On A Highland Hill (Gunn Guardsmen)

by Kara Griffin

  Elisa followed and it took them nearly an hour to reach the coast. Night had fallen and turned the sky to obscurity. Fortunately, a full moon provided light and she could see the water.

  They found the hut and close by, the boat tethered to the tall sea grasses. Elisa untied the boat and motioned to Kelsi to follow. The boat floated beside her in the water, and her garments soaked to her knees.

  “Come, get in and I’ll push us out a little.”

  Kelsi backed a step. “Nay, I cannot go with you, Elisa.”

  Elisa crawled into the boat and it shifted from a small wave hitting the shoreline. She almost lost her balance.

  “You must come. I cannot do this alone.”

  Kelsi looked back at the tree line and her face flushed. She looked back at her apprehensively.

  “Please, Kelsi, I must go and now. What is here keeping you? I don’t want to do this alone, but I must because it might save the McInnish clan.”

  “Elisa, you ask too much. I don’t like water, never have. There are creatures out there and besides what if we go over the edge?”

  She smiled and held her hand out. “Come, I swear upon my life to keep us close to land. We shan’t go over the edge, I promise.” Elisa wanted to laugh, but Kelsi was serious. Her father had told her tales of traveling well beyond of what looked like the edge of the sea. He had believed they would come to land before they would ever reach the end. “We’ll take turns at the oars. I wouldn’t ask this of you, but… don’t want to be alone.” Elisa pulled her satchel from over her arm and threw it along with her other satchel toward the center of the boat.

  Kelsi scuttled into the boat and fell to her rear at the other end. “This better not sink.”

  The vessel was small and likely used for fishing since it didn’t appear to be able to fit more than two or three men. Elisa knew the coast of her home and she hoped to recognize it as they went north. From what she could figure they had ridden south and then west. She knew this by the placement of the sun. Thankful her father had given her lessons of the sky, she used the lessons wisely. She was the first to take the oars and began rowing them past the breaking waves.

  Kelsi panicked a few times and screamed when they almost tipped over from a wave coming ashore. It was getting darker and the horizon all but obscure. She couldn’t see very far.

  “We’re going to be eaten by a serpent.”

  Elisa laughed. “You really believe that nonsense?”

  “Oh, aye, I’ve heard many stories. The fishermen used to tell them when they came into the keep to sell their fish.”

  “Exactly, Kelsi, they were just tall tales. Worry not for there is no such thing as serpents.” Elisa had rowed for a good distance and was beginning to tire. “Do you want to take the oars for a little while? My arms are getting sore. Keep us straight and make sure to try to keep land in sight. The moon should be to our right.” She pointed to it as the moon had rose high enough to see it over the tree line.

  Kelsi began rowing and soon she breathed hard from the exertion. “This is harder than it looks.”

  “Why did you paint yourself red? Everyone at the keep feared you were a fairy out to hex them.”

  “That’s what I intended. I wanted them to fear me, which is why I used the clay from the bog. And I figured they wouldn’t be able to recognize me.” Kelsi held tightly onto the side of the boat, her eyes wide when another wave skewed the boat.

  “You lived alone for so long. Why didn’t you return home? Your mother worries.”

  Kelsi retook the oars, sending them farther up the coast with her strokes. “At first I stayed away because I missed my father and then time passed. I didn’t want to return when I heard neither of my brothers would be coming back. My mother always worries. Is she well?”

  “Aye, but she misses you. Now that Kenneth has returned, you should think about returning when we’re finished …”

  “Mayhap, but I’ve been on my own and I am not certain I wish to return. My mother will insist I wed and I won’t be forced.”

  “Is that what you’re worried about?” Elisa took her satchel and had some flint and was happy she hadn’t cleaned out her medicinal satchel. Sometimes she had to heat herbs and mixtures or melt wax to mix in to cure a malady.

  “I am not worried.”

  Kelsi wasn’t fooling anyone. The lass worried and hid behind her persona of the Red Lady so no one would bother her. Eventually she would have to return to her life.

