Chapter 29

Ken could not believe how crowded the theater was. There wasn't even standing room in the place; every square inch was packed with people. He had a feeling that the fire marshal would be a very unhappy person if he could see what was going on here. The girls were extremely excited, and Ken resigned himself to a night of the loud, annoying crap that passed for music these days. He himself, when he listened to music at all, preferred rock from the '70s and '80s. Honestly though, he really wasn't into music all that much anyway, and had only come because it was so important to Tina and Ari. He suspected that Jane could also take it or leave it, but he wasn't sure. It was times like this that he realized he'd only known the two women he was married to for a few months, and he had a lot to learn about them.

"Hey," whispered Ari to her sister and Cindy, "doesn't that look like some of the guys from The Chieftains?"

"Now that you mention it, yeah," replied Tina.

She and Cindy were holding hands. The girls had been inseparable since they'd consummated their relationship last weekend. Cindy was still shy showing affection in public, but she was so excited, he didn't think she even realized that she was holding Tina's hand.

"Um..." said Cindy frowning, "look over there. That looks like Natalie MacMaster!"

"No fucking way," said Ari, then, "My Goddess, it is."

The girls excitedly started looking around the audience, naming names that Ken had never heard of. Someone or something called Danu, a Dervish, Altoids ("Altan" corrected Jane), and other names that meant little to him. He smiled at Jane, who gave every indication she was enjoying the girls' pleasure as much as he, but was far more in tune with what was going on.

"Imagine," she replied when he asked why they were so excited, "going to a Who concert, and seeing the members of Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, and a bunch of other major rock bands in the audience."

"This chick's that big a deal?" he asked.

Jane shrugged. "Evidently."

The lights dimmed, and everyone got very quiet. Ken was rather startled by the lack of noise when the music started up. He didn't realize it quite then, but this was the start of another life-changing experience for him. It wasn't as life-changing as becoming Lea's Avatar, but it was damned powerful.

A single instrument, playing a slow, beautiful piece of music started the concert. Ken was lost to the sound within seconds. Soon, the stage lights came up, and a bunch of other musicians joined in; the piece they were playing turned into a flood of music, and the energy in the room jumped as it did. In total, there were eight people on stage, mostly playing instruments that Ken had never seen (except for the guitar and the violin), but producing music that captivated him in a way that he'd never experienced.

The piece ended, the audience started screaming and hollering their pleasure, and Ken found he was right there with them. A small, attractive redhead -- Fionna Ashland, Ken was sure -- stepped up to the microphone.

"Well now," she said, her voice carrying the same musical Irish lilt that Lea's occasionally held, "I see I've been tricked by my band members."

There was laughter in the audience, but it was scattered, as if most people didn't understand what she meant. It was obvious to her that most people weren't getting the joke.

"I suppose I should explain," she said. "None of the people with me on stage tonight are my regular band members. My band appears to be on a bit of a break, sitting out there with you. Please stand up and wave, my fine tricksters."

Four men stood and waved to everyone. Ken didn't understand, but apparently others did. Including Arianwen.

"So that's what they're doing here," she said excitedly.

Ken looked at Ar, and was about to say something, when Fionna started speaking again.

"I don't suppose you'll be joining me up here?" she asked her band.

"Maybe afterward, if you're buying the Guinness!" yelled one back.

More laughter. Ken was still lost.

"Well, let me introduce the doppelgangers I've been given," she said. "To my right, and I can only guess which of his instruments he'll playin' tonight, is Seamus Egan of the band Solas."

There was a lot of applause and whistling. She continued, introducing each person on the stage. All of them were apparently from other bands.

"These are some of the best Irish musicians in the world," whispered Arianwen to Ken. "I mean, really top talent. Apparently they've pulled a switch on her. It must be a tribute to her, which means this really is her last concert."

"... so it's back to the music," Fionna was saying. "Can I assume you all know our set list for tonight?"

The guitar player just smiled and started playing. Once again, Ken's attention was stolen by the music. And once stolen, it wasn't returned for the entire concert, as they didn't take a break. All the musicians were just amazing, but Fionna held the center stage and the music that poured from her instrument was almost indescribable. Soft and sweet, or hard and fast, each note combined with what everyone else was playing to create something that was stunning.

Toward the end of the concert though, Ken noticed that she seemed to be tiring very rapidly. As he watched her more closely, finally able to divorce himself from the hold of the music, he noticed something about her. She had a... darkness... in her body. A darkness which was similar, but different than the one he'd seen in Sally. As he concentrated on her more, he could see it had woven thick cords through her body, most especially through her head. It was creepy, to say the least. The music picked up again though, and the darkness retreated, but Ken knew it wasn't gone. Not at all.

Once the concert was over, he pulled Jane aside for a moment.

"Did you get a good look at Fionna?" he asked.

Jane frowned a bit. "Not sure what you mean."

"I mean, did you see any of the... well, the same kind of darkness we saw on Sally?"

Jane thought for a moment, then said, "Now that you mention it, for just a moment, I thought I saw something like it."

Ken was going to dismiss the whole thing, but then, clear as a bell, he knew he shouldn't. He had to meet with Fionna, and that was going to be no easy thing, he was sure.

"Ari," he said, "take Tina and Cindy back home, then get back here as fast as you can, okay?"

"Is there something wrong?" she asked.

"I'll explain when you get back, but hurry, alright?"

Tina looked at him when it was obvious that he and Jane weren't going back with them. She was also a bit annoyed that they weren't going to be able to stay for a signing.

"What's a signing?" he asked.

Tina looked at him like he was an alien.

"We were going to get our CDs signed by the band," she replied.

"They do that sort of thing?"

"Of course," she replied.

That meant that he might be able to get close to her after all.

