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"So what's up with that sword you wanted?" Tanya asked after school. She had convinced Inlé to walk her home.

"I was hired to retrieve it," he answered.

"That's some part-time job you picked up. What's it pay?"

Inlé shook his head. "Nothing, generally."

"Not even travel expenses? Jeez, why keep the job, then?"

"There are benefits to the position, but it is hardly something one signs up for. My position ..." he looked for the right words, "'fell into my lap'? or 'wandered in and never left', perhaps."

"So ... your whole family's not like you?"

"I was not born as I am, no. I was a fairly normal youth. Albeit I was being raised somewhat unorthodoxly."

Tanya laughed. "'Somewhat'? You're king of understatements, aren't you? Anyway, what's so special about that sword? It must be worth a lot, if you're willing to get roughed up like that, huh?"

"I suppose," Inlé answered. "Do you know much mythology?"

"Not really, no," Tanya said. "Never really was interested."

"Nor was I. Yet, here I am. The sword is called Claíomh Solais, the sword of light. The blade is said to be magically keen, so that it can cleave anything. According to the tales, whenever the sword was used it would cut its wielder's foes in half."

"So not something we want in the wrong hands."

"I suppose," Inlé answered nonchalantly. Tanya looked at him, baffled as he continued, "I was hired to recover it for the Faerie Queen Titania. Or one of them, at least."

"Titania like A Midsummer Night's Dream?"

"The same."

"I take it back. Your job's awesome. Looking for a partner?"

"No. Even were it an option, I would not allow it. If you get involved in this, you will die for it."

"Uh-huh. Like you have?"

"Sunday night, the better part of my thoracic cage was in shambles. The sternum was broken, as were fourteen ribs--some in more than one place. One comminuted fracture in the skull. Two cervical and three thoracic vertebrae cracked. The left lung was punctured, and the left kidney lacerated. Add the varied cuts and bruises, and I was more than half dead, for all intents and purposes."

"But you're fine now, right? It couldn't have been that bad."

"My doctor loves me."

Surprised, Tanya missed a step. She smiled as she asked, "Was that just a joke? Did Mr. Serious just crack a joke?"

"No. I said my doctor loves me, which is true. Had she not been available to repair the injuries I had sustained, I would still be healing today, and perhaps tomorrow as well."

"Two or three days to fix all that? You're crazy."

"I suppose so. It matters little either way."

They walked quietly for a few minutes. Tanya finally mused, "So my competition's a doctor, then?"

"Competition?"

"Well, she's after you, too, right?"

"... No. I did not mean she loved me in that manner. I would be far too young for her. I believe she considers me somewhere between a favorite pet and a memento of things past. But I cannot understand her intentions completely."

"Of course not," Tanya scolded. "What man can understand a woman?"

"It is somewhat more complicated than that," Inlé said, but Tanya ignored him.

"And what does age matter? What's ten years when you're an adult?"

"Nothing. But it is nowhere near ... "

By now Tanya had gone off into her own world and was dragging Inlé along behind her. "I bet she's wild about you and is despairing because you're so cold and unfeeling--you really should smile once in a while, it's good for you--and she pines away over her unrequited love. She probably even does weird things like sneaking into your room while you're away. Because it's you, anything's believable."

Inlé shook his head silently.

"What, you deny it? At this point, I would believe just about any crazy thing you said that involved you. So how old is she?"

"Twelve hundred or so."

Tanya looked quickly at Inlé. "I don't believe it."

"The doctor I spoke of is not exactly a doctor as you are accustomed. The person who healed me was the same queen who hired me to retrieve the Tuatha dé Dannan for her."

"I thought you said it was cleave solace or something."

"Claíomh Solais is the sword, yes. The Tuatha dé Dannan, or more accurately the four treasures of the Tuatha dé Dannan are what I was hired to retrieve."

"So have you gotten it for her, yet?"

"It is in Maine. I plan to retrieve it Saturday."

"Uh-huh. So you aren't doing anything Friday, then."

"I suppose not."

"Perfect. It's a date!"

"What?"

"The Halloween dance at school. You're coming with me, no arguments." She skipped up the steps to the office and ran inside before Inlé could object.

