Standard Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

Potato Famine 1846-1850

The Great Hunger: An Gorta Mor

By Sheila McMahon-Copenhaver

We are the Silent People.
How long must we be still,
To nurse in secret at our breast
An ancient culture?

Let us arise and cry then;
Call from the sleeping ashes
Of destiny a chieftain who
Will be our voice.

He will strike the brass
And we will erupt
From our hidden caves
Into the light of new-born day.

Skibbereen, Ireland

July 1844

Edward O'Cullen is confused. Having lived all his nineteen years in a crowded home, he doesn't understand why he wakes to a quiet house.

There has always been noise about, living with his Mamaí, Daidí, and three younger siblings. His older brother and sister are both married and have homes of their own. His younger siblings, Riley, Molly, and Connor, do not care for Edward's love for sleeping late and would often make loud noises to get him to rise.

Opening his eyes, he looks around the small room, suddenly remembering he has his own home now. It was his first night at the cottage he is to share with his soon-to-be wife, Bella.

She is his a ghrá, his love, and he cannot wait until she is beside him in their modest bed.

Sitting up, Edward takes a look around the small home. He has made their bedroom in the alcove above, looking over the two-room cottage. His smile is wide as he imagines Bella cooking at the iron stove, a leanbh on her hip and another in her belly.

Bella and their mothers worked on the small space, making it a home for the couple in the days leading up to the wedding.

Like his Daidí and Daideó before him, Edward worked tirelessly on old man McCarty's farm for a year, in order to provide a home for his a ghrá.

He thinks of their love as he gathers water from the well to wash his body.

They grew up together. Her family, the McSwans, lived in the cottage beside his all his life. Meals and holidays were shared between the families. It was a small community they were a part of; most of the tenant farmers had a kinship amongst themselves.

He laughs to himself, remembering how she used to trip over her long, dark hair. And how he would always pull on the silky, unruly strands before taking off so she couldn't catch him.

They caught frogs together, picked potatoes together, and washed in the creek together, until her flat chest turned into little round apples. Her father had removed her hastily one day because Edward stared with his mouth agape.

He couldn't fathom how his Bella had those things on her chest and why they made him feel funny.

As they grew older, his fondness for teasing her multiplied. Any time she was upset, her big brown eyes would glare at him as if she were the bigger one.

In his sixteenth year, everything changed between them. She had grown into a great beauty. Her long, dark hair cascaded down her back all the way to her slim waist; her hips were prominent, sturdy enough to bear children. Her backside was firm and round; he would stare at it, hoping her father wouldn't catch him. Her breasts were the juiciest of fruits, round and perky.

He protected her as if she was one of his sisters, but his feelings for her were not of kin. He wanted to hold her in his arms for the rest of his life. He dreamed of days where he could kiss her all day and make love to her all night. No matter how hard he tried to ignore his feelings, they never waned.

He assumed they were so strong because their families were close. Her eldest sister, Angela, married his eldest brother, Benjamin, so they were practically related.

He buried his feelings in the soil of Ireland as he slaved to be a farmer in his own right and not just for his Daidí. Edward put his growing feelings for Bella aside until a year had passed. Then one day, James Murphy told him that he and the other lads were speaking of Bella's beauty. Hearing James confess he wanted to declare his intentions to Charles made Edward so angry that he knew what his true feelings were for Bella.

He loved her greatly, and no other man would call her his.

The water is cold on his skin, but the fire warm as he had put a few pieces of wood on before he went down to the well.

As he washes by the hearth, he can't stop the smile that graces his handsome face, thinking on the day he approached Bella. She was washing clothes at the river, her hair was a sweaty mess on top of her head, and he thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever beheld.

Edward was nervous that day, as she ignored him and continued to wash the clothes with two smooth rocks.

"Bella, I wanted to speak to ye," he said nervously.

"Oh, now ye wants to speak to me, do you?" She scrubbed the clothes harder and said no more.

Edward went to ask if he could go to Charles and ask his permission for a courtship but was caught off guard by Bella's rant.

"Ye haven't spoken to me in weeks, Edward O'Cullen! You got some nerve coming here!" She flung the clothes down and stood, rushing over to him.

"Aye, I've been a horse's arse. I know what I want now," he said, pushing the flyaway hair out of her lovely face.

His thumb caressed her rosy cheek as he stared into her eyes.

"And what do ye want?" she asked.

"You, a ghrá, always." He pressed his lips against hers, sealing their fates.

That was two years ago, back when she was a girl of fifteen. And now, at seventeen, she will become his wife.

Edward stands in the center of his parents' home, happy that he will be a married man in less than an hour. He's wearing his Daideó's kilt. His Daidí had kept the heirloom for his sons; his eldest brother wore the kilt when he wed.

His parents' cottage is larger than the one Edward will live in with his new wife.

"Ye clean up well," his brother, Benjamin, says.

"That, he does. Do you have any questions about your wedding night?" his Daidí, Liam, asks.

His younger brother, Riley, snickers, but one look from his Daidí silences him.

"It's not a joke. When you love a woman, then you'll know what it's like to put her before you. My Daidí taught me that, and I want you all to remember to cherish yer wives. He loved my Mamaí until his last breath," Liam says, pointing at his eldest boys.

"Aye, some say he was bewitched by the seductress." Benjamin raises an eyebrow to his father.

Liam chuckles. "All wives are seductresses to their husbands. You should know. You have another babe on the way, and the first one is still on the tit."

"Aye, Angela will need to grow more tits if you two don't stop for a while," Riley teases his brother.

Benjamin swings at his younger brother.

"Watch it, you," Benjamin warns Riley.

"Benjamin, take Riley here to yer cottage and see if yer sister, Maggie, has the children ready. Once your Mamaí's back from the McSwans', we'll be off to the church." Liam gives the two a firm look.

Once Liam is alone with Edward, he turns to him, smiling.

"I'm fine, Daidí. We've had the talk before," Edward says, looking his father nervously in the eye.

"Aye, we have, but this will be the first time you've lain with Bella. Or so I hope. I'd hate to see Charles McSwan kill you on your wedding day." Liam gives his son a pointed look.

