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On our walk to where Mickey was directing me to, he explained to me what kind of people (or beings, I should say) that the Trooping Fairies are. "So, these 'Trooping Fairies' as you call them...you're saying I shouldn't trust them?"
"That's right." He said with a slight nod. "Not one word. Assuming yer see one yourself, of course."
"So much for faith, trust, and the whole pixie dust Peter Pan thing." I mumbled.
"Who's this Peter Pan fellow?" Mickey raised a brow in confusion.
I stifled a laugh. "He's a story book character by an author named J.M. Barrie. He wrote a story about a boy who never grew up named Peter Pan. He had adventures fighting Captain Hook with the lost boys in Neverland. Peter had a friend; a companion named Tinkerbell, who was a fairy. She gave him pixie dust in order for him to be able to fly. Surely you've heard of the story?"
Mickey shook his head. "No, can't say I have. That pixie dust thing you were talking about, I s'pose that's true, but the idea of them having faith and trust and what have yer...I'd say find me a fairy who has all three of those in that checklist, and I might believe it."
"Mornin' Mickey!"
Mickey jumped on the palm of my hand and waved at two male Leprechauns standing in the middle of the field, waiting patiently by some sheep who were minding their own business. "Top of the mornin' to yer, lads!" I placed him gently on the ground beside the two Leprechauns as soon as we reached them.
"Who's this las? A friend of yours?" The smaller of the two asked.
Mickey grinned and gestured a hand to me. "Boys, this is Amelia."
They're eyes widened in surprise for some reason. "Amelia?!" The taller one turned to Mickey. "Mickey-" Mickey whispered in his ear before patting him on the back. He nodded and greeted me with a smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Amelia. Welcome to our home, I guess? I'm Jericho, and this is Barney, me younger brother."
"Just Mia is fine." I told them.
Barney smiled and waved at me. "Hi, Mia."
I smiled nervously and gave a small wave. "H-Hello."
Why was this boy making me nervous and my heart race? He may be a handsome Leprechaun, but he's still a Leprechaun Mia, and you're human.
Mickey was walking in front with Jericho beside him, talking about how he met Jack, while Barney and I were looking around the field behind them. I felt a bit of pain at the back of my head for some reason, and my ears were a little sore, too. I decided to ignore them both. I was probably just getting a headache or something. It'll disappear soon.
"So, this Mr. Woods, he's not from around here then?" Jericho asked as he walked beside Mickey, who was leaning his arm on Jericho's shoulder.
"No." Mickey shook his head and joked with him. "From his accent, I'd say he was from Dublin."
Jericho hummed in thought. "But yer know, going by Mia's accent, I'd say she's from
here in Kerry." Mickey smacked him in the back of the head and gave him a look. Not sure what that was about.
"Have you been here long then, Mia?" Barney asked.
I shook my head. "No, we arrived just yesterday, actually."
Barney looked a little confused. "'We'? Was it not just you and this Mr. Woods, then?"
"She means us as well, Barney."
"It's as if the boys have forgotten about us already, Brianna."
Brianna and Kelsey appeared beside us - Brianna beside Barney, and Kelsey beside me, making him jump slightly. This time, the girls truly were looking like themselves; Leprechauns. The outfit, and of course, the ears as well.
I was in awe at their outfits. "Oh, wow! You two look so amazing!"
Kelsey did a little curtsy. "Why thank you, my good friend."
Brianna smiled and gave me a thumbs up. "Thanks, Mia."
"Wah-hey!" A voice called out from the tree beside us. A Leprechaun was falling from the leaves above. With quick thinking, I stretched my hand out and caught him so that he didn't hit the floor and hurt himself. "Whoa. Now that was a close one. Thanks, las. I'm alright now. I am in your debt. That was a nasty fall."
I carefully placed him on the ground and watched as he was catching his breath. "You're a fool, that's what you are, Sean."
Sean, the Leprechaun I just helped, smirked at Kelsey. "I haven't heard a compliment from you in a long time, Kelsey O'Neil. Good to see you and Mammy Brianna home again."
Jericho went up to Brianna and gave her a hug. "Welcome home, Mammy Brianna."
Brianna shrugged him off, but I could tell she was blushing and was trying not to smile. "Bloomin' eejit. Nothing's change, I see."
I snorted. "'Mammy Brianna'?"
"It's our nickname for her because she acts like a mother, scolding all of us boys - telling us to behave ourselves and what not." Sean explained briefly before turning to Mickey. "Quick, give us a drink, Mickey." Mickey threw a brown flask to him, and he caught it without dropping it. "The flowers make me thirsty."
Jericho shook his head. "No, you're always thirsty."
Kelsey chuckled. "When is he not?" Sean winked at her before taking a sip. She went slightly red in the face and she looked away from him to avoid eye contact with him.
What's up with Brianna and Kelsey? Am I missing something?
"Ah, sure." Sean said, looking at Jericho. "I'm always falling out of trees."
I raised a brow. "Are you joking? Or-"
"He's joking, Mia." Brianna said as we all started walking again. "Don't ever take anything he says seriously."
Sean looked from me to Mickey with a look of realisation. Mickey whispered to him, but I couldn't hear what was said. Sean then nodded before smiling and waving at me. "Well, if it isn't the Amelia I've heard so much about." Heard so much about? I only just got here yesterday. "Great to finally meet you, las."
I gave him a thumbs up. "You too, Sean."
"What were you doing up there, Sean?" Mickey laughed as he and Sean wrapped their arms around each other's shoulders.
Sean pointed at nothing in particular in front of him as he explained why he was actually in the tree in the first place. "I was looking out for Count Grogan."