  Elisa did a thorough check of her items, making sure she knew what supplies she had. Elisa squinted and thought she saw the form of two men walking along the coast. There was a small light coming from a torch. Although they were far enough out not to be seen too well, and additionally it had grown dark enough that they shouldn’t have been seen at all.

  “Elisa, I’m frightened of the water. We should stop and rest ashore until it lightens. It is too dark to continue.”

  “We cannot. We are safer here in the boat. There may be dangers on the land. We must keep rowing and make as much progress as we can.” Elisa took the oars from her. “You rest and close your eyes. You can imagine we’re on land and you’re on a swing.”

  Kelsi groaned and sounded as if she was dying. She took pity on her and stopped rowing, and rooted through her medicinal satchel. She gave her a sprig of peppermint leaf.

  “Chew this; it will help settle your stomach.”

  She retook the oars and made progress for they had gone a good distance from where they started and she lost sight of the small light from the coast.

  “I am not enjoying this. My stomach is turning.” Kelsi moaned and hunched over.

  Elisa imagined her face a shade of chartreuse had she been able to see her, but it was dark upon the waters. She wasn’t even certain she kept to a straight line, but as long as they didn’t hit land… The moon was now far out over the sea and to their left.

  “There is bread in the other satchel, eat it. It shall help calm your stomach.”

  “Is there anything you don’t have in there?”

  Elisa smiled for she didn’t like to be ill-prepared. The boat started rocking as larger waves came. She must have gotten too close to the breaking waves near the shore. So she turned the boat and veered back out to sea. She tried not to show her concern for she didn’t want to panic Kelsi.

  The night wore on and the sky began lightening but thick angry clouds sat on the horizon. Elisa looked toward land and tried to recognize it. She didn’t and continued rowing. The clouds became heavier and a steady rain began falling. She was soaked through from both the rain and waves that came over the side of the boat. There were a few inches of water sloshing around the bottom of the boat.

  “Kelsi, you need to row so I can get out some of this water.”

  “How are you going to do that?”

  Elisa took off her boot and used it to collect the water and dumped it over the side.

  “You’re far more intelligent that I.” Kelsi pulled at the oars. She kept a nice pace sending them farther up the coast.

  By late afternoon, Elisa saw men walking along the coast again. She didn’t think they were the same men she’d seen the night before, but they concerned her for they seemed to be walking quickly and she kept them in sight. They were too far a distance for her to tell who they were.

  When early evening came, Elisa began to recognize the land. There was an inlet where her father used to fish. She’d spent many days during her childhood at his side there. It was too dark to leave the safety of the boat, and they would have to wait until morning to take to the land.

  Kelsi lay back with her eyes gazing at the stars above. “Will your husband, the laird, be angry that you ran away?”

  Elisa set the oars in the boat and lay back too. She was tired from lack of sleep but too excited and cautious to try to even close her eyes.

  “He promised to forgive me.”

  Kelsi snorted in disbelief. “Truly? You told him you were going to run away?”

&n
bsp; “I’m not running away. I’m trying to keep the McInnish clan from being killed.”

  “You are too running away. How did you get him to promise to forgive you?”

  Elisa sighed. “I told him I was likely going to need forgiveness eventually. I just didn’t tell him why.” That night when she’d overheard them speaking of war, and then remembered the conversation with Uma, she knew what she had to do.

  “Aye, you are verily smarter than me.”

  “Let us get rest and make landfall in the morn. My home isn’t too far off.” She closed her eyes as much as she tried to resist, and for the first time since she’d snuck out of the McInnish holding, she thought of Kenneth. He was going to be angry, even after she explained her reasoning for taking such a risk. She had to have hope that he would understand. It wasn’t in her nature to allow others to be harmed when she may possibly prevent it.

