Mazey smiled, knowing she was the same way when she was younger. “All right, if ah tell ye a story, will ye go to sleep?” Siusan nodded sleepily. Her eyes already halfway closed. She crawled over to the bed and climbed under a blanket. Mazey sat next to her and stroked her hair while she spoke. “When ah was a young lass, my maither would tell me stories before ah fell asleep. Her voice was sweet and melodic. Ah’ll tell ye one of my favorite stories she told me a few times when ah was small.”
The story transported Mazey back in time to when her mother sat on the corner of her bed and stroked her hair.
“Maither, tell me the story about the magic horse again.”
Her mother’s laugh was a thousand tinkling bells. “Aye, ah’ll tell ye again.”
Young Mazey closed her eyes and focused on her mother’s fingers running through her hair over and over. It soothed her and quieted the thoughts spinning around in her head.
“Ye always ask for that one, but ah’ll tell ye again.” She paused for so long Mazey opened one eye, halfway, to peak out at her. She was smiling at her daughter with a sweet look on her face that instantly warmed Mazey. She closed her eyes again.
“Ah dunno what happened to Fria, but something made her run away from home one day. In the darkest night of the summer she made her way out of the keep, hoping to sneak past the guards and disappear into the night. Her heart beat out a wild rhythm as she ran through the gate and out into the open field just beyond the village. It wasn’t cold, but she hadn’t thought far enough ahead to figure out where she would go. She knew she couldn’t return and, being the chief’s daughter, they would look for her soon. She ran through the night and into the morning until exhaustion overtook her.” Her mother’s voice got quiet and took on a mysterious tone. “Spent and exhausted she collapsed in a cave just outside a small forest. She curled up on the ground. Fear clouded her thoughts as she realized she had no food or water. She hadn’t even thought to find a stream. On the brink of sleep, she thought perhaps she would sing out the song her maither taught her as a bairn.” This was Mazey’s favorite part. Her mother sang the song of the magic horse.
Upon the darkest night of summer,
Ah am sleeping under a starless night.
Wild one called up of cloudless thunder,
Ferry me safely to the joy of the light.
“Just then a horse, beautiful as the darkest night, appeared outside the mouth of the cave. He knelt down on the ground and waited. Hesitantly, Fria threw herself over the back of the horse and he took off into the night, running on and on without tire. He alone knew the way to the faerie city of Lyr Fae’noch. He took the sweet maiden there, and she lived with the Faerie folk for the rest of her days.”
Mazey snuggled deeper into the covers while her mother kissed her goodnight. She was happy.
Looking back now, Mazey knew that moment was the happiest she would ever be. She hoped to give her own child precious memories like the ones her mother left her. Mazey wasn’t talented at music, but she could carry a tune. She sang quietly to the now sleepy girl. Siusan’s eyes half closed and pursed her lips into a pout.
“Upon the darkest night of summer,
Ah am sleeping under a starless night.
Wild one called up of cloudless thunder,
Ferry me safely to the joy of the light.”
She sang the verse a few more times while Siusan’s head drooped and her mouth fell open. Then finished the story quietly as she snored.
A small rustle behind her almost made Mazey jump. She turned around slowly, hoping not to wake the now sleeping bairn. Baile stood behind her. His eyes were misty and his expression was difficult to read.
“Sorry, ah didn’t know ye were here,” Mazey whispered. She stood to go, but Baile put his hand out to stop her.
“Ah’ve seen no one besides Malmuira and ah care for Siusan the way ye have today. Ah’m grateful.”
His eyes drew her in. They were a beautiful blue that seemed to see into her heart. He put his hand on her arm in a gesture of thanks and Mazey felt a tingling sensation pass from his hand through her arm, like lightning. She drew in a quick breath and noticed he too had drawn in a breath. He dropped his hand off her shoulder and stepped back from her.
“She’s a sweet girl,” Mazey whispered. “She has a good heart.”
Baile moved one step closer to Mazey, and she was keenly aware how large he was. He towered a head taller than her and his broad shoulders were strong and muscled. “Ye have a good heart, lass. Ah can see that in ye.”
Mazey felt the need to put distance between the two of them and walked towards the door. “Ah’m grateful for yer kindness.” She ducked out the door before he had time to reply.
Chapter 3
“Siusan, ye can’t just go around the edge, ye have to put the needle back through to the front. Then back again.” Mazey tried to untangle the mess of thread Siusan created.
They sat together outside, under a large tree. They had visited this tree each day for the past few weeks and sewed together. The sun shone down all around them, but a gentle breeze kept them cool. Siusan learned quickly and in her haste to finish a scrap of cloth for her father, sometimes forgot what she learned.
“Ah forgot.” She twirled a small flower between her fingers and stuck her nose into the sweet petals and inhaled the scent.
