Quinn - A Tuatha Dé Danann Novel

Chapter Five

By the time I woke up it was dark. The light inside the house had gone out, and from the other side of the room I could hear snoring. Aengus must have set up a place to sleep over there, not wanting to disturb me. I tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't. My thoughts raced with all the news I had received that day. I didn't want to believe anything Eamon had to say. How could I trust him? He chose to spend the last thirteen years in the woods creating some weird following, when instead he should have been with me. He should have been my father.

Tears welled up in my eyes. I never cried over the thought of my father. My mother just told me he had lived in another country, and he didn't know about me. She said it was better he didn't. But now, I found out he did know about me and instead kept himself hidden. Again I felt unwanted. No matter how much Eamon had apologized that day or made excuses as to why he couldn't contact me, I couldn't forgive him for abandoning my mother and me for all those years.

"You look like you haven't slept a wink." Aengus was standing over my hammock with a plate of food. It was morning, and though I had fallen asleep again, it didn't feel like it. "At least try to eat something, we have a long day ahead of us. Oh! I wouldn't wear those outsider clothes if I were you." I looked down at my torn clothes and had to agree with him.

"Don't worry I have more clothes in my bags."

"I think these would do you better around here." He pointed to a pile of scraps laid out on the table. "You'll be less noticeable if you try to blend in." He left me to finish my food and change.

The clothes weren't half bad. Made from animal hides and woven leaves, they kept the important parts covered. Everywhere else on the other hand was exposed to the air. Once my bare feet touched the floor I realized it radiated warmth. A soothing feeling came over me, and my aches and pains went away. I scarfed down the eggs and bread and ran down the stairs to great Aengus family.

"Good morning," said a woman working over a fire set into a hollow in the tree's wall. I wondered how the whole building didn't catch fire as she stirred the kettle set on its embers. "I'm Binne, Aengus mother. I trust you slept okay." Binne genuinely seemed nice. Her words were melodic and her smile calming.

"Yes I did. Thank you for letting me stay at your house."

"Well if Aengus is to teach you our ways, I had better make sure he do a good job. He is representing this household after all." Aengus ducked his head down, avoiding his mother's stern gaze. "This is my husband Rowe." I hadn't noticed the man sitting at the table with Aengus. He looked exactly like Aengus, except much older and with a small beard on his face.

"Pleased to meet you Henry," said Rowe. He had a stern look about him and I couldn't tell if he really was pleased or not. "I saw you yesterday when you arrived. I work in the Crann Beathe with Eamon." My mind translated the words to Tree of Life.

"Tree of life?"

"Yes the hall you first entered is our clan's Crann Beathe. It is the main gathering hall. Each clan has one. Although not always a tree. Speaking of which I best be heading there now." Rowe stood from the kitchen table kissed his wife and was on his way in a flash.

"I guess that's your first lesson," said Aengus. "Come on we are going to be late." Once again Aengus dragged me through the town as I tried to keep my breakfast down. "This is Maeve's Baile Crann." I felt the words translate toTree Home.

"You guys are pretty simple at naming things."

"Three thousand years ago this language didn't exist. The originals had to learn it from nature itself. It took them over a hundred years, so there is nothing simple about it."