Chapter 40

We materialized in the Otherworld at 5:00 in the afternoon their time. The six of us must have generated a huge Magic signature on arriving there, as shortly every Master available in the Otherworld showed up in the Glen to see who had arrived. Brian was one of the first to arrive, and we introduced our ladies to him. He was quite happy to meet Sunshine and Rose, as they are Mages, who are always welcome here.

It was when Kell introduced Airmid and Almha that things got sticky. The twins were holding hands and smiling at the peacefulness of the Glen. A peacefulness which was rapidly disappearing, as more and more curious Masters and Senior Masters continued to arrive to see what was going on.

"Oh dear!" Brian exclaimed after Kell introduced the Sisters. "Are these the ladies that you are bring for their first test?"

"Yes, you will be marrying us on Saturday," Kell told him with a smile.

"But when you said it would be for their first test, and that they had only been studying Magic for five weeks, it was assumed that they would be taking the First Level test," Brian stated in distress, as he had felt the power of their Talent.

"We wish to take the test for Master," Airmid told him. Brian and several others, who had heard the conversation, just stared at her in shock.

"But it usually requires five years, or more to work up to Master's level. How can you expect to pass that test with only five WEEKS of study?" another Master challenged her.

"We expect to pass it because we are ready!" Almha told him simply.

"We have even learned control," Airmid told him proudly, as both Sisters cast the spell for a vertical prolate spheroid defensive shell around themselves, and then worked their wards into it to reinforce it.

"Where did you learn that?" I asked in shock, as I thought that I was the only one that knew that spell.

"The 'Book of Dreams' suggested it to us a few days ago, and we found it in your memories," Almha told me mentally from inside the defensive shell.

"We will need to discuss this, but after the wedding," Brian told us, still somewhat flustered. "Are you ready to move to your cottage?" he finished.

"Yes," Kell answered, as we gathered the things that we had brought with us. Kell and I each had one of the side handles of the chest and carried it between us. We didn't get more than two steps, however, before there was a shout.

"What do you have there? Where did you get that?" two very old Senior Masters demanded from the edge of the crowd in the Glen.

"It's a chest," I answered. It was a very fancy chest and uniquely decorated.

"We have seen pictures of a chest like that. How did you obtain it?" they demanded angrily.

"My Wives discovered it in a storage room in Castle Dyster," I told them.

"We demand that you open it now, so we can see what it contains!" they shouted, angrily.

"I don't think that you want us to do that," I told them, and prepared to cast my wards around all of us, but I was too late. The prolate defensive shell that the Sisters had cast reappeared, but as a regular defensive shell with their wards already woven into it. They had not canceled the spell, as we prepared to move, but had only lowered it so that they could recall it to a larger size when needed. The two ancient Senior Masters had called up their own Magic and were preparing to cast spells against us.

"STOP!" Brian shouted in a demanding voice. "This is a Druid Glen and these people are guests. How dare you prepare to cast Magic against them! They have done nothing, and the O'Connells have always been our friends. How dare you!" he finished, vehemently in indignation.

"We demand to know what is in the chest!" the two old Senior Masters shouted. By now all of the noise and commotion had attracted many of the other people from the surrounding area. Brian turned toward us with a frown.

"I must ask what is in the chest. It seems to have created a great disturbance," he told us, reluctantly. I looked over at Kell and he nodded. We placed the chest back on the ground, and then opened it before picking it up again and tilting it some so everyone could see what was in it, as we turned in a full circle so that all could see the contents. The shock that this produced was something to see. We had nearly completed the circle when Etain marched through the crowd shouting.

"On your knees fools! Do you not recognize what those are, and who they are? Those are the trappings of Kings, and those possessing them are Kings. Show your respect!" she demanded in a loud voice. Many in the crowd were already on their knees at the sight of the crowns, rings, and short swords. The two ancient Senior Masters were not among them.

"These are the things of our enemies!" they proclaimed in loud voices instead. A number of other Masters and Senior Masters also hesitated on hearing this. Etain turned to face them.

"My Mother, the Goddess Etain of the Tuatha De Danann, told me of these things. She also told me of the defeat of the Firbolgs and their Kings, but that their symbols of power, their Treasure, were never found.

"She also told me of a legend found later on an Ogham Stone. It read, 'The Treasure of the Kings will return with two who are different and extraordinary. Their Wives will be different and powerful.' Look at them!" she demanded, waving a hand at us.

"Their Great Grandfather is the one who repaired Fragarach while still a young man, and he still possesses it.

"These two combine the Talents of Sorcerer and Mage. Two of their Wives are Mages, and the other two are powerful enough, that with only five weeks study of Magic they are able to defeat all of your spells. The Legend is fulfilled! Show your respect!!" she demanded before turning toward us and going to her knees herself. Kell, our Wives, and I stood there in stunned silence. Even the two ancient Senior Masters soon made their ways to their knees.

