CHAPTER 15
A Love Forged And Tempered In Flames
" It is not the flame that burns.
It is only you that learns,
No matter how you twist and turn
it is only you that burns
***************
We dance with the darkness
We flee from the light
Illusions we master
With whispers of night
Bleeding for answers
Cut from our pride
Midnights disasters
All broken inside
Answers in questions
Transformed like the ice
The worth of the treasure
Is the weight of it’s price.
*************
Macha breathed a sigh of relief when Michael opened his eyes and looked around. Moving to the passenger side, reaching over the front seat Macha touched Badb on the shoulder. “Badb, Wake up” she shook Badb a bit harder. Studying Badbs face intently, Macha nervously called out to Badb again. When her hand touched Badbs shoulder again her eyes spang open, fixing on the recoiling Macha. Badb lunged, going across the seat back snarling, attacking Macha. There was a brief struggle. Macha gained the upper hand, holding Badbs arms until she relaxed..“What the fuck?!” Badb asked and exclaimed. She repeated herself. Looking about herself confused. Macha backed away, keeping a distance while Badb came completely back, and awake.
Michael had been squirming about, trying to get out of the back seat without letting go of Morgan/Nemain. There was no way to do it. Macha leaned down, peering in at him. ” You are going to have to let her go to get out.” Michael writhed about more. He could only get one leg partly out.
Macha leaned in trying to help, when her hands touched Nemain, a strong stinging charge leapt between them, Macha jumped back surprised.
Pacing about, Macha contemplated the predicament. The sound of horses in the barn , neighing, whinnies, blowing distracted her. ” Got it!” Macha ran into the log cabin styled barn, the sound of the horses joyously greeting her rolled out of the barn. Sharp cracks and thuds echoed off of the steep rock face the barn stood next to as the excited horses stamped and kicked demanding attention. Which they did not receive. Macha emerged with a saddle blanket and elbow length heavy leather gloves.
“Here, wrap this around her. I will try and hold her weight, you squirm out beneath her. Michael took the heavy wool blanket, wrapping around Nemain. Macha climbed into the passenger side. With much akward manuevering, he managed to climb out without breaking contact. Cradling Morgan in his arms Michael stood upright looking around. A two story log cabin with a wrap around porch. A matching log built barn.
Badb had made her way to the porch, she was hugging a tiny elderly woman. Macha was shaking the gloves off . ” Damn, does she shock you also?” She asked Michael. ” Only the first time I touched her” he answered climbing up the four wooden stairs. Badb and the old woman separated. “Dear Gods! What in tarnation is wrong with her? Is she hurt?” The tiny woman exclaimed with a heavy southern mountain folk accent. Macha stepped up beside them answering before Michael could. ” we dont exactly know.” Badb had already gone inside. The old woman couldnt be more than five feet tall. Macha and Michael dwarfed her. ” This is Elspeth, Ellie , this is Michael” Macha introduced him. She held the screen door open. Michael stepped inside. The smell of Fresh brewed coffee and bread baking greeted them in the house.
Macha gestured at the large sectional sofa in the center of the room. “Why don’t you two sit there.” As she walked away, disappearing into the kitchen apparently. Badb had sat down in a rocking chair by the fire place. A fire crackled and popped within. She leaned over holding her hands out over the flames. The East Tennessee mountains were pretty cold this time of year. Michael had not even noticed the cold, still wearing the T-shirt and BDUs from, was it the day before yesterday? He was not sure.
Macha emerged from the kitchen. “Theres Coffee, water for tea, and hot cocoa. Anyone hungry?” Badb asked for tea. Michael for coffee. His stomach grumbled. “Yea, food would be great!”
Macha returned carrying a tray with three steaming mugs on it. A creamer and sugar bowl. She set the tray down on the table in the middle of the sofa pit. Badb bounced over the back of the sofa landing in a taylors seat legs crossed and folded. She leaned over and spooned in sugar cubes and a shot of cream into her tea cup and sat back stirring her tea, watching Michael sitting there on the sofa with Nemain draped around him in his lap. Both eyebrows slowly raised as she took in the sight. Michael was akwardly trying to reach a coffee cup. Macha had returned to the kitchen. Ellie walked out, hung a cast iron tea pot on a swivel arm , swinging it in over the fire of the fire place. When she was going back towards the kitchen she spied Michaels attempt at coffee. She stopped and asked ” cream or sugar?”
