deep in the meadow [aidan]

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

28 December 2026

Brígh's first official trip to Hy-Brasil had started out without consequence. She supposed her dark red hair drew favour from the unendingly suspicious druids, and the fact that she had visited the town previously (though as part of a field trip with her classmates) made her all the more worthy of approval. She had been shuffled past the short queues and granted immediate access to the island. Looking around, Brígh felt a surge of emotion - anxiety. This would be the first time she would meet Aidan's parents, and grandparents, and numerous other family members. Aidan had tried to explain the family dynamics, but Brígh had started to grow panicked at the idea of so many people in one home. Already, the four O'Dalaigh's in their cramped cottage seemed like too many.

Aidan had arranged to meet Brígh in Boudicca's Grace before they would set off for the day. The evening would include various yuletide activities, though the official holiday had already passed. Brígh knew that the druids took their celebrations more seriously than regular wizardkind, though Brígh had nursed a hangover from the Potter holiday party for nearly two days afterwards. Her father hadn't been impressed with her disposition on Christmas day, though Bran had not hesitated to poke fun at her condition.

Shifting her bag from one shoulder to the next, Brígh stepped out of the customs office into the town. She surveyed the population around her, realising that she looked more like a druid than anything. It was bizarre - she knew the druids were also descended from the Celts like the Irish, but at what point had they split? Brígh leaned against the wall of the building, dropping her backpack to the ground and rifling through it to find a small, giftwrapped box. In it was Aidan's Christmas present - or Yule, in this case. Brígh had spent weeks perfecting it, utilising her charms expertise to make it just right. It was a snowglobe, or something of the sort that was the size of her closed fist. In it were two red haired figurines, dancing together. Tiny rose petals fluttered around the globe as a sweet lullaby played. Brígh hadn't been sure of what to get Aidan and had contemplated for months before settling on an approximation of their first meeting.

Brígh turned her face up to the sun, closing her eyes momentarily. Though Ireland was constantly shrouded in mist and rainclouds, the weather on Hy-Brasil was fairer. Without realising it, she started to hum the same melody that graced the gift-wrapped globe. She let the sun warm her cheeks, matching the warmth in her heart at the prospect of seeing her beloved once more.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

SPOILER: Click to show

The Gaels fight a battle of sorcery with the Tuatha Dé Danann, the gods, who inhabited Ireland at the time. Ériu, a goddess of the land, promises the Gaels that Ireland shall be theirs so long as they pay tribute to her. They agree, and their bard Amergin recites an incantation known as the Song of Amergin. The two groups agree to divide Ireland between them: the Gaels take the world above, while the Tuath Dé take the world below (i.e. the Otherworld).

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

28 December 2026

Aidan’s palms were sweaty and he felt like he’d swallowed a bunch of butterflies, although unfortunately not in the good way this time. He’d never been so nervous to be home, and his ma had already asked him several times if he was feeling okay and had forcibly taken his temperature to check he didn’t have a fever. But he wasn’t sick, which also meant there wasn’t a simple herb he could take to feel better. No, he was just nervous and he knew exactly why. Look, Aidan loved his family. He was a good druid boy – helping on the family farm whenever he could, listening to his grandma’s never-ending stories, even occasionally letting his little sister have the last apple tart at dinner. There was nothing he wanted more than to come back to Hy-Brasil for good someday and carry on all the best of his family traditions, some of which had gone on for generations already.

But he was also mad for Brígh, and he admittedly spent most of his days thinking about her or calling from his half of their enchanted mirror set. It had been a lot easier to see her when she was still at Hogwarts, but the shadowy outline of the school was still missing from his point-of-view at the nature reserve, and Brígh was done there anyway. She’d decided to become a treasure-hunter, and that meant she spent most of her time pretending to be a niffler these days. At least, traveling to lots of places and looking for gold. Aidan wasn’t much of the adventurous type, and that meant he worried. Was she staying safe? Was she accomplishing what she wanted to? And most importantly, did she ever think about him? Now that her world was so much bigger, she’d no doubt be meeting all sorts of interesting and rugged men. And Aidan couldn’t help but worry that she’d just get bored with him.

