Deadman's Blood (26 page)

Darby looked down, humbled by the two Faeries, and kicked the dirt with her mud clogs. Then she had a thought. “What about Nuala? What if she taught me what I might need to know? I do have other powers. Maybe I just need a couple of lessons.”

Annay said, “Pfffft. That old bat? Nuala is no Seer.”

“Maybe not, but she is knowledgeable in Faeries, maybe she could teach me some things. Maybe even the Faeries themselves could teach me to hone the ability,” Darby proposed.

“See - selfish…that’s all humans ever want is something for themselves,” Annay argued.

“Stop it, Annay. She could be on to something here,” Yanna reprimanded.

“You can’t be serious!” Annay protested.

“I am. Dead serious. We really don’t have many options and Mother is getting so weak.” With Yanna’s retort, Annay became flustered and angry and disappeared in a puff of sparkling glitter.

*****

“
Why is Annay so angry?” Darby asked.

“It’s not you, Darby. Our father was a human,” Yanna explained.

Responding to Darby’s surprised expression, Yanna continued.

“Oh, it happens more than you might think. The fae find humans fascinating and often visit your plane. Before Mother was the Summer Queen she ventured here often with friends to tease and taunt the humans, much like Annay does. Whilst here, though, she spied a human male that she fancied. She followed him without his knowing. Against the advice of her parents, she allowed the human to see her. Her beauty enthralled him and they spent every moment they could together. They fell in love quickly after that, but it was very soon after that Mother was called back to the Everworld, to her mother’s side. She was dying and Mother needed to be in the Everworld to take her place as the Summer Queen.

“When the king saw how his daughter mourned not being with the human male, he suggested that Mother bring him to the Everworld to be her King. Mother quickly returned to her love and explained that she wanted him to share the throne with her. He agreed, and everything seemed fine for a while, but he missed his home and family more than he could bear and when Yanna and I were very young, he begged Mother to let him go back. She loved him so much that she agreed and to this day has never taken another husband. Annay never forgave him for leaving us, or Mother for letting him go.”

“That’s so sad. Whatever happened to your father?” Darby asked.

“He died a very long time ago. Time passes very differently in the Everworld than it does here. Mother had fae in her court keep her apprised of what went on in his life. She could not visit him once she was queen, and he had no power to come to her. Many letters were sent and received between the two. He never married when he went back, but enjoyed his brother’s children as if they were his own. The Everworld was just too much for him, I think. It wasn’t that he didn’t love us or our mother; it just never felt right to him. Mother understood and loved him either way, but like Father couldn’t get used to the idea of living here, Annay can’t get used to the idea that he left.”

“What about you? Are you angry with your father?” Darby wondered.

“Not at all. Grandfather stepped in and filled Father’s spot for me, but it wasn’t as easy for Annay.” She paused for a moment in contemplation, then continued swishing her dress back and forth again. “So when can you start your training with Nuala?”

“Hmmm. Well, first I have to find her. I don’t even know where she lives. Then secondly, I have to ask her to help me. Hopefully she will agree, but I can’t make any promises,” Darby explained.

“But you must…the Summer Court depends on it!” Yanna implored.

“Well then, we may have to call on the fae to help me find her and convince her to help,” Darby said.

“Done and done. We will send her to you as soon as we can. Thank you, Darby.” And just as quickly as she had appeared to Darby, Yanna disappeared in a shower of glittery dust, making Darby sneeze.

*****

Though Devon was hard to convince, after much explaining and telling him she wasn’t crazy, Darby finally felt he believed the story about the Faerie sisters visiting her during the day and the tale they told her about the Elixir of Life, Biddy, and the Summer Queen. Either that or he was just tired of arguing with Darby and decided to agree to disagree just to appease her.

The following day, Nuala showed up at Darby’s back door carrying a ton of books and looking quite exhausted. Seems Yanna employed Annay’s devious teasing antics on Nuala all night until she agreed to teach Darby what she knew about Faeries, Seers, and the possible location of the bottle of the Elixir of Life.

