Sorceress of Kells

Angus studied Garrett as he backed up a step and laid a hand on his weapon.
"Garrett. What are you doing here?"
Garrett's gaze moved over Bridie as though sizing her up. When he answered Angus' question, his voice was full of sarcasm.
"I have returned Princess Lynette to her homeland," he said, taking a step toward Bridie, looking for all the world like a predatory cat. "I thought everyone in Kells would welcome the return of the fifth mystic knight with open arms...but I must have been mistaken. I'm sorry you still can't trust me, Angus."
Angus tilted his head in apology, letting his hand move away from his mace.
"Don't be. It's just that Rohan has disappeared...and now you show up..."
King Conchobar stood and approached Angus.
"Rohan; gone? Where was this? Did you see it happen?"
"Aideen was there...in her human form. She saw it all."
Cathbad gazed at Angus, confusion in his pale blue eyes. "I was not aware that Aideen had such power, to transform into a human usually requires the powers of a magical human."
Bridie began speaking even as she came out from behind Angus. Apparently neither the king nor the druid had given her much notice. Angus moved aside but kept his hand against her arm, lightly comforting her.
"She doesn't have such power on her own, Cathbad," she said. The druid studied her with great interest; memories of the young woman destroying half of his chamber with her newfound powers came back to him in a rush.
"Bridie of the Boyne," Cathbad said mischievously, shaking a finger at her, then holding his arms out in welcome as Bridie took his hands gratefully. Cathbad kissed her softly on the forehead. "You have become a woman in these years of absence from our kingdom."
Bridie smiled warmly. "It has been a long and tiring journey, my friend."
She turned to the king and curtsied as low as she dared.
"Does His Majesty recall the young friend of Draganta?" She asked. Conchobar nodded sagely, trying to conceal his happiness at seeing one who had been so close to his daughter.
"I remember you very well, young Bridie. I wonder if you will greet me properly after all these years."
Bridie's winsome face broke into a huge grin, and she raced up the steps and into Conchobar's arms.
Deirdre chose that moment to enter the throne-room and, shocked, called to her father.
"Father!"
Bridie's eyes grew wide for a moment and she slipped out of the king's embrace, turning with hands on hips to greet the new arrival.
Deirdre's mouth dropped open about a mile wide as she stared at Bridie, and a smile began forming on her lips as she slowly approached her friend for a long overdue hug.
"Bridie of the Boyne," she said respectively, as though it were Bridie's royal title. Bridie grasped her friend warmly, then pulled away slowly.
"Deirdre, Rohan is gone and we don't know where. Aideen is in tir na nOg right now, seeking answers from Fin Varra."
"There have been no attacks on the Kells-Temra border. I don't think it's Queen Maeve; she's been fairly tame recently."
"I wouldn't be sure about anything until we hear from Aideen," Angus added.
Bridie turned and noticed that Garrett was still looking her up and down.
"Who's your friend, my lady?" Bridie asked Deirdre, not seeing the hurt look on Angus' face.
"Bridie, this is Prince Garrett. Garrett, meet Bridie, my best friend."
Garrett took Bridie's hand in his own, raising it to his lips as he inclined his head to lay a moist kiss on the upturned palm.
"I am honored, lady, to meet the friend of the Princess of Kells."
Bridie curtsied, bowing her head beneath Garrett's impassioned gaze, looking at Angus beneath her elbow; hoping he would say something to get them out of there.
"Bridie," Angus said, taking the hint. "Perhaps we should speak to Cathbad now; privately."
"Of course!" Bridie agreed, removing her hand from Garrett's grip and turning away. "I am pleased to meet you, Prince Garrett. But I must attend my duty."
Angus took Bridie's arm as they went up the steps to Cathbad's chamber.
"Come on, Cathbad," he said, turning to give Garrett another good long glare...

