by G L Roberts
Gather the dragons. I wish to have them all here while I speak with the men. Ask IronHeart and the Oslona to sit on either side of you.
As you wish, Meydra replied.
Bryn stopped in the open and turned to see the two men coming toward her. They walked side by side and occasionally spoke to one another.
“It is like being called in to speak with a parent,” Malcolm said under his breath.
“Or a queen.”
“That is something you seem to have accepted more readily than I.”
“Perhaps that is why we continue to lock horns.” Arryn chuckled.
“My father’s realm has never had a queen.”
“And neither has the Realm That Touches Two Seas, yet I believe that Bryn is capable.”
“As do I. Oh, and now here are the dragons.”
“She will be a good leader,” Arryn said.
“She already is.” Malcolm stopped just short of Bryn. He ignored his dragon for the moment. “My Lady.”
Arryn touched his fist to his chest and bowed his head. “Lady Athebryn.”
Bryn stood with her back leaning against Meydra. The dragons sat quietly, their heads held so they could smell and listen to the surrounding countryside. They remained ever vigilant in Bryn’s presence.
“What are we to do with you two?” she asked the men.
“I apologize if we have given you cause for concern,” Malcolm glanced at Arryn. “As I said not too many days ago, I am unused to taking orders.”
“I have issued no orders,” Arryn started.
Bryn interrupted. “Please. I want to explain something to both of you. It will aid you in understanding once we reach Skerrabrae.” She took a deep breath. She could feel Meydra adjusting her own heartbeat to slow the rapid beating of Bryn’s heart. After a moment, she continued.
“There was an ancient Council of Elders among the clanns that has since been disbanded. I mean to reconvene the council with the members of this company. It will anger many of the clanns, and it will possibly confuse and even anger the rulers of the lower kingdoms. But it is necessary for the council to be remade. It is also imperative that it have you, both of you, as members. Your cooperation, your commitment to the company is one thing. Your fealty to the council is crucial.
“I have seen in you the strength that is needed to defeat the Norsemen. I have seen in you the single-minded determination to protect your homeland. Our homeland. I can think of no one more suited to this council and what I hope to accomplish than you two men. So, I ask again, what are we going to do with you and your insistence on bettering the other?”
Arryn gave Malcolm a quick glance before speaking to Bryn. “For me, just knowing that you hold me in such high esteem is enough. I am not a future king as is Malcolm. I would say I was jealous of his station and where it placed him in your eyes. I am no longer jealous.”
“Jealous.” Malcolm chuckled. “I was jealous of you. You, who had the trust of a beautiful princess, and the ease of a longtime friendship with the most courageous and brave woman I have ever met. I was jealous of your relationship with Lady Bryn.”
“Sometimes, I do not understand men,” Bryn muttered. Relief washed over her as the two men recognized themselves as allies, not adversaries.
“We are always competitors,” Arryn said. “It is what gives us our strength.”
“That is something of which I have firsthand knowledge,” Bryn replied. “Sir Arryn was my sword, shield and bow teacher. He always challenged me.”
Malcolm gave Arryn a slight nod. “Sir, you are an excellent teacher. I have seen what Lady Bryn can do with a sword, and I am duly impressed.”
Bryn spoke before Arryn could reply to Malcolm. “I have asked your dragons to join us for a reason. I want you, Prince Malcolm, to give Arryn some instruction on riding his dragon before we leave camp. I want him to be able to mount and rise with assurance. It will be necessary for him to demonstrate that he is a chosen dragon rider.”
“It would be my pleasure, but one thing first. I would prefer among the company that I be Malcolm and not Prince Malcolm. I want no special treatment.”
“Agreed.” Bryn turned to Arryn. “Arryn, I do not know the name of your dragon. He is a young Oslona and in time will grow to be a very powerful fire-breather. Both dragons, Coeur de Fer and this Oslona share that one trait. Has your Oslona told you his name?”