" uh yes . no, black is fine thank you.” Amused at his nervous politeness Ellie passed him a cup. She turned and retreated back into the kitchen.
Michael sipped at the strong rich coffee. Nemain-Morgans nose twitched. Macha stepped back into the room, studied Michael a moment then returned with a small plate and two fresh warm biscuits that held an egg, slice of cheese with a thick piece of country ham. The other biscuit was nearly the same, only with loads of hickory smoked bacon. Michaels stomach rumbled. ” You are eventually going to have to put her down you know.” Macha said walking away. Ellie brought Badb a plate of biscuits and sausage gravy. She was like a little girl getting presents at chrismas as she gleefully stirred scrambled eggs into the gravy. Talking around a mouth full ” Shhus gray thay you Ellie” ” Youre welcome sweetie” Ellie replied returning to the kitchen. Michael contemplated the biscuits. Same issue as the coffee. Badb seeing his issues laughed .” Shes right you know” she told him between bites. Michael tried laying Nemain down beside him. She would not release her grip on him. Shuffling about Michael finally got her situated sort of half in his lap and next to him. His right arm was free though. He could eat! Still a bit awkward but he did not care. He did not want to let her go either.
Ellie came back into the room, drying her hands on a dish towel. ” So, you won’t be needing the guest room will you?”
" Guess not.” Badb answered. Elspeth stood a few moments, a concerned look on her face. She studied Michael and Nemain. Shaking her head and turning back to the kitchen ” Well! I never would have thought! ” drifted into the room behind her.
Macha returned, she had taken a quick shower and changed. Michael did a slow double take. Macha was wearing a onesie , complete with footies and cat ears.
“I wouldn’t.” Badb warned before Michael said anything. ” Any Ideas? Has she shown any signs of waking?“Macha asked getting comfortable. Michael shook his head no, his mouth full of biscuit and bacon. Swallowing ” You see it. She won’t let go. I cant seem to make myself either. When I fell asleep, with her, I saw this place, of flames. I called her name and could faintly hear her but I couldn’t see how to get to her. I couldn’t seem to tell where her voice came from.” Michael leaned back on the comfortable sofa. He maneuvered Nemain so that she was still in his lap, arm draped around his neck, her head on his shoulder. Badb and Macha began talking, going back and forth, finishing each others sentences, answers and questions. Michael tried to follow. He could not. They spoke so rapidly in that language of theirs that he only grasped a word here and there. He laid back, cradled Nemain and thought about that place with the flames. It quite seemed familiar.
“I knew it! I’ve been there, the place of fire!” Macha and Badb turned to Michael. Raised eyebrows and silence were directed at him.
“The thing of fire, when I was changed! When it spoke to me, and I fed on it, I was there, that same place. Morgan is there! The same place!” Badb nodded ” That was what I saw through her eyes. I read all of the memories she had read from your blood.”
“What exactly are you talking about?” Macha interupted. Badb and Michael both began to speak. “One at a time.” Macha interjected. With a brief glance between them and a quirked eyebrow, Badb continued. Michael nodding in agreement.
A flurry of gestures and odd croaks passed between the pair. A few minutes later Macha addressed Michael.
" May I taste of your blood?” she asked. Without hesitation he answered. “Of Course.”
Michael extended his arm, Macha leaned towards him with out hesitation, she bit his wrist. She dd not need much at all, yet, it was difficult to stop. That itself was unusual. Macha prided herself on her control. Sitting back she studied Michael while she sorted through what she had seen.
Michael extended his arm, palm up towards Badb , closest to him, reached out, a flashing blur. In less than the blink of an eye she had drawn a knife and cut his arm. Blood welled out, Macha leaned close to catch some of it in the palm of her hand. The cut began closing. In moments his arm had healed.
Badb was sitting back, licking the blade of her knife. Eyes fixed upon Michael. Macha, raised her cupped palm to her mouth, and lapped the pooled blood up. She sat back, eyes fixed upon Michael just as Badb had.
