Tir Alainn - The House Of Gaian - Tir Alainn - The House of Gaian Part 12
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Tir Alainn - The House of Gaian Part 12

Taihg hesitated, then shook his head. "No. Unless, of course, the Hunter takes offense."

"Then I've nothing to lose," Aiden replied. "The Clans beyond the west

already disapprove of me."Before Taihg could reply, an annoyed male voice beyond the courtyard said, "Mother's tits! Considering how far I've traveled, I'm going to talk to someone."

Aiden couldn't hear a reply, but a moment later, a man strode into the courtyard. He had sable hair that fell to his shoulders and dark eyes full of sharp intelligence;-and more than a little annoyance. A tall man, with a honed body that moved with sleek grace, yet gave the impression of suppressed violence, like the sea on the edge of a storm.

The man was definitely Fae, but Aiden felt uneasy the moment he saw him.

He rose to face the stranger.

"Who are you?" the stranger demanded.

"Aiden. The Lord of Song."

"The Bard, is it? I'm Murtagh, the Lord of the Selkies. I was looking for the Hunter, but you'll do for now."

"Will I?"

Murtagh flashed a feral smile that made Aiden wish for a large knife and the skill to use it. He had the feeling Murtagh possessed both.

"When you've the time, Bard, I'd appreciate it if you'd come by Selkie

Island and give the minstrels there a bit of encouragement. We've a handful of them on the island, and there's not one of them that will lift his ass to fart let alone learn a new song. Don't any of you write anything new?"

"Occasionally," Aiden said dryly.

Murtagh eyed Taihg. "If you're too busy, you could send another bard."

"I get seasick," Taihg said quickly.

Murtagh sighed. "Well, see what you can do. I've been hearing the same

songs since I was a boy. I'd throw the lot of them into the sea, but they're selkies, too, so it wouldn't gain me anything."

"I'll keep it in mind," Aiden said, "but there are other concerns right now."

'True enough." Murtagh raked a hand through his hair. "There's talk, Bard, and I don't like what I'm hearing."

"What have you heard?"

"That witches are being killed by men called Black Coats. That the Old Places are being taken over by humans, and the Small Folk are being driven

out."

"It's true."

"Well... Mother's tits! Why aren't the Mother's Daughters going up the

shining roads to escape and letting the Fae deal with the bastards?"

"The Fae in the east of Sylvalan refused to do anything to help the

witches-and now the Fae are lost as well, trapped in their Clan territories in Tir Alainn after the shining roads closed. If they're surviving at all."

Murtagh stared at him. Then he swore softly. "If that's the case, they've

gotten what they deserve."

Aiden studied Murtagh with more interest. "Would you allow a witch into your Clan's piece of Tir Alainn?"

Murtagh's dark eyes flashed with temper before he smiled ruefully. "My

gran's a witch whose gift of water is best suited to the sea. She's fit and spry for a woman her age, but cold, damp weather is hard on old bones, so I bundle her and the other elders up every year when the autumn winds take on the edge of winter and tuck diem in the Clan house in Tir Alainn. Not that she'll stay there. She misses the moods of the sea, so she'll come back down and spend a few days before she'll let me bundle her back up." He paused. "I've heard a young witch with a love of the sea has recently come to Sealand."

"I've heard that, too," Aiden said cautiously.

Murtagh shook his head. "I saw that ship pass. If I'd known there was a

witch in the hold, I would have persuaded the captain to put in at one of our ports for a day or two."

"The witch is content where she is," Ashk said, stepping into the courtyard

with Morag beside her.

Murtagh gave both women a long look and a small but courteous bow. "And I wouldn't have held her if she wasn't willing to stay. Just saying I would

have liked an introduction before the lady decided on where to settle. We can offer as good a harbor as Ronat Isle."

Ashk's eyes searched his. "You would have offered her family safe harbor?"

"There's more of them?"

Aiden winced, wishing Murtagh's question didn't sound like he was ready to

scoop up any witch that crossed his path, especially when Morag said, "Answer the question," in a voice that held a hint of the grave.

He saw Ashk shift her weight slightly and wondered what she thought she

could do against the Gatherer if Morag decided to kill the Lord of the Selkies. Unfortunately, Morag had been withdrawn since they left Bretonwood, and not even Morphia had been able to discover why. But that dark turn of mood had made the rest of them cautious about dealing with the Gatherer of Souls.

Finally, Murtagh said, "I would have offered her safe harbor-and anyone she cared to bring with her. And I'll offer it now to any witch looking for a place away from those bastard Black Coats and the Sylvalan barons who have lost their balls- or sold them in order to put more gold in their purses." He looked away for a moment before focusing on Ashk again. "You're the Hunter, aren't you?"

"I am."

"You're gathering the Fae to put a stop to the slaughter?"

"Yes."

Murtagh nodded. "The Hunter rules the woods. The Lord of the Selkies rules

the sea. So. How can I and mine help you? Fae whose other form is suited to water are of little use to you on land, but we control the sea around our island, right to the shore of the mainland."

"What do the barons on the coast say about that?" Aiden asked.

Murtagh smiled sharply. "A few years ago, when I first became the Lord of the Selkies, one of the coastal barons came to the island. He wasn't pleased that our boats were fishing the same waters as his villagers since he got a share from every boat as well as what he made from his tenant farmers.

Well, he came over and told me that since there was no baron ruling the

island, he was taking it for his own. I explained to him that we didn't need a baron, and I would rule my own people. He didn't take kindly to that."

"What did you do?" Ashk asked.

"Sank his ship. We rescued the people on board, but it was close to a

fortnight before the baron set foot on ground he could call his own, and he learned a few things about how a baron's power compares to that of a Fae Lord. He drowned a couple of years later. Wasn't my doing, but no one mourned his passing, especially once people found out he'd made a deal with the sea thieves who had been making things difficult for merchant ships. His son was barely old enough to take up the title, but he's done well for his people, and he and I have an understanding that suits us both. So if there are ships coming that need safe harbor, they'll have it." Murtagh paused. "And if there are ships that need to sleep at the bottom of the sea, and their crew with them, I'll see it done."

No one spoke.

Finally, Ashk asked, "Do you still have trouble with sea thieves?"

That sharp smile flashed again. "Not in my waters."

"I would consider it a kindness if you would keep watch for one ship. It's

called Sweet Selkie, and Mihail is her captain. If you see her brother safely home, I think he'll oblige you with an introduction to the new witch at Sealand. But I can't tell you about other ships."

"I understand, Hunter. I'm honored to have finally met you ... and the Gatherer of Souls."

Morag just stared at him before turning and walking away.

"Blessings of the day to you," Ashk said quietly before she, too, walked out of the courtyard.

Aiden took a deep breath, then blew it out slowly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Taihg slump on the bench, as if exhausted. So, his weren't the only nerves stretched by this encounter.

Murtagh watched the courtyard entrance a moment longer before turning to