Lost in the Mist of Time

by Karen Michelle Nutt

  “Oh, go to hell.” She curled up her knees and hugged them close to her chest.

  “Ye keep cursing in that fashion and most likely ye will be joining me in those fiery depths. Just think, an eternity together, now wouldn’t that be grand?” Her dark eyes clawed like talons before she jumped to her feet to retrieve the shoes. He pretended to lunge toward her and she jumped back with a scream upon her lips. He just shook his head, chuckling uncontrollably.

  “You think you’re so funny?” She stomped back to her seat a safe distance away from him and away from the warmth of the fire.

  He was still smiling as he added wood to rekindle the blaze. Then he made himself comfortable on the hard ground. Shaking out his mantle he draped it over him and closed his eyes. After a moment, he chanced a look at her still figure, and addressed her as though he had forgotten that she had been there at all. “If I were ye, I wouldn’t stray too far. It gets mighty cool at night and there be animals out there too.” He closed his eyes again, but only halfway. He could see her nervously looking around her. He turned to his side confident that she would move closer. “Oíche mhaith, Aislinn.”

  “Good night indeed,” she mumbled under her breath. Just what she wanted to do, spend a night out in the open with a madman and animals lurking in every corner.

  She sat for a long time determined to stay awake, but her body rebelled and soon her eyes started to droop. She woke with a start when she almost toppled over. She was cold and little afraid. It was so dark out there. She scooted closer to the fire, but the warmth didn’t quite take the dampness away and she shivered. Her eyes wandered over to where Dougray was lying and she noticed that he was not sleeping, but watching her. “Ye are cold,” he said in English without a hint of sarcasm.

  “Of course, I’m cold. I’m used to sleeping in a nice warm bed. Not on the hard cold dirt.”

  “Come here then.” He lifted the mantle indicating that she crawl in with him.”

  “I will do no such thing.”

  “Lass, I did not say that I was going to ravish ye. To get warm, that’s all. Come on now. I swear that yer virtue will still be intact come the morning’s light.” He could tell that she was weighing the options. Warmth obviously won out.

  “You swear?” “Aye.”

  She stood and hurriedly walked around the fire to where he lay with his offering. She stretched out her long body next to him with her backside against his hard chest. She felt his arms brush over her as he drew the covers.

  In a few minutes, she actually began to feel every part of her body start to warm. Only she wasn’t sure if it was because of the blanket covering her or the fact that she was so close to this man that played havoc with her emotions.

  “There now, isn’t that better?” His voice caressed her.

  She swallowed the lump in her throat before she half turned to look at him. “Yes. Thank you.”

  “Sleep now.” He patted her shoulder and turned around on his side so that their backs touched each other. Aislinn was surprised that she actually felt comforted by his broad back leaning against hers. Soon she began to relax and blessed sleep overtook her.

  Chapter 15

  They started out again in early hours of the morning, shortly after dawn. Aislinn grumbled that she was hungry but it was more in protest of his grumpy attitude, and his relentless pace he was making her endure. Dougray had enough of her complaints and whirled on her, his silvery eyes clouded like thunderclouds. She clamped her jaw shut and backed up a few steps, but she was still brave enough to counter with an icy stare of her own. He opened his mouth to impale her with his fury when he took notice that everything around them had become unearthly still. Immediately, he became alert and unsheathed his sword and motioned for her to be silent. She came up very close to him. Chewing her lower lip, her dark eyes darted to and fro trying to see if she could detect anything out of the ordinary. She encircled her arm around his forearm making him glance at her in surprise.

  Her touch sent him propelling where he had no place to be, for at that moment they could be in deep peril. If she only realized what a beautiful picture she betrayed…. She was anxious like a damsel in distress. Surprisingly he had this sudden urge to kiss her contemptuous lips and tell her everything would be all right, that he was here to protect her.

