SciFi and Fantasy Stories: Róisín Part I

Roisin raced amongst the sparse undergrowth, dodging trees as Aodhan nipped playfully at her heels. Laughing, she reveled in the way her red hair whipped behind in the wind and her feet pounded the earth. It was freedom and she got it so rarely nowadays that every moment was a treasure.

Birds trilled from their hideaways, making Roisin smile as she took great gulping breaths that stung her lungs with razor sharp pinpricks. The earth smelled of green and growing things, it was a good day for exploring.

As she began to contemplate stopping and giving her somewhat exhausted limbs time to recover, the trees thinned to afford her a view of a pleasant looking glade. Slowing to a walk, she released the fabric in her hand, allowing her skirts to settle about her legs with a swish as she looked around.

Stepping around a rather gnarled oak, she gazed about the clearing with curiosity, wondering what caused the tees to withdraw from this spot. Sensing no danger, she walked to the center and spun about, arms outstretched as she watched the trees whirl in a leafy dance about her. She felt like something amazing would happen today.

Still on an energetic overdose from the run, Aodhan raced over from where he had been inspecting a waving fern frond and leapt about her, barking joyously, his tongue lolling. Roisin collapsed to the ground in a dizzy heap, laughing as she disappeared underneath Aodhan's affectionate ministrations.

"Stop you cursed beast, stop." She playfully shoved his wiry head away from her face so she could breathe. "Ugh, your breath smells like stinky old fish."

She gave him a sidelong glance before giving a growl and tackling him to the moss-pocked grass. They wrestled until Roisin gathered an assortment of bite and scratch marks on her hands and arms and Aodhan earned a loose tooth. Both utterly exhausted, they collapsed, panting, the damp soaking through their protective coats to settle soothingly against their fevered skin.

"Why couldn't life always be this peaceful Aodhan?" Roisin glanced at him and he gave a canine grin, the sides of his mouth puckering. Sighing, she lay back and pillowed her head on her hands, staring up into the dreamy blue depths of the sky as she wished she could turn into a bird and fly her way to freedom.

"Why is it that I must become the Heir Apparent to my father? Rulership shouldn't have to pass down through families. What if a Queen gave birth to an idiot, would the people still let him rule? I wouldn't if I were them."

Roisin fell silent as she watched two pint sized dragons chasing each other about in the air, twittering madly until one came to rest on a branch in her periphery. Once stationary, the smaller, more colorful male began attentively cleaning the female's scales, causing Roisin to smile wistfully.

Pointing, she directed Aodhan's gaze as she educated. "That's what love should be like. None of those arranged marriages. I wish more human mates were that committed. The only example I have seen is my parents and they hardly count."

Aodhan sneezed.

"A fine conversationalist you are," Roisin teased, rolling to her stomach before clambering to her feet. Aodhan was instantly on his own, bounding about her like the one-year-old puppy he wasn't. But she didn't mind his playfulness; more often than not it provided hilarious results that amused her to no end.

A sudden urge to dance about had Roisin humming her favorite waltzing tune as she bowed to Aodhan. His head tilted to the side, tongue caught between his teeth as he stared at her antics in puzzlement. When she straightened and patted her shoulders a devilish gleam lit his eyes and he bounced over, nearly bowling her off her feet in his exuberance. Placing his front paws on her shoulders, he took the opportunity to slobber a kiss across her cheek.

"Desist you scurvy knave," Roisin proclaimed loudly, startling a few birds and the dainty dragons from their roosts. "The kissing comes after the dance." Securing his paws, she proceeded to waltz him about the clearing, humming loudly and off-key.

Closing her eyes, she imagined herself dancing with a handsome prince who had swept her off her feet with his beguiling charm and romantic witticisms. Unfortunately, no matter how much she tried she couldn't banish the knowledge that tomorrow would be her twentieth birthday and with it, her coming of age. Tonight would be the last night the forest enshrouded her in its solitude, protecting her from the curse of R¡ona the Evil Fairy.

Along with the breaking of the curse and her appointment of Heir Apparent, her birthday would also bring about her wedding to a complete stranger. Cursing the swift passage of time, Roisin's mood plummeted and she stopped spinning as she opened her eyes.

Aodhan dropped to all fours and gave her hand a comforting lick before something behind her caught his attention and he charged past, a growl rumbling its way through his chest. Roisin whirled, her mind conjuring frightening images of malevolent sidhe come to do her harm in the moments it took her eyes to lock on the shadowy figure standing beneath the canopy of trees that Aodhan raced toward.

