by Unknown
When she had mentioned how their “Guardians” were really created, Alexander and Gideon had become very quiet. And when she had told them of Rowena and her plans to become a queen, they grew angry. And finally, when she told them the Sacred Door was in the deep caverns of the Grampian Mountains, they turned furious.
“Ye aren’t going!” Alexander stormed, shaking his head. “Rowena will kill you! I can’t protect you from her.”
Kaelyn pressed her lips together. Oh, how she wanted to tell him that Cain would be there and keep her safe from Rowena, but she had to keep her promise. Alexander would not come to harm. She would have to persuade him she could do this.
“The Fae queen could see the future,” she said standing up. “She said I was destined to do this and finish it. I believe her.” Kaelyn waited for each dangerously quiet man to say something. She wouldn’t tell Alexander and Gideon that the Fae queen told her “everyone made sacrifices”.
Alexander ground his teeth together as he stared at Kaelyn. Gideon stood off to the side watching with his hands on his hips. “We’ll leave first thing in the morn.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Alexander hollered. “Rowena will kill her in a blink-of-an-eye.”
Gideon turned on his friend. “Ye dinna think I didn’t think of that!” he roared. He collected himself and calmed down. He turned toward Kaelyn. “If Kaelyn says the queen told her she’d finish this, then I believe her. I think everything will work out.”
“Go down stairs,” Alexander told Gideon quietly…too quietly. Gideon mumbled something and then stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Kaelyn glanced uneasily over at the closed door. She knew Alexander stared at her. Would he demand that she stop her search for the Sacred Door?
“Kaelyn,” he said softly. Kaelyn slowly looked over at him. He brought his hand up and stroked the side of her face softly. “Ye-.”
“What?” she asked quietly when he didn’t continue. She ran her hands up over his chest, feeling his muscles move under his tunic. “You can tell me. Tell me,” she whispered as tears came to her eyes. She needed to hear him tell her he loved her. It would make it that much harder when her life was taken in just another couple of days, but it would also make it that much sweeter.
Alexander’s shoulders slumped and he lowered his gaze as he kneeled down to the floor. Kaelyn placed both her hands on the side of his face angling it up. “I love you, Alexander,” she said with a sad smile as tears blurred her eyes.
He wrapped his arms around her waist as she pulled him closer so his head rest upon her breast. After a moment, he pulled back. He dug inside a meager leather pouch tied to his belt and pulled out a small shiny object. He looked up at Kaelyn as he lightly grasped her left hand. He took the small piece of jewelry, which was a simple gold band with a beautiful crystal in the center, and slid it upon her ring finger.
Alexander glanced up at Kaelyn. “I ken I will never die, and I want nothing more than to live the rest of your days with ye. Ye can grow old and gray, but ye will remain a ‘vision’ in my eyes.” Kaelyn’s lips began to tremble. “Please, Kaelyn,” Alexander continued, “be my wife until the end of your days. Even after you’re gone, I will love no other. For you’ve consumed all of my heart. It belongs only to ye. Marry me Kaelyn tell me you’ll be my wife.”
Kaelyn had not expected this at all. She inhaled a deep breath, which sounded more like a sob. “Yes,” she said as he rose, wrapping his arms around her, crushing her to him.
He leaned close to her ear. “I’ll love ye for as long as ye live.”
* * * * *
The next morning flew by in a whirlwind. After Kaelyn and Alexander had awaked, finding a sleeping Gideon against the outside of their door, Alexander filled him in on the night’s events pertaining to the marriage acceptance.
Kaelyn and Alexander were to handfast after they broke their morning meal. Gideon would stand by as their witness. He wore a big, foolish grin the entire time. Kaelyn could see how sincerely happy Gideon was for Alexander. She couldn’t help feeling a pang of guilt for him though. For Gideon had still not found his soul mate.
Alexander and Kaelyn stood under an old oak tree covered by ivy and a bed of heather at the bottom. Alexander clasped his left hand in hers and said, “Some say that handfasting is meant for a year and one day, but Kaelyn, this is meant for eternity. By joining your hand with mine, your vow with mine, and your heart with mine here today, it will be forever known, you are my lawful wedded wife. Do ye join your hand willingly as do I?”
