Jessie nodded as her eyes went to his and she offered a soft smile. He remembered all too well the thoughts she had the day she lost her virginity. The same thoughts that warmed her heart now. The idea that she could have children. A life.
He squeezed her hand and returned the smile, more than ready to give her everything her heart desired. Especially bairns. His smile widened at the mere thought. The idea of wee black dragons running all over their castle appealed greatly.
“Children, not to mention dragons, can inherit from their grandparents too,” his mother reminded, following his thoughts. “So your kids might just be purple like me.”
“Or mayhap green like me,” Da added, grinning. Like all of them, his father was beyond happy. Not only for Bryce and Jessie but no doubt because he had his dragon mate back. It had to have been as terrible for his da as it was for his ma.
Bryce’s gaze returned to Jessie as he thought about it. How it might feel to lose her dragon now that they had just found it. Impossible, was the word that came to mind. Perhaps that was an extreme response, but right now that’s how he felt. Because he couldn’t imagine being without her or her dragon though he had been for so long.
“I see there have been some changes whilst we were gone.” Bryce grinned and gestured at Blair and Jim. The two had been entertaining a love, hate relationship since all of this began. Yet now his arm was wrapped around her, and they seemed very enamored with one another.
“Big changes for sure!” Milly smiled and shook her head. “Can you believe they got married while we were gone?”
“Thank the Lord Almighty for small favors,” Christina exclaimed, off to congratulate the couple.
“Apparently they’ve decided to live at MacLomain Castle.” Milly kept grinning. “But they’ll summer at the colonial in New Hampshire to keep an eye on things.”
Everyone smiled before Bryce redirected the conversation. “So the countryside is as it should be?”
“Aye,” his father responded. “Things have indeed returned to normal.”
“The future looks good too.” Jessie smiled as she showed them a page from her little book. “See?”
Bryce and his cousins grinned as they eyed it. The image showed the United Kingdom just as it should be in the twenty-first century including not only Northern Ireland, Wales, England but most especially Scotland.
“There’s more,” Jessie said into his mind. Her eyes went to Uncle Logan, Aunt Cassie, and Blair before she looked at him. “Though it appears MacLeod Castle has nothing but cliffs around it, there’s a place here where you can access the shore isn’t there?”
“Aye, ‘tis steep but accessible.” He looked at her in question. “Why?”
“I think I might be able to contact Fraser after all,” she replied. “Not just because we’re on the North Sea again but because of, well...” she blushed a little, “our coupling.”
That’s right. It was said they came into their fullest power once they lay together after igniting the ring.
“We can wait until later if you prefer so everyone can celebrate,” she began, but he shook his head and said, “Nay, my kin would want to do it now.”
She nodded as he relayed the message to everyone.
Because it was such a big day of celebration most would stay behind and entertain except those closest to Fraser as well as Jessie, Adlin, and Grant. So it was that they made their way down the steep path to the ocean with Fraser’s parents, cousins, and his sister Blair.
The ocean roared, and the wind howled as they found a rocky area close to the crashing waves. A place, as Jessie explained, that Fraser might have sailed past or perhaps even stood on in the fifteenth century.
He felt Jessie’s reservations as she opened her book. There were things she wanted to say to his kin but wasn’t sure it was her place. Yet it was her place, and he made that clear as he took her hand, met her eyes and spoke aloud. “They are your kin now too, lass. If you have something you need to say, do so. Please.”
“Yes, please do,” Aunt Cassie said, looking at her kindly. “It means the world that you might be able to contact Fraser for us. If there’s something you feel needs to be said, don’t hesitate.”
“Okay...” Jessie nodded, gratefulness in her eyes that they accepted her so readily. “Though I remain unsure if I should say as much, I will because it’s only fair to those involved.” Her eyes flickered briefly to the sea. “Dealing with the spiritual realm can be jarring for all parties present. Most especially, Fraser, I’d say.” Her eyes went from Adlin and Grant back to everyone else. “Where contacting my grandmother went fairly well I get the sense Fraser’s a bit more...” she searched for the right word, “angry.”