"Aodhan stop!"

If it was a sidhe, she didn't want him aggravating it if there was a chance they might escape. And if it wasn't a sidhe it could still do both of them harm. Running to rescue her dog without a thought to the rashness of her actions, Roisin berated forgetfulness; why hadn't she brought an offering? Her conscience conveniently reminded her of her preoccupied race for freedom.

Panting as she caught up to Aodhan, she hastily began to apologize before a captivating pair of blue eyes pierced through her and she fell silent. It wasn't a sidhe staring at her but a man, a very handsome man with twinkling eyes and a friendly smile. Roisin froze, caught in the hypnotic gaze as her mind ground to a pathetic halt.

She probably looked like an absolute mess with her hair a tangled mass of broken twigs and her dress covered in grass stains. Mortified, made a conscious effort not to straighten her clothes and hair. It didn't matter that his clothes were spattered with mud and his hair was mussed.

"I heard someone singing," he said in a low baritone voice.

Roisin watched as he walked out of the shade. Sunlight danced upon his midnight hair as the slight breeze from his movements caused it to flutter. Stopping in front of her, he extended his hand and gave her own a kiss as he bowed over it. The tangy scent of sweat, sandalwood, and a smell all his own wafted toward Roisin.

"When I set out on my hunt this morning, I never imagined I would come across something as unexpected as you. Do you often travel these woods?"

Blushing, Roisin removed her hand from his grasp, the contact causing her heart to flutter oddly in her chest. Taking a step back, she cast about for something a little less distracting to stare at and settled on Aodhan. Having gathered that his mistress didn't appear to be in any danger, he had sprawled comfortably in the grass, attacking the blades that tickled his whiskers.

"I am visiting my aunts," the rehearsed lie tasted stale on her tongue, "and return home tomorrow."

"Tomorrow."

Roisin thought she detected a hint of regret in his voice and, startled, glanced into his eyes. She thought she saw genuine disappointment there but with the angle of the sun she couldn't be sure it wasn't her imagination.

Seemingly distracted, the man knelt cautiously in front of Aodhan, extending his hand for inspection before proceeding to scratch his ruff until his back leg stopped twitching.

"Wherever did you get this delightful big fellow? He is beautiful."

Aodhan's tail thumped gleefully at the praise as his tongue flopped out of the side of his mouth and onto the grass.

"A friend of mine is a breeder of Deerhounds and when he saw how much I loved this one he gave him to me."

Lifting one of his front paws, Aodhan wriggled onto his back as best he could, presenting his tummy for more scratching. The man laughed, a smile transforming his features as he glanced up at her. "Demanding fellow."

Roisin found an answering smile curving her lips as she stared at him. "You don't know the half of it. He is a horrible bedfellow, hogging all of the covers. And he is dangerous around any set of stairs."

The man let out a bark of laughter and it was a moment before Roisin realized exactly what she said. Her mother was forever warning her that a quick tongue without the aid of an able brain would lead her into many embarrassing situations and she had been right more than once over.

Still chuckling, he straightened up and gave her an assessing gaze she couldn't interpret. He seemed to be wrestling with some decision before his face cleared and the corner of his mouth turned up.

"I saw something rather unique a ways back and I wondered if you might like to see it? Perhaps you could tell me what it means since you live hereabouts?"

Roisin ignored the veiled inquiry about her permanent residence and nodded her head, falling into step with him as he turned away from the clearing. Aodhan happily scampered about, chasing bugs in the scrub until his tongue dripped saliva and his flanks heaved.

"Out of curiosity, where is this unique thing we are going to look at?"

"It's some type of plant, I believe, though I have never seen its like. It's in a small glade much like the one we were in but it has an odd patch of mushrooms in it. It was the mushrooms that originally drew me there."

At the mention of mushrooms Roisin froze and he continued on a few steps before realizing she had stopped.

"What is wrong?" he asked, turning to face her with concern written on his face.

She was almost too afraid to ask. "The mushrooms-they weren't irregular orange capped ones were they?"

"How did you guess?" he asked, surprised.

Panic bloomed in Roisin's chest, leaving a bitter aftertaste on her tongue she was unable to get rid of. Even worse than the fact that the mushrooms he found were that shade was the fact that he didn't seem to share her panic. He just stood there looking puzzled. Had he no idea what he'd seen?