“I have not had the time to ask him.” He addressed his dragon. “I am sorry.”
The young dragon nodded his head in acknowledgement.
Meydra looked at the young dragon and then at Arryn. “Our friend is new to the speech of humankind and has only a few words that you will understand. However, in the language of the dragons his name is Amhrán Teine. You would say Song of Fire or Fire Song.”
“If it pleases you, I will call you FireSong.” Arryn took a step toward his dragon. The Oslona lowered his head to allow Arryn to approach. “What do I do next?”
Bryn went over to Arryn. “It is customary for you to do one of two things. Either hold out your open hand so the dragon can press its forehead to your hand.” She opened her hand to the dragon. “Or if you are comfortable enough, as your bond strengthens, you can move to place your forehead against the dragon’s forehead. I have not seen that done between companions except for my grandfather and Meydra. It is how I learned to greet my dragon. It is a matter of trust between both parties.”
Arryn approached FireSong and placed his open hand against the dragon’s forehead.
“I can feel the warmth of the scales and the steady beat of his blood as it courses through his veins.” Arryn’s eyes widened. “And I feel my own heart beat in time with FireSong’s. It’s fast. No wait. It is slowing to a strong, steady beat.” He smiled and FireSong reacted by moving his head slightly up and down as if trying to rub against Arryn’s hand. Arryn read the gesture and rubbed the spot between FireSong’s eyes.
It was as Bryn hoped. Arryn had been chosen by this dragon because of the bond he felt for the man. The clann blood that ran in Arryn held some of the line of Lady Athyl. It was a good sign.
“I will leave you two to the lesson. Malcolm, Arryn will need to know how to request a ride from his dragon. If you need Meydra to translate for FireSong, she will do so. But it is important for FireSong to recognize Arryn’s words.”
“It will be done,” Malcolm said. “And Lady Bryn?”
“Yes?”
“You are a true leader. Never doubt that.”
With the dragons overhead, the company took to the horses and made their way through the moors to the hills leading to the ancestral home of the Brae clann at Skerrabrae. Skerrabrae was home to the first dragon companions and the first order of Druids. Home to the first families consisting of both an elf and a Druid as parents and partners. Home to the birthplace of the clanns.
For Bryn, walking the ground where once walked her ancestors, with all its history now revealing itself to her, caused her heart to beat hard in her chest. The closer to the village, the more she felt the earth, sea, and sky pulling at her. This was the place of her conception and where Meydra first heard her call. This was the beginning for Bryn, and she began to see why the elders insisted that she go first to the Stones of Staenis. All that she had seen at the Stones fell into place as she rode up and over the hills of the surrounding countryside. She paused at the top of a rise and gazed out over the pasture, down to the sea and the little village that had been abandoned decades earlier. She pointed to the village.
The others rode up to join her. “The first home of the clanns.” She looked skyward to the dragons. “And the first home of the dragons here on earth.”
The others sat silent on their mounts. The village nestled against several hills of earth, its back and sides protected by the grassy knolls. The opposite side was open to the sea, where the wide open sky could be observed from the doors of the dwellings. From the hill, the village appeared to be occupied, with horses wandering the pasture and
smoke rising from the stone chimneys cut into the earthen berms.
“A welcoming committee?” Neulta asked.
“Of sorts,” Bryn replied. “The clanns have sent representatives.”
“Already?” Kenna said. “How did they know what was going to happen at the Stones?”
“Once word was out that I was heading to Staenis, the elders sent word to each other that legend may become reality. I thought something was brewing when my father and King Thamen met with Meydra before we set out from the keep.”
“The elders must not have been certain that the legend was real,” Leus said. “They had their own doubts as to the validity of the stories.”
Bryn nodded. “True. It has been many hundreds of years since the jewel has been seen. The jewel had fallen into legend and myth.”
Meydra dropped down in front of Bryn and bowed her head. She lifted it and met Bryn’s eyes. “The other dragons are ready to take up positions around the village.”