There is knowledge in the blood. Memories that carried in the red cells. The Aos Sidhe merely appeared human. Each cell contains DNA, in a triple helix with three covalent bonds. Humans have two strands with only one repeating covalent bond. Human dna resembles a spiraling ladder. The fair folk dna however, like a three sided radio tower. Far more complex and unlike anything else on earth. The fair folk store memories encoded within the structure of their dna. With a taste of blood they may see those memories unfold in their minds as if, those experiences were their very own. Due to the complex genetic- crystaline structure and powerful electrodynamics, the Aos Sidhe are all entangled to some degree or other.
Macha let out a long shuddering breathe. Closed her eyes watching it all unfold. Searching through the three decades of Michaels existence. Centuries of experience had taught her how to organize and make sense of those memories she tasted.
Badb, her eyes unfocused, sorted her way through the memories. Lingering over the memories of war, his time in the army, and the morning of his rebirth. All of it unfolded before her minds eye.
" Llew! “The two of them chorused. Badb had an angry cast in her eyes. She threw her head back, rolling herself over the back of the sofa, landing on her feet. She began pacing in circles.
Macha hurled her empty coffee cup against the hearth to shatter on the stones. She cursed for a few minutes steadily. Michael was impressed, Macha did not repeat herself once.
Gradually they quieted down enough for Michael’s repeated question to get through.
“Who or what is Llew” “Dead!” Badb spat out still pacing. Macha spoke through gritted teeth. ” A disease! ” Michael tried to ask about what had happened to Morgan. Macha cut him off. ” The thing that ambushed you the morning you were born, that was him.” Michael thought about the thing made of flames. Macha continued ” He must have been tracking Nemain and stumbled on you.” “He enthralled you and used you to spy on her, on us.” Badb finished Machas statement.
" An enemy I take it. Ok, so, what happened to Her?” Michael gestured at Nemain with his head. Macha leaned forward, perching on the edge of the sofa. ” She is enthralled, imprisoned within her own self.”
" How did? ” Badb cut him off. “He implanted a sugestion, an order for you to execute, in your mind when he enthralled you. ” Macha continued “You were entranced, following his instructions until She broke through the spell unprepared for the traps Llew had placed. Now she is trapped in her own mind.Llew, through You in turn enthralled her.”m
" How the fuck? What the, I have no idea how to! How the hell did I?” Michael babbled, trying to grasp what they had told him. Macha stood , beginning to pace moving in opposite directions to Badb. They locked into mirroring patterns.
“How do I find this dude?” Michael asked. Moving to stand in front of him, Badb snapped, .” You don’t, we will!” Ii”Alright then How do I help her?” Michael asked. Macha cocked her head , “You said you heard a faint answer when you called her name. Maybe that’s all we can do. ”
Pacing, thinking, muttering to herself, Macha thought about it. Her body responds to Michaels. She lets him in. “Badb, would you go and touch Nemains forehead ? I need to know if she is feverish.” Badb stepped over and reached out for Nemain. When her hand got close, within inches, a visible spark struck her. ” Dammit Macha!” Badb danced back away from the sofa. Macha called out for Ellie. ” Ellie, could you help us please?” Elspeth crossed back into the room drying her hands on her apron.
" What do you need sweetie?” ” would you try and touch Nemains hand please?” Elspeth blinked, ” What?” ” just touch her.” Badb declared.
Elspeth leaned over the sofa back, reached out and tried to touch Nemain. ” Well Hell!” She yelped snatching her hand back. ” What happened?” Macha asked.
" She shocked me! It felt like electricity shocking me. ” “I’m sorry Ellie, we needed to know. ” Scowling Elspeth stalked back into the kitchen. The angry banging and rattling pots and pans drifted into the main room. Badb stopped pacing , and sat on the stairs watching it all.
“Apparently, you are the only one that can touch her.” Macha explained to Michael. “You enthralled and entrapped her.
You are entangled as well. You have to bring her back.“. Michael , looking down, eyes drawn to Nemain asked, ” How?”