"Excellent idea," he said, indicating she should lead.

It was difficult to cut through the crowd, but most people were very orderly and surprisingly polite. Ken was surprised, figuring that alcohol and drugs would certainly be a part of any concert. Perhaps they were, but no one seemed drunk or stoned, which made the wait easier. Ken said little as he finally approached Fionna with Ari, Cindy and Tina. She seemed far smaller and more fragile then she had been on stage. She was almost as tall as Jane, but thin, like she was being eaten away from the inside. He noted that her hands shook, just a little, as she signed the CDs for the girls, and he saw that her body was fully penetrated by the blackness he'd seen earlier. He noted that Ari and Jane both saw it, and even Tina appeared aware that there was something wrong with the woman. Still, it didn't appear in Fionna's voice or manner, as she thanked the girls for buying her CD, and asked their names.

"Arianwen?" she said, her brogue very pronounced. Somehow, when she said his wife's name, it just sounded right. "That's a beautiful name."

Ken blinked. Fionna was attracted to Ari. And it wasn't a faint attraction either. Oddly, he was unable to get much else from her -- even touching her mind just filled his with music and... and pain. It was as if she was using the music to keep the pain at bay. He could feel that she had once been a very sexual person, but whatever was wrong with her now, had severely damaged her sex drive. He felt her surprise by her attraction to Ari. He took a CD from Jane, and handed it to Fionna; for some reason, he had to touch her.

Ken had no way of knowing that it was wholly inappropriate for him to try and shake her hand. Fionna had no intention of shaking his hand even after he held it out. Until she looked in his eyes. Then, with a smile that reminded him of a stunning, but fading, sunset, she took his hand.

Pain exploded through Ken's mind and body. It was horrible, a desolate, empty feeling like something was eating away at him. Despair flooded his mind -- her despair. And he knew why he needed to stay with her tonight, why he needed to be near her. He let go of her hand and realized that only a second or two had passed. He saw that some color had returned to her face, and could feel that his own energy reserves had been depleted to almost nothing. There didn't seem to be any lessening of the darkness in her body though. Ken was nudged by someone behind him, politely reminding him to move on. Fionna's eyes stayed with his though, until he was out of sight.

She couldn't believe how tired she was, although she knew she should be used to it by now. The pain was returning as well, no surprise there. This had been her last concert, and even though she had known she would enjoy playing it, the present her newly thrown together band had given her was something she would always remember. Even though 'always' wouldn't be that long.

She hoped that she'd make it through the session tonight. Having this many fantastic musicians in one place, all eager to have a session after her concert, was a treat like nothing she could have imagined. She'd played with some of these folks as her star as an Irish fiddler had risen, but she knew they were here to wish her good luck. It was good that they didn't realize she was saying good bye.

None of the fantastic fiddlers in the audience had come up on stage when she'd asked them to. There had been changeovers in the lineup throughout the evening, as musicians from the other bands took over for each other. But not one fiddler had come up -- leaving that spotlight to her -- until the last of the four encores. Then, one by one, they'd joined her, each playing through one tune until they'd gotten to Old Hag at the Churn. It had been a glorious finale, and she'd been able to forget, for almost the entire concert, that she was dying.

In fact, she hadn't planned on staying for a session, until she saw who was here. Even then, she just didn't have the energy -- not until that man had shaken her hand. That whole thing had been surreal: the weird flashes, almost like she knew him, and the immediate, if temporary, cessation of pain. And those women with him! My, but they had been stunning. He was no slouch himself, and before her sickness, she'd have been more than happy to bat her eyes and try to trip him up. Tonight was the first time in a year she'd felt even a ghost of sexual interest, as the cancers that had invaded her body had destroyed her sex drive early on. Thank the Goddess they hadn't taken her music. That would be next though; she could feel her hands and body failing.

But after touching the man (Ken, he'd said his name was), she felt better than she had in months. Perhaps it had been a final gift from her Goddess. Sadly, she knew it wouldn't last, but perhaps she could enjoy one last session before the dawn. Because, when this dawn came, it would be her last.

Ken waited in the cold and the dark with his wives. Ari had returned after taking Tina and Cindy back to the Mansion. Tina had wanted to stay and help him, but he knew that this was for him and his High Priestesses to do. The Circle needed Fionna, and Fionna needed them, although she didn't know it. When he'd touched her hand and taken her pain, he'd also understood what was wrong with her and what she was going to do about it. He couldn't say he blamed her. Not in the least. The fate she was facing was horrible, and she'd already endured more pain than anyone should have to. The cancer, or rather cancers, raging through her body wouldn't allow her to live much longer anyway. Her doctors had told her that, if she was lucky, she'd be able to stay out of a hospital for perhaps another month. After that, her condition would deteriorate too much for her to live unassisted. By that, they'd meant she'd be in a coma, if she were lucky. Most likely, the tumors attacking her nervous system would cause so much pain that the only recourse would be to drug her to unconsciousness. By their reckoning, she should have been in the hospital already, but the call of her music had held the pain at bay for far longer than they would have ever thought. If she died, the loss of her music would have a profoundly negative impact on the Circle and, perhaps, the planet as well.

The wind picked up and Ken could hear the ocean far below them.

Fionna was so exhausted she could barely move. Hours had passed as she and her newfound friends played. It was the most blissful experience she'd ever had. But the pain was coming back, and she knew that this time it wouldn't leave. She had her fiddle case with her -- everything else was back in her hotel. Well, everything but the pills she needed. She wished her last sunrise could be in the cliffs of her homeland, but that was not to be. Still, she'd found the perfect place to see both the sunrise and the ocean a few days ago. She just hoped she had the strength to drive there. She got the car started, and slowly left the lot, heading for the Pacific Coast Highway.