Now I See You

(Now I Don’t)

By Donna and Toni

"You can't stay here!" bellowed Father Rudden at the top of his lungs. He had just come back from his early morning prayers in the little Glenerin Village church and had discovered that Niamh was moving in.

"And just why not?" Niamh asked. "Would ye ha' me sleeping in the barn then?"

He sighed, running a hand through his short curly hair. "Niamh, you and I are not wed, it's...it wouldn't be proper. People would talk if they saw a woman livin’ here that was not me wife," he tried to explain, his accent deepening automatically in times of stress as usual.

The little leprechaun stood her ground, her hands on her hips. "So, are ye sayin' that ye don't want people to be seein' me with you?" she said with a twinkle in her eye that should have sent alarm bells ringing loudly in the priest's head. But he wasn't paying attention to that, and when he replied in the affirmative, she laughed and folded her arms over her chest and stamped her small foot. "As ye wish, yer worship," she said firmly and disappeared in a cloud of sparkles.

As he stood there watching the space where she had been standing, Sean had the nagging feeling he'd just agreed to something he was going to be sorry for, but shook off the feeling and went about his day, not giving it another thought. He had a service to get ready for, and forgot all about Niamh's words.

He knew she was still there because he could see things being moved about from time to time. After awhile, he went back to the church, where he was pleased to see a young man already there. As he turned to greet him, he saw the candlestick on the altar moving out of the corner of his eye.

Because he was used to talking to her whether she was visible or invisible, he calmly called out, "Leave it there, lass; and the other one too," not thinking of the fact that this was not his home, but the church, with others right there that might not be used to such a thing.

The young lad sitting on the front pew raised an eyebrow. Who was the good father talking to? There weren’t any women in the church that he could see!

The same thought occurred to the priest, upon seeing the boy's expression, and he smiled, meaning to be reassuring, and told the boy, "It's all right, son; it's just one of the wee folk I was talkin' to. You know we have them here, right?"

The lad shook his head. "Nay, Father. I ha' no seen any of such like!" He had only arrived in the area a few days before, and was still a little confused about where he was and how he had gotten there. The other residents of Glenerin had told him that the priest should be able to give him some information on someone that he was looking for.

Sean nodded. "Well, we do; and as you should know, they are not always visible, though their actions may be!" He gave another glance to the candlesticks, which were resting peacefully in place now. Looking back at his visitor, he smiled, "Now then, how may I help you?"

The young man, who barely looked like he was out of his teens, chewed his lip nervously. "I just got here, Father. And I wa' told that ye ca' possibly tell me of me brother, him tha’ be keen as Rob Roy MacGregor."

Sean's smile widened, and he said, "Rob Roy! Yes, I definitely know of him. Would you happen to be his youngest brother, Alasdair?” He had spoken of him often, saying he wished he was here to share in his new life.

The lad smiled brightly. "Aye! That is my name!" He spurted out a whole bunch of questions about his brother all in one breath, making Sean laugh. But the laugh turned to a gasp of horror as he saw the back of Alasdair's kilt lift up into the air.

"Niamh, stop that, right now, or I'll be done with ye forever! And I mean it this time!" As the kilt lowered, the exasperated priest told his young visitor, "I'm truly sorry, Alasdair; me friend has a wicked sense of humor at times. She meant no harm."

"She?" Alasdair said with a questioning look on his face. "I see no lass, Father." He stepped away from the priest and returned to a pew to say a prayer of thanks that his brother was safe and sound.

Sean sighed softly once more, mentally telling Niamh to behave and hoping with all his heart she heard him. When the young man had finished with his prayers, the priest walked back to him, and told him, "He's not only doing well, but he's about to marry a fine young woman, by the name of Mercy Campbell. I can get you a guide, to take you into Edan - that's where he lives now - so you may reunite with him and meet your future sister in law, if you'd like?"

The lad looked like he would burst from happiness. "Aye, I wa' like that very much, Father!"

After the church service, a guide was quickly arranged, as one of the local men said he was going to Camelot anyway, and Sean watched the two ride off with a feeling of relief that nothing else had happened to the young man while there. Once he was safely at Camelot, he would be put on the stage that would take him to Edan. "Ah, Niamh," he sighed softly to himself, "I think with you around, life will never be dull, and there'll be a healthy helping of gray in my hair well before its time."

Father Rudden heard a soft chuckle, but did not see any sign of her.  He sighed deeply, knowing that his little flock would soon think they had a completely daft man for a priest!

****

Rob Roy and Mercy were having lunch, on a little picnic blanket not far from the Mercantile, when suddenly, a dark haired young man in a kilt was spotted racing towards them at full speed. Shading her eyes to get a better look, Mercy asked, "Rob, who is that? He seems to be headed this way. Do you know him?"

Rob jumped to his feet and shielded his eyes from the bright sun so he could see better. "Holy Mother of God! It's Alasdair! It's my brother! The one that was lost to me!" Taking off, he raced to meet the young man half way.

Mercy rose to her feet, and watched with a smile as the two men came together in the middle of the street, hugging so tightly she feared someone would get a broken rib! Finally, the two calmed down, and as they headed back toward the young woman, she said a silent prayer of thanks to whoever was responsible for doing this for her fiancé.

Roughing up the young man's dark, curly hair, Rob led him to where Mercy waited. When he saw her up close, Alasdair's jaw dropped. "Mary?" he gasped. "Is that ye?"

Of course, Mercy knew about Rob's wife by now, and her unbelievable resemblance to her; she smiled softly, "No, Alasdair; I'm sorry. My name is Mercy Campbell. I came to Edan on a bride ship that got diverted to this strange place on its way to America from Scotland. But I'm very pleased to meet you; Rob has missed you very much." She held out her hand to him, liking his kind eyes immediately.

"Glad ta meet ye then as well, Mercy Campbell," he stuttered. Everything about this world was strange! First he had met a Scottish hero who had died a long time before he had been born, then he had met a priest who talked to invisible wee people, and now his own brother had met a woman that looked just like his beloved wife, Mary!