“Why don’t you hypnotize him and tell him what to do?” Badb asked from the stairs. Macha thought about it a minute, ” That’s not a bad idea!” She exclaimed. Michael looking back and forth between them, “Whatever. Just tell me what to do.” Macha reached out and snatched the Dog tags and Celtic cross necklace Michael wore. She broke the thong it had hung on. She examined the dogtags closely. “Your Father as well. Good!” She noted. She unclasped the silver Celtic cross from the dog tags and tied it to the broken thong. “Ready?” She asked. Nodding assent Michael leaned back.
" Now, you need to focus on this charm, and the sound of my voice. Concentrate. ” She dangled the cross. Softly she talked to Michael. He focussed intently on the cross. After a few minutes Macha suddenly tapped him right between the eyes with her other hand. ” Sleep!”
Michael sat still, eyes unfocussed. Macha ordered Michael to sit back and relax. ” Can you understand me Michael? ” Yes” ” Good, now I need you to...” Macha explained how to match auras and synchronize spirits. Since Nemain had been the one to turn him, and they had fed each other, that should be easy. That was why Nemain had been entranced to begin with. They had entangled on a cellular When she had done exactly that with Michael, she had been wide open to it all. Now Michael could join her where she was trapped and bring her back. When she finished the instructions of how to help Nemain, Macha issued one last instruction to Michael. ” Return with Nemain or do not return at all. You must have her safe and intact in order for you to come back. Do you understand? ” “Yes I do” Michael answered. “Execute” she said. Michaels head lulled over resting against Nemains head. They looked like a couple that had fallen asleep cuddling. ” You best fix her boy. Or I will leave you trapped, alone, screaming into etenity.” Macha stated in a cold flat voice. She spared no shred of compassion for this unknowing tool of Lews. She stood and left them alone on the sofa. There was nothing more that she could do. Badb had watched it all from her perch on the stairs. She had nodded along in agreement with Machas threat. Macha stepped into the kitchen, after a moment Badb got up and joined her. Watching Nemains face , Badb thought she caught a faint fleeting smile. That was disturbing. Something would need to be done about Michael. What was to be done? Badb did not like things outside of her abilities. Michael, somehow, some why, was outside of her influence. There is something not quite right there. He has been entirely too self possessed and capable. Something is definitely unusual.
Darkness faded. Can darkness fade? It is already dark so, how could one tell? Can darkness still fade? Evidently there are various degrees of the dark. Michael drifted in the blackness. Alone, surrounded in silence. He wondered if his eyes were actually open. It was a black that swallowed light. How would he even know? On a whim, he poked a finger at his face. Yes, his eyes were in fact open! Open and now watering in pain where he had just poked himself.
While his mind played inane tricks on him. His senses activated his instincts. Instincts that had no reference to respond to. No light, no up or down, only a pure blackness that could be felt if not seen. Every single natural instinct screaming danger, threat, must fight or flee. Find cover, seek ambush site, the check list continued. The fight or flight instincts were in complete chaos. No direction, no point of reference, no up no down, no anything to respond to or place to flee. In time in space, no idea the where or when, the darkness was fading into the gray of dawn. When darkness fades it turns to light.
The light came from everywhere. There was no up, no down, no shadows, no directions. Apparently, pure light was as helpful and oppressive as pure darkness.
Michael was feeling a sense of urgency. The clock is ticking he reminded himself. Is there even time here in this place? If there is no up, no down, no directions there can be no motion. If there is nowhere to go how can one move? Michael drifted with his eyes closed. An eternity of eternities passed. What is eternity when time is an subjective experience. Relative as well as arbitrary. In a place where chaos is the rule, time is, confusing, in a place of no definition does time exist? Is a second an hour a moment a year and a minute eternity? For one observer, a mere moment, a second has passed, for the other, days, months, years. That is the most difficult part of navigating the other world. Figuring out what frame of reference, what perception of time your target is.
In a realm where thoughts, intent, memories create reality, are reality. Does anything matter if everything is or can be? Does everything matter? All thoughts, reasoning, arguments within his mind. Michael desperately needed a frame of reference, a thing to anchor his perception of time and space. Wracking his mind for something to believe in. Something independent of his self perception.
He faintly remembered there was something important he had to do. A place he needed to be. Someone he had to find.
Names passed randomly passed through his thoughts. Two names were constantly swirling through his mind, Morgan and Nemain. Round and round until. There was only one name, only one MORGAN.