So he was excited to see her again, even if the knot in his stomach wouldn’t go away. He wanted his family to like her, and approve of her, because then it would feel less like he was doing something wrong by falling in love with her. He’d spent ages wondering what would happen, what he would say and what she would say and how everyone might react. He knew his sister would love the idea, if only because she was so desperate herself to leave the island and collect some adventures of her own. And he thought his ma might get on-board, because she wasn’t from Hy-Brasil and she knew a little more about the world than most druids did. But his pa’s side of the family, his grandparents and aunts and cousins…there was no way to know. And even though Aidan had gotten quite used and comfortable with the idea that he didn’t know much, this one made him feel quite unsettled.

But at the end of the day – he just wanted to see Brígh again, and hold her, and see her smile up at him. As long as she still liked him, he thought he’d be able to live through everything else. For once, Aidan found himself wildly early as he lingered by the port of entry to the island, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he waited to catch sight of Brígh. No easy feat, since her freckled face and brilliant red hair would help her blend in with all the druids jostling their way past the inspection booth and onto the trails that forked off into the Wildwood. Finally he spotted her and he began to jump excitedly as he called out, “Briiiiiigh!” She looked so graceful in that moment, eyes closed like she was soaking in all the beauty of the island at once – but Aidan was much much too impatient to hold himself back. Instead he tackled her and wrapped her into a tight hug, spinning her around once for good measure. “Hi,” he said breathlessly as he grinned down at her.

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

No sooner did Brígh tilt her head back to let the warm sun wash over her fair skin did she hear her name. Her heart lifted and her eyes flashed open, finding Aidan at once amongst the throng, his mop of bright red hair standing out no more than hers - but he was like a magnet. Brígh beamed, but before she could take a step towards him, he set himself upon her, tackling her with a bear hug. Brígh let out a shout of delighted laughter, her arms immediately curling around him and squeezing.

"You forgot something," said Brígh breathlessly before pressing her lips to his in an eager kiss. When she pulled away, she studied her boyfriend. Was it possible that Aidan had gotten taller? Naturally, she wouldn't have been able to tell through their enchanted mirrors, which they spoke to each other through nearly every day. Despite her numerous adventures and exotic travel destinations, Brígh had missed Aidan fiercely - as fiercely as she had missed Addy and Cheese. Maybe even a tiny bit more - but Brígh was thankful her best friends weren't legilimens. Aidan had swooped into her life and captured her soul with his kindness and unruffled love. And Brígh simply could not get enough.

With a final squeeze, Brígh disengaged from their embrace and settled for holding Aidan's hand instead. "Feels so different being here, now. Not with the school." Brígh frowned. Any mention of Hogwarts tended to bring a stormcloud over her. Yet Aidan's bright light penetrated the cloud, effectively lifting her spirits. "Where do we go first? Do we drop off things? Or will you show me more secret hiding places?" asked Brígh, the mischievous twinkle of adventure bright in her eyes.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

In the end, all Aidan really needed to settle his nerves was to see Brígh again. He could feel his insides all tangled up like a bowtruckle had been tying knots in his stomach, and Aidan couldn’t stop bouncing on the balls of his feet like he was trying to grow a pair of wings and take flight - which he’d tried to do once before with positively catastrophic results. His ma had sternly reminded him that day that ’you’re a human boy, not a griffin’. Sigh. Why did he have to be so misunderstood? But everything inside him settled once he saw his girlfriend’s familiar freckled face and mischievous smile – all the buzzing in his head and knots in his stomach and wistful wishes to fly off and straight into the sun. He felt his face break into a grin as he tackled her into a tight hug, and sighed happily into her hair as he felt her arms curl around him.

