Private Tales Healing of the Heart

[Sierra]

She felt something strong, something ancient and powerful weave it was between them. And it surprised her that the bond already between them only seemed to strengthen when she thought it was impossible to strengthen something so strong further. And she didn't have to know that Rose suddenly paused within her playing on the Lung, as she felt something, too. A quick look toward Sierra and Cillian on the beach before she quickly got distracted with fun again.

Sierra's eyes closed as her forehead pressed against Cillian's. Her arms would wrap around his torso as if to assure herself of his presence and this wasn't a dream. And if she knew all the ways of the fae, she might've scolded him for promising something that might've been very much out of his control.

For a moment, she stayed there. Eventually, she lifted her head back without releasing her hold around him. "You do know I'll always have some dreadlord in me, right? Are you going to be okay with that?" Even now, she had some knives hidden and strapped to her body beneath her sarong. Perhaps it was because Hal had walked away as soon as she'd had Rose she felt the need to ask the question.

Because she was sure Cillian would eventually find something he didn't like about her and walk away. Just like Hal had.

 

[Cillian]

"Duchess, if ye did'nae have knives, this would hardly be fair," Cillian rumbled against her hair before pressing a kiss to her temple. Of course he knew Dreadlords were far more than their skill as warriors, which would make them a fearsome force in itself, but her magical skills and ability to kill would never be something he judged her for. It most certainly would not be something he could ever dislike about her.

"The paranoia... the living on the edge... that'll fade with time lass," he caressed her cheek. "It may well take years, but one day ye'll find yerself not checking every shadow, and I'll be there every day until then, and after," he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

 

[Sierra]

She stared at him and let his words settle in. She wanted to believe him. She hoped he was right. And maybe one day, she'd see it herself. And until then, she'd wait.

Hands lifted and cupped his face with a gentleness outside of how she wielded knives. Lips pressed a kiss on one side of his cheek. The other. Then his nose. And finally a lingering long brush of her lips against his own.

Call it fate or whatnot but it was still a wonder that they met.

She couldn't imagine what her and Rose's life would be like without that night.

Pulling back, she'd turn and watch as Rose continued to play in the ocean, leaning against Cillian. "Do fae believe in fate?" A quiet question.

 

[Cillian]

Cillian smiled at the onslaught of kisses and then shifted himself so he was once more lounging by her side, idly flipping through the pages of the horrific book she had brought.

"Fate?" He asked with a quick brow raise. "Now t'at's a difficult question for a leprechaun," he chuckled. Wishes and fate for many went hand in hand. He mulled it over a little before answering anymore. "I suppose they do. Mates, for example? Fae believe it is fate which draws them together at that moment in their life. It's fate too that might keep mates apart for their whole lives," his fingers trailed over her arm. "Some fae believe it depends on if a person is good or bad, that fate is some kind of... God. Others believe it's a creature someone could control.

"As for me? I suppose I do in a way, and in another, I dinnae care if it's real or not."

 

[Sierra]

"Do you know how hard it is to not say 'I wish' around you?" A smirk as she nudged him lightly. Sometimes it was a little too easy to forget that he was a leprechaun. She'd gotten used to him just being him. Who Cillian was. How much he cared for and loved Rose and herself. His devilish smirk. The way his moustache and beard always tickled her skin.

"Whether it was fate or not. I'm glad we met that night in Vel Anir. The more I think about it the more I see it as a miracle that you were close enough for the wish. That was pre-revolution. Pointy-eared beings did not go around driving their wares in the open. Especially after a certain hour."

 

[Cillian]

"Well... me ma' did always say I ne'er had any sense," Cillian chuckled. Not many leperchauns liked to deal with wishes in the Anirian Kingdom, but at the end of the day everyone was entitled to a wish. It was why he had spared the woman back in the hut who had, only moments before, been willing to kill his mate. Everyone had a wish and it was very rarely that those wishes were evil.

"I like tae think fate would 'ave brought me to you one way or another," he smiled and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

 

[Sierra]

"Hmph, well I can verify what your ma said," a smirk as she placed a kissing peck on the tip of his dark-skinned nose. Fate or not. Meeting Cillian had changed her and Rose's life. And she couldn't imagine a life without him.

"Mommyyyyyy," Rose's voice called from the ocean. Her little hand waving in the air as she perched on a lung. "Come play with us! Come swim!!" Smiling, Sierra rested her forehead against Cillian's for a moment before she stood, untying the wrap around her waist and leaving it on the towel as she walked toward Rose and the rest of the children.