Michael remembered. He called her name out as loud as he could, “Morgan!” Twisting about, psychological and emotional connections are obvious. The physical union is also obvious. When blood is shared, an entanglement occurs. Repeated sharing of blood and body fluids, enhances the process. On a molecular level a mingling occurs that triggers deeper changes. The Atomic bonds are altered, entire molecules are entangled. This process is mirrored in the lover.
On a quantum level a permanent entanglement is created, an entanglement that grows with each act of physical union. Sharing blood and sex bind two together across space and time. What happens to one is mirrored in the other, regardless of the distance or time between. Even separated by the full expanse of the galaxy as well as across time, experience is shared instantaneously. In short, two become entangled. Truly spooky action at a distance. Einstein an Podalski and Rosen were apparently right after all.
An eternity of eternitys passes, the infinite possibilities collapse into probability, becomes reality. Desires and memories merge into a shadow. The shadow casts reality into being. The chaos of darkness births light. In turn the light casts shadows. Round and round it goes. Michael laughs, an earworm plays in his mind, Dio singing about a carousel, it’s heaven and hell.
Light was fading. Shadows formed becoming solid. Michael cried out fanatically “MORGAN!” An eternity of eternities passed.
In a distant year. A mist formed in answer. A mist formed of tiny sparks of fire rather than a vapor of water. A fine cloud of flames rising. Direction had manifest.
“Michael?” A distant voice queried. “Yes” He answered, trying the simple and obvious approach. ” Here! Morgan over here!” Wherever, whenever, whatever here was.
He focused all of his heart, his mind, his soul into finding her. ” Michael” Rang out from nearby. He turned his head locating the direction it had come from. He drifted towards a hazy smudge of nothing. The haze growing. Expanding in all directions it seemed. Michael drifted towards it.
Directly in front of him, a darkness vaguely formed on the hazy smudge. The black shape grew , getting larger. Michael began to see details of the smudge. The swirling cloud like shapes that looked like fog flowing low near the ground.
The cloud reached him at last. It was a cool wet cloud. Michael only had enough time to realize the hazy black shape was his shadow. That he had been falling all along when he came to a sudden and thorough stop. The impact was tremendous, knocking Michael unconscious. It is not the fall that hurts, it is that sudden stop at the end. Michael lay face down, arms and legs splayed out. Every bone broken.
He was aware that he was dreaming. He remembered the sudden blow from inside the cloud. Michael was wide awake in a dream, where he was unconscious in another dream, which was a dream induced by a trance to dwell in anothers dream. Michael ran through that sequence several times. A dream within a dream within a dream within a trance. Michael did not know what to make of that. What he did know was that he had a body he could feel and move. A body which could feel something solid that he stood upon. He could interact with his surroundings. Michael began to call out her name, alternating her names. The name he first knew her by was “Morgan!”
“Here,over here” responded a voice. Turning to face the direction the voice came from. He called out again. Again he was answered. Michael walked towards the voice.
A hazy form began to take shape. Apparently moving towards him. Michael walked a few more moments and there she was! They had found each other! Morgan grasped Michaels hand. “I know I am dreaming, glad I am you are here.” Michael took her other hand in his. ” I am dreaming as well. ” A moment passed as they gazed at each other.
Michael swept her up into his arms. ” Put Me Down!” Morgan demanded. Michael spun around holding Morgan in a bear hug. It had been an eternity since he had seen or heard anyone else. It had been an eternity alone and longing for something to simply touch. He was clutching her as if he would absorb her.
“I think I fell for a century, for years? I don’t know.” Morgan relaxed, hugging Michael back. “It feels like years have passed. I know you are a dream. ” No, I am real, see!” Michael kissed her. Morgan stiffend up a moment, then relaxed, kissing Michael back. The kiss deepened, morphing into a frenzy. They began tearing at each others clothes. Desperate, in need. They fell to the ground entwined, entagled through their passion, their desire, working the forge of passion hammering out the form of love.
