The boys ran through the streets of Athlethan, deliberately knocking over the market stalls and causing carts to tip as people avoided the young vandals running through the streets without any regard for others safety. Fruit rolled across the road and the boys laughing, ran in all directions, avoiding the king’s peacekeepers who were not dressed for chasing fast and rough adolescents. The commotion in the street attracted the attention of a young woman dressed in light armour and a white cape. Anger and annoyance flashed across her face as she watched the futile efforts of the peacekeepers.

  She sighed and began to run after them, dodging the destruction.

  The boys laughed looking back at the scene of chaos they had caused. They noticed they were being chased by a tall, striking, white haired young woman. She wore leather and a light armour of Scatach steel. In the tiara on her forehead was a jewel, blue and flashing. They scattered but to their shock she had already caught up with them. One after the other, in rapid succession she had them on their knees or backs, grunting in pain or winded. She grabbed a tall lad by the collar and lifted him into the air, his legs flailing. He tried to turn, to see who was holding him. He went still and stared. The woman was stunning, her eyes flashing with anger was overwhelming and commanding. Her skin as smooth as a millpond and as fair as freshly fallen snow. The boy could not believe what he saw. Everyone knew Celthair, daughter of King Tuatha.

  Another stocky lad was behind her and with the other hand she grabbed him mid-stride and he was lifted off his feet also. She placed them at the feet of the sheriff, and she swiftly rounded up all the boys, carrying each of them to the feet of the thankful peacekeepers.

  The people who witnessed this were amazed by her speed and strength. She was not only lifting boys, but these were also heavy boys, almost men.

  Suddenly one of the more brazen and rebellious vandals, prone to violence swung his fist toward her, she saw it from the corner of her eye. She grabbed his fist and stopped his punch in mid-air and painfully bent it back, causing him to cry out, the boy in the other hand was dropped and landed on his buttocks with a loud grunt of pain.

  When they were all seated in a wagon, the city sheriff watching them closely, should they try to make a run for it. They looked sheepish as they sat hunched together like sacks of potatoes. Their captor finally spoke. Her voice was firm, but kind and her tone and words made even the innocent, feel ashamed for nothing.

  “I am disappointed in you all, this disregard for others is not tolerated. You will report to the palace service entrance tomorrow at sunrise where you will meet me for some recrimination for your actions today.”

  The boys nodded in agreeance, still watching her with stunned expressions. They were secretly pleased with this, for when people met Celthair, especially young men, they wanted to see her again, regardless of the threat of punishment. “But”, they thought, “how bad can it be? We get to be with the princess for a while”. Celthair smiled, relishing their punishment, looking forward to their faces dropping with what she had in store for them.

  Celthair grabbed the stocky boy and the one who had tried to hit her and pulled them out of the wagon to their feet. She took them to the damaged stalls and made them right and repair as much as they could of the market. While Celthair paid for all the damaged produce.

  The boys in the wagons watched their friends working, their arms and legs going to sleep.

  When they had finished, hours later she told the two boys who had helped her to get back in the wagon.

  “Now you all owe me for my work here today,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow. If not, I will find you.”

  The people she had helped, shook their heads in admiration at the beauty of this girl, in looks yes, but more so in her kindness and care for everyone. They loved Celthair, daughter of King Tuatha and Queen Laegaire. She had the whole cities devotion and allegiance.

  Celthair, her work done, smiled to herself. She gained a lot of satisfaction from this type of work. Her mother had insisted that when she wandered through the city, she have protection from Riangbra warriors. They followed her for a time, but when she grew tired of them following, she would lose them in the crowds, or by clever trickery. She could take care of herself.

  The market began to pack up for the day and the two suns were now low on the horizon. So Celthair made her way back to the palace to join the evening meal.

  “What did you get up to today,” asked Tuatha as she sat at the table, reaching for a loaf of Trias, before she was even seated. Laegaire, rolled her eyes. “Celthair, for goodness sake, you are nearly eighteen cycles old, act like a princess instead of a street urchin.”

  “Like the ones I apprehended and will be punishing tomorrow?” she replied irreverently.

  Her mothers eyes widened.

  “What do you mean? Asked Tuatha.

  “Oh, nothing really, there were some boys creating havoc in the streets, and I stopped them because the peacekeepers are too slow and fat.”

  Laegaire’s face became crestfallen. Her daughter was nothing like her. She was beautiful, yes, but she did not let that stop her from acting like a soldier. She never stopped acting like one at all.

  Laegaire had the attitude, yes. But she could jump between the two and become a calm and regal princess when needed. Especially in official duties.

  Tuatha not noticing Laegaire’s disapproval, grinned, “I love it, I have a daughter and a son in one, which is great considering Aillel is in Don Cluana!”

  Laegaire coughed loudly and levelled her eyes at him sternly, Tuatha winced. He grinned at her stupidly.

  Celthair laughed happily and pranced around the table wrapping her arms around Tuatha’s neck. “Thank you, Daddy,”, she said with music in her voice.

  Laegaire tried not to grin but could not stop it, when Celthair saw the face of her mother struggling to hold it straight, she danced to her mother’s side and hugged her too. Laegaire and Celthair broke out into a giggle. “You will be the death of me,” said Laegaire.

