Eventually, Cade planted a kiss on my forehead and took a step back.
“I have to check on those missives Briant was talking about. Why don’t you go rest or find one of Melvina’s undercooks to make you some tea.”
I regarded him with an arched eyebrow but only said, “I’d like to explore the rest of the castle, if that’s okay.”
Cade grinned, seeming pleased. “I’ll be in my study if you need me.” He indicated a carved oak door down one of the side passages, opposite to the one Melvina had disappeared down earlier. I nodded.
“Your bags were taken up to your room if you need anything. Your bow and quiver as well.”
Cade’s eyes glittered and I wondered if maybe he had set up an archery range somewhere on Luathara’s several thousand acres. I shivered in anticipation. I had grown very fond of my bow and arrows. Perhaps we could practice later.
A sharp bark and the familiar screech of a merlin broke through the general ruckus outside, and Fergus and Meridian came flying through the open door. Well, technically Meridian was the only one flying, but Fergus was moving at top speed.
I smiled again. Somewhere between the dolmarehn and Luathara’s courtyard, I’d lost track of them.
Meridian came to rest on my shoulder and started cuddling against me with excitement.
Home! Magic! Happy! she sent.
I laughed. Yes, pretty Meridian. Home.
Cade gave my hand one more squeeze, then dropped it and headed down the hall. I took a deep breath and spun around, Meridian clinging to my shoulder with her sharp claws. It was a little daunting, exploring Luathara while everyone around me seemed busy with work. Perhaps I could find someone who could use my help. Despite having visited the castle a few times before, I’d only ever seen this entrance hall, my room upstairs, and the great patio out in back that led to the cavern full of dolmarehn in the hillside.
"Want to explore with me?" I asked my spirit guide.
She chittered happily and fluffed her feathers. Fergus panted and wagged his tail at my side. Looks like I'd have company after all.
Smirking like an imp ready to make mischief, I decided to start with the first floor.
Luathara was filled with many rooms, some small, some larger. Most of them looked like spare bedrooms, but a few spaces resembled studies as well and I even found a set of doors that led down further into the belly of the fortress. I imagined a wine cellar or even an old dungeon awaited at the bottom. Shivering at the thought, I didn't venture any further than where my imagination took me.
At one point I popped into the kitchen, the vast room bright, spacious and warm from the fires in the ovens, to see if Melvina needed any help. She promptly shooed me away, claiming that she wanted the meal to be a surprise and that she didn’t want Fergus getting into anything. I had just enough time to catch a glimpse of the dried garlands of herbs and vegetables hanging from the rafters and to detect the scent of something delicious bubbling in a cauldron over one of the fires before my curiosity was cut off with the click of the door closing in my face.
Of all the rooms I discovered, however, the library was the most impressive by far. Located towards the back of the first floor, it was the largest room next to the entrance hall and just a tiny bit bigger than the dining room I’d stumbled into just a few moments before.
Several comfortable looking chairs and a few couches were scattered about, and a giant, diamond-paned window stretched from ceiling to floor, taking up most of one wall. The rest of the walls were dominated by bookshelves housing tomes that looked as old as the Book of Kells. I desperately wanted to take my time exploring this one room, but there was so much more to see. I shut the door with a soft click and made a mental note to come back one day when I could take my time looking around.
Once I was finished with the inside of the castle, I made my way out the front door, Meridian still gripping my shoulder and Fergus trailing us like a puppy. The courtyard was noisy and dusty, what with all the construction going on, so I looked around for a way out. If I wanted to get away from all the ruckus, I could simply slip through the portcullis and cross the bridge. Perhaps I might even find Speirling, Cade’s black stallion, grazing in the fields. But I already knew what lay that way. I wanted to see more of the castle grounds. A sharp whistle pulled my attention to a small stone archway. Fergus released a bark, then took off to chase a young boy through a small gate. Aha, that would be a good place to start . . .