"You didn't go near them, right? You said you noticed a second odd plant?" She grew more alarmed as a slightly chagrinned look settled over his face. "You went near them?"

"Are they poisonous or something?" He ran his fingers nervously through his hair, standing the rumpled blond strands on end.

"You have no idea what they are?"

"Should I?"

Roisin noted the angle of the sun before she continued. They only had a few hours before dusk and the three fairies playing the role of her aunts would be expecting her home soon.

"You've heard of the sidhe?"

He nodded and she felt slightly relieved. At least he wouldn't be completely ignorant of what she warned him about.

"Those mushroom rings are their portals into this forest from their kingdom. You go near them or touch them and you call the wrath of the sidhe down on you."

"I thought the sidhe were fairies. How harmful can they be?"

Roisin had to resist the urge to tell him exactly how evil and conniving they really were as she briefly explained the many forms of sidhe. "You should not be out here after dusk. No one should be but particularly you after you went near that mushroom ring. Most sidhe are benign but those that aren't will follow the trail you left and try to kill you. Once dusk sets in nothing in this forest is as it seems."

"How do you know so much about them?"

Unprepared for the question, Roisin floundered a bit as she tried to think up a plausible excuse. Finding none, she went with the only thing she could come up with. "My parents have an exorbitant amount of books on the subject."

"Ah." He smiled.

"Um, I can take you as far as the path, it'll take you out of the woods well before dark so long as you stay on its path."

At his nod, she hurried in that direction, the man close on her heels. "If for some reason you don't make it out of the forest by dusk, don't stray from the path no matter what or who beckons. And never tell anything in here your name or you will give it more power over you than it already has. Oh, and don't look anything in the eyes, that's how they trap their prey."

"You said your Aunts live here. How is it that you are all protected, won't the sidhe come after you?"

"Our home is protected."

She pushed a branch out of the way and waited for him to step around her before letting go. He didn't need to know that her Aunts were really fairies and that nothing protected their house except that small fact. Besides, as much as she might want to, she would probably never see him again. It was amazing how much that thought unsettled her. She didn't even know this man's name, didn't want to know, and already she was worried about how much she would miss him when she was gone.

Roisin was beginning to worry that she had gotten them completely lost when the road came into sight. She halted, reluctant for their time together to come to an end. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before and she knew this magical day would remain in her memory long into old age.

When she finally worked up the courage to glance at him, he was staring toward the road, an emotion she couldn't pinpoint shadowing his features. He looked upset.

"I probably shouldn't be asking this but I'm leaving tomorrow and I won't be coming back."

He turned to face her, staring into her eyes until she looked away, embarrassed.

"I was wondering if you would be able to meet me in that clearing one last time before I must go." Roisin didn't bother posing it as a question as she avoided his gaze, fiddling with the folds of her skirt.

There were a few seconds of silence before his hand came into her line of vision; grasping her chin he lifted it until she looked him square in his blue eyes.

"I also will not be able to return after tomorrow but I will try and meet you at the clearing before you leave."

With a quick kiss on her cheek, he made his way down to the road. Roisin watched him with a hand over her cheek until he disappeared around a bend before dejectedly turning for home. Aodhan seemed to pick up on her somber mood, his gait slower as he picked his way among the trees, stopping every now and again to wait for her with tail wagging. It wasn't until he barked impatiently that she became aware of the lengthening shadows.

Telltale signs: whispers and odd sensations of being watched announced the coming arrival of the sidhe and apprehension set her running. What she told the man had been true, her Aunts' cottage was protected but it did no good unless she was within its protective walls.

Panting heavily, she lengthened her stride, stretching her cold muscles to their limit. Tree branches whipped across her face, raising welts that stung. Aodhan easily kept pace beside her.

Judging by the stars winking to life in the darkening veil above her, she had, at most, three minutes before something would come looking for her and it was at least eight before she would reach the safety of the cottage.

Skirting around a particularly overgrown hawthorn bush her knees locked as a heavy weight began to squeeze her chest. They were here and she had no idea where.

Scanning the surrounding foliage for any unwanted creatures, she was alarmed to see a pair of yellow eyes gleaming from the shadow of a spruce tree. Too late, she realized her mistake and became trapped in their gaze. The pressure on her chest increased as her mind fought to make room for rational thought, squeezing her heart up into the back of her throat where it pounded painfully.

The eyes moved closer to the muffled clopping of hooves on packed earth and she watched as an aughisky stepped into the waning light. At the sight of him, Aodhan stopped in front of her, gave a frightened whine, and backed into her legs with his tail tucked up.