  An ache awoke her. Her back throbbed from lying against the rim of the boat. Elisa stretched and looked to her right hoping to see land. The boat beached upon the rocky shoreline and Kelsi was gone. Elisa grabbed her satchels and got out, and fought against the knee-high current. Her garments were soaked through and hung heavily.

  “Kelsi,” she called. Elisa worried. She walked along the shoreline and set her hand above her eyes to see better. She finally spied her standing on the rise. Kelsi stood afar and waved. Elisa ran up the rocky hill to where she stood and hugged her tightly.

  “Oh thank God you are safe. I was so worried. I thought mayhap someone took off with you or you got lost.” Elisa wasn’t wont to let her go.

  Kelsi laughed and hugged her in return. “You worry too much. I was just looking around. I haven’t seen anyone.”

  “You should be careful for we don’t know who is about. Although I’m familiar with everyone in my clan, they might be very guarded because of what happened.” She released her friend and gazed around them.

  “I’ve been on my own for a long time, Elisa. I’m capable of taking care of myself. What happened? Are you ever going to explain?”

  Elisa shook her head, for she didn’t want to confess the sadness she had buried deep inside her. “Aye, I know you’re capable, but you’re my friend and I brought you here. Promise to stay within sight? I will hold such guilt if anything happened to you.”

  “I will. Where to now?” Kelsi led the way toward the break in the trees.

  “My home is about a two hour walk at least. Father and I used to set out at dawn and would reach the shore by midmorning.”

  “That is afar. We should let our garments dry before we take such a walk.”

  Elisa again shook her head. “Nay, we can’t risk being seen. We must get moving.” Elisa took the lead and after they left the rocky hill beyond the beach, she found the old trail she and her father had used. The trail hadn’t been used for a long time and vegetation had grown. The lane practically covered with weeds, but she could still find her way. She’d taken this walk many times.

  Elisa was concerned at what she would find when she got to her home. She wondered if she would be welcomed and hoped the new laird would be kind enough to offer her and Kelsi shelter until she could figure out what she was doing. Every once in a while they would take a rest and would sit beneath a tree until they had enough vigor to continue. She had to coerce Kelsi to keep going and finally they were near.

  Kelsi linked her arm with hers. She began whistling a song Elisa had heard before and she began whistling too. At the bottom of a hillside, a small plot of land was fenced off with a low wall of rocks. Elisa stopped and saw the grave markers and the rocks set in place covering the graves. Kelsi tried to pull her along, but she balked.

  “I want to stop here a moment, Kelsi.” Elisa knelt and read the markers. Her family was placed in her father’s favorite spot. The grass grew high and the few birch trees nearby shaded the area. Many a time they had picnicked there. A deep sadness came for she missed them and was disheartened at the way they were taken.

  “Who are they?”

  “My family.” Elisa said a few prayers and gently touched the marker of her father’s grave. He was a good man to have suffered such a death.

  “I’m sorry, Elisa. How did they die?”

  Elisa couldn’t answer, for emotion clogged her throat and besides, she didn’t want to discuss it. When she eased enough she stepped away. “Come, we should leave this place.”

  The rest of the walk to the MacQuarrie holding wasn’t too far, just up the incline. The closer she got the more apprehensive she became. Ahead were the walls of the fortification. When her father was laird they always received visitors and the gatehouse always bustled with people coming and going. No guard posted the gate and parts of the wooden wall were damaged and had fallen down.

  “Where is everyone?”

  Elisa’s heart ached seeing her home so uncared for. Nothing appeared as she remembered. They slunk past the gatehouse, in case someone was within the bailey. Wind blew dirt from the ground and almost blinded her for a moment. Elisa didn’t see a soul. It seemed her clan had disbanded.

  “I don’t know. It doesn’t appear anyone is here.”

  “Where is the main keep?”

  She kept walking and envisioned her last day at the keep. Clanswomen were outside their cottages tending to wash and she’d stopped to speak with some of them on her way to the woods. The men were sitting in groups around the fires discussing training tactics. They were all gone, every last one of them. She looked to the battlement and didn’t see anyone posted.