"We're not Benjamin and Angela," Edward says, his jaw set.

It was no secret that Angela was with child on her wedding day. Charles McSwan did point his shot gun at Benjamin weeks before their nuptials. Although the couple was helplessly in love, both families were still embarrassed when baby Brielle was born seven months after their wedding night.

"I know you're not, but even the best of us fall to passion sometimes," Liam states, a grin on his handsome face.

His own green eyes, like those of his son's, twinkle mischievously.

"I respect Bella too much to lose myself. She deserves the world." Edward's cheeks redden.

He does not want to have the talk with his Daidí again. They spoke on relations between a man and woman when Edward was just a young lad. His brother had always been his closest confidant, so he also knew a little too much about Benjamin's marital bed.

Liam smiles at his son who is so in love with the young girl. "Aye, she does. Just focus on her tonight and all yer lives."

"I will, Daidí," Edward says, hugging his father.

Siobhan comes into the house in her best dress.

"We best be off to the church. Oh, Edward, wait until you set eyes on Bella. She looks so beautiful in her Irish lace." Siobhan smiles at her son before walking to her husband.

"She is a beauty. Our son couldn't have done better," Liam agrees, kissing his wife.

"Aye, now come along," she says, leading them out of their home.

Bella takes one last glance at herself in the old, faded looking glass. She looks like a gentle English Lady, not the poor farm girl she is. None of it matters because she is marrying Edward, whom she loves more than her own life.

She turns left and right, admiring the fine blue gown. She's never owned anything so beautiful in all her life. The wedding gown was sewn by her Maimeó before she passed on. Her mother only had to take it in at the waist, but the dress fits perfectly for being made for her when she was just a girl of twelve years. The fine veil is Irish lace passed down through her family from mother to daughter.

Rosalie McCarty adds one last adjustment to her hair, giving the girl a sad smile. Rosalie is the newest wife of Marcus McCarty, the cruel old English landlord who rules over them all.

Rosalie is his fourth wife, his three other wives having died under strange circumstances. After arriving in Skibbereen, alone in a strange country, Rosalie immediately befriended Bella.

"You look beautiful, Bella. The blue is so striking with your skin color," Rosalie says sadly, worried for the girl's upcoming wedding night.

Her own wedding night had been horrific, so she has no encouraging words for the young woman.

"Aye, she does. The Irish always says, 'Married in blue, you're sure to be true,'"

Renee says, looking at the woman warily.

She's not keen that Rosalie McCarty has taken a liking to her Bella. The woman should know her place in the world and not befriend the lesser class. She knows what the woman endures under Mr. McCarty. She has seen all three of his other wives suffer the same, but it is no one's business what happens between a man and his wife. Even if the man is cruel like Marcus McCarty.

"Thank you, Rosalie, and thank you for the hair comb ... It's beautiful. I will return it tomorrow." Bella touches the comb that is placed in her hair, pulling it back from her face.

"Take your time. I understand. Please tell Edward I wrote Emmett to inform him of your wedding," Rosalie says, speaking of her new son-in-law, who she has yet to meet.

Rosalie has been corresponding with Marcus's son since she arrived in Skibbereen, when he sent a letter welcoming her to the family. In his first correspondence, Emmett informed her of his friendship with Edward O'Cullen since they were boys.

"He will be pleased. He speaks of Emmett often," Bella says, smiling.

"Aye, now if you'll excuse us, Mrs. McCarty. We best be off to the church," Renee says, dismissing the woman.

Bella's eyes grow wide from her Mamaí's behavior. Once Rosalie is out of the cottage, Bella turns on her. "Must you treat her so poorly?" she asks her mother, who is doting on her veil.

"It's not right for her to befriend you. I don't like it," Renee says, draping the long veil over her daughter's shoulder.

"She's lonely is all. She was taken away from her home and now is in a strange country, forced into a loveless, cold marriage. We're blessed that we're so poor that we can marry for love." Bella lets out a little giggle.

"Aye, we are, and ye, my a stóirín, have found a great grá. Hold on to each other. It's not an easy life we have, but with grá, we can survive anything." Renee squeezes her daughter's shoulder.

Bella smiles, the tears falling. She misses her mother calling her a stóirín or little darling. It's an endearment saved for the younger children.

"Thank you, Mamaí. I've loved Edward since we were young ones; I never thought he would love me." Bella's smile is wide, thinking over the years.

"Aye, he loves you, and because of that, he will cherish you until his last breath." Renee turns her daughter to face her. "Now do you have any questions about what we discussed last evening?"

Bella blushes, lowering her head. She is looking forward to the wedding bed. Both her mother and her sister, Angela, make it seem passionate between two people who love each other. She loves Edward with every part of her and wants to give herself to him as a wife should.

"No, Mamaí. I believe I am well informed." Bella tries to control the heat in her cheeks.

"Good! And none of that lying there and taking it. Yer an Irish girl, and you will get yer pleasure, too. Don't be shy; tell him how ye feel." Renee tilts her head knowingly.

Before Bella can answer, her father comes into the cottage. She casts her eyes down, not wanting her father to know the subject of which she and her Mamaí were speaking.

"If it isn't the prettiest girl in Skibbereen. Let me look at you, a leanbh na páirte," her father says, calling her his dearest child.

It is a form of affection he always uses with her. "What do you think, Daidí?" she asks, a smile on her lips.

"I think if Edward doesn't treat you right, I'll bury him among the potatoes," Charles teases with tears in his eyes.

"Oh, Charles! The lad will treat her just fine. Now let's get our daughter wed!"

The entire village surrounds Holy Trinity Church, waiting for the young couple who they have watched grow up as little ones. The warm August wind blows as Edward dismounts his horse. Charles brings up the wagon, and the crowd cheers loudly as Edward assists Bella from it.

"You look beautiful, a ghrá," he says

Four pipers playing Uilleann Bagpipes lead the happy couple into the church as they hold hands with wide smiles on their faces. Once they reach the front, the crowd follows in behind them.