Their passion turned into a furious blood lust. The hunger consumed them. Michael bit into Morgans neck , tasting her, lapping up her essence. Morgan bit deeply into Michaels chest. They fed from each other. Reveling in the rage of their thirst and the lust each for the other. Feasting in a frenzy of hunger. When two hurricanes meet on the seas, they orbit each other feeding off of each other. Growing stronger, slowly merging into a new thing. A super storm. The mists boiled around them, twisting, changing, becoming flames. Flames that burned cold. Entwined, they fed on each other. Entangled, they moved together, She enveloped him as he pierced her. Their blood flowed freely. Mingling and staining the flames. An eternity passed. Their teeth withdrew. A calmness settled over them. A new thing had been born. Michael held Morgan close, with all of his strength. Morgan nuzzled as closly as she could, soaking in his essence, revelling in his embrace.
The flames danced , growing, changing, morphing into writhing shadows. The shadows grew until all was black. Michael held Morgan close through the darkness. The void did not phase them They had each other. They drifted on eternities currents, dreaming together, heart, mind, body and soul entangled.
Drawing back from his chest, Morgan heard voices. “Nemain come home” her sisters called to her. She had not heard another voice for an eternity until Michael had manifest. With the awareness of the call, they began to fall. The black fading into gray, fading into...
Morgan sat up eyes open. Looking around it took a few moments to comprehend where she was. Michael sat up next to her. Badb bounded down the stairs while Macha emerged from the kitchen. They had felt it when Morgans consciousness had returned. Their link once more established. The three of them began talking in that peculiar way of theirs.
Michael sat back wishing his brain did not feel like it were stuffed with barbed wire and cotton candy. The Morrigna restored to their trinity, radiated a powerful aura, tinged with rage and relief.
Elspeth emerged from the kitchen. She carried a tray with an old fashioned clay jug and four whiskey glasses. She placed the tray on the coffee table. Then hands on hips, she glared at Morgan ” Why is it always you that worries me to death? The way you carry on! seriously?! " Ellie!” Morgan yelped. Leaping over the table to snatch her up in a bear hug. Elspeth, kicking and fists hammering on Morgan demanded. “Put me down right this instant!” Morgan gently set her back on her feet. " Really now! " Elspeth stalked away straightening her dress and apron complaining “No sense! No sense at all! Damn fool girl doesn’t have a lick of sense at all! Always tormenting me...” as she marched back into the kitchen.
Macha had pulled the cork from the jug and was pouring a clear liquid into the glasses. Double shots for each of them. Every one took a glass, Michael whiffed it. It smelled muc like rubbing alchohol. Badb grinned at him ” Poitin, Slainte!” Then she slammed the entire portion. They all followed suit.
The Poitin hit his stomach like a small fire bomb. A warmth spread from his center. His question of ”Is Poteen Irish paint thinner or Bootleg vodka?” was met by outrage. ” Fine Irish pot liquor it is! ” “The Irish invented potato liquor dont you know?” “Russian Vodka my arse!” The three of them were smiling. Michael had to laugh. As the booze was felt, Michael began to relax. Three days no sleep? Three? Four? He realized that he did not even know what day it was. They had left Boca saturday morning? Friday morning? He was not sure. Today was either Tuesday or Wednesday. ” Anybody know what day it is?” Three hands reached for three cel phones. Wednesday, was the consensus. Amazing how the world can be turned inside out in under a week. Macha poured Michael another shot. After the week he’d had, he was going to get drunk and sit back for a bit. There were many many things to sort through and wrap his head around.
Morgan Macha and Badb agreed with him, Badb poured another round, filling the glasses right up to the rim. Tomorrow morning would be soon enough for serious issues. This evening was for drunken relief.
Badb had accepted Michael. Macha remained a bit aloof. Watching the whole Nemain and Michael thing with concern. The last time, some twenty five or thirty centuries back. There had been Nemains little foray into love and marriage. That had lead directly to wars, regicide slaughter and near genocide.
From that taste of his blood, and the, insight it had given her, she learned that Michael was a much harder man than she had presumed. The apparent passivity he had shown had been a ruse while he studied as if he were doing a reconnaissance, a thing he had specialized in, long range reconnaissance surveillance and patrol. She had really wondered at Morgans attraction to him, until that is, she had seen his time in war. A Ranger, a team leader. A warrior.