A pointed look over her shoulder. "I want my book back when I get back."

 

[Cillian]

Cillian chuckled as she walked away, giving Rose a wave before returning to the book in his hands.

Much of the afternoon continued in that peaceful manner. Sierra and Rose playing, and when Sierra did return to claim her book Cillian took over in the water with Rose and the Lung where he had to convince her that he couldn't fit the large sea serpent into the small wagon that FrouFrou pulled for them. He was still having the argument when they made their way home as the sun was setting, Rose sitting on his shoulders.

"The Lung said he could travel anywhere there was water! Could he at least visit?" she pouted. Cillian chuckled.

"Ye would 'ave to ask Ariel first, it's her home he'd be living in," Rose seemed to ponder this at least. "Right, off ye go," he grunted as he put her down and watched her race off to get washed up for dinner before turning to Sierra with a coy smile.

"So there's a party on the beach tonight... and my friends from the market said they would be happy to watch Rose..."

 

[Sierra]

Sierra dropped the beachbag on the front porch. Auburn-brows raised. She couldn't help the corner of her mouth twitch in answer to Cillian's own coy smile.

That. Man.

But a party?

This would technically be her first party. There weren't parties at the Academy. She'd never gone to parties once graduating. Those were probably more so reserved to dreadlords of noble blood. Bending down, she began unpacking the bag from earlier that day.

"I-," she tried to dismiss her insecurities. Cillian deserved the truth. Taking a breath, she stood clutching the dirty towels for the wash-bin. "I've never been to a party before. What do you...do there?"

 

[Cillian]

With tender gentleness, Cillian took the towels from her clenched fists and put them helpfully into the hamper for washing.

"Eat, drink, dance," he explained in what he hoped was an encouraging manner. He couldn't help but wonder whether she would look quite so startled if he had asked if she would have preferred to spend their evening hunting down some bandit. He tried to hide his smile at the thought and helped her unpack the rest of the bag. "There's lots o' music, and they cook over these hot coals buried in tae sand. It's tae best roasted hog I've e'er tasted. Ye might even make some friends."

 

[Sierra]

Friends.

Not a completely foreign concept to her. She had Talus and Zana. Landon. All so far away, though. She had less friends than she could count on one hand. But there'd always been a reason for that when she'd grown up knowing she'd have to kill one in their class at the end.

"Well," she said as she grabbed some of the dirty clothes to throw into the wash as she disappeared into the room by the kitchen. "Eating sounds good. Drinking however, a smirk as she peaked her head out, folding a shirt from the items that were dried. "I should probably not have more than one."

And she didn't comment about dancing. She'd never danced before. And wasn't sure if it was a good idea to start now.

A sigh as she disappeared again. Folding more of the clothes before she brought them out in the basket tucked against her hip and arm as she began to make her way upstairs. It was funny how nervous she was about going to a party.

Sure, war was fine.

But a party?

"Give me about an hour and I'll be ready," she'd call down. She had to shower and change. And try not to project all the things that could go wrong.

 

[Cillian]

"Whenever you're ready love, there's no set arrival time," Cillian called back and allowed himself to flop into one of the chairs downstairs, picking up a leather folder of orders to thumb through them. Today had been busy for business before the dramas of the day. It appeared their small family would be returning soon or maybe he could work whilst the girls enjoyed themselves. He had all his things with him...

He mused on those thoughts as he went through the list of orders until Rose appeared in her pyjamas and demanded a story. Of course, the leprechaun obliged.

 

[Sierra]

No set time? What a strange concept. What if you were the first to arrive and no one was there? Sierra never thought she'd think this but growing up in the Academy was making a little more sense than life outside of it. After Sierra showered the day at the beach off, she became frozen at the wardrobe.

She had no idea what to wear.

And she was not going to ask Cillian. It was too mortifying. She was still staring when Cillian's friends from the Market came in downstairs. An unfamiliar voice trickled upstairs. Husky, low, and feminine. There was a knock at the door and when Sierra's towel-clad form answered, she opened it to a woman with cinnamon-brown skin, honey-brown eyes, and purple-died braids.

"Dearie, I came up here to see if you needed help. I'm Valentine."

Sierra smiled. "I recognize you from the market today. Please, come in." Sierra closed the door once she came and opened her wardrobe. After a few warm conversations and some sage advice, Sierra and Valentine finally emerged down the stairs. Sierra dressed in a gown of Valentine's making.

