The Mail Run

By Donna and Toni

 "Are you sure you will be alright?" Flannery asked for the tenth time that day.

"I'm positive," chuckled Charity, her hand resting on her expanded belly. "And aren't yer sisters comin' to take yer place here? Seriously, Flannery, this is your honeymoon we are talking about! You should go and have as much fun as you possibly can." The leprechaun lass laughed at Charity's attempt to mimic an Irish accent. The words were right, but it came out as a strange mix of Scot, Irish and Texan!

However, it did have the desired effect, and Flannery was, finally, officially going off on her honeymoon.  For her husband, it was sort of a working honeymoon, though. Michael Collins had a strong sense of duty, and he had included visits at all the mail stops along their sightseeing route, via train, boat and coach. Just to make sure everything was running all right, he had assured his bride, hoping she'd understand. After all, she'd known what kind of man he was when she agreed to marry him, hadn't she!

Not that she minded going on this trip. This way she would get to see nearly all of Edan! She just hoped they would be back before Charity's baby was born. Ceara and Pat were there on the farm, as well as several of the unattached Leprechaun lasses, so they had plenty of help. Still, Flannery could not help worrying some.

"Come on lass," Michael called out. "We have to get going if we are going to catch the train on time!”

Flannery hurried, giving last minute hugs and kisses to the twins and anyone else that would stand still for one. She then disappeared in a shower of sparks, reappearing in the front seat of the cart, fidgeting as Michael rushed over to join her. "I'm ready," she said with a slight frown. "What are ye waitin' fer, Husband? We haven't all day, don't ye know!"

Fortunately, Michael was, by now, used to her "leprechaun skills", as he called them. With a soft sigh, he clucked to the horses, and they were on their way to the train station.

Sitting all prim and proper next to her husband, Flannery felt like she Was on top of the world! They had actually had two weddings, one on Innocent Island on the Solstice where The Grand Banshee herself had blessed their union, and then a small, quiet ceremony at the Mission church in Edan. Flannery would have been happy with just the one, but she knew her husband, being a good Irish Catholic, would have wanted the Church to also bless their marriage.

Once that was all done, they had spent a wondrous night in the hotel, and now, they were going to have an actual honeymoon! She was so excited about all the plans they had made that she was having a very difficult time sitting still as they drove into town. Flannery was as used to his dedication to duty as he was to her leprechaun skills, so it didn't bother her having the stops scheduled around his position of Postmaster General of Edan.

Their first stop was going to be Esperanza, where Flannery planned on poking her nose through the museum and to see one of the plays being put on now by the Bard. Once they were on board the train, she snuggled up close to her husband, who wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I've been thinkin' about what ye asked," she said. "This trip will be as good as any for us to be working on me havin' yer first child." She knew Michael was worried about her, even though none of the leprechauns had been targeted up to now.

He was relieved she'd brought up the subject so soon after their wedding, and smiled softly, "Aye, it will. Though it's *our* first child you'll be havin', wife.  And besides the blessing of bringin' a new life into the world, it'll keep you safe, as well." He gazed out the window a moment, and she knew he was thinking about the measures Edan women have had to take lately to keep out of the clutches of evil. Then he looked back at her, smiled, and stole a soft kiss.

"Yer a terribly desperate man," she whispered, her eyes sparkling as she kissed him back. They spent the rest of the train ride looking out at the scenery and snuggling close and enjoying each other's company. So much so, they ended up spending a couple of hours in their room at the Inn once they arrived in Esperanza before venturing out! The first place they went to once they did leave their room was the Museum, where they were to meet up with Derek's lady friend.

Marien was very pleased to see them again, and after congratulating them, told them that marriage seems to have agreed with them both! She also enjoyed giving them a tour of the museum; she knew both would be interested in the ancient Celtic items they had on display. In a few moments the two ladies had to themselves while Michael went to "take care of nature's call", the conversation naturally turned to the current danger to the ladies of Edan.  Marien thought it was wonderful the two were planning on parenthood so soon after their wedding, and was also glad that the very nature of Esperanza prevented the women of that city from having to worry.  "Not that Derek would mind making me 'extra-safe', if I asked it of him," she smiled, then blushed.

"You should ask him," Flannery said. "Didn't your man Philip ask me to tell ye both so? No sense taking chances, ye know! Won't he feel a little more at rest when the two of ye come down to Edan for the birth of Fiona's wee babe?"

Marien hadn't thought of that. "I did put away a small vial of the Special water...Derek got it for me, gave it to me, and told me if I felt the need to use it, to just let him know and he'd be here right away. Maybe I should get things going soon. Thank you for reminding me that one can't stay in protected territory forever, Flannery."

The leprechaun hugged Marien, and told her to take care, and that they would see both Derek and herself at the play that evening. It definitely was a treat to see one of the Bard's plays produced by the man who wrote them! Every seat in the house was full!