He had been deployed virtually the entire six years after he had finished training. The battle field had been his home. The calm demeanor he had shown testified to his strength. His whole, bored ” been there done that,“ demeanor in crisis was not an affectation.
" Did you bring in the things from the trunk?” “Nae, didn’t think about it till you asked” was Machas reply. “Be right back” Morgan went out the front door. The sound of the trunk closing was quickly followed by Morgan’s “Someone, door?” Macha and Badb turned and looked expectedly at Michael “What?” Michael asked. The duality turned to look pointedly at Morgan struggling to get through the door.
Michael drunkenly caught on and went to open the door for Morgan. She rolled her eyes at him as he fumbled reaching for things. She shooed him away.
She had brought his guitar along with the two boxes from the trunk. Draped over her shoulder was his longsword and baldric.
She had seen it when she picked up the Les Paul. It had only seemed natural take it. Michael took the guitar and sword from her as she paused by the sofa. Smiling he reverently laid the Guitar down with the sword beside it on the sofa. Badb leaned out to get a better look at the sword. Noting with approval that he had placed the well worn hilt close to hand. “D’ya know how to use it?” ” A little bit. ” he replied. Macha snorted at his answer. Badb gave out a definitive ” Oh we’ll see!”
Morgan turned her attention to the carved wooden case and ornate silver box on the table. “There it is.” Morgan said sitting beside Michael. Gesturing at the table. Macha and Badb eyebrows raised, were looking at Morgan.“What? You look like bookends! What? Out with it!” Morgan snapped, more than a little annoyed. She had a feeling that she already knew what was coming.
Taking a deep breath, Macha asked, ” How long has it been? Remember what happened last time?” Morgan merely raised an eyebrow. Badb continued ” War, the death of our friends, your husbands betrayal, pointless genocide, you in a frenzy for near a millennia. It was a good time. Paid for by our beloved.”" There aint no such thing as a free lunch is there now? "Morgan growled, then breathed deep and long.
Michael felt her get very warm. She was faintly trembling. A frenzy threatened. ” Och! That was Three thousand years ago! Will you never stop reminding me? Damn it all, not like You haven’t Macha. Remember your Third husband? Badb remember you and your vendetta on Rome? The reasons why?” Exasperated, Morgan slammed her drink and moved. She started to stand up and changed her mind. Leaping up and over the back of the sofa.
Stamping her feet as she stalked over to the fire place. Yes! Yes she was being petty. Making sure each step left it’s mark in the wooden floor. “Besides, you must understand. while I was lost in the other world, I spent years with him, alone. I have relived his memories repeatedly. He has shared mine. The thought of him was my only anchor, in sea of fire. He came for me. ”
Turning around to face them. Tears glistening in her eyes, ” He is the only one! The only one that has ever come for me!” Macha and Badb sat motionless, in a state of shock. This was a Nemain that they had never known. Badb broke the akward moment, ” What have you done to Nemain?” Neither Michael nor Morgan was sure who Badb had asked. The trio began their three way cacophany anew with a growing frenzy fueled by the alcohol and stress.
Michael, listened. His mind played things he “remembered” of Morgan. He had fragments, bits and pieces of memories in a confused chaos. There were Morgans memories as well as memories of their time in the fires. He was suddenly nervous. The few hours he had spent in that the place had been timeless and had seemed forever. Decades, a life lived, shared. The thought of Morgan had been his only thing. His only anchor. By her name alone he had kept his sanity. The thought of her had been the only real thing in that timeless eternity of eternities.
The lines of one of the songs he had written ran through his mind. Without intending to, he recited them out loud as they flowed across his consciousness. The words seized control, true poetry is magick, a well crafted spell, posession by and of the Awen. Michael stood, turned to face Morgan. The trio, ensorcelled, were silenced, listening.
“She set fire to night
danced in it’s light
till yesterday’s ashes were cold.
Shes the ravens delight The soul of the night
She is lightning to wake up my soul
So I gave her my heart
The dark broken parts
With the flames that she set in my soul
She’s My need to devour
My thirst and the power, she's my hunger that’s out of control.
She Lit up my eyes,
Blew my disguise
A burning desire so cold.
