Land of Ice and Snow [Cairngorm Dragons 3] (Siren Publishing Classic) (5 page)

“Keep your sympathy. Who are you? What are you doing here? What do you want of me?”

“My name is Feasgar. “

“As in feasgar math?”

“Feasgar math gu dearbh.”

“I haven’t head the Gaelic in many a long year. It does me good to hear it again. What are you doing so far from home, Feasgar?”

“I came to find my mate and was challenged.”

“Come closer, and let me look at you. Yes, the colour is that of the saga. So you come to reclaim the golden torc? Why should I give it to you? I haven’t given it to any of the other fools who came wanting fame by defeating me.”

“I want my mate to wear it when we are wed.”

“That is a good enough reason to want it. Why should I give it to you?”

“I am Lachlann of Braemuir from Scotland. You know our reputation if you are from the old country. I speak the Gaelic and will answer any question you care to ask about my Clan so that you can see I speak the truth. I am the colour the saga speaks of. It’s time to restore the torc to the people of Alesund. Are those good enough reasons?”

“Ah.” The word contained a world of sadness. “I’d love to see Skye again before I die.”

“Well why don’t you return? What’s stopping you? Are you injured? Can’t you fly?”

“Sorrow is stopping me. I lost my mate there and cannot ever go back. The memories are too painful even after all this time,” the old dragon said.

“But how can that be?”

“What do you mean?”

“If your mate died, so would you. That’s the dragon law,” Feasgar said.

“I lost my mate one hundred years ago, and I have been here mourning her ever since. I saw her lost and could not save her.”

“How can that be? Dragon lords die when their mate dies.”

“We were never dragon mated. I met her when I was fifteen, and we were too young for the dragon mating,” the old dragon said sorrowfully.

“Tell me your story.”

“I was deep in love with my Mairi. We went sailing one day. It was fine and warm when we left Portree. We sailed around the coast of Skye, sitting and talking, laughing together, planning our future. The mist descended, and the boat hit a rock. My Mairi died. I lost mind contact with her. I dove down into the sea in dragon-form and hunted everywhere, but I couldn’t find a trace of her or her mind. I flew north to escape the sorrow. One thing I have learned is that you can’t evade your sorrows by flying away. You just take them with you. I hoped that by coming to a new land I could forget. It has done nothing but make it worse. Here I know no-one, and no-one cares for me. I am alone and shall remain so until I die. I flew as fast as I could, hoping to find the gods know what. I wasn’t thinking, just hurting. When I could fly no more, I landed in Alesund. Here I am still, and here I will stay.”

“Why did you take the golden torc?”

“I didn’t take it. I just kept it when it was left here. Someone stole it and left it here to collect later. I kept it out of envy and jealousy. I had no mate and couldn’t bear to see others happy.”

“By the dragon law you were her mate. You would have died had she died.”

“So you have said three times now. Repeating it doesn’t make it so,” snapped the old dragon.

“You never performed the coming-of-age ritual, did you?”

“No, why?”

“Because if you had you would have been told all this then. I swear to you she cannot be dead or so would you be,” Feasgar said.

“You are of the Clan of Braemuir. You stay by Boat of Garten? Yes, I remember your ancestor. He was a good friend of mine. He was just such a stubborn man. He held to his opinion no matter what. He always thought he was right, too. We roamed the Cullins together. You want to mate, you say? Why do you need this golden torc?”

“I need it because I have been challenged to find it. If I don’t return with it, I lose my mate. They will want her to mate with another, but she won’t. I don’t want to face the future without her,” Feasgar said sadly.

“For that reason, and for the love of that distant ancestor of yours, I will give you the torc. I don’t want you to suffer what I have suffered.”

“I want you to come out from under this mountain and at least consider what I have said to you. If Mairi isn’t dead, then she must be somewhere. We can go and look for her. What do you have to lose?” Feasgar asked.

“I tell you she’s long dead!”

“I tell you she can’t be.”

The old dragon looked into Feasgar’s eyes. Feasgar saw hope beginning to dawn. “You believe what you are saying. It’s not just a ploy. You aren’t just trying to convince me to leave here.”

