Rebirth of a Fey Lord

Eogan groggily lifted his head from his pillow when he felt someone sit on the edge of his bed. "Who..." he began but couldn't finish the question, still half-dazed from sleep.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." A woman's voice echoed in his ears as he shook his head, trying to clear the fog of slumber.

"Mother, what are you doing here so early?" Eogan glanced out the window and saw the sun had just begun to rise.

With long blonde hair cascading down to her waist and onyx-black eyes, the woman smiled down at her sleepy child. "I heard about what you've been up to these past few days." She giggled, almost childishly. "You've given your father quite a headache. Good job."

"Should you be encouraging me to misbehave?"

A full belly laugh came from his mother, the multi-colored gems on the sleeve of her golden dress jingling with the sound. "Probably not, but the man deserves it."

Eogan sighed and sat up. "So why are you here?"

"That doctor who examined you is quite well-known in the neighboring kingdom. I'm not sure why he's here, but I'm glad he's researching my little boy's condition." She paused for a moment. "While I know you can learn magic now, I'd prefer you wait until the age children normally begin. There are still too many unknowns with you."

Eogan nodded. "I can understand your concerns, Mother. If that is what you wish, we can inform Father. Would you like to join us for breakfast?"

Eogan's mother looked at her feet, a scowl crossing her face. "I'd rather not be in the same room as the man. But since this concerns you, I suppose I must be present."

A knock on the bedroom door interrupted their conversation. "Come in," Eogan called out.

The door swung open, and Lorcan stepped into the room. "I came to wake you, sir, but I see someone already has."

Eogan's mother sprang to her feet excitedly. "Eogan! Who is this young man? I haven't seen him before."

She grabbed Lorcan by the shoulders, forcing him to spin around while thoroughly examining him.

"Mother, please calm down," Eogan said, startled by her sudden movements. "This is Lorcan, my new servant. He's been here for four days. Dilis is training him."

Lorcan stood frozen, looking overwhelmed by the sudden attention. "Lorcan, this is my mother, Lady Brid Chulainn."

"Oops," Lady Chulainn said cheekily, smiling. "Sorry for startling you. I'm overjoyed that my son finally has someone working for him besides Cyras."

"That's alright, Lady Chulainn. Most of the people in the household had a similar reaction. I think the only ones who didn't were Lord Dubhan and Dilis."

"I see. Those two are quite hard to surprise," Lady Chulainn mused. "Anyways, I should take my leave so you can help my baby get ready for breakfast." She grinned mischievously at Eogan before walking out the door, head held high.

Eogan groaned. "Sorry about her, Lorcan. She can be a lot to handle. I'm so embarrassed." He hid his face in his hands.

Lorcan laughed and replied, "It's alright, sir. I'm glad she cares about you so much." After briefly pausing, he added, "May I ask a personal question?"

"Sure, you're my servant now and my student. I have a feeling I already know what you'll ask."

"Why is her family name different from yours and your father's?"

Eogan smiled darkly. "My mother is a direct descendant of the hero Cian Chulainn. Her parents wanted her to marry my father, but she refused, saying she wanted a life of freedom. She agreed to compromise by having a child with him so the Chulainn lineage wouldn't die out, being an only child. So here I am—the bastard child of the hero's blood. Ironic, isn't it?" He laughed bitterly, the weight of his secret pressing down on him. I'm also the reincarnation of the most potent fey lord in history, Fergus Mor. But I think it would overwhelm Lorcan to tell him that now.

Lorcan stood frozen, his mouth agape in shock. Eogan raised an eyebrow. "Let's change the subject for now. Have you decided on a name for the little one?"

Lorcan nodded. "Her name is Neala." He paused before a thought struck him. "Sir, Dilis learned about Neala the night before you trained with your father!"

"Hmm," Eogan thought deeply. "That should be alright. She's the best secret keeper in this household. If you tell her to keep quiet, she'll do so." He smiled. "Besides, this could be a good thing. Now, we have one more person to help care for Neala. We've been struggling to sneak food for her these past few days. When you see Dilis today, ask her to help us."

Lorcan sighed in relief. "Yes, sir."

"Now, help me pick out something to wear. I can't decide," Eogan said, rummaging through his dresser drawers.

"You're asking the wrong person, sir. I grew up with only one outfit. Choosing from so many options is impossible for me. But I do have a solution." Lorcan laughed. "I'll put five options on the floor."

Eogan looked confused as Lorcan set five outfits on the floor. He then placed the pouch containing Neala on the floor beside them. "Neala, sweetie, can you help me with something?"

Eogan's eyes lit up with understanding. "I see. You're going to have her help. I'm glad you're already putting the lesson I taught you yesterday about relying on your bond into practice." His eyes gleamed with amusement. "Although this isn't quite what I expected the first time you'd ask for her help."

Lorcan laughed. "True, it is a rather bizarre situation."

Neala slowly crawled out of the pouch, sucking her thumb. She glanced over the five outfits before pointing intensely at the one in the middle. It was dark blue with gold trim. "I can sense that she thinks that one would look good on you," Lorcan said, proud of his little girl.

Eogan nodded. "Time to get ready then."