“She’s over by the shore. She’s been hurt. She asked me to come and get you. I can’t carry her by myself, and yours is the nearest house.”
Ciarda began to hurry, and Eilidh had all on to keep up with her. Eilidh was kindhearted and, at first, didn’t wonder why Mairi wanted her above all others. Ciarda was walking fast, and Eilidh couldn’t keep up with her without an effort. Nevertheless, she began to have niggling doubts. Something struck her as not quite right. She stopped. Ciarda hurried on for several paces, and then she noticed that Eilidh had stopped.
“Why have you stopped, Eilidh? We must hurry. Old Mairi is near to the sea and the tide will soon turn. She’ll be in danger.”
Eilidh had, perforce, to put aside her doubts. Everyone knew just how fast the tide raced in when it turned. If Mairi, old and infirm, was injured and unable to move, when the tide came in, inevitably, she would drown. Eilidh tried to ignore the voice in her head telling her something was wrong. She tried to ignore the feeling of evil coming ever closer. It was very hard to do, as the nearer they got to the shore, the stronger the feelings became. Still, for Mairi’s sake, she continued to hasten after Ciarda. At last they came to the shore. Eilidh couldn’t see Mairi.
“Where is Mairi?” she asked.
“Just over there, beyond those rocks. You go on. I have a stone in my sandal and must remove it.”
Eilidh continued down toward the rocks. The bad feelings she had been having grew stronger and stronger. She was forced to grit her teeth and oblige her feet to keep moving. She rounded the rocks, just where she couldn’t be seen from the shore and found not Mairi, but a large, well-built man. He was much taller and stronger than her. He was masked, and she was afraid. It had nothing to do with the mask. He seemed to have an aura of evil about him.
“Where is Mairi? What have you done with her?”
“I know nothing of Mairi. I want you. Come here, woman, and give me no trouble or it will be the worse for you.” He had a set of iron chains in his hands. Eilidh stood no chance against his strength, and he took her by surprise, as he wrapped the chains about her body, pinning her arms to her sides. She was easily overpowered. Loaded with the iron chains, she was unable to shape-shift to her dragon.
“Answer my questions satisfactorily and you shall live.”
“What do you want of me?” Eilidh asked. She didn’t believe he was going to let her live. She was scared, but she tried not to let him see it.
“Are you mated with Solus?”
“That has nothing to do with you.”
“Oh, but it has everything to do with me. I will rid the world of Solus and then the Clan will be mine, and with it, the treasure from Medina Sidonia’s sunken galleon. Only Braemuir is given that knowledge. If Solus dies, I shall be Braemuir. Feasgar and Maddain are no match for me. Then I shall have all that wealth. Nor shall I make the mistake of squandering the gold on a parcel of peasants, as the Braemuirs do.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“We shall see about that.”
Eilidh felt a huge pressure on her mind-shield. She longed to call for Solus but dared not lower her shield to do so. This man was pushing ever harder against her defences. She let him see a little, hoping it would be enough to convince him she didn’t have the knowledge he sought. He gave a shout of triumph.
“You are his mate. Now I will kill you, and consequently, he will die, too.”
He placed a gag over her mouth to stop her crying out, and then he chained her to the rocks.
“Soon the tide will come in. Don’t worry, your death will be quick. It’s pity I can’t stay to see it. No one can save you now.” He laughed in triumph.
Eilidh was out of sight of the shore. She couldn’t cry out in any case. There was no one to hear her, and the sea made enough noise to drown out the sounds she could make around the gag. The tide had turned, and the sea began to flow rapidly toward the shore. She struggled with the chains. She tried in vain to become her dragon. Oidhche was right. She was unable to shape-shift, loaded as she was with iron chains. She let out a silent cry.
“My love, my mate, come to me. I am dying!”