  “My father didn’t believe we should live in a grand keep. We lived in a cottage like the rest of the clan. We lived a simple life here and not as splendid as the Gunn’s or even the McInnish clans. It’s just ahead, the last along the lane.” When they reached her home, Elisa stood outside the doorway uncertain of what she’d find within. Apprehensively, she opened the door and left it wide open so she could peer inside.

  The cottage had been vacant for so long. Coverings on the windows had shred and part of the thatch had fallen through and a bit of light shown through the roof.

  “Do you not want to go inside?”

  “I’m thinking about it.” Elisa couldn’t make herself move.

  “Are you fearful?”

  “I haven’t been here in such a long time. It seems strange to be standing here.”

  “Come.” Kelsi took her hand and held it firmly. “We’ll go in together.”

  Elisa stepped through the threshold and looked at the table where they had eaten their meals. There were still cups and trenchers from the morn she’d been taken still sitting untouched. It immediately reminded her of her mother who likely never got around to clearing the table that day. That thought saddened her and she couldn’t even begin to imagine how her mother had died. She shook the thought from her mind, not wishing to envision such a gruesome event.

  Elisa looked around. Memories filled her, both happy and sad. She reached the pallet that she and Mauri shared. The coverings just how they’d left them, rumpled and unkempt. Beside the bed was a chest where they kept their garments and other possessions. She was still damp from her stay in the boat.

  “We should change into dry garments.” Elisa rummaged through the trunk and found one cotte and one tunic and two overdresses. They were the overdresses she and Mauri had used in winter and were of thicker fabric. At least they would be warm this night. She started peeling her wet garments off and Kelsi did the same. They hung the garments around the cottage so they would dry.

  Elisa dressed in her clothes and tried to smooth the wrinkles from the white cotte before pulling an overdress of her clan’s colors over it.

  Kelsi shivered and hastily dressed in a blue tunic and light blue overdress. “I’ve never worn anything so fine.”

  “That was Mauri’s. She always had the best gowns and garments.”

  “Shall we look for something to eat?” She took out the rest of the bread from the satchel and looked around to see if there was anything
that wasn’t spoiled.

  “We will need to find food,” Kelsi said. “I’ll see if I can find anything out there.”

  “Be careful. Here, take this with you.” Elisa handed the dagger to her.

  Kelsi left her alone in the cottage.

  Elisa went back to the trunk and pulled everything out. Her plan was to find the parchment and give it to Kenneth so he may give it to Alexander. It wasn’t amongst any of their belongings. She searched around the cottage, but Kelsi came back and set four large grasshoppers on the table.

  Elisa grimaced. “You expect me to eat that?”

  “Aye,” she said, laughing. “Once they’re cooked in a stew they taste fine.”

  “We have nothing with which to make a stew. And besides, I don’t eat anything with eyes.”

  Kelsi laughed heartily. “Eyes taste the best.”

  She gasped.

  “I am jesting, Elisa. We still have a little bread.” Kelsi grabbed the insects and put them in a bowl near the hearth.

  “There’s only a few crumbs and they’re a little damp. We’ll go out tomorrow and search around for something to eat.” Elisa continued to hunt through the cottage for the parchment.

  “What are you looking for?”

  “The cause of all my woe,” Elisa said.

  “And that would be?”

  “A parchment.” Elisa explained why it was so important. “… and thereby stopping Domhnall’s army from going to the McInnish. If I can find it.”

  “What are you going to do with it?”

  “Give it to the king.” Elisa left out the fact that she would give it to Kenneth if she was able to. “The king is keen on getting his hands on it.”

  “You are so brave.”

  “I just want this over with. I wonder if Mauri ever had the parchment. Mayhap she never did possess it. I can’t find it anywhere here.” Elisa pulled the covering from their pallet, and tossed the stuffed bedding aside. Nothing was under any of it. She spent the rest of the afternoon looking everywhere she could think of.