„I am allright, Callida, please, I'll come with you, you can't leave me here. Moreover, me being the twin of Amarin could come in handy", Conor pleaded with me.
I send Ai a wary gaze under lowered lids. She nodded in understanding. We had to convince Conor, that he had to stay here in Nefaria.
„Conor, I know you are a strong hybrid but even you must rest and heal. You went through a surgery. We removed an organ. You are at risk of contracting an infection if your wound is not treated properly. We can't really ensure the right treatment on the road. It means risking your health and life."
Conor searched his brother's face for support in this matter. Gaisgeil sighed.
„Look, Conor! You are my brother. I can't decide to put your life at risk because your resemblance to your twin could come in handy. What kind of brother would I be, if I sacrificed your wellbeing for our goals? Listen to Ai and Callida, they know best. Keep your patience, get well and relax. Enjoy you time here."
Conor clearly wasn't happy. „Enjoy your time here", he mimicked his brother's words. Gaisgeil rolled his eyes, while we others snickered.
„Must say, Conor, you'd be a good comedian...or a jester at the castle", Yrina mocked. Kane shook his head at her smiling.
„I heard a lot of stories about you, my love, and I start to believe, that most are true", he scolded her lovingly. "You like to tease and provoke people ..." Yrina blushed at his words.
Oh, Kane would be sooo good for her. "Yes, YRINA, perhaps Kane is very interested in MY stories about the time we spend together?", I cackled. Yrina's eyes widened.
"You wouldn't...", she scanned my stoic face in alarm. "Would you....?", she asked in a small voice.
Kane's amused face gave me a mental push, to take my little play a bit further.
"You know, Kane. Once, Yrina branded a cheek of a Cuan man with a design the Laidir provide for their horses. She punished him for disrespecting me. He touched my bottom without consent."
All heads whipped to Yrina in shock and astonishment.
I laughed inside my head at the memory but kept a calm composure. "And let me tell you, it wasn't the cheek of his face she branded."
All heads whipped to Yrina again, this time to cheer on her.
Ronan burst out laughing. "That's our Yrina we love and value", he said between his laughters.
Kane was gaping like a fish on land. Yrina's face changed to different shades of red.
Ronan neared Kane. He patted Kane's shoulder in a patronizing way. "Congrats man, she is a spitfire, you'll have much fun with her."
Kane woke up from his stupor, a pride expression on his face now. "And that's what I love about her." Yrina exchanged a look with Kane, that made my eyes water. My strong Laidir friend was in love for the first time in her life.
All we present girls awed at that statement. They were so cute together: wild Yrina and calm Kane. They fit together perfectly because they were so different. What one lacked, the other would provide. I was very curious about their future together.
A deep sigh was heard. "When will I meet my destined?", Ceallach, who was also with us, uttered in sadness. Her brother put his arm over her shoulder.
"Not all humans and creatures have a destined, sister. You would have known, if you had one by now."
"What?", she asked taken aback. "Why didn't I know that fact?"
"Because, you were always busy fighting, training and roaming the lands with your wolves. My researches always bored you beyond belief."
Ceallach looked on the ground in shame.
"Callida is the first one, who listened to my findings with the same eager interest as I have", Ainmire stated.
"This is really a big news", Gaisgeil said with raised brows.
Now this was a revelation to me too. "Why are you so sure about it, Ainmire? Have you asked destined couples?"
Ainmire nodded. "Yes, and they all told me the same. They felt a void, a loneliness from a very early age. They explained, that they felt, they had to wait for someone before commiting to another being."
My eyes went to Gaisgeil. We smiled at each other. We both had felt exactly these feelings, except Gaisgeil felt them harder than me. He was sad and lonely, compensating that void with sex. While I was sad and unresting on the inside, always in search for answers, supressing those negative feelings.
"I don't feel like waiting for someone ....", Ceallach said depressed.
"Me too, sister, but that doesn't mean, you can't be happy. On the contrary. You are free to choose someone and be happy with your choice", Ainmire said with a little smile of encouragement.
"Really?", a little smile krept back on Ceallach's beautiful features. My heart went out for her, all jealousy gone.
