Happy Birthday, Sil!
Title: Ciaran's Ending
Genre: General, Romance
Characters: Ciaran O'Liathain, Aina O'Liathain, Helena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, O'Liathain Sr. (unnamed)
Rating: GP (unfortunately :P)
Word Count: 1370 words
Summary: Ciaran deserves his happy ending.
Warning/s: COMPLETELY AU (based on Founders-canon)
Author's Notes: Should not be considered canon of anything I write. Sorry, Ciaran.
Ciaran stood at the edge of a cliff and looked out at the sprawling plains. He took a deep breath and silently released his magic into the earth. In return, he felt magic enter him through the ground beneath him. He bent down and picked up a rock and felt the magic there. Opening his eyes, he sighed and let the rock drop to the earth. He once again surveyed the land before him and he felt proud.
"They are waiting for you," someone said behind him. Ciaran turned around to see his father. The man smiled at his son. Ciaran had grown up well and he was very, very proud of his son.
"Yes, father," Ciaran answered in their native tongue, his accent strong.
The ceremony was simple, but meaningful. He stood before the entire clan, looking proud, strong and confident. He would be their clan leader; he had to show characteristics of someone that could be trusted. His father spoke to the clan, telling them of his decision to declare Ciaran his successor. Of course, that had been expected and had been training for it since he was young, but it was different now that it was official. He would now have a larger part in the clan: make decisions, create laws and protect his people.
Suddenly, there was a collective cheer from the audience. Ciaran crashed back to reality and smiled. He scanned the crowd quickly and found his mother standing beside Aina, both of whom looked very happy. His mother was beaming and Aina was cheering as loudly as the next person. He nodded to them and Aina waved at him. He spoke to the people, promising to do his duties as best as he could. They cheered again and he stepped off the platform to join them.
His mother greeted him with a big hug and a large smile. She spoke words of encouragement and repeatedly told him how proud she was. Aina was far more reserved, hugging him gently and kissing his cheeks. "Thank you for being here," he told her. She had cut her visit to Hugo short to be with him today.
"Of course," she told him. "I would never have missed this."
Ciaran had to leave her side at that point, to talk to the other members of the clan. He circulated much, many wishing to speak to their new, young and brave leader. Ciaran was also adored, apart from respected. Many young ladies in the clan hoped to be chosen as the next matriarch of the clan, but he had pursued none. There was rumours of an Englishwoman, but whether or not this was true, Ciaran gave no inkling. There were no sudden disappearances or unusual behavior that would signify clandestine meetings. So they waited.
"Ciaran, may I speak with you?" Aina whispered from behind him. He turned around. They were still in the middle of the celebration, but he had done his duty of talking to everyone. With that complete, he was at leisure to speak to his sister.
"Of course," Ciaran answered.
"Ciaran, as next clan leader, Father has given you the power to screen and study new members of the clan," she began.
Ciaran smiled at her and touched the top of her head. "Don't be silly, Aina," he said soothingly. "Of course Hugo can come visit. We have already discussed this, have we not?" Indeed, Aina and Ciaran had talked lengthily about how Aina could not leave her clan alone for too long and how Hugo could not leave his students at Hogwarts. Both of them had very important roles and the only solution right now was for Aina to travel through time and bounce back and forth between here and there. Hugo was scheduled to come in the summer, after classes were over. And Aina had every reason to be excited and worried.
Aina smiled at Ciaran. "Certainly, we have," she told him. "And I would not have accepted a different answer from you. But, no, this does not concern Hugo."
"Oh?"
Aina gestured to someone behind him. "Ailis," she called out.
Ciaran turned around to see the newcomer. Except...she wasn't new at all. She walked beside his father, hair loose and in the clothes of the clan. When they arrived before him, Ciaran had still not managed to arrange his features into something less shocked. "Close your mouth, son," his father suggested. "I have personally renamed Ailis, so I hope you make a good decision as to whether she may join us or not."
And with that, he left.
"Hello, Ciaran," she said softly.
"Helena?" his voice was barely above a whisper. "I can see your knees."
Helena looked down at her own knees and had to agree. She looked back up at him. "Nice to see you, too."
Aina giggled, halted, then made a quick nod of her head. "I can see mother calling me. The decision is yours, ceannard."
"What are you doing here?" Ciaran asked abruptly.
"Straight to business, huh?" Helena said. "I came because I want to join the clan."
"What about Albus?" he asked bluntly.
Helena shook her head. "I was fooling myself, thinking I belonged in that world," she looked down. "We tried, but I do not. I cannot."