At her reminder that he’d forgotten something, Aidan pulled back slightly so he could stare blankly at her. “…shoes?” he tried, but no – a quick glance at his feet informed Aidan that he hadn’t forgotten to put his shoes back on. His mind began to race (as fast as it could go, at least) because he was quite a forgetful sort of person, always leaving his staff or his hat or his handful of murtlap treats in the most random places. But Aidan laughed suddenly as Brígh pulled him in for a kiss, and he enthusiastically returned it as he lifted her off the ground and let her feet dangle. After a few breathless moments of remembering how much he’d missed the exhilarating feeling of being close to Brígh, Aidan pulled away and gently set her back down on the ground.

“Look different too,” Aidan teased her, letting his fingers trail over Brígh’s cheek and lightly over her lips. He felt another laugh bubble up inside him as he wondered aloud, “You are somewhere with sun? I see new freckles. And…yes, I see. It burn you!” Aidan’s hands wandered down, one slipping naturally around Brígh’s waist while the other worked on tugging one sleeve slightly down to examine her burned shoulders. The poor boy didn’t have much of an imagination, and when he pictured the rest of the world he only really had Hy-Brasil as a good reference. But the sun didn’t burn that brightly on the island (which was a blessing considering how many gingers there were) and he couldn’t imagine all the big wide places Brígh must have seen in the last months.

But she was here now, and it still felt surreal to think of Aidan’s two worlds colliding like this. His girlfriend meeting his family. His family meeting his girlfriend. He could feel the nerves starting to creep in again, but he refocused on Brígh and the brilliant sparkle in her eyes. A determined look on her face like she was searching for her next adventure and Boudicca be damned, she’d find it no matter what. Now, Aidan knew exactly how long it took to walk from the family tree to the island port. And he knew his family knew it too, and would be wondering exactly what was taking him so long to come back (why wasn’t he a better liar?). But Aidan shrugged it off, because everything inside him was pulling towards Brígh and a matter-of-fact answer that he would show her every secret of the island if she asked him to. So he grabbed her bag to toss it over his shoulder and shot her a happy smile. “I have place to show you. Perfect for niffler treasure hunters,” he informed her teasingly. There could only be one place he meant – through the Wildwood to the heart of the island, where the mysterious ruins had been standing since the creation of the island. Aidan only knew stories, but outsiders were always fascinated by them. And hey, he wanted to impress his girlfriend.

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

All Brígh's anxiety at meeting Aidan's family fell to the wayside as she planted her lips on his, finding herself home after all these months. He lifted her up and kissed her fervently, leaving Brígh even more breathless than before. Her eyes were bright as he examined her face, commenting on the new freckles, his fingers roving over her face gently before tugging down a sleeve to examine her shoulder. Did Aidan hear the hitch of her breath as he exposed the skin of her shoulder to the air? Brígh's heart beat double time, her cheeks flushing as she longed for more, but hoped Aidan paid her no mind.

"Unfortunately the Egyptian sun is rather strong, no matter how much sun cream or sun blocking enchantments I wear," said Brígh with a little laugh, an edge to her voice as she struggled to stifle the desire that seared through her. She took a deep breath, and asked what they could see first. There was a determined glint in her eye, detailing that she hadn't gotten quite her fill of adventure despite months abroad training with Rhys. Rhys, who was admittedly still a pain in the arse but an endless well of knowledge. He was also more patient than she had initially expected. Though Brígh was certain she drove Rhys crazy, she must be doing something right because they were still training together. "I don't know if you would like Egypt - at least, the part that I went to. Sand for miles and miles, and barely any trees. But lots of history and ancient ruins, and a few bushes," said Brígh as they walked, twining her fingers with Aidan's.