It was a glorious night, and afterwards, Michael and Flannery retired to their room to once more *work* at getting her pregnant. He asked her a time or two if she thought they had been successful, but each time she winked and gave him the run around instead of the truth. He hoped that it meant she was having too much fun to stop *trying*!

The next morning, Flannery slept in, giving Michael the opportunity to check up on the arrangements he had made to have mail delivered to the people living outside of the Esperanza city limits, like the Bolt brothers and several others. When he returned to the Inn, he found his leprechaun wife well rested and raring to go! She would have stayed up all night again *trying*, but he reminded her that they had to catch the mail boat to Newport first thing in the morning.

As it was, the Postmaster looked a little "worn around the edges" by the time they made that boat; he hadn't been able to say no to her entirely, of course. He wondered if Flannery would be visiting with any of her relatives (or they with her) while they were in Newport. He wouldn't mind; he didn't want her to be too bored while he was doing his job. But he found out on the way that none of the leprechauns lived in Newport, at least not yet. "Haven't some of me sisters talked about coming here?" she chuckled. "After Charity's wee one is born, I am thinking a few of them will be making their way up here."

"It's funny, I'd have thought they lived all over Edan. Well, one of my stops is at the lighthouse, on the very edge of Newport. Would you like to see that? The lady that runs it is very nice, she wouldn't mind giving a wee tour."

"Aye," Flannery said with a happy smile. "I would. And hasn't that sweet lass, Faith, sent a package of clothing for me to give to her sister? And herself being with child!"

He told her they could visit there, too, and the two made their way to the lighthouse. Constance was pleased to meet the new Mrs. Collins, and of course she wouldn't mind giving her a tour! When the three were, at last, standing at the top of the lighthouse, behind the glass enclosure looking out to sea, Michael was glad it was a clear day - he wanted Flannery's first look from this high up to be breathtaking!

"Isn't this the grandest thing I've ever seen?" she said as she clung to her husband, not wanting to admit she had never been that high before. "But isn't this a wee stretch of the legs to climb all these stairs?"

The other woman's eyes sparkled, and she replied, "It is, I must admit. But it's a wonderful way to stay in shape! In my old world, most lighthouses are automated, so the keepers don't have to come up for maintenance nearly as often. But I don't mind, not really; it's views like this, not to mention the service I'm doing for our ships, that more than makes up for it." Not to mention the service she had recently done by allowing her fireplace and

Her home to be used to help in a rescue from Hadez, but she didn't want to even think of that place unless it was necessary.

"I still don't like you living alone out here," the Postmaster told the lighthouse keeper. "Perhaps you can hire one of the lads to stay here with you."

"I appreciate the thought, Michael; but as I told you before, I'm fine. I have supply boats coming to visit me on a regular basis, and now that my own boat has been replaced, I'm no longer as isolated as I was." And besides, she thought to herself, ~if I ever succeed in getting a certain Colonel from the fort to fall in love with me again, I really won't be alone~.

She insisted the couple stay for lunch, after which it was time for the next stop on the trip. One of the fishermen picked them up, and then ferried them back to Newport itself. Once there, Michael led the way to Franck's cafe, where Grace MacDonald-Bourke was the cook.

Everyone there was also glad to meet the postmaster's wife. When the conversation turned to babies, Grace, with a little smile, told Flannery that she hoped it wouldn't be too long before Flannery, too, needed some of the wonderful baby things Faith had made.

"Aye, won't that be a grand thing?" Flannery chuckled. "And hasn't yer man the priest gotten yer other sister the same way as yerself?"

The smile quickly left Grace's face and she paled a bit, looking startled. "The same way? You mean she and Ralph.... I had no idea!" She made a note to herself then and there that a certain sister was going to get a visit just as soon as her company left!

Michael shook his head. "There seems to be an epidemic of sorts going around. It is, after all, the only sure way to keep you ladies safe!" He looked over at Flannery and smiled at her, hoping she would tell them that their efforts had been successful. His leprechaun wife just smiled back, giving him a bit of a wink. The wee folk tended to be more Irish than the Irish in their ways, so he knew that he was going to have a difficult time getting any confirmation out of her of what they were hoping for!

Flannery leaned in close to Grace and started to share whom all was with child, and who the father was if it was known. Michael just rolled his eyes and settled back to listen.

There was one person, however, whose name had not yet been mentioned, and it was this person Grace now asked about. "Flannery, would you have any, um, knowledge of Faith's condition?"  After the shakeup with Hope, the cook soon realized that this might be the only way she was going to learn about either of her sisters! She knew Hope and Ralph had gotten married at Camelot during the Christmas holidays, but had not thought they were planning on having a baby so soon. But as far as she knew, Faith and Alec had not even made any plans at all to make their relationship official.

