King Conchobar took the arm of King Jason gratefully.
"You look far too young to be a king already, King Jason," Conchobar said softly. Jason looked down at the floor before once again meeting the eyes of the king of Kells.
"My father died two years ago, King Conchobar," he said. "Since then I have held the stations of Crowned Prince of Corinth until my coronation this year, when I became king."
Conchobar nodded slowly, his eyes still roving time and again to Xena's face. Ivar glanced between his king and his friend, wondering what they had talked about during the hour or so that they had been alone.
The king of Kells spread his hands wide in a gesture of discovery.
"You are welcome to all that my kingdom has to give," he told the newcomers. "Steward; some of the best nectar shall be served tonight to honor our guests."
The steward bowed and hurried away to give the news to the kitchen-staff.
Deirdre, Xena, and Gabrielle took Lilith off to one of the guest chambers; Rohan and Garrett sorely wanted to go eavesdrop; they'd always wondered what girls talked about when they were alone; but they were both curious about Iolaus and King Jason. Ivar immersed himself in conversation with Theseus, and the two of them went for a walk in the courtyard.
Just as Rohan had sidled up to Hercules; the visitor he felt he had the most in common with; the doors to the throne-room burst open, and a rain-drenched Angus stood, dripping all over the floors, with a beautiful young woman beside him.
"Bridie!" Rohan exclaimed, racing toward her and scooping her up as she jumped into his grasp, her arms around his neck as they hugged. Rohan held her tightly to him, never ever wanting to let go of her again. It struck him suddenly that Xena would never let him hold her like this. "I missed you," he whispered in her ear. "Don't ever leave again, okay?"
Bridie nodded, and felt eyes upon her from nearly every quarter of the room as she let herself drop out of Rohan's arms. She turned to gaze upon Hercules and Iolaus, who were the only two left from the group she'd been with in Rome.
"Glad you're safe," Hercules said, hugging her warmly, thinking how lucky Angus was to have her.
"Yeah. What he said," Iolaus agreed, grasping her arm.
"I hear I have a sister," Bridie said to Rohan as she gave Jason the once over. Rohan nodded.
"Xena. She's with Deirdre and Lilith right now; and Garrett's sister, in one of the guest rooms."
Bridie let her surprise show in her eyes.
"Garrett has a sister?" She said. "How...interesting. Garrett..." she murmured, approaching the prince whose downcast eyes studied the floor and only occasionally looked up at Bridie's face. Bridie reached out and took his hand. It's good to see you again," she whispered, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then, looking up, she asked a question that Garrett had been wondering all day.
"Where's Aideen?"
Rohan searched the room with his eyes.
"Aideen, I need you!"
The fairy flew into the room swiftly, hovering in the air above Bridie's head.
"Bridie you're back! Ohh, this is wonderful!"
Aideen willed herself into a human, and hugged her half-sister warmly.
"What's this I hear?" Said a voice which, to Bridie's ear, still sounded venomous. Drawing her sword, Bridie whirled on Maeve, her eyes filled with anger and hate.
"Bridie!" Rohan said, and Angus moved forward to gently wrestle the sword from Bridie's hands. Maeve lifted her hands.
"I'm no longer the enemy, daughter," she said. "That one is Numaine. Hasn't Angus told you anything?"
Bridie nodded. "Everything; but I had to see it to believe it." Turning back to Angus, Bridie managed to completely shut Maeve out. "You said that Ivar has a son. Where is he?"
"With Nadia in the woods. When Ivar returns I'll have him take you to see the boy." Conchobar said. He smiled at Bridie. "It's good to have you home."
"It's good to be home," Bridie said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to my chamber. It's been a long journey, and I'd like to freshen up a bit before the evening meal."
Unbeknownst to Bridie, Angus followed her from the throne-room, sneaking up behind her and folding his hands over her eyes. She stopped, reaching up to trace the long, strong fingers that rested on her eyebrows and cheeks.
