Sneak Peeks

Fiona
What do you say to wee little folk when you meet them? Well, the truth is you can’t really say anything. There wouldn’t be any time. Before ye can blink or think, they’ll be gone. True story. 

Okay maybe that’s a partial truth. So not entirely a lie mind you. Okay, fine, the truth is that you might never know if you’ve met a leprechaun or not, but that’s a story for another time. Let’s just say our magic is mighty powerful and can hide many a secret. Now let that be the end of it. I will say no more on the subject.

Now let me just begin by telling you me name which is Fiona McKenna. I am a leprechaun. I’m probably your first and almost undoubtedly your last. I live where all leprechauns live. Somewhere between a whisper and a dream. Today is me twenty first birthday. Today is the day I will come into me magic. Kinda like when you human folk go through puberty or when ye can drink all legal-like. 

It’s a big day for our people, for all of me friends, and for me. Truth be told, I’m a wee bit nervous and maybe even a little scared. I walk slowly towards the cliffs, looking out onto the ocean. This spot always calms me and today is a very big day, but I need to stay calm. This is where me life will really begin. Where I can go out adventuring and spread the wings of me magic. It will finally lead me on me path. The one I’ve been working towards me entire life. I’ll finally be able to contribute to me families household depending on the gift I receive. There’s only one feeling that’s stronger than fear and doubt and I’ve only ever felt it this strong once before. It’s the feeling of excitement and I’ve never felt it like this before. It feels like it’s flowing through me veins. I can feel me whole body vibrate with anticipation.

It all started about a year ago now, on a beautiful spring day, and for me, it also changed me life forever. It was a day I think I’ll remember forever for all me days. Of course it didn’t exactly start with excitement. 

Fiona
They say that sometimes you have to burn yourself to the ground before you can rise like the phoenix from the ashes. I disagree, I think that sometimes you are the fire and all you can do is burn the world to the ground.

I’m standing here listening to the waves crashing loudly against the cliffs and me first thought is that a storm is brewing. Me second thought is that it’s headed right for us and goddess help us when it does. The encroaching storm looks to be one of the big and violent ones. Destruction it’s only target. So, as I stand on the cliffs of Moher, I just keep staring at the waves crashing and wonder when the inevitable storm will hit us. The beauty of the view is lost on me even though it’s most terrifying at the same time. The only things on me mind is the raging storm headed our way and what will happen in just a few days’ time. The long road we took to get here only means me surprise in even getting here. I can’t help but wonder at all the changes that have happened over such a short period of time. It’s been a whirlwind adventure to be sure. Me deep thoughts are me only excuse for missing the sudden shift in the air. It’s a feeling that I know well after all these months, and I should have felt it.

It’s all I need to feel though, to know for certain I am being watched. The hairs on me neck, alerting me to this, then there’s a different feeling all together. There’s just something special about the feeling that I get that lets me know that it’s him who’s watching me. He is the only one that gives me this feeling and I know there is no ill will. It’s because we are soul mates. Our combined halves making up one soul and binding us to each other. The feeling when he is close to me is like a slow-moving caress that slips over me skin like a whisper that you don’t quite know if you’ve heard. It’s all him and completely unique to him. It’s not frightening or cold but instead like a warm embrace meant only for me. That is what it feels like to me anyways. I’ve never asked William about what he feels when we are close to each other.

“I thought I’d find you here lost in your thoughts,” William says before I even get a chance to turn around to face him.

“You, me love, always know where I am. However, I don’t think that bears repeating,” I say. Although, I have in fact repeated it. Quite a few times. Thinking about our connection and what it means makes me smile to m’self.

He takes me hand and slowly brings it to his lips, kissing it softly. That’s when I feel it. The insatiable need and desire coming like waves from him and hitting me straight at me core.

“I will always be able to find you sweetheart, but even I can’t follow you into your mind when you’re so lost in thought,” he says with a grin.

