Bhí sé fuar agus gaofar ar maidin nuair a shroich Aisling na hAillte Mhóire.

It was cold and windy in the morning when Aisling reached na hAillte Mhóire.

Bhí an fharraige thíos ag béicigh, mar a bhí na fánaí géara ag tonnadh isteach ann.

The sea below was roaring, as the steep slopes were crashing into it.

D'fhéach sí amach ar an tírdhreach áilleachta, a croí amuigh 's isteach ag cuardach suaimhnis.

She looked out at the beautiful landscape, her heart both outwardly and inwardly searching for peace.

Bhí sé deacair di creidiúint go raibh sí ann arís, ag fanacht ar Cormac chun cúrsaí a chuir i gceart.

It was hard for her to believe she was there again, waiting for Cormac to set things right.

Ba mhinic gur shamhlaigh sí an nóiméad seo.

She often imagined this moment.

Bhí siad cairde, an-ghar, uair amháin.

They were friends, very close, once.

Ach tháinig drochthuiscint eatarthu agus scoilteann sé an ceangal sin go brónach.

But a misunderstanding arose between them, and it sadly severed that bond.

Anois, faoin aer fuar geimhridh, bhí sí ag súil go dtiocfadh an lá sin le réiteach a dhéanamh.

Now, under the cold winter air, she hoped the day would come for them to resolve things.

Tháinig Cormac, éide gearrtha in aghaidh na gaoithe.

Cormac arrived, his clothes cut against the wind.

Aghaidh a bhí ag taispeáint brónach agus géilleadh.

His face showed sadness and surrender.

Chroith sé a ceann, ag tabhairt barróg anála chuici.

He shook his head, giving her a breathless hug.

"Aisling," a dúirt sé go bog, guth lán le trua.

"Aisling," he said softly, his voice full of compassion.

"Tá sé fada uainn," d'fhreagair sí go ciúin, ag scaoileadh an suaimhnis ar a guth féin.

"It's been far from us," she replied quietly, releasing the peace in her own voice.

"Tá, agus ba mhian liom éascaíocht a chuir ar bhur gcroí.

"It has, and I wish to ease your heart.

Níor thuig mé riamh conas a mhothaigh tú faoi.

I never really understood how you felt."

"Shuigh siad ar charraig, ag féachaint amach ar an bhfairsinge.

They sat on a rock, looking out at the expanse.

"Cormac," a dúirt Aisling leis, "is é an rud a mharaigh mé ná was, gan fhios díot féin, conas a d'fhág tú mé, gan aon míniú.

"Cormac," Aisling said to him, "what hurt me the most was, without you knowing, how you left me with no explanation."

"Ba shoilear go raibh Cormac ag stríocadh le focail.

It was clear Cormac was struggling with words.

Ní raibh sé riamh éasca dó a mothúcháin a léiriú.

It had never been easy for him to express his feelings.

"Ghlac mé le rud a dúradh le mé faoi barr súile," a mhínigh sé faoi dheireadh, "agus bhí mé brónach, aineolach ar an bhfírinne.

"I accepted what was said to me without question," he finally explained, "and I was sorry, unaware of the truth."

"Bhí tost orthu ar feadh tamaill, na focail ag titim idir na gaoithe.

They were silent for a while, the words falling between the winds.

Mhothaigh Aisling an tsláinte ina anam le beagán, cosúil le téachta na geimhridh ag glacadh go bog le haghaidh earraigh.

Aisling felt a bit of healing in her soul, like the cold of winter gently making way for spring.

"Táim anseo, ag iarraidh éisteacht," a dúirt sí, an t-osna ag éalú timpeall na focail.

"I'm here, willing to listen," she said, a sigh slipping around the words.

"An bhfuil muid in ann tosú as an nua?

"Can we start anew?"

""Níl mé ag iarraidh an cairdeas a chur amú arís," arsa Cormac, súile lán de dhíocas.

"I don't want to waste the friendship again," said Cormac, eyes full of determination.

"Buailimis le chéile uair amháin eile.

"Let's meet again once more."

"D'fhéach siad ar a chéile, míle i bhfad ón am a d'éag an cairdeas, ach de réir a chéile tháinig aoibh go mall ar aghaidheanna.

They looked at each other, far from when the friendship died, but gradually a slow smile appeared on their faces.

Bhí deoir ag dul síos leos ar an taobh.

A tear ran down their cheeks on the side.

"Go raibh maith agat," a dúirt Aisling, ag seasamh suas agus ag siúl leo go réidh ón áit.

"Thank you," said Aisling, standing up and walking with him gently from the place.

Tháinig siad ar cas amháin ar feadh nóiméid, os cionn na haillte áille iontach, agus d’aithin siad go raibh siad réidh chun an chéad chéim eile a thógáil.

They came around the bend for a moment, over the magnificent cliffs, and they realized they were ready to take the next step.

I bhfad uaidh a tháinig na gaoithe agus, cé go raibh na farraige fós ag béic ag anáil an gheimhridh, bhí rud eile ag fás trína chéile - bláth na cairdeas athghinte.

Far from them came the winds, and although the sea was still roaring with the breath of winter, something else was growing between them - the bloom of a rekindled friendship.