by Clare Wilson
‘I understand, sir,’ she said bowing her head. ‘I did not expect you to believe me straight away. I ask only that you dress and come with me now. The men of whom I speak are going to meet in the clearing by the aviary in less than half an hour. If you come and hear what they are saying, it will prove my story to be true.’
The old man looked concerned. While he found it extremely hard to believe, he too had felt a similar uneasiness around his niece since her return to Cairn Holme. ‘Well, Lizzy, I will come with you. You must realise if what you say turns out to be false, we shall need to seriously consider the consequences.’
‘My Lord, I will gladly face any consequences you wish if I am speaking falsely. If I do speak untruly, I will be in need of a physic for I have heard and seen these things as truly as you hear and see me now. A great part of me wishes none of this were true.’
With that the Laird ushered Lizzy from the room to give him privacy to wash and dress. He advised her he would meet her downstairs as soon as possible. He quickly dressed and hobbled down the stairs muttering that his bones had still to wake up, and that no man should be dragged from his bed at such an ungodly hour. Then together they headed out through the back, as Lizzy usually did when leaving the house alone.
As they reached the clearing, Lizzy ushered them to hide behind some boxes near the aviary. It was slightly further away from the clearing than the tree in which she had previously hidden, but she knew the old man was not of an age where climbing trees was a good idea. A small sparrow was fluttering above their heads and singing to them excitedly. Lizzy tried to shoo the bird away but he kept circling the pair. ‘Away you!’ she shouted in a loud whisper.
They were not long in the clearing when some of the men began to arrive. As planned, they were dressed as though they were going hunting for the day and muttered to one another in voices too low for Lizzy and the Laird to make out.
The Laird turned to Lizzy, ‘These men are dressed for a hunt,’ he whispered. ‘Are you sure you were not mistaken when you heard them talk earlier? This is very serious, Lizzy.’
‘My Lord,’ said Lizzy in hushed tones. ‘They are dressed for a hunt, but not the sort you would usually embark upon. Hopefully this bird will not stop you from hearing their plans.’ She did not say another word and faced the group, eager for them to say something which would make their intentions clear to the Laird. She kept scowling at the bird which flitted around them. At best he would stop them hearing what the men were saying, at worst he would end up giving away their hiding position.
‘We will depart in a couple of minutes,’ the Provost said. ‘If our friend Sheriff MacDonald is tardy he can explain his actions to Lady Naithara tonight. We do not have time to waste gentlemen. You would do well to remember our discussions earlier. Remember, if you cannot eliminate the man, you must at least destroy his staff. Without this, he is powerless.’ He was an evil looking man. With slicked back dark hair and an overly groomed moustache, he looked as if he greatly enjoyed his position within the community, and not for the right reasons. He had an odd obsession with time keeping and greatly enjoyed beating his servants if he thought they had been tardy bringing him his afternoon tea.
Suddenly Sheriff MacDonald then came running into the clearing looking very flustered. ‘My apologies, gentlemen,’ he attempted to say, bent over double and huffing loudly. ‘I was detained by some official business. Shall we be off?’ Clutching his side, he couldn’t recall having a stitch like this since he was a boy. He hated how this situation made him feel. It was like being back at school, when you knew the boys didn’t want you on their team.
The Lord Provost scowled at him. ‘Yes, now that our “friend” has chosen to arrive, we shall be off.’ he said shaking his head. ‘I trust you will not hinder this mission further? From the colour of your face I would say that you do not exercise regularly. Perhaps upon our return you should seek a good physic? I find that a good regular exercise regime is essential to my well being.’
The Sheriff merely looked sheepish, but he knew there was no point trying to argue back with such a man. He knew the Provost would be able to whip him with his tongue as easily as he did his servants with his belt. ‘Let us be off about this business,’ he said. ‘Torean is cunning. He will not sit waiting upon us to pay him a visit. I think we should approach Longford’s Pass from the direction of the old man’s farm. If he has left any evidence during his journey we shall find it.’
