The brooding presence of the huge warrior was irritating. Everyone expected them to marry in the spring. Including mother. Fiallach had even taken to starting conversations with her with the words, ‘When we are wed . . .’
It was not that she didn’t like him. He had been a presence in her life for as long as she could remember, and, as a child, she had worshipped him. Fiallach seemed so strong, so enduring. But when she thought of her wedding, when she dreamed of that first night, at no time did Fiallach enter the vision. And when she tried to picture herself lying alongside him, naked and alone, she shivered, and a sense of dread touched her spirit.
When we are wed . . .
It was galling that he had not even asked her, merely taken her compliance for granted. Tae transferred her gaze to the fire dancers. A young man ran along the plank and leapt through the flames. He landed lightly and spun back towards the waiting women. He was blond and lithe, and she recognized him from the prize giving as the winner of the six-mile race. She could net remember his name, but recalled that he was the brother of Connavar. Their eyes met, and she smiled. He bowed and moved across to stand before her.
‘Would you care to dance, lady?’ he asked.
‘No, she would not,’ came the growling voice of Fiallach.
‘Yes I would,’ said Tae, rising from her chair. The young man looked confused, but he reached out to take Tae’s hand. Fiallach stepped forward and slapped the hand away. Angry now, Tae glanced up at him. His face was red and flushed, his eyes angry.
The young man stood very still and Tae could feel his fear. He had not moved away. Fiallach lunged at him, punching him in the chest and sending him hurtling back to fall close to the fire. For a moment Tae thought he would roll into the flames. Fiallach went after him.
The music died away as the dancers moved back from the fire.
‘Stop this immediately!’ shouted Tae. The boy scrambled to his feet as Fiallach loomed over him, fist raised.
‘If that blow lands I’ll kill you,’ came a voice. The words were spoken without great emphasis, and the effect was all the greater for it. Fiallach froze. The youngster scrambled away. Slowly the big man turned. Tae saw Connavar step forward. Despite being at least six feet tall himself he looked small against the massive bulk of Fiallach.
‘You dare to threaten me?’ muttered Fiallach.
‘What did my brother do to warrant a beating from you?’ asked Connavar, his voice still even, almost conversational. The lack of aggression confused the tall warrior.
Before he could reply the youngster called out: ‘I just asked the lady to dance, Conn. That’s all. Then he struck me.’
Brother Solstice moved from the crowd. ‘What is the problem here?’ he asked.
‘There is no problem,’ answered Connavar, with an easy smile. ‘Merely a misunderstanding.’ Approaching Tae, he bowed. ‘Would you like to dance?’ he asked her.
‘I would,’ she told him. He took her arm and led her out, then called to the pipers. The music began immediately. Other dancers joined them, but as she moved Tae kept glancing back to where Fiallach stood, glaring at them from beyond the fire. Connavar moved well, and, for a little while, Tae pushed from her mind all thoughts of Fiallach. As the music died away she took Connavar by the arm. ‘He will not forget,’ she said.
‘Who won’t forget?’ he asked.
‘Fiallach. He is a vengeful man.’
‘Oh. Do not concern yourself. I understand you live by the coast.’
Tae was pleased that he had taken the time to enquire after her. ‘Yes. It is very beautiful there. Do you like the sea?’
‘I like looking at it more than I like travelling upon it.’ They walked away from the dancers to the food area, where Connavar fetched her a goblet of apple juice. Then they sat quietly, away from the crowd.
‘Are you truly unworried about Fiallach?’ she asked him.
He shrugged. ‘He will come after me or he won’t. There is nothing I can do to prevent him. Why then should I worry? What would it achieve?’