"Angus," she whispered, a grin crossing her lips as she turned around. "I'd recognize those hands anywhere..."
The thief leaned in, kissing her passionately.
"I've missed you so much," he said as they parted, looking into each other's brown eyes. Bridie nodded, emotion overwhelming her.
"I've missed you too," she said, taking his hand. Together they walked to her chamber, and Bridie shut the door softly. She walked over to the bed and sat down, fumbling with the ties at the back of her dress. Not surprisingly, Angus leapt at the chance to help. Bridie sighed as his hands lightly brushed against her back while he undid the laces of her gown. It felt good to be back home again; to be here, with Angus, where she knew she belonged.
"I wish I could've seen Deirdre," Bridie said as the last lace was undone. She drew the sleeves off , leaving them and the neckline just slightly high enough to cover her breasts as she whirled her finger around. Grudgingly Angus turned, a smirk about a mile wide on his handsome face. "It's been so long; I'm sure she looks different."
"You look different," Angus said softly, hearing the gown fall to the floor. He knew she was changing into a tunic and tight-fitting pants; but he also knew that first she must be naked, and the thought made him squirm.
"Alright," Bridie said. "You can turn around now. What do you mean, 'different'?"
Angus turned, looked her up and down, smiled, and traced his finger along her soft cheek.
"I mean...more beautful. If that's possible."
"Oh, Angus," Bridie whispered, and the thief pulled her to him in a warm embrace.
"Come on," he said, taking her tiny hand in his large one, "we'd better get back to the throne-room. It's almost time for the evening meal."
"Where's Jason?" Hercules asked as he sat beside Iolaus at the table. Theseus shrugged.
"He told me he was going 'out' for a few. I didn't ask where, figured he'd be back by now."
"Ah, don't worry about Jase," Iolaus said. "He'll be back soon enough; and sorry he missed this feast, no doubt."
Herc laughed.
"No doubt."
But something still didn't feel right. Maybe it was sitting at the table with the woman who had been the enemy last time Herc had come to Eire; and now was a welcome guest...and the mother of three people present at dinner. Rohan, Bridie, and Xena. Maybe it was the sexual energy rippling across the table and around the room. Herc could see it in their eyes. Angus and Bridie. Rohan and Deirdre. Iolaus and Conchobar both looked at Xena with hunger in their eyes. Ivar kept glancing at Deirdre; as though he wanted to feast his eyes on her but didn't want Rohan to notice. Occasionally Garrett would look up at where the tiny fairy (Aideen, wasn't that her name?) sat on the chandelier, and she would return the look, but then they'd both glance away.
Hercules shook his head. If they stayed long, there might be trouble among these good people. Especially from Iolaus. He was a good kid, he just didn't know when to quit.
Where was Jason?
"King Jason of Corinth, this is Numaine, my...mother."
Jason took Numaine's hand in his own, kissing the knuckles as he glanced back at the beautiful blond woman who'd brought him to this castle.
"Honored, my lady," Jason said.
Numaine looked at Callisto, a look in her eye that Jason didn't like.
"He's a fine looking specimen," the evil woman said. "You chose well."
Callisto smiled.
"I know. Well, are you going to do it or not?"
Numaine reached into a bag on a nearby table and drew out some dust, tossing it over Jason.
"You are now my slave," she intoned, "you will do my bidding!"
Jason's eyes glowed a strange greenish-red, and then turned back to their usual blue. He fell to one knee before Numaine, and she smiled, placing her hand on his head.
"Faithful as a wolf-hound," she said. She leaned down to whisper in his ear. "You will find Deirdre, the princess of Kells, and ruin her. Get the princess with child, to prove that she has been taken before marriage by a stranger. Go!"
Jason stood and began the trek back to Kells. Numaine laughed evilly as she turned back to Callisto.
"You may have failed me before," she said, "but this boy will ensure our victory. His mission cannot fail!"
"And what good will it do getting Deirdre pregnant, might I ask?"
