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least.
He stopped the horse, climbed down and unfastened her. He
led Missy to a nearby stream and waited.  That s right, girl, you
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drink up now. We still have a ways to go and I ll need you
strong. When the horse finished, he brought her back to the
cart, tossed her some hay from the back and tied her up.
He jumped into the back of the cart and lay down next to his
lover. He stroked his cheek and fingered the bandage wrapped
around his head.  God, Shannon, don t you bloody die on me,
you hear? I couldn t take it. I love you too much.
Shannon s brows tensed and his legs twitched and he quieted
again. His breathing stayed slow and steady.
He sat back up and grabbed a flask he packed. He looked at
it, remembering the last time he used it. He was out hunting with
his father. It was way before he had any idea how Shannon felt
about him, way before his mother died. The world seemed so
different then, happy even. He looked forward to every morning,
seeing his ma in the kitchen, going to school and even doing his
chores.
He had big plans. Smiling, he swirled the water inside the
flask. He wanted to find Shannon a girl, a girl no less. A soft
chuckle rumbled his chest. He always thought if he found one for
Shannon, then he d find one, too, and they could settle down
together. It seemed pretty silly now. How could he not know, not
see it, Shannon always loved him. Going back to him, he leaned
over, opened the flask and carefully poured water into Shannon s
open mouth.
Shannon sputtered and coughed with his chest thrusting
upward. His eyes fluttered, but never opened.
 Come on, luv, you need to drink this now. Tilting the flask a
second time, he watched while his mouth swallowed the water.
 There you go, that s it. He screwed the cap on the flask, set it
down and lay next to him with his arms and legs wrapped around
him and his head resting on his chest. He fingered the folds in
the blanket.  There now, just a few hours sleep is all we need.
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Then we ll head into Dublin and Iona will show us where the
hospital is. You ll be fine, Shannon. I ll make sure of it. Don t you
worry now. Ciaran spoke softly and dozed off.
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Chapter 19
Taking Care
omething poked Ciaran between his shoulders, rocking him
forward. He opened his eyes into darkness. The poke came
S
harder, a second time, insistent.
 Bloody mick, get up will you?
He whirled around and lurched up to sitting. He wiped at his
eyes and looked around him.
There were five men, all in dark uniforms. One stood at the
side of the cart. The moon glinted off the metal rifle he used to
poke Ciaran s back. It pointed at him still.
 Put your hands where I can see them.
He raised his hands over his head, not knowing what else to
do.
 What about your friend there?
 Um, h-he s badly hurt, he can t even hear you. He shook.
The British accents meant they were indeed Black and Tans, or at
least British Army.
Another soldier jumped into the back of the cart, crouched
down beside Shannon and shook him.  Ay, this one s almost
dead already.
He flinched hearing those words. How he wanted to protest
and lash out at the soldier for touching his wounded lover. But
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he d wait, for now.
The rifle dipped for a moment, catching his attention.
 So what you bloody micks been up to, ay? You been messing
around the barracks lately? Maybe setting a few traps, trying to
kill a few of the RIC? the rifled soldier asked.
He shook his head.  N-no, of course not. I m not involved
with any of that. I m just a farmer taking my friend here to
hospital.
The soldier in the cart laughed.  A little bloody late, don t you
think?
His anger flared. He whipped around to the soldier beside
Shannon.  Shut your bloody hole, he ll be fine. The rifle
plunged into his back, sending a sharp pain through his body
while jerking him forward. He turned back around.
 Do not talk to the Queen s army that way or I ll have to shoot
just for the fun of it. A wicked grin spread over the lips of the
soldier holding the rifle.
The roar of an engine filled the night and two lights came
toward them from the direction of the stream. The soldier with
the rifle hurried to stand in line with the others while they
straightened themselves, holding their arms in salute. The soldier
in the cart stood and did the same.
He recognized the outline of the vehicle as it approached, a
British Army jeep.
The jeep stopped and a man got out of the passenger seat and
strode closer.
By the way the soldiers behaved, he assumed the new one was
an officer.
 What s all this? the officer asked.
The man with the rifle said,  Micks, sir.
 Let s not use that sort of language around the natives, shall
we? Pulling his gloves off, the officer slapped them to his hand.
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He walked a slow, deliberate circle around his men, glancing at
him.  Now then. Are these the men we re looking for?
 Not sure, sir, the soldier in the cart said.
 Well, do they fit the descriptions you ve been given?
 No, sir.
 Then let s be off. We have work to do.
 What about the micks, sir?
The officer strode up to him and looked him up and down.
His gaze went to Shannon, lying haphazardly in the cart.
 Hmmm, so sad, isn t it, to lose a friend like that.
His voice was low and clear,  He s not gone.
The officer waved his hand.  Leave now or I ll have you
arrested for trespassing.
Trespassing? They were the trespassers. This was Ireland not
Briton. He wanted to say something nasty. He glanced back at
Shannon. Better not, it would be too risky.
The soldiers moved off, down the hillside, still searching for
whomever set traps for them at their barracks.
He went to his lover and confirmed he was still all right.
Tenderly, he straightened his blankets and checked his bandage.
 Don t listen to them, Shannon. You ll be just fine. They left us
alone and soon we ll be in Dublin. He stood and jumped out of
the cart.
He fastened Missy back up to the cart.  Bloody awful
bastards, he mumbled. He took a sharp inhale. Oh shite, I
escaped with my horse, my cart and all of our money. A wide
smile spread across his face. It would be all right.
A quiet darkness enveloped the streets of Dublin, so unlike
the first time he came through here. Of course, the sun had yet to
come up and the street lamps were already out. He looked ahead
to the boulevard. The stone buildings and cathedrals looked
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