Book Three - Part Five (Continued)
By Stephen Herron

The Last Choice (Continued)

The next week went by quickly.

King Finn returned to Belfast with Kestry, and he held a council at the Castle. There, the King announced the end of the War, and the exile of Lorenzo and the Vikings. He gave Freeholds back to their rightful owners, and apologised for his actions.

Kestry gave back the Duchy of Down to Michael, Aishling's brother, and King Finn gave Kestry back the Duchy of Belfast.

Duke Kestry ap Liam of Belfast was thrown a party that lasted a whole week.

The Rebels met with Malcolm, who explained why and how, and told them that he would need them again, when he was ready to come into his heritage. Their story had not ended. This had been merely the first chapter.

Lord Galway offered the Brick Glade as the new Ducal Manor- no one really wanted to go back to the old one, after all that had happened there.

Kestry got stuck into being Duke again, and quickly began to reverse the damage done by Lorenzo.

And the Wishmaker ?

Let's just say it's in safe keeping.

"So, it's been a month. How are you settling back into your role ?" asked Finn.

Kestry smiles and sips his tea.
"It's good. I'm rebuilding things, getting the town back in shape. Lorenzo did a lot of damage, to the Fae, the Dreamers, and the city itself."

Finn nodded.
"I don't know how to make it up to you, Kestry. I let Lorenzo torture you..."

Kestry shakes his head.
"It's in the past. I'm just glad to have my friend back."

Finn smiles sadly, and nods. He sips his tea.
"How are the Rebels ?" he asks. Kestry thinks a moment.

"Lady Eithne took up her role as a Knight well. She's coming along very nicely. She wears the emblem of an axe, in memory of Giant."

Finn nods.
"She's a beautiful woman. She'll need all her fighting skills to keep the young Sidhe nobles at arms length."

Kestry grinned.
"Rocky is concentrating on his boxing career. He's promised to help the young ones in West Belfast, keeping their dreams of hope alive."

Then he smiled.
"And Robin is still Robin. And I'd not have her any other way."

"What has she been doing ?" asks Finn.
"She's been seeing her mother, since she was away from her for so long. She meets up with Eithne and Rocky once a week. And she's here at the Brick Glade a lot as well."

Kestry smiles warmly, and sips his tea.
"Without them, I'd never have made it. Without her."

Finn nods, and raises his tea cup.
"To the Rebels. And their Stories Yet To Come."

Kestry clinks his cup off the Kings. They laugh at their unusual toast, and choice of drink.

"What about Matthew ?" asks Finn. Kestry laughs.
"Malcolm left him back with his parents, and gave them a house, and a car, and all of his money. Then he left. Only the Rebels know where he is, and they're not saying. To be honest," said Kestry, smiling ruefully, "I don't really want to know where he is. I think I'd be surprised and a bit worried. Our future High King is probably standing outside a train station somewhere with a guitar and a hat trying to get enough change to buy his dinner."

King Finn laughs, a sound like music.
"Quite an image, Kestry ! Let's hope he's a good guitar player !"

Kestry laughs. He sighs, and looks more serious. He places his Harper's Brooch on the table in front of him, and watches the candle light glint off the silver and steel.

"The Harpers were there for you, my King," says Kestry. Finn nods.
"I know. That's why I gave them to you. I knew that I'd need you someday. You saved me. You saved the Kingdom."

"Me ? I don't know. It wasn't just me."

Finn shrugs.
"I know. But you led them. You're a natural leader. They followed without question."

Kestry shakes his head.
"I wish they'd asked more questions. It might have saved some of them."

He sighs.
"What about Lorenzo ?"

Finn sips from his cup, and sighs.
"He's in America, I've heard. He'll make new allies, but he can never step foot back on Irish soil. The land itself will reject him."

"Is that punishment enough ?" asks Kestry.

Finn nods.
"Imagine never coming home, Kestry. Imagine the land you love never accepting you. Is there a better punishment ?"

Kestry shivered.
"No. No there's not."

They were silent for a while, each deeply involved with their own thoughts.

"I had a Dreaming about the future," says Finn casually. Kestry sits forward, intrigued.

"Really ? Do go on."

Finn grins.
"You'll be doing a lot of travelling. The United States. "

Kestry nods, fascinated.
"What else ?" he asks.

"You'll be Duke for a while. Until your final destiny calls you to the Role that all this has been preparing you for."

Kestry blinks.
"Really ? Sounds a bit ominous."

He drinks his tea, deep in thought.

"Anything else ?"

Finn pauses before answering, and he can't help but smile. He remembers this part of the Dream the best. It was the bit with flour and water, and smiles and laughter and the promise of love and Dreams and butterflies. It makes him feel happy, and for so long he felt only bitterness and pain.

And he knows that Kestry will eventually be rewarded by Destiny for his work in Belfast. A reward beyond words, beyond description… and beyond the wildest guess that Kestry could ever have made.

King Finn sips from his cup before he answers.
"I hope you like nightingales…"