unfold and head to the Kitchen. Kate wondered about Alice drinking at only seventeen even if it was only a weak kind of beer. She resisted the temptation to ask if her adoptive parents knew.

Alice returned with two large glasses already covered with condensation.

“You didn’t drink in Ireland?”

“Lord no, mammy would have killed me,” said Alice. “I was surprised by the Tuath Dé, imagine a mix of Celtic like conventions mixed with French and English imports from the fifteenth to nineteenth century for the contemporary society. Also mixed with their six hundred years of development of the 550 BC Bronze age proto-Celt with some Aés Sidhe and borrowings from the three different local cultures. It’s like four sentient species that are nothing like each other, except actually the ones that only look like Elves and Dwarves are the same species, Lorinok and Kranok which means light and dark people originally both Inamok. Inamok really just means the people. Maybe literally all the people.”

“That’s even harder to imagine than Jenny’s Uncle Andrew’s mad manor or this place. So?”

“Wine or beer almost every meal, but usually not strong stuff, not a lot either. The only drunk people I met were sailors in a bar I went to. I was learning Old Norse, or something like it and the culture of Skandi people. The Skands arrived later, probably when it was about 500 AD or later for them. Maybe 800 AD, I don’t know for sure. My growth spurt started the day I arrived on the Inamok world and I had to drink a lot of malted milk going to bed to avoid waking with hunger pangs. That was Neamhain’s theory, it mostly worked. Very malty small beer was preferable.”

“Certainly I’ve only read about small beer. I can’t believe this has hops either? Very sweet.”

“I don’t believe it keeps, no hops and a lot of unfermented malt. I don’t think it matches the description of English small beer, but it’s tolerably like the Tuath Dé stuff they call small beer. I’ve no idea what the English stuff is like. It’s like the Tuath Dé and Aés Sidhe invented cola without sugar and whatever else goes in it. It’s about 2% alcohol I think, unless it gets contaminated with yeast, then the bottles explode. I mean the Tuath Dé stuff, I don’t know about this stuff. I’ve no idea how they stop it fermenting or how it’s made.”

“Maybe filtered and pasteurised, Duncan could probably explain it. The game?”

Chapter 5: The Ride

Kate woke up. She felt a bit disorientated just for a moment. She wondered why they didn’t have some sort of jet-lag with the near instant time zone changes. Probably humans would. At least she was in her own apartment and could remember the entire evening, no headache either, so the malt shandies, or whatever they were, couldn’t be too bad. Maybe Aés Sidhe don’t get hangovers? Some people drank plenty at supper in the hall. She looked at the clock. Twenty minutes to get up and get to the stables. Probably Alice would be late. She’d been most raised as Irish even if she’d never been human. Irish people were legendary for being late.

“Sorry I’m late, Eilis,” said Kate. How did Alice look so fresh? She wondered.

“Maybe I’m more used to staying up late. I led the horses out. Can you manage your tack?”

“I think so.”

Alice calmed the mare while Kate ineptly put the saddle in place and fastened it. Kate was glad she had remembered to speak Teanga Sióg and call Alice, Eilis. She was very aware that whatever Alice was like in private, she was indistinguishable from any Aés Sidhe in public. There were other riders about.

Chapter 6: Precautions

Kate was rather surprised that they were sent back to Limerick and as Alice expected, no meeting with the Queen about it after all. They’d only missed the weekend and Jenny would be back tomorrow. Niamh was supposed to be with them soon.

“Right,” said Flinn, “not a word or comment to anyone about the possible failure of the Cloud. We’ll have a meeting in the lounge at 7 pm sharp.”

Chapter 7: Settling In

It was Friday afternoon, still far too early for supper so even Jenny was in the lounge with them. Kate reflected that Jenny actually seemed to like cleaning, laundry and oddly cooking though she ate little other than sausages. One aspect that made other werewolves think she was a little odd was that she preferred cooked sausages to raw meat. She did mostly use her canine shape to eat them. Kate hefted her heavy ‘The Art of Electronics’, Horowitz and Hill. She’d got it off eBay. It wasn’t on the course and was from 1989, but it seemed like a good text for someone like herself good at mathematics and computer programming and no background at all in electronics, random people on electronics forums said it was good.

