Kingdom of Dragons

by Anna St George

  “Why is that?” asked Ceridwyn. “Why would I go home?”

  “Because, the Munro’s . . . they . . . oh, never mind. I shouldn’t a said anything.”

  “Please, tell me,” Ceridwyn begged.

  “Well,” the woman paused and she turned and looked at Ceridwyn with fearful eyes. “Do you believe in God?”

  “Of course I do,” replied Ceridwyn.

  “Then I’d be earnestly prayin if I were you. The Munro’s are a strange lot. Mysterious things happen on the Loch. I wouldn’t be going there if you were to pay me a hundred gold coins and like I said just look at the weather. It’s an omen.” Then she threw the last piece of wood in the fire, brushed the dust off her hands and softly grinned before leaving the room.

  Ceridwyn barely slept that night for her mind was consumed with thoughts of Inverness and the Munro’s. What kind of family were they that even this unknown farm woman knew of their eccentricities? Ceridwyn was plagued with dread as they journeyed by boat again next day heading further along the coast. Even though the weather had settled enough for them to travel it was still unpleasant and Ceridwyn looked forward to reaching her destination in spite of the rumours.

  She was ever so grateful when they reached the port of Inverness but only because her stomach had now settled and they were on dry ground again. Other feelings were just as unsettled as when she left Berwyck and she dreaded the inevitable meeting with Fingal Munro. Had she been in better spirits she would have been more appreciative of the beautiful countryside in which she now stood for that was something she loved and adored about her home at Berwyck. It had been so nicely situated along the coast of Northern England and Inverness was no less in its beauty with a range of snow covered hills, quaint farmhouses and sheep scattered about the countryside.

  They rode up into the hills on a narrow road surrounded in snow covered heather and somewhere in the distance Ceridwyn could hear the gloomy sound of a bagpipe echoing through the hills. “That sound you hear is a bagpipe playing Aileen’s lament. It’s about a young woman grieving the loss of her warrior lover,” said Artemis.

  Ceridwyn sighed wearily for she knew she shared the pain of the grievous Aileen for she too had lost her warrior, Sir Gregory and she was very relieved when they could no longer hear the bagpipe’s moaning sound.

  They rode further up into the hills and through a forest of evergreens laced with ice and snow. When they came out of the forest they rode down the other side into a sort of valley surrounded by the hills and Michael Munro turned and grinned at her. “Best be careful, this is the fairy vale of Inverness.”

  Ceridwyn’s blue eyes lit up. “What?”

  “Oh don’t be silly!” his cousin Artemis scolded. “Don’t believe what he says.”

  “It’s true,” said Michael. “They say fairies dwell in these hills.”

  “I . . . I don’t believe in such things,” said Ceridwyn bravely.

  “Be careful what ya says. Ya might make them angry,” said Michael with a grin and as they turned the next corner and moved through an archway of holly Artemis turned and announced. “There she is, Adair Castle, home of the Munro’s.”

  “And the monster,” said Michael.

  “Will you stop it,” said Robin. “The only one the fairies or the monster will be looking for is you for disturbing their peace.”

  Ceridwyn paused and looked at the sight before her that would be her home for the rest of her life, a great stone castle nestled in the hills and surrounded by fields of purple heather coated in a layer of fresh white snow overlooking the shores of Loch Ness. A fearful pain seized her as she studied its walls and giant towers of cold grey stone, surrounded by a lonely wilderness of hills and forest. A soft mist lingered around the borders stirring up an eerie canvas of monster and fairy legends.. She couldn’t understand why something that would stir great adventure in Gwen’s heart absolutely terrified hers. Ceridwyn began to long for her loved ones even more. She wanted to turn around and run back home, but she couldn’t. The future seemed as bleak as the mist rolling around her. What would become of her in this wild place with legends and mysteries of a monster lurking below the surface of the loch? Ceridwyn let out a soft sigh at the sight of the three story fortress with several towers and at least one thing she would admit. It looked romantic situated among the hills overlooking the loch. The first part of her worries had been faced. Now she would have to meet the family and of course, Fingal Munro.

  “Well, what do you think?” asked Artemis when she didn’t respond.

  “It . . . it’s beautiful,” she responded with hesitation. “Very beautiful.”

