It's been almost 7 weeks since cea and I left MacLaaran bound for my home in Ireland. The time has evaporated without us noticing but as mid-April approaches and the daffodils are emerging from their winter respite, my mind wanders back to MacLaaran. In the early morning hours I lay awake and wonder if the taxes made it to the King, if Lady Coventina is still visiting with us, has Aurora come to spend the springtime with her rogue...
Staring up into the blackness I know that although this place was once my home, that was another time. As difficult as it is for any Irishman to admit, my home now is in Scotland. I turn my head and look at the sleeping cea beside me and I smile. She has been such a wonderful help to Ayslin these past weeks. Mum isn't deteriorating like she was, but she isn't improving either. The woman who brings the herbs and the tea to her everyday says that's all we can expect at this point. I miss MacLaaran, but how can I leave my Mum. Not that I'm doing all that much for her, other than having cea here. It is after all cea and Ayslin who care for her. The most I can offer is a story, or a smile. These thoughts are getting me nowhere but sleepless. I turn over and try to fall asleep again.
The next morning after cea has taken Mum her breakfast, and brought ours to the small wooden table next to the kitchen, I sit her down to discuss my sleepless night. I tell her how much I appreciate all that she's doing for Mum, but tell her of my desire to return to Scotland. That I'm torn between my duty to my family here in Ireland, and my family in Scotland. That I can't in good conscience take her and go back to Scotland and leave Ayslin here to take care of Mum by herself. But I'm a member of the MacLaaran council in Scotland, and I have a duty that I'm neglecting by being here in Ireland. I don't see a way to serve both. I put my head in my hands and close my eyes.
I feel cea's hand on my neck and she simply says, ... "Don't you?... Use the ring. It's why you bought it."
I lift my head from my hands and look into her eyes... "What are you saying?... Leave you here?... No. Absolutely not. I won't do it!"
She looks at me with a smile on her face, laying her hand on my cheek, and repeats the words from the inscription inside the ring, "...though I am far from you, we will never be apart." ... As much as I want to find fault with this logic, I can't... Taking a deep breath and holding her hands in mine I nod my consent as I can't bring myself to voice the words.
Later that afternoon when Ayslin comes, we tell her of our decision. She reassures me that cea will be fine. That she and her husband will continue to think of her as one of the family even when I'm gone. I thank her and hug her tightly, then she's off to tend to Mum. I watch as she and cea split the chores around the small cottage and I smile as they already act like sisters.
That evening after dinner I tell cea that we have to prepare the ring and that I need her help. She seems eager at the thought of experiencing this even though she knows it will bring us that much closer to the time when I depart. I sit her down before the hearth, where I've spread a coarse blanket. I sit down facing her and draw several items from a small black bag. I remove the silver ring with the blue stone that still shines with the reflected sunlight. I remove another ring, this one gold with a yellow topaz as the stone. The topaz has an amber glow that might or might not be the reflection from the firelight as we sit close to it. I remove a small branch from a silver fir tree, the silvery green catching the firelight, the smell of pine immediately evident.
I put the topaz ring on my own left hand then ask her for hers. She hands me her right hand and I tell her gently "no, your left"... I see the smile on her lips and the glint in her eyes as she lays her left hand in mine. I slip the silver ring with the blue stone on the ring finger of her left hand, and we both smile at the significance but she says not a word. I put the silver fir in the palm of my left hand then take her left hand and place it on top of the fir branch, clasping my right hand over hers.
Before I start the incantation, I explain that there are several words and phrases that she must repeat exactly as I say them. I will let her know when and which phrases. She nods her understanding, and I begin. Speaking clearly and slowly I say the words, some familiar and some not. The first part of the incantation takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and the rings grow warm on our fingers. I tell cea that the next part is where she has to repeat the words and she nods again. I speak in English now, and she repeats each phrase exactly as I have spoken it.
This ring will be mine
This ring will be yours
These rings will be ours
I will be yours
You will be mine
We will be ours
Our minds
Our hearts
Our love
Nothing will keep me from you
Nothing will keep you from me
Nothing will ever keep us apart.
Removing my right hand from the top of hers I reach into the fireplace and pick up a small orange ember. It is very hot, but I'm careful not to drop it as I bring it over to the top of the blue stone set in her ring. I lay the ember carefully upon the top of the stone and speak the final words.
"My cea, though I am far from you, we will never be apart."
I see her wince as she feels a sharp hot pain from the inside of the band as the inscription is changed. I apologize for not warning her of that part. She looks down at the ring, and the orange ember from the fire has disappeared, but the stone now has a different look to it. Where it once seemed to reflect the noonday sun, bright and white, it now has a warm glow, as of firelight. She whispers, unsure... "Is that it?... Is it... Did it work?"
I nod my head and think the words, "Yes my love. It is complete"... Her head jerks up from looking at the stone, staring at my face. She watches my lips and asks, "Did you?... Did you just ... think that?" ... I look directly into her eyes and think the words, "Yes I did. It will take practice to learn to only 'talk' to me when you want to. To shield your other thoughts. Until then you can take the ring off when you don't want me 'listening'"... I smile and she just shakes her head and puts her right hand over her left holding the ring and thinking, "I'm never gonna take this ring off my finger." ... I smile then lean close and kiss her lips.