  “You will be okay, mummy, I’ll protect you from me.” With that she danced out of the room, with a mouthful of bread, half of it still poking out of her mouth as she chewed.

  “Don’t…” began Laegaire, giving up as Celthair disappeared.

  “Did she eat anything?” Laegaire asked Tuatha dolefully.

  “She took some bread, I think”, replied Tuatha, putting a large mouthful of food conveniently into his mouth.

  Laegaire shook her head, “but its dinner time,” then louder, “Celthair, come back and have dinner”.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  But she was gone. Laegaire looked at Tuatha. “Can’t you control your daughter? She listens to you, not to me, you need to tell her to not use her strength, she might hurt someone”.

  Tuatha shook his head. Chewing for a few moments and swallowing, “I can no more control her, than I can control a river, she is a free spirit, please don’t worry my love, her Riangbra lessons with Cathabad are teaching her how to be gentle with people and not to overuse her strength”.

  “I don’t understand my feelings anymore, she both frustrates me and makes me love her more than anything”, said Laegaire.

  “Me too, we need to let her go, my love,” said Tuatha. “I trust her! Do you forget that from a young age she was never home, but with the people, from Muinremar to Imchad and now here, she is loved and safe among her people. She is after all, seventeen cycles old”.

  “Eighteen in two sun cycles,” shouted Celthair’s voice, from somewhere far off down the hallway. Tuatha and Laegaire, looked at each other and laughed. “I call her back to dinner and she doesn’t come. I mention her age and she can hear it from the other end of the house. She is so exasperating.

  Celthair left the house quickly lest her mother chase after her and make her come back. She was excited for the evenings activities to begin. She ran to the palace out buildings to find her friend. A maid answered the door of Mags boarding house. “If you are looking for Mags, she went to the party early,” said the maid.

  Mags was short for Mairghread, she was Ainnle and Caer Omaith’s daughter. She was a splitting image of Celthair’s character, but not her looks. She was very different to her fair-haired mother. She had black hair and freckles; she had a beauty that was less showy. She liked to hide it and often walked around, her hair over her face. But under the broody looks, she was as cheeky and bubbly as Celthair, her much loved and best friend. She was living in Athlethan, as was the custom of the time, to send young girls to learn the qualities required for leadership.

  When they arrived at the party, it was full of young people they all knew well. As usual the boys were huddled around, seemingly ignoring the girls, talking about battles and swords.

  “If there is no one to talk to me, I’m going somewhere more fun. There is a battle of Sennol, anniversary dinner on. If we time it right, we will get there when the dancing starts.” Said Celthair to Mags. “I’m over boys, I prefer men, they know how to talk to you properly. These boys just talk about one thing and it’s boring.”

  Mags giggled as one of the boys sustained prolonged looks in her direction.

  “Are you listening to me Mags?” asked Celthair. “Oh,” she groaned, “forget them Mags they don’t want to talk to you, they only know how to look.”

  But Mags was gone, leaving Celthair alone, sipping an Aetherclaw juice. She watched her ignore the boy and walk past him. She rolled her eyes. “That’s it, play hard to get, oh how predictable, Mags” she said under her breath. The boy grabbed her arm and said something to her. Mags turned and smiled.

  “What did you say?” asked a voice in her ear.

  “Predictable”, she replied automatically, her mouth speaking her mind.

  She turned and faced a tall light-haired boy, slightly taller than she was.

  “Oh,”, he said, “I saw your lips move, I thought you were talking to me.”

  “No,” she said, I was commentating on my friend’s predictable behaviour”. She looked over at Mags, who was speaking animatedly to the boy.

  Ther boy looked at where she was looking. And she looked carefully at him and she felt a little giddy.

  “Well, she seems to have his ear,” he said.

  He was sitting near her at the bar. But she had not noticed how or when he had gotten there.

  “I’m C”, he held out his hand, “and you are?”

  Celthair looked at him, her eyebrows furrowed. This was not the approach she normally got from boys. Almost everyone knew who she was.

  “You don’t know?” she asked incredulously.

  “Should I?”

  “Well, yes,” she replied, but I won’t tell you. You will need to find out and no cheating. You can’t ask anyone.”

  “You are on”, he grinned broadly and Celthair fainted slightly inside, but she did not show it.

  “But do you know who I am?” He asked her.

  “I don’t know, maybe a clever imposter who was not invited to the party?”

  “Oh, I was for sure.” He turned and looked across the room and waved. “The girl, whose party it was, waved back, and looked like she was about to swoon.”

  “So, you know Dare”.

  “Well, we met once when we were little, we went to the same school”.

  “Then you lived here once but moved away, I know everyone, so that’s why I don’t know you, and you don’t know me”.

  “Well deducted”, Ciaran grinned again and Celthair’s heart fluttered. Not a feeling she enjoyed. It was she that made boys hearts flutter, not the other way round!

  “I was about to leave, but you stopped me,” she said, regretting the words as she spoke to them.

  “Ok,” said the boy, I guess I’ll find someone else to talk to.” her heart fell as he said the words and she kicked herself internally.