“Aye, but surely not when he sees us,” Uncle Logan said.
“I would hope not,” Jessie replied. “But I think you should be prepared for anything. And most of all, I think if he’s different than you remember you should all exercise patience.”
Bryce knew her advice was meant first and foremost for Conall, Rona, and Blair. But then it could apply to any of them he supposed. And while some families might be offended by her words of wisdom, or perhaps accuse her of stating the obvious, his kin did no such thing. Rather, they saw it as her protecting Fraser. Moreover, they remained grateful not only to discover Fraser lived but that they had the opportunity to reach out to him.
“We won’t overwhelm him but let him say his piece,” Aunt Cassie assured, casting Conall, Blair, and Rona a very direct look before her eyes returned to Jessie. “You have our word.”
Jessie nodded before she opened her book to the image of Fraser she had already drawn, and began chanting and sketching. He noticed she wasn’t adding anything to his appearance but to his background.
She was adding the shore they stood upon.
Moments later, bless the gods, something began to appear. A shape. At first, it was fuzzy then it became clearer. A transparent man facing the sea with his arms crossed over his chest. Ankle deep in water, he stood that way for a few moments before he at last turned and looked directly at them.
Fraser.
For all appearances, he was very much a pirate with his sun darkened, tattooed skin. He wore linen breeches, black boots, a white, unbuttoned tunic with a red handkerchief tied around his head and more braids than usual in his hair.
Bryce felt everyone’s emotional response to seeing him again. How thankful they all were.
“So you finally found me,” Fraser said softly, his arms still crossed over his chest as his eyes went from his parents to his sister to Conall and Rona. Though his gaze was hard, Bryce didn’t miss the flicker of emotion.
“’Tis good to see ye, Son,” Uncle Logan said. “Do ye know what happened then? To ye? Scotland? All of us?”
“I know what I’ve been able to surmise,” Fraser responded, clearly not concerned that he wasn’t actually here but communicating with them via the spiritual realm. “And I know where I belong now.”
“Bloody well with us then, aye?” Rona exclaimed before anyone had a chance to respond. “Back with yer kin.”
Fraser eyed them all for a moment before he shook his head. “Nay, not here. Not yet. Not until I’ve done what I’ve set out to do.”
“And what is that, Son?” Aunt Cassie asked gently, tears in her eyes. “Because we miss you more than you know.”
“Revenge,” Fraser said through clenched teeth as storm clouds seemed to gather in his eyes.
“Revenge has been taken, Cousin,” Conall assured. “We have defeated the warlocks, and the curse over Scotland has lifted.”
“Though ‘tis good to hear ye’ve saved our country, ‘twas never a curse I could fight.” Fraser shook his head, bitterness in his eyes. “My fight is with someone else and I willnae veer from my current path until I hold his still beating heart in my hand.”
Silence fell at that. What to say to such a thing? Who was this enemy he hated so much?
Finally, Uncle Logan nodded and responded for
them all. Rather than ask the many questions they had, he instead chose to be brief and supportive. “Ye must do what ye need to do, Son. Just know we’re here when yer ready to come home and always here to help if yer in need of an extra blade at yer back.”
What Uncle Logan didn’t say in that well worded offer was that he, like the rest of them, knew that Fraser’s magic had not been returned to him.
“Ye should know that things have happened in yer absence, Cousin,” Graham murmured, his eyes pained as they met Fraser’s. “Kenna...” He clearly struggled with his words. “We lost her.”
“Aye,” Fraser said so softly they barely caught it. There was no missing the turbulence or momentary rage that flared in his eyes.
Based on his simple response, they assumed he must have realized it when he made contact with Christina.
“It seems Kenna knew where ye might be...that ye were still alive,” Graham continued. “And had some final words for ye.” Fresh pain lit his eyes as he likely recalled those last moments with Kenna’s head on his lap. “She wanted ye to know she only wished ye peace...that there’s light beyond the darkness...”