"It will cause dissent among the people and her friends. Not even Rohan will be able to understand this one. And her father will try to marry her off to Garrett so that the baby isn't a bastard; he won't want her once he learns she's been ruined. It's the perfect plan."
"Princess Deirdre; might I have a word with you?"
Deirdre smiled, standing to brush herself off. She touched the gardener's shoulder as she stepped out of the small herb patch.
"Of course, King Jason," she said, taking the arm he offered her. They strolled into the woods, and Jason said nothing for a long time.
"I thought you wanted a word," Deirdre said. "But you haven't said anything."
Suddenly Jason swung her around, placing his hand over her mouth and pulling her to the ground. Deirdre tried to scream for help, but the hand over her mouth pushed the scream back into her throat; and she knew that she was about to be ruined, and nothing to be done about it. Closing her eyes, the princess prayed to Dagda that it would be over quickly...
Later that night, as Rohan was walking the corridors of the castle, he heard a sobbing coming from Deirdre's room. Softly he knocked on the door, then opened it slowly.
"Deirdre!" He said, seeing her in a shivering bundle on the bed. As he approached her, closing the door behind him, he noticed that her dress was torn and her delicate skin scratched in many areas. "Dammit, girl, what have you done to yourself?"
Deirdre looked at Rohan through red and puffy eyes as he sat down beside her, his hand soft as it covered the scrape on her elbow. She sat up and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his chest, and Rohan felt a lightness in his heart as he put his own arms around her.
"It's not what I did to myself," she said, "it's what Jason did to me," she told him quietly. Looking into his eyes, she told him the whole story. When she saw the fire light up in Rohan's blue eyes, she held him tighter. "I know you want to kill him, Rohan, but leave it! He'll be gone by now anyway; he took the first ship back to Greece; and besides I don't think he even knew what he was doing."
Rohan calmed down at this last bit of information.
"You mean you think he was bewitched?"
"Like Garrett was, only not by Maeve."
"Numaine? Of course...that witch! She's gone and ruined you, made you pregnant no doubt, probably in hopes that it would tear me away from you. But she's wrong."
"Rohan; let's not tell anyone, alright? Except Cathbad, until we're sure."
"How are you going to hide a baby from your father? From our friends?"
Deirdre shrugged.
"With your help it may be easier. And Cathad can make the illusion that I'm not pregnant, when the baby gets bigger inside me."
Rohan gulped, holding his beloved closer.
"I'll say I'm the father, when the time comes," he said, wishing it were true. "If that's alright?"
Deirdre smiled, kissing Rohan's cheek.
"It's more than alright," she said. "It's exactly what I wish were true."
Rohan smiled.
"I hope it looks like you, though," he said. "I'd hate to have to explain a baby with dark hair to your father."
Deirdre grinned, her laughter coming in tiny chokes through her sobs, and soon both she and Rohan were laughing as hard as they had for a long time.
"I will make sure the king and the other knights do not learn of the pregnancy until you are ready," Cathbad agreed. "And Rohan; I am very proud of you for standing by Deirdre and taking responsibility for her child, even if it is not yours. Especially so."
Rohan nodded, his arm over Deirdre's shoulders.
"I love her, Cathbad. And anything that is part of her; especially this child."
Cathbad nodded, a tiny smile coming to his lips behind his white and thinning beard.
"This is good. Yes; very, very good."
Numaine banged her fists on the table.
"No! This cannot be happening! Not to Numaine!"
Callisto rolled her eyes.
"Oh, please. Haven't you figured it out yet? As long as we're the bad guys, we're gonna be on the losing side. So...just chill!"
Numaine snapped her fingers, encasing Callisto in a huge bubble.
"I'm getting tired of you, Callisto. You're nothing but bad luck. I'm sending you onto the ship with that king Jason; you are banished from Ireland; to the land of Greece, where you will remain for all eternity."
With that, Callisto vanished, and Numaine slinked off to her throne, where she sat mourning her losses to the mystic knights.