"You need to do something" both Sunshine and Almha whispered to us. Kell and I sat the chest down and closed it, while the Sisters canceled the defensive shell. We then moved to help Brian to his feet, while our Wives moved to help Etain up.

"Rise all of you!" Kell and I said after that, but before going to help the two ancient Senior Masters to their feet, as no one else had moved to help them. They seemed shocked at this, but were appreciative, as they were quite old and their bones were brittle.

"Let us show you to your cottage," Brian said after Kell and I had picked up the Treasure chest again, and we and our Wives followed him and Etain to the cottage, that had been prepared for us.

"It hardly seems fitting for Kings," Brian said, as he opened the door for us, and we all entered.

"We aren't Kings," I told him quietly, once inside with the door closed. "It was the Eternal Flame that directed us to bring the Treasure here," I told him.

"Still for the wedding on Saturday, you must appear wearing the Symbols of Kingship. The people have seen you with them, and they will expect it," Brian told us.

"Food will be delivered shortly," Etain told our women. There was firewood here already beside the fireplace in addition to a large kettle, and smaller pots and pans, plus a dutch oven type of container.

"Thank you," Sunshine and Rose told her before turning to check out the fireplace and the cooking apparatus. The Mac Sweeney Sisters didn't look happy at all on seeing the cooking arrangements.

Brian and Etain soon departed, and we were left to our own devices. There were a number of things that required our immediate attention. Kell and I both sat on the floor, and quickly cast our wards and wove them into the walls, floor, and roof of the cottage.

"We should put our things in the bedrooms," Sunshine suggested, after inspecting the hearth. The women selected a bedroom, there were only two, and moved our clothes and other things there. Kell and I moved the chest with the Treasure in it.

"Where do we put it?" Kell wondered.

"How about sending it back to the altar?" I asked. "No one will know where it is then."

"That sounds like a good idea," Kell agreed, and we sent the chest back to the niche near the Eternal Flame's altar. There was a knock on the door after that, and we lowered our wards around the door to admit the ladies bring the food for our dinner and for breakfast tomorrow.

A short time later, the Mac Sweeney Sisters had questions for Sunshine and Rose, after they had started the fire in the fireplace.

"How do you cook like that?" they asked.

"Didn't your... !" Rose started before remembering their history.

"It isn't difficult," Sunshine quickly assured them. "Most of the cooking is done in the kettle." They let Airmid and Almha assist them, as they made dinner, and baked some Irish Soda bread in the dutch oven type container. They even allowed them to draw the water, that they needed for cooking. Dinner later was excellent, and we all enjoyed it.

"I wasn't expecting anything like what happened," Rose told us during dinner.

"Neither were we," Almha added.

"When the Eternal Flame told us to bring the Treasure here, we thought that it was only so they could put it on display," Kell told them.

"Oh, it will be on display all right. We are stuck with using it for the ceremony," I added.

"You will both look regal," Sunshine told us, very seriously.

"Certainly more regal that you will look tonight in bed naked!" Airmid told Kell with a giggle. Kell blushed big time. I tried to maintain a straight face, but it was a struggle.

We went to bed in our separate bedrooms after the dishes and the pots were cleaned up. There wasn't a lot else to do today.

I quickly cast the privacy and noise suppression spell, while my Wives removed their clothes, but before they removed mine. We hugged and kissed, and rubbed against each other making long slow passionate love before having sex. I made long, slow, passionate love to Sunshine then. The two Sisters caressed and pleasured each other after that while I rested. After a bit of rest, I made long, slow, passionate love to Rose. We all slept very well after that, but were awake shortly after dawn the next morning.

"We need a shower," Sunshine told me after getting up, and using a cleaning spell on the bed linen.

"There aren't any showers here," I told them to looks of disappointment, "but there is a heated pool where everyone goes to soak and relax," I told them. The sisters looked at me strangely.

"Pool?" they asked.

"It's on the other side of the village. Everyone uses it!" I told them.

"We need to clean up after last night," Rose told me. I canceled the privacy spell and the noise suppression spell around our room before going to knock on the door of Kell's room.

"We're up," came the reply, and the door soon opened.

"Are you ready to go to the pool?" I asked, but it was obvious that they were. Kell's women were smiling big time. We all walked over to the pool where the women were shocked by its size. My twins were shocked that those already there were openly naked. Not so Kell's twins. They quickly dropped their robes, and cast a cleaning spell on themselves and Kell before slipping into the hot water to soak, with huge smiles.

My twins reluctantly removed their robes, and I used a cleaning spell on us, before we joined the others in the hot water of the pool.

"This is wonderful!" all of our women said with a giggle shortly after that. We all soaked for a good half hour before getting out, drying off, and redressing. Our women received a lot of admiring looks from those present during this. We walked home via the market, where the women picked up some extra eggs for breakfast.