“I know that what I’m saying is true. I did perform the rituals, and the lore was explained to us. Come into the light with me and at least try. Together we can search for your Mairi.”

A tendril of an idea began to coalesce in Feasgar’s mind. It was just a possibility. Quickly he shielded it. It wouldn’t do to give him false hope. It was a distinct possibility, and the more he thought about it the more facts fitted into the story that the old one had told him.

Wearily the old dragon got up and changed to his human-form.

“Very well. You are just like your ancestor. I shall have no peace at all if I don’t. I am too old to be thus badgered.”

“What is your human name?”

“Hamish Munroe.”

They made their way out of the cavern and into the sunlight. As soon as they neared the mouth of the cave, Sigourney must have picked up Lachlann’s thought. She flew down the mountain, landed in a hurry, and changed to her human-form. She threw herself into his arms and held tightly to him. She ran her hands all over him, checking for injuries.

“You are unhurt. Why did you take so long? I thought you must be hurt. The rock stopped me linking minds with you.”

Lachlann cuddled her close and kissed the top of her head. He breathed deeply of the scent of this woman, his mate.

“My little darling, hush. I’m unhurt. Meet Hamish Munroe.”

Sigourney drew back out of his arms and dipped in the deep curtsey due to one of such venerable years. Hamish was tall and spare and rather stooped. His deep-blue eyes held sadness. His hair and beard were long and very white. His skin was pale from lack of sunlight. In spite of all that, he was a striking figure, still vigorous, and now with the light of some hope, he held himself with dignity. He held out his hands to Sigourney, who took them and pressed her forehead to them in reverence.

“Who is this little beauty?”

“My mate, Sigourney Hillesland.

“Then you will be needing this for her to wear at her wedding.” Hamish handed him the golden torc, which shone in the weak sunshine. Lachlann gave it to Sigourney, who held it reverently.

“Let’s waste no more time. We must go and set your parents’ minds at rest now.”

When Sigourney and the other two dragons landed in Alesund, people came running from every part of the town to the square, shouting to others and pointing as they ran. Soon a sizeable crowd had gathered round the three who were now back in human-form. The bystanders bowed or curtsied to Hamish in reverence, and then the crowd parted to allow Gudrin and Axl to reach them. Sigourney held up the torc, and her mother gathered her in a close embrace.

“Lachlann completed the challenge, and I am his now. Here is the golden torc.”

Axl embraced Lachlann. “I’m so very glad. You are just the man my little girl needs.”

“Gudrin, Axl, this is Hamish Munroe, the old one who has dwelt under the mountain for the last hundred years. Let’s go to the meeting hall, and there he can tell his story.”

This time Sigourney’s visit to the meeting hall was very different. Axl and Hamish entered by the large double doors and took seats by the fire. Lachlann seated himself by Hamish, and then Gudrin led her daughter to the seat next to him, afterward taking her place by her husband. Soon the hall was full to bursting with people all anxious to hear the story. Nothing much of an exciting nature ever happened in Alesund. This was a wonder indeed and would provide a topic of conversation for many a day. Sigourney smiled as she thought about the gossip that it would give rise to. She didn’t care. She had her mate. The golden torc was nowhere near so important to her.

When at last the doors were closed, Axl rose to his feet and addressed the throng.

“We are here to listen to the story of Hamish Munroe, an old one from over the ocean. Hamish, will you do me the great honour of sharing your story with us?”

Hamish didn’t rise, but his voice came strong and confident, reaching every corner of the large hall.

“The honour will be mine. I am from the Isle of Skye across the sea in Scotland, like Lachlann here. When I was fifteen, I met my mate. We were young and in love and too impatient to wait for the dragon mating rituals and ceremonies. Three years is an awful long time when you are young and in love. Our blood ran hot in our veins, and we saw no reason to wait, so we mated. We were so happy and very much in love. One day we went out sailing. The weather was perfect, warm and sunny, and the sea was calm. We sailed along the shore of Skye, talking and laughing and doing all the things that lovers do. We paid no heed to time or weather, and for that I blame myself. The mist, for which Skye is so famous, descended, and we could see nothing. The boat foundered on rocks, and Mairi and I were flung overboard.”