"May his fairy bones rot!" Barney yelled out suddenly.
"I take you it neither one of you get on with him, then." I said.
Kelsey shook her head. "Not one bit."
"Him and the whole lot of them." Brianna agreed.
Sean started walking backwards. "I thought I could drop in on him, you know, quiet-like." He swung his weapon in the air and caught it with one hand. It was a wooden bat with a light green bow wrapped round the top of it. "For a little flattering." All the boys laughed together.
Barney walked in front of them with a face full of determination and nodded to himself. I thought was kind of cute. "I'll flatter him, quiet or not." I giggled quietly to myself. Brianna and Kelsey started at me.
I cleared my throat and pointed to a random sheep. "I wasn't laughing at what Barney said. I was laughing at...at that, um, sheep? Yeah, that." They exchanged looks with each other before shaking their head and continued walking.
Sean turned to Jericho and nodded his head to Barney before raising his fists up to Barney playfully as we stopped by a wooden fence. "Ah, your brother talks a good fight, Jericho." He placed a hand on the top of Barney's head, stopping Barney from getting near him. The two began a little play fight of their own.
"Yeah, well, if talking was all it took, he'd be heavyweight champion of all Ireland." I snorted when Jericho said this. Everyone turned to me in amusement.
I cleared my throat. "Sorry Barney, I...I don't mean to offend you, but that was actually quite funny." Barney went to go hit Sean again, but Jericho prevented him by picking him up and placing him on the small wooden bench.
"Ah, it's Dunglang!" Mickey pointed to a figure riding on a horse at a distance away from us. "The Dullahan!" But it wasn't just any figure, he was 'The Headless Horseman'.
From what I know of his story, Dunglang the Dullahan, also known as The Headless Horseman from Irish folklore, is a hobgoblin who rides on a black horse and carries his own head under his arm or hand. The Dullahan would take the souls of those who are ready to die. He's described as having a dark aura about him. Then again, there have been a lot of things that people have said about Leprechauns, but a lot of it is untrue.
I looked around at Mickey and everyone else in confusion. "If he's making his way over here, then doesn't that mean-"
"Let's not finish that sentence." Brianna spoke with a grimace. "If his story is anything to go by, then this would mean that something is going to happen that will affect all of us. He wouldn't come over here for just a little chit-chat."
"Not all the time." Kelsey added.
The skies darkened, and the sun was now blocked by dark clouds. Everyone was silent until the Dullahan arrived and stopped in front of us, carrying his own head in his right hand just as the folklore said. I took a step back when the horse was breathing fire...literally. Mickey was the one who spoke up first. "How are things in Munster, Dunglang?"
"Too peaceful." Dunglang answered casually.
"Stay around here, now." Sean suggested. "We'll stir things up for you."
"By 'we', he means just the lads." Brianna said, pointing to Sean, Mickey, Jericho, and Barney. "'Cause anything they get up to always ends up in someone getting into trouble, and Kelsey and I are always the ones cleaning up after them."
I shrugged my shoulders. "I wouldn't mind taking part in whatever mischief they plan on getting themselves into as long as no one gets hurt, or worse."
"Good thinkin', Mia." Mickey grinned at me. "I knew I can count on you."
Kelsey wrapped an arm around Brianna's shoulder. "A bit of fun won't hurt anyone, now, Brianna."
Sean winked at Kelsey. "Right as always, Kelsey, las." He turned back to Dunglang again, not noticing the look on Kelsey's now red face. "Take our word for it Dunglang. You know us. We'll do some mischief, even if it's just a wee bit."
"I would Sean, but the Grand Banshee herself has forbidden us from fighting." Dunglang told us. Who said anything about fighting?
Sean shrugged it off and patted Mickey on the back while laughing. "Ah, we take no notice of that."
Barney shook his head. "None at all."
Brianna rolled her eyes. "No, don't be silly. The four of you follow the rules all the time like the well-behaved Leprechauns that you are." Kelsey and I stifled a laugh.
"And today's the anniversary of meself meeting the executioner's ax, and I'll brighten up the Sligo to celebrate." Dunglang went on to explain.
"I...I have no words but to say happy anniversary?" I have absolutely no idea how to react to that. Was he happy about it? I mean, he kind of seemed like it...
"Well, you're looking fine. Honest, Dunglang." Mickey complimented him somewhat.
"Thanks Mick. You as well, Amelia." Dunglang threw his own head up in the sky, his red eyes seeing whatever it was in the distance that neither one of us could see. "I can see that there's a few other Dullahans already arrived."
His head fell back down and he managed to catch it again with one hand. "I'd best be off. Goodbye, lads and lasses. And whatever it is, stay out of mischief." Dunglang gave us all a warning look before turning the horse around and riding away.
"Take care, now!" Sean yelled out to him just before he disappeared from our sight. Sean was the first to climb over the fence with the others following. "Dunglang's a doomy sort. He doesn't enjoy life."
I turned around and leaned my back against the fence. "In his defence, he probably did enjoy life before he went through that ordeal. I wouldn't be happy if that happened to me and I couldn't really use my head anymore."
"Ah, to be sure." Mickey agreed. "It's not easy with no head."
Jericho nodded. "That's a fair point. I never thought of that."
Brianna sighed and shook her head. "Only you Jericho, only you." Everyone laughed.
We were all enjoying the moment, hoping that this wonderful moment will last, and I especially can't believe that I've made a lot of friends, even if they are magical beings.
Unfortunately, however, not everyone gets what they want or hope for.
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**End Of Chapter 05**