52. Cailleach
fifty-two
Cailleach
*AZADEH*
E ada screeches. Instead of words, just incomprehensible sounds leave her mouth. Like a flash, she circles me. I feel the surface of the ice getting looser, but unlike last time, I don’t run. I just keep rooted to the spot, having faith in myself and the bond to Endellion and my friends. Little snow crystals appear beneath my feet, spreading throughout the icy surface and covering it all, making it impossible to break.
Eada targets my mind, but after Endellion marked me, my walls are so much stronger. I have more confidence in my abilities, remaining unfazed as she tries to get through to me again.
Eventually, Eada stops, dropping down in exhaustion.
I kneel down in front of her. “You lost your son to the blizzard,” I say quietly. I look around, scanning my surroundings. She is obsessed with water, it seems. “Did he drown? Did he drop into an icy lake?”
She looks up at me, pure pain and sorrow in her eyes. I carefully angle for the teddy bear in my jacket and reach it out to her. “I’m sure Jeremiah wants you to have this.”
Eada grabs the bear, pressing it against her chest, and hovering over it. She weeps, black tears falling onto her hands. With every passing minute, though, her tears become clearer until they are like little crystals dropping from her eyes. “Jerry,” she whispers. “After the blizzard, I just found his frozen corpse, washed up by a nearby river. He must have been so scared,” she cries. “All alone outside in the cold, haunted by the weather, and then drowning.”
I’m not sure what to tell her, because there are no words that can relieve her pain. Instead, I reach out my hand, gently touching her shoulder. I try to pour my feelings through my touch… my relief, my love… forgiveness.
A shudder goes through the woman, her eyes snapping open. I can see more and more clarity in them until, slowly, a shadow seems to move out of her. Eada gasps for her air, clenching her chest in pain. She doesn’t look like the woman in white from the horror stories any longer. She just looks like a grieving woman who has lost everything.
Before I can help her, the shadow transforms into another woman, looking very similar to the being that haunted us all the time by using Eada’s body. She gently pulls Eada into her arms and strokes her hair.
“Cailleach,” I whisper.
Cailleach looks at me. “She will pass. Her body has given up long ago. When that insufferable witch enchanted her, she was already drowning in the lake, planning on taking her life.”
“She is dead?” I say sadly.
“There is no second chance here for her,” Cailleach tells me. “Penelope kept her body alive for her own gains. Now, it’s time to allow Eada to do what she was prevented from doing: to move on.”
I reach out my hand, resting it on Eada’s arm. “May you be united with your son again,” I say.
For a few long moments after the last breath left Eada’s lips, neither of us says anything, until Cailleach breaks the silence. “I assume you still have a task to accomplish.” Her eyes darken. “So do I,” she says.
“The bears here…” I say.
Dark fog surrounds Cailleach before she clasps her hands. “-are free from the spell,” she says. “They will have to deal with the repercussions of what they did, though.”
“They followed Penelope willingly?”
“Not all of them, but their leaders were hungry for power, and led their sleuths into servitude. See for yourself.”
I get up, walking towards the edge of the cliff Cailleach is leading me to, and notice Elio seated above on a rock ledge, while the bears have turned against each other, seeking vengeance from those within them who led them to their demise.
Cailleach turns away from the bloodshed and turns to me. “So, what does Aine’s child want to do next?”
“Wake up the dragon prince,” I say.
“Then, let’s go.”
“You are going to help me?” I ask.
“It’s the least I can do,” she says bitterly. “Penelope bound me first. I was unsuspecting and didn’t see the threat soon enough. But the death of all those innocent dragons, the imprisonment of the dragon crown prince and the slaughter of his family… that was I. Unwilling or not, it is my guilt and my conscience.”
“You are the mother of these lands, aren’t you?” I ask. “The deity that protects the snow, the weather, the lakes and mountains. You are the symbol of these lands, as you stand for winter.”
“You learned a lot,” she says. “And, you are right. That’s who I am.”
“You are a peaceful deity,” I say. “Penelope is at fault, not you.”
“It was my power that led to the downfall of the dragons and killed so many other innocent shifters,” she says. “I will spend eternity making amends.”
“Then, let’s start with the dragons. They will need a deity that protects them while they rebuild their lands.”
Cailleach tilts her head, frowning slightly. “I will think about it.”
That’s good enough for now, I decide, while turning towards the cliff again. “Elio!” I yell and wave.
