by Dobsyn, Aury
“Did you bring me all these flowers?”
“Aye,” Thea admitted, since bouquets of fragrant flowers and petals covered every piece of furniture in the chamber.
Thoughtful for a moment, Ella asked, “Have you been sad?”
When Thea nodded, she asked, “Because of me?”
“Nae because of ye, for ye,” Thea clarified.
For the first time in over a sennight, Ella felt warmth seep into her heart and all because of this one little girl.
At having her attention, Thea quickly added, “I’m sad because ye are. Please, come pick flowers with me. I promise ye will feel better, and we dinna have to stay long or speak to anyone.”
Seeing the little girl’s eyes brim with tears and hearing the heartfelt plea, Ella could not refuse. “Aye, we will go pick flowers.”
Thea threw herself into her friend’s arms and said, “Thank ye, Lady Ella. Thank ye so much.”
“But only if you call me, Ella,” she said as she squeezed the affectionate lass.
“Aye, I would like that verra much.”
Pale streaks of summer sun penetrated through the thick canopy of branches, giving light to the earthy forest that surrounded Ella and Thea. They had used a secret staircase located in Maeve and Osgood’s chamber that led outside and, as promised, they left the castle without anyone noticing.
Thea pulled her through a wooded area, filled with towering pine and birch trees until they reached a burn surrounded by primroses, dog roses, and sweet briar.
“This is the burn that empties into yer loch.”
“My loch?”
Thea gave a guilty smile and said, “Aye, the loch ye like to look at when ye are in yer chamber.”
Understanding, Ella turned her gaze to the blooming shrubs and bushes, “You were right, sweetling. You do know where to find the most beautiful flowers.”
Thea beamed at the praise, and then said, “If we follow the burn away from the loch, we will reach the meadow near the village. Wait until ye see all the different shades of purple and pink.”
As they made their way closer to the village picking flowers, Thea impressed Ella by explaining in detail about the various plants.
Three little girls joined them, eager to help make colorful bouquets. By the time they reached the meadow, at least ten little girls and a handful of boys aided their venture.
With so many flowers in their hands, Ella and the children stopped to make garlands. They sat on a Macleod plaid Thea had the good sense to bring and created beautiful headpieces for each female while engaging in childish conversation.
Two little boys, no more the seven summers, approached Ella at noon with a basket of food and a jug of apple cider. They introduced themselves as Wylie and Tomag, and then pointed to their mother, who stood a fair distance away waving with a smile on her face.
Ella waved back at the thoughtful woman, whom she had met a fortnight ago. Her name was Iona, her husband, Ramsey, and the delightful couple ran the alehouse.
Ella’s joyful experience with the children that morning repeated daily for a fortnight. The youthful Macleods entertained her with comical stories, included her in their games and even asked questions about her family. Their eagerness to learn about her departed aunt and uncle surprised Ella, and she willingly shared her pain with them.
A girl with white blond hair, who reminded Ella of herself at five summers, plopped down in her lap and whispered, “My Grammy is in heaven, and she will take care of Aunt Eleanor and Uncle James. She is verra nice and makes the best sweet gundy in the highlands. Do Aunt Eleanor and Uncle James like sweetmeats?”
“Aye, they do, Rona,” Ella replied, profoundly touched. “They like them very much. I feel much better knowing your Grammy will take care of them and fatten them up with sweetmeats.”
A couple of boys tormenting Thea and her friends with wooden swords a short distance away alerted Ella. Valen, one of the older boys, hit Thea on her bottom with his play sword.
The little girl did not take this treatment lightly.
“Ye would nae be so high and mighty if I had a sword,” Thea roared at him, even though he is three years older than her six summers.
Valen grabbed his friend’s sword and challenged, “Here is a sword, but I dinna-”
Thea swung the wooded sword at Valen’s head, putting an end to his arrogant words. He quickly deflected it, and after a few swings, sent her sword flying out of her hands.
Laughing at her failure, Valen boasted, “Thea, there is nae a female among ye who is able to beat me with a sword.”
