Tír Na Nóg

Chapter 1

The carriage pulled to a stop outside of Fort Arsenal, its wheels squeaking softly as the horses neighed softly. A few seconds later, the carriage door opened for a portly man with a kind smile and twinkling eyes to step down. He was dressed more for comfort in patched trousers and a shirt that had seen a few too many washings.

The front door to the impressive mansion opened just as the portly man reached inside the carriage to pull something out. Another man exited the large house and began to hurry forwards, not quite running, nor walking, but something in between that resembled a fast gait.

"Come 'ere, Catelynn," grunted the portly man, lifting out a young child, no older then two at the most. "Ah, g'day, sir!"

"Hello Abe," greeted the younger man in a light Irish burr, flashing a white, even smile at him. "How was your journey?"

"It was well 'nough." The man chortled as the girl, Catelynn, hugged a patched doll to her chest before throwing her arm around his neck in a hug.

"You must be Catelynn," Shay murmured as Abe set the little girl down. She promptly hid behind his legs in shyness, peeking out to stare at the man with the strange accent. The Assassin Hunter sucked his breath in through his mouth at how much she resembled his mother. She had a soft, round face with fair skin and enormous bright green eyes. Her curls were a deep ruby scarlet in color and had escaped its once neat braid, making her resemble a wild lion of sorts.

Abe gently pushed Catelynn out from behind his legs and whispered something into her ears, making her glance back at him, to which she only received an encouraging smile. She took a few tentatively steps forward before halting and refusing to come any closer to Shay.

"Hello, wee one," Shay said in a soft voice, not moving closer to her, despite his heart longing to scoop her up into his strong arms and never let her go.

Catelynn once more looked at Abe, looking for permisiion to speak to this stange man. Abe nodded, and she smiled shyly.

"'ello," she mumbled, dragging a toe on the dirt road.

Here, Shay was at a loss for words as he took in his daughter, memorizing every inch of her, committing her to heart.

Suddenly, Catelynn launched herself at him, nearly knocking him off balance. He grunted as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his neck. Automatically, Shay wrapped his arms around her, cradling her small body to his chest as he smiled up at Abe with tears prickling at his eyes.

"Dada."

Shay's heart summer salted at her soft voice, and a choked sob escaped his throat as he gently rubbed small circled into her back with his thumb. He was barely aware of Abe saying goodbye and getting back into the carriage to go back to the farm where he lived with his own family.

At last, Shay stood with his daughter in his arms and made his way inside Fort Arsenal for the night. He smiled gently at Catelynn, who was halfway asleep in his arms as he went up the stairs to the second floor.

"You must be tired," he murmured gently, pausing in the doorway of her room, which had once been an unused guestroom. Now it had a child sized bed with railings, a dresser and a toy chest, but little else, as how Shay didn't want to overwhelm Catelynn on her first night with him.

"Dada," Catelynn repeated when he tried to set her down, tightening her grip around his shoulders. Shay chuckled and carried her over towards the window, which overlooked the shipyard.

"You see that ship?" He pointed towards his own personal vessel. "That's The Morrigan, my own ship. If you sleep well, I'll take you on it tomorrow, how does that sound?"

Catelynn's eyes lit up and she snuggled deeper into her father's embrace.

"Can you sleep in your own bed?" he asked gently, chuckling as she let go of him long enough to be tucked into bed. She kicked off her shoes and set them next to her bed before crawlin g under the covers, finding the doll that Shay had thoughtfully purchased to help her settle in.

"Goodnight, Catelynn," he smiled as he blew out the lamp and left to retire himself.