"Yes, Ceallach. I think the destined bond has something to do with our genes and has a purpose, but I don't know exactly how. Perhaps we get an answer in Bertaèyn about that too?"
"So, you all are leaving tomorrow, and I'll stay here lonely as can be", Conor said unhappy.
"You won't be alone. Ceallach will stay here with you", Gaisgeil declared, "and she is as unhappy as you are about staying back."
"Perhaps we can be unhappy together?", Ceallach smiled at Conor. But Conor simply watched back with a strange set of emotions on his face.
I saw something in his expression ...that thrilled me in a very good way.
"Why were YOU forced to stay back?", he kept his feelings under control.
Gaisgeil must have sensed something too, because he rose a questioning eyebrow at me. I wiggled my brows back. My destined's eyes snapped back to his brother, than wandered between Ceallach and Conor back and forth, realisation dawning on his features.
Ceallach sighed. "Because I am the last heiress of the title 'bailiff of Nefaria'. If I show to the citizens, that I consent to the change of governance, I could be the determinant for the transition of the new order!"
"Our army waits on the outskirts of Nefaria. Will they accompanie us to Bertaèyn or are we going alone? Perhaps with the Islendigur as planned? They are bored out of their mind...and me too", Ronan huffed.
Ai shook her head at him. "Don't you think, we had enough excitement for a lifetime these last weeks? I am clearly in need of a little good old-fashioned boredom..."
"The silent killer retired completely and wants to plant flowers in her garden for her ointments?", Ronan teased her.
Ai watched him with a troubled look. "I want peace and freedom for once in my life. I want to return to the Immaniter, where my sisters wait for my arrival to reassure my girls, that I didn't forget about them. I want go with you to Gordan to start our life together. AND, I don't want to die in Bertaèyn. Because, honestly, something in my gut tells me, that we will face a challenge, that we'll change our lives."
Ronan rushed to her side. "My love, sorry I spoke so careless to you, forgive me. You know I am your big oaf."
"Yrina snorted. "Hey, don't steal my endearments for you...the are special to me."
As always, Yrina broke the spell with her patter. Everyone laughed.
"Get a good sleep, we'll start tomorrow at the break of dawn and we'll go alone. No army but we'll ask the Islendigur to go with us. I want to show the Bertaèyn, that we come in peace, that we are no threat."
We all nodded in agreement, parting from Conor with last words of encouragement and best wishes for his recovery.
---------------------------------------------
The next morning we sat on horseback, riding behind Ainmire, who knew the way to the border of Bertaèyn.
"When the sun reaches its zenith, we'll arrive at that strange wall I told you about", Ainmire shouted over his shoulder.
My heart was beating like a drum. All my hopes, all my questions...what, if we came in vain? What, if they don't have the anwsers? What, if they can't help us to change this world to a better place? What, if they don't WANT to? What, if they were hostile?
My clammy fingers held the reins in a firm grip, every possible outcome running through my mind.
After one pause to drink and eat, we were back on the road. Every now and then, we saw a few wolves or deer, but nothing dangerous like tigers or bears. Everythings seemed peaceful and calm. Perhaps too calm?
"We are nearly there", Ainmire shouted.
A strange kind of excitement came over me. Although it was icy cold, my hands were sweaty.
"Mo ghaoil, keep calm, don't put too much hope into our mission. Perhaps we don't get to see the ..." He stopped abruptly. I turned questioningly to Gaisgeil, but his eyes were glued to something in the distance.
Ronan came riding by his side. "There are six men. I can't see any weapons. Perhaps they are something like guards?"
Gaisgeil simply watched them, analyzing. "They are waiting for us, that's obvious", he muttered.
They both assessed what they saw. "Look at them, what are they even wearing? I've never seen something like that?", Ronan whispered with a wrinkled forehead.
"What is the one guy holding in his hand? Some kind of stick?", he asked further.
Gaisgeil shook his head slowly in denial. "No, that stick is clearly a weapon...a weapon, that doesn't exist."
Four chapters till the End! If you liked the story so far, please vote for "Destined".