Cathbad turned to close the door as Angus and Bridie entered his chamber. Angus sat down against the window-sill, taking Bridie's hand and guiding her to a perch on his knee. She leaned back against his chest happily. Cathbad studied the two of them as he turned to his table and checked on his herbs.
"Would either of you care to tell me what that was all about?"
Bridie sighed. "That Prince Garrett bothers me, Cathbad. Down to my toes. How did such a...a mockery of a man become a mystic knight?"
"Garrett has proven his worth; and his great value to Kells; many times over." There was a pause as Cathbad realized there was love in the air. "But you are in love with Angus," he continued, and Bridie blushed. "That would naturally make any other man seem obsolete. Or foolish. Especially young Garrett, who has much to learn about himself and others."
"Not true, Cathbad," Bridie said, leaning forward, placing her elbows on her knees. Angus' palm rested on her soft hip, his thumb rubbing gently against her left buttock. Bridie reached around to still his wandering hand as she struggled to concentrate. "I don't find Rohan to be foolish at all. I have known almost since infancy that he is the very embodiment of all that is truthful and virtuous, and have found him to be a great friend...but now I can't seem to find him at all."
There was a frantic knocking on the door.
"Who is there?" Cathbad asked. Aideen's voice answered him.
"Oh, let me in, magician, let me in! Quickly, before Garrett and Deirdre see me!"
The druid opened the door and Aideen fell into a heap at his feet; recovering swiftly and shutting the door. She stumbled in exhaustion to a chair; and Bridie saw that her wings were gone as she flopped rather than sat into the wooden seat.
"Aideen, did you find anything?" She asked.
"Trouble, little one, and lots of it," she replied, pausing to catch her breath. "Fin Varra and Ivar are trapped with Rohan, inside a giant sphere in the depths of tir na nOg. I could do nothing to help them."
"Why not? You're human-sized now; with as much strength; or had you forgotten?"
"That's just it!" Aideen exclaimed, leaning forward. "When I went into tir na nOg through the portal that Angus told me about, I became a fairy again. And the sphere was guarded by worms, bogies, and spriggans...all of tir na nOg is in an uproar."
Angus thought for a moment. "If Aideen became a fairy when she entered the portal, I bet we will, too." He paused, then stood. "I'll get Deirdre and Garrett, and we can use our armor and weapons to free our friends."
"A word of caution, young thief," said Cathbad. "There is a prophecy within the ancient scrolls which tells of a young sorceress, more powerful than either Maeve or myself, who will be either blessing or burden to the mystic knights. If you meet her unprepared, you may be destroyed." Angus nodded and headed out with Aideen to retrieve the other knights. Bridie watched him go, then turned to Cathbad, who was bending over his table, mixing something in a red glass.
"It's me, isn't it, Cathbad?" She said. "I'm the sorceress you spoke of."
Cathbad nodded.
"What can I do?" She asked the druid. Cathbad handed her a staff and a small leather pouch.
"Go with the mystic knights; and use these as your weapons. I have no armor to give you except the protection of my magic, but the ancient symbols on this staff will keep you from harm. Once you've used it's powers to rescue your friends, it will return to Fin Varra's keeping. The powders in the bag must be used only in a moment of absolute urgency...and keep it away from Angus. He's allergic to the wolfsbane."
The druid turned once more to the table and picked up a tumbler. Into it he poured the potion he'd been mixing.
"Drink this elixir. It will serve as a shield against fairy magic."
Bridie obeyed and downed the sweet tasting liquid.
"Thank you, Cathbad," she said. "I hope it works."
"Go in peace," he replied, "and may Dagda protect you."
She began to leave, then paused for a moment, glancing back at the druid.
"We will rescue Draganta and the others, I promise you."
Cathbad nodded once, slowly, and Bridie left the castle to follow the mystic knights.
"I hope for the sake of all Kells that you do, sorceress," he said, and turned back to his table.

With Deirdre and Garrett at their side, Angus, Aideen, and Bridie travelled to tir na nOg and, placing their hands over the portal stone, were zapped into Fin Varra's throne-room.
"You were right, Angus," Bridie said, fluttering up to him on her wings. "We did become fairy-sized."
Garrett turned, looking at his back before he whined; "But we don't have any wings."
Aideen laughed. "Of course not...you're boys."
"You'd best not fire your crossbow, Deirdre," Angus said. "You don't know how good your aim will be from way up there. You'll just have to leave it to us. Aideen, where'd you see the sphere?" "Follow me, mystic knights!" She cried. They hurried through the tunnels and crudely carved passageway until finally they reached the sphere. It was nothing more than an energy field, but they couldn't see their friends on the inside. But from the sound of their voices, it was clear that everyone had been shrunk to the size of a fairy.
"Rohan! Are you alright?"
"Aideen? How did you get down here?"
"It's a long story, my handsome one. Is anybody hurt?"
"Just Fin Varra; I think his magic's gone, and he's very weak...otherwise we're fine."
Bridie touched the wall of the sphere. "Do you know who did this to you?"
"Mider," Rohan said. "He stole our armor and then drained Fin Varra's energy."
"Hold tight, Rohan," Angus said, aiming his gantlet at the sphere. "We'll have you out of there in three shakes of a lamb's tail."
He and the other two knights fired their gauntlets, but nothing happened.
"Our weapons don't work!" Garrett cried, trying to fire his timber axes.
Bridie grinned. "Let me," she said. She placed the staff in front of her, its tip grounded in the soft dirt. Her eyes closed, and with one thought she sent a pulse of energy into the sphere. The field around the trapped knights grew dimmer and dimmer with each pulse, and finally simply burst away from them.
With the knights and King Fin Varra free, it was time to return home. The staff disappeared from Bridie's hand, just as Cathbad said it would. But she still had the magic powders. She wondered what they could possibly be for.