So, she was free?
Ciaran looked at Helena. All of them had returned to their own times after Aina and Helena left for the future. Galen's house elves had managed to copy the magic at Hogwarts for their purprose, but it was time for them to return to the real world, so to speak. Galen had been very gentlemanly about it, knowing he would have to wait several years for Adele if he let time return to normal. Their goodbye had been painful to watch, but not as painful as Helena's kiss goodbye. I love you, too. But I loved him first. And I have to find him.
"Ciaran, are you all right?" Ciaran came crashing back to reality. His mind had abandoned his body for the briefest moment.
"I don't know, Helena..." he said, walking around her. "Are you certain you can handle the duties of clan life?"
Helena nodded. "Your father has been kind enough to offer his help."
"You will have to work," he told her.
"I am not afraid of work."
"You will have to learn to speak Irish."
"'seadh."
"You will have to adopt the name O'Liathain," he said, pausing in front of her.
Helena looked up at him through her lashes. "Hmmm...do you have any suggestions as to how I might do that, Ciaran?" she asked.
"Ceann-feadhna," Ciaran corrected her, teaching her the proper name for the leader of the clan. "There are a few different ways, but one I prefer above the others," he answered as he bent down to kiss her.
Ciaran broke the kiss and whispered: "If you say yes, you must say so with all your heart. Because once you agree to be mine, I am never letting you go again."
Helena licked her lips and looked at him.
"Your answer?"
"Daonnan," she answered.
"Now you're simply showing off," he teased as he gathered her into his arms.
Helga held her husband's arm as they watched their son, the woman he loved and the small crowd of clan members that had started to watch the two lovers tangled in each other's arms. "Feel that?" she asked.
"Feel what, my darling?"
"Love," Helga answered.
"Mmm...yes. And you, do your hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"The sound of young maidens' hearts breaking," he teased, putting an arm around her.
Helga laughed - the laugh that had captured the entire clan's heart and most importantly, it's leader. "Yes, I also heard it the day I married you."
Aina stood a little apart from her parents and looked at Ciaran and Helena. She was happy for her brother. He deserved all the happiness in the world. His heart had been wandering for several years and now it had finally found its home. Her own heart had found its home, but it would be a little while before it could rest there. Still, it would not be long until then.
Genre: General, Romance
Characters: Ciaran O'Liathain, Aina O'Liathain, Helena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, O'Liathain Sr. (unnamed)
Rating: GP (unfortunately :P)
Word Count: 1370 words
Summary: Ciaran deserves his happy ending.
Warning/s: COMPLETELY AU (based on Founders-canon)
Author's Notes: Should not be considered canon of anything I write. Sorry, Ciaran.
Ciaran stood at the edge of a cliff and looked out at the sprawling plains. He took a deep breath and silently released his magic into the earth. In return, he felt magic enter him through the ground beneath him. He bent down and picked up a rock and felt the magic there. Opening his eyes, he sighed and let the rock drop to the earth. He once again surveyed the land before him and he felt proud.
"They are waiting for you," someone said behind him. Ciaran turned around to see his father. The man smiled at his son. Ciaran had grown up well and he was very, very proud of his son.
"Yes, father," Ciaran answered in their native tongue, his accent strong.
The ceremony was simple, but meaningful. He stood before the entire clan, looking proud, strong and confident. He would be their clan leader; he had to show characteristics of someone that could be trusted. His father spoke to the clan, telling them of his decision to declare Ciaran his successor. Of course, that had been expected and had been training for it since he was young, but it was different now that it was official. He would now have a larger part in the clan: make decisions, create laws and protect his people.
Suddenly, there was a collective cheer from the audience. Ciaran crashed back to reality and smiled. He scanned the crowd quickly and found his mother standing beside Aina, both of whom looked very happy. His mother was beaming and Aina was cheering as loudly as the next person. He nodded to them and Aina waved at him. He spoke to the people, promising to do his duties as best as he could. They cheered again and he stepped off the platform to join them.
His mother greeted him with a big hug and a large smile. She spoke words of encouragement and repeatedly told him how proud she was. Aina was far more reserved, hugging him gently and kissing his cheeks. "Thank you for being here," he told her. She had cut her visit to Hugo short to be with him today.
"Of course," she told him. "I would never have missed this."