  It was some hours later when they reached the gates of the castle and the afternoon sun was setting. The water glistened mysteriously and the lake was still except for soft movement and there were a few fishermen about and Gwen’s eyes scoured the area meticulously looking for anything strange or abnormal and Michael Munro noticed. “Did you spot ole Nessie?” he asked with a grin and young Artemis and Robin turned and looked. The three men laughed for they knew she was looking for a sign of the monster.

  “No, of course not. I was just admiring the view,” she defended herself but the three men were skeptical.

  It was with mixed feelings that Ceridwyn entered Adair’s gates and the horse’s stopped once inside the courtyard and she dismounted the horse in a haze of thoughts for she was now exhausted and longed for the comfort of a bed. Artemis helped her off the horse and when she drew back her cape wearily locks of red hair fell over her shoulders and down her back and the guard looked twice for Ceridwyn was a great beauty. Once inside she was instantly attended by household staff. Maeve Gray was the lady who greeted her. She studied Ceridwyn for several moments before saying anything for never had such a beautiful young creature dwelt in Adair castle before. She had such fair skin and bright eyes and she was everything the rumours said about her, a great beauty. Then she addressed Artemis and his two companions. “Yer Father wants to see ya in the Great Hall at once.” Then she turned her attention back to Ceridwyn and smiled. “Welcome to Adair Castle Lady Ceridwyn on behalf of Lord and Lady Munro. They will greet you this evening at dinner. Now come. Follow me. I will show you to yer room dear. You must be exhausted after such a journey. Follow me.”

  Ceridwyn followed Maeve up a long sweeping staircase to the upper level and she paused by a large cathedral window on the landing overlooking the loch. She gazed out momentarily and it seemed peaceful and still with a few ripples surfacing over the water and Maeve stopped when she realized Ceridwyn had stopped. “Beautiful view, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” said Ceridwyn coming out of her daydream. “It’s very nicely situated over the loch.”

  Maeve smiled in agreement and they carried along the hallway to the back of the castle and she was intrigued by the stone work and delicate tapestries and paintings and Ceridwyn suddenly noticed a strange painting and she gasped and stopped. It was a painting of the monster surfacing from the waters with a strange glow in its eyes. It’s placement on the wall was indeed peculiar Ceridwyn thought for it was situated amongst the Munro’s as if it was a member of the family.

  “What’s wrong mi’lady?” asked Maeve.

  Ceridwyn sighed. “That painting.”

  “Oh,” said Maeve. “It’s just a legend, mi’lady.”

  “A legend? I’ve heard the stories.”

  “That’s exactly what they are, just stories. Now come along my dear. I must help you change for dinner. Lord and Lady Munro are anxious to meet the young lass who will marry their eldest son.”

  Ceridwyn felt a slight chill embrace her as she continued her first walk along the halls of Adair castle. “Tell me, what is Sir Fingal Munro like?”

  “He’s a very nice young man,” she replied with a smile. “He will inherit his father’s title and you will be his wife.”

  “I know that,” said Ceridwyn. “But what is he like? What colour hair does he have? What colour eyes? Is he friendly and warmhearted?
”

  “Well . . . he is fair haired I suppose. “

  “You suppose, don’t you know?”

  “Well yes he is.”

  “So he’s not dark like Artemis?”

  “No, not at all.”

  “Is he well natured like Artemis?’

  “He is not like Artemis but he is . . . well-mannered mi’lady. I’m sure you will be happy with him,” she said with great reluctance and Ceridwyn was aware and she was even more unsure of the situation than before.

  Ceridwyn didn’t say much else as she was led to her chamber. It was a fair sized room and well suited for a lady. It had walls of stone and light piercing through three windows. There was a hearth on the outside wall and a candelabra hanging in the middle. The bed was cozy with layers of feather quilts and a silk cover. It was a pleasing room and Ceridwyn went straight to the hearth to warm herself while Maeve prepared her gown for the evening.

  She worked her way through Ceridwyn’s gowns and pulled out a lovely emerald green gown and once she was dressed, Maeve brushed her hair. “I’ll bet a beauty such as you has left behind a few broken hearts,” she calculated and lifted a brow in speculation.

  Ceridwyn barely grinned trying not to show her own broken heart. “I don’t know,” she replied sullenly. She didn’t say much else for fear of revealing her feelings.