His voice cracked, but he regained his composure after drinking deeply from the goblet of wine that Axl handed to him.

“I lost touch with her mind. I changed to dragon-form and searched the sea and the rocks, but no trace of her did I find. No thought of mine was returned. She was dead. I wanted to get away, far away. I took to my wings and flew hard and fast until, exhausted, I landed on the mountain. I have stayed there under it ever since. The torc was stolen by a thief and left inside my cave. I picked it up and kept it. I knew what it was, but I could not bear to think of the happy mating of others when my own dear mate was dead. That was mean and petty, but I’m human and I make mistakes. I ask you to pardon my actions now.”

When Hamish had finished speaking, there was a silence to start with, and then Sigourney noticed puzzled faces and many muttered conversations. She was puzzled herself. She looked at her father, who smiled back at her. He allowed them to comment for some time, and then she was relieved to see he held his hand up for silence.

“Lachlann of Braemuir wishes to address the meeting now.”

Sigourney smiled as her tall, handsome mate stood.

“I can see you are all puzzled. Hamish mated with his Mairi before he had undertaken the dragon mating rituals at eighteen. He wasn’t aware of some facts of dragon mating which were then kept secret but now are common knowledge. He has lived in seclusion under the mountain ever since he landed here, so he has had no opportunity to learn the facts as we all know them.”

Sigourney saw smiles of comprehension dawn on many faces. She swelled with pride as her mate continued. Turning, he addressed Hamish directly.

“We all know what I told you. If your mate had died, you would not be alive either.”

Sigourney saw Hamish look around at all the people gathered there. They were nodding and smiling at him. She saw hope in the old man’s eyes, and a few tears gathered and escaped to run down his cheeks.

“We will go back to Scotland, and I will help you to find her. I promise you that.”

They all left the meeting hall chattering and laughing. Sigourney saw only Helga with a sour face, but she didn’t matter now. Sigourney had her mate, and no-one could take him away from her now.

After the evening meal in her parents’ house, Hamish retired early to the chamber that had been prepared for him, leaving the young people to chat. Sigourney knew that decisions had to be made and that Lachlann was about to propose something she wouldn’t like, and she found she was correct.

“I will accompany Hamish back to Scotland, and then I will return for the wedding when we have located his Mairi.”

“No,” she said. Axl, Gudrin, and Lachlann turned to look at her. “You are my mate. I will go with you. You have no idea if you will find Mairi or how long it will take. I have waited for years for you, and I’m not prepared to wait any longer. The wedding can be organised in a few days. I care not for a large gathering or celebration. I wish to marry you as soon as we can, and then all three of us can go to Scotland together to find Mairi.”

“If you are sure that’s what you want?” Lachlann smiled at her.

“I am sure. I don’t want to be left here for an unspecified length of time while you go looking for Mairi. I’ve had enough of being here and being pursued by young and not so young. I have my mate, and my place is with you.” Sigourney blushed. She knew she had exceeded what was proper for a maiden. It had been very forward of her to contradict her mate, but she was fighting for her own happiness.

Lachlann looked at Axl and Gudrin, who were used to their daughter’s outspokenness, but this was something new. A maiden should not be so forward. She should wait for her mate to decide such things. There was only one thing to conclude. Axl looked at his wife, who shrugged her shoulders.

“Do you agree that this can be done? My mate is right I would vastly prefer that she came with me. I have seen there is a lot of jealousy here, and if I am not here to protect her, she may be exposed to the impertinence of that Helga. I would spare her that if I could. I do want her to have her wedding. I don’t want this mating to look as if it’s a rushed or hole-in-the-corner matter. I love your daughter, and I seek only her happiness.” He held out his hands to Sigourney, who took them. He folded her close then waited for whatever her parents decided. Sigourney was so happy that he understood, and she knew her parents wanted only her happiness. They knew Helga would be waiting to pounce on any small thing that was not as custom decreed, and so her parents would want their daughter’s mating to be done strictly according to the customs.