Picking up the discarded sword, Ella interrupted the arrogant lad and said, “I beg to differ, Valen.”
When the girls heard Lady Ella’s confident words and saw her walk over to Thea and Valen, they grinned with supreme pride.
“Milady, I . . .” Valen muttered, but unable to finish.
“We have all heard you say that nae female here can best you, but what are you prepared to do if one does?”
Valen assumed that she would find another girl to challenge him, so with a condescending smile he stated, “If ye can find one among ye that can beat me with a sword, I will get down on one knee and declare to all that the Macleod lasses are the greatest warriors in all the Highlands.
“Not good enough,” Ella began, “I believe every lad here will have to make the same declaration.” Turning her gaze on the other boys, she asked, “Are you as confident as your friend in his ability to defeat any female here?”
They screamed their confirmation so loudly it fairly blistered Ella’s ears. She scanned the meadow where they played, which stood at least fifty paces away from the village. She then sighed in relief that the uproar did not alert any of the children’s parents.
Unbeknownst to Ella, an audience remained hidden from her view and had been watching her for the past hour. Gavin, Paen, and Bowen hid in the woods, feeling foolish for spying on her, but eager to see the transformation Thea spoke of last eve.
Osgood and Maeve’s daughter had kept them informed on what she referred to as her personal plan of attack. At hearing the child’s words, Gavin shook his head with amusement. Obviously, Thea had become her father’s daughter.
Presently, he grinned at the sight of Ella stepping right up to Valen, who is just shy of being eye level with her.
“Then we accept your challenge,” she stated.
With a smile, Valen asked, “And what is our reward after I win?”
“We will say the same, but instead of lasses we'll say lads. Is that acceptable to you?”
“Aye, now bring forth yer challenger.”
Ella wanted to laugh at the egotistical lad, but instead she raised her eyebrows and stated with a smirk, “Your challenger stands before you.”
Hearing this, the girls let out excited shrieks while the boys wisely retreated away from their champion.
“Ye think I canna take her?” Valen yelled as he looked over his shoulder to his friends. “She may be bigger, but she is still a lass. Worry naught, my friends.”
The children formed a circle around the pair as they faced off like warriors.
Ella’s brothers had taught her how to wield a sword when she was a child, insisting that she may have need of such skills. Yet, she highly doubted that battling a boy half her age is what they intended.
Valen attacked first, putting all his strength into each of his numerous swings. Ella averted each blow with swift movements, not bothering to deflect or raise her sword in a counterattack. Seeing the boy’s frustration, she changed her tactic and began to deflect each sword thrust with grace, ease, and obvious skill. He attacked recklessly, which winded him all too soon. She quickly took advantage of his vulnerable state, and unarmed him as easily as he has done with Thea.
The girls went wild, but instead of celebrating with them, Ella took Valen and the other boys aside to speak with them privately. Kneeling in front of the dejected lads, she asked, “What did you learn from this?”
; “I’m nae as good as I thought,” Valen freely admitted.
With understanding, she suggested, “Try again, but this time think why you believed you could defeat me.”
“Ye are a lass.”
She confirmed that fact with a nod, but remained silent, giving him time to think.
“I underestimated my opponent.” When she nodded again, he added, “And I attacked without kenning yer skill.”
“Much better! Do you want to know what I did while you attacked?”
Ella stared at a sea of dumbfounded faces, before saying, “I learned my opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as his moves. By the time I finished, your fatigue made it easier for me to disarm you.”
Valen smiled as the others voiced their approval.
“Aye, ye taught me a valuable lesson, one I will proudly apply and teach to others. Thank ye, Milady.”
“You are very welcome. Now, I think we are all ready to hear our reward.”
While the girls sat down to enjoy the show, the boys lined up shoulder to shoulder, groaning with humiliation as they stared at the village. Ella followed the boys’ gaze over her shoulder and saw the crowd of villagers that gathered behind where she and the girls sat. Gavin, Paen, and Bowen stood in the middle, with their arms across their chest, smiling their approval.
