The Changeling

Chapter VI- Champagne

My day started early the next morning. There weren't any babies or new mothers to check in on, and Bébinn said she was having all the women from the village over to get things prepared for Beltaine. What that entailed? I had no clue.

I found myself seated at the kitchen table, with piles of flowers surrounding me. The entire house seemed to be springing full of primroses, marsh marigolds, hazel, gorse, hawthorn, and other wildflowers I didn't recognize.

The whole downstairs was filled with women, all fastening crowns, bouquets and wreaths out of the flowers. As we worked, they sang,

"Haigh didil dum, haigh didil dero

Haigh didil didilee, haigh didil dero

Haigh didil dum agus haigh didil dero

Is haigh didil didilee haigh didil dum

Haigh didil dum an cat is a mháthair

D'imigh go Gailli' ag marcaíocht ar bharda"

I didn't know the song, but after a few rounds of singing, I began to join them, mimicking the sounds and words. I was probably butchering them, but it was a happy song, and I felt comfort in singing it with them.

More and more women and girls flooded into our yard and house. Probably the entire village. I noticed Mrs. Higgins in a corner, holding baby Bridget swaddled in her arms, singing to her.

"Sophie! I was on the lash last night and now I'm completely knackered." Muirgen said dramatically as she sat down across from me. As always, I stared at her dumbfounded for two reasons. The first: what the hell did she just say? The second: how is she so gorgeous without trying?

She seemed to of sensed my confusion and just laughed, shaking her head, "Sophie, I went out drinking and now I'm tired," she explained slowly.

I rolled my eyes at her but smiled back. She had a way of making me feel like a total idiot but in a comforting way. It was rather odd.

"Are you excited for Belthaine?" I ask.

Muirgen picks up a flower, and twirls it in her hand, "Of course, I was queen last year, too bad I won't be again," She winks at me, "Maybe you can be queen."

I give her a look, "I feel like foreigners are exempt from the process. Besides, I don't even know how one becomes queen or what it entails."

Muirgen leans forward squints at me, as if she's scrutinizing me, "I have decided it is my mission to make you queen," Then she sits back and shrugs, "It's just names of out a hat of all women older than 16 and unmarried, and not like... a spinster."

I laugh as she makes a face of almost disgust. Oh good lord, this town will be the death of me, I think. But, in all honesty, I feel as if I'm already slowly finding my way into the town. Becoming part of it.

"Here, to lighten up your spirits," Muirgen said pulling a bottle of champagne out of no were.

"You did not!"

"Oh I absolutely did," Muirgen said, and passed me the bottle.

Once we finished the flowers, the women showed us out of the kitchen so they could begin baking and cooking for the fest. Some women also went home, where there'd be more stoves. By that time, Muirgen and I had consumed the entire bottle of champagne.

Bundles of flowers in hand, Muirgen and I started down the road to the village. We laughed and joked as we did so.

"Oh my goodness, I have such terrible allergies to these damn plants. And i'm allergic to grass, and that seems to be all we have here." Murigen moaned.

"And sheep. Lots of sheep," I commented quietly, looking at a few near us in some sort of bush.

"And tragedies involving the British," Muirgen added and we laughed, building off each other's joke.

"And superstitions," I added, and that was the nail in the hammer. It is unclear why, but we couldn't stop laughing. It wasn't even a funny joke, but I knew my face was undoubtedly bright red from laughter.

We began hanging up the wreaths and flowers on all the store fronts. I was just about to hang one on a store called 'Borgan's Alterations' when the door opened wide.

"Conall! What a surprise!" I commented, smiling brightly. "Muirgen! Come say hi to Conall!" I yelled down the street, followed by a hiccup.

"Conall!" Muirgen said and skipped over here.

Conall looked between us in shock, "Are you drunk? It's half two in the afternoon."

I covered my mouth to feign surprise, "Me? Drunk? You're such a tease. By the way, is my dress pretty? Also, these flowers are for you." I promptly put the wreath of flowers around his neck like a necklace and smiled at my handiwork.

"Ok, Sophie, I'm going to take you and your very pretty dress home right this instant because Murigen," He threw a glare at her, "Is a bad babysitter."

"Hey!" the two of us said in unison.

"I'm not a baby, i'm 16." I said defiantly.

"Yeah, that," Murigen adds.

Conall sighs, "Sadly, you shouldn't legally be drinking at 16 here, and I know you shouldn't be in the states either. Muirgen is 18 so she's an adult in this situation. Either way, you need to be well and rested for tomorrow."

I was silent for a moment, as if trying to process his thoughts. Before I could defend myself Muirgen spoke up.

"Sophie is going to be queen tomorrow."

"OK well, it seems to be nap time for the both of you, come on now," Conall says, and begins dragging me up the way to Bébinn's house.

"Bye Muirgen! See you tomorrow!" I call, waving like a 5 year old. She waves back and blows kisses dramatically.

When we get home, I find myself falling fast asleep on my bed. Nap time it is.

***

I lay awake in bed. It must be around five in the evening or so, but I'm not completely sure. I can hear rain gently beating down on the window. I can also hear voices floating up from downstairs.

"There's no way she's-" I hear Bébinn's voice say.

"She wouldn't touch the eggs or the eggs shells," a man's voice says.

"But-"

"And the tailor's son found her dancing and singing, and playing your guitar. You know no one has touched it in years."

Are they talking to me? Who is this man that's speaking?

"We can resolve this later. Those things are just coincidence."

I strain my ear more to hear other things they say, but the rain just intensifies, and the pattering on the window makes it impossible to hear anything. Moments later, sleep has reclaimed me. 

Tomorrow is Belthaine! Whoot whoot! thoughts/ predictions?