Chapter 8: Ties that Bind

“I was sceptical before the demo, Alice,” said Kate, “that you could have the ability to change the link between me and Jenny.”

Kate saw Alice sit up in surprise in bed. Jenny raised her faintly collie like wolf head. Really, thought Kate, you don’t get long haired golden wolves. At least when she was awake she could now be more wolf like. Jenny growled.

Chapter 9: Canaries

Kate was conscious of the lecturer, Jim Clancy, standing nearby. She felt that for her, his was the least useful module, Network Systems.

“Mr. Clancy,” said Kate. “Am I doing something wrong?” She knew she hadn’t put much effort into this module as it was of least interest to her.

“I’d be surprised,” he said, “can I ask you a personal question?”

“Sit down and don’t hover then,” said Kate turning round.

“It’s just there was a case last year,” said Jim. “We don’t like to get too close to the students.”

“You’ll not be at any risk to me even if you wanted to be,” insisted Kate. “Think of me as being a black belt.”

“In what?”

“Bartitsu.”

“Never heard of it.”

Chapter 10: Genie-Sys Dublin

“Now you’ve seen a data suite, one room of the data centre, with physical security and physical firewalls. It’s also flood proof,” said Tom. “There are economic limits, so it’s not proof against a cruise missile, but might survive a car bomb outside. Anyway while backups are needed because of physical failures, the main reason is stupidity. Accidental deletion of data, compromised operating system, mistyped command, either a faulty patch, an incompatible new version, faulty antivirus definitions, malware from viruses and trojans to an insider logic bomb. No one has access to all the passwords and accounts. Thus people do not get transferred to different areas without all the old accounts being changed and a security audit.

Chapter 11: The Invitation

Niamh was startled by loud chimes from Kate and Alice’s bedroom. At least it was in that direction. She was in her own room and Susan’s bedroom was on the other side. She shut the laptop and went to the bedroom investigate. The chimes kept repeating.

Chapter 12: The Wedding

Alice thought that there was no doubt that Niamh was genius at make-up, and the mild Rapunzel sort of enchantment on her hair had worked well. It had prostrated Niamh at the time, but she’d been full of energy the next morning clothes shopping in Caherbeg. It cheered her that she’d been right about Niamh’s magic.

Chapter 13: Flinn Invites

“Is there anyone you want to invite to your eighteenth birthday, Alice?” asked Reggie.

“Do we have to have one?”

Chapter 14: Morwenna

Morwenna arrived on Thursday afternoon, driving a 2010 Toyota RAV4 just after Alice got back from UL.

“Nice to meet you Eilis,” she said. “I met the others once already. I know Flinn too of course.”

“You can call me Alice in private.”

“You aren’t at uni today?”

“It’s an arts course,” said Alice, “there is a lot of reading and essays. The other four have a lot more classes and labs and such. Flinn amuses himself on campus or studies in the library and then brings the others back in the people carrier. Niamh often picks me up, she wanted me here to meet you.”

“He’s their minder,” said Morwenna. “I expected that. Give me the tour, Alice. I’ll catch up with Niamh later in private, if you don’t mind, we are sharing the bedroom. I’ve never been here before.”

Chapter 15: The Birthday

Flinn had explained to all the guests that while it wasn’t fancy dress they could wear any authentic posh evening wear from Regency times to the present day as long as it looked good, would be comfortable to dance in and didn’t look like fancy dress. There would be waltzes, foxtrot, ragtime, swing, jive and more. Instruction for anyone interested.

Chapter 16: Cloudburst

“Don’t panic, backup power is online in five, four, three, two,” shouted Flinn with the Voice of Command, in the dark and then the lights came on again. Flinn typed on his laptop and the big screen came to life again. Now Louise was on a corner and three windows had statistics.

