Bravely(74)

“What’s the weather like outside?” Fergus asked him. “I thought I could hear the wind howling.”

“Weather’s coming fast,” Feradach agreed.

But Merida and Feradach still didn’t realize the remarkable thing that was happening.

They didn’t realize it in the music room either, where Hamish was listening raptly to Cennedig tell a story of his traveling days, both of their harps resting upon their shoulders as if they might play at any moment. They looked up at Merida and Feradach. Hamish had seen Feradach before, of course, in a body with a scar on its face, but he showed no recognition now.

“We’re just passing through on our way up,” Merida said, hoping to draw attention from Feradach and any mismatch the two of them might have in how they saw him. “Don’t let us stop you.”

“I say,” Cennedig said. “Young man, do you have family near Cairnlee? You look like a family I used to know near there, just in the eyes and that wild hair, of course.” He smiled and touched his own wild hair.

“I’ve heard I do,” Feradach said.

“Excuse us,” Merida said, and hurried him through before any more probing questions could be asked. It seemed inevitable that they’d get tangled in conflicting backstories very soon.

It was only when they ran into Elinor again that Merida and Feradach understood the remarkable thing that had been happening. That was still happening. She’d been coming the opposite way down the hall; there was no escape. Merida would have to explain how she had come to have a second visitor on a wild night like this.

But to Merida’s surprise, when Elinor walked up with her girls, Ila in tow behind them now, she just said to Feradach, “The weather has truly turned; you’ll be staying the night, then, surely? Did you say you were from Ardbarrach, or headed there?”

“Neither,” Merida said, slowly. “We met him on the way to Ardbarrach; he gave us directions.”

Elinor was seeing him as the same person she’d seen before.

“Well, unless he’s from the village he’s not going to get far in any direction tonight,” Elinor said. “Have you looked out a window?”

They hadn’t; the tapestries were pulled tight across them. But now they did and discovered that the courtyard had been transformed to a gleaming bright landscape. Snow covered everything, and it was still coming down.

“The Cailleach is washing her robe for sure,” Feradach murmured.

Elinor, to Merida’s surprise, laughed. “I haven’t heard that for ages.”

“What’s it mean?” Merida asked.

Feradach said, “There’s a legend that when the first storm comes in like this, it’s the Cailleach washing her robe in Corryvreckan, and when she’s done, it’s snow white and so is Scotland, and it’s winter.”

Elinor gave Feradach a rather complimentary smile then, pleased with him and his storytelling. “Ila, could you put up a bed for him in the solar?”

“Of course, ma’am,” she replied.

“What’s your name, then, I missed it, I’m sorry, I’m doing three things at once,” Elinor said.

Neither Merida nor Feradach had the faintest idea how to answer.

“It’s Feradach,” Ila said.

Merida looked at her with surprise.

“Feradach, yes?” Ila repeated. “We met before.”

Feradach looked quite undone. Merida had not seen him properly speechless before. Finally he assembled his features and said, “I’m sorry, I’m being rude. I was trying to remember where; I’m sorry.”

“You looked a little different, I think, sir,” Ila said, and she gave Merida that private cat smile. “And I did, too. I wasn’t always this age!”

“Yes, our Ila is ancient,” Elinor said. “And she’ll take care of the solar for you. Merida, I trust you’ll make sure he’s sorted. Feradach! Like the stone; a good name. Sorry, I’ve got to run or I’ll never get to settle tonight. After this we’re all going to gather a nip of whipkull and craic in the common room, Merida, if you’re in the mood. Come on, girls.”

Off they bustled, leaving Merida and Feradach quite confused. They had the shape of the remarkable thing in their head now, and it was only confirmed when they ran once more into Cennedig as he retired to the guests’ quarters off the Great Hall.

“I’m older than I was,” he told them apologetically, from the doorway, “and can’t stay up hobnobbing like I used to. This old man likes his sleep. You know, you really are the spitting image of the MacAuslands of Cairnlee; they had an absolute litter of sons who all looked like you.”

“Did they?” Feradach asked faintly.

“Don’t take it so hard, lad,” Cennedig said, laughing. “It’s a compliment; they were handsome. Good night, you two.”

As he closed the door, Merida and Feradach retreated back to the empty Great Hall and stood before the fire there.

In a hushed voice, Merida said, “They recognized you!”

Feradach shook his head, but it was clear it was shock, not disbelief.

“They saw you the same more than once,” Merida insisted. “And I think they’re all seeing you the same way. The same way as I do.”

“It’s not possible,” Feradach said, but his fingers were on the brooch that Fergus had pointed out in the armory. “It’s never happened before.” He narrowed his eyes at the window. “I wonder if this is the Cailleach’s doing; she is tricky.”