by Lucy Monroe
"We have only his word for his age and for that matter, the truth of all these stories he tells."
Artair made a sound of disgust. "And yet one story you want to believe very much, the one where you get to have a different mate than me."
"I never said you were my mate!"
"Nay, and you never will, but still I thought we could stay friends."
"And we will. You are brother to me."
"I will not call friend a man who disrespects the very core of what it means to be Faol."
"Because I don't believe the old man?"
"Because you would even think to doubt him. Because you disparage him like a child who bullies his friends to gain attention. Because we were sent on a quest to find exactly what we have found and you doubt even our own Seer by doubting this man so blatantly."
"Your friend is not so bad," Osmend tssked. Though his look toward Gart was not friendly. "It is following without thought behind a leader corrupted by his own grief that caused the split of the Paindeal."
"My father you mean?" Haakon asked, pain searing through him, the memories of his father tarnished by revelations.
"He could not forgive the other Chrechte for the loss of his mate, but even more importantly, for the loss of his son."
"Did he never see them again?"
"His mate was human. She died as human women do."
"But I thought our mates live as long as we do."
"When our souls are joined. Yes. But she never joined her soul with his. If she had, she would not have left the asmundr for the Faol."
"And my brother?"
"Your father brought him to the Paindeal Neart for his coming of age ceremony. He shifted into a lynx as most of our brethren do. You father always blamed his lack of connection to his son for the stone not choosing him as asmundr and he never forgave the Faol for having to suffer not only his mate's death, but that of his son many years later."
"If he shifted into a Lynx, he must have returned to live among our people?" Haakon guessed.
But Osmend shook his head. "The boy lived a long life among the Faol, but refused to stay in Norvegr with his father, the Destroyer."
"He was called the Firebrand." Or was that too a lie Haakon had been fed.
"Even before the Viking raids, your father was known for his ruthless destruction of his enemies," Osmend said by way of explanation. "In those days, indeed until he met your mother, he was called the Destroyer."
"But my brother could have softened him, brought him back to the right path."
"He could have, but he'd been raised to know only what a tyrant Bjorn was, that the asmundr was responsible for sending the Chrechte to the land of the clans."
"He never forgave my father?"
"Your father never forgave himself. Your brother? He prospered and had children, sending word of their births to your father even though he had denied him."
"He was his son. He still cared."
"I always believed so."
"And then the raids?"
"Your father felt no compunction about destroying the descendants of the Faol that had betrayed our ways, the sacred bond of a mate."
Haakon felt an urge to empty the contents of his stomach. "He never told me any of this."
"He did not want you touched by the poison of the past, but without knowledge of what came before you cannot help prevent what is to come. Just like if this one does not complete his quest, all Chrechte will perish, Paindeal, Faol and Éan alike." Osmend indicated Maon with his walking stick.
And on that pronouncement, the Seer decided it was time to seek out the jarl.
On the way to the longhouse Haakon shared with his uncle's family, he wondered if the jarl had known the truth of their past, of his father's deeds. His family had to have been one who chose to stay with the Seer and their asmundr. Why had they?
After all the revelations, Haakon only had more questions.
Haakon cast a glance at Osmend riding his horse. He only did so at Haakon's insistence, but the man's age was showing this day and that worried the asmundr.
They reached his uncle's lands before the sun had begun to set and Haakon brought the Faol before the jarl, Osmend there to explain things in his own irritating way.
Haakon's cousin, Einar, was there, his expression odd when he looked at Artair. Like he was hungry, only it was not so close to the time for their evening meal to cause such a look on Einar's face.
"Why have you come?" Thorsten, jarl and pride alpha demanded, his expression not welcoming.
Oh, he knew the history very well and it colored his view of the Faol, even though these were generations and generations beyond the ones who had so grievously betrayed Bjorn, the Firebrand. Thorsten was a loyal Chrechte and his loyalties stretched to old grudges.
Especially on behalf of the man who had mated his sister. Though both were gone now, their memories lived on with Haakon's family. As it should be.
"The celi di for the Sinclairs is also a powerful Seer, of the original royal line of our Chrechte forefathers," Maon said. "She has foreseen a terrible illness that will befall all the peoples here, on the continent and in our own beloved Highlands. Only by uniting the Chrechte will any survive when this awful Black Death comes."
"I have seen this also," Osmend said, sadness making his blue eyes even paler than usual. "Many, many will die. There is every chance the Paindeal will not survive."
"What do you mean, unite us?" Einar asked with another piercing glance in Artair's direction.
"Our people will go to Scotland."
Thorsten surged up from his chair. "Leave Groenland?"
Osmend was not impressed with the kotrondmenskr's show of temper. "It is the only way, but it does not have to happen in your lifetime, or even that of your son. Teach the children, and the children's children what is to come. Haakon will go now to the Highlands, he will barter peace between our peoples and when the time comes there will be a place among the clans for us."
Haakon spun to face the Seer. "You expect me to journey to Scotland? Who will protect the Paindeal when I am gone?"
"You are protector of all Chrechte, not just the Paindeal. We have established this."