Giggling at the mention of nifflers, Brígh sneaked a look at her boyfriend as he led her along the paths and through the Wildwood. He looked different too - he had a certain glow about him that couldn't have been seen through the mirror. His hair was a bit longer as well, and his eyes were as warm as ever. Though unlike Brígh, Aidan had sprouted no more freckles, there seemed to be a soft warmth about him, something that came from inside. The overwhelming urge to reach for him and never let go came over Brígh, but she resisted. For now at least. "You look so lovely," she admitted after a moment. "But where are we going? Did your High Druid manage to keep secrets from the ministry?" asked Brígh at the mention of treasure hunting. She knew that if the ministry had found out, they'd be swarming the island. But still, there was peace.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

“Egypt,” Aidan repeated out-loud in a wondering tone, trying to pull up a picture in his mind. Brígh was painting a vivid picture of a burning sun and endless stretches of sand, but Aidan just couldn’t imagine it. Hy-Brasil’s weather was mild, and their beaches hardly went for miles and miles. He could always see the edge of the tree line from the water, and the sand was always pressed flat under the footsteps of all sorts of magical creatures and druid fishermen. But he had to assume that Egypt didn’t look like that – no thanks to druid lessons, either. One of his teachers had taught them a little geography, but Aidan had always thought the mainland was one big blob of sameness. Egypt didn’t sound anything like London, though. “What else?” he asked eagerly, before his mind focused on sharpening the question to what really mattered. “Erumpents? Thestrals? Grindylows?” He gave a small shiver at that last one. Grindylows didn’t care who they tried to drown.

It was a chilling thought, but Brígh had wound her fingers through his so Aidan focused on the warmth of her hand and tightened his grip. He was a little bit of a fraidy-cat, not much better than a kneazle that went running whenever someone got too close. But only really about certain things, because Aidan didn’t care about sticking his head inside a dragon’s mouth (roomy!) or going for a joy ride on mouth (roomy!) or going for a joy ride on a galloping Abraxan. Still, he knew Brígh was fearless – and she wouldn’t hesitate to plant herself in front of something dangerous and face it head-on. The part of him that worried about her safety while she was breaking into old tombs didn’t like that, but the rest of him really liked it. He found himself glowing at her compliment (she was always saying things like that to him and every time he blushed like it was his first time hearing it).

“Not a secret,” he said with a laugh as he pulled her into a small trail winding off into the forest. They’d started on a big path, the kind that whole families could walk on comfortably when they went to visit their neighbors. But the deeper they got into the Wildwood, the smaller the paths became and the more wild everything around them was. “Nobody asked,” he finally explained after a beat. He’d been holding his breath while they’d passed a tangle of Devil’s Snare (more of a habit than anything else) but now he inhaled deeply and thought about the Ministry. “The ones who come…they ask about schools. And laws, and creatures. Not about this.” He knew he was being mysterious, but Aidan was practically squirming with delight at the possibility of showing Brígh something she might love. When he was little, he would play around the ruins with his friends – but that was years ago already, and he hadn’t been back since. He craned his neck back so he could study Brígh in the dim light of the forest. Even without natural sunlight, she still burned bright and her hair stood out against the dark trees. He gave her a goofy grin and lengthened his strides so they could get there faster.

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

Brígh appraised Aidan hungrily, the curious expression on his face drawing out some carnal desire in her. She swallowed thickly, plastering a calm look on her face that she knew immediately was fooling no one, least of all Aidan. "Maybe you can come visit me some time?" she replied, tilting her head and watching him carefully for his response. "But wouldn't want you to get burned. We'd have to wrap you up in linen clothes, which would be a shame..." she added, more to herself than anything. Her hand ghosted over his shoulder and down his arm, her fingers clasping his at last. "Sphinxes. Tebos. Zouwou. So many different creatures!" said Brígh, knowing that the myriad of creatures she'd come across would interest Aidan. "And muggle species too. Like camels. Did you know their hump is made of fat and nothing else?" said Brígh brightly.

Quick to compliment as always, Brígh glowed just as much as Aidan. His presence brought her peace, like the feeling of coming home to a warm bed and a delicious meal after a harrowing day. Though she craved adventure, a part of her also wanted stability - the stability she had with Aidan. She couldn't stop herself from kissing him again, her resistance was futile.

