Chapter 21
Perfection.
One small, tiny, perfect, icily cold snowflake.
Landing and staying so perfectly formed on the tip of a frozen finger. The finger completely ignored, as he could not tear his eyes from the tiny white flake. It slowly took what little warmth it could from him, and the tiny piece of perfection dissipated into non-existence. He felt his eyebrows furrow.
Why did perfection never last long enough to keep his world in such a uniform pattern? He could not understand most of what went on around him. Well, he understood the facts and figures behind everything. But sometimes it was not enough. His mind got so confused over the way people talked and acted sometimes. They did not speak the truth and used words they did not mean. Instead they meant something completely different to what they had said, and laughed because of it.
Most of the time he just let it wonder over his head, what else was he supposed to do? The few times people had taken it upon themselves to explain it to him, it had only made him more confused over why anyone would find it not only funny, but why they would even say it in the first place. He had even learnt not to appear as if he still did not understand. Whoever it was that was explaining usually kept him a lot longer, trying in more and more convoluted sentences of how he was not understanding the conversation. Each one making him more and more confused, and more convinced that he did not actually want to understand what was going on.
Blowing out a breath, he watched as the snow that fell around him swirled in unpredictable patterns, while at the same time, that predictableness he so longed for was not needed because of the perfectness held within it. He knew Sheena or Aonghus would be out soon, they always made sure he was alright, and he was beginning to understand why they did. Not that he thought he deserved it, he knew who his real father had been and it was not someone who was good. He had hurt people, and he had heard what some people among the MacKay’s had said about him. The others around his age had begun to say similar things.
He did not really care what they thought or did. All he cared about was that he did not let Sheena and Aonghus down. They believed there was something in him that was worth something. He may not see it, or feel it, or be able to ever live up to their expectations. But he could be a good boy for them. A flash of movement that was not white came from the corner of his eye, but he knew from the size of the shape and the colours she wore, she was safe. Sheena had obviously decided he had been out here too long. He did not mind that she wanted to look out for him, he just needed some time to try and sort through the extra trials from life that seemed to come his way.
With a heavy breath, he was going to turn, but his gaze ended up locked on his misting, swirling breath as it became visible. His mind whirling with the images, he could not more have turned from the image than the mountain had of standing on legs and moving itself.
Having no idea how long he had stood there, it was the large, cold, lump of snow and ice hitting his head which had him whipping around. Sheena, he caught in his vision, as having a wide smile and showing exactly what he had thought, she had waited for when he was ready, even as he had known she wanted to hurry him. Now she was looking extremely happy at the fact he had been hit in the head with a ball of ice.
Turning the rest of the way, it was just in time to duck down from another hard white ball which was heading straight for him. Hitting the soft snow, he rolled, only to come back on his feet surrounded by laughter. He would have scowled, he did not understand a thing that was happening, until he spotted the small girl opposite him, clutching another white ball in her small hands, and giggling with evil delight. Her eyes flashed in a way he knew, it was understandable in her face, he understood her words, and she made the world make sense for him. The only one who ever could…and for once he did not mind that he could not work out why.
Only it seemed he waited too long. Once more caught up in the pure, unaffected emotion of her face. It was so animated, never the same twice, always showing her exact feelings. He understood what she said with her body as he never did with others. It was refreshing…until the new ball of snow landed on his shoulder, sending a shower of the dusty snow to slip beneath his clothing and down the front of his shirt. Shaking a little at the small dribble of cold liquid trickled underneath his clothing, he watched as even the adults around him broke into groups and white balls of ice and snow went flying all around him.
He watched the chaos and he furrowed his brow once more. Why were they doing this? It made no sense.
A cold, wet hand grabbed a hold of his, and he looked down on the golden brown curls of Catriona. She beamed up at him. “Come and join the battle?” He did not understand entirely what she was asking, or even what the point of the exercise would be. Instead he was absorbed into the very nearness of her, her large eyes deep pools drowning him, pulling him under and capturing his very being within her. Did she even know what he would do for her? Anything she asked for would be hers if he could do so for her. She was everything he was not, and it was all the more apparent the more the adults spoke of it when they thought he was not listening. He was always listening he could not help it. He may not understand or care, but he could repeat back everything he heard.
Having no choice in the matter. If he denied her the very eyes he drowned in would tear up and it would break something within him. So without a backwards look he nodded, only for her to squeal and dive behind him, and he was hit squarely in the chest with another frozen ball. Laughter echoed all around as more and more joined in the ‘fun’. So he did what he did best and took more hits that were direct in Catriona’s direction, and let her enjoy herself, as he obviously never would.
Aislinn stood, a little breathlessly, to the side as the battle carried on before her. Clutching the stich in her side, she smiled as she watched the fun her people were having. It had been a harsh winter on them, and with some stock running low due to a collapsing store house, it was nice to finally see some happiness reclaim the expressions of the elders in particular. A squeal had her head turning at the familiar sound.
“It seems our daughter has a diligent guard.” Her voice was soft, as she felt her husband’s presence behind her. His arm an iron band as it came around her from behind, pulling her back into his front. “Hmmm, do not remind me. I want to know nothing of it, or I may have to answer to Sheena if I do something she will make me regret.” A small laugh escaped her, the image of Sheena taking on Camdyn was a sight she would pay to behold. For there was no doubt in her mind, whilst Cam would bluster about, Sheena would win for Cam would never wish to harm anyone of his people…unless they deserved it, and then it was only because it was a punishment which would keep the social order intact.
A gentle smile upon her face, she watched the scene with joy in her heart. “I believe you will have to get used to it. Your daughter has claimed that lad as her own, and I do not think he will ever be able to escape from her, not the other way around.” His arm held her tighter. Her numb fingers coming down upon the heat of him through his clothing. His arm tensing beneath her grip. “Let’s see shall we.” The grumble was all she could take before her laughter took over her very frame.
As she calmed she looked back over the vista. “You worry about Artair, do you not?” All she could do was nod. Her husband knew her well, “Aye, I do. The dreams have been coming more and more of late. But they do not change. They are still infuriatingly vague.” A heavy sigh left her, the weight of that knowledge, or lack thereof, was not helpful to anyone at this point. “But even if I knew the details, we are trapped until the snows melt, and I feel in my bones that part of this happens before that can happen. He is without his clan, and his twin at a time he needs them the most.” Her throat became thick and she had to pause.
“Aye, but we have to thank the Almighty that he had Kendrick, and he is as close to blood as anyone out of the clan can get.” They had to believe that. They had to believe Artair would make it through this trial…no matter what that trial was. At that very moment Aonghus came tearing towards them. And before either could react, a handful of snow was forced down the back of Cam’s shirt as Aonghus made a run back through the flying snowballs. With a growl, Cam took off after him, Aislinn bent over with her laughter, and watched her joyous surroundings. A pang of doubt settled in her heart over Artair’s situation, but as Cam kept reminding her, he was a MacKay warrior, and he would prevail.
But no matter what, he had family, and family would always be there to pick up the pieces.
When a snowball came from nowhere and with narrowed eyes at Fyfa, who so innocently jumped behind her mountain of a husband, she bent to scoop up her own snow. The battle was most definitely not over yet. And she was the laird’s wife, she would not give up…ever. With a smile on her face she waded back into the fray, and for every hit she took she made sure one from herself made its mark upon her opponents.