"Even so."
"Einar may not be asmundr but he is the giant tiger of the Rus. He will protect those who remain behind in his father's territory."
Einar looked pleased by the pronouncement.
But Haakon's uncle less so. "You would take my asmundr?"
"You may be jarl, but no asmundr may belong to you," the Seer scolded. "Or any single person, no nor even a pride. He is guardian and he must go to Scotland, if for nothing else than to pledge his loyalty to our king."
"Since when do you call Scotland's king ours?" Haakon found the outrage in his uncle's tone reflected in his own heart.
Like hell he would pledge allegiance to the Scots king.
But Osmend glared right back, his expression and tone righteous. "I do not speak of political office." He made the last two sound like foul words in his mouth. "I speak of the dragon."
Everyone in the hall went silent.
Osmend appeared quite pleased with the response, nodding as if such silence was his due. "Ja. Fate has seen fit to give us the dragon to lead all Chrechte in the coming times of calamity. Our asmundr owes him allegiance and support. More, Haakon will play an important role in saving our people along with his mate."
Now Haakon balked. "I no longer have a mate."
"If that is true, I am sorry." Haakon could find nothing but honest sorrow in his Seer's aged gaze. "But you will not make the same errors your father did. You will not allow this lack to embitter you or pull you from your sacred duty to all Chrechte."
Haakon heard the words, but more importantly, he felt them inside and his beast roared in agreement. The Seer spoke Truth, not simply instruction. The asmundr was going to Scotland.
His uncle must have seen this resolve on Haakon's features because he said, "It must be an exchange."
The other Chrechte around them looked confused, except Maon, whose expression had turned dark.
"If Haakon has to go to them," Thorsten continued. "One of the Faol will stay here to take his place in our pride, to build a bridge between our people and theirs."
Maon didn't look happy, but he didn't speak up to deny the jarl. When they noticed that, the Scottish Chrechte looked at one another, as if determining silently who would stay in Groenland. They would not require their leader to command one of them.
Artair stepped forward, his face set in determined lines. "I will stay."
"No!" Gart's denial was fast and loud.
Artair smiled at him with a surprising acceptance only tinged by sorrow. "I need to do this. For both our sakes. Your path has a wife and children and mine does not."
"No, you'll find someone."
Artair cast a look at Einar. "Perhaps, but it won't be a wife."
Haakon's uncle let his gaze jump from Artair to his son, who still had that hungry look, now colored by a dawning joy in his bright blue eyes. Although the Vikings had considered the idea of being sodomized one of the gravest insults, the Chrechte among them had never had issue with same sex unions. Fate decreed what fate decreed. If that was a true mate of the same sex, then so be it.
Haakon did not know how his uncle would react to this new development, though. It had been a generation, or more since there had been a two-male mating in their pride.
The two were old now, the children they had given to the pride raised by them and the mothers and their mates in the same longhouse. Not as barbaric as Maon had been thinking, but not ideal either.
Haakon would destroy anyone who tried to touch his mate in an intimate way, even in the fur. Even if they never claimed each other physically.
It was no doubt better for all concerned he did not know where she lived.
"You are welcome to my land and to our pride," Thorsten said to Artair, proving he had a true Chrechte's view of mating.
Artair dipped his head toward Thorsten, dropping to one knee before the jarl. "Thank you. I will do my best to be a benefit to your pride and territory." He pounded his fist against his heart.
Gart made a sound of grief but did not speak another protest.
"Another Faol will stay," Osmend decreed. He gave Gart an almost pitying look. "Of another clan. And two of our pride will accompany the conriocht Maon and submit to him as alpha in his search for our brethren in the Land of the Sun."
Murmurs from others in the great hall sounded around the large space, some wondering who would be sent, others questioning the wisdom of such an action when their numbers were so few. But Thorsten remained silent, his expression now stony.
"I will stay." One of the younger Scots soldiers stepped forward. He wore the plaid of the Sinclair. "My beast tells me this is our new home for now."
His fellow Sinclair clapped him on the shoulder. "You will be missed among our people, but you must follow the dictates of your destiny."
"While there is no doubt fate has plans for each Chrechte and human, a man may also influence his destiny." It wasn't the Seer speaking, but Haakon's uncle. "You will be welcome, but stay only if you are certain of your course."
The young man nodded.
Thorsten sighed. "Destiny calls to all of us, but even a mating between those called together by fate in the sacred tradition is a disaster in the making, when one is reluctant."
"You did know about my father's past," Haakon said, unable to keep the accusation from his voice.
His uncle's head jerked then he looked to the Seer and something he saw there made him nod. He directed his words to Haakon, however. "It was his story to tell you, nephew. He loved you and did not want your regard for him influenced by his past mistakes."
"The truth is always better than a lie."
"Is it?"
"Ja." Haakon had no doubts on that. Truth might wound. It might cause division, but deception caused all that and more.
"Nevertheless, it was not my place to tell you secrets your father preferred to keep."