The black stallion exuded beauty and grace with its long silky mane and arrogantly arched neck and Roisin felt a strong urge to go and ride the beast. Unconsciously her feet moved and the next thing she knew she was beside the aughisky with her hands upon its back as it craned its neck to watch her. If Aodhan hadn't barked at that moment, asking her to come back and reassure him, she probably would have climbed onto its back and ridden unaware to her death. But in the split second her eyes were shielded by their lids her brain registered the danger and she stumbled back toward Aodhan, keeping them squeezed shut. She could hear the aughisky following after her, snorting angrily but she refused to stop until she felt Aodhan's cold nose nudge her hand.

Heart slamming against her larynx, her brain whirled as she frantically tried to come up with an escape. There was only one possible thing she could do that might offer her a chance of safety for whether she tried to flee or remained motionless with her eyes closed, the aughisky would attack her if she didn't do something. But if she rode the sidhe like it wanted it would most likely take her to a stream and tear her to pieces or plunge in and try to drown her.

Praying it would be one of those rare times when the gifts she had been blessed with worked, she opened her eyes and defiantly met the aughisky's yellow gaze as she tried to force steel into her voice. "Let me pass."

The sidhe just tossed its head in laughter and challenged her by taking moving closer. Sweat broke out in tiny beads across Roisin's forehead and her legs quaked with a combination of her own trepidation and Aodhan's trembling. She hadn't tried hard enough. Swallowing convulsively, she made a challenge of her own and stepped around Aodhan. "You will let me pass," her teeth ground together as the words forced their way through wooden lips and she made herself believe them.

Throwing his head up, the aughisky pranced forward, the whites of his eyes showing as his nostrils flared angrily. His front hooves came dangerously close to Roisin's feet but she stood her ground until he came to a stop in front of her and butted her in the head. She winced at the crack of pain but refused to drop his gaze as he lowered his head until she could see her white face reflected in his pupil. For an agonizing moment, she thought he might rear up and strike her but he blinked, dropping his eyes to the forest floor. Ears lying flat along his skull, he presented her with his flank and impatiently waited for her to mount.

Staring at his withers Roisin balked; they were taller than her shoulders. Looking about for something she might use to mount, she spotted a suitable rock. Walking over, Roisin waited for the aughisky to come over. He skidded to a stop inches in front of her, snaking his head out to bite the air near her face. Undaunted, she clambered atop his back, arranging her skirts to protect her bare legs from stinging branches. She barely managed to grab a handful of his mane before he shot off like an arrow through the trees.

She hoped Aodhan would have the good sense to follow but she dared not look behind her to check lest she lose her balance and fall off. The poor soul might be a little worse for wear come morning but he would survive the night if he remained out, which was a lot more than could be said about her. Hunching low over the aughisky's back, Roisin buried her face in his mane and prayed that he wouldn't take any detours near a stream.

With the blanket of night firmly settled about the forest, the birds finished their last songs of the night, leaving only the occasional call from an owl and the rhythmic pounding of the aughisky's hooves to punctuate the silence. It wasn't long before he was skidding to a halt in the clearing that surrounded her home of the past week. Before Roisin even realized they had stopped, the cottage door was flung open and the fairies raced out, stopping in shock at the sight of their charge sliding off the aughisky's back. With a snort of annoyance and a flick of his tail, the creature disappeared back into the night; his hoof beats fading into silence.

"We expected you over an hour ago," the shortest of the three, Eireen, scolded, her aristocratic features scrunched into an unattractive scowl as she grabbed Roisin's arm and propelled her into the cottage. The other two followed closely, their harrumphs and throat rumblings voicing their disapproval.

With the door firmly closed and barred, Alastriona, the tallest of the three, rounded on her, fury kindling in her eyes. "What in all that is beneath the stars possessed you to stay out this late? Have you any idea what your parents would do to us if something happened to you?"

"I'm sorry. I was helping someone find their way out of the forest."

The three fairies glanced at each other, identical expressions of alarm upon their faces.

"What did we tell you about talking with strangers?" Bridin's gruff voice bit out.

"He didn't seem like a stranger." Roisin smiled as she thought back upon their meeting.

"He, Roisin? Did it never occur to you that he might have been there to lure you into the depths of the forest?"

Practicality trod its soggy feet over her joy, dampening it as the image of an orange mushroom ring flooded her mind.