The young dragon lifts his head and takes off again, landing right in front of me. He turns to his human form again, his eyes widening with pain and anger when he sees the deity.
“That’s Cailleach,” I tell him. “The real her.”
“She is not bound anymore?”
“No,” I say. “And now it’s time to wake up your brother. She will help us.”
Cailleach nods. “Follow me,” she says.
I can feel Elio’s hesitation, and I can’t blame him. It doesn’t matter that she was innocent, she was still the one who murdered so many of his kind. Her words make much more sense to me now. How is anyone ever going to live with such guilt?
None of us says anything as Cailleach leads us into the castle, and then through a huge hallway. I notice Elio’s eyes clouding over in sadness. “This was your home?” I ask quietly.
“It used to be so lively,” he mutters.
“It will be again,” I say. “I… I don’t know how to take this pain from you or what to say that can even remotely make you feel hopeful. But Favian is alive, and I’m sure with the strength he displayed, he will lead your people to prosperity again… with you at his side.”
“With me?”
“He will need you,” I say.
“Right.” Elio straightens his shoulders. “There is going to be a lot we will need to rebuild. And then he has to work on new political relations, and we have to think about how to make our economy work again, and how to find the dragon shifters again, and how to get them to return home. He will need some assistance.”
Sadness fills my heart when I think about the trauma Elio and Favian have faced, and how long it will take for them to overcome this. I’m glad Elio has a task at hand now, and can hopefully look into a brighter future.
“Here we are,” Cailleach interrupts us. She has led us to the basement of the castle and stops now in front of a big wooden door. “He is being kept in this room.” She tosses us a short glance. “I will leave and make sure the werebears are under control.” She shakes her head. “Another species almost ruined, but unlike the dragons, they are partly at fault.”
“They weren’t enchanted?” Elio asks without looking at her.
“Not all of them. Some of their leaders acted out of greed and made an alliance with Penelope, the dark witch.”
“Can you pick out those who are innocent?” I ask. I know the werebears are not well-liked in these lands. Their dislike of the bears is something all other shifters have in common. But, they are part of this world, and excluding them will only lead to more battles and more division.
Cailleach looks at me, amused. “It seems all the shifters needed was a human to step into their world and bring a new perspective. I know what you are planning to do, and I agree.”
“I’d need at least one trustworthy high-ranking member. An alpha’s child would be ideal,” I say.
“I will see what I can do,” she promises before disappearing into thin air. “And, I will be there once you are ready to move against the witch.”
“Do you trust her?” Elio asks into the silence that lingers around us, once she has left.
“I don’t think I can answer this question so easily,” I answer. “Trust has to be earned. She is a deity, and she created this realm. She loves these lands. Let’s see what she will do.” I turn around. “Come, Favian is waiting for us.”
We enter the room at the same time. The witch and Cailleach have been hiding Favian’s body here in the underground section of the castle. At least they kept the room warm. I instantly recognize him, although he looks so pale and skinny. It seems like the man I met in my dreams was how he once looked; this, here, is just his shadow.
Elio looks heartbroken at the sight of his brother. “He was so strong,” he sobs.
“He still is incredibly strong,” I tell him. “He battled these people for years, just through the power of his mind. If that’s not strength, I don’t know what is.”
“But, they weakened him so much.”
“And he will get strong, again,” I comfort him. “He is a shifter, isn’t he?”
Elio nods tentatively.
“Then, he will regain his strength again.” I gaze over Favian’s body, noticing the necklace Cailleach bound him with. I grab it, feeling a burn in my hand, but once more I trust in my abilities, and in the hope and faith Favian put into me. The burning sensation gets stronger until I suddenly feel the necklace melt in my hand and disappear. “That’s done,” I say, and take Favian’s hand into mine. “Now it’s time to wake up.”
I close my eyes, remembering what Arianrhod told me. It’s an instinct, a feeling, all the love I feel for this land. I pour it all in my touch until I can see Favian’s face in front of me as I have successfully entered his mind. “You returned, Princess of the Sun,” he says.
“Of course.” I return his smile. “It is safe to wake up now.”
He looks torn for a moment.
“What’s wrong?” I ask him.
“It’s just… it’s been so long. I don’t know what to expect. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to lead my people.”
“You will,” I reassure him. “I’ve been connected to your mind for so long now; what you did by the mere strength of your willpower and mind is unbelievable.” I smile. “Don’t be scared now. You are what your people and kingdom need now. They are waiting for their dragon king, and Elio is waiting for his big brother.”
