The shadows sweep

And shadows fall

Across the weeping sky

Eyes as black as a devil’s soul

Through clouds of smoke did peer

A lady in peril and he was bound

Not by honor, not by fear, but by magic

To help the lady, dear

With a single sweep he broke the bonds that bound

The lady, dear

Ælandra stood; hair of brown, eyes of sapphire.  

A handsome boy at her feet; a handsome slave to do her bidding.

Justin Tam Lin knelt bound not by honor, not by love, and not by fear, but by magic at her feet.  Bandits strewn around like blaedes of grass.  Ælandra stared in horror at the creature kneeling before her.

            “By what maegic did thou topple my men? Who by honor were bound to me,” Ælandra asked. Fear inscribed on her face but courage in her soul.

            “Your men?” Justin gasped in surprise.

            “Aye,” Ælandra replied, “My men.”

            “But danger nears or else I would not be here,” said Justin.

            “Danger in the form of a handsome black-haeired buidseach,” said Ælandra, “sent by the sědh-King along with twenty warriors who near even as we speak.”

            “The sědh-King, the faerie King! You think he sent me? Why?” Justin asked.

Ælandra gestured as she spoke, “They say he has a taste for human maids but in my case it is a taste for revenge not a taste for human flesh that drives his desire.”

“Revenge?” Justin asked. He looked nervously up at her.

“Aye revenge,my grandmother was Makini.  She murdered his son Justin Tam Lin,” Ælandra smiled, “But as a buidseach you already know this!”

Justin Tam Lin stared up at her, “I am Justin Tam Lin. My beloved Makini trapped me within the locket you wear around your neck and bound me by magic to protect her descendants.”

Her blue eyes gentled as she spoke, “Dear máthair mhór, you always were a tricky one!”

Justin stood his cloak swirling around him, “Makini lived in eighteenth century England. So where are we?”

“Can you not guess?” Ælandra asked.

“The Fair Land,” He whispered.  

She nodded. Her thick braid trailed down her shoulder across leather armor and across a sword belt. She wore breaches and boots.  There was a long sword in her hand.

“Have you eaten or drunken anything since coming here?” Justin asked grabbing the girl’s hands.

She looked him in the eye and said, “Yes!”