She asked where they were going, as the path that they had walked was different from any she'd seen on the trip earlier this year with Hogwarts. Before it had been... Brígh wrinkled her nose. She knew better than to get caught up in the memories of Hogwarts' destruction. The path narrowed and Brígh picked her way through the nettles, keeping close to Aidan as she did so. She snorted with laughter at Aidan's plain response. "Naturally. Wizards never know to look for things that are right under their noses," she said, shaking her mane of red hair. "This..." she repeated, but she could see nothing except the trees around them. She pulled out her wand and lit it. Aidan's face looked back at her, and she smiled. "I've got little legs!" she complained as Aidan picked up the pace. "Is there some secret romantic waterfall grotto where you're going to seduce me like a selkie?" asked Brígh wryly. "I'll have you know I'm not entirely opposed to that," she added after a moment of thought. Her curiosity was at a peak, and she was trotting now to keep up with Aidan's lengthy strides.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

Boudicca’s spear, Brígh really knew him. If anybody else had suggested that he go see Egypt, Aidan would have shook his head at them and lost attention in whatever they were talking about. Him, going on some big adventure to someplace far from home? It sounded horribly painful, and he knew that the unfamiliar surroundings would stress him. He’d be unhappy the entire time until the moment he was back in his own home, wrapped up in his favorite blanket, and with a cup of his mother’s cinnamon tea. But she was saying all the right things and an unfamiliar flame of curiosity kindled itself in Aidan’s chest. For the first time, he felt a strange sort of…longing to see the creatures that Brígh was rattling off, but that he’d only ever heard stories about. And then these strange camels… “What they look like?” Aidan asked eagerly, in such a rush to speak that his accent came out stronger. “Cay-mel. Caaaamel,” he tried saying the word a few different ways.

He knew she would appreciate the chance to see something new. It wasn’t an official secret from mainlanders, but most never knew that the ruins existed because they didn’t bother to make friends with the locals. Any druid would be able to answer, but cursebreakers never came to the island and most other wizards didn’t seem much interested in the druid lifestyle. Aidan laughed delightedly as Brígh pulled out her wand. He used his so rarely (since he preferred to go wandless, or maybe use his staff if he absolutely needed a conduit) but Brígh used her wand for everything. It was endearing. “Why not use your light?” Aidan asked, stopping abruptly so he could turn and take Brígh’s hand in his. She burned like an inferno, and he liked to dreamily imagine that he could almost see the inner light inside her that let her burn so bright. He paused for a moment to concentrate, then felt the little sparks of magic in his fingers brighten into a ball of light. Aidan tossed it in the air, laughed again at the way the light turned a dim blue, and then batted it so it would float ahead of him while he intertwined his fingers with Brígh’s.

“Secret romantic waterfall grotto?” Aidan repeated wonderingly, trying to process whatever hidden message Brígh might be sending with those words. He could feel his brain furiously trying to work it out, but no brilliant insights came to him. “No water,” Aidan answered vaguely, still deep in thought as he walked at a more sedate pace. Maybe she had some secret passion for waterfalls, Aidan thought, in which case she might be disappointed because there definitely wasn’t any water so close to the center of the island. He tried not to look too disappointed as he asked, “You need water and a selkie?” He couldn’t deny that Brígh’s words had started a feverish pace of fantasies in his head, although now he was painfully aware that he couldn’t meet any of the items on her checklist. Aidan was remarkably more pensive as they finally crossed into the clearing, where the centuries old mysterious ruins stood. The druids – at least the general population – didn’t know what they’d been used for, but they were the hidden heart of the island. He cleared his throat and tried not to care that there would be no chance of seduction happening without a waterfall. “Better than Egypt!” he claimed as he turned to smile at Brígh.