I quickly followed after him, passing through the arch and stepping into the small gardens I had seen earlier. Up close, the space appeared to be much larger, the far end backing into the same hillside where the waterfall and dolmarehn could be found. Luckily, the water cascading down the hill fell on the other side of the castle, so no mist bothered us here, although a narrow creek snaked along the garden’s edge to disappear under the great stone wall I recognized as the base to the patio on the second floor. I suspected it flowed past the garden to join up with the larger stream that formed a makeshift moat around the castle.
Fergus barked somewhere in the maze of herbs and plants up ahead, so I followed the crushed gravel track around flower beds overflowing with lavender, rosemary, thyme, yarrow and a variety of other herbs whose names I didn’t know. I trailed the wolfhound's excited barks and after bypassing a bed of mint, a happy scene greeted me. In the center of the garden stood a small fountain and around the fountain ran the boy who’d whistled at Fergus. Two little girls, their looks so similar they might have been twins, chased after the dog and the boy, squealing in delight, their light red hair trailing in braids behind them.
“Niall!" a young woman kneeling in a muddy flowerbed shouted. "Stop playing with that dog and get back over here and help me with these weeds!”
“He’s not a dog! He’s a spirit guide, Lord Cade’s spirit guide!” the boy responded, out of breath as Fergus yipped at his heels.
Play! Meridian sent before leaping from my shoulder.
Before I could say anything, she dropped from the sky and made an arc in front of the boy. I knew she was just joining in the game, but her sudden appearance startled him and he jerked to a halt, letting go a small screech. Fergus didn’t have time to stop, so within the time span of two seconds, the boy, the spirit guide and the two little girls were in a jumbled heap, legs and arms, both Faelorehn and wolfhound, scrambling to get up.
“Niall! Oriana, Wynne!” the girl weeding the flowerbed cried, jumping to her feet and lifting up her mud-stained skirts to run towards the others.
“Oh no!” I shouted, bolting from where I stood to join her. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault. My spirit guide, Meridian . . . she likes to play.”
I felt guilty, even though I know Meridian meant no harm. Eventually, the girl was able to pull the boy and two other girls free of Fergus, and to my relief they only had a few scratches. The two little girls were crying, but only sniffling at the shock of being rolled around on the gravel with a giant wolfhound. Fergus had trotted off to the side, tail between his legs and looking somewhat shamefaced.
I knelt down to help. “Is everyone okay?”
The young woman looked up for the first time and I saw Melvina’s double, only younger, gazing back at me. The expression of concern on her face was briskly replaced with surprise.
“Who are you?” she asked.
“Uh, sorry, I’m Meghan. Meghan Elam.” I held out my hand and grinned, but the girl’s eyes only widened.
She stood up and backed away, giving a quick curtsy, then glanced at her skirts and grimaced.
“Forgive me, Princess, I’m not looking my best.”
“Princess!” the boy shouted.
He quickly scuttled behind the older girl, clutching at her skirts and trying to hide.
“Niall!” the girl hissed, kicking him lightly with her foot and nodding towards me.
The boy, Niall, reluctantly let go of the girl’s skirts and stepped forward, sketching a bow that might have been featured at court.
I
hadn’t realized I’d been standing there gaping like an idiot until the older girl cleared her throat.
“I’m sorry Princess Meghan, my name is Birgit, and this is my brother Niall and our sisters Oriana and Wynne. Our father is Briant, the steward of Luathara, and our mother is Melvina the cook.”
The two girls scuttled from where they stood to go press against their sister’s other side.
Finally, my voice learned how to work again. “No, don’t, I’m not-” I babbled.
The four of them gave me an odd look, and somehow I managed to find my composure.
“It’s very nice to meet you all, but please, just call me Meghan, or Meg.”
I tried out a smile, but they looked even more frightened.
“But mum says we have to always give respect to our elders. What if I called you Lady MacRoich instead?”