  She must have felt his heated gaze because she finally took notice. She immediately put up the barriers, squaring back her shoulders with her usual haughty stance. “What?” Then her eyes wondered to where her own arm was resting, finally realized that in her sudden fear, she had just latched onto him like a frighten child. She immediately dropped her arm and took a step back. “Just stay here,” he demanded of her. He hadn’t intended to be so gruff, but his emotions had caught him by surprise. He saw her eyes flash with anger, but he quickly left her side to investigate what had caused every bird to stop singing.

  Aislinn backed up to the nearest tree wishing that she had insisted that she go with him. She heard a twig snap in the quietness of the forest and knew she wasn’t alone. “Dougray? Is that you?”

  Silence was her answer and she backed up a step. She caught a glimpse of movement to the side of her, but before she could scream a large grimy hand clamped firmly over her mouth. The man held her against his chest with a dagger pressing against the delicate part of her neck, indicating that he meant business. “Make a sound and we won’t hesitate to slit ye throat. Do ye understand, lad?”

  She didn’t think this was the right time to correct him of her gender, and just nodded her head that she understood perfectly. He dragged her away where two other men of the same caliber were waiting. The man who held her fast shoved her to a kneeling position. She saw Dougray come into view and attempted to make a move to be free of her captor, but again the man pressed the knife to her throat.

  Dougray looked around him, perturbed that Aislinn was not where he told her to wait. “Now where did she go? Blast the foolish lass.” He started forward and Aislinn knew if she didn’t do something, he would walk right into the ambush. She closed her eyes, praying she would not have her throat slit for her actions. She threw all of her weight back upon her captor toppling him over.

  Dougray heard the noise and was ready for anything. “Aislinn?”

  “It’s a trap!” she managed to say as she jumped to her feet, facing the man with the dagger. “There are three of them.”

  “I have two in my sight now.” He raised his sword to protect himself from the charging men.

  Aislinn could hear the clanging of metal upon metal and she felt sick to her stomach. This was becoming all too real.

  “So ye are a lass, are ye now?” The man grinned, his blackened teeth visible. He took a cautious step toward her. “Now, lass, no more trouble, aye?”

  “Trouble is my middle name.” She surprised him by making a move herself and it wasn’t to flee. Before he could jump aside, one long leg swept up with a hard kick to his hand causing the dagger to fly from his grip. She swung around and with the other foot made contact with his face. The jar knocked him sideways, but somehow he managed to stay on his feet.

  Aislinn knew that she was fighting for her life and every move that her father had ever taught her came flashing back full force. Her fist plowed into the attacker’s nose, the other at his neck, and still another quick kick where she knew it would count. The man doubled over in agony and was unable to let out a groan for he could barely breathe through his bruised windpipe.

  Seeing him fall to the ground made her finally pause in her assault, though she still bounced on the balls of her feet ready to plow into the guy, if he even looked at her funny. Finally realizing that the man was incapable of being a threat, she headed to the clearing to see how Dougray was fairing.

  She nearly tripped over the bloody body of one of the men that Dougray had already killed. Luckily she was quick to sidestep before she fell. She could see Dougray battling with the remaining ruffian. Their swords clanged menacingly, each determined to draw blood. He
r eyes searched for something she could use as a weapon. She grabbed for a rock and waited until Dougray moved out of harm’s way. With all her strength she hurled it, but at the moment of impact that should have hit the enemy, Dougray had moved into the direct line of fire. He cried out in pain and barely jumped out of the way, when the man lunged with his sword.

  Aislinn’s hands went to her mouth. “Oh God!” She moaned for she nearly caused Dougray to be slain.

  He glanced her way. “Don’t help, lass!” He fended off another blow.

  She didn’t heed his words. She wouldn’t sit back and watch him get cut down. She grabbed another rock to throw, but by the time she had turned, the two men had moved the battle right where she was standing. She tried to move out of the way, but ended up knocking into Dougray throwing him off balance. She fell on top of the dead man and let out a deafening scream. At least this caused a distraction, so that Dougray could move out of harm’s way.

  “I said to stand back!” Dougray barked at her.