Fraser tensed at that, offering nothing more than a clenched jaw and a nod.
While much had been revealed on everyone’s adventures, Bryce found the news that Kenna might have loved Graham more than Fraser the most interesting. While he knew full well, she loved Graham, what she and Fraser had shared was at one time untouchable. Their love had been very deep no matter what impression she might have given Christina at Stirling Castle. In fact, it had been deep enough that Fraser had told her about the MacLomain, Broun connection.
More so, that he would not be part of it.
Though that could very well have been his gift of foresight in more ways than one, Bryce had seen the way Fraser looked at Kenna. And he saw the torture in Fraser’s eyes when Kenna told him she loved Graham more. Yet Bryce had also seen the way Kenna gazed at Fraser when he left for battle that fateful day. The look in her eyes didn’t bespeak a lass who had just broken someone’s heart but of one letting love go to salvage her own.
Sadly enough, he supposed it was all for naught now. Theirs was a love that was not meant to be. Kenna was gone, and Fraser was, or so it seemed, lost in his own way too. Whatever this revenge was that he sought seemed to be eating at his very soul. Or so said the hardened, almost depraved look in his eyes. The lack of humor he once had. Even his charm seemed to have been replaced with darkness.
But then looks could be deceiving.
And a true pirate deceived better than most.
Fraser suddenly looked to the ocean as if he saw something they could not. “I have to go.” His eyes went specifically to Adlin and Grant before they returned to the others. “Dinnae try to seek me out. This is a battle I must fight alone. But know...” his eyes lingered on Conall and Rona before going to his parents and Blair. “Know that I have missed ye too and that I will return.”
“We look forward to that day, Son,” Aunt Cassie replied, wiping away a tear. “And we love you very much.”
“And I ye,” he murmured, his eyes lingering on them a moment longer before he strode for the sea and vanished.
Silence fell again as Uncle Logan pulled Aunt Cassie into his arms when she began to tremble. His aunt felt as they all did. Relief to know that Fraser was alive somewhere. Worry that he appeared so changed. Yet grateful that he seemed determined to return home eventually.
They would have their cousin back.
“This is a day of celebration,” Grant said softly. “Fraser might not possess magic, but he is verra strong and verra clever. If he’s on a mission of revenge, I would say there are innocents at the root of it. Mayhap even a lass.”
Later, after much celebration, they stood on a torch lit wall walk overlooking the North Sea and Adlin ruminated more on what Grant had said. “I got a verra particular feeling off of Fraser when Graham spoke of Kenna.”
“Aye?” Uncle Logan cocked his head. “And what was that?”
Adlin shrugged, a twinkle in his eyes. “’Tis hard to know with any certainty but I got the sense not all is lost when it comes to Fraser and Kenna...”
“Aye, my friend,” Grant murmured. “I cannae help but agree.”
Though interest sparked in everyone’s eyes, they knew they would get little more out of the arch-wizards.
“What do you think they meant by that?” Jessie asked a while later as they admired the moonlit sea. “Because it almost sounds like...”
“They’ll meet again,” Bryce continued when she trailed off. “Or already have.”
Kenna had, without question, passed on so that only left one possibility.
“I would like to think that she was reborn,” Jessie said softly, following his thoughts. “And that she and Fraser might get a second chance.”
“’Twould be a happy ending indeed,” he murmured as he reeled her close and brushed his lips over hers. “One to match ours.”
She had never looked more beautiful than she did right now with the moonlight in her hair
“This has been the most amazing ending.” Her voice was breathy as her eyes held his. “Though I can think of one more thing that would top it off.”
He smiled as he read her mind. “Are you truly ready?”
“I’ve been ready my whole life.”
“Aye, then.” He grinned at everyone, more excited by the moment. “My lass and I are off then. Wishing ye all a wonderful eve.”
Not one of Jessie’s friends had a dry eye as they pulled her into a group hug.
“What a ride it’s been,” Milly murmured.
“Has it ever,” Christina agreed.