Nuala taught Darby about Faerie stars which are seven pointed compared to a pentagram with only five points. The number seven refers to the spirit realm, which is why it is associated with elves and Faeries. The points represent Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Above, Below, and Within.

Next she learned about Faerie rings which are known for being doorways to the Everworld and are often found within a ring of mushrooms or a circle of dark grass. Humans are often warned not to stand in the circle for they have been known to never return. Those that do return rarely have any recollection of where they have been for weeks, months, or years.

Darby found the lore to be quite fascinating and dove right in. She did get confused at times as Nuala threw in Gaelic phrases that threw Darby for a loop, like ‘gle mhaith’ which sounds like ‘glay moth’ and means ‘very good’. Or ‘fain oir ort’ which is pronounced like ‘fawn-yeh ore urt’ and means ‘a gold ring for you.’

Darby relayed all that Yanna and Annay had told her was wrong with the Summer Queen and why they needed to find the bottle Mother Earth had given to Biddy O’Conner. In turn, Nuala relayed what she knew of Biddy and the bottle, but she had no more information than the Faeries had given Darby. She only knew this would be no easy task. Nuala also gave Darby hints on Faerie etiquette: do’s and don’t, likes and dislikes, and how to make a Faerie altar to request help or call on Faeries.

After hours of talking and informing each other of all that was known to them about the task at hand, Nuala started to yawn. Darby insisted they pick things up the next day when Darby would go to Nuala’s where she could be in her own element. Nuala was very appreciative and with a wave and a ‘Slaw agus beannacht leat’ which sounded like ‘Slawn og-us ban-ockt lat,’ Darby could only assume it meant something like ‘Goodbye or Good Evening.’

Later that evening, Yanna visited Darby with Devon present. Darby was sure then that Devon hadn’t believed her when she had told him of the visit the previous day, for his face all but told her so. Several times during the evening, she reached over to him and placed her forefinger under his chin to close his mouth as he sat there staring at Yanna and her guest.

Yanna had brought Princess Titalia, the next in line to become the Spring Queen in the Seelie Court. Darby had learned from her earlier lessons with Nuala about the courts of the Sidhe. Fae find it insulting to use specific names so Darby tried very hard not to use their names in the conversation and teachings. “To know the name of something or someone,” Nuala had said, “is to have power over it.”

Nuala had also taught her that there were two courts: the Seelie Court and the Unseelie Court. The Seelie Court members tended to be mostly benevolent but unpredictable; the Unseelie Court members were more malevolent in their pranks, but also had been known to help humans. Once every century, a thirteen day succession of duels, games, and other competitions took place for the seat of High King or High Queen. During the coronation of the winner, the new Queen or King must pick his or her partner on the throne from the opposite court. The High Queen and King oversee the lower courts but are accountable to Mother Earth and Father Time. The Summer Queen and the other Queens and Kings of the seasons are below the High Queen and King. All are born with wings, but when those who have royal blood flowing through their veins lose their wings at the age of eighteen; that’s eighteen hundred to humans. They can visit the mortal world without their wings, but once they are crowned, they can not leave the Everworld. The royal Sidhe are the most beautiful and magical of their race.

Titalia was no exception to her royal blood and had very recently lost her wings. Seeing as how she would be the most powerful under the dying queen herself, Yanna thought it best to have her teach what Faerie magic she could to Darby.

Darby felt nervous and uncomfortable around someone so important and powerful, but Titalia was sensitive to this and quickly set her at ease. It wasn’t anything she said, but the mannerisms she exuded that somehow stripped down the protocol of her social standing. Darby didn’t forget that she was in the presence of such amazing creatures, but the hierarchy of their classes melted away as she tried to learn anything and everything that she could from the two princesses of the Seelie Court.

