31 - Caomhnóir

 

 

“And on your right, you’ll see—” Keegan intoned, causing Thom to break into laughter once again as he looked out of the window of the rental car.  

 

It had been like that for the last four days, the two of them bantering with each other at the same time that they were thoroughly enjoying the beauty of Ireland, or Éirinn as Keegan insisted on calling his homeland. At the moment they were on their way from Dublin, where they’d spent two days exploring the city, to Limerick and from there they planned to go down to Killarney and then over to Cork before heading home. Thom was splitting his attention between what he was seeing as they drove and the guidebook on Limerick that he’d picked up at their Dublin hotel.

 

Now Thom gazed across the vast expanse of green country side, broken occasionally by a small house or farm, and said, “We’re moving here.”

 

“Are we now? And just when are you planning on doing this?”

 

Turning to look as his lover, Thom said, “As soon as we get back and I have that long talk with Alasdair.”

 

Reaching across the console, Keegan squeezed Thom’s thigh. “One could only wish that he’d grant your request, but he won’t. My home base is where he is in this time and place.”

 

“We’ll see about that,” Thom replied firmly before going back to reading the guidebook. “We’re going to visit the castle,” he stated a moment later, “and the Milk Market since tomorrow’s Saturday.”

 

“Now who’s being the tour guide?”

 

“The book actually, I’m just taking its advice.”

 

* * * *

 

“Stop!” Thom said an hour later as they drove through the city.

 

“Now what?” Keegan asked in amusement. “We’re never going to get to the hotel if you keep this up.”

 

“Sorry,” Thom replied, “but I’ve never seen a real castle before.”

 

“Aye, and there it is,” Keegan said as he pulled off the street enough that they could look at it without impeding traffic. “Not one of the largest, but definitely a castle.” He ruffled Thom’s hair.

 

“Stop teasing. I know this is stuff you’re used to with your history, but it’s all new and wonderful to me.”

 

“I know, mo ghrá, and we’ll visit it tomorrow, but for now I suggest we move on. I for one and hungry and thirsty and there’s a pub here that will solve both those problems after we’ve signed into the hotel.”