"But now the time has come for the past to be revealed and all Chrechte to once again be united." The Seer looked between Thorsten and Haakon. "Whatever choices our former asmundr made, Haakon must choose to live for the good of all his brethren, Faol, Éan and kotrondmenskr alike."
Haakon inclined his head in agreement, his own fist going to his heart. "I so vow."
The Seer looked nearly joyous for a brief flash. "You are true guardian, Haakon, of the kotrondmenskr."
"The Paindeal Neart called me and I will heed its call, wherever that takes me." Even if it meant giving up his pride and going to live among descendants of the Faol who had treated his father so cruelly.
The Seer laid a hand on Gart, whose face was set in lines of obvious grief, with eyes that reflected haunted uncertainty. "You will find a mate among the Paindeal and bring about the first joining of our two peoples with children to share both natures in many centuries."
Gart stared, like he could not believe the Seer's words. "You… Is that true? A vision?"
"It's true," Artair said as he stood, his own expression a mixture of grief, acceptance and newfound hope. "I dreamt about it last night." Artair gripped Gart's forearm. "So long as you do your best by our brethren, you will always be a friend I hold dear, but our lives are destined to go in different directions."
Gart grimaced at the qualifier on the proffered friendship, returning his packmate's forearm grip. "What of the mate pull?"
It was an unexpected question, considering how determinedly the Faol had denied any such thing. But Artair did not look surprised by it, showing just how well he knew his packmate.
"The Seer said it earlier, at the beach. If a true mating is not accepted by one or both, then fate allows for a measure of happiness regardless."
"Only a measure?" Einar demanded, speaking for the first time, and not sounding happy.
Artair turned to him. "That is up to the Chrechte, I think, how much happiness he allows himself."
"You will allow yourself to be filled with joy at your good fortune." Einar crossed his arms, looking immovable.
Haakon would have laughed at his cousin's arrogance, but he understood Einar was staring his future in the face and he wasn't sharing that future with anyone else, not even a memory.
It was not in his tiger's nature, regardless of how cats of the wild lived. Among the Paindeal, a mate was sacred, regardless of whether or not they shared the true bond. There would be no other for Einar and he would allow no other for Artair, not even an old love held too tightly in his heart.
"You believe our future is set in stone?" Artair asked challengingly.
"My beast knows his mate."
"And I am simply supposed to fall in line?"
CHAPTER FIVE
E
inar stared down at the man fate had decreed would be his.
Defiance lined the handsome young soldier's face and stance, but Einar would have his mate.
For whatever reason, the other soldier they called Gart had not claimed the mate decreed to him and now that mate found the sacred connection with Einar's tiger. Einar was no milktoast. He would claim his mate and destroy any who thought to separate them.
He frowned down at the man that fate had blessed him with. "Do not pretend your wolf is not drawn to me as strongly as my tiger draws me to you."
"I do not follow every dictate of my nature."
Perhaps Einar had been wrong. Perhaps it had been this man who refused to claim Gart.
"You would deny me?"
Artair looked up at him, his dark brown gaze filled with a surprising vulnerability. "I've heard about your law of procreation."
"An abomination the time has come to set aside," the Seer said in tones that left no room for argument.
Not even from Einar's father, the jarl.
But argue his father did. "We cannot allow our race to die out."
"It will not. As I have assured you all
these many centuries. Bjorn would not listen, his grief coloring his thoughts, but you must, or you will lose far more than you hope to gain."
Einar's tiger gnashed at him to shift at the idea of another touching or being touched by his mate, something his great beast would not tolerate. "I will eviscerate any Chrechte who think to claim what is mine."
His father stared at him, shock rounding his eyes. "But you know the law."
Einar rounded on his father, fury making his voice harsh. "The law will not save the life of any who seek to take my mate from me. Even for a single night under the moon."
For the first time, he let his tiger stare his father, his pride alpha, down.
Thorsten fell back on his chair, his face drained of all color. "You would challenge me for my position?"
"If you force my hand, I will. This law will not stand." It was not Einar's desire. He had no pleasure at the thought of being jarl before his time.
"Our council—"
"Take their lead from you and our Seer."
"Don't you want children?" His father asked, sounding bewildered.
"Who says we will not have them?"
"But—"
"In the last winter, two children lost both their parents." Their mother had died in childbirth and their father, a human, had fallen, broken his leg so grievously he died from the injuries.
"You are talking about Jorgen and Marie," his father said. "Their Chrechte heritage is many generations past."
"Does it matter?" Einar demanded. "They live now in a longhouse already crowded with children, aunts and uncles more concerned with their own families than giving comfort to grieving children."
"You sound like you really care about these children," Artair said, wonder in his tone.
Einar looked down at the man he planned to make his mate. "I care about all in my father's territory, human and Chrechte alike."
But yes, these two orphans had a special place in his affection. Perhaps because their father had been a good friend before his death. Perhaps simply because they were so much like their parents and yet entirely like themselves.
"The boy, Jorgen, is four and while his parents were not shifters, his spirit is as fierce as any of our greatest hunters. His sister, Marie, is so small, not even quite two summers, but she speaks and shows in so many ways how smart she is."
