Takes A Special Woman
“I resorted to threatening her family. She only smiled and said, ‘do you want to be married to someone you forced to marry you and hates you?’ She was right. I wanted her to love me as much as I loved her. She was always kind when she rejected me. She told me I was a wonderful leprechaun, but I was a leprechaun. She was unsure how our relationship would work. I would tell her we would find out along the way. Then she would say she was just not ready.”
Quinn gives Ainmire a hug, trying to console him.
“It’s okay.” Ainmire pats Quinn’s back. “It was a long time ago and now it is just a happy story with a sad ending. A tragic love tale, one might say.” Quinn releases Ainmire and sits back in her chair. Ainmire resumes, “I proposed everyday for years. I finally decided that if she did not love me, I had to set her free. I told her to go back to the town and live her life, find a good husband, and have many children. If she was not going to be with me, I just wanted her to be happy. She told me she could not leave her garden. The flowers would wither and die. I promised I would take care of them for her, she deserved to love something other than flora. She packed that night and left. I didn’t even go down to say goodbye. I watched her from the tower window as she stood in the front field waiting for me to send her off. When I never came, she walked away.”
Ainmire bows his head, sadness weighing on his shoulders. “She stayed away for five years. I tended the garden everyday when she was gone. I never went to another festival in town. I did not want to see her happy with someone else. But in those five years, although she had many suitors, Branna never married. One day, Alroy’s mother came to the castle with Alroy in tow. She rarely descended her mightiness to see me. So while she was mucking about with humans and common Fae, she decided to throw a dance at the castle. A ball to be precise. Everyone in the town was to come. I think she was just looking for human playmates.”
A look of anger sweeps through Ainmire’s eyes.
“I sat in my room, refusing to attend the event. She commanded it. When I would not budge, she threatened to kill Alroy. He is my son. I could not let that evil woman kill him over such a trivial thing as a ball.”
Quinn gasps, “She would kill her own son?”
“She has many times before. I knew she would honor her threat.” Ainmire shakes his head. “I went to the ball. Spent the night staring at the reveling town folks and just wanting to get some peace. Halfway through the festivities, I snuck out to the garden. I heard someone singing as I approached my favorite bench. The voice was angelic and I knew right away it was my Branna. She was kneeling in the garden, gently touching the flowers, and singing to them. I watched her for a while. When she rose and turned to head back inside, she stumbled backwards when she saw me behind her. I guess she didn’t know I was there. I caught her and almost cried when I got to look into her eyes again.
“When she was steady on her feet, she gave me a hug, more than a hug. She wrapped herself around me and we melted into each other. She kissed me. She had never kissed me before. When she pulled back, she said, ‘Ainmire, the garden is so lovely. Who did you have tend it all these years?’ I proudly told her I did. I saw a new expression in her eyes. One I had never seen. She kissed me again and I felt it in every part of my body. She asked me why I tended the flowers. I told her that I made a promise to her and the garden was how I kept her in my life. Then she asked if I still loved her. Of course I did.”
A smile breaks through the sadness on Ainmire’s face.
“She took my hand and said she loved me too. She told me she spent the last five years missing something. She was not sure what. When she heard about the ball, she thought maybe she had missed the garden. But standing in the garden, she still felt empty. She said she stared at the bench for a long time. She hoped I would come to the garden. She knew she needed to see me. When she saw me standing behind her, all the love still in my eyes, she knew what she missed was me. She loved me as much as I loved her. I got down on my knee and proposed one last time. I made a ring from one of the flowers she had picked. This time she said yes. We were married the next day.”
“That sounds a lot more romantic than met at work.” Quinn jokes.
“I guess it was romantic. It’s been a long time since I talked about Branna.” Ainmire’s eyes are damp.
“Was Ciaran conceived soon after?” Hayes joins the conversation.
Ainmire laughs. “Our wedding night actually.”
Ciaran pipes in, “I thought human women could not conceive children with Fae?”
Ainmire smiles and looks between Ciaran and Quinn. “Very few can. It takes a special woman.” He nods at Ciaran. “Your mother was a special woman, Ciaran.” Ainmire turns his attention to Quinn. “And it looks like you may have found a special woman as well.”
Ainmire stands and stretches his long body. “I expect lots of grandchildren from you two.” His voice fills the room. “Now, these old bones could use a rest. Please excuse me.” He leaves the room.
Soon, Dominique gathers the plates and clears the food from the table. He offers everyone dessert and coffee, but they all decline. Ciaran and Quinn head to their suite and Hayes retires to his room.
“I’ll take the couch tonight.” Ciaran says as he grabs a pillow and blanket from the trunk at the bottom of the bed.
“You will do no such thing, husband.” Quinn takes the pillow and blanket from him and places them back in the trunk. “We can share a bed like other married couples do.”
“Are you teasing me, Mrs. Magee?” A devious twinkle lights Ciaran’s eyes.
“Only if you want me to, Mr. Magee.” Quinn closes the space between them and kisses Ciaran.
“I have never wanted anything more,” Ciaran scoops Quinn in his arms and throws her on the bed. She lets out a squeak as she hits the comforter.