As the last of the men finally left the clearing, the Laird turned to Lizzy. ‘My girl,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry for doubting you.’
‘It’s okay,’ she said, beaming at him. ‘I’m just glad you now know the truth.’ She couldn’t help but smile. She felt as if she had already helped Torean just by getting someone like the Laird to believe her.
‘This seems to be a very dark business,’ the Laird said, rubbing his fingers on his unshaven chin. ‘However, I’m unsure how to go about fixing the matter. If the men in charge of the law are involved in this matter our resources are very limited.’
At this Lizzy physically sagged, looking crestfallen. She had hoped the Laird would know exactly what to do, as she was already painfully aware she, in her position, could do very little. ‘Is there nothing we can do?’ she asked desperately.
‘Well,’ the Laird said thoughtfully. ‘There is one man I would like to speak to upon the matter. He is an old friend, an old friend of Torean and mine in fact. If anyone can help me figure out a way to fight this, let us pray that he can.’
Lizzy looked hopeful once more. ‘Thank you, my Lord,’ she said, bobbing a little curtsey. ‘I couldn’t live with myself if we didn’t do something. Torean was always so kind to me, especially after my father died. I may not have gotten my position in your house if he had not introduced me.’
‘Well, my dear, let’s not dwell on such things. We must take action if we are to save Torean and his family. Also, if we are to get embroiled in this endeavour together, I think it is time you started to call me Angus.’
Lizzy blushed and nodded, unsure whether she would be able to bring herself to speak to the Laird as if she were an equal. It didn’t matter, however. All that mattered was that she had hope. Hope that they would be able to find a solution. Wasting no more time the two set off with Lizzy following the Laird towards a dirt road which led to the outskirts of the estate and to dense farmland. Lizzy was confused by this but decided to trust the Laird’s judgement. As they left the clearing, the little bird who had been circling them headed off in a different direction. As fast as the wind, he flew off towards where the group of men had embarked, and towards the hills.
Chapter Nine
An Unexpected Ally
As Torean and the group reached Devil’s Ford it was past nine o’clock in the morning. They were a sorry sight as they lowered their packs to the ground. The group was weary from their climb and sat down to rest. Out of breath, Torean looked around at them. ‘Well, I think we did well. It is not an easy climb and should provide us with some safety for a day or two.’
Adaira looked up, exhausted. ‘I hope so Torean. I don’t know if I have the strength to keep this up.’ She felt close to breaking. How had they ended up here? She was a simple woman, who had been reduced to being homeless, hiding in the hills.
‘Don’t worry, mother,’ Aneirin said, putting an arm around her. ‘We must trust granda, we have no other choice. If we wish to regain our home, then we must survive such hardship.’ The two seemed to change between backing Torean and feeling despondent. Luckily, when one of them was down, the other one managed to pick them back up.
‘My boy,’ Torean said emotionally. ‘You speak like a man much older than your years. I'd wished to spare you such hardship. Unfortunately fate has landed us in this situation and, as you say, we must endure.’
At that a small bird flew into the clearing, chirping at the top of its voice and circling the four. It landed in front of Torean and stood perfectly still as though awaiting instruction
. Onero also seemed to have stood forward as though awaiting information. The group couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the little creature. He was like a sentry standing to attention, although he was far too excited to keep up such a pose, and was soon hopping from one foot to the other with impatience. Torean mumbled to himself and lifted his staff.
‘Are you going to communicate with him?’ Tom asked expectantly.
‘Well,’ Torean said, ‘it may be nothing, but I have a feeling this little one is not purely excited about his breakfast.’ Torean then raised his staff and whispered gently to the creature, ‘Suaimhneach.’ The bird began to chirrup and squawk in a repetitive pattern.