“I wish to enter with the dragons.” Bryn dismounted. “I also ask for all dragon companions to walk down the hill toward the village with their dragons at their sides. If I am to convince the elders that the legend is not myth, I will need a show of force, so to speak. Neulta, Leus, please join me with Meydra. Thalynder, I would like you and An Yun on my right. The rest of you may follow as you wish, but I would ask that Arryn and FireSong arrive last. Release the horses to feed on the grass.” She paused. “Are there any concerns?”
“Do we leave our weapons with the horses?” Kenna asked as she also dismounted.
“No, wear them proudly. Though these are our elders, it has been long since they had a show of strength from a united company, especially a company of clann and non-clann members, as well as elves. This will be something new for a few of them.”
The rest of the company dismounted and taking their swords from the horses’ packs, released them to feed on the grass.
“Do we keep silent and allow you to speak for the company, My Lady?” Malcolm asked.
“No, Prince Malcolm. Among those waiting you will find rulers of clanns, and perhaps of kingdoms unfamiliar to you. You are a royal and should expect to be treated as such by these elders. However, these elders are, as you will find, elder by age as well as wisdom and title. Respect them for that if nothing else.”
“What do you expect of them?” Thalynder said.
“Nothing, until they see the crown and the jewel. I suspect we will hear many stories, see many changes in attitudes, and with any luck, be welcomed. I will wear my cloak and hood and will not reveal the crown until I deem it the right time to do so. The rest of you should make an effort to rest from the journey.”
Bryn noticed Arryn had remained silent. She saw him give a little nod of his head. “You expect confrontation,” he said.
“I expect some opposition and uncertainty from some of the elders who do not know me personally. You may be questioned about what you witnessed at the Stones. Remember, this matter is of much debate among the elders of the clanns. Whether there was ever a real jewel or if the jewel was just a way of keeping the clanns prepared for eventual reunification.”
“You have thought much since we left the Stones,” Thalynder said. “You have been preparing yourself for a confrontation as Arryn suggests. What can we do to aid you?”
Bryn touched Thalynder’s cheek. “By answering truthfully to any question put to you by the elders. I am not concerned with proving what happened at the Stones. I am more concerned by what questions will be put to test your loyalty. If I am to unite the clanns, I must be able to show I have also gained the trust of non-clann members like you and Prince Malcolm.”
“You have always had my trust.” Thalynder gave Bryn a soft smile.
Bryn returned Thalynder’s smile. “And that gives me courage. This will be a longer day than yesterday for all of us, and I suspect it will last long into the night. If any of you tire, do not hesitate to leave and take some rest.”
Malcolm frowned. “Hmm. Perhaps we should scout for some meat before heading into a lengthy debate.”
“I suspect we will not have to hunt for our supper tonight,” Leus said. “I can smell roasting meat on the breeze.”
“Good, let us start for the village.” Bryn raised her voice to the sky and began to quietly sing a dragon song, calling the dragons to her side. To the surprise of the company, not only did the companions of the riders descend the hill, but several other dragons who had followed them from a distance dropped down and stood quietly on the hill with the others. When Bryn had gone to Meydra the previous night, she had a discussion about the other dragons following the company. So, their presence was not a surprise to her. They were riderless dragons, those who chose not to bond with a royal because of a law and had yet to find their own human with whom to bond. They appeared now because of the pull they felt from Athebryn and would remain with her until they found their own companions.
During the night, Bryn welcomed each of them and asked them to remain out of sight until they were called. Now, their presence was requested and the number had again increased. As Bryn stood and sang to the dragons, the hills became dotted with many companionless dragons.
Thalynder clutched at the edge of her tunic. “Oh my. Where are their companions?”
“They have none,” Meydra told her. “They choose not to bond with anyone save the one that calls to them. They have remained hidden in the far reaches of the country, beholden to no one as they wait for the heartbeat of a companion.”
