Tipsy Moon

"Excellent! I'll take everything! What do you want for it?"

The price was always different, depending on what Eavain needed at the moment. Sometimes something from the forest (berries or mushrooms), medicine or potions that I made from herbs, or my ale of course.

"This time I will have a very unusual request…" – Eavain whispered modestly, lowering her eyes.

It was a bit dark, but I swear I noticed how her cheeks turned red! As soon as I opened my mouth to find out all the secrets from this modest girl, someone grabbed me by the shoulder.

"Hey, mistress!" – jumping up in surprise, I turned around and stared at a happy face with reddened swollen eyes. Aha… So, she was howling somewhere after all…

"Finally! Where have you been?!" – I exclaimed and turned back to the merrow. "Eavain, I'll come tomorrow, and you'll tell me everything! Deal?"

"Sure! I'll meet you tomorrow at sunset at our usual place then. I won't disturb you anymore! I'll go back to dancing".

Having said goodbye to Eavain, I took two mugs of ale from the nearest table and turned to Ashlyn, handing her one.

"Well? Tell me!" – I said this with such indignation that the banshee almost spilled her drink. – "Where have you been? Because of you, I was late for the ceremony!"

"Sorry", – even knowing well that it was not her fault, Ashlyn still apologized, because she deeply respected me. After all, I was not only her friend, but also her employer: this constantly disappearing banshee was my right hand and helped me run my pub. – "I was already halfway to the "Tipsy Moon" when I heard the Call. I didn't even have time to warn you that I might not make it in time…"

Ashlyn's face with those swollen red eyes looked simply heartbreaking.

"Ashlyn, my dear, I'm not angry at all. Don't be so sad. It's your duty, what can you do. Your eyes are completely swollen already… Don't be sad even more…" – I stroked her silver hair in a silent "everything will be fine", and she finally smiled.

"Tell me", – I continued in a softer tone. – "Who is it this time? Someone from Ardara villagers again?"

"Yes, from there again. Already the third one this week. He has two days left… The English are strangling them with unbearable taxes, and their harvest this year is very poor. Barely enough for food. There is nothing to trade. There is nothing to pay the rent. Someone decides to commit suicide. Someone dies of famine. It's sad to see… They are Erin's children too. But we can't interfere with their world. At least I can warn them of their upcoming loss", – Ashlyn took a deep breath and shook her head, driving away sad thoughts. – "It's not right for us to be sad on the holy night of Samhain!"

Still with a trace of sadness, she finally smiled.

"You are right, colleague!" – smiling, I hugged her tightly. – "We have no time for sadness today, for a hot night with a tipsy smell awaits us!"

"Oh! That's true!" – the banshee laughed, already anticipating rivers of ale and dancing on barrels.

Suddenly a shadow ran across her face, the smile and enthusiasm were replaced by thoughtfulness and anxiety.

"Eithne…" – she turned to me, but her gaze was looking somewhere to the right of me into the distance. I turned in the direction of her gaze.

"Mmm?" – and saw that she was looking at the main guest of the night – the vampire.

"Have you noticed who our guest is tonight?" – the banshee asked anxiously.

"If you mean the handsome vampire, then yes. I managed to get a good look at him. But I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet".

"I hope there won't be a chance…" – Ashlyn muttered.

"Why?" – my eyebrow went up. Maybe he's not her type? I wonder what kind of taste the banshee has. I've never seen her flirting with anyone though …

"The appearance of a vampire is always a bad omen… It is always better to stay away from them".

There was something in her words that sent shivers down my spine. A banshee would know a thing or two about omens. Perhaps I should have listened to her, even though there was something so alluring about this vampire. Maybe it was just my natural curiosity…

We gazed at him for a couple more minutes and, having made sure that no danger emanated from him at the moment, finished our ale and returned to dancing.

* * *

"Ah… That's it… I can't take it anymore…" – Ashlyn was barely dragging her feet, finally leaving the dancing circle. I was following her at the same speed of a turtle.

"Yeah… that's definitely enough for today", – I agreed, breathing heavily.

Then I heard the flapping of wings and a few seconds later, which was quite expected, Fi

"Hey, buddy! Where have you been?" – I asked the raven with a smile, lightly patting his feathered belly. – "Did you find anything interesting?"

Fi

"I hope you didn't steal it…" – I looked at my friend warily. Stealing the personal belongings of fairies, especially jewelry, was a big taboo in our world. These things absorb part of the owner's aura. A curse will fall on anyone who dares to steal this part…

The raven cawed twice and flapped its wings, clearly saying angry: "How dare you think that about me!"