Chapter Six
Braemuir was arbitrating between Calum and Donald, two of his farmers, over some matter of their boundaries, which had got out of hand all of a sudden. Calum saw him still, and his eyes seemed to be looking inward, and not at them anymore. The way he had his head on one side, it looked as if he was listening to someone. Plainly he wasn’t listening to what Callum was saying to him. The farmer was startled to see Braemuir shape-shift and the huge dragon take off with a roar of fury. He knew the rulers of the Clan were shape-shifters, and not only the rulers. The Braemuirs had, for generations, scattered their seed indiscriminately. Many women in the Clan had given birth to babies with the ability. Most of them had been quickly married, and the men they had married had been complacent. It was no bad thing to have a shape-shifter as a son. You had first-class defence for your farm and stock. Also, by marrying a girl the Braemuir had impregnated, you saved her from being cast out, and had the Braemuir in your debt.
“Well I never! Will ye look at that. I wonder where he’s off to in such a hurry?” Donald asked.
It was one thing to know they existed. It was altogether something else to have one shape-shift before his eyes, and not just anyone, but Braemuir himself.
“I dinna ken. He sounded verra angry indeed. What a bluidy big dragon. He ought not to do that near civilised folk. Next we shall hae the milk curdling in yon coos,” Calum replied.
“I’m richt glad it’s no’ me he’s efter. I hae ne’er seen him so fashed.”
Calum looked at his friend. Suddenly the boundary dispute seemed unimportant. Calum had been Donald’s neighbour for years. The boundary had always been where it was now.
“Mon, I dinna ken what’s come o’er us,” Donald said.
“I couldna’ rightly say,” Calum replied.
“Och weel. Come tak a wee dram in Lachie’s tavern then.”
Calum shook his head in wonder as he walked off with his friend to the local tavern to discuss the matter over a mug of ale.
* * * *
Solus hurtled toward the shore. He called to Eilidh.
“I’m coming, my mate.”
When he got to the shore, the sea was foaming round the rocks as the tide raced in. She was submerged up to her neck and struggling to keep her mouth above water. He landed close by and surged up to her, on powerful legs. He took the stake in his jaws, careful not to harm her. He wrenched it out of the ground, then rose with her, clasped in his strong front legs. She shivered and shook with the cold and reaction to her ordeal. He couldn’t fly far with her so cold, so he landed on the grass beyond the shore, and set her down. He broke the iron chains and said, “Dragon, now!”
Then the pale-blue dragon was by his side. Together they rose in the air and, on powerful wings, flew over to Skye and the safety of the Black Cuillins. There she told him what Oidhche had said to her.
“He said he knew we are mated. He said he was going to kill me and you’d die, too. I couldn’t shape-shift. He covered me in iron chains.”
Solus’s roar disturbed the sheep on the lower slopes. He was blazing with anger, She saw his eyes whirl and was afraid.
“I’m not angry with you, my mate. I wish that cowardly dragon would face me in a fair fight.”
“No,” she wailed. “You might be killed. I don’t want to lose you now. If you die I must follow, and what of our son?”
“I won’t live looking over my shoulder all the time in case danger threatens you and him. If Oidhche faces me, he will perish.”
“He mentioned Feasgar and Maddain, who are they?”
“My brother and my sister. All dragons have Gaelic names. My brother, Lachlann’s name, Feasgar, means afternoon or evening and his colours reflect the dying day. He is orange, yellow, and amber. Muireall, my sister’s dragon name is Maddain, which means morning. She is aqua, rose, and lavend
er. I should tell you I have a twin brother, too Riaghan. As is the custom, he wasn’t raised in the Braemuir Clan. He’ll be able to return when we are mated.”
“Why was he sent away? Did he do something wrong?”
“No, but it’s the custom that if the Braemuir is one of twins, the younger is raised in another Clan. In the past, it was in case of sickness or danger. The Braemuir line would aways continue true. Now it’s just a custom that no one cares to disregard. It must be hard for him.”
“I hope that we don’t have twins, then. I would hate to send one of my babies away.”
“It’s only in the case of two boys, but you are carrying one son, mo run, so it won’t happen to you.”
She hadn’t really believed the half of all he’d told her. That wasn’t quite right. She hadn’t been able to accept it all, until it became obvious that Oidhche did indeed mean to kill her. How cowardly of Oidhche to choose to destroy Braemuir through me. He hadn’t succeeded, but now she believed Braemuir when he repeated that it wasn’t safe for people to know they were mated. It would be even worse if they discovered she was with child. He decided that she needed to be safe, away from the settlement, away from all who might harm her. He sent out a call for Feasgar and Maddain.