  She may have considered his request if the man he fought wasn’t so huge. He had to weigh close to three hundred pounds, but he was agile on his feet and each powerful blow he threw nearly knocked Dougray to the ground. The giant of a man swung up and around making Dougray’s sword fly out of his hands. He barely scrambled out of the way as the ruffian sliced through his shirt. It was only luck that the blade did not touch his skin. “Aislinn, weapon now!” he shouted at her.

  She looked beside her and grabbed the dead man’s dagger. She hurried to her feet. “I thought that you didn’t want my help.”

  “I changed my mind.” He moved around just as she tossed the weapon. With a quick throw of his arm, the dagger lodged into the man’s throat. For one horrible second, Aislinn thought that the man was not going to stop. He had raised his sword above his head, but before he could give the final blow that would have ended Dougray’s life, a horrible gurgling sound bubbled from his lips and his eyes glazed over. He fell hard to the ground causing the earth to shake.

  Dougray’s chest was heaving from the exertion, but quite grateful to still be alive. He quickly glanced at Aislinn, his eyes taking in the length of her as he searched for any life-threatening injuries. “Are ye all right then?”

  She nodded, not able to speak.

  “The other one, where is he?”

  She had forgotten all about him. “I left him over there.” She pointed to the bushes.

  “Alive?” He lifted his brow wondering how she could have managed to get away from the man and without a weapon.

  “He was alive when I left him, but hurting pretty badly.”

  Dougray picked up his sword and cautiously went to investigate. Aislinn was close behind.

  The man was lying unconscious upon the ground and in his own vomit. Dougray crouched down and grabbed hold of the man’s hair to lift his face. He was shocked at the bloody mess. The man’s nose was definitely broken, his lips were swollen and his neck was sorely bruised.

  Dougray let go of the man’s hair and his head bobbed to the ground. He stood looking down at the man in awed silence. Thoughtfully rubbing his chin, he then glanced back at Aislinn. “Ye did this damage?” His eyes roved over the woman in a new light. She had height on her side, that much he would give her, but she seemed rather thin to him, barely any meat at all on her bones. How in the world did she manage to beat a seasoned warrior to a bloody pulp?

  Aislinn shrugged almost embarrassed at what she had done. “I was scared.”

  “Aye. Remind me to not startle ye, then.” He knelt down and nudged the man until his eyes opened. The guy jumped back only to lie back down in obvious pain.

  “Don’t hurt me.” He rolled up into a ball, holding his private parts as though he feared they were going to be removed from his body.

  “Ye may live to see another day, if ye answer my questions well.” The man nodded.

  “Are ye one of Fingham Butler’s men?” “Nay,” he croaked.

  Dougray pressed the sword against the man’s already bruised throat. “Are ye telling me the truth?”

  “Aye. I swear that I am.” It was pathetic the way he was whimpering. “Who else was with ye?”

  “No one, but me brothers, that is all.” “There was no one else?”

  This time he did let out a cry. “Nay! I swear on me dear sainted mother’s life.”

  Dougray stood then and sheathed his sword. “Well then, ye best heed my warning. Ye may send someone to collect yer brothers for they did not fair as well as ye did. Then I had better not see ye again in these parts or ye will be joining yer brothers’ fate.”

  “Aye. Ye will never lay eyes on me from this day forward.” “Good. Now get up and move before I change my mind.”

  The man could barely get to his feet. He warily glanced at Aislinn as if he thought that she might attack him again. He hobbled away in one direction, and after Dougray gathered their belongings, he hurriedly led Aislinn in the other.

  “We have to keep moving. I want to put as much distance from this place and us. No telling who else may be lurking near by.” He glanced at her pale face. “Are ye going to be all right?” She looked at him with pain-filled eyes before she bolted from his side into the nearest bush. “Where are ye…?” He heard her retching and knew. He waited patiently for her to finish, sympathizing with how she felt. When she could somewhat compose herself she reappeared.

  “Better?” He handed her a cloth to wipe her mouth.

