Contract

“Contract is made, my dear sister. She will have no choice but to find your child,” Robin said.

“Did you tell her all the details yet? Or did you leave those nuances for later?” Yseult asked.

Robin looked down at his sister. The body that lay before him was the sliver of a shadow of the vibrant soul he had grown up with. He cursed that feckless son of a camel dropping, Pangur Ban and what he had done to her.

Yseult looked up at her brother. He had such resolve in his eyes. He would find her child, no matter the cost. Still, she would have felt better if she had done it willingly, with eyes open to the danger she had agreed to. She reached out a hand to touch Robin. It was frail, like tissue paper wrapped around a toothpick skeleton. Her pale hand, with almost translucent skin, rested upon his arm.

“You are not the reason for my malady. You could not have done more to protect me,” Yseult said.

Robin slammed his fist on the ebony table, cracking it severely.

“You did your best to protect your godchild and niece.”

“For all the good that did. They took her anyway and silenced your opposition.”

“It took five druids to stop you. You killed four of them before they stole her.”

“While Pangur Ban killed your husband and did this to you as a message to the resistance,” Robin said.

“You didn’t tell her, did you? Before you signed your pact.”

“It’s better this way, in the long run. She’s strong, but I’m not sure she can handle him alone. She has a code of honor that could hamper her.”

“That’s why she has you.”

“Rest, my dear sister. You shall have your precious Mahaut back with you soon.”

+ + + + +

Her fist slammed into Robin’s face with the force of a mountain. He hadn’t quite expected this reaction when he met his new partner again. His head reeled. He stumbled several steps back.

“You lying sack of Kelpie dung. What the hell did you do to me? I knew I shouldn’t have made a partnership with you. I should have listened to my instincts. If you don’t release this oath, I’ll kill you right now.”

She pulled out her wand. Calling down elements and powers that only rage can, she formed an energy ball on the tip. It sparked with chaos, anger, and fear.

“Even if you kill me, you will not be released. The only way out is through,” Robin said.

Del brought the destructive tip of her wand and held it under his chin. Random sparks leapt across, causing him to flinch.

“What did you do to me?”

“I need someone to find my niece and godchild. You are the best, and you have the power to do what will need to be done. I’m just making sure you have the motivation to do so. I swore to protect you and I am bound to that as well.”

“I would have looked for her just for the asking. You didn’t need to pull this Cait Sidhe crap.”

“Would you believe it if I said there was more to it than that?”

Del released the energies back to the universe. She put her wand in its holster up her left sleeve. Balling up a fist, she brought it hard to Robin’s midsection. The impact took his breath away. He slumped to the ground, coughing.

“You need to find the girl, but not look for who took her. If he hears his name mentioned, he will know you are on to him and he’ll move her again,” Robin said.

“That complicates things. It helps to find the child if I can trace who took her.”

“There are reasons. It comes down to a blood feud with my family and the person who took Mahaut. There are certain Cait Sidhe who have, for their own reasons, defied our king and sided with the Danann.”

“If you ever pull something like this on me again, I’ll kill you even if it doesn’t break the vow.”

“I understand. I also know now that I chose well when I picked you for this task.”

“So tell me about Mahaut and anything remotely related to her abduction. I don’t care how small. I’ll decide what is relevant,” Del said.

“My sister, Yseult, had just given birth when Danann warriors and a certain person attacked her.”

“I’m guessing that there was some opposition to this?”

“My brother-in-law was killed and my sister almost was.”

“How long ago was she taken? I need to know if I’m still looking for a baby or someone older.”

“In the human world, she was taken thirty years ago. Cait Sidhe don’t age like normal fae,” Robin said.

“How do you expect me to find her then?”

“I’ll know my niece. I bonded to her before she was fully birthed.”

“Do you have an image of her as a baby that I could at least figure out who I might look for? Do you have any clue where they might have taken her? Or places they wouldn’t have taken her?” Del asked.

“There in lies part of the problem for us. I’m not sure if she is in human or feline form.”

“So I may be looking for a cat? Wonderful. You Cait Sidhe are so simple and easy to work with.”

“I’m glad you think so. The intruders did not speak when they came for my niece. However, I tore a piece of cloth from under the cloak of one assailant. I’m hoping it’s enough of a clue to start your search.”

“Hand it over. Let me see what it has to say,” Del said.

Robin handed over the cloth to Del. It was black and white, with intricate embroidery stitched on it. Del took it in her hand and flipped it over twice and rubbed her fingers over the stitching. She then pulled a vial from her belt and let one drop from it fall on the cloth. It soaked into the fabric, then rose out of the cloth and formed several glyphs in the air before dissipating.

“Interesting. What do you know about the area around Sibiu, Romania?”

“Precious little. Is that where we’re heading?”

“If this cloth is our only clue to finding your niece, it’s where we are starting.”

+ + + + +

The Russian blue cat jumped onto the empty rocking chair that faced the fireplace. It sat facing the fire as if waiting for something. A woman dressed in a white dress with intricate embroidery of blues, yellows, and reds occupied the other rocking chair. There was not the hint of a wrinkle on her face. Her deep blue of her eyes was almost black. The auburn hair on her head was done up in intricate braids. She turned and looked at the cat just as the first light of dawn broke over the horizon.

“Did you enjoy your hunt tonight?” Muma Pădurii asked the cat.

The cat transformed into a young woman with crow black hair, the most amazing orange eyes. Her fur transformed into a vivid purple blouse. It had detailed embroidery in green and yellow and matched her skirt. Her contrasting belt completed her ensemble.

“Yes, I did. I caught three mice,” Mahaut said.

“You are becoming quite the proficient hunter. No matter your form.”