"I don't know how Mider got so powerful. Maeve would never have given him such strong magic; not unless something was in it for her." Rohan said, walking beside Aideen and glancing back at his friends as they returned to Kells Castle. Aideen placed a hand on his shoulder, and they looked at each other...sharing a soft smile.
Ivar turned to face Garrett, as they both walked on either side of Deirdre. Fin Varra slept in the palm of the princess.
"I've never known Angus to be so...quiet," Ivar said. Deirdre smiled and studied the thief.
"He was always like this when we were children. At least, whenever Bridie was around. She seems to have a calming effect on him...to be part of him in a way I can't understand. It's deeper than love or friendship." She paused, looked down at the sleeping king. "It was only when they fought that last time and she left that he became so hot-tempered."
She seems too serene for Angus," Garrett said, hoping they couldn't hear the envy in his voice. "But I have to admit, they make a handsome pair. As we could, princess, if you gave me a chance."
Deirdre looked away.
"And Aideen seems suited for Rohan," Ivar admitted. "Just look at them."
Indeed, they did look ideal together. They both had the same curly hair, the same laughing blue eyes. But Deirdre couldn't help feeling that they looked too much like brother and sister. She shook her head a bit, telling herself it was only jealousy talking, and averted her eyes to the uneven ground beneath her feet.
Back at the castle, the heroes tried to explain everything to Cathbad and the king.
"Where all the bogies and spriggans went to I'll never know. And it looks like I've become completely human; though I don't know why or for how long." Aideen said. Conchobar gazed at the knights, and at Bridie and Aideen.
"Well, in any case...we should celebrate the safe return of Draganta and our heroes, and toast to the safety of Fin Varra. Tomorrow we will attempt to unravel this mystery; tonight, we dance!"
The knights were delighted with the king's command; revelry was just the thing they needed now.

That night, as the party began, Angus was sitting alone at a table, eating so fast one could barely see the food entering his mouth. Bridie stood a little ways away, moving to the beat of bodhran and flute, and finally decided to ask Angus to dance.
"Will you dance with me, Angus?"
Angus glanced up, mouth full of food, eyes wide; he swallowed as he wondered how big a fool he would make of himself; after all, he'd never danced to this kind of music before. He looked around, motioned to himself as though to say 'who; me?'. Bridie nodded and offered a hand to him, which he accepted with a smile.
"Of course, Bridie," he replied.
He took her hand. Rohan winked at his friend and grinned as Aideen pulled him up out of his own chair. There was a definate look of jealousy on Deirdre's face before she smiled, concealing it quite nicely, turning to resume her conversation with the two princes.
Angus and Bridie spun away, Bridie showing him a gypsy-style dance before they joined a circle of revellers. Not long were they with the others, though, and Angus took her hand, pulling her away from the crowd into a shaded, secluded area beneath an overhang of ivy.
"Angus; what is it?" Bridie asked. He looked so serious as he gazed at her. Then;
"Bridie...I believe we were interrupted earlier today. Wasn't there something we were talking about?"
Bridie nodded, and slowly, ever so slowly, cherishing the moment, Angus tilted his face toward hers. She reciprocated...their lips met in a soft and tender kiss. When they parted, Angus was watching her face, his eyes filled with emotion. Bridie's eyes were still closed, but he smiled lightly as they opened to look at him.
They began laughing. It was something they found impossible to stop, and soon Angus was holding Bridie in his arms, kissing her as deeply as he could because it was the only way to keep her from laughing with joy.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" Garrett said. Angus and Bridie drew apart quickly, the expressions on their faces something like 'ow, you bit my tongue' or such. Garrett grinned his most handsome grin and held out a hand to Bridie.
"Might I have this dance?"
Bridie looked back at Angus, then leaned up on tip-toe to whisper in his ear;
"Don't worry. I'll make sure he behaves himself; and I'll find a way to tell him."
"Yeah well; you'd better. Because now that I've found you again, I'm not letting you go."
Bridie nodded and turned to Garrett, extending her hand and placing it in his.
"I would be honored to dance with you, Prince Garrett. Angus, will you hold my favor until I return?"
She removed a flimsy bit of ribbon from one of her tiny braids and tucked it into the fold of shirt at his chest. Angus smiled, liking how she was handling this.
"Gladly, Bridie. Gladly."
He grabbed Garrett's shoulder as the prince turned to leave.
"If you touch her the wrong way, prince high-and-mighty, I'll mop the floors with you."
Garrett knew he wasn't kidding this time, but what could he do about it? Run and hide? No! He's Prince Garrett of Regart; so he tilted his chin up a little higher, shook off Angus' hand, and smiled amiably at Bridie as they walked off toward the celebration.
Angus gazed at Bridie with a look of anger and jealousy-but those were for Garrett-and of pure love; that was for her and her alone, for he knew he'd found his match with Bridie.