by Lucy Monroe
Maon's expression turned harsh. "What? Why?"
"I do not know. If you believe the wily old bastard, he doesn't either." Haakon wasn't entirely sure he did.
"Your Seer sent you to us?" another soldier asked, likely trying to understand this odd meeting on the shore of the dangerous sea that surrounded Groenland.
Sailing these waters was not for the faint of heart, or any who lacked experience and the sturdiest of boats.
"He did."
"To protect us?" Maon confirmed.
"Such is my duty."
"But you are protector to the paindeal not the Faol."
"Who taught you that any guardian was protector of only one race? When we are called through our Sacred Stones to the shift others of our race cannot make, we are called to a higher purpose. We become protector of all Chrechte." Even complete strangers who did not have any more sense than to cross the waters on a whim, searching for a branch to their family tree that had broken off so long ago, the trunk showed little sign of it ever having been there.
"Why did the Paindeal leave?" Artair asked, as if reading Haakon's mind.
"Even my father, who had lived nearly a Millennium when he died, did not know." Or perhaps, he had not wanted to tell Haakon.
He'd often wondered how his father, who must have been alive when the separation first took place, did not know why it had happened. He'd been adamant nothing good could come of bringing the Paindeal back together with the other Chrechte, but Haakon had to wonder at that too.
Their people were dying out, their numbers so low, men like Artair who had sacred mates of the same sex were required to mate in the fur with a female in the hopes of pregnancy before being allowed to consummate their true mating. And still, every generation, there were fewer of them.
He wondered if the wolves had similar laws.
Maon looked at Haakon intently. "So, the conriocht are meant to protect all Chrechte, not just the Faol."
"Ja. And were a dragon alive today, he would be not only King of the Éan, but grand protector of all Chrechte living."
"What about the Fearghall? Are we meant to protect them too?" Maon asked with distaste lacing his every word as his soldiers set out the food they had brought with them.
Haakon would not have blamed them if they had needed to hunt, but these Scots showed they were as prepared as any Viking who had travelled the seas.
"This Fearghall, they are the ones that believe only the Faol should live, that human mates should be killed to protect the Chrechte bloodlines? Ja?"
Maon looked shocked that Haakon knew of these Chrechte whose beliefs were an abomination.
"My father was asmundr before me and lived many centuries. He travelled far and wide before settling here in Groenland."
"You said he is gone?" Artair asked, sympathy in his dark brown gaze.
His mate, who wanted only to be his friend, grunted, gave Artair and Haakon a glare and then stomped off to fill skins with water from the stream where Haakon's horse drank.
Haakon nodded at Artair. "He is."
"And your uncle? Is he as old as your father?" Maon asked.
"Nei. He is my mother's brother." Haakon pulled oatcakes and smoked fish from his pack for his own repast. "Bjorn, the Firebrand, did not find his sacred mate until he had lived centuries."
One of the soldiers asked Haakon, "He had a fiery temper?"
"Your mother was Paindeal as well?" Maon asked at the same time.
Recognizing that Maon was the leader of this band of travelers, Haakon answered him first. "She was not a shifting Chrechte, but yes." He flicked a gaze to the other soldier. "My father had a temper as volatile as the sea storms that drowned many a Viking sailor."
The young solider nodded, giving Haakon a look that obviously questioned whether he shared his father's temperament. Haakon thought it did no harm to have the soldiers cautious of him, so he said nothing to allay fear.
Not that their leader showed an inkling of it. "One of her parents was human?"
"Ja. The Paindeal do not share the views of the Fearghall."
"Nor do the Faol who follow Chrechte law," Maon assured Haakon.
"That is good to know."
They ate together and Haakon learned that two of the clansmen were Sinclair, two from the Balmoral and Maon and one other of the MacLeod pack. He learned they had been traveling for three years, searching for the Paindeal. Starting in Norvegr, which they called Norway, moving to Islandia or Iceland and finally coming to Groenland, in search of his people.