Sitting on Ella’s lap, Thea whispered, “They have been watching the whole time, but dinna fear, I will nae let them near ye.”
“What would I do without you, princess,” she said, hugging her little defender. “Thank you, sweetling . . . for everything.”
“I love ye, Ella.”
“I love ye, too.” Pointing in the direction of the lads, she then said, “Oh, I think they are about to begin.”
In unison and loud enough for all to hear, the boys shouted, “THE MACLEOD LASSES ARE THE GREATEST WARRIORS IN ALL THE HIGHLANDS!”
The glorifying cheers and burst of applause in salute to the girls’ victory was deafening. Laird Macleod, Paen, and Bowen commanded the red-faced lads to repeat the outrageous phrase three more times, much to the approval of the crowd. The repentant boys did as instructed by their laird, and then were permitted to take their leave. Before rushing off, each said their farewells to Lady Ella, who smiled at the self-inclined gesture.
As the mass of children scattered, Ella noticed Bowen and Paen approach, while Gavin engaged in conversation with the beautiful young woman named Alice. Her brow puckered as she glared at the intimate way the wanton touched his chest and pulled on his sleeve. When he walked away with her, Ella felt an unfamiliar tightening in her chest, as though repeatedly stabbed with a dagger. She would have to be ignorant and blind not to understand the relationship between her husband and the woman who had recently begun working as a maid in the castle.
“Halt! Dinna come any closer until Lady Ella says otherwise,” Thea commanded the two warriors with one hand raised and the other on her hip.
Even though she is a quarter their weight and size, they stopped dead in their tracks. Paen gave the wee tyrant an exasperated look, while Bowen chuckled softly.
Ella put both her hands on her young protector’s shoulders and affirmed, “All is well, sweetling.”
Thea conceded, but stood with her hands on her hips, scowling at the two men.
Bowen grinned at the show of loyalty of one so young. Osgood would be proud of his daughter. With a respectful bow and tone, he acknowledged, “I commend ye, Thea, for yer loyalty to Lady Ella.”
Paen added, “I commend ye as well, wee warrior, but nae for yer loyalty. I commend ye for yer courage to fight someone older and bigger than yerself.”
Thea’s fierce demeanor vanished as she exclaimed, “Really?”
Paen gave her a devilish grin, and then threw the giggling girl over his shoulder as he continued, “Aye, my petite. I believe I will carve ye a wooden sword of yer own. With Lady Ella’s help, ye will be better than yer father in nae time.”
Laughter prevented Thea from responding, so Paen said, “If ye will cease that cackling, I wish to ken why ye fought Valen.”
“He hit my bottom with his sword.”
Paen instantly pulled her from his shoulder so she stood facing him. “Aye, then I whole heartily approve, princess. I believe I’ll take a few whacks at him myself.”
Thea giggled and threw her arms around his neck in appreciation.
While Paen and Thea continued to wrestle around, Ella noticed his gentleness with the little girl. In response, Thea revered the gruff warrior, normally feared by all. He may lack refined grace, but he has goodness in his soul and compassion in his heart.
Reading Ella’s expression, Bowen proclaimed, “Aye, he has a soft spot for our wee princess.”
“Aye, and she obviously adores him.”
“He adores me, too,” Thea shouted. “I’m his favorite.”
Bowen and Ella both laughed at her boast, and then watched Paen as he flipped and twirled her around. When he finally put the dizzy girl down, he kept hold of her shoulders, with her back against his legs.
“Aye, she is my favorite. With the exception of Leif, the other children fear me,” Paen admitted.
“Only cause they dinna ken ye as I do,” Thea said as she looked up at him. “Also, ye frown quite often. Smile more and they will come around.”
Paen rolled his eyes at the advice of child only six summers. As he hoisted her onto his shoulders, he said, “I will think on it.”
Extending his arm, Bowen asked, “May we escort ye two beautiful ladies back to the castle?”
“Aye,” Ella replied as she took his proffered arm.