“Yes.”
“Do ye promise and vow ye are mine for all days as I vow for ye?”
“Yes.”
“Do ye ken your heart is now mine and my heart is now yours?”
“Yes, always,” Kaelyn whispered.
Gideon silently stepped over and tied a long leather thong around their united hands, blessing the union. He gave Kaelyn a hug and a light peck on her cheek. He gave Alexander a huge bear hug and whispered by his ear, “I believe ye found the right one this time, my friend.”
Gideon stepped back as Alexander and Kaelyn both smiled at each other. “Now what?” Kaelyn asked softly as her mouth turned up at one corner.
Alexander pulled their clasped hands in and she stepped forward as his arm wrapped around her. “Now, I kiss my wife!” Alexander leaned down, covering her mouth with his. She felt the love clear down to the tip of her toes. This was more than she could have ever asked for. She had a husband. She had a family. She had found one of the greatest types of love. Enjoy it while it lasts, the voice in her head taunted her.
* * * * *
The fog hovered above the wet grass and the sky was overcast. Kaelyn was chilled to the bone. The three of them had left soon after the handfasting. The day was nothing if not depressing, despite the morning ceremony. Gray rain clouds rolled low in between the hills. A perfect day for what would come, Kaelyn thought. They obtained three horses and trekked from the mainland of Skye, across the sea bridge, and now headed in the highlands of Scotland.
“Alexander,” Kaelyn asked from where she rode alongside, “Why can’t you just beam us there with the crystal?” Alexander became very quiet and wouldn’t look over at Kaelyn as they rode their horses. “It would save us time.”
Alexander sighed. “I should have told ye sooner, but I think Rowena somehow took back the powers from my crystal.”
“How would you know unless you tried to use-“
Alexander stopped his horse and abruptly reached over to Kaelyn. “It was when we were below the cliffs. I wanted to try and go back in time, before Cain had even approached ye. I wanted to catch him unexpectedly.”
A hurt expression fell over Kaelyn’s face. “But then we would never have met,” she said sadly.
“I-. I can’t lose ye, Kaelyn. I’d rather ken you’re safe, than put ye in harm’s way.”
“Even if that meant not meeting me, not having this!” she said a little louder, holding up her wrist with the leather thong wrapped around it.
“I was desperate! Trust me, I’m glad it didna work! I wasn’t thinking clearly then. I am now. I just hope ye dinna mind living in this time when this is over. It will be different for ye, but I think we’ll manage.”
Kaelyn pressed her lips together remembering she wouldn’t be able to spend her life with him. “It will be fine.”
Alexander pulled her head closer and kissed the top of it. “I love ye, lass. Ye’ll want for nothing.”
Kaelyn closed her eyes as she kissed his soft lips. “Ahh,” Gideon said, coming up from behind, “the joys of love,” he said with a smirk.
Alexander looked up, narrowing his eyes at Gideon. “Come. We have a ways to go if we want to reach the Grampians by tomorrow and the start of Samhain.” Alexander pushed his horse forward taking the lead, with Kaelyn following, and Gideon bringing up the rear.
* * * * *
Kaelyn yawned as she stared into the mesmerizing campfire numbly eating rabbit meat with her
fingers. Gideon had volunteered to catch dinner if Alexander cooked it. They had stopped after riding all day. They were a half-day’s ride from the Grampian Mountains and the entrance to the Guardian’s lair. Kaelyn knew this was her last night she might ever lie beside the one man she loved.
“Do ye want more?” Gideon asked, pulling her from her thoughts. He held out another piece of meat to her.
“Hmm, oh no, I’m good,” she said wiping her mouth. Gideon held the piece over to Alexander, who stood against a tree a ways behind them. He ate nothing. Alexander shook his head and continued watching the dark woods.
Gideon turned back around and noticed how Kaelyn still watched Alexander. “He’s nervous,” Gideon said, continuing to tear off a piece of meat from the leg of the rabbit. “He’s worried about ye. He realizes he canna do anything to keep ye safe.”
Kaelyn stared in awe. “He told you all that?”
