Gryffynhall (the Danu Cycle: Fiann Trilogy Book 1)

Chapter Thirteen

As much as Niamh hated to be told what she would and wouldn't like, Lochlan was right; she did love it.

Quite unsurprisingly, Gryffynhall was named for the pack of gryffyns that lived in the forest surrounding the building. The way the others had carried on, Niamh had expected there to be some great mystery surrounding it, but really it was quite obvious.

They were huge creatures, as big as a draft horse, with the fronts of eagles and the backs of lions. They varied in colour, some had white heads, dark brown feathers and a tan backside, and others were all tan or all white or all dark brown, or any mixture in between. They were agile on their feet, their front talons gouging grooves in the grass while their back ends behaved a lot like big cats.

"They're...amazing," Niamh said, smiling at Lochlan.

She might have expected Gryffynhall to be named after gryffyns, but she hadn't been prepared for them to be such large, majestic creatures with their babies gambolling about their legs like kittens.

He nodded, returning her smile, as Molly answered, "They are. The prince brought their ancestors here before Gryffynhall was built, which is why they chose the site for the building."

"And one reason his fiann are known as the Gryffyns," Owen added.

"So he's a pretty important guy around here then?" Niamh asked, trying again to picture him. She had a very Elrond image in her mind; an older, stern-faced but kind man with long elven hair and a commanding air.

Lochlan nodded again, shooting a quick glance at Killian. Niamh followed his gaze and saw Killian's mouth was a hard line and his brows were drawn tight. It doesn't take a genius to see Killian is not a fan of the prince, she mused.

"Do you want to ride one?" Lochlan asked.

"What do you mean, ride one?" Niamh asked and Lochlan laughed at the look of shock on her face.

Molly hugged her and giggled, "What else? Sit on their backs and ride them."

"We can do that?"

"Of course we can," Myrna said. "Strictly, Kane doesn't like us doing it, but everyone does it now and then."

"How do we do it?" Niamh asked.

"Like this." Killian held his hand up to the beak of a black one, who bowed its head slightly, and then he pulled himself up onto its back. He held his hand down to Niamh. "Come on, then."

She smiled, grabbed his hand and let him pull her up. She sat in front of him on the gryffyn's back. The others found a gryffyn and they got ready to go.

The gryffyn Niamh and Killian sat on flapped its wing a couple of times, and then it ducked before taking off. Niamh was thrown backwards into Killian. She automatically put her hand on his leg to steady herself and he put his arm around her waist. She put her hand over his and leaned over the side of the gryffyn as it took off, watching the ground get further and further away.

The gryffyns soared, and Niamh heard whooping and laughs from their fellows. She laughed as well and felt herself lean back against Killian. He gripped her waist firmly, but comfortably.

"See, we told you you'd like this," he said, his head over her shoulder.

"It's wonderful. Do you do this often?"

She looked down at the grounds. Gryffynhall was as small as a dollhouse, great green rolling lawns stretching away to be met with forest in all directions. Dotted here and there, were small gardens and some other buildings. Niamh marvelled; it looked just a normal setting at home, except she was riding a gryffyn with an elf...