Refreshing the Pot

By Donna and Abby

"Psst, Sean me pal, could ye be a little more careful now? That’s me head yer usin’ as a steppin’ stool," whispered Jericho. His friend was standing on his shoulders, trying to peek into the place that they had seen Grogan fly into. "What is Himself up to now?"

"He and his trooper men are tryin' tae overthrow Bub's kingship, he is.  And Himself naught but five inches tall!" said Sean the Leprechaun with a chuckle.  The two had followed the Trooper Faeries after Oberon had planted an idea into Grogan's head.  Good thing those sea birds had consented to give them a lift!

"I want to be seein' this fer meself!" Jericho said, trying to keep his balance under Sean's shifting weight. "Let's be goin' inside so we can see better!"

Sean nodded, and pulled himself up through the window, heedless to Jericho's cry from below.  How was he to get up there? His complaints were all just a lot of noise though. Leprechauns seemed to have magical springs in their legs, especially when they were in their tiny size. Jericho vanished as he jumped up to the window, leaving a trail of sparkles behind him.

Invisible now, both Leprechauns were safe from being seen, but Grogan and his men were not.  Luckily for them, Bub seemed busy at the moment, in bed with a woman!

The Trooper Faeries flitted around the place, checking things out and trying to figure out a way to set up a trap for Bub. By this time, the two Leprechauns were up on the highest shelf, watching the proceedings. If they had been visible, there would have been a wicked grin on Sean's face as he nudged a large vase to the edge of the shelf. "Whoops," he chuckled as it slipped off and crashed to the floor.

Bub turned from what he was doing, to see what had made the noise, and of course he saw the Trooper Faeries!  Springing up, he grabbed a nearby net and corralled Grogan!

As the net swooped the tiny trooper faerie up, the others flew out of the window as fast as their wings could take them. Up on the shelf, Sean and Jericho were dancing with glee. They knew the others were nothing without Grogan, for one thing, but most of all, if Bub kept the Count for a trophy, they would not have to deal with him any longer! Their wishes were granted when Grogan was imprisoned in a gilded birdcage. Snape was called in, and a magic charm placed on the cage to keep Grogan from using his magic to escape.

Sean and Jericho hung around long enough to enjoy watching Grogan get what they thought he truly deserved, then they left to find another seagull to take them back to the other side. If luck held out, they would be back in time for the St Patrick's Day celebration! Rumor had it that more female Leprechauns were coming, and the two men wanted first pick!

By the time they made it to the forest glen where the main celebration was being held, the party was in full swing. But before they could join everyone, they were stopped by the Grand Banshee herself. "Well, boys," she tisked. "What have you been up to?"  She knew of course, but she wanted them to tell her.

"Us?"  They looked at each other innocently, as if neither could think of a single thing they had *ever* done wrong.  "Nothin' much."

Bannie rolled her eyes. Some things never changed. But they had not technically disobeyed her edict that there would be no more fighting between the Leprechauns and the Trooper Faeries so there was nothing she could do. If the truth was told, she was a bit relieved about the way it had turned out!

“Can we go now?" asked Sean. "Before they're all gone?"

"Yes," she sighed. "Go. I think you will be pleased with the selection."

The two men whooped, and ran to join the party.  There was, indeed, a fine selection, though all, of course, were redheads. They joined in the dancing for a while before taking a break to go and see if there was a jug of the Creature available from the King of the Leprechauns.

"Where have you two hooligans been?" Seamus Muldoon said from his vantage point near the dance floor as he offered them some liquid refreshment. "Do ye come bearing good news?"

"Do we not?" chuckled Sean, and he explained what had happened to the "good" count.

As they told the story, quite a crowd gathered around him, and when he came to the point where Grogan had been netted, a loud cheer rang out. When they got to the part about him spending the rest of his life trapped in a birdcage, they gave the two lads a standing ovation!

Mary tsk'd between her teeth, and said, "Who'll be tellin' Herself that's she's divorced?"

"Divorced?" asked Kerry, who was standing nearby. "Is that what we are callin' it now?"

"If a man goes to the other side," said Mary, "then it should be a divorce.  Look at that pur wee garden fae, once married to His Nibs Montoya!  Isn't that divorce?"  Everyone agreed, and since they were in a hurry to rid themselves of Grogan forever, no one pointed out that he had been taken *prisoner*. After all, the bad guys took women, not men!

There was one person highly interested in the outcome of Grogan's doomed expedition. "I'll send Puck to tell Fae the *bad* news," Oberon volunteered. He had conveniently left Aeron to "keep an eye on her" while he celebrated with the leprechauns.  She might take Puck's interruption easier than his own, or any other's, while she was with her lover.

The others all agreed as well. That way none of them would have to miss any of the party! Puck went with good grace, of course; he would never turn down his master!  But he was sorry to have to leave such a nice party, and with so many pretty redheads, too!

A short time later, he was at the floating Trooper Fairie castle. Slipping past the guards, he made his way to Fae's bedchambers. Fortunately, the two lovers were finished making love, and were lying in each other's arms, asleep!

He whistled, getting their attention. "What news, Puck?" mumbled a sleepy Fae.

"Much, Milady," said the messenger.  "Your husband, the Count, has been taken prisoner, and since there is no precedence for a man staying on the other side, but to leave this one, we must act accordingly.  The penalty for this desertion is that he forego his marriage bonds . . . to wit, you should anon consider yourself a divorced woman, milady."  He bowed.

"Divorced?" she gasped. "I'm divorced?"

“Yes, Milady."  Puck smiled.  "Enjoy," he added, then said, "I am anxious to return to the merriment of the Leprechauns’ party.  Not less than sixteen new maidens did I count, whilst hearing of the fate of your Count!"

As Puck disappeared, Fae threw her arms around her lover. "I'm free!" she said with happy tears. "I'm free at last!"