Embers in the Dark

The Cauldron of The Dagda

Lugh walked into the tree as the doors opened to him and then he stepped on the circular pad. As they made the descent into the earth, Brigid whined in pain.

"I argued still, but O'Callaghan said Arthur and the children would get them back."

When the pad stopped moving, Lugh rushed forward towards the infirmary section of the area, placing Brigid on a medical cot. He grasped the jar from her hands and held it up to Darach's tree roots.

"This is a very important soul, Darach. Please guard her until we have need of her," Lugh explained.

The tree roots glowed a bright blue before encircling themselves around the jar and raising it inside the ceiling. Brigid eyed Lugh with a frown before looking herself over.

"I thought I was dead for sure," she chuckled. "Zeus' power over lightning is unmatched. Where is everyone?"

"They're fighting right now but we finally got the damn shield tah work. I canna believe how many of those cursed puppets were buried here."

Brigid sighed as she felt the healing power of the tree fill her. "I know. How did we not know they were here? And how long have they been here?"

"I dunna know, but based on our findings, the puppets were brand new. I suspect we may have a rat in our Van der Linde clan."

Brigid laughed. "Van der Linde clan, huh?"

"Well, they canna very well be called a gang anymore, can they? In fact, I think they've always been a clan moreso than a gang, at least until that Micah came along."

"Did you ever meet him?" Brigid asked.

"Once. He was in some bar in America, boasting about how he robbed a homestead full of nefarious outlaws a few miles down the way. Me curiousity was peaked, so I went and took a gander." Lugh sighed heavily as he pulled up a chair. "What I found was not the house of some common criminals, but a small cottage with two dead people inside. A woman and her son."

A small frown appeared on Brigid's face. "What happened?"

Lugh sniffed as he rubbed his face. "I still remember it like it was yesterday. The boy, he..." Lugh took a deep breath in. "He'd been beaten tah death. And his mother...she'd been violated in unspeakable ways before he left her there tah die. Her last words to me as I held her in my arms were, "I'm sorry, "R"..."

Brigid wiped the tears from her eyes. "R?"

"I dunna know who that was, but...well, I never had a clue tah go on. I searched the house fer references tah "R" but never found it. All that was missing was ten dollars and some pictures. And when I got back tah that bar, Micah was already gone. I informed the townsfolk of what had happened and I asked for the victim's names, but...fer some odd reason, none of them knew who the child or woman was. So I went back and gave them a proper burial."

The frown on Brigid's face deepened. "That must have been hard for you to not interfere when Micah joined the gang."

"Yes, it was, but ya know The Morrigan. "Everything happens fer a reason," she always said." Lugh scooted his chair closer to Brigid. "Which brings me tah me next point."

"Which is?" Brigid asked with a quirked brow.

"Aoífe let it slip why ya never told me we were twin flames."

Brigid's face paled dealthly white. "How did she...oh yeah, she's a seer. Of course she would know that," Brigid said in exasperation.

Lugh frowned before taking a deep breath and grasping the queen's hands. "I ask fer yer forgiveness, Yer Majesty. Had I known about us, had I known that day ya were going tah tell me about us, I never woulda had relations with those two women. Had I known, I never woulda let me eyes wander tah any other woman...or man," he chuckled at the last part.