One Journey Ends While Another Begins
Durin' the next story time I resumed me story where I'd left off previously...
'After aidin' Goldberry and her sister Willowsong, Mac took Beannaithe to the nearby town to find lodgin' for the night.
"Look, Mac, they have a wooden carvin' of you!" thought Beannaithe while gazin' up at the sign. "This must be the place where we are meant to stay."
The lass entered the inn to purchase a night's lodgin's.
'An inn?' asked Diolun. 'What's that?'
'And can one go out of an inn?' cracked Daibhidh. His cousins giggled.
I gave Daibhidh a brief sidelong glance of disapproval but that were all the acknowledgement he'd receive from me.
'An inn,' I explained, 'is an establishment where travellin' folks can eat and drink and gain lodgin's for a night. Occasionally for more than one night.
'Wouldn't they rather stay with kin?' Diolun asked.
'Aye, but what if a traveller has no kin in the area where they are travellin'?' I asked him.
'Oh, I hadn't thought of that,' he said glumly.
'Within the inn Beannaithe received the usual number stares from the patrons. The lass were accustomed to it, it'd been happenin' to her all her life, but still it is worth mentionin'. After all, it isn't everyday the townsfolk see a wee lass wearin' strange armour with bee's wings protrudin' out the back.
"Is it a pint you want?" asked the hosteler. "I know adventurers such as yourself are always thirsty after a long day of, uh, well, adventuring."
Beannaithe smiled and shook her head "no".
"Then it must be a room you want?" the hosteler asked.
Beannaithe vigourously nodded her head.
"Just one night is it then?' the hosteler inquired.
The lass nodded her head again, tossin' her coin purse on top of the counter.
"Thank'ee, lass, but I'll collect payment in the mornin'. Here's your key," the hosteler said slidin' the iron key across the counter top.
Beannaithe nodded then, standin' on tiptoe in an effort to reach the top of the counter, took the key. After she'd seen to it that Mac were comfortably settled in his stall in the stable, Beanaithe turned in for her night's rest.
The next mornin', after seein' that Mac had been properly fed, Beannaithe herself enjoyed a hearty breakfast of inn food. And, before of ye ask, aye, it included rashers,' I added with a grin.
Diolun looked pleased.
'After Beannaithe washed down the last of her breakfast with a mouthful of tea,' I continued, 'she gathered her things, waved good-bye to the hosteler, then returned to the stable to fetch Mac.'
'Where shall we go today, Mac?' the lass said in thought to her pony friend who answered with an enthusiastic neigh. 'All right, let's go then!'
After Beannaithe mounted Mac he immediately began to trot toward the town's southern gate then, once the town's outer wall were behind 'em, he began to gallop at an alarmin' pace. Once again Beannaithe had to press her head tight against the pony's neck and close her eyes shut to avoid the wind stingin' 'em.
'Whee!' she would have shouted if she could, but she couldn't so she didn't.
'Huh?' said Diolun.
'I think Granda were sayin' that the ride were exhilaratin', isn't that right?' asked Darowva.
'Aye, it were,' I answered her with a smile. It pleased me that she remembered the word "exhileratin'" from a previous story I'd told.
'That's enough "exhilaration" for one evenin',' me daughter Ériu sternly said.
'We quite agree!' said Fódla and Banba in unison.
I gazed at me daughters a moment. 'When did they grow to be so tall?' I asked meself.
'Is somethin' wrong, Da?' Banba asked me. There were concern in her voice.
'Oh, it's nothin',' I told her with a smile. 'I was just rememb'rin' when you and your sisters were wee ones yourselves.'
'That was ages ago!' she said with a laugh.
'Was it?' I said. 'It seems like it were just yesterday.'
'Good night, Da,' she said with a kiss upon me cheek. Her sisters had already led their wee ones to their beds.