Chapter 17: Day One

RTÉ News Now was on the TVs in the Kitchen, dining room and lounge via Saorsat. News agencies and RTÉ had Iridium phones, so international reports were now coming in. The poorer third world countries were hardly affected.

Chapter 18: Day Three

“Check,” said Ben. Christina laughed.

“I think you have me,” said Gerry. “I resign. Who’d have thought Niamh was right?”

“Also Louise,” said Ben, “she knew it would get worse and martial law would be inevitable. It’s unreal that they have issued weapons to her security, we have martial law, all the schools, universities and non-essential industry closed.”

Chapter 19: Day Five

“I think, Niamh,” said Morwenna, “I’ll stay another few days, today may be critical. Managing ten human kids and five Aés Sidhe children is too much for the two of you. I should stay till the visitors go home.”

Chapter 20: Day Seven

Friday again!

“Breakfast!” shouted Niamh in the hall, after flinging open the lounge and dining room doors in the hall. “Don’t bother washing and dressing till later, the croissants won’t keep. Dining room only. Kitchen reserved for residents. You better like them, all the work it was for Morwenna and I.”

Chapter 21: Relaxing

Finally the drivers came back from leaving the visitors home and they went to Caherbeg via the Raheen Portal late on Friday, though it was only mid-morning in Caherbeg. They went riding on Alice’s favourite route on Saturday. It was a little chilly, especially on the strand, but the rain held off. They went to the roadhouse near the stone circle having booked supper and after stabling the horses went to sit out at the stone circle with a picnic lunch. Flinn and Niamh had brought rugs and ground sheets from the restaurant.

* * *

THE END

Next: ‘Exiles and Rooks’. Alice exiles Tony and Marion to Magh Meall.

The Celtic Otherworld

Contemporary travel to Otherworlds are mentioned in Celtic myth and legend. Meet the Tuath Dé, Sióg, Aés Sidhe, Elves and Faerie. Also set in Limerick, Ireland and Wychavon, England.

Court Grave, Lough Gur, Co. Limerick

Unlike Greek and Roman myth, there are many Celtic Otherworlds that appear to be magical and often inhabited by the Fair Folk (Fay, Fairy, Elves, Sióg) or sometimes the Tuath Dé (later called Tuatha De Danann). They are not realms of the dead.

Manannán Mac Lir led the Tuath Dé away to the Otherworld over 2500 years ago. Except for them it’s been more like 600 due to the time-slip. The Portals were often at Court Graves, Raths and other ancient Irish sites. Today Tuath Dé culture is a crazy mix of Mediaeval to Nineteenth Century styles. Now the Magi Council and the Druids of Ollathair have wakened the Sleepers, the Morrígna, (Badb, Macha and Neamhain) and the rest of Manannán Mac Lir’s Aés Sidhe Warband.

The Talents Universe

The Talents Universe series are all stories connected by characters with the mysterious Talent, of which there are seven kinds, or with some involvement of the Caemorian Empire, a world 80,000 light years away from Earth (Tellus) on the other side of the Milky Way. Apart from Jump Drive for the starships and the psychic like Talent, the Science Fiction attempts to be compatible with known science.

Circle College campus, Caemoria.

Mostly involving the activities of the Caemorian Empire, a single planet 80,000 light years from Earth. They are about 5000 years more advanced. Their culture dominates nearly a third of the Milky Way. Anyone developing Talent, always at puberty, must be trained in the Circle College on Caemoria.

Many of the stories involve Maisie Kelly from Ireland the only person from Earth with the special Talent. The time scale is contemporary, and as we didn’t notice any giant starship visiting, it must be an alternate reality?

Trader’s Isle

The Trader’s Isle series is set in mediaeval like world without Black Powder. The massive world wars and loss of much technology a thousand years earlier was bad, but the rise of the Sorcerers called the Silver Wolf Heads using the Arinopean Barons as puppet leaders was a disaster for the Isle of Amrat and the people curiously called Traveller Folk, even though they are not nomadic.

The painting is a detail from Le Jardin de Maubuisson by Camille Pissarro (1830-1903).