A smirk covered Gideon’s mouth. “Nay.” He raised one greasy finger to point at his eye. “I can see it. With Deirdre, he never really cared about her. Anyone could see that.”
“But he must have loved her a little. He gave her his one chance at being mortal.”
Gideon held up his finger. “He thought he loved her. There’s a difference. He was attracted to her, Bloody Hell,” he scoffed, “everyone was! But when I watch him look at ye and when I remember the way he used to look at Deirdre….”
“What?” Kaelyn prodded.
“What ye have with him is true love. ‘Tis so easy to see. And that, Kaelyn, is why he’s so afraid to lose ye. He knows he found his soul mate and that there is no other.” Gideon began licking the bone and his fingers.
Soul mate? Could she really be his? “Did he tell you that?” she asked quietly, looking over her shoulder, making sure Alexander remained out of earshot.
“Nay,” Gideon said smiling again. “Just speculation.”
Kaelyn slumped in her seat. “To bad you guys don’t have an alarm or something when your soul mate comes close.”
“It wouldna matter. I’ll ken when I find her.”
Kaelyn raised her eyebrows. “Oh, so confident are we?”
Gideon leaned back against a log, placing his hands behind his head as a lazy grin crossed his face. “I am confident because I ken the exact kind of woman I’m attracted to. She’ll have bright, red hair, freckles scattered across her nose, big, plump….” Gideon curved his hands out in front of him as if he had two gigantic breasts. “And of course, she’ll be verra pleasant.”
Kaelyn stifled a laugh, reaching over, patting his leg. “Good luck with that!”
“Shh!” Alexander hissed from over by the tree. He softly looked through the branches. “Someone’s coming.”
Gideon immediately rose, drawing his sword along with Alexander. Kaelyn stood by the fire and watched. Was it an ambush? Was Rowena waiting for them? Did Cain decide to break his truce?
Suddenly, Alexander reached through the trees and pulled out a young man. His clothes were tattered and torn and he had no shoes. Without warning, the forest came alive and twenty men pushed through the trees holding spears, knives, and rocks, all aimed at Kaelyn, Alexander and Gideon.
Everyone stilled and Kaelyn noticed one man with a hood, pushing through his men. It was their leader. It was Hunter! Kaelyn recognized the cocky gait anywhere. She ran forward, diverting Alexander’s reach.
“Hunter! Oh my God! I though Rowena might have killed you!” she yelled, running into his arms. He wrapped one arm around her and continued holding his sword toward Gideon and Alexander.
“No, most of us got away,” he said through clenched teeth. “We all went in different directions running for our lives. I’ve only found about thirty or so of my people. I’m missing a hundred. The witch destroyed our entire camp and everything in it.” Hunter glanced around at the motley crew surrounding him. “All we have is what’s on our backs.”
A sword went back in its sheath behind Kaelyn. “I’m assuming they’re friends of yours?” Gideon said, coming up behind her.
“I still dinna ken if ye can trust him,” Alexander said coldly, holding onto the squirming young man.
Hunter narrowed his eyes at Alexander. “Friends of Kaelyn’s are friends of mine,” he said roughly.
“Well then,” Gideon said jovially, walking forward and pressing Hunter’s blade down, “we insist ye all come and join our camp for the night! Isna that right, Alexander?”
Alexander smiled a cruel smile. “More the merrier.” Alexander let go of the young boy, causing him to stumble forward. Alexander strode over to Hunter and held out his hand. “Kaelyn.”
Kaelyn knew as his wife she should go with him, but it irked her to no end that he acted like a brute because Hunter was in the picture. Kaelyn reached out taking his hand. She wouldn’t embarrass Alexander in front of everyone who watched. She’d give him a piece of her mind when they were in private.
Before long, an older man played a lute filling the quiet night sky with something other than loneliness. The meager fire they had, now roared into a huge bonfire with pots hanging over, filled with porridge and stew. Many of the homeless gypsies huddled together in groups, or fidgeted on the cold, hard ground trying to get comfortable for a good night’s sleep.
Kaelyn glanced over at Alexander who lay next to her. He snored softly with one arm draped over Kaelyn’s waist. Very quietly, she lifted his arm. Without warning, he rolled over to his other side. Kaelyn slowly rose and quietly walked over to the fire, and over to where Hunter sat.
