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Keagan thought on it, a soft look in his usually hard eyes. "Ay, lass, she wis somethin' tha's fae sure. Ah loved her sure as many a man did in them days. Might've married her, too, were it nowt for needin' to be wed quick to th' woman whit wis t'bear my wean. Your dam married off t' your father sometime after tha'. She was a good woman. You should be proud to be o' her stock."


Faolan visibly bristled, though he remained casually reclined against the vardo. "Ah only say it, lad, because she be my kin, too." Hr moved suddenly, getting in the young man's face. "Filthy pikey am Ah? You decided t' gae there, did you? Got you a nice big pair talkin' like tha' in a didikai camp? I wis tryin' t'be civil afore Ah turned you out on your arse, laddie." He gripped the front of the man's fancy jacket with his left hand, loops of red ribbon tied there in plain view. Any outsider that had even the smallest knowledge of didikai culture knew what a ribbon-bound wrist meant and that somewhere close by was another wrist with a matching ribbon.

"Fate has a way of workin' things out sometimes," Keagan said with a touch of saddness to his voice. "Ah wish you'd stayed, too, lass. For Fao's sake. Grandmother tried t'make him forget, but Ah think he wis always searchin' fae you. It's why he took to roamin' out o' th' grounds so much and dallyin' wi' so many lovers. Ah didnae hae th' heart t' tell him he wis betrothed after your father insisted it b'broken. Fae tha', Ah'm sorry."

"Ah'll gae t'any lengths t'keep her here," Faolan all but snarled at the man, eyes narrowing. "She's already hyem, where she belongs. With me."

"Ah knows Ah give you two a hard time o'er it, but Ah'm glad you found him again. He tol' me about tha' night. If'n you hadn't come to th'carnival, you mightn't ne'er found him," Keagan said. "Why did you come tha' night, lass?"


"Broodmare?" Faolan asked, eyes widening. Oh, you've got to be kidding me. "Lad, Ah hate t'break it t'you, but most nights, Ah can barely keep her off me. She be haen ma bairns, sure, but she wants them. If'n we hae more, it'll be because she wants them, too." A beat later. "And Ah'm fairly fertile."

"Or perhaps you got found," Keagan chuckled. "You remember much of the boy when you were kids? I'd be happy to share some stories."



Faolan growled softly, stepping to the side, both hands on the man's lapels, and turned to slam him into the side of the vardo. He leaned in close, his face mere inches from the other's. "Ah ne'er manipulated ma wife, lad. Ah thinks you best think t'be treadin' carefully. Elle came t'me of her own free will and she stays here by her will alone. Ah love her too much t' e'er force her into anythin'. Now, Ah do believe Ah asked your name earlier."

"Ay, tha' hair. Sweet Bran over rocks, we couldnae lost the boy on a dark night if'n we tried," Keagan laughed. "Oh, his hair. Thank th' gods tha' it darkened some as he got older. He was a good lad then, though. Got in his share o' trouble, but most didikai boys do. I remember this time he got caught stealin' chickens. Oh, I beat his little arse so bad tha' day. Made him return all them chickens, too."


"William, eh? Well, William, how aboot you gaen hyem noo? Elle chooses t'stay wi' me an' mine. There ain't much you can say or do t'make me change ma mind," Faolan told him evenly.

"Really? You'd wish day-glo orange hair on one o' your kids?" Keagan laughed. "Oh, Ah'm sure he wis plannin' t' et them. At least, Ah hope so, otherwise there wis a lot gean on back then in ma boy's life Ah really donnae wanna know about."


Fao tilted his head to the side. "Come again, lad? Did you joost try t'buy ma wife?" He stepped back and punched William in the stomach. When the lad dropped to his knees, Faolan kicked him in the face, knocking him to the ground. "Offer me money now, b***h."

"Ah doubt he remembers it really, it wis so long ago, noo," Keagan chuckled. "Ah sincerly hope your bairns turn out like him. It'd serve him right fae all th' minor strokes he gave me whilst he wis growin' up."


"Ah'll do more'n tha' if'n you e'ver try t' think you can buy Ellandra. She ain't fae sale, and certainly nowt t' th' likes of you," Faolan said, crouching down to look the man in the eye. "You're welcome t' talk wi' her if'n you like. Gae on and try t'convince her t' leave wi' you. Ah'll take you t'her, provided you keep your manners."

"Oh, Ah'm sure you'll get a few like yourself, too," Keagan said, smiling. "Hae you two discussed much on how you'll b'raisin' them here?"


Faolan stood up, looking down at the man. "She already has her freedom. Ah ain't keepin' her here against her will, lad." His eyes were cold and hard. "Think you might also wanna remember where you are exactly when slingin' tha' word about."