She poured me a drink
Bought time to just think
As she stared right through my soul
Her gaze was alight
With thunder and fire
A tale full of powers untold
Her smile is insane
Like a razor to vein
She is lightning to ignite my soul
She’s the Ravens delight
The spark in the night
A thirst for darkness and souls
Set fire to the night
To dance in the light
Till yesterdays ash is ice cold
The dance of the damned
The darkness demands
Till time and the ashes are cold
Is it love is it lust
Is it fire or dust
These things I can’t understand,
Is this dark? Is this light?
Is this evils respite?
Reborn in this dance of the damned...
So I showed her my heart,
The dark empty parts
My thirst and the hunger within
She swallowed my night
Gave wings to my flight
Stoking my fires of sin.
We made sacrifice right,
Made love through the night
for the promise of morning and pain
Love is a warning
Life is a game
This rhyme holds the reason
My dream is her name,
She swallowed my night
Gave wings to my flight
She stole all the stains of my sin.
Is this love? Is this lust?
Is this fire or dust?
This is something we can’t understand!
Is love the reason?
A sweet madness in season? Is this what our hearts demand?”
*†*†*****************†*†*
Michael fell silent, with his words still hanging in the air Morgan nodded with a slight bob of her head. An nearly whispered ” Yes.” Echoed like thunder to Macha and Badbs ears. Morgan and Michael stood, Eyes locked across the room.
Badb reached out grasping Machas arm, “Did she? Did he? Did we? ” Macha, her heart breaking, nodded yes. Unshed tears glistened. Sometimes she detested the An da shalla. She had seen what was to be.
Badb was in shock. Her heart confused at all the conflicting demands. Elspeth, always the anchor, always the one voice of reason spoke. ” Congratulations Mrs. ? What exactly is the name?” Michael , moving across the room to stand in front of Morgan answered, “It is Llewis. Michael Arthur Llewis.”
Morgan smiled that insane predatory twisted smile. Speaking to Michael ,” To answer honestly, your first true question, Morgan. My true name is now Morgan.” Then laughing as she answered Elspeth. ” Elsie, it is Morgan Llewis now I guess.“Badb poured another round for Macha and herself. She tipped up the jug finishing it off. Muttering ” This won’t end well. This ever ends well. At least it will nae be boring”. Regardless, there would be no stopping this. No matter what fresh hells were being unleashed.
Macha raised her glass in toast, forcing a smile, and downed it. Elspeth set two more bottles down on the table. ” You will be wanting this.” Macha nodding a silent thank you. She randomly observed that Elsies Southern Mountain accent. The rhythm and rhyme was much like the old ways. The way the Cymraeg and Gael twisted the the bitter tasting English.
Getting drunk was the only thing to do. Morgan and Michael had left the cabin. They walked along the spring fed creek, towards its source. Macha taking a bottle of Johnny walker blue Withdrew into the barn. Communing with her horses. A Carthusian Grey, and an Ebony Andalusians, A pair of Roane and white of Lusitainian breeding also. They whinnied and spoke to her.
Macha drank from the bottle bracing herself. Preparing for the coming storm. The horses did not care about anything or the reason, they only cared that Momma Macha was there with them. As for Macha, she had preferred her horses and hounds to people, for centuries. Ears pricked and twitched, tails swished, long silky manes tossed. The Horses were ecstatic. Macha, swigging from the bottle, kissed noses, scratched ears, talking out loud. Venting her displeasure. Each time she said the name, Nemain, the horses would stamp. Macha did not envy her sister, nor did she begrudge Nemains happiness.
The problem was that Nemains happiness seemed to always be paid for in pain and loss, in their loss, in their blood. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch after all. Badb and Macha , by their peculiar nature, shared in Nemains consequences. Sometimes this whole quantum entanglement thing sucked!
Badb sat in the rocker by the fire. Drinking her bottle of Jamesons. Staring in to the flames. The faces of those slain, the dead and the dying showed in the embers. They brought a soothing peace to her heart. Badb was simply biding the time. Drinking , bored. Looking forward to the coming war, the joyous chaos, the spreading terror. Smiling to herself. The war they were already in. Of the trio, Badb was the most straight forward, the least complicated. Her joys and passions centered around chaos, blood and terror. For Badb, joyous times were ahead.