Description
"So what's up with that sword you wanted?" Tanya asked after school. She had convinced Inlé to walk her home.

"I was hired to retrieve it," he answered.

"That's some part-time job you picked up. What's it pay?"

Inlé shook his head. "Nothing, generally."

"Not even travel expenses? Jeez, why keep the job, then?"

"There are benefits to the position, but it is hardly something one signs up for. My position ..." he looked for the right words, "'fell into my lap'? or 'wandered in and never left', perhaps."

"So ... your whole family's not like you?"

"I was not born as I am, no. I was a fairly normal youth. Albeit I was being raised somewhat unorthodoxly."

Tanya laughed. "'Somewhat'? You're king of understatements, aren't you? Anyway, what's so special about that sword? It must be worth a lot, if you're willing to get roughed up like that, huh?"

"I suppose," Inlé answered. "Do you know much mythology?"

"Not really, no," Tanya said. "Never really was interested."

"Nor was I. Yet, here I am. The sword is called Claíomh Solais, the sword of light. The blade is said to be magically keen, so that it can cleave anything. According to the tales, whenever the sword was used it would cut its wielder's foes in half."

"So not something we want in the wrong hands."

"I suppose," Inlé answered nonchalantly. Tanya looked at him, baffled as he continued, "I was hired to recover it for the Faerie Queen Titania. Or one of them, at least."

"Titania like A Midsummer Night's Dream?"

"The same."

"I take it back. Your job's awesome. Looking for a partner?"

"No. Even were it an option, I would not allow it. If you get involved in this, you will die for it."

"Uh-huh. Like you have?"

"Sunday night, the better part of my thoracic cage was in shambles. The sternum was broken, as were fourteen ribs--some in more than one place. One comminuted fracture in the skull. Two cervical and three thoracic vertebrae cracked. The left lung was punctured, and the left kidney lacerated. Add the varied cuts and bruises, and I was more than half dead, for all intents and purposes."

"But you're fine now, right? It couldn't have been that bad."

"My doctor loves me."

Surprised, Tanya missed a step. She smiled as she asked, "Was that just a joke? Did Mr. Serious just crack a joke?"

"No. I said my doctor loves me, which is true. Had she not been available to repair the injuries I had sustained, I would still be healing today, and perhaps tomorrow as well."

"Two or three days to fix all that? You're crazy."

"I suppose so. It matters little either way."

They walked quietly for a few minutes. Tanya finally mused, "So my competition's a doctor, then?"

"Competition?"

"Well, she's after you, too, right?"

"... No. I did not mean she loved me in that manner. I would be far too young for her. I believe she considers me somewhere between a favorite pet and a memento of things past. But I cannot understand her intentions completely."

"Of course not," Tanya scolded. "What man can understand a woman?"

"It is somewhat more complicated than that," Inlé said, but Tanya ignored him.

"And what does age matter? What's ten years when you're an adult?"

"Nothing. But it is nowhere near ... "

By now Tanya had gone off into her own world and was dragging Inlé along behind her. "I bet she's wild about you and is despairing because you're so cold and unfeeling--you really should smile once in a while, it's good for you--and she pines away over her unrequited love. She probably even does weird things like sneaking into your room while you're away. Because it's you, anything's believable."

Inlé shook his head silently.

"What, you deny it? At this point, I would believe just about any crazy thing you said that involved you. So how old is she?"

"Twelve hundred or so."

Tanya looked quickly at Inlé. "I don't believe it."

"The doctor I spoke of is not exactly a doctor as you are accustomed. The person who healed me was the same queen who hired me to retrieve the Tuatha dé Dannan for her."

"I thought you said it was cleave solace or something."

"Claíomh Solais is the sword, yes. The Tuatha dé Dannan, or more accurately the four treasures of the Tuatha dé Dannan are what I was hired to retrieve."

"So have you gotten it for her, yet?"

"It is in Maine. I plan to retrieve it Saturday."

"Uh-huh. So you aren't doing anything Friday, then."

"I suppose not."

"Perfect. It's a date!"

"What?"

"The Halloween dance at school. You're coming with me, no arguments." She skipped up the steps to the office and ran inside before Inlé could object.