"Lock the door!" the guests shout at the top of their lungs. Bella giggles as both she and Edward watch the villagers place a wood plank on the door, successfully locking them inside.

The tradition of locking the door is to keep the groom from running off with cold feet since so many Irishmen never make it to the altar.

"Do you think I'll run off?" Edward teases.

"If you do, I'll come and drag ye back," she says, smiling at him.

"I'll never leave you, a ghrá. You're my life now," he says, his gaze never leaving hers.

The old priest, Father O'Weber, stands in front of the church, demanding silence. Their parents and siblings sit in the first two rows on either side. Their Mamaís' eyes fill with tears as the Father starts the prayer.

Bella and Edward only have eyes for each other as he quotes old blessings of love. Edward's green eyes memorize every feature of her lovely face, never wanting to forget the day that she became his wife.

"Welcome! 'Tis a blessed day as we come before God to join Edward and Isabella together as man and wife." Father O'Weber turns to the couple. "May God be with you and bless you. May you see your children's children. May you be poor in misfortunes and rich in blessings. May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward." His kind old face peers at the couple he baptized as children on the same day.

"Edward." Father O'Weber bows to the young man.

"Isabella, by the power that Christ brought from heaven, mayst thou love me.

As the sun follows its course, mayst thou follow me. As light to the eye, as bread to the hungry, as joy to the heart, May thy presence be with me, Oh one that I love, 'til death comes to part us asunder,"

Edward whispers the old wedding vows with tears in his eyes, staring at the woman he loves more than his own life.

Tears fall freely as Bella tries to compose herself and then recites the same vows with all her heart.

"The ring?" Father O'Weber asks.

Edward takes the ring hastily out of his jacket pocket. The Claddagh ring is Irish Silver and was passed down from his great grandmother. His brother wanted the ring for his own, but his Maimeó on his father's side left it to him for his one and only love.

Slipping the ring on her finger, Edward feels a sense of pride and completion within him.

"Join hands," the Father instructs.

The young couple clasp both their hands together as the priest takes out the colored rope. As the cord winds around their skin, their eyes lock, and their souls bind together as one.

"Do you, Edward, take Isabella to be your wife, to be her constant friend, her partner in life, and her true love?"

Edward squeezes Bella's hand in his. "Aye, now and forever," he says, causing the church to laugh at his excited declaration.

"Do you, Isabella, take Edward to be your husband, to be his constant friend, his partner in life, and his true love?"

Bella smiles at Edward, her tears falling down her beautiful face. "Aye, I do."

Father O'Weber's voice is loud.

"Now you are bound one to the other. With a tie not easy to break. Grow in wisdom and love. That your marriage will be strong. That your love will last, in this life and beyond. Ye may kiss your bride!"

With their hands still tied, they lean in and seal their love with a kiss.

The church cheers as their families stand to their feet, so happy for the couple and their union. As is tradition, both of the fathers are the first to congratulate them on their marriage.

"Welcome to the family!" Liam says, kissing his new daughter.

Bella laughs at his excitement. "Thank you, Mr. O'Cullen."

"None of that now, child, I'll be your Daideó now, too."

She gives him a happy smile, nodding her head in agreement.

"Should I call you Daideó, Charles?" Edward asks knowingly.

"Not if you expect me to answer," Charles says, glaring at the man before he laughs.

Their Mamaís dote over Bella as the other guests wait their turn with the happy couple.

Edward looks over to his bride, his heart so full of love, and he knows that he will spend the rest of his life trying to keep her as happy as she is on this day.

Edward and Bella celebrate throughout the day and well into the night with the entire village drinking poteen, a whiskey made from potatoes, and partaking in the fine Irish feast their Mamaís provided along with the rest of the tenant farmers.

After dancing with her husband until she cannot breathe, he escorts her to sit beside their sisters.

"I'll get you a drink, a ghrá," he says before placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Anything but poteen." She grabs his hand pleadingly.

She's been drinking the strong whiskey most of the celebration and is finding that she feels dizzy and very much unlike herself.

"Can't take the Irish whiskey?" Edward teases.

"Aye, I'm sure you wouldn't want to carry your wife home dead to the world." She gives him a knowing smirk.

"Aye, I'll fetch you some water," he says seriously.

The women beside her laugh, watching the exchange between the newly married couple. Her sister Angela and his sister Maggie both sit with a babe in their arms.

"I've never seen my brother so red, Bella." Maggie laughs, standing, her dark red hair flowing down her back.

"With the way he was looking, she'll have one of these soon," Angela says, gesturing to the wee one in her arms.

The babe, Brielle, reaches out for her aunt, and Bella takes her in her arms, kissing her dark hair. Bella's heart soars at the thought of a little one with Edward. She cannot wait to be a Mamaí.

"Are ye nervous?" Angela asks, her dark eyes boring into her younger sister.

"No. It's Edward. It's always been him for me, so I'm not nervous at all," Bella says, her smile wide as her husband brings her some water.

It's nightfall when Edward sits his wife on his horse, leading her away to the cheers and sobs of their families and friends. His smile is wide as he pulls her through the land he has worked all his life as a tenant.

Reaching the newly built cottage on the far side, he helps his wife down, her curvy body sliding against him, making him long for her.

Bella's arms wrap around his neck as she stares into his eyes. "Take me inside, husband," she whispers.

He pulls her close, pressing his lips against hers in a hungry kiss. Their tongues glide against each other, causing need to course through him.

Lifting her off the ground, he carries her inside, crossing under the horseshoe over the door to bring 'luck of the house' for all its days.

Without breaking their kiss, Edward carries his wife to the foot of the ladder that leads up to the room they will share as husband and wife.

Gently placing her down, he stares into her eyes, caressing her cheek. "Go up and prepare yourself. I'll be there shortly," he whispers.

Bella nods her head before reaching up to place a gentle kiss on her husband's soft lips. "Don't make me wait long, my grá," she says before turning to climb the small ladder.

Edward walks away from his wife, a smile on his face and a nervous feeling in his chest. He is her love indeed, and he will show her how much he loves her tonight.