Ciaran had to leave her side at that point, to talk to the other members of the clan. He circulated much, many wishing to speak to their new, young and brave leader. Ciaran was also adored, apart from respected. Many young ladies in the clan hoped to be chosen as the next matriarch of the clan, but he had pursued none. There was rumours of an Englishwoman, but whether or not this was true, Ciaran gave no inkling. There were no sudden disappearances or unusual behavior that would signify clandestine meetings. So they waited.
"Ciaran, may I speak with you?" Aina whispered from behind him. He turned around. They were still in the middle of the celebration, but he had done his duty of talking to everyone. With that complete, he was at leisure to speak to his sister.
"Of course," Ciaran answered.
"Ciaran, as next clan leader, Father has given you the power to screen and study new members of the clan," she began.
Ciaran smiled at her and touched the top of her head. "Don't be silly, Aina," he said soothingly. "Of course Hugo can come visit. We have already discussed this, have we not?" Indeed, Aina and Ciaran had talked lengthily about how Aina could not leave her clan alone for too long and how Hugo could not leave his students at Hogwarts. Both of them had very important roles and the only solution right now was for Aina to travel through time and bounce back and forth between here and there. Hugo was scheduled to come in the summer, after classes were over. And Aina had every reason to be excited and worried.
Aina smiled at Ciaran. "Certainly, we have," she told him. "And I would not have accepted a different answer from you. But, no, this does not concern Hugo."
"Oh?"
Aina gestured to someone behind him. "Ailis," she called out.
Ciaran turned around to see the newcomer. Except...she wasn't new at all. She walked beside his father, hair loose and in the clothes of the clan. When they arrived before him, Ciaran had still not managed to arrange his features into something less shocked. "Close your mouth, son," his father suggested. "I have personally renamed Ailis, so I hope you make a good decision as to whether she may join us or not."
And with that, he left.
"Hello, Ciaran," she said softly.
"Helena?" his voice was barely above a whisper. "I can see your knees."
Helena looked down at her own knees and had to agree. She looked back up at him. "Nice to see you, too."
Aina giggled, halted, then made a quick nod of her head. "I can see mother calling me. The decision is yours, ceannard."
"What are you doing here?" Ciaran asked abruptly.
"Straight to business, huh?" Helena said. "I came because I want to join the clan."
"What about Albus?" he asked bluntly.
Helena shook her head. "I was fooling myself, thinking I belonged in that world," she looked down. "We tried, but I do not. I cannot."
So, she was free?
Ciaran looked at Helena. All of them had returned to their own times after Aina and Helena left for the future. Galen's house elves had managed to copy the magic at Hogwarts for their purprose, but it was time for them to return to the real world, so to speak. Galen had been very gentlemanly about it, knowing he would have to wait several years for Adele if he let time return to normal. Their goodbye had been painful to watch, but not as painful as Helena's kiss goodbye. I love you, too. But I loved him first. And I have to find him.
"Ciaran, are you all right?" Ciaran came crashing back to reality. His mind had abandoned his body for the briefest moment.
"I don't know, Helena..." he said, walking around her. "Are you certain you can handle the duties of clan life?"
Helena nodded. "Your father has been kind enough to offer his help."
"You will have to work," he told her.
"I am not afraid of work."
"You will have to learn to speak Irish."
"'seadh."
"You will have to adopt the name O'Liathain," he said, pausing in front of her.
Helena looked up at him through her lashes. "Hmmm...do you have any suggestions as to how I might do that, Ciaran?" she asked.
"Ceann-feadhna," Ciaran corrected her, teaching her the proper name for the leader of the clan. "There are a few different ways, but one I prefer above the others," he answered as he bent down to kiss her.
Ciaran broke the kiss and whispered: "If you say yes, you must say so with all your heart. Because once you agree to be mine, I am never letting you go again."
Helena licked her lips and looked at him.
"Your answer?"
"Daonnan," she answered.
"Now you're simply showing off," he teased as he gathered her into his arms.
Helga held her husband's arm as they watched their son, the woman he loved and the small crowd of clan members that had started to watch the two lovers tangled in each other's arms. "Feel that?" she asked.
"Feel what, my darling?"
"Love," Helga answered.
"Mmm...yes. And you, do your hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"The sound of young maidens' hearts breaking," he teased, putting an arm around her.
Helga laughed - the laugh that had captured the entire clan's heart and most importantly, it's leader. "Yes, I also heard it the day I married you."
Aina stood a little apart from her parents and looked at Ciaran and Helena. She was happy for her brother. He deserved all the happiness in the world. His heart had been wandering for several years and now it had finally found its home. Her own heart had found its home, but it would be a little while before it could rest there. Still, it would not be long until then.