Seated atop Paen’s shoulders, Thea bent her head over his and asked, “Why dinna ye ask to escort me back to the castle?”
“Because fool, ye are too small to loop yer arm with mine.”
With a giggle, she suggested, “Ye could walk on yer knees.”
“There is a better chance of ye carrying me on yer back than me walking on my knees with yer arm looped in mine.”
Paen and Thea continued to banter all the way to the castle, while Bowen stopped to speak privately with Ella.
“Ye taught those boys a valuable lesson this day.”
“Ye heard?”
“Aye, we heard,” he admitted with a grin. “Clearly someone taught ye how to wield a sword.”
“Aye,” she confirmed with indifference.
When she did not elaborate, Bowen assumed Sir James had taught her, so quickly changed the subject. “Will ye be joining us for the evening meal?”
“Nae.”
“Ye canna hide in yer chamber forever. Avoiding a problem will nae make it disappear.”
Thoughtful for a moment, Ella then confide with her gaze on the ground, “I do not know what else to do.”
“Live,” he said with intensity. “’Tis what yer aunt and uncle wanted for ye. They kenned the consequence of their actions.”
“What do you mean?”
“Yer Uncle James told us how much he and his sister loved ye. Such fierce devotion is admirable.”
Tilting her chin up, Bowen continued, “Their only wish was for ye to be safe and happy. They dinna want ye to return to England, even if it meant their lives. Sir James was very clear on the matter. He adamantly wanted ye to stay here and believed his sister would agree.”
“Aye, she would have.” Silent for a moment, Ella then asked, “Would Gavin have done the same if my uncle protested?”
“Aye, but yer uncle dinna protest.”
Ella began to pace, kicking at the dirt like a child, then spat, “Gavin still broke his word to me. Twice!”
“Aye, he did, but the first time he dinna ken ye or yer circumstances. The second, well . . . ye wouldnae agree to the marriage otherwise. Ye are a wee bit stubborn.”
“You are right, I would not have agreed,” she grudgingly admitted.
“If there had been nae danger of losing yer family, would ye have wanted to marry Gavin?”
Ella shrugged, cl
early finding it difficult to answer such a forward question.
“’Tis something to think on mayhap,” he suggested as he patted her hand. “Let us return to the castle afore my wife has my head on a pike. She worries for ye night and day, ye ken.”
“She has a kind heart.”
“Aye, that she does lass.”
12
Over the next fortnight, Ella slowly started to ease back into life with the Macleods. Although she still refused to speak with Gavin or eat meals in the hall, she did take up the duties of healer and began training the horses her uncle had bequeathed to her. Unfortunately, the moment her heart began to mend, another devastating blow hit her and shattered the sparse remains of her fortitude.
Raindrops splattered into the bailey like blood dripping from a mortal wound the afternoon Ella returned to the castle from tending Father Logan’s chest ailment. Sheer black fright swept through her when she saw an English soldier taking Apollo across the drawbridge.
Icy fear twisted around her heart as she dropped her satchel and bolted full speed to her beloved Apollo. Her breeches allowed her to run unhindered into the bailey.
“Nae . . . Stop,” she screamed, running towards the drawbridge. “Please, stop them! Apollo is mine! You cannot take him, please!” She continued to cry out, even as Gavin’s strong arms enveloped her.
“Nae, Ella. They have his deed of ownership and the right to take him.”
Fighting to free herself from his grip, she spat with indignation, “Nae, Aunt Eleanor bought him and she gifted him to me.”
Beyond fury, beyond rage, Gavin somehow managed to explain, “Her gift to ye was without Philip’s consent. Philip legally owns everything that belonged to yer aunt. I’m sorry, Ella, but-”
“Nae,” she wailed, going wild in his arms. “Please, Apollo is my best friend. I love him. Philip will kill him just to spite me! He is all I have left and I will get him back!”
“Listen to me. I promise-”
Ella broke loose and said with a fiery glint in her eye, “Never speak those words to me, for your promise means naught.”
She bolted for the stables with the intent on taking Righ, the only horse fast enough to catch up to the soldier.