Bella takes off her wedding gown, placing it in her chest for safekeeping. Her fingers dance on the silky blue fabric, a soft smile on her face. She's a married woman now, and to the man she loves.

Removing the small comb Rosalie let her wear, she brushes out her long chestnut hair, thinking of the boy she fell in love with.

He was small and skinny with the lightest brown-auburn hair, so unlike any of his siblings'. They played with each other and often kept the other's secrets. He teased her greatly by pulling on her hair, but even that would not stop her from loving him. All hope was lost when she bloomed into womanhood, but it was as if Edward did not notice until one day he came to her at the riverbank.

Strong arms wrap around her, taking her from the memory of her first kiss. She smiles as her husband sweeps her hair to the side and presses his lips to her neck.

A breathy moan escapes her lips as his hands explore the curves of her body through the silky chemise. It was a gift from their Mamaís, who had pooled their quids together to buy her a fine gown for her wedding night. She thinks the way her new husband's hands explore her that it was worth it.

Her fingers tremble as he turns her around to face him. He's bare-chested, and her eyes roam down his firm body, chiseled from working in the fields all of his life.

Taking her hands in his, he brings them up to his lips, kissing them gently. "It's just us, a ghrá," he whispers, staring into her eyes.

"Husband and wife," she says, meeting his gaze.

Swallowing her nerves, she presses her lips against his in a fierce kiss. Their tongues explore each other as he wraps her in an embrace. She melts against him, enjoying the feel of his body against hers.

Bella starts unbuttoning his trousers, being brave as he is not just a man but her Edward, whom she has loved all her life.

His hands find her breasts, and they caress the supple mounds as if she would break from his touch. Her nipples are hard when his fingers brush the protruded flesh.

Kissing down her neck, he pulls the chemise down, revealing her ripe body. It falls to the floor at her feet as he ravishes her breasts.

"Edward," she cries out, her head falling back. She has never known such pleasure before, her body trembling with need all over.

"I need you, a ghrá," he says before standing and picking her up in his arms.

She gasps in shock, holding on to his strong shoulders as he takes her to their bed. He places her down gently, giving her one lingering kiss before he stands to remove his trousers.

Her eyes roam his body as she is greeted with the sight of his member for the first time. Bella gasps at her husband's hardness, as it is pointed directly at her.

Edward's eyes roam his naked wife, lust growing in him so quickly that he must calm himself before he takes her too swiftly. Climbing into bed, he begins worshipping his wife, the one person who belongs to him as he belongs to her.

"A ghrá," he whispers against the soft skin of her breast.

His fingers find her center wet and ready as he prepares her for him. Her back arches, and he takes a pert nipple into his mouth, sucking on it as if it was his very lifeline.

"Take me, grá," she says desperately, running her fingers through his wild hair.

Kissing his beloved, Edward rubs his member against her heat, groaning from the sheer pleasure of it.

Taking a deep breath, he pushes past her maidenhead, steeling himself as her thighs squeeze around him. He looks at her rigid posture, sensing she is in pain.

Ever so slowly, he begins kissing her lips. She accepts him willingly, relaxing under her husband's careful ministrations. He grazes his fingertips from her calves to her breasts, causing her to moan in pleasure.

When he can no longer control himself, he moves inside of her, the euphoric feeling running up his spine. Their lips never part as they are joined as one. Taking her hands in his, he moves inside of her, her wetness increasing as she begins to moan in pleasure.

"Yes, a ghrá. Feel me, Bella," he whispers against her lips.

"Edward! My God, I love you," she says, her back arching as a euphoric feeling runs through her, causing her to cry out.

"I love you too, a ghrá. Forever." He stares into her eyes until he follows her in his own ecstasy.

October 1845

The year following Bella and Edward's wedding has been a blessed one for the O'Cullens and McSwans. Angela and Benjamin welcomed a second little one, Aileen, to their family. His brother, Riley, married a fine girl, Briana, and they are expecting their first child. Their younger siblings are thriving, and all was well until the first potato crop of September.

Edward holds the potato in his hand, sighing out in frustration. It has been a month since he found the first one infected with the blight. It's a rare sight to find, as the leaves of the potato plant suddenly turn black and curled, and then rot entirely.

Word has spread throughout Ireland that it's happening on every farm. Hundreds of miles of potato crops ruined as far as the eye can see. Out of Edward's entire crop, only half are good potatoes.

Half.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, he drops the ruined vegetable and goes in search of his wife. They still have enough food to last a month or two without the potato crop.

He knows he'll have to help their families as well, as they have more mouths to feed.

Entering the small cottage, he finds Bella in the rocking chair, feeding their newborn son, Sean O'Cullen. They chose his name because God was gracious to bless them with him within their first months of marriage.

"A ghrá," he says before bending down to kiss her lips.

Bella returns the caress as the babe in her arms nurses. She breaks the kiss, looking at her husband's weary face.

"How was the crop?" she asks but already knows the answer.

Edward takes a deep breath, bowing his head. "Half is ruined by the blight. I'm getting worried, a ghrá." He kisses his son's downy head.

Someone knocks on the door, and he goes to answer as Bella covers herself. He opens to their Mamaís and Daidís standing on their small porch.

They enter wearily as the mothers go to Bella and Sean.

"Any potatoes?" his father asks desperately.

"Aye, half," Edward says in despair.

"We didn't even have half. It's going to be a hard winter if this curse doesn't go away," Charles says, taking a seat.

"Aye, the crown is selling Indian corn meal. We'd best buy as much as we can between us all until this ends. It should be over by next spring," Liam says with conviction in his voice.

"It soon will be over. We've seen it happen before, and Ireland always comes back stronger and better." Renee nods her head.

"Always," Siobhan agrees.

That night, they sit at the dinner table with their guests who are so kind to provide a fine bird and bread from the estate.

"I'm glad to see you, my friend!" Emmett McCarty says, patting Edward on the back.

He's been away at University in England and has just returned to Ireland to learn under his father.

"And I, you. I wish you came during happier times," Edward says, enjoying the small feast his friend brought to his home.

