Chapter Seventeen
Connor
Connor sat on a stool in the parapets, a glass of mead in his hand. He couldn’t help but think of his sire every time he came to the parapets. How he loved it here.
Alex Grant loved the parapets and his special place on Grant land where he chopped down trees to get rid of his anger. Connor never had the temper his father did. Jake, Kyla, and Alasdair did, but he and Jamie escaped it. That’s why Alasdair now kept the area open for anyone who needed it.
How Connor missed his parents, but he was reminded of them in so many places.
He saw his mother in Kyla’s ministrations to everyone in the clan, in Elizabeth whenever she read stories to the bairns.
His youngest son, Morgan, was the image of his father and acted like him too.
So much so that at times, it would haunt Connor, as if he were watching the ghost of his father in front of him.
Hagen also acted much like Alexander Grant because he had the fierce quiet that his father had.
Something Morgan lacked. Hagen’s power was in his words and his actions, Morgan’s power was in his sword.
He missed Grant land, but he also loved Mull.
Looking over the sea was something he’d never had the pleasure of doing from Grant Castle.
They had a loch to overlook, but never the sea.
And it was quite a view. The Sound of Mull and Ben Buie were his favorite sites to look at.
The mountains and the hills, the water, the forests.
Mull was a beautiful place to live. Now if he could get the rest of his bairns here, he’d feel complete.
To his surprise, Dyna came out into the courtyard with her three bairns. Sylvi ran ahead while Sandor swung his play sword, but Tora?
She stopped down underneath him as if she knew exactly where he would be. She spun around and looked right at him. “Gwandda!”
“Good morn to you, sweet Tora. What is it?”
“Come down, Gwandda! I need you.”
Dyna looked up at him and shrugged.
“I’ll be right there, Dyna.”
He didn’t like it one bit, but he wasn’t going to ignore his granddaughter when he knew she could see what was to come. He set the stool back, grabbed his cup of mead, and headed down the stairs until he made it outside.
Tora ran straight at him, holding her arms up to him. “Uppy, Gwandda.”
Connor sat on a nearby bench and held his arms out to the sweet lass. “Come to me, lassie.”
Tora climbed up, giggled, then became serious. She cupped his face and said, “You have to help Bwia.”
“Bwia?”
“Bwia. Hagen’s Bwia. You have to help her. She comeen later.” Then she shoved at his chest, just like she always did. “Down.”
Hagen had returned from Iona last eve but hadn’t said much. It was quite late when he’d heard him return and the lad looked exhausted. Connor had waved to him as he climbed the stairs, Jowell and Paden behind him.
He had to seek him out this morn.
Something was up.
Dyna came over after Tora left and whispered, “What now, Da?”
“Something about Hagen’s Bria. Do you know her?”
“Nay, but I’ve heard of her. The one with the spears. She’s Norse, I think. Brynja.”
“Your daughter says I have to help her.” Connor glanced around, looking for his son. “I’m going to go find him. Time to get up.”
He returned to the great hall, pleased to see that Hagen was eating a bowl of porridge, the only one in the hall at the moment. “You got in late, son?”
“Aye, we were on Iona, helping Brynja and Hildi, but Hildi was hurt and Brynja refused to come here.”
“From the beginning, Hagen. The last I heard, you were headed to MacQuarie land.”
“When we arrived, we told Thane about all we knew, and while we were on his parapets, he noticed two men headed toward Ulva. So we went after them and sure enough, the evil bastards went after Brynja and Hildi, who happened to be on Ulva gathering apples. The bastard grabbed Hildi, used her as a shield against Brynja, then threw her against a tree and she hasn’t awakened yet.
We took Hildi to Beatris, then Brynja asked us to take her to Tiree, where we found the place where her mother lived and helped her find something buried behind the cottage, a cache of coins.
It was her mother’s, but the soil had been loosened so we think one of the men found the coins and kept them hidden.
We took it with us so now they may be after her for taking what is rightfully hers.
And she refused to come to Duart though she promised if we took her to Tiree she would come to Duart. ”
Connor nodded, then said, “Start from the beginning. Everything.”
Hagen sighed, but repeated everything, filling in with the missing details. “Now do you understand?”
“Somewhat. What is this lass to you? Is she the one you asked about? The one you are interested in? At least you thought you were. Is it any clearer to you now?”
Hagen’s gaze darted to five places around the hall. “Aye. I hope to make her my wife, Da.”
“From one or two times you met her?”
“How many times did you see Mama before you knew?”
“That is not the same thing.”
“How many times did Grandda see Grandmama before he knew?”
“That is not the same thing either.”
“Uncle Brodie and Aunt Celestina?”
Connor cursed. “You made your point. You say she’s refusing to come here. Tora had one of her moments a short time ago.”
“And?”
“And she said I have to help Bria. Hagen’s Bria were her exact words.”
“Shite. I don’t like that, but I’ll take you there to be safe. Those men could come for her.”
“Nay, no need. Tora said she’s coming here later.”
Hagen frowned. “She made it clear she had no interest in coming here. Something would have to change her mind.”
“Or someone.”
“Who are you thinking?”
Logan came down the staircase. “Simone will bring her here later. Avelina already told me so.”
“She’s coming here? Truly?”
“That surely brightened your day, Hagen. You are besotted, are you not?” Logan had the famous crooked grin on his face.
“I guess I am. And I’m happy about her coming here.”
“Why do you wish for her to come here, Hagen? That’s not something you’ve ever said about any lass before.” His father knew there had to be much more to this story, so he decided to probe a little bit without being direct.
Hagen sighed and pushed himself away from the table.
“Because… Her father is a Scot who got her mother with child and deserted her. The bastard came back when she was older and asked her if the bairn was a lad or lassie. Brynja overheard the conversation when her own sire said since she was a lass, he wanted naught to do with her. And he left again.”
Logan whistled and said, “Oh Lord above, please let me find this bastard.”
“And when the men came along and killed her mother, they stole her away, started rubbing her, she tried to stop one, so he punched her. Punched her! She hates men, Da. And I don’t know how to convince her that there are good men in the world other than to get her here.”
His father and uncle had a look pass between them. Uncle Logan paced a bit, but his sire stayed in his seat.
“I tried to talk her into coming here, but she refused. Said she couldn’t leave Hildi.”
Logan stared up at the rafters. “You know what’s next, right, Grant?”
“I do, but I’ll listen to your thoughts, Ramsay.”
“If Simone doesn’t bring her here, I’ll go for Hildi.”
His father grinned. Great minds came to the same conclusions quickly.
Hagen said, “Nay, go get Brynja. Make her come. She needs to come here.”
Connor and Logan both laughed. “Nay, son. If you do that, she’ll hate you.”
“She’ll hate me if I bring Hildi here.”
Again, that look passed between the two.
“What?”
His father said, “If you bring Hildi here, Brynja will follow.”
Logan said, “She’ll insist.” He shook his head. “We still have things to teach you, lad. But that happens to besotted men. The right woman will twist your insides in five score ways.”
Connor didn’t say what he thought. He was glad his son was besotted.
But he wasn’t glad that Brynja was on Tora’s mind. That couldn’t be good.