Chapter 3 #2
"Ye'll have plenty of time tae practice," Maeve assured her.
"After all, it sounds like ye have a long way tae go.
Ye always were good at protectin' yerself, even if not in the most conventional ways.
Maybe this way, ye can look after yerself from a distance and take the shots when ye really need tae. "
Breana sat down next to her sister, laying her head on her shoulder. "It means so much that I'm here with ye," she said. "I promise I'll be careful, but I'm glad ye trust me with this." She sighed and looked in the direction of the closed door. "I'm beginnin' tae think ye might be the only one."
"Ye ken that isnae true," Maeve told her.
"He just wants tae protect ye. Men have a habit of doin' that, I'm sure ye've noticed.
Especially when they… well, when they care about a person.
And Eoin's fears arenae entirely unfounded.
He's right tae be worried about ye protectin' yerself, even when he kens that ye're strong.
Cailean would do the same with me, and that's when he kens that I can take care of meself.
And it isnae just then. I trust ye, and I ken why ye need tae do this, but I'm worried about ye as well, Bre. "
"I ken," Breana told her. She straightened up and turned to look Maeve fully in the eyes. "But I ken if I hadnae volunteered—nae, forced me way in—Eoin would have gone alone. I couldnae bear the thought of that."
She half expected Maeve to argue with her, or at least tell her to be reasonable, but instead her sister gave her a smile that was a little too knowing.
"I understand. Ye ken I do," Maeve told her.
"I would never tell ye nae to go with him.
He needs ye there, just as much as ye need tae go, I think.
But our people need and trust ye, Breana, so it's important that ye look after yerself while ye're out there.
Just promise me that ye'll be careful. Look after yerself and Eoin both, and make sure ye come home tae me. "
Breana nodded, touching the bow she'd been gifted again with that same reverence. "I'll do me best," she promised. "I just hope I can learn quickly enough with this thing tae make it worth it."
Maeve touched her arm. "Ye cannae think like that. We've nae time for 'I just hope' or 'what if'. The fact is, we're in the midst of it, and we must simply do these things and succeed. Ye must trust in yerself, and in the growin' abilities I've seen in ye. Trust in that remarkable spirit of yers."
Though she smiled again, Breana felt an uncomfortable twist in her stomach. "Ye're the remarkable one, Maeve. Look at everythin' ye've done."
"And look at everythin' ye've done. Ye survived Kyle Darach. Ye're probably the only one among us who can interpret what Ferda knows in order tae be able tae find Neala." Maeve grinned. "We're a powerful pair. Never forget it."
They went together to meet with Ferda after that, and Breana spent a few hours going over every detail that the scout could remember of Morag's words. Ferda was extremely anxious about Morag and even more so about Ann.
"They'll probably already ken that somethin's gone wrong," Ferda told them over again.
"There are a few Sparrows who already work directly around the False King, so it might be they've already heard that Morag and Ann have been taken.
Even if they dinnae, they'll be on high alert now that Morag hasnae returned.
This place isnae one of their main activity hubs, I suspect it's used for trainin' and raisin' young Sparrows, but I wouldnae be surprised if those in charge are even more suspicious of newcomers than usual. "
"We'll be careful," Breana promised her again, adding a final mark to her map. "Thank ye for the information. It might nae be enough to locate the princess on its own, but it'll be enough tae get us close."
Ferda nodded. "Be careful. The Sparrows arenae tae be trifled with. They may be spies, but that doesnae mean they cannae be deadly."
"It might be that very deadliness that has kept Neala alive all these years—if she's really there," Maeve noted.
She'd been hanging back this whole time, watching the geographical discussions without comment but with a keen eye.
Breana knew that Maeve would be absorbing as much information as she could, even if it didn't seem useful right now, knowing the smallest thing could potentially be the difference between winning the war and losing it entirely.
Ferda nodded. She looked frustrated. "I wish I could come with one of yer groups. Kennin' that Ann is trapped, and Morag as well, and just sittin' here…"
"Ye're injured," Breana reminded her, nodding to her friend's broken arm.
"And besides, we need people here who have as much information as ye do.
" She sighed. "We all have people we want tae save, and we will, by winnin' this war.
For now, it's all we can do to take the steps we can.
Stone by stone, we'll build a fortress even the False King can't overcome. "
She caught Maeve shooting her an approving look, and she blushed.
Ferda sighed but nodded. "Ye're right. So let's take that first step. It's time tae get Cailean's sister back." She paused, then reached into her pocket and drew out a tiny embroidered piece of cloth. "Here. Take this. It might help."
It was night by the time they reached the stables, where Eoin and Cailean were finishing loading the packs and preparing the horses for the journey. Both men looked up when Maeve and Breana approached, and both smiled in greeting.
"Are ye ready?" Eoin asked Breana as soon as she was close. He glanced at her back and added, "Nice bow."
"A gift," Breana explained, smiling slightly. "From me sister. Tae make sure I can protect ye."
Eoin winked. "I feel safer already."
As they made to mount the horses, Cailean put out a hand and touched Breana's arm. She turned to face him, surprised by the gesture.
"Breana, I… I want tae thank ye," he said, sounding almost uncertain in a way that was a contrast to his usual face as a wise leader and king.
"Kennin' that ye and Eoin are on this task will help me get through these next few weeks.
What ye're doin' is dangerous, but if there's a chance me sister is safe…
It's been so long, and I dinnae even ken her really, but if there's a chance I can have her back with me… "
The desperation and longing in his voice echoed in Breana's heart.
She knew what it was to long for a sister who had long been lost to you.
She'd missed Maeve desperately when Malcolm took her away, and for a few years, that ache had been endless.
But even now that she and Maeve were together again, the ache remained.
Maeve had said earlier that they were a good pair, and that was true—but there were three O'Sullivan sisters, not just two.
As the youngest and most like their mother, Nessa had always been their father's pet, always the most trained to behave precisely as James O'Sullivan had wished.
Breana, as the oldest, remembered when Nessa had been born.
She'd been a normal baby, a normal little child, following her older sisters around the place.
But their father had taken that child and molded her into the perfect heiress when it became clear there would be no male issue.
Breana had always longed to have both of her sisters together again.
She'd never been able to believe that Nessa was irredeemable.
If they could find Neala after more than twenty years—if they could reunite the broken McNairs against all odds—did that mean that there might be hope for reuniting Breana's family, too?
She knew that the two circumstances could not be more different, and yet she could not help but see the parallels there.
Maybe, one day, their families could really be whole again, just as their country could one day heal.
"I understand," Breana told Cailean. "I really do. And ye have me word, I'll do everythin' I can tae bring her back."
She paused, then, on impulse, gave him a sisterly hug. He seemed surprised, but hugged her back, briefly but with meaning.
When they parted, Maeve hurried over and hugged Breana, too, whispering once more into her ear to be careful. Breana promised again, then turned back to Eoin.
"Ready?" he asked her.
She nodded, determination beating in her breast. Together, they mounted their horses, and with a final wave back to Maeve and Cailean, they rode off into the night.