Senan was sitting by the side of the river. In front of him were four pots, three little ones and one big one. He pinched ingredients from the small bowls and sprinkled them into the large bowl, mixing constantly. Occasionally he scooped up a handful of water and threw that in, or a piece of grass, or some crumbled up leaves. He seemed to be both indifferent about his actions and hyper-focused on them at the same time. Tracking the movements of his hands was impossible, they were so quick, but his expression was serene. Just looking at his face, he could have been meditating.
From all directions around him among the trees were calling voices, along with the fading sound of drums. Some called for Senan. Others called for Sean. One called out for big brother.
It was this person that found him. He had clearly been running. Once spotting Senan, he paused a few feet away and put his hands on his knees to catch his breath. It was Senan’s younger brother, Fionn. Fionn shared Senan’s silvery hair and eyes, but that was where the similarities ended.
“Senaaaan,” he dragged out, whining with a pout. He sat next to his older brother by the river, limbs splayed. Senan ignored his tantrum. Fionn was already a century and a half old. He should have long since grown out of this childishness. Of course, Senan was already two centuries older than him, so perhaps he was placing too high of standards on the younger sidhe.
Fionn ignored his brother ignoring him. “You’re such an ass. You didn’t show up for the ceremony, so the lord made me do it.”
Senan continued mixing his potion. The only sign that he was listening was the slightest upward twitch of his eyebrow.
“I don’t understand.” Fionn flopped back on his back in the grass, extending his feet until they were in the river. Senan, who was about to scoop up another handful of water, paused, threw his brother a dirty look, and retracted his hand. “You could have been on the council. Da was expecting you to take his place. You should have seen him. He was so angry…”
Fionn was talking about the sidhe council. They made up what passed for a government in the Tir Na Nog. They were the only twelve sidhe that had power besides lord Diarmuid, who had quite a bit more say. If he really wanted to do something, the council was essentially powerless against him. They were mostly just there for a show of fairness, of checks and balances.
Senan hadn’t ever traveled to the human village just beyond the Tir Na Nog, but he’d heard that power was more or less in the hands of the village elders only, and none was more powerful than the others. He wondered how that worked. Humans died so quickly after all. Wouldn’t they have to keep replacing them over and over? Still, he thought, it would be preferable to being a council member in the land of fey.
Senan and Fionn’s father had been a council member for over five hundred years, and he had gotten tired of it. Besides, he had a more than levelheaded, qualified first born son to take his place when he wanted to retire. Lord Diarmuid agreed that Senan would be a fine addition to the council. Senan knew he only said that to have him more firmly in his grasp.
Because Senan didn’t show up to the appointing ceremony, the unlucky Fionn was called up instead. If Senan had been an only child, they likely would have postponed the ceremony until he could found and forced to show up – bound and gagged if he had to be – but why go to all that trouble when there was a perfectly good, if a little frivolous, younger brother right there? And besides, at least he had managed to show up. Diarmuid didn’t care one way or the other. He would have preferred if it was Senan, but couldn’t be bothered to care too much.
“It’s all your fault,” Fionn whined. “Couldn’t you have given me some advanced notice?”
“…Are you unhappy?” Senan asked without looking at him. When he spoke, it was usually without much inflection, but Fionn knew his older brother, and he could hear the undertones of concern.
Fionn pouted. “No. It’s a life of leisure for me, just how I like it. At least da will probably stop yelling at me to go do something productive.”
“…”
“Speaking of da…,” Fionn continued hesitantly, turning on his side to look directly at Senan, “It wouldn’t be a bad idea to leave the city for a while. He’s really mad this time. I don’t know what would happen if you were to show your face in front of him before he’s cooled down.”
Senan paused in his stirring briefly. He nodded.
Fionn sprung up from the ground, placing his hands on his hips. He breathed in deeply. “Well, now that I have a job, it’s time to go shopping. I think I’ll buy some silver robes. Ma thinks the silver with our hair and eyes is too much, but I like it. Wherever you go, be safe. I would say take a friend with you, but you don’t play well with others.”
Senan nodded again, placing a clay lid over the top of his finished potion. “Don’t spend all your money again. I don’t have enough to bail you out this time.”
“So mean…” Fionn sighed, pretend kicking at Senan’s side. He left, whistling merrily as he followed the river back home. However, he had only gone a few steps before seeming to remember something. He looked over his shoulder, an unreadable expression on his face.
“Just…remember to come back, okay? For the wedding?”
Senan was silent for a long time. From Fionn’s position, he could only see the slightest bit of Senan’s side profile through his long, unpinned hair.
The response was faint. “…Mm.” And then nothing more.
Fionn was uncomfortable in his heart, but Senan had always been the type to hold on to his feelings, not letting anyone, even him, get the slightest glimpse. He hoped that after getting married, Senan would be able to loosen up a little. It wasn’t good to hold everything inside all the time.
Placing the finished potion in a bag that had been hidden away nearby, Senan silently slung the bag over his back and walked in the opposite direction Fionn had gone. With no one around to see, he let the slightest smile cross his face.
For the next two months, he was free to do what he liked. He could travel, he could learn…he could do anything he wanted for two whole months…
Until the wedding, that is.
The thought made his steps falter slightly. The smile was gone. He decided he was going to enjoy himself, no matter what. He wouldn’t think of Diarmuid… and he wouldn’t think of him. He didn't want to court misery.
Behind Senan by quite a ways, unbeknownst to him, a figure popped out from behind a tree. There was no knowing how long he had been hiding there, watching him. With only the slightest hesitation, the figure crept out, following behind Senan.
~~~