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

Brígh giggled as Aidan tested out the word camel. She didn't suppose it sounded quite right coming out of her mouth either, but she rather enjoyed watching Aidan's lips forming the syllables. "Sort of... like a horse. A horse with a big, fat, hump on its back," said Brígh thoughtfully. "You'll have to come see them for yourself. I can't do them justice," she added with a grin. She pulled out her wand and lit it, agreeing with Aidan that wizards never saw what was right under their noses. After all, hadn't she been so blind to Aidan's affections for months? Even when she had felt herself falling, she had resisted. Looking back, Brígh wondered how she could have ever lived without Aidan's soft stability, sweet curiosity and unending support.

Aidan chastised Brígh, suggesting that she use her own light. Her brow crumpled in confusion and she opened her mouth to rebuke him. But then, with a little frown of concentration, a ball of soft blue light bloomed from Aidan's outstretched hand. "How..." she began, but trailed off as he tossed it in the air and batted it away so that it might light their way. "That's incredible," Brígh breathed, her eyes widening as she turned to Aidan. "Thankfully we've got lots of time together for you to teach me," she added with a playful glint in her eye.

Wondering aloud if Aidan was going to steal her away and seduce her (a concept with which she had absolutely no qualms) Aidan replied that there was no water. But that didn't lessen Brígh's curiosity as to where they were going. He had slowed somewhat, allowing Brígh to keep pace with him easily. "I only need you," she replied at once, her voice firm and sure. Aidan devolved into silence as they finally crossed into their destination. Brígh looked around, confused at first but as she took a closer look, realisation dawned on her. "Merlin's beard... the ruins." Her tone was one of awe as she drifted away to inspect a nearby ruined statue. "There must be some sort of lore behind this... will you share with me?" asked Brígh, her desire for Aidan to ravish her only briefly diminished in light of this discovery. "Surely the ancient Gaels and forerunners to the Druids must have had some sort of merged civilisation. You can see some of the remaining structures bear strong resemblance to those in Ireland," she went on, her gaze sweeping across the ruins. "Aidan this is... magnificent," she breathed, turning back to him with light in her eyes.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

Curiosity was a strange thing – and Aidan had never really been curious about curiosity before until it suddenly hit him all at once. He didn’t have much imagination, which was a shame because it meant he never seemed to be able to think up the right questions. His grandmother might be telling an old druid story ‘round the fire, and while all of Aidan’s little cousins were eager to interrupt and ask all kinds of creative questions – well, he’d always just sat sedately and waited to hear the next bit. And his poor master at the nature reserve, who always had to give Aidan incredibly specific instructions because the boy could never seem to ask ‘but what if—’ until the event had actually happened (and his boss was usually in Ireland or Wales or Cornwall by then).

And then Brígh. She’d always loomed large in his world, of course. Sort of like a bright sun that lit everything up and kept him company until the real thing came along. But he’d never really imagined her in a specific context – the Brígh that would sit in class or laugh with her friends or occasionally hit them with heavy things (according to her stories, at least). No, Brígh was Brígh. She had a wit as sharp as the edge of a knife, a laugh that rang like bells and could send shivers up his spine, and a light in her eyes that hinted at whole hidden galaxies he might find if he let himself get lost in her gaze long enough. When she wasn’t with him, she always existed as a sort of constant companion in his mirror or his thoughts or on some conceptual plane – until the moment she’d come crashing back into his life and take a very real form again.

But now, as they finally slowed down on their way to ruins, Aidan stared hard at her. Wonderingly. Trying to imagine what Brígh looked like and what she did when she wasn’t with him. He tried to picture her dressed in sweeping robes (but maybe less ceremonial than the High Druid’s), in a world of neverending sand, with one of these camels she’d mentioned. “Will you…” Aidan began haltingly, but he stopped himself after a moment. He’d never asked to see her memories before, and it suddenly seemed stupid of him that it was the first time the thought had crossed his mind. But he shrugged off the thought and asked, “Show me?” He accompanied the question with a soft tap of his fingers on her temple, before he slid his hand down and brushed the hair out of her face. “Lots of time,” he repeated eagerly, eyes locked on her face even as Brígh had tilted her face upwards to examine the light he’d conjured.

