With each step he took, he fell into a sort of meditative trance. One that allowed him to commune with the spirits. He saw a series of images that included he and Ariel, how happy they would be, how happy she would be, and how much she loved him. Through it all, she was obviously enthralled to him. The images weren't all good, but as each scene ended, there was always the two of them, and there was always happiness.
He almost lost his footing as the images started over again. The only difference was that this time, he hadn't taken her as thral and made her a nighean thrailean. They progressed the same way, and ended the same way, but the sense of joy and contentment was absent. It was evident that they loved each other, but for some reason, there was also something missing. It took him a few minutes to realize what it was. It was the lack of intimacy that being nighean thrailean brought to her life. In that instant, he realized that she wanted to be bound to a strong man and that she had chosen him, and for reason that he couldn't fathom, the creative spirits approved it.
I understand, he directed toward the beings that had chosen him. This is what your plan is, and you bless it. He came out of his meditative trance when Ariel suddenly stopped and waited for him to catch up. As he moved up behind her and looked over her shoulder, he saw a flat plateau with a series of stones laid around it. He gazed quizzically at her, then closely examined the placement of the stones. This isn't natural, it's something created by Daoine a bhios a 'siubhal. But that didn't feel right. It felt as if it were much older than that.
“The Daoine a bhios a 'siubhal didn't build this, did they?” He inquired. Ariel's bright smile proved that he was right.
Ariel watched him anxiously as he examined the site. Will he draw the obvious conclusion? She wondered. When he did, she nodded. “No, this was not built by Daoine a bhios a 'siubhal hands.” She bounced from foot to foot as he took another look around the site. Come on Maighstir, you can figure this out. I know that you can.
Iohn looked around. *Wait, Is that what I think it is? *He walked around the various stone markers, tracing the ancient runes with his fingertips. This one is the Father-Creator, that one is the Mother-Comforter. He stopped at one that looked like a stylized flame motif. Lucifern? In all, there were over a hundred different stones arrayed in a circle. If the Daoine a bhios a 'siubhal didn't build this, but they are the first-born, then.... He froze as he felt the short hairs on the back of his neck stand up. “The spirit's built this place?”
Ariel beamed with pride. “Yes,” she gushed, “I knew that you'd figure it out.” She practically danced around him in joy. I can finally share my joys with someone else. She thought to herself as she slipped an arm around Iohn. “Maighstir, when we are through with your urgent matter, may I show you some other things?”