The lessons went on well into the night. Darby would be the one that looked exhausted in the morning when she continued her lessons with Nuala. The clock in the other room chimed 4:00 when Darby said her goodbyes to the Faeries and looked over at Devon, whose head was slung back, mouth open, sleeping away now for hours. She tickled his nose with a tired kiss and they both headed up to bed for some well deserved sleep.

*****

Though Devon had slept through half of the conversation the night before with the princesses, it was Darby that woke first in the morning. She quietly slipped out of bed hoping not to disturb Devon, and tiptoed downstairs to make coffee. She cautiously dipped her finger in the sugar bowl to make sure that the sugar was in fact sugar, and she could have sworn she heard a tinkling and a giggle from behind her somewhere.

She was tired but eager to learn from Nuala. Though the old woman could be gruff on the outside, Darby was growing rather fond of her. With her mind full of new concepts, ideas, and information, she walked happily in the early morning sun following the directions Nuala had scribbled on a scrap of paper. On the way she found herself more aware of the beauty around her. A fluffy seed pod floated past her and she watched it softly land on a blade of grass, sticking to the dew that had not yet evaporated. She picked it up and placed it carefully in a little plastic bag she had in her coat pocket.

Onward up the path she found a downy feather she could only guess was from a water fowl. The sun also caught a tiny sparkle off a greenish stone that seemed out of place in the boggy soil. Just before she made the last turn according to the directions, she saw an oddly shaped seed pod, like none she had ever seen. These little gifts of nature she had gathered would be great additions to the Faerie altar Nuala said she should set up.

As she neared the door of the tiny little shack of a house, she wondered about the conversation she’d had with Yanna. No one had said what made the Summer Queen sick, only that the only thing that would cure her was the last drop of the Elixir of Life. She wondered if this had been the plot of the Unseelie Court to throw power into unbalance. With Yanna and Annay too young to accept their impending seat on the throne, it would seem a perfect opportunity to shake the courts up a bit in a power struggle.

She had never really thought about the seasons and how their delicate balance was crucial to the survival of everything on the planet. Why wouldn’t Mother Nature and Father Time step in to help? Or were their hands tied by some order higher than them? Maybe they weren’t allowed to interfere with coups such as these among the queens and kings of the Sidhe. But what worried her was, if this was a coup for power, like the Black Orchids and the Bloodstone Heart, then maybe there was danger around the corner and a whole bunch more secrets that had not yet been revealed.

Nuala had said the day before that the fae do not lie, but they don’t always tell the whole truth…this could be a lot trickier and more dangerous than Darby had first thought.

For the moment she put this out of her mind and noticed her surroundings and she stepped upon the stoop of the little house. Though it needed some repairs, it was cute and the gardens were impeccable. Darby knocked on the door and was surprised how quickly Nuala opened it - almost as if she knew she was there before she knocked.

“Dia duit ar maidin,” Nuala said (which sounded like: “Dee-ah dwit air mod ging”). Darby could only assume it was a greeting of good morning and responded with a “Good morning to you too!”

“Ar mhaith leat tea?” Nuala asked (which sounded like: “Air wott lat tay?” She nodded her head towards a pot that was on the stove.

Darby responded after putting two and two together saying, “Oh - tea…yes, I’d love some.” Nuala smiled as she scurried around the tiny kitchen. Though it looked somewhat like a potting shed with swags, branches, and bunches of herbs and flowers hanging upside down from the ceiling drying, it actually was quaint and homey. The garden outside was everything to this woman and it showed on the inside as well. At first glance one might think it to be shabby or messy, but when one was to take a closer look, they would find how intricately the bunches were wound with colored twine, and Darby was sure that Nuala knew exactly where everything was without rummaging through cupboards looking at labels on a spice jar. The house was spick and span despite the leaking roof in the far corner where a large pot was set and from which a big grey and white cat was drinking. It was comfortable here and it personified Nuala like no other home could portray its inhabitant.