She was distracted, so Aidan happily took the opportunity to tug her closer by the hand and steal a kiss before he let her go to examine the strange ruins. As expected, she didn’t take long to wander off and start her niffler-hunt for interesting looking statues and other odd ends and bits. He supposed there must be some interesting story about how they’d got there, but Aidan didn’t really know – and to be honest, he wasn’t sure anybody knew. The Elders might, but there were a lot of conflicting stories about the place and most didn’t end happily. Aidan’s face brightened as he was hit by a rare brainwave. “Ask my grandma, she love to share stories. Well, big big grandma,” he corrected after a moment, using his hand to indicate that Abria wasn’t technically his grandma but was two generations up. Grandma of his grandma.

He was very impressed by her analysis but…didn’t understand a word of it. “Merged civilization,” Aidan repeated wisely to at least give the impression that he’d been listening, but he was more distracted by the look of passion that’d overtaken Brígh and the way it radiated off her in infectious waves. She seemed to like it exactly as much as he’d hoped, and he closed the distance between them again as she finally brought her attention back to where he wanted it (on him, of course). He couldn’t seem to help himself around her – close was never close enough, especially when she looked at him like that. He took her hands into his and pulled her closer. “That makes me happy,” Aidan said breathlessly. He felt his tone grow more hushed as he continued sincerely, “Brígh…I want to give you everything you want.”

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

Aidan tapped her temple and Brígh's brow furrowed in confusion. "How?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She knew that it was possible to take memories out of one's mind and examine it in a pensieve, but there was no receptacle for a memory at their finger tips. Though knowing Aidan and his druid magic, he could probably peek into her mind if she opened it up to him. She tilted her face up to his, delivering a soft kiss to his lips just after he brushed her hair away from her shoulder. She thought of the camels, the feeling of the sun beating down on her back, the stillness of the air and the sound of silence that stretched across the dunes.

Too soon, they separated and continued towards the ruins. Brígh was immediately taken with the place. She asked if Aidan could tell her more, but he declined, saying his great-grandmother would be better at it. Her cheeks flushed at the thought of meeting Aidan's extended family, but was that not what this whole journey was about? To understand Aidan's background? At first glance it was so different from her own, but looking more closely at it, Brígh was able to discern similarities to her own country's lore. "I will," she agreed, before bending down to examine an ancient stone.

Brígh spoke mostly to herself, but as she looked up towards Aidan, he was listening to her every word. With a grin, she straightened. "We're more alike than you'd think," she clarified. "I think your people and my people once lived together in harmony," she added. However, Brígh did not mention how dearly she wanted that to happen again. She returned to Aidan's side and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you for showing me," said Brígh into his shoulder, squeezing him as tight as her arms would allow.

Looking up at Aidan, something lit Brígh's gaze from within. He took her hands and pulled her closer - and closer was never enough. "You make me happy," she breathed, watching him with such adoration and sincerity, Addy surely would have been sick. "Then kiss me," she instructed reaching a hand around his neck and pulling him closer. "I only want you. I love you."

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn

[Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn]

There was a funny sort of static going in Aidan’s mind, like the sound of a million bees swarming their hive – but that tended to happen when he was only a fairy’s hop away from Brígh. Her nose brushing his, fiery hair like a waterfall as he ran his fingers through, soft lips slightly parted as she asked about druid customs. He felt quite slow and dumb as he tried to process her question, even if it was only a single word and an English word he’d learned at the age of three. He swallowed slightly as she parted from him to explore the ruins, cheeks matching the same brilliant shade as his hair while he watched her. The smart thing to say, that is if he ever figured out the use of any language again, was that druids didn’t need anything manmade to store their memories. Aidan had seen what mainland wizards used, even if he didn’t have a name for it, but he knew it was the training wheels approach – using an enchanted basin that did all the work for you.