 

[Cillian]

Cillian had just got Rose to sleep when the babysitters arrived and he tucked her in with the soft felted Lung he had caved and brought her at the market that day. With a gentle kiss to the forehead he left her bed and shut the door behind him. Val was nowhere to be seen which he assumed meant she'd already whisked her way up so he shared a drink with his friend as they waited for the women to arrive.

At the sound of footsteps the leprechaun glanced up and almost chocked on his drink. Nico chuckled.

"Wow, Lass ye look..." he ran a hand through his hair and wished he'd made more of an effort. Instead he'd opted for a loose white shirt tied with leather cord loosely across his chest tucked into the traditional billowy trousers tapered at the ankles the locals seemed to wear in a burnt orange colour. Standing, he took Sierra's hand to help her take the final step down then twirled her with a low, appreciative whistle. "Stunnin'," he finished.

 

[Sierra]

A warm shiver ran down her spine. When he looked at her like that. The warmth in those pools of liquid fire of his, it took her thoughts back to what she'd read in the book earlier. "Not enough places to hide my daggers," she deadpanned to Cillian then stepped in close to him, pressing a peck on his cheek, her lips lingering by his ear. "Hmm, you smell nice," she whispered against him.

"You two look lovely," Val clasped her hands and smiled, looping her arm around Nico's waste. "Go, go. Have fun. We'll have everything under control here. Now shoo."

Sierra stepped back, a rueful smile on her face as she squeezed Cillian's hand. Trying to keep the bundle of nerves threatening to rise in her stomach at bay.

 

[Cillian]

Cillian pressed a kiss to her temple and grinned over her shoulder at his friend. Val jabbed her husband in the ribs and the leprechaun artfully spun Sierra to face the door and not the look the married couple were giving one another.

"Come on lass, ye stage awaits," he chuckled and quickly shuffled them out, closing the door behind him. No doubt he'd gotten his friend in a little trouble but Cillian found he didn't really care. This was the happiest he had been in... In...

He looped his arm loosely about her shoulders, pulling her close.

"Just relax," he murmured against her hair. "There's no pressure here. We're going to eat, dance and drink."

 

[Sierra]

"Easy for you to say," she grumbled. "You've probably been going to these for hundreds of years." It wasn't long before they were down the steps of their beach bungalow. And a little ways down the beach she could hear the sound of drums and flutes and voices of laughter and chatter. There were several large bonfires, their flames licking merrily up into the sky as tall as the houses on the beach.

Tentatively, she let her magic stretch forward.

The strings were the brightest she'd ever seen. Many colors she'd never seen before. Carefree golds, joyous pastel oranges, and humorous periwinkles. She didn't know it but she'd woven her fingers with Cillian's, her grip only squeezing tighter and tighter as they approached. And now her sense of smell was being bombarded like all her others.

Something smelled heavenly, similar to the smell of bacon that Cilli always fried up in the mornings.

 

[Cillian]

"Lass yer gonna snap me fingers off in a sec," Cillian joked as she ground his knuckles against one another. As much as he could without being detected he sent waves of calm and love down the mating bond. He couldn't think of a place more safe than the Islands here. The Mchawi people prided themselves on keeping their shores and the surrounding seas safe for its people to live their lives in peace. He certainly wouldn't have suggested it if he thought she would at any point be in danger.

He kicked off his sandals as they entered the circle of light created by the various bonfires into a pile where others had done the same.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, meandering their way towards the scent of food.

 

[Sierra]

"Oh," looking down she released her grip on him, letting her fingers fall to her side. "Sorry," she muttered and added her shoes to the pile. Others waved and smiled at them. Others were trying to see how far their tongues could fit down their partners' throats. Sierra quickly averted her eyes from those, trying not to focus too long on the emotions and seductive strings represented surrounding them and shimmering in the air with magic.

"Yes," she focused on Cilli and the food.

There was a line of tables by one of the bonfires and piles of food sat atop it. Bowls of local fruit to the island. Piles of fresh, smoked meats and the head of one of the roasted pigs.

A beautiful young woman with thick dark hair, warm brown skin, and bright green eyes smiled warmly as they approached. "Cillian, it's been too long. How are you?"

Sierra narrowed her eyes.

 

[Cillian]

Cillian was never one to pass up food and he grabbed a wooden plate.

