One of the festival goers directs me to the red tent at the quiet end of the marketplace near the stream. Rounding the corner by the smithy, Baine's little tent is the first thing I see. The next thing I see is a raven, stunningly black against the bloodred roof. Then there is Baine!

I step forward and hear her declare to the raven, "I have decided to get back my sword! I will return to the place where I threw it into the river..."

The raven turns its head to view me. I don't know why Baine wants that sword back. She could have any sword if she wants to use one. The possibilities are chilling.

"Why, Baine?" I ask aloud.

She looks to see who spoke. Her face changes from surprise to confusion to anger to wonderment and finally to joy, all in one sharp breath. There is no more question of whether she still wants me. As we seal our reunion with a long, melting kiss, our feathered watcher gives a flap of his wings and takes to the eastern sky.

We are to meet the others in the first bunch of trees past the first bend outside Tara's east gate. As Baine tosses her meager possessions into a sack and draws the string, I tell her what I know.

"It's true, I saw him myself! Sean was entwined with a slender, darkhaired lass," I reply to Baine's hoot of disbelief. "She had a strange look about her and - well, she looked like one of the Sidhe!"

Baine closes one eye and looks at me sideways. "Our own archer? The one who turns white as milk just at a whisper of such things?"

"Let's go and see for ourselves then. I think they must still be rolling about in the grass somewhere nearby."

We set out towards the festival grounds along the stream behind the marketplace, a likely place for trysting. Sure enough, we find them enjoying a small feast spread on Sean's cloak in the lush stretch of green just behind the red tent. Sean has his back to us. The lass perks up her ears. Delicate pointed ears perched like a fox's, on top of her head. Or else they are so long that they come up through each side of her strangely silken hair. Her face is broad across the brow and cheekbones, narrowing sharply to a tiny pointed chin. She has the large, luminous eyes of a cat. They flash at me and Baine like warning beacons. Sean spins around and goes completely slack jawed and moon-eyed.

"Ah, Sean, m'lad!" I greet him as if this is all quite ordinary. I start talking fast, avoiding looking at the fey lass for fear she'll strike me blind or worse yet, make me fall in love with her as she obviously has done with our unfortunate bloodbrother. "Look, I've found Baine! She's coming with us. We'd best leave now, our - er- friends are waiting for us! I have some unfinished business to do before we go, if you remember? So meet us where we said, and quickly, or we might leave without you!"

The last I say in a very stern tone. Baine drags her feet when I pull her away with me towards the livestock pens. She is always curious about forbidden things. But I have a bull to sell before we leave Tara. One close look at Sean's new love was enough for me. He must be bewitched, poor fool. I wouldn't gamble on him showing up at our meeting place. He will follow her to her sidhe-mound and stay there for a thousand years. By the time he finds his way out - if ever - we'll all be bones and ashes! How will I tell Nion?

(OOC I"m going back to sell my bull at The Festival Grounds next post if anyone is reading and following.)