After a few seconds Tom decided to lift his staff and also tried saying, ‘Suaimhneach.’ He then realised that, as the bird sang, a sense of understanding came over him. He did not hear words or sentences, but instead saw images. He saw a group of men standing in a clearing and understood they were coming after the family. He also saw an old man and a young woman cowering in the background, and he felt they meant to provide them with aid. The bird then rose up into the air and the connection between them was broken.
Torean turned to Aneirin and Adaira. ‘We have been brought another warning,’ he said. ‘There is a company of men who seek us out. From my understanding they'll head to Longford’s Pass to start their search. It also appears the Laird and our friend Lizzy are aware of our plight and seek to help us. I only hope they don't endanger themselves in this endeavour.’
Lizzy? Tom thought to himself. ‘Is that the woman who warned you about the Sheriff’s visit that night?’ he asked Torean.
‘Yes, my boy, it is,’ he replied. ‘She's been around our farm since she was a small child, and she's a very brave girl to try to help us.’
‘What do you think they’ll do?’ asked Aneirin worriedly. ‘I don’t want Lizzy putting herself in danger for our sakes.’
‘Well, if I know the Laird,’ Torean mused, ‘or I suppose I should now say, Angus, he’ll visit an old friend of ours for counsel. We were always close as boys and he’ll not want to embark upon such a venture without support.’
Adaira couldn’t help but look visibly relieved. ‘I know they may not be able to help us against the kind of evil you have spoken of, but it comforts me to know we have people on our side,’ she sighed.
‘Yes,’ replied Torean. ‘It’s nice to know that not everyone in Cairn Holme can be seduced by power. Unfortunately, they're not best equipped with the powers to contact us, but after our last visit from our little friend, I hope Mother Nature will find a way to keep us abreast of their endeavours.’
The morning’s events had given them all a lot to think about. They spent the next couple of hours setting up camp and talking with one another about what they thought the Laird and Lizzy could be doing. Torean and Tom went around the area setting up their usual wards to warn them of any strangers breaching the camp. Aneirin followed them round like a puppy, and as they walked the three talked of the staff.
‘Granda,’ Aneirin said, ‘while I can't learn the way of the staff when we are in danger, can I listen as you and Tom work, so I may start to learn of the language you use?’
‘Of course you can,’ Torean replied. ‘This is your heritage as much as anyone else’s and I would like for you to start learning of our lore.’
‘So, where shall we begin today?’ Aneirin asked excitedly, looking at Torean with a large grin. He was happy his grandfather wasn’t going to keep him out of this important training any longer. He secretly wished he could take Tom’s place at his side.
Tom looked at Aneirin and couldn’t help but feel bitter and slightly sad. A part of him wished he had been given the opportunity to learn about the staff before having to use it. He resented being thrust into a situation he had no control over. He quickly put those thoughts aside, feeling ashamed of having even thought them. ‘Are there any words I can use to heal people or mend things?’
‘Very good question, boy,’ Torean smiled. Despite the situation they were in, the old man was enjoying himself. It had been a long time since he had been able to speak so freely about the staff to others. This made his thoughts turn to his son; he would ensure that he did better this time.
‘Well, granda?’ Aneirin asked impatiently.
‘There are words,’ Torean said, shaking his head at Aneirin with a smile, ‘you can use for such things. Càirich can mend or repair items, and the word ioc can be used to heal others. These are good words to know, but, ioc can only be used when a wound isn't too serious. As you would expect, there is no way to bring someone back from a fatal injury. It goes against nature to undo such things. Also, if a wound is serious, the staff can call upon the life energy of the wielder in order to heal someone, so it can be dangerous. As you would expect, you can use the life around you to heal people, although this should not be done lightly. We are not here to kill the creatures around us. I also would like to suggest two very useful words you must remember. The first of these is beathaich; this may be crucial in our battle. It is a word which uses your strength to sustain another’s enchantment. Using this word, even if you did not know what spell I was using as a defence, you could help me to fight the enemy. I believe this could be an important tool in your arsenal, since I'll only have time to show you the very basics of our lore. The second is coimhead. This is a word which can be used to look at what people are doing. To use it you must be next to water. The water provides the reflective surface to look into, but also allows the power of nature in the water to provide the strength for the spell. It is limited by what you use. If you use a bowl of water you will not be able to summon a lot of power and so will not be able to cover a great distance, although if you are next a lake, you can usually summon the power to cross several miles.’