Bella watches as Rosalie stares at her son-in-law, who is the same age as her. She seems smitten by Emmett, but that can't be, as she is married to his father.

"I will help out with whatever you need. You know that," Emmett offers, but Edward shakes his head.

"It's not your place, and your father wouldn't like it. He never did like our friendship; that's why he sent you away." Edward gives the larger man a smile.

"You saved my life when James Murphy and the lads who followed him tried to throw me over the cliff for not stealing from my father for them." Emmett chuckles.

Edward laughs with the now larger man, remembering how he came upon the older lads beating Emmett on the cliff. They were struggling to lift him, but the younger boy was fighting for survival. Edward intervened, garnering his own wounds in the process, but Emmett never forgot how Edward came to his rescue.

A small cry interrupts the meal, and Bella rises to get the babe. Rosalie follows, eagerly watching as the new mother picks her son out of his small basket.

"Hello, my peata," Bella says, calling him her darling.

"Oh, Bella, he's gotten so big since the last time I saw him. May I hold him?" she asks, her fingers reaching out.

"Of course." Bella hands her son over to Rosalie, smiling as the woman embraces him gently.

Rosalie looks over to Emmett with the babe in her arms, and he catches her eye, smiling widely at her.

Edward looks at the two, taking a sip of his mead. "Take care that your father doesn't see you looking at his wife like that," Edward warns.

Emmett lets out a sigh. "He doesn't deserve her."

"That may be, but it's not your place to come between a man and his wife," Edward says, nodding to his old friend.

Once their visitors are gone, the young family makes their way to the small room overlooking the cottage. Edward wraps his arms around his wife, pulling her naked body close, savoring every moment.

"I'm scared," Bella whispers.

Edward looks down at her, his hand caressing her cheek. "As long as we have each other, all will be well. We just have to survive the blight," he says before placing a soft kiss to her forehead.

December 1846

The year is long and hard for the O'Cullens and McSwans. The complete devastation of the potato crop brings a hunger like they have never seen. Thousands of their country folk die of starvation or in the workhouses. Mass graves are being dug all over Ireland.

Edward's uncertainties over his family's livelihood increase daily. His mood is somber as he holds Bella and Sean close at the open grave with multiple bodies.

Bella holds her babe tightly, protecting him as they stand in the cold at the cemetery. He's wrapped in the now worn fabric of her blue wedding dress. When the snow came, she had no choice but to sew the fabric into clothes for all three of them.

It hurt to do, but she is a practical woman, and her family will not survive in rags.

Bella wipes her tears as she looks down at the small bundle laid to rest among strangers. Her sister's babe, Aileen, did not survive the winter. It is the third child to die in their family this year. Two of her younger siblings, Shannon and Tyler, had died of fever late in the night during the fall.

Her fear for her own child increases daily. Their food supplies are greatly decreasing, and there seems to be no end in sight.

The priest gives one last prayer before everyone solemnly walks back home.

There is no feast or celebration of life. It is just their small family at the McSwans' home, eating a meager meal. Angela and Benjamin sit stoically as everyone speaks in hushed tones beside them.

"Deaths are increasing all over Ireland," Charles says sadly.

"It's the fucking English! They're starving us!" Riley shouts angrily.

"Calm yourself!" Edward tells his younger brother.

"I'm not going to sit here and let Briana and our child starve! You're a coward if you let Bella and Sean die right in front of yer eyes and do nothing!" He spits at Edward's feet.

Edward grabs him by his jacket, throwing him against the wall. "You're a fool, but if you ever disrespect me again, you'll regret it." Edward stares in his brother's eyes before letting him go.

"Calm yourselves, lads!" Liam calls out, coughing furiously.

Edward sighs, noticing that his Daidí's cough has worsened over the weeks. Walking away from his brother, he goes to Bella.

"Let's go home, a ghrá," he says.

"Yes, I better put this one to bed." She kisses Sean's red head, causing him to give her a smile.

They say goodbye to their brother and sister, hugging them and pleading with them to come by anytime.

The walk home is long and hard through the snow. They are stopped by shouts as they come upon the O'Reilly's cottage.

"Get off my land!" Mr. McCarty shouts, as his son looks on, horrified.

Hired men throw the O'Reillys' things out into the cold snow, their seven children huddled around their Mamaí's skirts as her husband pleads to the man's heart.

"Please, we just need more time, Mr. McCarty! We have nowhere to go!" Mr. O'Reilly begs to no avail.

The men set fire to the small cottage, watching it go up in smoke as old Mr. McCarty eyes the poor O'Reilly family with disdain.

"Come along, a ghrá," Edward whispers as Bella looks on, horrified.

Taking the small amount of food she had gotten from her parents, she rushes over to Shannon O'Reilly, thrusting it into her hands.

"Bless you, Bella. Bless you," Shannon cries, grasping the food as if it was her very life.

Edward pulls his small family away and doesn't look back until they are safely behind the doors of their own meager home.

He drops his head in despair as he wonders how he will make rent. He's sold everything of value, even his horse. He can't allow Bella and Sean to die or be put out in the cold.

It's the coldest winter he's ever seen in Ireland. The last blizzard lasted days, and the snow had come up to their door.

It is strange times in his homeland, and he doesn't know if they will survive.

Edward walks home from a day of laboring on the stone roads. He is hungry and tired, but he dares not complain. The important thing for him is that Bella and Sean have a roof over their heads and something to fill their bellies.

The Indian corn meal they call Peel's Brimstone is not at all filling, but it's better than nothing at all. He ate what Bella sent with him, but it did nothing but cause his belly to churn.

As he walks through the farms, he hears anguished crying and wailing. It is a constant sound on the landscape of Ireland. As he turns down the road, he

reaches his parents' cottage to find the door open and the wailing coming from his own mother.

Rushing in, he sees his mother on her knees, crying over Riley's dead body as Briana weeps next to her. His father is in tears as Benjamin stands in the small room.

"What's happened?" Edward asks desperately.

"He was trying to steal Irish grain from the English ships. He was shot, and one of the other lads he was with brought him home, but he died on the way," Benjamin says solemnly.