Malcolm watched the approach of the dragons. “I did not realize there were so many. I thought them few because of the law about bonding only with a royal.”
“And so the need for secrecy,” Arryn said. He turned to look behind him and watched as the last of the dragons settled on the hill. “I am a little sad for them. They are alone.”
“Not for long my friend,” Bryn replied. “They only wait for a heartbeat to touch theirs. Now that they have journeyed from the hidden places, they will hear that heartbeat. They will find their companions.”
“There is still a law to be dealt with,” Malcolm said.
“That is my first order of business.” Bryn turned to the dragons behind her. Each dragon bowed before her. She pulled her cloak around her shoulders and over her forehead and the company did the same. All now were cloaked against the cool sea air.
“Reveal not my name,” she told the company. “I am Bryn of the Brae for now. Athebryn must wait to be named by the elders.” She started down the hill toward an uncertain future.
From the center of the small village, a lone figure watched the dragons descend and line the hills. A smile creased the woman’s lips. Legend was about to cross the pasture and enter the ancestral village.
Chapter Three
“They draw near,” Gement said. “There are at least twenty.”
“Twenty? Are you sure?” Lady Adhar asked. “There were only seven, including the elves when they left for Hoy.”
“Word has reached the clanns that Bryn was on her way to Staenis. Perhaps, others were already on Arcaibh,” Arlendyl said to Adhar. “Who can say how many more wanted to meet her there.”
Lady Anestar stirred across the room. “Your daughter was to have traveled in secret. It will do us no good if this event is not fully accepted by us the Elf-Sisters before it reaches the corners of the country. You should have schooled her better.”
“My daughter was schooled by Meydra herself. If you were not so secreted away on Skye, you would know better.”
Gement laughed from the doorway. “It is not twenty people. There are only seven, including the elves. There are at least twenty dragons on the hill.”
“That cannot be,” Lady Anestar scoffed. “There are not that many dragons alive.”
Arlendyl watched the scene from just outside the door. “There is a mirage of the strangest kind among the mist on the moors, for there are indeed many dragons upon the hill, though only six follow the company.”
Arlendyl remained outside and searched the faces of the company for a sign of what transpired at the Stones. All present in Skerrabrae had heard a joining had taken place, but they were still in the dark as to who was chosen. She believed in her heart that her daughter would not refuse the path laid out before her; one that she had been led to since birth. Nevertheless, there was always the possibility that the High Dragon had chosen another. Arlendyl’s niece, Kenna, was also of the bloodline as her mother Anestar liked to remind everyone. Arlendyl watched and waited.
Bryn and the others walked down the hill toward the center of the small village with their dragons at their side. The other dragons, at Bryn’s request, remained on the hill. She had welcomed each, thanking them for their tribute and their presence, and then bid them wait a while longer. She had sensed the new dragons were eager about the gathering. Though they had waited decades, they agreed to wait a little longer.
Bryn asked Meydra to remain silent about the events at the Stones, as well as the new dragons, while she spoke with the elders. A time would come when Meydra’s voice would be necessary, but Bryn wanted the moment to carry weight. So she and Meydra devised a plan that would appease the elders if all else failed.
Bryn saw her mother standing outside the meeting house, and her heart warmed at the sight. She wanted to run to her and tell her all about the Stones and the joining, just like a little girl with a secret she could not contain. Her mother had always been her staunchest ally. Bryn reflected that it must have been hard for her mother and father to keep their secret knowledge of Bryn’s fate to themselves all those years. They had known their daughter would one day be faced with a decision that would change their lives and forever alter their little girl. Her mother, through all the years Bryn was absent of Meydra’s companionship, never confided in Bryn that Meydra was hers. She realized now what a burden it was for not only her parents, but for Meydra as well. She looked up at Meydra and saw that her dragon had been following her thoughts. She felt the warmth of Meydra’s smile touch her heart.