Manannan Trilogy by McGrath Michele

Author:McGrath, Michele [McGrath, Michele]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Riverscourt Publishing
Published: 2014-04-08T16:00:00+00:00

12

That night, the men feasted, drank strong ale and told stories. After a little while, Niamh realised that the Red Lady was watching her closely. She met her eyes and Renny rose and came over to her.

“You look as if you are almost asleep,” she said. “I think you might prefer to be elsewhere.”

“I would.”

“Come then.”

Niamh climbed to her feet then hesitated, looking in Olaf’s direction. Renny laughed softly. “He’ll never notice you’re gone and, if he does, these others can tell him where you are. They’ll become even more rowdy soon, then fall asleep where they sit. Better if we’re not there, now they have all they need.”

Renny went back to her place and bent down to pick up her sleeping son. Her pregnancy made her awkward. When she saw her struggling, Niamh hoisted the child into her own arms. They went out into the cool night air.

“It’s not far. Follow me,” Renny said. “Thank you for carrying him. My husband usually does so for me, now I’m big with child, but he is away just now.”

“At the fishing?”

“No, he’s a worker in metals and spends much of his time travelling around the countryside. Wherever he goes there’s always work to do and he enjoys it.”

“Lucky man.”

A roundhouse loomed up in the darkness, a faint spiral of smoke blacking out the stars. Renny bent low to enter the doorway and then turned to help Niamh with the child. “Over here.” She pointed to a small bed and Niamh laid him gently down.

“A fine boy, you must be very proud of him.”

“I am. He favours his father more than me and I’m glad he has missed the curse of my red hair, although Edan says he hopes our next child may possess it.”

“Why a curse? And I thought his name was Kari?”

“Red hair stands out, so everyone knows when you’re in mischief.” Renny laughed. “As for names, his mother calls him ‘Edan’, his father ‘Kari’, but it was as ‘Edan’ that I first knew him and I’ve called him by that name ever since.”

“I see.”

“This was the house of my own father,” Renny told her, “and Edan lives in it with me for my sake. I’m more comfortable here and I have space to do the things I have to do without everybody tripping up or smashing my potions.”

Niamh looked around her, curiously. Nets of herbs and berries hung on strings across the roof and several pots bubbled over the fire. Jars and baskets of woven grass stood against the walls.

“What is it that you do?”

“When I was quite young, before I ever met my husband and before the Norsemen came here, the magician saved me from being crippled. I call him Màistir but Manannan McLir was his real name..." She stopped as Niamh gave a sudden gasp. "What is it?"

"His name was Manannan the son of Lir?"

“Yes. You have heard this name before?”

“I dreamed about him when I was in the convent. I woke the sisters by screaming out his name in the night.

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