“Right.” Favian takes a deep breath, reaching out his hand.
I take it, once again amazed by how porcelain-like his skin is. Even his eyelashes are white, like snow covering them, so is his silver hair. The dragon prince, or rather the dragon king, is truly one of a kind.
“Thank you, Azadeh,” he says before he begins to fade. “To a long friendship.”
“To a long friendship.”
I feel I’m being gently pushed out of his mind, finding myself in the room again, standing next to Elio, who keeps watching us with a tense expression. There are so many emotions flashing in his eyes; fear and tentative hope are the most dominant ones.
I hold my breath, for a moment scared that Favian will retreat again, but then I see it… his eyelids moving slightly, and his fingers tapping against his blanket.
“Favian!” Elio blurts out, before throwing himself on top of his brother and crying into his chest.
Favian’s eyelids are still half-closed as he battles with consciousness, but he reaches out his hand and pats Elio’s head. Eventually, Elio and I help Favian up in a sitting position. His face is still pale, almost grayish, but there is life again in his eyes.
Favian blinks his eyes open, wiping the sweat of exhaustion from his forehead.
“You are back,” Elio whispers, tears filling his eyes again. “You are back. My… I thought I would never see you again. I thought I would end up all alone.”
Favian reaches out his hands and pulls his little brother into a hug. “You did so well, Elio,” he whispers. “I’m so proud of you. Without you, we would never have been able to stop this threat against us. You saved us.”
“He is right,” I say. “You were the bridge. The clue we needed. And, you saved Alana, the Warrior Princess of the werewolf kingdom.”
“See?” Favian brushes through Elio’s hair. “You are a hero.”
Elio looks flustered, but also proud. “And now?” he asks.
“Now, I will need to do my job,” Favian says. “I want you to stay here and keep an eye on everything. I’m sure within the next hour, the dragons will slowly return.”
“But, how will they know that they are safe again?” Elio asks.
“Because tonight, everyone will see the golden dragon flying through the sky again,” Favian says.
“You are not in the condition to do that!” Elio blurts out.
“I have to,” Favian says with determination in his voice. “They need to see him, and I need to join this battle, to show everyone that the dragon shifters are still very much alive and ready to strike.” I can see how torn Elio is, but Favian is right. He needs to show to his own people, but also to everyone else, that he is very much alive, and that he has fought for them all of this time. His people need to know that their prince - king - will protect them and do everything in his power to lead them back to safety.
It takes an hour for Favian to have regained enough strength to shift again. Shifters are truly amazing, I think, not without feeling a bit envious.
“Don’t overestimate me,” Favian says as if he just read my thoughts. I’m truly amazed by him and how he carries himself. When I met him in the dream world, he seemed almost soft, but here in reality he is very composed and serious, yet his kindness and honesty still shine through. “I’m nowhere near the strength I should have, and I won’t be of much value in this battle. I will just fly as a symbol today. And I can only fly because Favia is with me, enhancing the dragon spirit in me. I’m relying fully on her today.” He pauses. “So, are we ready to set off?”
“Yes,” I say. “And we have the woman in white, or rather the real Cailleach, on our side.”
“But, that’s not the only plan you have?”
“No,” I smirk. “We need to make a little detour and meet with a very angry bear deity.”
“Then, let’s go. We don’t have any time to waste,” Favian says. He gives Elio one swift hug, leaving him with a few instructions before he follows me out of the castle. There, he finally shifts to his dragon form, and for a moment I am rendered speechless. The sun is setting by now, yet his golden scales shimmer in the light of the setting sun and rising moon. I have never seen such a magical creature before.
What’s wrong, little princess? A female voice coos, in my mind.
“Favia! You are here, too!”
Of course I am. When Favian shifts, his dragon spirit can merge with me and become stronger. Though technically, I can also merge my power with his in his human form, too. The golden dragon lowers itself to the ground. Favian and I are both taking the lead today, which is rare, but we need each other’s strength. So, where are we heading to?
“To Artio,” I say. “He is roaming around no-man's land close to the village at the borders.”
Ah, he will be easy to find . She snickers. And, the bitch in white will follow on her own?
“She will,” Cailleach says, her voice suddenly appearing next to me. She is a deity, so I’m not surprised she was able to listen to our mind link, but I’m surprised that she remains unfazed by Favia’s insult. “Lead the way, Princess of the Sun.”