It was the day of Tadhg and Aisling's wedding. Eamon and Catriona were both dressed in their best clothes. Catriona had finally gotten her lace shawl, and Eamon was wearing a dark blue coat that he had taken off a traveler.

They rode double on Niamh to the Kavanagh cottage, where several families had already gathered. Some had come on foot, some by horse and cart.

Eamon walked up to Tadhg and clapped him on the back. "Scared?" He asked teasingly.

Tadhg fiddled with his collar. "No...yes." He glanced towards the door of the cottage where all the women were waiting inside with Aisling.

"How was the goose last night?" Eamon asked curiously, referring to the "aitin' of the gander," a custom where the bride's family fed the groom a goose on the night before the wedding. Eamon had never tasted a goose before, and wondered whether it tasted anything like the pheasants he had caught in the past.

"Meat's meat," Tadhg said simply. "I'll take what I can get."

Delma ran outside, giggling as she bounded toward Tadhg and Eamon. "Aisling looks very pretty, Tadhg. You might scare her away!"

Tadhg glared at Eamon, who was snickering. "It's glad I am she'll be wearing a veil."

Eamon nearly choked on his laughter. "You mean she's ugly?" He started to ask.

Delma shook her head and pulled on Tadhg's sleeve. "She hasn't got a veil, Tadhg!"

"No, I wasn't - " Tadhg broke off his sentence. "She hasn't got a veil?" He gulped.

Eamon suddenly imagined himself getting married. He imagined Orla walking towards him and suddenly felt weak and afraid, understanding why Tadhg wanted Aisling to wear a veil.

Delma was shaking her head. "She. Has. No. Veil," she enunciated. "But she looks beautiful, still! Mother says I'll be looking like Aisling someday."

Eamon nodded, looking at Delma speculatively. Both Aisling and Delma had blond hair and fine features, so it was entirely possible that Delma would look like her sister-in-law someday.

Tadhg grinned faintly. "The man who marries you will be fortunate, then." He fell silent as his father approached him.

"Tadhg, it's time." Conall Kavanagh put a hand on his son's shoulder, smiling proudly.

Tadhg turned towards the house. The women were making their way outside and finding their families. The people gathered around the door, forming a lane for Aisling to walk through.

Eamon and Delma drifted away from Tadhg, leaving the groom standing with his father. Eamon found Catriona at the same time that Aisling started to walk out of the house.

The girl's blonde hair, which was braided and twisted on top of her head, was visible under her wreath of lavender flowers and her lace veil.

Her veil! Eamon gaped at the lace that Aisling was wearing on her head, then nudged Catriona. His aunt smiled at him, no longer wearing her lace shawl. She gazed fondly at Aisling and Eamon felt a flare of resentment.

It should be me who's getting married! Then Catriona would have given her shawl to Orla instead. Eamon blinked. Orla? Why am I thinking it's Orla that I'm going to marry? He kicked irritably at the ground with his shoe.

Aisling flashed a grateful smile at Catriona as she continued down the path to Tadgh and Conall. Tadhg was grinning now, but it was a nervous grin. Eamon could feel the uncertainty radiating off his friend.

As Aisling reached Tadhg, Conall took a scarlet ribbon from his pocket and stepped forward. "Tadhg Kavanagh and Aisling Dolan," he began, "do you wish to be married?"

"We do," the two young people answered.

"Then take each other by the right hand." Conall paused while Tadhg and Aisling clasped hands. "With this cord, I bind Tadhg and Aisling to the vows they make to each other." Conall draped the ribbon around the couple's wrists and tied it loosely.

"The knots of this binding are not formed by this cord, but by your vows. You hold in your hands - and hearts - the making or breaking of this union. May your marriage be blessed with patience and dedication, forgiveness and respect, love and understanding." Conall looked at Tadhg. "Pronounce your vows."

When Tadhg began to speak, his voice wavered for a moment then steadied. "I, Tadhg, take thee, Aisling, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or poorer, for fairer or fouler, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish...till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereunto I plight thee my troth." Tadhg finished speaking and looked expectantly at Aisling.