Birgit hissed at her brother again, and I couldn’t tell what shocked me more, the fact that he considered me an ‘elder’ or that he thought I should be called Lady MacRoich. I’m sure I paled, and then flushed scarlet right after.
I cleared my throat. How had this strange encounter grown so awkward? “Um, no, I’m giving you permission. I’m not Lady MacRoich so you can just call me Meghan. I’m not that much older than you.”
“Why can’t I call you Lady MacRoich? Aren’t you the one Lord Cade brought back from the mortal world?”
“Niall! Do I need to glue your mouth shut?” Birgit growled, giving him a look that would scare the audacity right out of me.
Before I could let his question sink in, Birgit plastered her face with a smile and said, “Don’t mind my brother, he has this horrible habit of speaking without thinking, all the time. Is there someone you were looking for Prin-, uh, Meghan?”
I could tell Birgit wasn’t very comfortable using my name, but I was determined to show the people of Luathara that I was one of them.
“No, I was just exploring the castle and Fergus took off through the fence. I think I’ve seen everything, though. Would you like some help with the garden?”
Birgit’s eyes grew wide again. “Oh no, you can’t be pulling weeds!”
I arched a brow. “Why not? I used to do it all the time at home with my brothers.”
The sudden thought of home and my brothers brought a pang to my heart, but I shrugged it off.
Birgit looked like she was going to protest again, but I walked past her before she could speak and knelt down in the partially weeded flowerbed.
“Um, you might want to show me which ones are weeds. These don’t look anything like the plants in the mortal world.”
I peered over my shoulder to find Birgit, frozen in place with Wynne and Oriana still clinging to her skirts. All three of the girls resembled Melvina, but Birgit had her mother’s graceful posture, despite the mud and dirt. Niall, on the other hand, was a spitting image of his father.
“I’ll show you!” he cried, instantly getting over his fear as he sprinted up to me.
I studied him as he slid into place beside me. His hair was dark with a bit of curl to it, and his dark brown eyes were flashing to gold as he pointed out the weeds and explained that they had to be grabbed at the base if you wanted to get them all the way out of the dirt.
We had created a nice little pile of discarded plants before Birgit joined us. She remained silent, and I wondered why she was so quiet until I remembered that I was a princess to these people. I sighed, but kept at my work. Cade must have told them about me, but how much had he told them? Obviously they knew I was Danua’s daughter, but wouldn’t he have told them that the high queen and I were estranged? Yet maybe he felt that it was my place to share that bit of information. Then Niall’s words from earlier hit me full force: Why can’t I call you Lady MacRoich? Aren’t you the one Lord Cade brought back from the mortal world?
What had he meant by that? I shook my head, reminding myself that my goal at the moment wasn’t to analyze the ramblings of young boys, but to try and make friends with the residents of Luathara.
I cleared my throat. “So, uh, Birgit, how long have you and your family lived in the castle?”
She was quiet for a moment, methodically pulling weeds from the flower bed.
“A few months now. Lord Cade asked my parents if they would like a position at Luathara Castle, and they happily agreed.”
She paused and pressed her hands to her thighs and looked at me with a small smile. “We all love this place and it has been empty and sad for so long. It's good to know that it will be occupied once again.”
I yanked at a weed and felt the satisfying tear of roots leaving the soil.
“Do you always call him Lord Cade?”
She shrugged and got back to work. “Mother and father insist upon it, though he would rather we just call him by his first name. He says it makes him feel strange, but Mother and Father would be angry if they knew. It took them long enough to stop calling him Lord MacRoich.”
I nodded. I knew exactly how Cade felt. He and I had a somewhat similar past, growing up with foster parents and not really ever belonging. Just as being called 'Princess' felt so very wrong to me, I’m sure Cade shied away from the title of 'Lord'.
We spent ten more minutes pulling weeds, Birgit telling me about life in Kellston and Niall piping up every now and again to add his own details while their two younger sisters, who I learned weren’t twins but only a year apart in age, played in the flower bed a few yards away. I thought about my own family back in the mortal world and I had to suppress the pain. I wondered when I'd get a chance to visit them again, if only to make sure Aiden was okay. He'd taken my departure the worst.