His mother's wails grow as Briana clutches her large belly. Liam reaches out to his son, pulling him into a hug.

The despair in Edward's heart grows, as he knows why Riley tried to steal from the English. The Irish are starving, and the crown is sending good Irish grain to England while their people die. He won't watch Bella and Sean die. He will make it somehow. He has to.

After burying his brother, he brokenly walks back to his cabin. Once he enters his home, utterly defeated, he sits down as Bella puts a sparse meal in front him.

"Thank you, a ghrá," he says, looking at her.

"How's your Mamaí and Briana?" Bella asks, holding back her own fears for her husband.

Working the stone roads in Ireland is hard work, and she's heard horror stories of men and women dying on the road and left to be food for dogs and rats.

"Not good." He closes his eyes, trying to contain his tears, but they fall. "Briana is going to stay with her parents. I hope that she and the babe will survive.

His heart is in agony for the pain they are suffering. He looks up at his wife, her once curvy body now just skin and bones. Her beautiful face is sunken in with signs of malnutrition. She has to feed their son, so she eats enough to maintain herself.

A frantic knock on their door has Edward on his feet. He opens it, allowing his sister and her family to enter.

Edward's body sags as he notices they are carrying everything they own in the world, which isn't much. The two small children, Claire and Casey, hungrily eye the small portion Bella set down for him.

"Eat," Edward instructs, and they both dig in with their fingers.

Bella walks to the stove. "We don't have much, but it's yours." She smiles at Maggie.

Once the family is fed on their small meal, they sit around the hearth.

"What will you do?" Edward asks his sister's husband, Michael.

"We're going to British North America," he says. "Mr. Lynch is so kind to pay our passage and promises food and a place to stay once we're there."

Mr. Lynch is their landlord, two estates over. Edward never knew a kind property-owner and is suspicious of his kindness.

Edward takes a deep breath. "I've never known Mr. Lynch to be that kind. Can you trust him, Michael?" Edward asks desperately.

"What choice do I have? We'll die here, and he needs the land," Michael says, holding Maggie's hand.

"Aye, write to us when you've arrived," he instructs. "Stay the night here, and you can catch the boat in the morning."

March 1847

There has been no word from Maggie and Michael. The horror of the ships leaving Ireland is spread throughout the land, and Edward dares not attempt to board a coffin ship with his small family. In his heart, he knows that his sister and her family are very well gone from this world.

Letting out a sob, Edward watches as his father's body is laid in the ground without a casket. The despair in his heart threatens to take over him as the priest says a few words.

Liam O'Cullen died late in the night from black fever. Siobhan remained by her husband's side, holding his hand.

Her younger son, Connor, had died just days earlier from the same fever. All she has left in the world is Benjamin, Edward, and her daughter, Molly.

Edward holds on to his mother, who is stricken with grief as the dirt hits both her son and her husband. The hole isn't very deep at all, and Edward fears that rats will eat them, as he has heard so many of the dead have suffered since the poor Irish cannot afford caskets.

Benjamin stands next to him in rags, shivering from the cold. He and Angela buried their last wee one, Brielle, last month. Angela has become sickly, and Benjamin fears that she will soon follow their children.

Edward lets the tears fall as he thinks of his own wife and son. Bella and Sean are wasting away daily. They are hungry and cold, barely surviving the winter.

He thanks God that the winter will soon end, and he prays for a potato crop like no one has ever seen before.

It is their only hope.

Escorting his mother and younger sister, Molly, back, he's greeted by Mr. McCarty and Emmett. The belongings of his parents are now thrown out into the snow.

He knew this was coming, and the McSwans are next. Benjamin and Angela were staying with his parents, having been removed from their home months ago.

"I'm sorry, Edward," Emmett says sadly as Bella clutches a distraught Angela.

"If you don't make your payment next month, you and the McSwans will be next! I'll get a legal judgment!" Mr. McCarty yells.

"Mr. McCarty, we're doing everything we can. We just need a little more time," Edward says, trying not to seem weak, but there is no choice in the matter.

He is weak, and his family is dying.

He wants to get on his knees and plead to the cruel man, but he cannot. His Irish pride won't allow him, and he knows he has sealed their deaths because of it.

Mr. McCarty walks over to him. "I think we can make an arrangement," he whispers close to Edward's ear.

"Of course, anything!" Edward says with relief in his voice.

If he can save his family from destitution and despair, he will give his very life. They may die of starvation one day, but without a roof over any of their heads, it is bound to happen sooner rather than later.

The old man looks over at Bella, who is hugging her sister. "She's still a fine woman, even half starved to death. If you give me your wife for the night, I'll let all the debt disappear. I'll even feed her and send her back to you on a full belly," he says, still glaring at Bella.

Bella hears the disgusting suggestion, and a shiver runs down her spine, her heart in her throat.

"No," Edward says, taking a step back from the foul man.

"You're too proud, are ye? You will die proud and your wife with you," Mr. McCarty spits out.

Rage fills Edward, and he grabs the older man by his lapels. Emmett rushes to his friend.

"Edward! Control yourself," he says desperately, knowing that if his friend attacks his father, he will have him thrown into jail.

"Edward!" Bella calls out in turmoil.

"Go inside, Bella!" he yells, shocking her.

"If you do not have rent for your cottage and the McSwans', I will go and put a judgment on you," he says, pulling away from Edward's grip.

Emmett looks at his friend, horrified by his father's behavior.

Inside the McSwans' cottage, the family huddles around the small fire. The remaining young ones cry for more to eat after a meager meal of wild cabbage leaves and Indian corn meal.

"We should prepare to leave Ireland," Edward says sadly.

It is the only way they can possibly survive. If they stay in their homeland, they will surely die. He will take his chance on a coffin ship or a ship to America.

"Where would we go, Edward?" Benjamin asks his brother desperately, hoping he can still save his wife from death.

He was unable to save his two children, and that fact haunts his dreams.

"America," Edward says, the hope building in his chest. "I believe the ships are in better condition than the English due to the Passenger Act."

