Sheep Herd of the Hill Country

Chapter 10

By the following morning the dark shapes in her eyes were regaining color and even though she was still weak Caitri was able to sit up in bed without assistance. The Queen had visited and explained to her that, as she grew more accustomed to using her Magik her body would be stronger and not react so violently, but still, anyone who practiced Magik paid a price.

Caitri made it to the glass doors leading to the balcony and rested against the frame. The Palace stood on top of a hill and the city spread around it like a skirt. Beyond the sprawling buildings she could see where the forest began sloping down, then rising suddenly along the mountain range into the morning sunlight. When she squinted she thought she could almost see the blue glow of the refineries at the Keep of Dughall. It could just be her imagination; or it could be her Magik. She sank onto the nearby settee, exhausted from her exertion.

And so with each day that passed her strength returned and she joined the rest of the kingdom rebuilding. Mornings she spent with Queen Faleen learning the use of her talent and afternoons she and Adrian worked side-by-side organizing and overseeing the distribution of supplies. In the wake of the battle so many people had been left with nothing, nothing except nightmares of the horror they had faced.

Human battles are horrible enough, but battles of Evil are gruesome affairs. Soul Hunters had done their work well, traveling ahead, wrecking havoc, killing and devouring as they went. Demon’s followed to torture and destroy anyone left alive. Nagalene was at the head of it all, her Evil Magik swept like a fire over the land. Trees of a hundred years shriveled. She struck anyone and anything that stood in her way. Great flashed like lightning smoldered in the earth and erupted like small volcanoes. How else do you fight a fire except with water? Faleen lead the women to drown the fire with their tears. While the men fought the physical battle, the women aided with their Magik and no on could say which was greater.

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First Caitri was caught up in war, then in restoration and now, a new life she had never asked for; she was not given and neither did she take time for herself. Her days were full with learning and work, but during the night she grieved. Her heart broke for the people. In ways she felt responsible. All of this had come about because of her parent’s innocent love. She found it hard to believe the story at first, but like a giant puzzle all of the pieces seemed to fit together. “Da loved mama.” She whispered to herself clutching the bed sheets close. She felt reassurance in the love between the two she had known as her parents and in the love of the father she had never met.

She rested against the headboard, her fingers unconsciously tracing the carved wood. So many things made sense to her now. Her mother had hidden Magik from her to protect her, suspecting that Nagelene would do her best to seek revenge. And she had been right. Caitri squeezed her eyes shut, remembering that last day and the youth of her brother. Feleen promised that soon she would travel to the Fae and learn more of their ways and Magik. But what good was Magik if it could not tell you the one thing you most desperately wanted to know?

There had been no news of Riordan. It had been weeks since the battle… Out of habit her fingers found the amulet at her throat and she stroked it softly. She was still holding it when she fell asleep.

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So the days passed one by one, each blending into the last until Caitri was sometimes not even sure of the time or the place, only that she was moving and speaking, or still and waiting; until one dark night just before the sky began to gray with the dawn and shadow stepped into the room where she lay restlessly sleeping, curled on the settee.

Riordan truly was only a shadow of the man he had been. His gait was a little crooked as if he favored one leg over the other; deep scars ran up his forearms and disappeared under his shirtsleeves. His hair was long and shaggy, but it was his face that had changed the most. The cuts and bruises that had once covered it were beginning to heal, and he was freshly shaved, his eyes were dark and tired, in fact he looked older. Perhaps not older in years, but older in wisdom. His eyes softened as he knelt by the sleeping woman. He lay his head on her lap and waited for her to wake.

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Caitri shifted and blinked in the morning light. “Felon.” She spoke softly, but it was not the wolf who lay against her.

“Riordan?”

His eyes were clear and brown as he rose to sit beside her.

“Caitri…”

She stopped him. “Your alive!” Her heart was racing and her fingers were shaking as he pulled her tight against him.

“I thought I would never make it back her again.”

She touched his face, tracing the soft lines before she pulled away, embarrassed by her own hands. “Where have you been?”

“I was sick for weeks.” His voice was slightly scratchy. “A farming family cared for me and nursed me to health.”

“Oh.” Now that he was here before her she couldn’t find a word to say, but he kept talking.

“Aunt Feleen told me something about a love so strong between two great Fae bloodlines that it bonds their powers inexplicitably together. She says that it was rained on the fire and drained the strength from me… that and a weeks battle.” His eyes were searching hers but she refused to meet them. “Caitri.” He moved so that he could see full into her face. “I’ve been hoping so much, those days on end when all I could do was dream… do you know what I dreamed?” His fingered entwined with hers.

She shook her head.

With his free hand he lifted her face till she looked him in the eyes again. “I dreamed about you.” Her body shook. “I dreamed about coming home to Uncle Donnach and Aunt Maureen and you being here with Adrian. His thumb was brushing across her cheek. “I dreamed about taking you home with me, to my people. I can see our children. Our home. I dreamed that you loved me.” He paused a moment. “Please.” His voice was low and urgent. “Tell me that you love me.”

“You didn’t tell me that you were a prince.” The world was spinning and Caitri fought to regain control.

“You didn’t ask.”

“You said you were a soldier.”

“I am!”

“But you’ll be King!” She protested.

“And you’ll be Queen.”

“I’m a shepherdess.” She should have just given up protesting.

“I know.”

“I don’t know how to be a Queen.”

“It can’t be much harder to lead people than to lead sheep.”

“I’m not…”

Riordan broke in. “Caitri.” His mouth was terribly close to her skin. “Forget all about being Queen and who I am or was and everything else. Just answer one question.”

She nodded? “Yes?”

“Do you love me?”

She nodded again.

“Say it.” His voice was husky now. “Say you love me.”

Her voice cracked. “I love you.”

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That is the story of how the sheep herd from the Hill Country became Queen of the Fae. You may doubt what I say, but one day, when you are wandering through the woods and hear the far off howl of a wolf, you will know what it is that brings your senses to life. When you hear the grass moving in the wind and the sigh of the oak tree, you will know that everything you’ve been told is true. Yes, my daughter, you will know.

The End.

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Author’s Notes:

Thank you everyone for sticking with me through the story! I know it’s not a masterpiece but I thoroughly enjoyed writing it!

Here are some tidbits you might like to know:

Most of my names were from Welsh, Irish, or Scottish background. I used the Welsh (“ap and “Verch”) way of using the father’s name as surname.

Name Meaning:

Riordan: Royal Poet

Eachann: Brown horse

Faolon: Little wolf

Caitriona: form of Catharine – Clean and pure

I used two names as terms of endearment... one reviewer asked about them! I hope they read this!

Murine (MOORN-a) – affection

Coinneach – handsome

Inspiration for this story came from a dream I had probably ten years ago. In the dream I saw an incredibly handsome man with elf ears riding a white horse through the forest at breakneck speed. When I woke up I couldn’t remember anything more, but I made up the story in my head, over and over, about the knight finding a brave girl in the forest and the sending her racing home where his mother would instantly know that she was THE ONE and the girl would be clueless to it all… I found it incredibly romantic. As you can tell the story changed some… but it’s still romantic… I felt like I almost made it too romantic and that the ending wasn’t good enough for the rest of the story.

I welcome constructive criticism! Honestly, I am glad to be done with this, and I will not go back and change things (unless they are minor spelling/ grammar mistakes) but I will definitely do my best to learn from any advice that is given me, and put it to good use in the future.

Thanks so much!

Miss K Ree