What he had not yet learned was why Maon and the others sought the Paindeal. Maon had alluded to being on a quest sent by his clan's celi di who was also Seer.
Now they discussed their travel to his township, but Haakon still wondered at these Faol's motives for seeking out the Paindeal.
"Wouldn't it be easier to take the boat along the coastline?" Maon asked when Haakon suggested they begin their hike.
"The waters here are treacherous."
"Aye, they're a challenge to be sure, but we've crossed the sea, sailed the coast of Norway and landed on the shores of both Iceland and here." Maon didn't sound like he was boasting, merely stating a fact.
Haakon shrugged his agreement. "Perhaps you are experienced enough sailors to manage it."
Artair's mate, who Haakon had discovered was called Gart, snorted. "Perhaps we are," he said with a bite and no little amount of sarcasm.
Maon frowned at Gart, while Artair scolded him. "That the protector of our people shows concern for our welfare is naught to mock, Gart of the Balmoral."
"We have only his word he is our protector. For all we know, he intends to lead us into a trap."
"To what purpose?" Haakon asked, more out of curiosity than annoyance.
"Mayhap despite your words to the contrary, the Paindeal share the views of the Fearghall. There's a reason our peoples have been separated these centuries."
Artair gasped with clear affront on Haakon's behalf. The other soldiers looked on with wide-eyed uncertainty, but Maon frowned and opened his mouth to speak.
Haakon waved at him to remain silent. He would answer this foolish soldier's question. "If we did…if I meant you harm, you would all be dead and I would be on my way back to my pride, not sharing a repast with you."
"You couldn't kill us even if you are this asmundr you claim to be."
"Ja, I am asmundr. Have been for nine years and none, no not even a group of uffe can defeat me in battle."
"We have our own guardian," Gart sneered, shooting a sidelong glance toward Maon.
Haakon had wondered, but he shrugged, not wishing to denigrate the prowess of the other protector, but knowing the truth. "A conriocht is not likely to defeat an asmundr in battle."
A giant tiger of the Rus, like his cousin Einarr? Yes. But Haakon's beast was half again bigger and his fangs could rip through the flesh of even a conriocht, his strength so great, even two conriocht would find it more than difficult to subdue him. They would most likely pay with their lives.
"You said you are not griffin," Maon observed, again showing no signs of concern, and Haakon's respect for the other guardian grew.
"I am not, but it would take a griffin, or the dragon of legends to easily defeat me."
The way all the soldiers went tense at that proclamation made Haakon think they had some experience with one of those two ancient and powerful beings. He could not be sure which one, as their assumption he was griffin could be due to the fact they had met one. But it was equally likely they knew or knew of a dragon guardian.
If they did, this being was someone Haakon would like to meet. As, according to ancient Chrechte law, the dragon stood above all pride, pack or flock alphas. If a dragon walked the earth, Haakon owed him his allegiance and said so.
Either was possible if they were in contact with the Éan.
"You have Éan living among you?"
"We do, though their joining of the clans is recent."
"You mean a dragon i
s supposed to rule all Chrechte, like a King?" one of the soldiers asked.
"Not like a King. He is king, but he is also the ultimate protector and all guardians submit to his will, even above their own alphas."
"I don't think the Sinclair is going to like hearing that," one of his soldiers muttered under his breath.
Haakon gave Maon a questioning look, but the other Chrechte merely shook his head. "We will speak more about our reasons for being here and the discoveries we have made since the Éan and Paindeal joined again once we have the ear of your jarl."
Haakon nodded, understanding why Maon would wish to tell his tale only once, but felt the need to warn them, "Ja. I will wait, but understand this, if your intentions toward my pride is in any way to do them harm, you will all perish for your error in judgement."
Gart sputtered his anger, a couple of soldiers paled, but Maon simply nodded his agreement. "We mean you and your pride no harm."