  The boy looked slightly disappointed, but graciously bowed and said nothing so she could walk away without feeling awkward.

  “See you again, maybe?” he asked turning, as she walked away. She felt relief but did not show it, she simply turned and nodded, smiling slightly. After all, she was in control, wasn’t she!

  Mags had finished talking to the boy and met her near the exit.

  She was excited and flushed. “Did you see who I was talking to? But you, you lucky thing, you were talking to him”. She glanced back at the boy who Celthair had been speaking with.

  “Who?” Celthair shrugged.

  “Him,” she turned to look again, “Don’t look, she said looking back quickly, he is looking at you.”

  “So? everyone looks at me,” said Celthair quite truthfully and without surprise.

  Mags looked at her incredulously. “You don’t know do you?”

  “Should I”, asked Celthair.

  “He is only the son of Ainnle and Caer Omaith of Esclarmonde. It’s prince Ciaran, you Aurochs”, replied to Mags, shaking her head in wonder at Celthair’s seeming lack of knowledge.

  Celthair thought for a moment.

  “There you go, the thought will Gel…any… moment… now!”, said Mags facetiously.

  “That’s little Ciaran? He is completely different to how I remember him, he was weak and small. He used to pull my hair and trip me up. I beat him up for it and was punished. Locked in my room during the first of the great battle celebrations, he was a pain in my butt”.

  “Well now he is a pain in girls’ hearts,” said Mags.

  “Not mine,” said Celthair haughtily.

  “Yeah right, said Mag’s grinning to herself. If he doesn’t make your stony heart start beating, then there is no hope for your family’s line.

  “I don’t care for that,” said Celthair haughtily, “my brother can look after those things.”

  After chatting with Dare and the other girls, they danced together for a while. Celthair kept looking for Ciaran but could not see him. No others came to offer a dance with them, so they left.

  They ran to the palace and went in the service entrance. The ballroom was a lot quieter as the lords and ladies spoke gently and with respect.

  Mags grabbed Celthair and pulled her to the dance floor and they matched the rhythm and swaying of the other dancers.

  After a while, they were giggling and doing funny dance steps, exaggerating the moves, imitating the dancing of the couples who were in love. Celthair felt a tap on her shoulder.

  “Can I cut in?” said a voice behind her. Mags nodded and let her go.

  Celthair turned.

  “Uncle Teth”, she squealed. Using her baby’s name, she had for him, since she was small. She leaped into his arms, her legs high off the ground.

  The other dancers looked at her with annoyed expressions.

  “Shh...” said Tethra, laughing at her response.

  “How is my little Celt?” his own baby’s name for her.

  Celthair did not speak, she only began to cry into his shoulder with happiness.

  Tethra held her and danced with her. A little embarrassed at her reaction in the middle of the dance floor.

  When she had calmed down, she leaned back and looked at his face.

  Then she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the side so she could talk with him.

  “You look older, uncle Teth,” she said. “It’s so good to see you. Is Aunty Caer here too?”

  “Indeed, she is my love,” she really wants to see you. Why are you at a dance wearing armour?” Tethra asked, grinning at her.

  He asked her, already knowing the answer. She loved wearing the battle dress. Ever since she was taught to be a warrior by the Anakim in far off Imchad. She had worn these clothes. It had been another reason Laegaire was so annoyed with her.

  “Where is Fillan, did he come too?” she looked around expecting to see her childhood friend.

  “No,” said Tethra. “Fillan is in Riangbra training with the warriors of Athlethan.”

  “I have missed him so much,” said Celthair, I hate that we all grow up and get responsibilities.”

  A beautiful and stately, but melancholy woman came over to them and quietly put her arm through Tethra’s.

  “Hi Lady Morann,” Celthair said reaching out and touching her hand respectfully. “It’s good to see you again.”

  Morann nodded, smiling slightly at her, looking into her eyes. “My dear Celthair, you are always the brightness in the room. I have missed seeing you. Please come to see me again soon in my home.”

  Celthair nodded and suddenly leaped forward, hugging her. Morann growled, rolling her eyes and Celthair’s lack of dignity, but smiled slightly. Tethra was happy to see Morann smile. She rarely smiled after Ruad’s death.

  She spent the rest of the evening, talking of her adventures and Morann and Tethra’s work in Esclarmonde.

  The conversation came around to Esclarmonde and Queen Caer Omaith and King Ainnle. Tethra told her that Ainnle’s son, Prince Ciaran of Esclarmonde had come with them. Tethra saw a small response in her, a reddening of the cheeks and a shake of the hair. A tell that she didn’t even realise she had made.

  “So, you have met him already?” said Tethra.

  “How did you know? Asked Celthair. “Is he here”. She looked around eagerly and realising her mistake, looked at Tethra and blushed slightly.

  To preserve her dignity, Tethra changed the subject quickly and she looked relieved. But Tethra, the master of body language, already knew everything.

  They spoke for a while longer till the party began to melt away and they all went to their respective places of rest. Tethra saying farewell and hugging Celthair goodbye. She and Mag’s went off to sleep before the first suns rise kept them from doing so.