  Maeve placed the brush down on the bureau. “Don’t know. Well I heard that dozens of men had tried out for the tournament to win your hand!”

  Ceridwyn grinned back weakly. “It . . . was nothing.”

  “I see, well then, we should be heading to the hall mi’lady. Lord Munro will be expecting us any moment.”

  Ceridwyn followed Maeve back down the hall to the main floor and waited as she was announced in the Great Hall. The steward announced, “The Lady Ceridwyn of House Godwyn, daughter of the Earl of the Northumbria.”

  Ceridwyn walked into the Great Hall slowly. It was a large room with a grand hearth with flames roaring and Ceridwyn felt its warmth but it was quickly stolen by a faint breeze that skipped along the cracks and crevices. Ceridwyn smiled softly at the sight of a grey cat that had found a nice spot in front of the fire. The room was dimly lit but she could see Lord and Lady Munro standing on the dais waiting for her and a crowd of anxious onlookers. When she reached the dais she curtsied before Lord and Lady Munro and the room suddenly fell silent.

  The Earl looked somewhat like her own father with greying hair and a beard. He had solid features and questionable look upon his face as he studied her carefully. Lady Munro Was a different story all together with a gentle smile and lovely greyish hair that she wore in a bun. Ceridwyn searched the room thoroughly and there were dozens of eyes judging her, some harshly, some softly, some kindly, some jealously. Ceridwyn lifted her head and stopped in front of the Earl and his wife and she looked to the left and saw Artemis smiling back at her. She Saw Michael Munro and Robin Tullock but there was no one who matched the description of Fingal Munro. Where was he? Had he fled in horror of an arranged marriage?

  Every goblet was placed down and every man stood to his feet. There were sighs and gasps at her incredible beauty. Lord and Lady Munro inspected her carefully and from their rigid expressions Ceridwyn didn’t know if they approved of her or not. She fumbled nervously with her hands, a bad habit that Marian had often scolded her about. When she realized she quickly looked up at the sea of faces and saw Artemis standing beside his father and still no sign of anyone that she thought might be Fingal Munro.

  . “On behalf of Lady Munro and I, Welcome to Adair Castle Lady Ceridwyn,” said Lord Munro.

  “Thank you sir. It’s a pleasure to be here,” she said carefully. She had practiced saying it several times with Marian before she left Berwyck.

  “I apologize that Sir Fingal is not present to greet you. He has been away on a journey for the past couple of months, but should return very soon. Allow me to introduce my brother, Sir Hugh, and his wife, Maeve, and their lovely daughters, Deirdre, Caitlyn and little Isla.”

  She wasn’t exactly little Ceridwyn calculated as she studied each one. She was about Gwen’s age or perhaps a little younger. And Deirdre and Caitlyn were about her age. Ceridwyn smiled warmly and they grinned obediently but Ceridwyn noticed the ice under the oldest girl’s smile and Ceridwyn thought perhaps she had been hopeful of securing Fingal Munro. She suddenly realized that perhaps there were many who were hopeful of her position and she knew she would have to be careful and her thoughts instantly drifted to the Cheswyck sister’s and wondered if they had succeeded in claiming the husbands they were hopeful of.

  “You must be tired after that awful journey. Come and sit at the table. Have something to eat,” said Lady Munro leading her by the hand and she turned to her son.

  “I hope your journey was not too harrowing,” said Lady Munro. “I heard the weather was foul and you had to take shelter on land several times.”

  “I’m quite fine,” said Ceridwyn. “It was not as bad as I thought it would be. My sister Gwendolyn would be proud.”

  “Oh, why is that?” asked the Earl.

  “Well, she . . . ” How did one explain Gwen to others?

  “She’s quite a lass,” said Artemis. “The Godwyn’s youngest daughter was the first one I met in the forest before sunrise dressed in suede breeches and shooting from a crossbow.” There were several comments moving about the room.

  “Good heaven!” said Lady Munro.

  “I heard on good word from her brothers that she competed in an archery competition and won,” said Michael and comments were flying about the room again.

  “And your father allows this behaviour?” asked Lady Munro.

  “Well . . . no, not really. She . . . ”

  “She is a bit rebellious, your sister?” asked the Earl.