Hunter’s hands fidgeted with a leather pouch half the size of his palm as his gaze seemed to indicate he was anywhere but in the woods. “Room for one more?” Kaelyn asked lightly.
Hunter glanced up and then back at the fire. “I don’t think your bodyguard will like it,” he sneered.
“He’s my husband,” she blurted out.
Hunter’s hands stopped moving over the pouch but he didn’t look up at her. He made a mock bow suddenly bending over in his seat. “My congratulations,” he said sarcastically.
“It’s what I want. I’m happy, Hunter.”
Hunter looked up at Kaelyn. She still hadn’t taken a seat. “I hope he’s good to you,” he said quietly.
Kaelyn released a sigh. “Listen,” she said trying to change the subject. She sat down next to him. “Why don’t you come with us? I might be able to get you back home.”
Hunter stilled and stared over at Kaelyn. He abruptly looked back into the fire. ”I’m staying here.”
“But-.” Kaelyn shook her head in confusion. “I thought you wanted to get home and see your grandparents, get your old life back?”
“That life is over. My grandfather once told me that the great spirits always guide us. They close doors, open others, and we need to accept their guidance. What they plan is our destiny.”
Kaelyn looked down at her hands. Was she following her destiny? Had she always been meant to bring down the terrible Guardian Rowena? She sighed. She still didn’t feel like she would be able to fight Rowena on the morrow and win. Kaelyn knew she had “something”, some power in her, but who the hell knew how to use it! Why didn’t the queen tell her that!
“I take it you’re staying,” he sneered, glaring over to Alexander who now sat up and stared at the two with a very dangerous glare.
Kaelyn followed Hunter’s gaze. A look of hurt crossed Alexander’s face briefly before he rolled over and lay down with his back to them. “To be honest, I don’t know,” she said quietly. “I might not have a choice of where I end up.”
Hunter stared at Kaelyn for a moment as a look of disbelief fell over his face. He half smiled as a guffaw escaped. “Does the bastard know?” he asked.
“Know what?” Kaelyn asked wearily.
“That you’re going to sacrifice yourself for him.” Kaelyn’s mouth opened a few times, but nothing came out. “I don’t like that asshole one bit,” Hunter continued, “but you should at least tell him.”
“It�
�s not that easy.”
“It’s only hard if you make it hard.”
“Ughh!” Kaelyn shook her head with her eyes closed. “Anyway, come with us,” she said changing the subject yet again.
“I can’t. The great spirits tell me it’s not my fight. You three need to go. Sorry, but I don’t get an invitation.”
Kaelyn frowned into the fire. “So…this is going to be goodbye?”
Hunter reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “Whatever happens, you don’t need me in your future, Kaelyn. And as much as that kills me,” he said releasing a deep sigh, “I know my life path has to take me elsewhere. I hoped you’d be in it, but I can see now that we were only meant to cross paths for a short time.” He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the forehead. His lips lingered.
Kaelyn pulled back. “I’ll miss you, Hunter. You’re a good friend. I’ll never forget that.”
“Ouch!” he said grinning. “There’s that friend thing again…and for forever this time. I guess if that’s all you can give me, then I’ll take it.” He leaned over, giving her a big hug. “Be brave, Kaelyn. Do you remember what my grandfather named you?”
Kaelyn’s mouth curved up. “Yeah, Heart of Warrior.”
“That’s what you are. From the first moment I met you, I knew you were strong and could stand on your own. I Believe you can beat this, you will, Kaelyn. I know it.”
“Thanks.” Kaelyn cleared her throat. “So, what ya got there?” she asked gesturing down to the small leather pouch.
Hunter looked down as if he just realized his hands played with something. “This? It’s from my grandfather. He actually gave it to me before I came over to your apartment that last day I saw you.”
“What is it?”
“I’m not sure.” Hunter pulled a tiny vial out of the pouch. Whatever was inside glowed bright neon blue. “All I know, is it’s some kind of liquid. It doesn’t smell like anything, but it stays cold all the time, oh, and it glows,” he said smiling. Hunter handed the delicate vial to Kaelyn.