It’s true. Today, me thoughts within me mind, me feelings in me heart, are tucked safely behind me walls. Today I just want them to belong to me and me alone. I’m not sure why I’ve felt the need to hide today but having William here makes the wall unnecessary. Now there isn’t that deep pull. With him here next to me, I feel safe.

“I was just thinking about the journey we took to get here. The destination may have always meant to land us here, but the path we took was extraordinarily long and unique to both of us,” I say as I take the time to stare deeply into the bluest eyes I know. The eyes that first made me fall for him. The eyes that show me his love, his desire, his soul. Those eyes, the color of a storm brewing on the ocean.

***

I’m outside and I’m cold. I know I should be inside, safe and dry, but I can’t be in there right now no matter what me desire for warmth. On me way home today, one of the older boys teased me about William. William, who I think of as me best friends and who I’ve known me entire life. He and me brother Sean, are best friends and have been since birth, especially given the fact that they’re the same age. The boy that teased me mocked me and told me to stop acting like a lost lamb, following around after William. He laughed as he told me that I was only Sean’s kid sister and William would never see me as anything else.

What this boy didn’t know was William had heard him. After the boy left, William’s eyes moved onto me. That’s when I saw something change in his view of me. I could see it all there in his eyes as they burn into mine. Gone was the boy who I thought of as me best friend. What was watching me now was a man. A man whose eyes burned me right to me very soul and lit the match.

***

What William didn’t know at the time was that match started an inferno in me that could never be extinguished. A fire he could never ever know about. So, that is why I ran. Through the snow and the cold, I ran home. Except once I got there, I realized I couldn’t go inside either. I was too fearful of what me face would show to anyone inside. Looking back at the last few years, it’s impossible to understand why we took the path we did. After that it all seems so random and based solely on chance. I never knew so much could happen and change in the tiniest of moments. Especially considering that those small moments would change the course of me entire life and in such dramatic ways. I wouldn’t change any of it though, even if I could. Now, after all I’ve learned, I’m aware why it all happened the way it did.

At the end of the day, though what’s really important is truth and what’s been revealed to me, at long last, is a reality I never thought was even remotely possible. Maybe our elders thought it best to keep us in the dark, but that never stopped me from wishing. I always wanted to know more and in point of fact, I thought we all deserved to know. Secrets between the leprechauns wasn’t right.

“I know things weren’t done the best way on me part, but I hope you know I just wanted to keep you safe. It was never me intention to exclude you or to lie, I just wanted to know the answers to all the questions I knew you would ask,” he tells me as he stares right to the heart of me. He really does know me and me inquisitive nature.

“I know. The fact of the matter is you did exactly the right thing to keep me safe and protected. Things unfolded as they were meant to, me love. I know that now, otherwise we wouldn’t be doing this today,” I say as I give him the smile as it bursts from me heart. There isn’t room in our relationship for secrets, especially when it comes to our feelings for each other.

Looking out at the ocean the fact that this place centers me isn’t lost on me. I keep staring until a state of peacefulness on me and I know the goddess is the cause. This future was always meant to be mine. The journey may have been wayward and taken a different route than originally planned, but the destination has never changed. Not even once over the last two years did I have any real doubt. He is as much a part of me as I am of him.

“Does this mean you’re excited about this afternoon? Are you sure about this next step we’ll be taking together? No second thoughts for me but I just wanted to make sure,” he says as he stares right into me eyes and holds me captive, just the way I love.

Prologue

Fiona

I can’t tell if I’m more nervous at the thought of there being selkies or me brother possibly being alive. Everything is happening all at once and me head is spinning, William’s visions haven’t been as helpful as I had hoped but I think maybe me expectations were a wee bit overzealous. Plus, it doesn’t help that it seems to be happening at a snail’s pace and I don’t have the patience. Now that the council is becoming more open and transparent to other supernaturals, I hope we will be exploring many new places, including those that might give us answers about both selkies and me brother.

William was spending quite a bit of his free time reading through the archives, hoping to learn more about these new rediscovered communities. It was so hard being parted from him but it has been worth it. Now there are no secrets or walls between us. Being bound to him as I am now makes everything seem right and true.

