Tír na nÓg Trilogy, Book III: Tír na nÓg

Emery Receives a Gift

The yew tree opened up at the edge of the forest, outside of Dun-Dealgan, unfurling its sides to reveal a bright, sun-lit morning. The swamps that had begun to claim the land had receded into almost nothing, and Emery and Cullen were able to step onto solid ground. The forest itself, behind them, had returned to its previous slightly-spooky-but-overall-magical atmosphere, beams of sparkling light falling within its leafy depths; the odor that had emanated from it was absent, only an earthy scent in its place. An early springtime chill hovered in the air, but Emery wasn't cold.

Looking down at herself, she realized she no longer wore the terrible, bloodied white rag but was adorned in a rich, emerald green dress, sewn from a fabric she couldn't recognize. It was belted at the waist with a coppery sash, matching the inlay of her cloak, the outside of which was a thick speckled fur. At her wrists and hovering about her collarbone were glistening bronze torques, twisted into the heads of stags at their open ends. Her boots were warm with fur inside and out, and she pulled up the hood of her cloak to find it, too, was furred, though she had no trouble fitting it over the bronze circlet that hung down upon her forehead. Her hair alone was left untouched, clouding about her fair, rosy cheeks and graceful neck. She still had Great Fury at her back and Little Fury at her side, and the Spear of Lugh was aflame in her hand, though it no longer dripped acid. What was more, she felt at her waist to find the pouch Cathbad had given her, complete with walnut inside.

"Cullen!" she cried, turning to find him dressed as regally as she, in similar colors and fabrics though with his battle gear, polished to perfection. Even Gáe Bulg had been remade and returned to his back. "Oh my. We coordinate."

He looked at her, and she'd never thought he was more handsome. "My Lady, you are as fair as a Goddess." His eyes were radiant.

Emery shrugged. "I'm just me under all this," she said.

Mischief in his smile, Cullen returned, "Perhaps I can assure myself of it, later."

In spite of herself, knowing him well enough by now, Emery blushed anyway. Then she remembered what she'd wanted to say. "The walnut! I have it." She opened the pouch with one hand and pulled out the nut.

"But you've Lugh's Spear already."

"You know Cat," Emery noted, dropping the walnut to the ground and placing her heel on it, "his magic is . . . erratic." She crushed it, said Cathbad's and Tess's names, and within an instant, the two were standing before them. Emery cried out in glee, threw an arm around each, and apologized profusely for sending them off. They, for their part, had no recollection of what had happened after the moments in the psychic's shop, having been fully well kept in the Dark.

"My walnut!" Cathbad cried in dismay. "I must've linked the summoning to myself, again. The job was too hasty."

"It was the best thing you've ever done!" Emery laughed. Their reunion was joyous and called for much explanation, but before any real discussion could take place, Cullen drew their attention to the hillfort itself.

"We've been too distracted," he muttered. "Something heavy is at work." For all along the hillsides leading to Dun-Dealgan were encamped soldiers. Cathbad pointed out the pennant flags of Connacht, Munster, and Leinster, revealing all three of the other four provinces were there. From the top of the hillfort watchtowers flew the colors of Ulster, indicating King Conchobar had arrived from Emain Macha.

"What can it mean?" Cathbad queried, the four of them suddenly falling serious.

"I do not know," Cullen replied, "but it cannot be good."

Emery turned her husband to look away from the armies and toward her. "We are Tuatha Dé. We can do this." And even as she spoke, Cathbad cried out, pointing over their shoulders. When they turned, Cullen and Emery saw their horses, Dub Saingleand and Liath Macha, walking patiently toward them along the edge of the forest. They didn't question their fortune. Cullen tied The Dagda's cauldron to his beautiful black steed, then helped Emery up before mounting behind her. Tess managed to get up onto Liath Macha more gracefully than the druid, whose attempts, while as haphazard as he, were eventually successful, and the four of them set off at a trot to Dun-Dealgan.