"Aye, but the cost is three times higher," Benjamin says, his hope dwindling.

"I'm not leaving my country, and Renee can't travel! She'll die," Charles says with tears in his eyes as he looks over to his unmoving wife.

Renee becomes weaker with every passing day. The loss of her two younger children and her own starvation have taken a toll on her.

Bella glances over at her mother with tears in her eyes. "We can't stay here any longer, Daidí. We'll all die if we do," she says as Edward takes her hand.

"People are dying everywhere. Ye die on those coffin ships, ye die in the workhouse, ye die at home. What does it matter anymore?" Siobhan says, crying as she holds her daughter, Molly, in her arms. "I can go to my brother in England. You don't need an old lady slowing ye down. Benjamin and Angela, you should go with Edward and Bella to America.

At twelve years, Molly has survived the hard times. She clings to her mother as the adults speak of leaving.

"Mamaí, thousands die on those ships. We haven't heard from Maggie and Michael. Come to America with us," he says desperately.

"Perhaps yer father's brother, Jasper, could help ye all. When he last wrote, he was in New York," Siobhan says, giving her son a smile.

She knows she will not go to America. She will go to England and stay with her brother, Murphy, and return when the famine ends. Ireland is her home, and her love is buried here.

"We have nothing, Edward. How can we afford to leave? Benjamin is right. The costs are high. They don't want us going to America. They want us to die here or on those coffin ships." Angela shakes her head.

Bella looks down at her ring. From the moment Edward placed the Irish gold on her finger, she fell in love with it. Her dream was to give it to one of her own children as his Maimeó did.

She slides the precious ring off her thin finger. She had to wrap a piece of rag around it to keep it on. Pressing it into her husband's hand, she looks into his eyes as her tears fall.

He shakes his head. "No, a ghrá," he says as his own tears fall.

"It will help get us all out of here, Edward. I … I don't want to lose Sean," she whispers as her body is rocked with grief.

Defeated, he takes the ring, bowing his head.

"Take care of my girls," Charles says to Edward and Benjamin.

The docks are crowded with starving Irishmen, women, and children all clambering to leave the only home they've ever known, just for a chance at survival. Their meager possessions are in their hands, their clothes rags on their bodies.

Siobhan turns to her sons, a sad smile on her face. "Write me at yer uncle's when ye reach America," she says, trying to hold back her tears.

"We will, Mamaí," Ben says, wrapping his frail arms around his mother.

"Take care of Mamaí," Edward tells his sister, Molly.

"Will I die on the ship, Edward?" she asks, tears in her eyes.

"No, grá. Keep the food Bella gave you safe. Let no one see it," Edward instructs.

Bella provided what she could for their journey, as she had been preparing for both of their departures for a week. Still, it will not be enough to survive the trip to England.

"Are ye going to try to sell Bella's ring?" Siobhan asks.

"Aye, but no one is offering me much for it." Edward shakes his head.

"It's robbery. They've raised the prices on everything so that we can stay here and die," Ben says, shaking with rage.

The ship's whistle blows a final warning to the Irish on land still hugging their relatives.

Giving his Mamaí and sister one last hug goodbye, Edward watches as they board the ship, praying that they do not perish.

The journey home is hard. Edward finds no luck trying to sell Bella's ring, and he is losing all hope of getting them out of Ireland.

When they reach the McSwans' cottage, Edward continues on home, only to stop when he hears his brother's anguished cry. He runs back inside to find his wife hugging her Daidí as they sit beside a lifeless Angela and Renee.

Bella sees Edward and rushes into his arm. "Edward! They are gone!" she cries.

Edward wraps his arms around her frail body, trying to soothe her, but his grief for the women is strong.

Benjamin stares at his wife, his heart and soul in a million pieces. He walks out of the cottage so full of death.

"Benjamin!" Edward calls out but is ignored by his older brother.

Releasing Bella, Edward follows him, trying to stop him, but the man pushes him off. "Leave me be, Edward. I have nothing left to live for. I will not live in a world without her," he cries before running off.

Entering the house, he finds Bella yelling at her father. "Ye must come with us, Daidí. There's nothing here but death!"

"Aye, I'll die here, then. This is my land. My father died here, and so will I. I won't abandon Ireland," Charles says, shaking.

Bella picks up their small son and runs out of the house, unable to stay any longer.

It's been one week since Renee and Angela were buried in a mass grave. No one has seen Benjamin, but there has been talk he was seen walking toward the cliffs. In his heart, Edward knows his brother jumped, unable to bear his loss.

Bella wakes to quiet. Sean usually wakes her with his cries of hunger, but today, there is no sound.

Edward has been unable to bring in a good amount for his Maimeó's ring and has decided to hold on to it while working to save for their passage to America.

Clearing her eyes of sleep, Bella listens to the quiet room but only hears Edward's light snores. She pulls Sean close to her chest but stills when she doesn't feel his breathing. Sitting up in the bed, she looks down at his small body to find him still and gray.

Bella's lips tremble, and her body shakes as she lets out an anguished cry. Her heart threatens to explode within her chest; darkness clouds her mind as she holds her son in her arms.

"No!" she yells in anguish. "Wake up, gra! Wake up!" she cries to her son. "No, peata. No, please God, no."

Her tears fall onto his lifeless body.

Edward wakes with a start and shatters at the sight beside him. He moves across the bed, cradling his wife and son in his arms.

"Why, God? Why?" he cries as sobs wrack his weak and tired body.

Bella clings to her son, her head buried in his neck. The little family stay that way for what seems like hours.

"We have to bury him, a ghrá," Edward whispers in Bella's hair.

"No! He's not going in one of those graves to be eaten by dogs and rats!" she yells as she stands, still clutching Sean's lifeless body.

She sobs hysterically as Edward takes her in his arms. "I'll build him a coffin," he says before kissing her head.

Edward takes apart every piece of furniture he can find to construct a small coffin for his son. Emmett helps dig the grave deeper than any around, and they bury Sean O'Cullen late that evening.

