They ask the druid for help

When we get back to the village, I first let Gwen get into the barn to collect her clothes. I walk around the barn and wait for her at the exit. Though when the door opens, it is not my sister but Kaileigh who comes out. I quickly cover my crotch as she looks at me, surprised that I am here and nude. Then she squints at me, turns her head to the barn she just came from and raises her eyebrows.

“Oh boy.” Kaileigh mutters. Then she leaves without saying anything else.

A bit later a dressed Gwen comes out.

“Did Kaileigh notice you?” Gwen asks right away.

“Yeah, she did.” I tell Gwen. “I think she figured out we got together.”

“Oh no.” Gwen sighs. “We’re going to be the talk of the village again.”

I take my sister by the hand and say, “Let’s worry about that later. First, we need to get my clothes.”

Together, we walk over to the other side of the village. Just as I enter the building there, the door opens and Zayden comes out. He sees Gwen and me and immediately raises his eyebrows.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.” Zayden assures us.

“Actually, you can tell Kaileigh. She has seen us already.” I tell Zayden. Pretty much confirming what he is already thinking. “But could you also ask her not to tell anyone? Just discuss it between the two of you.”

Zayden gives us a thumbs up and says, “Sure, no problem.”

Once Zayden leaves, I go in, put my clothes on and come back out to rejoin Gwen. After that, we head over to our village druid. I knock on his door multiple times and it takes a while for him to open, but eventually he answers the door for us.

“I’m sorry for disturbing you so late at night, Kevon.” I apologize. But my sister and I need your help.”

Kevon looks first at me, then at Gwen, noticing both our necklaces. He closes his eyes and sighs. “I had hoped for you two to not pair up again tonight.”

He then opens the door wide for us and asks us to come in.

“Who is it?” His wife asked.

“It’s Donall’s kids, Caireann.” He tells her. “It is going to be a long night.”

Gwen and I take place at their table and I start explaining Kevon about last year’s Samhain. That it awakened something in both of us and at first, we were resistant to it, but the feelings we had for each were too strong. That when my father caught us, it was not just Gwendolyn’s fault but also mine. And even if our love is wrong, we met each other again during this year’s Samhain. So how can our love be wrong if the ancestors keep guiding us together.

Kevon takes his time listening to my story and only interrupts us when he is confused about what happened first. Aside from that, he focuses on listening and takes in everything I have to tell him.

After I finish, Kevon starts his reply and says, “I get what you are saying, Gawain. But I’m afraid you are mistaken, Gawain. When the ancestors guide brother and sister to each other, it is not a blessing, but a punishment.” Then he starts telling us a story from before we were born.

“You see, many years ago, the horse keeper had a sister named Keyara. Supposedly, she got with Kerwyn during Samhain, but Kerwyn didn’t appreciate that. So, he took her necklace and made it hid it. Or at least, according to Keyara. Because the elders of that time went to Kerwyn’s smithy and investigated the place, but couldn’t find Keyara’s necklace. They therefore concluded that Keyara was lying about it and so Kerwyn didn’t get punished. But many years later, Kerwyn’s oldest daughter and oldest son got paired at Samhain and had a Samhain child. Ever since then I started to believe that maybe the elders were wrong and Kerwyn really did wrong Keyara.”

“So, you believe the ancestors punished Kerwyn by pairing his children together?” I ask.

“I believe so, yes.” Kevon answers.

Gwen takes hold of my arms and hugs it. I understand what she’s going through. We came to Kevon in hopes that he will help us, but it seems that he is not taking our side.

“What about the beekeeper’s parents? Roarke and Gilda. They are siblings too. Did their parents do anything wrong?” I ask.

Kevon dismisses my question by saying, “Not every person is like Keyara and accuses the culprit of doing something wicked. There are far more cases of someone disrespecting the traditions and then nobody accuses them. Only the ancestors, who watch over us as ghosts, know for certain.

It looks like we are not going to get help from him this way. There must be another way for us to receive his support.

“Even if that’s true, it is already done. My sister and I got paired a second time, and my seed is inside her now.”

In the meantime, his wife comes with some goblets containing water and passes them out for us.

“There is a chance that Gwendolyn will be carrying my Samhain child. But if I dare go home with her necklace, my parents will not only scold me. But who knows what they are going to do to Gwen.”

“True. That is an issue.” Kevon replies. “I can arrange with the marshal that you two are to stay at his place for a while. In case your father decides to become violent, you will have the marshal’s protection. This will last for a month, when the girls who participated at Samhain get checked for pregnancies. If by then Gwen is indeed carrying your Samhain child, the both of you will be given a house to live in. Then your parents will no longer have any say into your lives. But if Gwen is not carrying your Samhain child then, the protection will be lifted.”

I guess this is the best we can get for now. I will have to think of a plan B later.

“Why don’t you stay the night here. You can use Aine’s old room.” Caireann suggests while looking at me. “It is too late to go wake up the marshal. Besides, your father should be asleep as well. He will only notice you didn’t return home tomorrow and if you wake up early, you’ll be at the marshal already.”

“That would be wonderful. Thank you, Caireann.” I thank the old woman.

Gwen and I get shown to the room and then the old couple goes back to bed.