by Jane Stain
When they crested the small mountain, Katherine stopped and threw up her hands with a smile. "We're here. This is as far away from civilization as I can get you in a few hours without flying."
Flying?
But Luag didn't voice his question. Roland was distracted enough by the trees. With Luag's hand still firmly on his arm, he was now leaning against the tallest one nearby, eyes closed with a look of amazement and elation on his face.
Katherine noticed. "How long do you want to give the tree hugger before we insist he take you home?"
Luag shrugged. "We can give him a few moments."
They stood there watching Roland's face move as if he were talking to someone in his mind, which they supposed he was.
But after a while Luag grew impatient once more. "Come on, old man. We need to get home and warn our friends, and you need to get home and warn your fellow druids about all the monstrosities world domination creates, remember?"
Roland opened his eyes looking so happy, Luag was glad he'd given the druid those few moments. "If ye are ready, I think I hae just enough power tae dae the job now."
Luag opened his mouth to tell the man to get on with it.
But the world was already spinning.
In a panic, he reached out his hand toward Katherine.
She was instantly in his embrace, latching onto him for all she was worth.
Luag allowed himself to enjoy the nearness of her while the world flip-flopped all around them.
They arrived at the top of the mountain above Leif's manor. It was midday, just as it had been at the top of the mountain in Big Bear, California. And it was still July, because Luag was only slightly shivering in the skimpy clothes Katherine had purchased for him. He chuckled to see her teeth chattering as she hugged herself for warmth, goose flesh on her arms, she was so cold.
Luag let go of Roland.
The old druid ambled his way down the opposite side of the mountain from Inverurie. "Ye hae the right o’ it. I dae need tae get back tae my druid kindred and show them my memories o’ the terror that waurld domination brings upon nature in the future." He turned a mischievous look on Luag. "And ye need tae go and warn yer friends about yer kinsman."
Luag started down Leif’s side of the mountain, wondering if Katherine would follow him.
She did, and for a time there was blessed silence between them, silence being golden during times of tension between allies, so far as Luag was concerned.
When at last she did speak, it was not with the anger he'd been preparing himself for. No, her voice was sickly sweet in the Gaelic the druid magic formed her words into.
"Sae Donald is kin tae ye?"
At first, he was at a loss as to how to respond. “Aye” was all he said, keeping his eyes on the faint trail down the mountain toward Leif's manor.
"And I assume ye want me tae keep this little secret o’ yers safe from Leif and Taran and everyone in Inverurie?" she said in mockingly sweet tones.
She had crossed the line.
He rounded on her. "They all dae ken, every last one o’ them. If ye had been paying attention tae anyone but yer sacred self this past year, ye would hae kenned as well. I hae had enough o’ yer superior attitude. If yer gaun'ae speak tae me, dae sae with respect. Otherwise, I would rather na hear from ye."
"Suits me just fine," she said with that same superior attitude.
Well they are almost back to Cresh Manor now, so there really wasn't any need for him to speak to her anyway.
6
Katherine was in shock at the venomous way Luag had spoken. It certainly didn't help her believe he was on the up-and-up with her friends. The sooner she got to them and warned them about him, the sooner her heart would be at ease.
They went up over a ridge in the mountain and there it was below them, Cresh Manor.
Katherine was startled to feel affection for the place that had seemed like a prison the past year. Must be just because her friends were there, that was all. Smoke flew from both chimneys, and the smell of roast game made her mouth water.
She needed to find better places to eat at home, that was for sure, places that used fresh ingredients. She took out her phone and made a note. "Look for farm fresh eating places, and shop at the farmers’ market."
She'd had three of PenUlt’s top-of-the-line solar chargers delivered to their hotel suite in her new leather messenger bag. She imagined with some excitement Lauren and Jessica's faces when she gave them theirs. Oh, they wouldn't be able to call anyone or text anyone or get on the Internet, of course, but they both had books they loved on their phones, and photos of family and friends.
"Katherine," Luag said from behind her. His businesslike tone made her cautiously turn and see what he wanted. He was holding out Leif's mother's summer linen leine. He had already put his own on.
Nodding in begrudging gratitude, she accepted it from him and put it on over her mini dress, along with the handmade shoes Lauren had bought for her. Their friends in the manor house were one thing, but as the Laird over Inverurie, Leif often had visitors from among the townspeople. They would undoubtedly be shocked at seeing Katherine in less than a leine.
The two of them went down the rest of the way in silence, with Katherine's anxiety only slightly relieved by the kindness he'd just shown.
Their friends ran out of the manor house and up the hill, huge smiles on their faces and yelling out greetings which Katherine could hear but not discern from this distance. Still, they warmed her heart. After what seemed like months but in reality had only been two days, she was reunited with the people who had been like family to her this past year.
Jessica and Lauren both crushed her in bear hugs.
"We were sae worried aboot ye!" Squealed Jessica.
"I was na," Lauren said wryly against Katherine's back, still hugging her tight. "Did ye get any action with Luag yet?"