Haakon acknowledged Maon's words with a noncommittal inclination of his head. "Sailing to our shores will not necessarily take you any less time and there is risk."
"But we will have our boat to hand and everything in it." Unlike Gart, Maon did not boast of their prowess at sea, but showed no sign of concern about taking to the water again either.
And he made a fair point. "Ja. Follow the coastline until you see…" Haakon gave them directions on where best to land nearest his uncle's holding. "Wait for me there. If I arrive first, I will wait for you."
The young Artair looked longingly at Haakon's horse before casting a frown at the boat. This Faol was no Viking, excited to take to the water again, but Haakon did not blame him. Not all were meant to spend their life aboard ships, looking for fortune and adventure. The Viking Way had all but died out among the Norse anyway, just as the Paindeal.
"Come with me," Haakon said to Artair. "You can tell me about the Faol and why you have come to Groenland looking for the Paindeal."
"I'll leave that explanation to Maon, but I'm happy to tell you of our people."
Accepting that Maon wanted to be the one to share his celi di's visions, Haakon nodded. "Come, we will let the horse rest from riders for a while before we take to his back."
"Wait!" Gart demanded. "Artair, you should stay with us."
Artair adjusted his plaid and the weapons he wore for the hike ahead. "I would be happy if I never had to get on a boat again, but since that isn't possible, I will at least avoid one more trip."
"You don't need to go with him."
Haakon's patience with the recalcitrant mate was rapidly disappearing.
But before he could put the Faol in his place, Artair growled at his fellow clansman. "Your words are offensive! He is asmundr! Guardian to all our people. I couldn't be safer with another Chrechte."
Gart winced, as if Artair's words hurt him. But having experience with the rejection of a mate, Haakon had no sympathy for the Balmoral.
"Tell him, Maon. Tell him he has to come with us," Gart implored their leader.
But Maon's expression was dark as he turned it on Gart. "Artair is a grown man, a Faol trained in battle. I trust him to make his own decisions, Gart. Just as every Chechte must follow the dictates of his own conscience."
Well, that was pointed and not easily misinterpreted. There could be no doubt that the leader of this group of Chrechte explorers was aware the two Balmorals were mates and that Gart had denied Artair his place in the other Chrechte's life.
Gart scowled at them all before turning and stomping away.
"He acts like a jealous lover," Maon observed to Artair.
"He isn't one." Artair's tone was tinged with bitterness, but his expression had not turned sour.
Like Haakon, the other Chrechte had long since accepted the condition of his mating, or lack thereof.
"He wants children?" Maon asked.
"That is what he says." Artair looked around them with pointed regard. "He's not going to build a family hundreds of miles from the females of our packs."
"Nay. He is not." Maon sighed. "It is not always easy for a wolf to accept the dictates of his Chrechte spirit."
Artair grabbed a pack to carry. "If you say so." He turned to Haakon. "Are you ready to be on our way?"
"Ja."
They left without another word between Artair and the other Faol.
***
Their second day out to sea, neither Neilina, nor Freya was feeling particularly confident as sailors, or the certainty of reaching their destination. A squall had erupted out of nowhere. One moment the sky had been blue and clear to the horizon. Minutes later, ominous grey clouds blocked the light of the sun and powerful winds sent waves crashing over the sides of their boat.
"Quick, bring the sail down," Neilina yelled above the wind, already working on the ropes.
Freya helped her, the sails whipping to and fro as they worked. Had she not had the strength and speed of a Chrechte, they would have lost the sail and perhaps the mast as well. But she and Freya managed to get it tied down.
Even without the sail, and against their best and most stringent efforts, the force of the wind took the boat off course.
As the wind and waves drove them further and further from their original heading, the women fought the storm. All that afternoon and night, they bailed water out of the bottom of the boat so they did not sink and did their best to keep dry what they could so all their supplies were not destroyed by the driving rains.
