The Realm of the Sun

Fergus mac Roich

            Miles and miles away at Tara, Éile was on her way to watch the soldiers training. A group of young men were gathered just outside the castle, securing and fastening their armour.

          "Finnian!" she called, trying to make it seem like she had a reason for being outside with them. Of course she knew it was not at all proper for a princess to be seen talking to and presumably flirting with the soldiers while they trained outdoors. But Eirainna was away and she saw this as her golden opportunity to, "Ah, Finnian, there you are!" she exclaimed with delight, tapping on a shoulder that she thought belonged to her brother. The handsome young boy who turned around was not her brother and precisely because of this, she could not have been more thrilled. His smile made her blush so intensely that her eyes almost began to water.

          "Oh, forgive me," she curtseyed, nearly all the way to the ground.

          "I'm sorry I'm not who you wanted me to be," the boy said with a laugh.

          "No, no, not at all. I mean, yes, I was looking for my brother, but you are exceedingly more pleasant and...what I mean is, I'm glad I was mistaken," she babbled, the freckles on her cheeks drowning in pink.

          He bowed his fair-haired head respectfully and asked, "Are you a lady of the court?"

          "Me? Oh, no..." she began to laugh, "I am Princess Éile..." and then added, nervously, "of Tara," as though he would have thought otherwise.

          "Oh! Your majesty, forgive me, I had no idea," the boy fell to his knee, distressed by his mistake, "how foolish of me. Of course you are far too lovely to be anything but a princess."

          Blushing again, Éile bit her lip and tried desperately to think of something to say. This was usually the point at which Eirainna would drag her away from the situation, so she had no idea what to say next. It was only now that she realized she had never made it this far.

          "You are so kind, Sir..." she attempted, but her manner was clumsy and childish and she could sense her own inadequacy. She had never felt so thrilled to be alive in one moment and then wanted to die so intensely in the next.

          "Cian," the boy replied, his light eyes twinkling in the daylight.

"Cian," she repeated poetically, hearing an entire melody in one small word. A horde of knights and soldiers passed them by, but Éile barely noticed. The clanging of their armour and their deep voices in conversation became as faint a noise as the whistle of the wind.

          "I'd better go," Cian finally said, acknowledging the other knights and soldiers who were heading off to the fields beyond Tara.

          "Yes, of course," she sighed, at least relieved that she would not have to suffer in embarrassment anymore.

          "It was lovely to meet you, Princess," he bowed courteously and was on his way.

          "Be careful!" she called to him, taking note of each man's set of weapons and arrows. He smiled and waved back at her, before turning to follow the others. A great, affected sigh escaped her.

          "Éile!" came a voice from behind, awakening the love-struck girl from her reverie, "I heard you were looking for me, is everything all right?" Finnian rushed over to her, carrying his sword and a shining chest plate.

          "Oh, of course everything's all right, Finn, I didn't actually need you for anything; I never do!" she rolled her eyes at him and ran off, skipping and humming all the way.