I’ve been lucky enough to spend me nights with me William so that during the days I am able to concentrate on me other responsibilities. After first becoming an elder and part of the council, I had hoped that by putting in all of me time and effort into the council and strengthening me gift, changes to our community would happen faster. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen and it left me feeling disconnected and frustrated. So, instead of blaming everything on Elder O’Hare, who eventually retired and thus making me opinion about him a moot point, I worked on the council and the community. Or rather I worked with the council and the community. With the help of me beloved I was finally able to see.

The other elders were stuck in the old ways and they needed help to change. After all, when they had become suppressed and told that anyone outside our community were out to cause us harm over and over, they became complacent and let Elder O’Hare’s opinion trump theirs.

Finally, though, after working with everyone, including the council, things began to transform. Eventually opinions began to diversify and although we didn’t always agree, real happiness and hope blossomed. Every council member has finally been able to voice their opinions and no one is ever chastised or humiliated for their ideas.

When this happened, I was also allowed to voice me opinions. So, when the time came, I was able to suggest opening up to other communities and exploring new lands, including where we think Sean is.

Once that happened, I was able to organize short visits to neighboring leprechaun villages that I had read about in me seanmháhair mhór’s journals.

Agnes

One of the things I love about our community is how open we are. Even our gifts lend to being open. Take, for example, me friend Síne who just received the gift of gateways. It was absolutely terrifying but also wonderful. Síne asked me to meet her in a nearby forest and when I arrived, she wasn’t there. All I could see were towering trees and tangled undergrowth. Then a saw a green light starts to softly glow and in a matter of moments she walked through as though she were just walking through a forest. Except, moments before she wasn’t there, and she had just appeared out of nothingness. Of course, seeing this caused me to scream, which then only made her scream, and, in an instant, we were both on the ground laughing like we were doolally not being able to catch our breathes. When we finally calmed down, she told me of a town she was able to visit just up near Galway called Oranmore. They had all types of people there, including a few leprechauns sprinkled amongst the humans and other supernaturals. Such an amazing time Síne must have had and what a special gift to receive.

Everyone in the Village was so excited and hopeful for the visit to a town near Galway but unfortunately the hopes were too high for we didn’t find anyone other than humans. There was evidence that a village nearby had existed and even some craic about magic folk, but we couldn’t be sure if they were leprechauns or not. Despite what I read in the journal. After all, what we heard was mostly myth and legend. Stories to tell your kids so they will behave.

***

I finally see a town that I suspect might be the town we’ve been searching for but I think we might have to investigate further to find out. More of me patience is being used up but I know in me heart it will be worth it.

“Fiona, me love, why don’t we head over towards their local pub to see if we can catch any good craic Maybe we could perhaps walk around some to get a feel for the people here,” William says as soon as we enter the town.

“Aye, it may be that we’ll be able to converse with a few locals and find some food to eat as well. I’m so tired after walking these past few days intermittently,” I say, catching his smile at the mention of food.

This tiny town seems to be filled with jolly people who clearly have never met a stranger. As we walk around for a little while, we are greeted by many people, all humans, which is disappointing, but I try not to let it get to me. William squeezes me hand every time, letting me know he is well aware of me disappointment.

When we finally find the local pub that one of the kind humans told us about, I can’t help but be grateful for the hospitality and welcome we receive from the community. I hope that perhaps someone will have a story or two for us that can give us a clue about what may have happened to our people.

Holding tightly onto me hand, William opens the door to the pub, and I’m instantly surrounded by new smells and loud voices. Staying together would be better but, in the end, William walks up to the bartender and I go to find us a place to sit. Even though it’s only late afternoon, there seems to be quite a crowd already gathered which only adds to the charm of the place.

I can just make out William inquiring about local craic and wonder if he’ll be able to glean anything. Perhaps he will be lucky enough to hear about local myths along with the gossip. I can only hope that as the pints flow, so will the talk about any legends. I’m also hopeful William remembers to order us some food as well as some pints.