Eamon noticed that Tadhg had paused before he said, "till death us do part." Maybe this will be making him have second thoughts about being a highwayman.

Aisling began to speak her vows. "I, Aisling, take thee, Tadhg, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward," here Aisling paused, then continued, "for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health." Aisling paused again and dipped her head as though she were blushing. "To be bonny and buxom at bed and at board, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereunto I plight thee my troth."

Conall placed his hand over the hands of Aisling and Tadhg and spoke. "Now you are bound one to the other, with a tie not easy to break. Take the time of binding before the final vows are made, to learn what you need to know - to grow in wisdom and love. That your marriage will be strong, that your love will last, in this life and beyond. Tadhg and Aisling, you are now man and wife."

Tadhg and Aisling looked at each other and smiled, then turned back to Conall. In unison, they recited solemnly,

"We swear by peace and love to stand,

Heart to heart and hand to hand.

Hark, O Spirit, and hear us now,

Confirming this our Sacred Vow."

Conall beamed, calling loudly, "Kiss her, Tadhg!"

Tadhg needed no further urging. He lifted the lace veil and kissed his bride. The lace draped over the heads of the couple, hiding them momentarily from view. Eamon joined the watchers in cheers and applause. Even as he clapped for his friend, his happiness was tinged with jealousy.

Tadhg emerged from under the veil, blushing. He pulled the veil back, exposing Aisling's face, which was pink with pleasure. They turned to face their family and friends, smiling happily.

Eamon stepped forward, Catriona at his side. Catriona started to speak, but Eamon stepped on her foot. "Let me be the first to congratulate you," he said meaningfully. Catriona had almost broken the custom that dictated that a man should be the first to congratulate the newly-married couple. It was only superstition, but one couldn't fly in the face of superstition.

Tadhg grinned - he had not missed the subtle exchange between aunt and nephew. "Go raibh maith agat," he thanked Eamon.

Catriona took Aisling's hand. "I wish you much happiness," she said joyfully.

Aisling embraced Catriona. "Go raibh maith agat, Catriona. Thank you for the veil."

Tadhg started. "This is your veil, Catriona?" He trailed a hand over the lace that covered his wife's hair.

Catriona waved a dismissive hand. "It's only a shawl. Keep it. You look well in it," she said softly. "Every woman needs something nice when she starts her married life."

Aisling smiled and mouthed, "Thank you." She had no time to say any more, for the rest of the wedding guests had descended on the couple. For several minutes, Tadhg and Aisling were the receivers of embraces and congratulations.

Finally, Conall spoke over the noise. "It's time for the bride and groom to be off to their new house. But their house lacks a roof. Lads, if you'll be helping us, there's plenty ofpoitín for you later!" Laughter sounded from the guests and the men broke off in a large group for the walk to the house. Some of the women stayed behind at the Kavanagh cottage and some went to Aisling's family's house. Both families had taken the responsibility of providing food for the guests.

Eamon had mounted Niamh and was riding near the back of the party. He found Abbán in the throng and patted him on the shoulder. "So you're going to be helping us, then?" He made an inviting gesture and offered Abbán a hand up.

Abbán nodded. "Tá. I'm to drink the poitín, too." The young boy's face shone with eagerness and he took Eamon's hand, pulling himself up onto the horse's back quickly and easily.

Eamon grinned. "Don't be drinking too much!" Abbán turned indignantly, and Eamon chuckled. "Don't be getting yourself riled up, either.Poitín is strong, it is. Strong enough that a man should watch how much he drinks."

Abbán crossed his arms as though he was still angry, but Eamon could tell he was pleased at being termed a man. "You're careful when you drink it?"

"Tá. Especially when your brother's around - there's no telling what he'll start."

Abbán giggled. "It's right you are." He fidgeted a bit, then settled into the saddle for the rest of the ride.

Eamon was silent too, wondering how his friendship with Tadhg would change. It's bound to be different, but how?

A/N: It's been a while since I posted a new chapter! Hope you enjoy this one - another one is close behind!