They worked in silence, neither woman prone to hysterics. After all, for all intents and purposes, Neilina had raised Freya. And she had not raised her daughter to fall into a fit of vapors at the first sign of adversity.
Dìonach made up for their silence, however. The bear growled and sent awful keening sounds into the wind in accompaniment to their efforts, but she did not move from her position in the center of the boat.
And for that, Neilina was unutterably grateful, for surely they would have capsized. When the winds finally died down and the waves no longer sent buckets of water into their gunwale with every gust, the stars had disappeared from the sky and dawn was imminent.
Exhausted, even with her Chrechte strength to buoy her, Neilina took stock of their situation with a considered look at the horizon. They were well off course. Neilina did not show Freya the worry this caused her.
While she could read the signs of the sun and the stars at night to keep them going in the right direction, when it came down to it, she very much feared they would end up sailing right past Scotland. At present, they were on a course toward Iceland, if she was not mistaken. Or maybe Greenland. Certainly, they were not headed south as they should have been to reach the Scottish mainland in what would otherwise have been no more than a day or two of seafaring.
"I think we should drop anchor and sleep. The skies are clear, and I don't have the strength to guide the boat even if you do." Her face cast in grey tones, dark circles under her eyes, Freya looked as exhausted as she claimed.
Neilina nodded. "Later this day will be soon enough to raise anchor and sail to get us back on course for Scotland." She only hoped she was not lying to her charge and had not allowed her dreams to lead them both to a watery death.
***
Artair turned out to be a pleasant traveling companion. Easily keeping up with Haakon's pace, despite being several inches shorter, he did as promised, telling Haakon about the Faol who lived among the clans in Scotland. His love for his island home was apparent, so Haakon asked him why he had been sent on this journey, one from which all who embarked had to know there was no guarantee of surviving.
Of the original 25 ships that had set sail with his forefather, Eirik the Red from Iceland, only 14 had landed on Groenland's shores. The other 11 had perished along with all those onboard.
"I volunteered to accompany Maon on this trip. All of us did."
"Had any of you been on a sea faring journey before?"
"Nay."
"Either you are Chrechte of laudable courage, or fools."
Artair laughed. "A little of both, I think. The journey had to be undertaken. The ultimate survival of our race depended on it."
"This is what you wish me to wait for Maon to explain?"
"I would, yes. He was commissioned by the Sinclair celi di to contact the Paindeal and reunite the races."
"This is the celi di who is also a Seer?"
"Yes. She belongs to the Sinclair clan, but she was born a Donegal." He opened his mouth and then shut it, like he wanted to say something but thought better of it.
"So, your Chrechte move between the clans?"
"They do now. We didn't before, but the Balmoral took the Sinclair's first intended along with his sister."
"That sounds like an instigation to war, not something that would make your Chrechte begin shifting between packs."
"The Balmoral is a superior alpha."
"For the Sinclair alpha to forgive the insult, he must have more patience than any pride alpha I have known."
"There were misunderstandings, but our alpha ended up married to the taken woman's sister. Our lady has brought nothing but joy and good things to our clan."
"And so these two powerful alphas are now friends?"
"Aye."
"And the Donegal alpha?"
"He trains for his role under the former Sinclair second-in-command."
Haakon shook his head in wonder. He had been raised in a pride that never sought out other Chrechte. None in Haakon's lifetime had left the pride; none had gone wandering since long before his birth. It was hard for him to conceive of this openness between the packs. "And all of your packs have celi di that are Seers as well?"
There had to be many more of the Faol than the Paindeal.
"Nay. The Sinclairs have a priest. He is human, and a Seer who used to be human, none that claim the title of both."
"Used to be human? He was of Chrechte heritage and chosen by your Sacred Stone to complete his first shift?"
"She, but aye. You knew that was possible? We didn't until the celi di had a vision."
"The wolves are plentiful, but you've lost much of your history." Haakon inhaled the scents around them, letting his beast seek out any potential danger.