The thought gives me a laugh and time moves fast as the late afternoon leads right into night. We mix with the locals, and I can’t remember having such a wonderful time with humans. Too used to being closed off from our local leprechauns, I think. I shake me head to abandon the sad thoughts and decide it does not matter a once right now. I hazard a guess that though that the closer one gets to the larger towns, the more different the people become when compared to our village.

Just then, William starts to make his way back to our table, having left to get us fresh pints. He isn’t alone, however, bringing a few new strangers with him. One is talk and dressed quite respectively in a nice but clearly often used suit. Defiantly a local. His hair is jet black and combed off to one side. The other young gentleman, looking to the younger of the two, is also dressed in a nice shirt and tie but with a sweater vest instead of a suit jacket. They both seem harmless enough, but I can only trust them if William gives me mind to.

Instantly he puts me at ease by introducing them when he says, “Fiona, I would like to introduce you to some new friends who are quite excellent story tellers. This is Joseph on me right and this lad on me left is Thomas. These boys were just telling me a fantastic story about a boy they once knew. He came to town one day making their acquaintance and they instantly liked him. His name was Layton. He was from somewhere in England in a town called North Yorkshire.”

Wow, that was quite a lot of information all at once. William does sound awfully excited. I try not to grin to m’self as I say, “How’s fascinating to know someone from so far away. I’m not yet this lucky since this is me first visit out of our tiny village.”

Thomas and Joseph exchange a look as they join us before Thomas announces, “Oh yes, it was quite amazing to meet someone from so far away. Although Layton did not stay long as his family were travelers. It is actually quite a mystery, you see, because on the night they left, we never saw them leave. The rumor was too unbelievable to be truthful. People said that when they left, they saw him and his family change into…” Thomas pauses suddenly, looking over at Joseph for some reason and then continues, “into a rather large, scaly, horned lizard-like creature. Its ginormous wings had these gigantic and rather surprisingly elegant feathers. People even said they saw it breath fire when it roared rather loudly.”

Joseph added in, “They aren’t the only visitors we’ve had, although maybe the most frightening. I heard from me gran that there used to be leprechauns in these parts also,”

I take a deep breath as I look over at William, trying me best to not give anything away. I know how I must respond but it still rankles me as I say, “How wondrous. That is quite a fairy tale, indeed. Sounds like it would make a grand story.”

***

The more I read and the more stories I am told, the more inspired I felt, so we kept trying. The second and third trips proved more fruitful and with those successes behind us, I was finally able to bring up a secret that William had I had been holding back from the council.

When William and I decided that the time was right, we brought the council together and told them about William’s visions. The response from the other elders was a mix of trepidation, fear, excitement, and hope. With most of the elder’s opinions veering closer to the positive, we knew we had made the right choice to reveal the truth.

That task somehow became the easy part of the plan. The next step seemed to be more complicated. The visions were no longer helpful. It was as if we had hit a brick wall, and I knew this needed to change.

Thinking back to how the visions shifted for William when they were about me gift, I tried to remember why or how they came to change the first time. I remember him saying that once he had come home to Ireland, the visions seemed to shift. It seems as though, if I’m remembering correctly, the visions would only shift when certain big events happened. The further along the path we went, the more his visions transformed. Perhaps that is what we need to do now.

The perplexing things is figuring out what we can do to make that transpire. Frankly, I have no idea what that could be but at least we have a direction to go. Sort of. Me skin is buzzing with excitement at the prospect of me brother Sean truly surviving the shipwreck and possibly being alive still. It’s overwhelming just thinking about it and it makes me desire to travel to find out the truth. The only problem with that idea is that I only is that I probably shouldn’t be the one to set sail on an adventure. Maybe we could find someone more suited for such a long and tiresome journey that will undoubtably be wrought with unknown dangers and tests of intelligence that would scare away many an adventurer. It even frightens me after all I have been through and me journey with William is just beginning. Who knows what formidable challenges lurk around the next bend in the path.