‘That sounds amazing,’ said Tom. He then looked down sadly. ‘If only I could cross time boundaries, I could see my family.’
Torean looked at Tom sympathetically. ‘Unfortunately it would take a great deal of power to cross such a divide. I'm not sure even the great mountains surrounding Cairn Holme can cross the boundaries of time itself. I understand that you are missing your family. But, I would ask you to take comfort in the fact that we are, in a way, also your family. We are all MacKays and through fighting with us here, you are preserving the safety of those you hope to return to.’
Tom liked this thought. He was fighting for his family. He also liked the thought that when he returned, his grandfather would be proud of him.
Aneirin cut in at this point, ‘Tom,’ he said, almost sheepishly. ‘Hearing you speak, I feel bad. I've been too harsh with you. I forget that you're no older than I am and you've been separated from your family to be here with us.’
Tom smiled. ‘Don’t worry. We've more in common than you think. I rely upon my granda to be my best friend. Also, I lost my father, in fact, after this trip I will be asking my grandfather some questions about how that happened. Somehow the likelihood of him dying in an accident while being away on a fishing trip seems a little less likely now.’
‘Well, lad,’ Torean said kindly, ‘unfortunately it is a dangerous path we are chosen to tread. But we're blessed. Few get to have adventures quite like those of a guardian.’
‘A guardian,’ Tom liked the phrase. For a moment he felt as if he was back in one of his adventures. Somehow, standing with Torean and Aneirin in sunlight discussing such matters made the fear he felt at night seem silly. He was a brave knight fighting his own crusade. He almost felt that if he turned round right now, King Arthur would be beside him.
The three returned to the camp and Adaira was preparing a light meal for them for lunch. As they sat and ate some bread and cheese, Tom went over in his mind the words Torean had taught him. He knew he would need to know these words like they were second nature to him if he was going to be able to use them in times of great peril, especially beathaich. If he was to help Torean, he knew it would be with Torean leading the fight in the end. The afte
rnoon had filled him with hope. They had friends who were trying to find a way to help them, and he knew now even if he did not know all the ways of the staff, he could help Torean in a battle simply by lending his strength to the old man’s enchantments. Part of him couldn’t wait to get home. He wanted to know what adventures his father and grandfather had experienced.
* * *
Meanwhile, Lizzy and Laird Anstruther were walking towards a farm. Along the way they had passed close enough to the remains of the MacKay farm to see the burnt down cottage. They stopped for several moments and just stared at the ashes, the harsh winds blowing the lingering smell of smoke into their faces, and the grass surrounding the house now blackened and burned. Somehow, it felt like they were stopping to show respect at a graveside, even though they now knew Torean had not perished in the flames.
The Laird looked at Lizzy. ‘You know,’ he said, putting his arm around her, ‘after this morning in the clearing I had accepted something very wrong was happening, but it was not until this moment, seeing my friend's home, that it became real. We'll have to move quickly if we're going to help Torean and his family survive this.’
‘Yes,’ Lizzy said, with her eyes glistening, yet set sternly upon the ruin. ‘The MacKays were good to me, and from what those men said, Torean has power to fight them. We'll make sure he knows that he is not fighting this alone.’
The two did not speak again until they reached their destination. The sight of the destroyed farm had galvanised their conviction to fight whatever had caused such destruction. Even if at that moment the whole situation seemed to fill them with more questions than answers. Not only did they not understand what Lady Naithara had gotten involved in, but neither of them, no matter how much they thought they had known Torean, could understand exactly what had made him such a target.