  She nodded avoiding eye contact. “I don’t know what got over me. I just…I’ve never seen anyone killed before.”

  “It’s a natural reaction. My first experience with battle, I was so scared that I threw up before we went, and then for the next week, every time I thought about what I had seen I’d be sick all over again.”

  He looked so powerful to her. It was hard to imagine that he could be frightened of anything. “Really? You’re not just saying this to make me feel better?”

  “Would I do that? Really, it’s true. Here let me take yer pack.” She handed it to him without an argument. “We had no choice in the matter, Aislinn. It was either them or us, and frankly, I think we made the better choice.

  “Killing doesn’t bother you?”

  “Oh it bothers me enough. I just try not to think about it, once it’s done. Come now. We’ll get away from here and ye’ll see that ye’ll feel much better then.”

  “Are you actually trying to be civil to me?” She tried to smile and he returned the gesture.

  “I know that ye won’t believe this, but I have been known to on occasion to be quite charming.”

  She sighed as she moved past him. “Charming? Hmm. This I would have to see.”

  He easily matched her stride. After a few minutes, he turned to her.

  “Where did ye learn to…?” She looked at him without missing a step. “Ye know to defend yerself in such a fashion?”

  “My father taught me the fundamentals of defending myself. And at the gym, I have been taking kickboxing lessons. The class was meant to keep me in shape, not to fight villains of the forest.”

  He shook his head. We speak the same language, but at times, I fear that I lose the meaning behind yer words. “Gym? Kickboxing?”

  “A gym is a place where people go to work out.” He still looked confused and she went on to explain. “You prepare yourself for battle, don’t you?”

  “Of course.”

  “That is what the gym is used for, only it isn’t necessarily for self- preservation. It’s for fun, to keep in shape for a healthier existence.”

  “Hmm. And the kickboxing?”

  “It’s a series of kicks and punches that works almost every muscle in your body.”

  “It keeps ye strong?” He looked her over not even hiding the fact that he was actually checking her out.

  “Hey.” She jumped to the side to face him. “What do you think you’re looking at?”

  “Just seeing if the classes were working.” “And?” She gave
him a cocky grin.

  “And what?”

  She stepped beside him again with a nudge. “I’ve worked really hard to stay in shape.”

  He glanced at her with an unusual glint in his eyes. “You seem a bit thin to me, but….” He shrugged. “I say that it suits ye well.” It sounded like a compliment, but again she wasn’t sure with him.

  “I can take my pack now,” she offered, her hand already stretched out to take it.

  “I’ve got it,” he insisted. “No really. I can take it.” “I said that I have it.”

  She stopped moving causing him to go the few spaces back to where she was standing with her hands on her hips. “The pack…please.”

  He shook his head and handed her the item. “They teach ye this at the gym, also?”

  She slipped her arms through the straps of the backpack before she spoke, “Teach me what?”

  “Not to need anyone.” He didn’t wait for her reply as he turned on his heel and moved on through the foliage. For a moment, she just stood there. Is this how he viewed her? As someone that didn’t need anyone? It wasn’t exactly a flattering attribute, when it was put that way. She wanted to be independent, but she didn’t want to be alone. How did one accomplish both?

  She moved forward.

  Now that some of her fear had subsided, she had time to think. The reality of everything that had happened, from the moment she left her car, came at her full force. Dougray had been telling her the truth. She had somehow stepped back in time, for how else could she explain the sword fighting, the strange clothing, and the fact that the land was a little more rugged, full of trees and foliage that should not exist?

  She shook her head. It wasn’t possible, was it? She glanced at Dougray trying desperately to think of a plausible explanation for why he hadn’t understood a thing about her present time. The blow to his head had not caused him to forget modern conveniences. It was simply that he had never experienced them. “Stop!” she bellowed, causing Dougray to draw his sword in fear that they were once again under attack. When he saw that they were not in danger, he re-sheathed the weapon and walked over to her with a question upon his lips. He was about to reprimand her for startling him so, but then he realized that she seemed on the verge of collapse.