Katherine froze, the joy of the reunion ruined in the light of what she had to reveal. "Aboot Luag," she whispered so that only the two women who had become like sisters could hear. "He says ye ken that he's kin tae the MacDonalds who kidnapped ye, Lauren." Clinging to her friends in love, Katherine waited for the brouhaha.
But it didn't come.
"Aye," Jessica whispered back with breathless haste. "We ken. Leif does tae, and Taran, and all the toon. Luag's been here for years. He's Leif and Taran's childhood friend. They trust him like a brother, just like I trust ye and Lauren."
As Leif's wife of less than a year, Jessica was the lady of Inverurie, and it was admirable how well a formerly timid woman was adapting to the role. Nevertheless, Jessica was a nurse, a nurturer — in other words, far too trusting for her own good.
Katherine pulled back a bit so she could give their less emotional engineer friend Lauren her carefully practiced raised eyebrow, her best ‘Is this true?’ look.
Giving Jessica a reassuring squeeze, Lauren nodded solemnly. Then she turned her eyes back to Katherine, and they were unbelievably full of joy. She opened her mouth to speak.
But gasping with excitement for her friend, Katherine beat her to it. "I missed the wedding, did na I?"
Lauren's smile turned even more joyful if that was possible and she hugged Katherine again. "Aye, ye did, and I dinna gin tae fash, I'm sae happy!"
Katherine reluctantly let her friends go. The two of them were sisters now in reality, through marriage. It made her feel left out of something she hadn't even known she wanted.
Luag strapped the sword Leif reverently handed him to its usual place on his back and was speaking to his friend in hushed tones.
Katherine went ahead and told her friends what was going on, too. "Roland, Donald's druid, followed us back tae Santa Monica—"
But Lauren had amazing news for Katherine. "Galdus telt me. I'm rid o’ him, Katherine! I stabbed him intae that fool hippie Sky Blue. They’re both gone with nary a trace, and I dinna care where. I'm rid o’ Galdus!"
Katherine tried to make her face a happy one. "That's
wonderful, Lauren."
Lauren saw through her. "Ye're wondering what Galdus telt me about Donald's druid. Just that he is in truth a friend o’ Galdus more than o’ the other druids here. Which means Roland is ancient, Katherine, because Galdus is ancient."
Katherine managed a true smile, finally. "That's good. That's really good. There's hope then, because Roland saw the horrors — in his words — o’ what waurld domination does tae nature. He couldna use any o’ his powers, ancient or otherwise, while he was in the city. He's determined tae stop the druids o’ this time from helping the MacDonalds dominate Scotland."
Jessica held up her hand and waved it around in front of Katherine's face. "Hold on. Did ye say waurld domination?"
Katherine nodded vigorously. "Aye, the druids o’ this time think that somehow dominating Scotland will make them dominate the waurld. That's why they brought all those people back in time from the future, tae help them ken which strings tae pull."
Jessica looked worried. "And Galdus's druid friend Roland is gaun'ae convince the MacDonalds na tae dae that anymair, na tae try and take ower Scotland?"
Katherine shook her head. "No. No, and because Luag and I lured Donald's druid away, he's likely still hopping mad. Roland does na think he wull quit. He says the next target was Aberdeen."
Jessica called out to her husband, "Leif, Donald's after Aberdeen next. We hae tae warn the Regent!"
They didn't even stay at Cresh Manor long enough to have a meal. The men ran inside for their soldiering bags, and then, surprising everyone, they gestured for the women to follow them down to the tavern where the horses were.
Katherine, Lauren, and Jessica didn't waste any time running along, but Katherine thought Jessica was going to jinx it when she spoke her ruminations out loud.
"Leif, I am na complaining, but I'm really surprised ye are taking us along."
Leif smiled at her affectionately as they ran down the hill toward the barley fields. "Luag has convinced me that the devices the three o’ ye hae may help us. We dinna ken how tae use them, but he thinks they might convince the regent o’ the danger."
Katherine glanced over at the man she'd been sure only minutes ago was a traitor.
There was nothing on his face but concentration, determination, and loyalty to his friends.
"I'm sorry I doubted ye, Luag. Will ye forgive me?" she huffed out as they finished passing through the barley fields. A year ago she would not have been able to run this far this fast. It was amazing what truly roughing it could do for one's stamina.
All he gave her in return was a nod.
But it was enough. She no longer felt awful, and now she could enjoy the company of her friends for a time before she left them for good. This life just wasn't for her. She'd known that as soon as she'd taken her first sip of espresso martini. She liked the finer things in life, and while those things might exist in this time, they were reserved for the richest of the rich — royalty, not a mere lord's friends.
They ran into the tavern — a one-room establishment below two bedrooms that were seldom let out to strangers.
Leif called out to the proprietor, "We wull be taking all six horses, Gil. Luag has just returned with dire news. Donald is marching on Aberdeen. We need tae warn them. Come with the rest o’ the militia on foot behind us."
Gil and both of his sons ran out to the stable and helped the men get the horses ready.
Katherine was glad she'd been here a year and knew how to ride. This ride to Aberdeen would go well, unlike the embarrassing incidents she experienced when she first got here.
