Chapter 46: 45. Confronted

As the sun settled on the horizon, we made our final preparations. Three soldiers would stay here to guard the camp and keep an eye on Liam, but the other five would be with us. Maeve, Siobhan, Kelly, and the soldiers all had their bows, but for now they were kept over their shoulders. Two of our soldiers carried torches, since it would soon be dark.

The nine of us ascended the hill together in silence as the light was fading from the sky. Fortunately the slope wasn't all that steep so my leg didn't slow me down too much. And Kelly administered my latest treatment this morning, which helped. It wasn't any worse than a couple flights of stairs, so the ascent was tiring but not painful.

When we reached the top we saw Eileen and her soldiers were already there. As before she stood in the middle, with three men to either side of her. Her men still wore their metal armour and had their crossbows ready in hand as they watched us take our place across from them. They had torches with them too but rather than holding them, they'd set them in the ground to either side.

I didn't see any of the pixies about now, it seemed they were all hiding. It reminded me of western movies, where the townsfolk all disappeared before the big shootout.

We stopped with about ten meters separating the two groups. I was nervous as heck, my heart pounding. I used my magical sense like Maeve asked, and carefully looked over the hilltop and the other fae standing across from us. I couldn't see anything amiss, there were no magical traps, no glamours or other magical disguises or masks.

Still, I couldn't help feeling like we were at a disadvantage. Even though we outnumbered them, Eileen's troops were all in armour and all held their weapons ready. Like Siobhan said earlier, they'd all get the first shot before our side even had their bows off their shoulders.

It was hard to keep my hands from shaking, and I didn't want Eileen and her people to see how anxious I was. To distract myself, I started running through the various spells I'd learned. I decided to focus on defence, and busied myself by focusing on two spells in particular. One that should protect our group from Eileen's crossbows, and another that I hoped would block any magic our opponents threw our way.

The blonde fae spoke first, her voice loud and clear, with a hard edge in her tone. "Your letter spoke of a truce Maeve Brádaigh, of peace between us. And you wrote that you would release Liam ó Catháin to me?"

My fae-mom nodded, "That is so. He waits in my camp."

"What do you ask in return?" Eileen asked, though it almost sounded like a demand.

Maeve replied calmly, "I ask that you call off any hostilities, that you cease any ongoing machinations, and end your quarrel with me and my family. I'm not asking for your surrender, or your friendship. I ask only that we leave each other, and each other's families, in peace."

Eileen seemed to consider this for a few moments. Then she asked, "Why? Why seek peace now, after all I've done to your husband and child?"

Maeve glanced at me then answered "It was Tegan who suggested we seek a peaceful end to our dispute. She's been returned to me, that is enough."

That seemed to amuse our adversary. She smiled, or maybe it was a sneer. "So the whelp hasn't the stomach for war, and you're giddy enough she's back that you're willing to listen to her?"

Eileen's voice became harsher now, "You really are an embarrassment to the Brádaigh name, Maeve. You're a shadow of the woman your mother was, and you're not fit to call yourself grandchild of Taralynn."

I glanced nervously at my fae-mom, but she didn't seem to be too offended.

"Are you here to talk peace Eileen? Or did you make this trip just to insult me?"

"Neither," the woman replied with a cold smile. "I came here to end you."

She gestured, and all six of her men at once raised their crossbows and fired.

As Eileen's men raised their weapons, everyone on our side reacted. Maeve, Siobhan, the five men all pulled back into a defensive posture, swung their bows off their shoulders and set arrows on the strings and loosed their volley of arrows back at the enemy. Kelly fell back with the others but didn't grab her bow, and I didn't move at all.

I'm not even sure now how it happened. I guess I was on edge and I was already thinking about defensive magic. Somehow the words leapt from my tongue as I brought my right hand up the moment Eileen's men were raising their crossbows. The magic surged through me and all six bolts shattered in mid-air, as if they'd struck a solid wall standing between our two groups.

A moment later seven arrows shattered when they reached that same point, joining the splintered bolts littering the hilltop. I still had my right arm raised, I'd kept my barrier in place.

Eileen's men were now scrambling to reload their crossbows as our side swiftly set fresh arrows on their strings.

Maeve and Siobhan both glanced at me, perhaps expecting me to drop the shield so they could strike this time.

Eileen turned her attention to me as well, as she raised both hands as her eyes flared with light. I saw the dark ripples surge through the air towards me, her magic passed through my barrier without hindrance.

My left hand was already coming up and I met her magic with another defensive spell. Eileen's attack was reflected, the darkness leapt back across our two lines and struck a man to her left. The noise reminded me of a car crash, except without the sound of breaking glass. The man was simply gone, replaced by a spray of blood, bone, and twisted armour. His two fellows nearest both stumbled back a few paces in shock.

I tried not to let my expression reveal my horror. I meant to deflect that spell harmlessly upwards into the sky, yet somehow it had found a target and destroyed him.

Eileen didn't hesitate, she flung a second spell at me, as her remaining men loosed another volley with their crossbows. Our side shot back, and bolts and arrows alike shattered at the same point midway between our two groups.

As with her first spell, I deflected Eileen's magic. And once again despite my attempt to direct her curse safely away, it sought out and struck a person. Her magic hit the man to Eileen's right, and he was roasted alive inside his armour. Mercifully it was over in a second, his body lay smoking by her feet. I could taste bile now but I fought to keep myself calm.

Her remaining men were scrambling again with their crossbows, and our side were preparing another volley of arrows, but I knew I had to put a stop to this before anyone else got hurt.

I yelled out "ENOUGH!" and everyone atop the Duma froze.

Soldiers and leaders on both sides stared at me as I shouted again, "Everybody stop!"

