He awoke in the middle of the night to something odd humming through the air. Brishen lazily glanced about the room through barely parted eyes, his senses dulled from sleep. As he became more aware his heart skipped a beat, eyes immediately falling to Niamh with worry. She was still there, sleeping safe and sound beside him. Relief quickly overcame the short bout of panic. But the feeling hadn?t left. He carefully disentangled himself from his love, leaning over to drop a kiss to her forehead before he slipped from the bed.

Blindly stumbling about the room, Brishen snagged up a pair of pants and a shirt, hastily dressing on his way toward the bedroom door. He slipped out quietly, hurrying to the front door where his boots waited, then tugged them on as well. Lastly came his scarf, for he figured he wouldn?t be out long enough to need his coat. He unlocked the door, quietly slipping out and locking it behind him before rounding the homely cottage in the forest.

As he walked behind his and Niamh?s home, the odd sense grew stronger, as though he were nearing something. Then he saw him there, a tall and skinny man with wildly curled hair and a face covered by scruff. He sat on tree stump; a pipe hanging from his lips with tiny curls of smoke drifting into the air. In the dark, it was difficult to make out much of the man, but Brishen was already aware.

?Lo?, Brish.? Said Maddoc Garridan as Brishen stepped into sight. A hand lifted to motion him over.

?Hello, Da?.? Brishen returned as he went toward the man. ?Ye got m?message, I see.?

?Aye, I did.? Maddoc replied, standing up as Brishen neared him. ?Take a walk with me, Brish.? He motioned to the left, where the forest lay.

Brishen paused, glancing back toward the cottage, at the window to his room where Niamh slept.

?She?ll be fine for now, Brish. Indulge yer ol? pa?.? Maddoc insisted as he turned, grabbing Brishen?s arm to tug him along.

?How?s Ma??? He asked, finally acquiescing to his father?s demands.

?She?s good.? The older Garridan replied. ?We need tae talk.?

?What about??

The pair walked to the stream that ran behind the cottage, Maddoc crouching near the water to dip his hands into it.

?Ye know ye got power like yer Mum an? Lilli.? He said, splashing his face with the icy water. ?An? ye know ye got it like I do.?

Maddoc stood, tugging at his scarf to wipe his face as he turned toward Brishen, who took to leaning against a nearby tree as he watched the older man.

?Aye. I cannae e?er use it, though.? Brish pointed out bitterly. ?At least nae with a steady head.?

Maddoc laughed quietly, shrugging. ?It?s nae somethin? we train for, Brish. Nae entirely?? He paused thoughtfully then shook his head. ?Well, for yer Mum an? Lilli it is. But nae for us Garridans.?

?Uh huh.? Brishen stared at him flatly, stubbornly skeptical. ?Been a man for a while now, Da?.?

?It?s nae necessarily a comin? o?age thing, Brish.? Maddoc explained. ?Ye know the bond ye an? Niamh now share??

?How?d ye find out ?bout that??

?I can feel it through ye.? Maddoc smiled warmly then. ?She?s a good one, that girl. Ye take care o?her.? He then waved dismissively. ?But back tae what I was sayin?. That bond, ye did that intentionally.?

?Aye, what about it??

?Ye?ll be turnin? twenty an? four soon. When ye do, it?ll come tae ye. It?ll be in small bursts, an? it?ll take practice tae use, so be careful. Donae try an? use it while there are people around, ye may hurt someone.?

?Eh?just like that??

?There?ll be some bumps here an? there, but it?s all simple, really.?

?An? ye couldnae have told me this b?fore so I?d nae waste all that time tryin? tae learn what I couldnae use yet??

Maddoc laughed and shrugged helplessly. ?Ye got yer mother in ye tae. Ye?d just ignore me anyhow. ?Sides, I thought maybe with her blood, things?d be different.?

?Aye. Sure showed ye, huh??