"Didn't her man insist that she drink the water?" Flannery said, warming up to the subject. "Sweet innocent lass that she is! I saw her at mass the Sunday before we left, and wasn't she talking to him about something called a *retreat*?"

Michael chuckled and explained. "A retreat is when the priests and Suchlike go somewhere to rest or to seek the Good Lord's guidance about some important matter. Most likely it will be at the Monastery. The monks there have been busy setting it up as a place of contemplation where the stressed out folks could go and get some peace and quiet."

Grace relaxed a little at that. "So, if he went to this retreat, that Means she wasn't with him?" Even if she had drunk the water, perhaps that meant it wasn't necessary to make visits to both sisters after all!

Flannery shrugged, not knowing whether or not Faith had gone with Father Alec on the retreat. In actuality, she had, and as Flannery spoke with Faith's older sister, the youngest MacDonald girl and Alec were enjoying a walk in Cadfael's herb garden, quietly talking about their future!

"Perhaps there will be a wedding after he gets back," Flannery mused out loud. "But hasn't the word got out that there will be a grand wedding in Glenerin? Haven't some of them rowdy Pontipee boys decided its time to settle down with some of me kin?" She was hoping that they would hold off until she and her husband arrived. Glenerin and Camelot were the next stops on their trip.

"Lord have mercy on'em," Michael muttered. Whether or not he meant the brothers or the leprechaun lasses was totally up to personal interpretation! A convincing argument could definitely be made for either case. However, the comment was allowed to pass without mention, and after a bit more chatting, the newlyweds were finally on their way to Glenerin.

They had to return to Esperanza by boat first, and then boarded the train again. There was a short stop at Hogwarts School, and then it continued on through the heavily forested and unpopulated area of that part of Edan. It was a long trip, and by the time they arrived in Glenerin, both Flannery and Michael were very tired. They had thought to stay in one of the rooms that were set aside for guests at the tavern, but Niamh met them at the train stop, and informed them that they were going to be staying with them.

Michael inquired as to whether they were sure they had enough room, which was a polite way of asking if she was sure they weren't intruding on the Ruddens' privacy. After all, they weren't married all that long either; though Michael had to agree, married life certainly agreed with his sister in law! At least he thought Niamh was Flannery's sister. Relationships amongst the leprechaun lasses had never been clearly spelled out, other than they were all kin, one way or the other.

"Haven't we built on a new room onto the back side of our cottage?" Niamh said with a smug look. Later on that night, their visitors found out that Fr Rudden and his wife were also *trying* to make sure she was safe, in the same manner that Flannery and Michael were! While the men sat around the fire after a good meal, the two leprechauns disappeared to have a private chat, presumably to share details.

They didn't stay gone long. A short time later, they reappeared, giggling and laughing, mischief afoot in their green eyes. "Isn't the wedding going to be tomorrow?" Flannery said gleefully. "They waited till we got here!"

Michael was happy for his wife; he knew how much she'd wanted that. "Now, you see? Your fears were for nothing. And if I guess right, that is going to be a very crowded wedding!" The two men grinned as they shared a knowing glance. They were both well versed in the ways of the leprechauns and their family closeness by now.

As predicted, it was a grand wedding. There were way too many people to have it in either one of the two small churches, so the request was made to the weather fae, Skye, to see if she could make sure the weather cooperated enough for the ceremony to be held outdoors. With her help, it did, and As the entire village of Glenerin looked on, as well as a good part of the residents of Camelot, Father McBain made sure that the six bachelor Pontipee brothers were well and truly wed.

Three of them married leprechauns. Benjamin and Brigit were one of the happy couples, as well as Daniel and Derry, and the youngest brother, Gideon, with Caitlin. Ephraim stood proudly with his new wife, Lady Amber. Everyone from Camelot had been a little surprised at the pairing, especially since she had no problem moving into the tiny cabin that he had built for the two of them. Feeling a little left out after their brothers had started to *court* the women they had captured in the Great Leprechaun hunt the year before, Caleb and Frank had been determined they would find women as well. They didn't have to look far. Two of the Glenerin fae were now standing with them! Briar and Caleb had chosen each other, and standing happily by Frank was his new wife, Logan. In the watching crowd, Adam and his wife Millie, who was holding her newborn daughter, Hannah, looked on proudly.

Afterwards, an even grander party was held! As Flannery and her sisters danced for the crowd, the comment was made to Michael that this was indeed a mail run that the Postmaster would never forget. After all, not every day would they witness so many couples getting married! What a momentous occasion it had surely been! The Big Fella chuckled, smiling at his tiny wife as she and the others step danced to a lively Irish tune. She had finally told him that very morning that all their efforts had succeeded! "Aye," he said, a big smile on his face. "It was all that and much more!"