Two large dragons arrived in the Black Cuillins, in a matter of minutes. They had been close, sunning themselves on Kilt Rock and watching the sea eagles hunting. Feasgar was a male dragon, smaller and slighter than Solus. He was the colours that Solus had described to her, and he was as beautiful as an autumn evening.
“He must be younger,” Eilidh thought.
“I am, Eilidh.” A chuckle in her mind confirmed it and confused her.
“I can hear other dragons?” she wondered in amazement.
Feasgar was old gold in color, with amber tints, but the tips of his scales were orange. He glowed in the sun. His sister, Maddain, in contrast, was pink, the deep pink of the morning sky. Her scales were tipped with aqua fading to lavender. She, too, was younger than Solus and Feasgar. Both dragons welcomed Eilidh. Solus explained what had happened. They were worried.
“If he’d succeeded in killing Eilidh, you would have died, too. We must take care that she isn’t harmed. She must live with us from now on,” Feasgar said.
“What about her family?” Maddain asked.
“You have a good point. Oidhche could take them and hold them to ransom. Feasgar, go and collect them now and bring them here. Maddain, go with him. Go,now.”
“Please do. It had never occurred to me that they would be in danger because of me.”
Eilidh was really upset. Solus was angry for her. Feasgar and Maddain leaped into the air and were gone in a flurry of powerful wings.
Solus flew with Eilidh to her new home. The large, square, stone-built structure was set into the hillside overlooking Boat of Garten. There was only one road up to it, so it was easily defended. There was a flat area in front of the house where the two dragons landed in a flurry of wings and small pebbles. They changed to their human-form and entered the house. The entrance hall was large and furnished with richly polished, old furniture. Straight opposite the front door was a wide, ornately carved staircase leading to the upper floor. Braemuir led her to a door on the left. The room they entered was furnished with comfortable chairs, a huge sofa, low tables and a couple of footstools. A log fire burned in the large, stone, inglenook fireplace, giving light and warmth. Eilidh walked over to it to warm her hands. She noticed the shelves of books, stretching from floor to ceiling. Many of them were very old, with tooled-leather spines. The rugs on the polished floorboards were dyed sheepskins. She knelt by the fire and absorbed its heat through every pore, sighing in contentment. She still felt chilled after her near-drowning. Braemuir pulled on an ornate rope, hanging by the side of the fireplace and, within a few minutes, a pleasant, motherly woman appeared.
“Something hot to drink for my mate and myself, please,” he said.
“Certainly, sir. Welcome to the Caisteal, my lady.”
“This is Seonag. She has been with us since she was a girl. She will take you to our room and make you comfortable. Go with her and come back in ten minutes for your hot drink.”
Eilidh followed Seonag up the stairs to a large, pleasant room at the front of the Caisteal. There was a four-poster bed in pride of place. It had dark-blue velvet curtains, matching the ones at the windows. The floorboards were bare and polished to a deep, rich shine. The chests of drawers and wardrobes shone, and the room smelled of herbs and beeswax. There was a small fireplace, where a fire was laid, ready to be lit. Off the bedroom was a bathing chamber, to which Seonag led Eilidh. Hot water was waiting in a ewer. Seonag indicated the water, the soap, scented with the wild flowers that grew in abundance on the hills, and drying cloths. All had been set out for her convenience. She wondered how Seonag had known.
“Braemuir sent a message, my lady,” Seonag said, smiling.
She left then, and Eilidh washed herself. She was still covered in salt from the seawater, and she looked longingly at the bath. She hoped there would be time later for a long soak in the huge tub.
When she was washed, and had dried herself, she went back downstairs, to what she presumed was the library. Braemuir was there. On one of the low tables was a tray with a pot, two cups, and saucers and a plate of oatcakes with good Caboc cheese, coated in pinhead oatmeal. She lifted the pot, at his invitation, and poured out a dark brown liquid. It was thick and rich and smelled slightly spicy but very good.
“That’s chocolate,” he said.