Druids did it different. Like everything else, you just…used what already existed. Tide pools, if you found yourself by the sea – and there was something magnetic about watching little sea creatures swim through the white strands of memories. There were all sorts of hidey-holes in the Dragon’s Tooth too, half-dug caves and large echoey chambers that seemed especially tuned for diving into memories that weren’t yours. He’d found a little puddle once of another druid’s memories, although his ma had warned him to stay away. Sometimes they went bad, if you left them alone for too long. They turned milky, unsure of themselves, resentful even. Sometimes they twisted your mind too bad if you weren’t strong enough to pull yourself out again.

It was almost like Aidan had a magnetic attraction to Brígh, because the moment she turned around to give him all her attention again – well, he’d already started moving in her direction. He was there to casually loop his arm around her waist as she speculated that their cultures weren’t really so different, that there was shared history there. “All of us have same roots,” he said eagerly, having many things to say about this. “Our stories tell us about the world before. All magics, all creatures lived together. Things split…that is how it goes, but they come together too.” Like this, he thought, bringing his other arm around her as Brígh squeezed close for a hug. The fire stories they’d tell in the community ash circle always told of a different world than the one they lived in now. He didn’t possibly see why his family could be opposed to something like this when it was factually proven in their people’s stories that they’d all been together once.

But all that flew out of his mind at Brígh’s whispered words. Her expression was so open, everything that made her exactly who she was floating right there at the surface, and Aidan couldn’t feel anything but amazed. Amazed at her bravery, at the fire inside her, at the fact that she’d chosen him. He whispered the words in Brasilic, I love you, and then said it again louder in English. “I love you,” and the words were as simple and as true as anything he’d ever said or thought or felt before. Aidan leaned in and kissed her, and his mind turned dizzy the longer he indulged himself in the sweetness of her lips and the tantalizing smell of her. He felt them moving forward until he had her pressed against the smooth stone of the broken down ruin, and he separated his lips from hers so he could kiss down her neck and gently nudge any offending straps out of his way. Aidan could never have enough of Brígh, could never bear every time he had to stop and say goodbye. But they had all the time in the world now.

BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH

[BRÍGH ENNIS O'DALAIGH]

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It was as easy and natural as breathing, thought Brígh as Aidan looped an arm around her and reminded her that everything was together. "We'll always come back to each other," Brígh agreed, her voice soft as she spoke into his shoulder, clinging to him like a drop of dew on a leaf. Now, more than anything, Brígh felt her connection to the Earth beneath her and the man before her. Time passed, and seasons changed, but Brígh knew in this moment that this feeling would endure. Aidan grounded her, centred her and freed her all at once. She loved his calm and steady nature, and she loved his bouts of excitement when he saw a particularly interesting creature. He was the salve to her burn, the calm to her flame. And Brígh's heart was all his.

The words flowed from her easily as honey. Instructing him. Loving him. It just made sense. Aidan whispered something, more to himself, before returning the sentiment. But Brígh had already known - their love was as sure as the rolling hills of their homes were green. Something so obvious, it couldn't possibly be any other way. And finally, Aidan kissed her.

It was different from the many other kisses they had shared. This one was hungrier, shot with need and a sort of desire that couldn't be dampened. Aidan coaxed a sound of longing from deep in Brígh's throat, her fingers digging into his back in an attempt to bring him closer. Aidan pressed her against one of the large flat stones, evidence of his arousal pressing into her. Brígh hitched a leg around his hip, spearing her fingers into his hair and drawing Aidan ever closer. When his lips parted from hers, she breathed a complaint, but was quickly silenced by the trailing fire he sparked along her collarbone. His fingers were hesitant as they brushed offending straps out of the way, and cottoning on quickly, Brígh quickly relieved herself of her jumper. Desperate to feel Aidan's skin against hers, she pulled his top over his head before kissing him soundly on the lips. She guided his hands, coasting them over her chest, down her stomach, between her legs. She wanted it all. She needed it all. Everything and every moment was Aidan.

Aidan Evander Ó Cuinn