The Tuatha De Cycle: The Spear of Assal

[Aiden Finnegan]

“I knew it!” Lugh exclaimed with delight, looking about. Abcan had not wandered back in yet, and so the victory had been spoiled. Tlachtga looked at Lugh questioningly. He waved a hand at her absently before signaling the guard and Áine to rise. The little girl looked absolutely affronted at the treatment. Lugh had to stifle a laugh. He had seen his own daughter wear such an expression countless times before.

“Where is my father!?” Áine screeched once more.

“Are you sure this isn’t the banshee you gave birth to?” Lugh whispered jokingly to Tlachtga before taking a knee so that he was eye to eye with Áine, “My name is Lugh, Áine. I am the High King. We are trying to find your father. Do you remember what happened?”

Áine glared at him, her fists clutching at her skirts. She said nothing.

“She has not been very forthcoming, your grace,” Tlachtga volunteered. Lugh glared at her over the title.

“That’s because you don’t know how to talk to kids,” Abcan called down from the top of the stairs. He wasted no time in joining them. The bard appeared to be carrying a large jute sack under one arm and a steaming pie in the other. Lugh did not have to guess at the purpose of the pie – although he was fairly certain that the current purpose did not match up with Abcan’s original intent.

Lugh said nothing as his friend moved to stand near them, dropping the jute sack with a metallic clang. The little girl eyed the pie with wide eyes. Abcan had clearly embraced the Light, as invisible hands seemed to cut a perfect slice from the pie and brought it to float just out of the girls reach. Áine tried to lunge out for the piece, but Abcan brought it up higher – just out of her reach.

“Now, I happen to know two things, little Áine,” Abcan started as he moved over to a bench and started to cut another piece of the pie, “First and foremost is that nothing in this world comes for free – you understand me?”

Áine was now attempting to leap for the pie, not even looking at Abcan. Despite that, she nodded at his words.

“Second is that good children listen to their elders. Your elders – your High King – have been asking you for help. They cannot find your father without your help,” Abcan kept at it, teasing the girl with the pie, “Oh my this is divine.”

Áine looked over to Abcan, her eyes wide as he took a giant bite out of the second slice. She bounded towards him, her hands reaching out for the confectionary. Abcan shook his head at her and she seemed to freeze in place.

“Let go of me!” Áine cried, her head shaking from side to side.

“I think that’s enough, Abcan,” Lugh said seriously. Even he had not used the Light to handle his children. Then again, Áine was taller than Abcan.

“You can have the rest of this pie and more if you answer your High King’s questions,” Abcan told her, completely ignoring his High King, “Can you do that for me, Áine?”

The girl glared at Abcan for a lifetime before finally nodding. He released her and she closed the distance, grabbing the pie from the bard. Lugh sighed before going to sit by her and asking once more, “Do you remember what happened, Áine?”