Eilidh smelled it then tasted it. She had never tasted anything so very rich and delicious. She finished one cup and, at his indication, poured herself another. This time she sipped slowly, savouring not only the taste, but the aroma, and the warmth the cup transmitted to her hands. This is so good. It slips down my throat like rich liquid velvet. She’d once had a velvet scarf her father had bought her, from a foreign pedlar, as a special birthday gift. She’d not worn it often as it was far too good for ordinary days but she’d loved to stroke it and feel the softness. That was the feeling the chocolate created as she swirled it around her mouth letting the sweet, spicy taste linger on her tongue then the thick liquid slide down her throat. It was heaven and one cup was never going to be enough for her. Sighing contentedly, she sat back in her chair.
“We have to choose a dragon name for you,” he said. “I would like to call you ‘Ceanag,’ meaning little, fair one.”
“As you wish, my lord. It’s a pretty name,” she agreed.
As they were sipping their chocolate, the sound of wings was heard, and the two dragons came back. Her parents were with them, which was a relief to all of them. Her parents were overawed by the journey on the back of a dragon, by the Caisteal and Braemuir. They were amazed by the sight of their daughter, at home amidst the splendour of the Caisteal.
“Welcome to the Caisteal,” Braemuir said. “You’re here because someone is trying to harm me through Eilidh. If she dies, now she’s my mate, I shall die, too. We don’t know who it is yet, and we think he may try to get to Eilidh through you. You’ll be safe here until we find the man. Eilidh is my mate now, and she will live here with me. This is her home. Please, sit down and have some of the chocolate your daughter is drinking before she drinks it all.”
Eildih spluttered as she drank, when she heard what he said. It was true. She was on her third cup. Never had she tasted anything so rich and so good. Seonag had brought in four more cups. Eilidh served her parents and Braemuir’s brother and sister. Her mother and father were glad of the warm drink and the oatcakes and cheese. They’d had no time to do more than throw a few essentials into a sack. Then the two dragons had flown here with them.
“This is my sister, Muireall, and my brother Lachlann. Those are their human names.”
Elidh could see it was very taxing for her parents. Like all those in the settlement, they were used to dragons. They knew they had human-forms. Most people didn’t come into such clo
se contact with the shape-shifters, however. Eilidh looked at Braemuir, not that she needed to, as he had picked up her thoughts and was asking Seonag to come to him. Within minutes she was there and escorting Eilidh’s parents to their room.
“The Clan will gather now. It’s almost the summer solstice and they await my choice of mate. There will be a dragon mating, and you will experience such pleasure as you’ve never known before.”
Eilidh found it difficult to believe that she could feel anything better than he’d shown her already. He laughed and said, “What you feel as a human pales into insignificance when you mate as a dragon, mo run. You will see. Now come upstairs with me, and you shall rest a while. You will need all your strength in the coming months. You must eat well and often. The chocolate you are so fond of, and consumed so much of, is good for you. You must learn to read the signs, like this.”
He showed her what the baby needed. He had shown her before how to monitor the child’s life signs. Now he showed her more, how to read from those signs what the child needed for his nourishment and consequently what it was necessary to eat, for her child’s well-being and proper development. She thought she caught a glimpse of something he’d not seen, because he wasn’t looking for it, but she wasn’t sure. If he hadn’t seen it, maybe she was mistaken. She kept silent and thought no more about it.
Upstairs in her room he encouraged her to lie down on the soft mattress. He took the woven, woollen rugs, and covered her.
“Rest now, mo run. I’ll be below, and if you should need me, I will hear your call. My mind is never far from yours.”
“Before you go will you tell me what this hoard of Medina Sidonia is?”
“Many years ago, the Spaniards sent an armada against England’s queen. It was defeated, and the galleons scattered. Many foundered on these shores. One such, was a ship carrying Medina Sidonia’s plate and coins. One sailor survived. He was helped by our Clan and, in his delirium, spoke of the treasure. Eventually he died of his injuries. Braemuir of that time searched until he found the hoard. The ship was still on the rocks, on a remote island. He concealed the gold in a cave, and there it still lies. In times of famine, we are able to use some of it to purchase food for our people. The secret of its location is a passed from one Braemuir to the next. Oidhche would take the gold and use it for his own pleasure. He mustn’t be allowed to deprive the Clan of their security.”
Dragon's Mate [Cairgorm Dragons 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 4