Bella weeps in Edward's arms as she gazes at the fresh mound of dirt that now covers her gra. Charles stands on the other side of his daughter, so full of loss himself that he doesn't know how they will survive.

Days after their son's death, Bella and Edward are starving in their lifeless home. Edward sits in front of Bella, trying to feed her the paltry meal he prepared. She refuses as he places the food at her mouth.

"I need you to eat, a ghrá," he begs her, the grief in his body so strong.

She says nothing as she holds the little piece of blanket that she made for Sean.

A sharp knock startles Edward. Fear grips his heart, as he knows it's Mr. McCarty and that they are being evicted.

He walks to the door cautiously.

"Who's there?" he calls out.

"It's Emmett."

Edward opens the door and steps back when he sees Emmett and Rosalie holding bags. They rush in, arm in arm, Rosalie's face bearing fresh wounds.

"My father is evicting you in the morning. We're leaving for America. Come with us!" Emmett says excitedly.

"We can't. We do not have the payment for passage," Edward says, all hope lost.

"I'll pay your passage," he says to his old friend.

"I can't let you do that," Edward says, shaking his head.

"You can, and you will. You saved my life, Edward, all those years ago. Now it's time I saved yours. I should have taken a stand against my father months ago, and that is something I have to live with for the rest of my life. Rosalie has clothing for you both. We must leave quickly. The ship leaves at dawn." Emmett grips his friend's shoulder, trying to force him to move.

"Aye, aye," Edward says.

"I'll get the horses while you and Bella get dressed," Emmett says before leaving.

"A ghrá, we're going to America. We're going to live," he cries, pulling her into him.

"I don't want to live," she whispers as Edward holds her close.

She has nothing left to live for, and even the prospect of America does not move her soul.

"Please, a ghrá. Please," he begs.

"No!" She stands to push him away. "I do not want to live in a world without Sean! Leave me here. Go to America and make a new life," she says before falling to her knees.

"Never. I'll die here with you if that is what you want. I love ye, Bella. Please come back to me," Edward begs, stroking her hollow cheeks.

Even starving, she is still the most beautiful girl to him, his love.

She cries in his arms as he kisses her lips, lifting her small body to him. She doesn't protest as he dresses her with Rosalie's help.

Edward rushes through their home, grabbing anything of importance, which isn't much, except Sean's baby blanket, Bella's Irish lace veil, and his Daideo's old kilt.

Leaving the home that once held the promise of a life and a future, Edward holds his wife close as he rides to the McSwans' cottage.

Charles stands, looking at the only family he has left. They've lost so much, but she can still have the life she deserves in America.

"A leanbh na páirte, I will always love ye. You can never forget your loss, but you must now live for his memory. You have an opportunity. Don't waste it, Bella. Live for your Mamaí, for Sean, for Edward," Charles says, calling her his dear child before kissing her hand.

"Come with us, Charles," Edward begs.

"No. I'll die here, Edward. Take care of her and ye'self," he says, shaking his hand.

Bella cries as she's led off into the early Irish morning, leaving behind everyone she's ever loved. The only comfort is that she still has Edward, and for that, she will try ... she will live.

She will live on for all those she lost.

For her lost Mamaí.

For Angela.

For Sean.

She will live so his memory can continue.

As the ship leaves his homeland, Edward clutches Bella close, watching the Irish countryside slip out of sight, tears falling for all that they have lost.

Taking deep breaths, Bella sighs, releasing her anguish but holding on to her memories.

Her eyes focus on the land, and her body shakes with the loss of her son. Memories of Sean in her arms, nursing at her breasts, fill her mind; images of his gummy smile even when he was hungry do not disappear as she closes her eyes.

Edward kisses the top of her head, holding her close. "I'm here, a ghrá. Come back to me," he whispers, burrowing his head in her neck.

She clings to him, crying at their loss. "I will, my love. I will."

"Sean will always live within us, a ghrá. He will always be here, in our hearts," he says, combing his fingers through her hair before gently pressing his hand to her heart. "I promise to never let his memory fade or that of the others we've loved and lost. But, a ghrá, the only way to do that is to stay together and love each other. We are all we have left."

Edward reaches into his pocket and grasps the one thing he can give his love, the one remaining memory of his family that still remains ... his Maimeó's ring. He gently places it on Bella's finger.

She looks up at her husband, his once handsome face sunken, his vibrant green eyes not as they once were. Yet even after all they have been through, she can still see the love he has for her.

Sean will always be part of them, part of their love for each other. They will never forget him for as long as they live; he lives on in them.

Edward clings to his wife, watching as Ireland becomes just a fragment of their past. Ireland is the land he loves, but he lost everything for that land, and there is nothing left in him to give back.

The ship's horns blow as they approach New York. Edward stands on the deck, wide-eyed, with Bella by his side. He looks down at her, color in her cheeks and a little more weight on her still slim body.

The journey was an easy one for them, as they were traveling with Rosalie and Emmett. They ate three times a day, which added to their guilt, the pain of their loss never far behind, the memories of what they experienced haunting their every waking moment as well as their nightly dreams.

During the thirty-seven days it took to reach their destination, Emmett spoke of his dreams and what he would do once they arrived. He has friends in New York and has given his plan much thought.

With the money he took from his greedy father, he would be able to make a good life for him and Rosalie.

Emmett offered Edward half of the money as retribution for the injustice his father bestowed upon him and his family. Edward tried to protest, but in the end, it was Bella who graciously accepted, thanking Rosalie and Emmett for what they have done for them.

As the ship nears land, Edward kisses his wife, tears running down their faces as they take in the salty air. They have hope, and they have each other ... They have love.

"I love you, Edward," she says, kissing his lips.

"Is breá liom tú, a ghrá," he says, returning the sentiment.

As they debark the ship hand in hand, they are full of hope and dreams, ready to welcome whatever may come in this new land that they now call home.

America!

More than a million Irish died in the Irish Potato Famine known as The Great Hunger between 1846-1850. Of the 100,000 Irish that sailed to British North America in 1847, an estimated one out of five died from disease and malnutrition, including over five thousand at Grosse Isle.