"Oh, ye need to try this, and this," he said as they went along, explaining what each thing was and how it tasted, but only putting it on her plate if she nodded or only wrinkled her nose a little - but Kress was she cute when she did that - and teased her into trying something new when he felt she was uncertain. They were half way down the line when Ember stepped into their pathway with a warm, inviting smile.

"Ember," he returned the smile, trying to ignore the spiking stab of jealousy from Sierra. "I'm well, thank ye, and yerself? Yer ma?"

"Well too, they'll be disappointed to know they missed you here," she smiled wider and Cillian laughed.

"This is Sierra, Sierra this is my friend Ember, I knew her grandma back in tae day."

 

[Sierra]

Sierra barely paid attention to all the food that Cillian had piled on her plate. It was enough to feed a small village. Did he think she was pregnant?!

But her grip tightened along the edges of the plate as feelings she never had to deal with before flared into her senses. Ugly colors of chartreuse and vomit yellow. Jealousy.

"Oh, her grandma hm?" She looked to Cillian. What was she thinking? She could hardly blame him for having past lovers, especially for how long he lived. He'd probably known her grandma when she'd been Sierra's age.

"Nice to meet you, Ember," she forced her own feelings to flatten and smooth away. "Have you lived here all your life?"

 

[Cillian]

Cillian's easy smile faltered for just a moment. Were ex's problems when they were now missing teeth and blind in one eye? Not that he would have considered the six weeks he had spent with Esmerelda anything more than a summer fling, but Sierra might see that differently. Ember continued, oblivious to boths growing discomfort.

"Of course!" she smiled and picked up her own plate. "Not many people leave the isles if they are born here, why would they?" she gestured around them and it was hard to disagree. There were seldom places embodied the word paradise but the Isles did in every way from the weather, to the crystal sea, the food, and the friendly openness of the people.

"Oh, there's Maui! I must say hello, it was lovely to meet you!" she leaned forward to give Sierra a one armed hug and then was off, calling to another man whose grin widened when he saw her.

 

[Sierra]

Surprise at Ember's warmth. At least she hadn't picked up on Sierra's varying and shifting feelings. She offered a quick squeeze to the other young woman before she left for this Maui. Focusing her magic, she saw the strings of passion and perhaps a budding love between the two. From the corner of her eyes, she caught a flicker of pale blues and light greens of uncertainty and nervousness? From Cillian.

With a slow exhale, she released her magic - forcing the colored strings she always saw around emotions to disappear into the night air.

"You're quiet all of a sudden," she'd remark up to the fae. "Come on, let's go sit around that fire and eat. Maybe you can tell me what's on your mind?" She'd lead him over to the merry flames. Others around it smiling at them as they joined the small circle. Thankful for the slit in her dress, she sank to the beach, folding her legs beneath her. Fork poking at some of the things she'd never had before on her plate.

 

[Cillian]

Feck.

Cillian nodded with a polite smile and whilst he was a little nervous of the upcoming conversation it didn't seem to put a dent in his appetite for the pile soon grew into what would better be described as a mountain before he eventually followed her to a where someone had placed some blankets on the sand. Almost immediately Cillian began to dig in with a groan.

"When I die, I want me next life tae be here," he shook his head as he cracked open a grilled shrimps shell and began to suck the flesh out from inside. He looked at home and, who wouldn't be? He glanced over once he had put a small dent in his mountain and began to pluck at a banana leaf wrapped bit of fish.

"Ye got jealous when Ember came over an' I just... I've lived a long life Sierra, an' it ain't been all chaste. I suppose wha' I want tae know is... how much... detail ye'd like. I'd never hide anything from ye Duchess, but I understand if yer don't want tae know."

 

[Sierra]

She didn't deny how she'd felt or try to correct him. She sighed, staring down at the foods on her plate. Picking up something wrapped in some fried dough, she took a small nibble. Fingers dragged through her hair, shifting the curtain wavy auburn to shield one side of her face. The fire created a warm glow over their features.

"I just want to be prepared for running into any of your ex-lovers, wherever we go. So I'm not surprised. No promises I won't kill them though," the side of her lips quirked but it was hard to tell if she was joking at all.

She couldn't blame him for the life he'd lived before her. She just, perhaps, hadn't been prepared to fall in love with - no mate with - a magical being who lived thousands of years. It had always just been her and Hal. And then he'd disappeared.

"At least you'll never have to worry about meeting one of my exes," this time sadness tinged her smile.