“I wandered over to the gathering fields after my hunt. Darklis and Bareli and their clan are back. They both have so much grey hair now.”

“Darklis is nearly 60 now and her husband is almost 70. What did you expect?”

“Why did they leave me with you?”

“Thirty years ago, you were left with them. They knew they couldn’t care for you properly, but to treat you wrongly, even by accident, would bring trouble to them and theirs. They brought you to me to ask what to do.”

“You couldn’t tell them about me, but said you knew how to take care of me.”

“Exactly, my child,” Muma Pădurii said.

“But why was I left with them, and by who?”

“There are ancient troubles that some fae want to return. You were left to bring those problems back.”

“But why me and why them?”

“I don’t exactly. I’ve been removed from the Fae for too long. I wish I could return, but I can not.”

“Why can’t you return?” Mahaut asked.

“I can only return if asked. No one has, or will, ask.”

“Could I go visit the Fae?”

“Some day, perhaps. If we can discover your name.”

“I have a name.”

“You have a name that I call you. It’s not your true name. A fae, such as yourself, must know their true name in order to travel those worlds,” Muma Pădurii said.

“Can’t you name me?”

“I am unable to name you.”

“Then how do I find my name?”

“I can not tell you.”

“You just say all that to keep me here. I could go if I really wanted to.”

“But could you return? I’ve told you the stories, and you’ve met the families of those who sought the Fae without knowing their name,” Mahaut said.

Mahaut crossed her arms and huffed. She knew all the land from the Black Sea to the Carpathian Mountains to the west. She could spin herself until she was dizzy and still know which way Steaua Polara was and what direction home was. But try as she would, no fairy circle nor any of the places others had crossed to the realm of the fae had ever worked for her. She knew she was fae. Muma Pădurii had told her that much, but she never told her what kind of fae she was.

There had to be a reason she was left with Darklis and Bareli. They were such nice people. They visited her often to make sure she was being taken care of. She remembered playing with some children of their clan. Even though they visited a couple of times a year, the children they had seemed to grow up faster than she did. Some of them were already married and had children of their own. The last time they visited, she looked closer in age to the children of her childhood friends than she did them.

“Why have their other children aged quicker than me?”

“It is because of who you are. More than that, I can not say,” Muma Pădurii said.

“There’s a lot you can’t say, isn’t there?”

“There is indeed, my sweet child. Goddess willing, someday you will find your answers.”

+ + + + +

“Do you have anything that your niece wore? It would help me find her directly.” Del said.

“She was taken from my sister at the moment of her birth. The only cloth she was wrapped in was taken with her.”

“This just keeps getting easier.”

“Let’s just see where this scrap takes us and see what we find?”

“Your portal or mine?”

“Yours I think,” Robin said.

Del pulled out her wand and concentrated a bit before cutting a slit in the air. She stepped through, followed by Robin. They emerged in the foothills north of the Southern Carpathian mountain overlooking the town of Sibiu. Twilight was just approaching.

Del looked around for any signs of attention. She pulled out the piece of cloth and put a needle into it. She then pulled out her wand and tapped the cloth three times. The cloth sped off to the east.

Del pulled out a compass looking device and enchanted, “Needle, needle, find your brother.”

The needle pointed in the direction the cloth had left. It then spun around five times before returning to its point.

“I hope you packed your hiking boots. The person this cloth belongs to is about five miles that way.”

“I don’t need hiking boots.”

Robin transformed into a calico version of a tiger. He looked over at Del and indicated she should get on his back.

“This will top unique steeds in my list, I think. Even rarer than dragons, I would think.”

Del quickly climbed upon her mount and Robin sped off into the growing night. Del monitored her compass and told him when he was getting too far off course. In no time, they came upon a band of tinkers making camp for the night. Their black and white wagons set them apart from the Romani.

Del jumped off of Robin, landing quietly, even on the fallen leaves. Robin transformed back into his human form. They circled the troop. When they were halfway around, they knew they had found the people who had helped Pangur Ban. Del put a hand on Robin’s arm to stop his movement.

“We’re doing this my way. You chose and cursed me. I’m not taking the chance that you may kill the person we need before I get the information I need.”

Robin mumbled something that sounded extremely impolite and physically impossible under his breath, but made no further move forward. Del pulled out her wand and tapped herself on the forehead twice. Her appearance seemed to shimmer, and Robin had a hard time looking at her.

“Bless me, Leprechaun shimmer. I like it. No human will see you. You can wander in and find our ‘friend.’”

“I’ll be back in a few minutes. Don’t go anywhere. Don’t do anything,” Del said.

“Aye, Captain.”

Holding her compass in front of her, Del walked into the camp. She kept her ears open to what was being said around her while also making sure not to touch anyone, as that would break her spell. Del watched as the compass finally found it’s twin.

“He’d better have his money or I’ll take it out of his furry hide.”

“Watch what you say or Pangur Ban will have your guts for fiddle strings.”

“Bah, He hasn’t been the same since that raid where we took that cat’s kitten.”

“Are you kidding? He’s been even meaner since then.”

“Meaner, yes, but what has he actually done since then?”

“That Puck can really do damage, as Pangur Ban found out the hard way.”

“I’m just glad we dumped that kid off so he doesn’t come after us for her.”

Del’s feet nearly tripped her into her prey when she heard Pangur Ban’s name. When her target left his friends to answer the call of nature, Del took her wand and rendered him unconscious. She then shrunk him to the size of a doll and carried him back to the waiting Robin.

“These are the people who took your niece. But they don’t have her.”

Del then took Robin by the throat and placed her wand deep in his ear.

“If you ever put me in this position again, I will make your grandfathers wish they had never seen your grandmothers. I know who took her. I don’t care about the contract.”