A sharp bark and the sound of heavy footfalls on the gravel drew my attention away from the weeding.
“Over here, my lord.”
I glanced up to find a young man following Fergus. And behind him was Cade.
Cade stopped in his tracks and eyed me from head to toe. I glanced down at my jeans and shirt and suppressed a grimace. I was filthy.
I met his eyes and gave him a sheepish grin, blushing a little, then shrugged my shoulders. “I wanted to help.”
Cade simply crossed his arms casually and shook his head, a humorous look on his face, his green eyes flashing to pale gray and back again.
Birgit and Niall had leapt to their feet the moment they saw Cade and now had their heads slightly bowed. I was still kneeling in the mud, so I had to crane my neck to look up at them. Ugh, I was so not used to this kind of behavior. I would expect it at Erintara in my mother’s court, but not here.
“Thank you, Arlen.” Cade nodded to the young man.
Arlen bowed his head once, then he glanced up and gave Birgit a quick smirk before turning and leaving the garden. I craned my neck again and noticed the slight blush and smile on Birgit’s face. I felt the corners of my own mouth curve upward. Looks like I’d have something to ask Birgit about the next time we met.
Cade strode forward, so I made some effort to get up. My legs were stiff from kneeling on the ground for so long and Niall was quick to come to my aid. I thanked him when I was on my feet and his eyes widened with pride. I laughed. He’d be a charmer when he was older.
I turned my head and found Cade standing right in front of me, arms still crossed and one eyebrow arched in question.
“Look, I made some friends,” I said, turning to indicate my weeding partners. “Birgit, Niall and their little sisters. They told me that Briant and Melvina are their parents.”
Birgit and Niall curtsied and bowed at the mention of their names, but Oriana and Wynne were too busy making mud pies to notice us.
“I see you’ve done a good job getting the anchor root out of the chamomile patch.” Cade waved a hand to indicate our handy work.
“Anchor root?” I asked.
“Oh! That’s what we’ve been pulling out!” Niall jumped in. “It’s called anchor root because the roots are really hard to yank out of the ground.”
I felt Birgit more than saw her sti
ffen behind me. Niall noticed too because he suddenly became silent and his brown eyes grew wider as his face paled.
“I’m sorry, my lord,” Birgit said in a pained voice, “Niall has a problem with manners.”
Ahhh, that’s right, the whole ‘lord’ and ‘lady’ thing I was wholly uncomfortable with.
I glanced at Cade, hoping to gauge his reaction. To my great delight, he was smiling warmly and stood just as relaxed as ever.
“Birgit, we’ve had this discussion many times, you Niall and I. You don’t have to call me ‘lord’ and you don’t have to worry about offending me simply by sharing your thoughts. Please, I am the furthest thing from nobility and the last thing I want is for those who work and live here at Luathara to think that they are in any way beneath me.”
“But, you’re the grandson of-”
Cade raised his hand to stop Niall from continuing, and to my surprise, the boy stopped mid-sentence.
I arched a brow at Birgit, but she only turned her face away, scowling down at her talkative little brother. I gave Cade a sidelong glance, but he wasn't looking at me. He had never mentioned grandparents before, but with Niall's outburst I was curious. Very curious. Unfortunately, now wasn't the time to probe. I made a mental note to ask about it later.
“That doesn’t matter," Cade said, answering the boy. "I know your parents wish for you to act a certain way, and I won’t argue against that, but Meghan and I both would like you to feel comfortable around us. Show us the same courtesy you would your fellow neighbors in Kellston.”
A strained silence fell over us all until Cade held his hand out to me and said, “Melvina has informed me that dinner will be ready in an hour, so if any of us needs to clean up, we best go about doing so.”
Luathara - Book Three of the Otherworld Trilogy Page 8