Following a very tasty breakfast, Kell and I took Airmid and Almha to the library here to introduce them to it, and so they could borrow some books to study while here. Rose and Sunshine went to look around the area. On returning some hours later, we found the trees and flowers all over the area blooming. It certainly brightened the area up.

"Our Mothers did something similar when they came here to be married," I told my twins later.

"We checked their crops also. They appear to be doing well, but all of the women asked us for flowers," Sunshine told me. She and Rose had picked up more vegetables and other things, and had a large kettle of stew on the fire, so our Parents, Grandparents, and Great Grandparents would have dinner ready for them when they arrived. Airmid and Almha helped them after we returned.

Just before 5:00 that afternoon, we were in the Grove awaiting the arrival of the senior members of our clan and family. They came through Great Grandfather Mark's portal just after 5:00. Brian and Etain were there to greet them also. It was like old home week for a time, as they renewed acquaintances.

"We have dinner prepared for all of you," Sunshine told them. "Come to our cottage when you have settled in." We all followed Brian and Etain to the cottages that had been prepared for our relatives before returning to ours. Forty-five minutes or so later, they all arrived at our cottage for dinner. Kell and I had borrowed an extra table and chairs from our neighbors to accommodate everyone.

During dinner I brought up the subject of the Symbols of the Firbolg Kings to Brian.

"Brian, we would like to leave the Symbols of Power of the Firbolgs here in your museum. We would be lending them to you for others to see and appreciate. However, we will retain the title to them, and the right to remove them at such a time as we have need of them for any purpose," I told a very startled Brian.

"You would do that?" he asked after a pause.

"Yes, despite what Etain said, we aren't Kings, well at least most of the time we aren't," I told them. My relatives were looking at me questioningly, but Kell and I just smiled at them.

"I believe that would be a very satisfactory arrangement," Brian said after a bit of thought. Etain was smiling at this.

"That was also written on the Ogham stone, but I purposely didn't mention that part of the prophecy, as I wanted to see if it would really come true. You truly are the new Kings that had been foretold!" she said with a bit of awe in her voice. Later after Brian and Etain had departed, our Parents started in on us.

"Are you going to leave the entire Treasure here!!" my Dad asked in a disgruntled voice.

"No sir, we are only leaving the Symbols of Power here: the Crowns, Rings, and the Short Swords," I told him. All of my relatives relaxed on hearing that.

"You had us worried there for a bit," Grandfather Sean told us.

"Those gold coins are worth a fortune," Mother Petra told us. "That coin dealer upped the price to $12,500 each for more of them," she added.

"We'll release a few more of them when we get back," I told her.

"How long are you going to be staying here?" Mother Gretchen asked.

"Two weeks, so the Twins can study some more before taking their Masters' Exams," Kell told them. The majority of our relatives drew in a quick breath on hearing this.

"Masters' Exams!?" came the question from fifteen throats at the same time.

"Yes, we will be ready before we leave," Airmid assured them casually, but I could see that our relatives still had their doubts. They all returned to their cottages after our Moms helped our women clean up. That night my twins cuddled up to me, and we slept very soundly until morning.

This morning our relatives joined us on the trek to the pool, and we all slipped in to soak in the hot water until our skin was wrinkled. Following that, it was breakfast at our individual cottages. Later that day, our Moms came over to help our Wives with their wedding dresses.

Kell and I had been debating what to wear. Our suits just wouldn't look right with the Crowns, Rings, and Short Swords that we would now need to wear. We eventually decided that our fanciest Masters' robes would look better. We could wear trousers and a shirt under them. We transferred them here, and our suits back to our closets. We made sure that the robes were extra clean and in perfect condition.

We all dressed later that afternoon before Kell and I transferred the chest back here and removed the Symbols from it. A quick spell and the Crowns and Rings fit us perfectly. The Short Swords attached to the sashes of our robes. We even relaxed the spell concealing our Senior Masters' Rings, so they too would be visible. We were all prepared to leave when our Dads arrived shortly before sundown.

"Do you have the rings?" they asked us. We checked the inner pockets of our robes and smiled to assure them that we did. We filed out of our cottage then and followed our Parents to the Glen, where the ceremony would take place. All along the way, new flowers bloomed, as we approached. I started to wonder who was doing this, but felt my twins using their Mage powers. People oo'd and aahed all along our route on seeing this. Most went to their knees, as we approached. I guess that we did make an imposing sight.

We reached the Glen right on time. Our Parents moved to their appointed places, and we waited for Brian and Etain to signal us. At the signal, we six moved into the Glen, and up to our places on the flat stones in front of them.

Just as the sun touched the horizon to the west, they began the ceremony. Etain took the part for the women, and Brian did our part. At the conclusion, Kell and I placed the rings on the fingers of the women who were now our Wives and kissed them. A great cheer went up from the crowd following that, and flowers, lots of flowers, rained down on us, as we made our way out of the Glen.