A smile blossomed on Lindsay’s face as her eyes met Jessie’s. “But the ride’s not over yet, is it darling?”
“No, actually.” Jessie met her smile. “The real ride’s just about to begin.”
While a lusty Broun could take that a certain way considering how Bryce was looking at her, Jessie meant something else entirely.
“Where would you like,” Bryce began, but Jessie cut him off.
“Right here.” Her smile only grew as her eyes went from him to the ocean far below. “Right now.”
“But you’ve never,” he began, his words trailing off as Jessie made her move.
She was on the wall walk and leaping over the side in the blink of an eye. For a split second, his heart stopped beating before whoosh, a little black dragon swooped up and headed out over the sea.
Everyone applauded and waved as she sailed away. She might be wobbling some, but she was holding her own.
“Are you coming, or what?” she said into his mind, the happiness in her voice unmistakable.
Bryce laughed, waved goodbye to everyone and pursued his wee mate. While he had always thought there was nothing as wonderful and freeing as embracing his dragon, he realized there very much was.
Flying alongside his mate and one true love.
It had been an adventure from start to finish full of curses and death, love and life. Yet as he and Jessie flew, he only saw what lay ahead. Close family, wee bairns, and a Scotland made better by those who had fought for her freedom. He would never forget how closely the past and future were intertwined and the sacrifices made.
Now there was nothing but tomorrow to look forward to and a life he never could have imagined. His dragon’s eyes met Jessie’s before they looped around and headed back for the castle. For a split second he could have sworn he saw another black dragon with golden eyes sailing alongside them, but a moment later it vanished. Yet he knew a part of his sister Ainsley was still there, would always be there, and was flying home with them.
“What a sight,” Jessie murmured into his mind, her eyes on the castle and sprawling ocean. “This is all so incredible.”
“Aye,” he agreed, as his eyes went to her.
She was incredible.
“Are you ready then?” she asked, not just referring to a fly-by of the castle but to all t
hat lay ahead for them.
He offered no reply because she already knew the answer as she sailed over MacLeod Castle. Though small, she was majestic and quite the sight. One her friends thoroughly appreciated as they waved and smiled, happy that she was finally free from all that had bound her.
Free to live and laugh and most especially love.
His heart soaring, his dragon pursued, more than ready to follow her.
Not just tonight but straight into their glorious future.
The End
Coming Soon
Sven’s Story...
Viking King’s Vendetta
Two kings are avenged as Sven and Emily stand at the precipice of a dark, unravelling prophecy. Giving in to long denied love might be their only hope as a new enemy rears its multiple heads in Viking King’s Vendetta. Coming August 13th, 2018. Available now for pre-order.
The Seafaring Rogue
Fraser’s Story...
FOLLOW FRASER ‘THE ROGUE’ MACLOMAIN as he settles an old score and exacts vengeance for the lass he loves. Please note: Due to the criteria of the multi-author series Pirates of Britannia: Lords of the Sea, The Seafaring Rogue is strictly a historical romance containing no time-travel and very little if any paranormal elements.
From the Author
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed The MacLomain Series: A New Beginning. It took on a life of its own as I navigated around some of the most famous battles in Scottish history. Researching this last one, the Battle of Byland Moor, gave me an even stronger appreciation for Robert the Bruce’s abilities as a battle commander and strategist.
The First War of Scottish Independence ended six years later when King Robert signed the peace Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton on 17 March 1328. This recognized Scotland as an independent kingdom and Robert the Bruce as its rightful king.
So what happened to King Edward? Nothing good. After he finally signed a truce with Robert, things went downhill, and opposition grew. When Edward sent Queen Isabella to France to negotiate a peace treaty in 1325, she turned against Edward and refused to return. She proceeded to ally herself with Roger Mortimer and invaded England in 1326. Edward’s regime collapsed, and he fled into Wales, where he was captured in November. He was then forced to relinquish his crown in January 1327 and died on 21 September at 43 years old. Rumor has it he was murdered.
The MacLomain Series: A New Beginning Boxed Set (Books 1-4) Page 106