"There, there. I'm sorry. I don't doubt you at all! It's just very strange… Who could lose a ring in the Fairy Meadow?"

I held the ring up to the moonlight to get a better look at it. The smith who made this ring clearly was skilled in jewelry. There was a beautiful ornate pattern all over the ring, successfully intertwined with small precious stones.

"Silver with sapphires. Very beautiful… Ashlyn!" – I turned sharply to the banshee.

"What? Do you know whose it is?" – she asked in surprise.

"No. But let's try to find out something from our guests today. Just don't mention the lost ring. You never know… There are many hunters for such beauty".

"Okay, I got it. I'll think of something", – the banshee nodded.

"And I'll hide it in a safe place until we figure something out. We don't need to bring any trouble upon ourselves…" – I said, hiding the ring in my dress pocket. – "Come on. We need to hurry to the pub. Otherwise, we won't have time to get ready for the guests".

I took Ashlyn by the hand and pulled her towards a huge hawthorn tree growing alone at the edge of the Meadow. We will go along the northern ley line. I had no strength left to run… Ashlyn immediately understood where I was leading her and didn't even think of arguing. It'll take us at least half an hour to walk normally, and two minutes along the ley line. Hmm… A difficult choice!

We approached an ancient tree, the branches of which were turned to the north. That is why the line was called the northern one. We turned our backs to the forest, touched the trunk and closed our eyes to tune in to the dimension of the portals. How long did this tuning take? It always varies. A minute, two, five… At some point, you simply begin to feel the flows of power where they seemed not to have been before. In fact, they have always been there, since the creation of the Earth. But not everyone can feel them, much less see them. Humans are definitely not capable of this. Well, maybe only druids can. They can see, but not walk on them. Only fairies can do this.

A few minutes later, I felt a vibration behind me and opened my eyes. Ashlyn was already looking at the line and waiting for me. Golden streams of power, slightly twisting, radiated from the tree and floated deep into the forest thicket.

"Fi

"Ashlyn, so what? Are we diving?"

"Let's go!" – the banshee nodded, and we simultaneously jumped into the golden wave, tuning in to our destination. The main thing is not to lose focus, otherwise the line will take you wherever it wants. That's how I once managed to visit Dublin, which is a week's walk on horseback … So, let's not get distracted! "Tipsy Moon", catch us!

Two minutes later, as I expected, we jumped out of the hawthorn tree right at the pub doors, almost crashing into them.

"Oh, my gods!" – Ashlyn exclaimed, stopping a millimeter from the door. – "I'll never get used to this! And why did you have to plant this tree so close to the entrance?!"

"For uninvited guests, of course! It welcomes its regulars into the house without any problems, and strangers get stuck in its branches and thorns until I find them there and decide what to do with them", – I answered, gently stroking the trunk of my favorite one, which was one of the central elements of the defense system of my home. And mainly it guarded me from wild animals and dark fairies. Humans were not even able to see my house, thanks to the eye-diverting spell. Instead of a picturesque house in the forest, their eyes will see the impassable swampy bogs. That is, of course, if they even get here… The nearest village from the pub is in a two-hour walk through the forest.

The sound of Fi

I arranged the tables and chairs so that they would not interfere with the customers dancing and walking around chatting with their neighbors. Moved away, I glanced at the arrangement, and, having made sure that there would be no congestion anywhere, wiped my hands on the apron.

"Damn it! The ring!" – by wiping my hands, I felt the forgotten finding in my pocket. This is not good at all…

After making sure that Ashlyn could not see me, I approached the spring, which waters looped around my house and the surrounding area. It was as if I lived on an island. The spring, of course, was not a regular one either. At least because someone lived in it.

I hid the ring under a stone near the source, where its aura would be sealed by the power of the water, and no one would be able to sense it there.

"I'll ask him for advice later…" – I muttered to myself and went back to the pub. As I passed the hawthorn tree, I felt a slight vibration of power.

"Ashlyn!" – I shouted through the door. – "Guests are coming!"

"Excellent!" – the banshee shouted back from the kitchen. – "Everything is ready here. Welcome!"

* * *

The musicians played a lively reel, the ale flowed like a river, Ashlyn danced on a barrel, loudly beating out the rhythm with her boots, and the guests continued to arrive. Almost all the seats were already taken.

The veranda was mostly occupied by elves and noble fairies (not the greatest of course… my modest pub would hardly be honored with such visitors). Of course, the Master of the Forest came, who was sitting under the crown of an ancient hazel tree closer to the spring, and was telling something to Fi