Chapter 8
1698 Words
Ginny
I could see Elias was nervous when he took his seat next to Gran. I’m ashamed to admit the relief I felt when she asked him if he was a Scot. I hated that it could play a part in her decision making, but at least it’s a point in his favor. I felt better with him close by even if he was across the table from me.
“Hey,” I said to him.
“Hey,” he replied with a smile then turned his attention to Gran. “Good evening, Chieftainess. How are you?”
“I’m well, young man,” she replied. “Tell me, how old are you?”
“Twenty four,” he answered.
“And you are already marked and mated?” She asked and I saw Elias’s eyes widen.
“Umm, yes,” he answered.
“Hmph,” she replied. “I see they do things differently at Black Wing.”
There was an awkward pause while plates were served. Nobody picked up their utensils to eat though, they all waited; looking at Gran to start. Another difference between our tribes. Our chieftain treated his tribe as equals so we ate family style. We served ourselves and ate at our leisure.
“Do you live together?” She asked. “Like a mated couple?”
“Yes we moved into a cottage on our territory,” he said.
Gran made another disproving noise and my earlier relief seeped away and my heart sank. Everyone remained stalk still and silent waiting for Gran to begin. She kept her scrutinizing gaze on Elias but he looked calm and collected though I could feel his anxiety growing with every passing second.
Finally she turned her attention to the plate of food in front of her and scooped some into her mouth. The tribe all began to dig in as well; the noise level rising to barely a decibel lower than before.
“Elias tell me about what you do at Black Wing,” Gran said as she sipped her water.
“I’m a warrior,” he replied. “But I also am the American liaison for our companies over there. I lived there for two years before returning to Ireland.”
“You no longer liaison?” She asked.
“I do,” he said. “I just don’t live there any more but I visit every three months for about a week at a time.”
“And what do you do, Ginerva?” She asked.
“I mostly help mom run things at home,” I said. “Or I’ll go with Elias to the states.”
“You have no day job? No education? Did they even train you on how to be a wife?” She asked in an accusing time that I didn’t like, but I held my tongue.
“Nobody gets trained to be a wife,” I said. “I did learn to cook.”
“Well that’s one thing your mother did right,” she said. “I still don’t agree that you get married at eighteen. You don’t reach your womanhood until twenty-one.”
“We believe you become an adult when you change into your dragon,” I said.
“Yes, that is what your mother said and since you are Black Wing, then you have the ability to marry,” she said. “I agreed to do the blessing rite but I will need to see for myself if you’re ready.”
“Yes, Gran,” I said. “I can prove it to you.”
My heart sank when she said she wasn’t really willing to do the blessing rite. I wish mom had told me about that and she’s going to get an earful from me about this. I ate my food, barely tasting it but I knew it wasn’t going to be as delicious as the food at home. I peeked up at Elias a few times as he did the same at me. I kept my eyes down and away from my Gran.
“Hey,” I whispered through our link. “Don’t look up just eat. How are you feeling?”
“Remember when Elle, Ev, and I were coming home from Derry and we got attacked by a horde of pissed off wolves?” He said. “That was less nerve wracking than this.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I wish we didn’t have to be here.”
“It’s alright, Angel,” he said. “It’ll be worth it in the end.”
“Ginerva,” Gran called for my attention and I looked up from my plate. “How are your dragon lessons going?”
“My lessons?” I asked confused. “Gran I don’t take lessons anymore, I changed two years ago. Remember?”
“Oh yes,” she said and looked around her. “Yes, I do. And you met your mate, yes.”
“How about I get you some dessert, Mum?” Argus said and looked around for the server.
“Bring it to my room, Argus,” she said and looked around for help. “I’m ready to go back now.”
“It was lovely to meet you,” Elias said with a smile.
“Yes, Elias Abernathy,” she said scrutinizing his face again. “From Black Wing.”
Argus stood up and helped Gran to her feet. He ushered her slowly out of the dining hall with a server following behind with a slice of chocolate cake on a plate. I felt the anxiety was a bit with her judging eyes out of the room.
We finished eating and had dessert. I’ll give them credit, they could bake better than they cook. Elias appeared more at ease and talked with the warriors. I chatted with my Aunt Mary. I wondered how she felt about Gran denying Tiny and Clementine.
“Aunt Mary,” I said as a thought popped in my head. “How come Clem asked Gran for a blessing? Shouldn’t she have asked your mom?”
“My mother passed when I was a wee girl,” she said and I’m not old enough to be considered an elder so the blessing falls to Argus’s matriarch.”
“I see,” I replied. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”
“Clementine has been trained her whole life to take over as chieftainess,” she said. “It broke her heart when she was denied. She could have done this tribe so much good.”
“She still can,” I said. “She wants to change some these traditions, it’s not fair that she can’t take her rightful spot.”
“I know,” she said sadly. “But There’s nothing we can do now.”
“Can’t Uncle Argus do something about it?” I asked. “He’s the acting chieftain.”
“It’s not that easy, Ginny,” she said with a grimace.
“I told Clementine that I’d help get Gran to change her mind,” I said. “And I plan on keeping that promise.”
“That’s a sweet gesture, Gin,” she said. “But I think you’re going to need to focus on getting your own blessing. She’s already on the fence with you being so young and I don’t think she’s even knows about the red eyes.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Red eyed dragons are a bad omen according to Gran,” She whispered. “She says that red eyed dragons are coming to take over the earth.”
“What?” I gasped. “I never heard anything about that.”
“Because it was an ancient superstition that only the ancients really remember,” she said. “But for the past five or six years, Grand been slowly deteriorating and ever since Granda passed, it’s gotten much worse.”
“Clem said the same thing” I said. “And just before she went to her room, she had asked me about my dragon lessons.”
“She does that when she has a memory slip,” she said. “She’s been staying in her room more and more. Not even taking meals in the dining hall if it’s really bad. Argus is so upset and at a loss.”
“I’m sure it’s not easy to watch your mom go through that,” I said with a sudden desire to see my mom and hug her. As crazy as she made me, I knew I had the best mom in the world.
“How’s Elle and Everett?” She asked switching to a happy topic.
“They’re great,” I answered. “They’re in Italy right now for conferences. Hopefully they’ll be home when we get back.”
“How’s Ian and Tasha?” She asked nibbling on her cake.
“The same,” I said. “Tasha’s pregnant with a boy this time, Neve is so excited to be a big sister. Moms been barely patiently waiting for more grand kids to spoil and keeps dropping hints that Everett and I need to catch up.”
“She’ll need another castle to house all the grand babies,” she laughed. “I can’t wait to be grandma too.”
“Well now that Tiny and Clem are mated, maybe you’re not too far behind,” I said which made her smile more.
- Writer