I looked back and forth at them all. "We came here to make peace, what the heck is wrong with you people?!"

My right hand was still raised, I was still holding that barrier up incase anyone got the idea to try something while I was talking. But right now I had all eyes and ears on me.

I looked around at them. Eileen's men had fear in their eyes. Not surprising, two of them had just died horribly, while our side was untouched. I couldn't decipher Eileen's expression. It looked like a mix of anger, frustration, and perhaps confusion.

Maeve and Siobhan were watching me warily, while Kelly looked somewhere between anxious and shocked. Our soldiers stood uneasily, fresh arrows on their strings, but bows lowered. I turned my attention back to Eileen again.

I took a deep breath then stated, "Eileen Ceallaigh, I'm sorry Connor broke his family's word. I'm sorry you were betrayed, and I'm sorry Liam and you were kept apart. I'm sorry for all the ways Connor hurt you. On behalf of my father, I apologize."

I took a breath then added in a softer tone, "Please don't make us kill you. There's already been enough death here, and enough suffering over the past hundred years. I just want all this to be over."

Eileen continued staring at me, her expression had lost some of its anger and frustration. She looked confused more than anything else now.

She demanded, "Who are you?! Tell me the truth, girl. You can't be Maeve's child. No fae so young could block my magic, or hold that shield so long! Let alone do both at once!"

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I glanced at Kelly. She was still watching me but instead of looking worried or uneasy, now I saw pride in her eyes.

My gaze returned to Eileen. In as confident a voice as I could muster I stated, "I am Tegan Vale of Clann Brádaigh, great-granddaughter of Taralynn. And I'm asking you Eileen Ceallaigh, please stand down."

She stared back at me for a few long tense seconds. Then I heard her speak softly to her remaining men, "Lay down arms. We surrender."

Her men bent over and set their crossbows on the ground, then drew their swords and lay them down as well, before they straightened back up.

Eileen raised her voice slightly as she addressed me again, "Tegan Vale of Clann Brádaigh, great-granddaughter of Taralynn, I submit myself to your mercy."

I looked to Siobhan and stated, "Do what you need to do captain, but don't harm them."

"Yes m'lady," the captain replied, with a slight bow.

Finally I brought my right hand down, and my magical barrier was gone. Our soldiers moved forward to take Eileen and her men into custody.

Maeve had been silent through all of this, but now she stepped closer and whispered "I'm proud of you Tegan."

I nodded quietly, but I kept my mouth closed now. I watched quietly as the others moved about then cleared the hilltop.

Siobhan and the soldiers led their five captives down the hill towards our camp, then Maeve followed. Kelly moved to my side, and we were alone together ontop of Duma Dé. The sky was black now, the only light came from the four torches that had been left up here.

"Are you ok?" Kelly whispered.

I shook my head and whispered back, "No."

With that, I stumbled off to the side of the hilltop, away from both camps. I fell to my knees and doubled over as I was sick. Most of my supper wound up on the ground before me, while Kelly moved to comfort me. After a few minutes I finally sat up and wiped my mouth clean.

"Two more people just died because of me," I whispered to Kelly.

She shook her head, "That's not true. It was Eileen's magic that killed them, and if not them it would have been you and Maeve."

I sighed, "I brought us all here for this meeting. It's my fault."

"Stop blaming yourself, Tegan." Kelly scolded me softly. "You wanted peace, Eileen wanted to fight. You could have let Maeve's soldiers cut them all down but you didn't. You stopped the fighting, you saved lives on both sides."

After a few moments of silence she asked, "Are you ok to go join the others now?"

I sighed, "I guess."

We made our way back down the hill to our camp. Nobody said anything, but a few of the soldiers looked at me with respect, and some with awe or fear.

I didn't feel like talking to anyone, and just found myself something to drink before I went into our tent and got ready for bed.

I woke at sunrise with Kelly cuddled up against me in our tent. I hadn't slept well, it felt like I'd had bad dreams. Mercifully I couldn't remember any of them. I heard voices and movement in the camp, it sounded like everyone else was up and things were getting underway.

Kelly and I pulled on our clothes then emerged from our tent, and found breakfast waiting for us both. Maeve and Eileen were seated across from each other a little distance away, with some sheets of parchment between them. I could see pens and an ink-jar too, so I figured they were writing up some sort of treaty.

My girlfriend and I ate quietly, but as we were finishing up Maeve gestured us to come join herself and Eileen.

I felt anxious again as I approached, but Kelly had an arm around my waist and gave me a reassuring squeeze.

"I surrendered to Lady Tegan," Eileen stated. Her voice was quiet and calm, there was no ire in it now. "Her name should be on this document."

Maeve nodded and said to me, "Tegan please sign your name at the bottom, alongside mine and Eileen's."

There were two copies, and I quickly read through them. The treaty was straightforward, it basically stated that both parties agreed to cease hostilities in every way. I took the pen and signed both sheets at the bottom.

Eileen and her men were released, and Liam was brought forward. His shackles were removed, and the iron ring was taken from his neck.

Before he joined Eileen he paused in front of Kelly and me.

He bowed, "Lady Tegan, I wish you a long and happy life. You do Taralynn proud." He looked at Kelly and added, "And miss Kelly, please give my regards to Keenan ó Conghaile when next you meet."

With that, he joined Eileen, and their group left to walk around the base of Duma Dé to rejoin their own camp.

Behind us, Maeve's people were already breaking up our camp and getting ready to begin the journey home.

I looked at Kelly and asked, "Keenan who?"

Kelly appeared uneasy as she replied softly "That's my grandfather. I wonder how Liam knows him?"

"Maybe they met while Liam was stuck on Earth?" I suggested.

"Yeah," she nodded slowly, "Maybe."

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