  “Well, I suppose you could say that,” said Ceridwyn.

  “And I see you are not like that,” said Lady Munro. “A lady of such outstanding appearance and demeanour could not have a streak of rebellion in her.”

  “I assure you Lady Munro, that I am not rebellious like my sister.” Ceridwyn looked across the room at that moment and Deirdre was gazing back at her sourly and Ceridwyn thought perhaps she had been very fond of her cousin Fingal.

  “Hmmm,” replied Lady Munro with satisfaction.

  “I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting your father,” said the Earl. “But I know he is an honourable man and we are honoured to have you join with our son in the state of holy matrimony.”

  Ceridwyn took in a deep breath of air which consisted of pipe smoke and burning heather and she smiled weakly. “Thank you sir. I am honoured as well.”

  “It must have been quite a competition Lady Ceridwyn,” said cousin Deirdre. “I mean tournaments can draw in many opponents. I wonder if your favourite indeed won or was your heart rooting for someone else?” The room went dead silent and she picked up the silver goblet and drank it carefully with a grin on her face. If she had meant to put Ceridwyn on the spot she had certainly succeeded and Ceridwyn’s face paled two shades lighter. “No, certainly not.”

  “That’s not fair, Deirdre,” said Lady Munro. “Don’t mind her,” she said to Ceridwyn. “Deirdre and Fingal are very close friends. She is just concerned for him.”

  But Ceridwyn knew it wasn’t just concern for him. There was more to this cousin relationship than that. Ceridwyn was now convinced that perhaps they had been lovers.

  “I’ve heard it said that you are one of the most beautiful women in Britain but what about your heart? Is your heart as beautiful with depth as deep as the loch or is it as shallow as a puddle after a rainfall?” she asked bitterly.

  “Deirdre!” said the Earl firmly. “That’s enough!”

  Deirdre got up from her seat and ran from the room in a rage and Ceridwyn tried her hardest to stay composed but on the inside she felt like a dam about to burst but she again took in another deep breath and exhaled slowly.

  “You’ve hardly eaten
,” said Lady Munro.

  “I’m not very hungry,” said Ceridwyn still managing a soft smile after everything she had been through.

  “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” asked Artemis.

  “Speak for yourself.”

  “What on earth do you mean?”

  “Your parents might be happy about my presence but I can’t say the same for your cousin Deirdre.”

  “Oh, that’s just Deirdre. You’ll get used to her.”

  Ceridwyn doubted that. “Now I just have to get through meeting your brother.”

  Artemis chuckled softly. “Don’t worry. He will adore you.”

  “Why are you so certain? He has never met me. How do you know he will adore me?” she challenged.

  Artemis leaned back in his chair and grinned. “Don’t worry, I know, my cousin and he will adore you just as I said.”

  “Cousin?” said Ceridwyn. “You mean brother.”

  “Oh of course, my silly mistake. All the talk of cousin Deirdre. I do mean my brother.”

  Ceridwyn noticed several young men and ladies still studying her and Deirdre had returned to her seat at her mother’s persistence and she and Caitlyn would now and again lean over and whisper in each other’s ears and then laugh. Ceridwyn wondered what they were saying that was so amusing. Then she spotted Robyn Tulloch and he smiled warmly.

  “We hope you will find Adair Castle a place of warmth and comfort,” said Lady Munro. “I hear that Berwyck Castle is a grand structure indeed.”

  “Adair Castle is a grand structure,” said Lord Munro. “My family origin can be traced back to the great warrior, Lyall Munro who came over from Ireland five hundred years ago.. He built the main tower first, so he could look out on the lake to see the monster.”

  Ceridwyn paled and Lady Munro gasped at her husband. “Now don’t tell her those silly tales.”

  “It’s not a silly tale,” said Lord Munro. “My wife knows it’s not a silly tale. My ancestors have seen it. After he built the tower, he built the rest of it. It took him twenty years. He built it in stages as he ran out of money and well . . . the Munro’s are warriors, and he went off to fight in several wars to raise the money. The Munro’s have always been warriors. So eventually, the castle or shall I say this grand structure was finished. Made of the finest stonework, each block was carefully laid and polished. It was designed as a fortress and a family home. You won’t find a finer or more comfortable, place of warmth in these northern parts.” He grinned firmly at his wife.