7
As soon as Luag saw Katherine tacking up Golden Foot in the stable, memory kicked in, so vivid it was like yesterday instead of most of a year hence. He got Steam’s tack and went about preparing his own horse for the ride to Aberdeen while the memory played in his mind like one of those TV shows.
Shortly after Leif and Jessica’s wedding, they had all been in this tavern. Leif had been up to some fun.
"Luag," said Leif with a mischievous smile on his face, "show Katherine how tae get on Golden Foot."
With a knowing look at Leif, Luag drained his tankard of ale and got up to leave the inn, not even looking to see if Katherine would follow. "The things we dae for the love o’ oor friends," he said casually, but on the word ‘friends,’ he stared Leif down until the man laughed.
Luag smirked at Katherine when he found her standing outside the stable with her arms crossed, waiting for him to come and protect her on her way into the stable, of all places.
Katherine had made quite a name for herself in town as the one person who could match Luag in a battle of wits, and Luag wasn't going to waste this opportunity to get some revenge on her for that.
As loudly as he reasonably could, he called her out for her cowardice of horses. "Ye canna take the heat, and sae ye are staying out o’ the kitchen. Wise, that is.”
Her eyes grew intense with anger. “I merely wait for the help I was promised, is all.”
He puffed up his chest to emphasize he was her help, lifting his chin in a proud way that made the onlookers laugh.
She moved her chin from side to side and crossed her arms, playing the impatient master waiting for her servant to comply.
He couldn’t allow her to think of him that way. “Are ye certain ye dinna want tae go in and tell Leif ye would rather na learn tae ride? Being a lass and all, there is na shame."
Seeing a small crowd gather, a pleasing red hue came to Katherine's cheeks.
Luag felt the rush of victory.
However, she recovered enough to riposte. "’Tis ye Leif put tae the task o’ seeing that I could ride, na I. Sae any shame at the incompletion o’ the task will be on ye, is it na sae?"
This froze him in his tracks, for she was right. He wasn't going to admit so to her, though.
But Aiden filled in for him. "She has the right o’ it, Luag. Ye had best complete the tasks set for ye by yer laird, or risk his wrath."
Leif never reacted with wrath. Even though he had only recently inherited the responsibilities of lairdship at the young age of twenty-three, he was like a loving father to his people, far more likely to show disappointment when you didn’t do your duty, and so everyone laughed at this.
Katherine laughed the loudest, and she stood up straighter now, even crossing her arms and raising her chin in direct challenge.
He had made this into a battle of wills between them. She would resist learning to ride and put all the blame on him!
Luag looked over at the lass, admiring the ease with which she now threw Golden Foot’s saddle over him, holding his reins to the side as if she'd been around horses her whole life.
As he passed by on his way to the tack room, he gave her his best apologetic look. "Katherine, ye were right tae ask that promise o’ me. I had na idea just how wrong I was tae take lightly yer discomfort with the ways o’ my time. 'Tis I who need tae ask yer forgiveness."
That pleasing redness came to her face again, and no doubt she was remembering how he'd taken his revenge on her for that victory there in the town.
Luag got up on Golden Foot himself and handed her up behind him, ignoring the feel of her front pressing against his back, gripping her legs around his, and the thrill that went up his spine at the feeling of her arms around his waist.
"Saddle up Steam for me," he said to Gil's younger son.
Leading the other horse behind them, he went off down the trail toward Aberdeen half an hour before stopping to give Katherine instruction in private, where no audience would give her the satisfaction of holding his obligation to teach her over his head. No, here it would just be her embarrassment and his superior skill. Just the way he liked it.
And she knew his intention, because her grip around his waist got tighter with every passing mile.
With great joy in what he was about to experience, he quickly dismounted and stepped away from Golden Foot.
"Verra well. Yer foremaist lesson will be dismounting
on yer own. Ye need tae be able tae dae this with nary any men handing ye doon, ye ken, as the safety o’ yer life demands it. What is yer foremaist idea about how tae proceed?" Knowing she had absolutely no idea what to do, he stayed there imitating a calm wait for her answer, drumming his fingers on his crossed arm and smiling at her with mock patience and friendliness.
She made several attempts at an answer, but each time she thought better of what she'd been about to say. Instead, she sat the horse quietly for a good quarter hour, refusing to ask for help.
Giving Golden Foot credit, he behaved remarkably well during this time, only eating the weeds he could reach without taking a step.
When Luag saw that the horse had run out of weeds to eat, he patted Golden Foot's back, cooing, "There’s a good lad. How ye can stand for the likes o’ this lass I will never ken, but a good job ye are doing."
He led the horse a few steps away, where there was a large clump of grass. Only for the happiness of the horse did he do this, mind. It was no skin off his nose if Katherine was surprised and fell off his back. She was a thorn in his side. Had been from day one, and he would like nothing more than for her to learn a lesson the hard way.
No, he moved the horse for the horse's good.
Katherine was so stubborn, she sat on that horse for an hour, patiently allowing Luag to keep moving it to new clumps of grass rather than ask to be shown how to get down off the horse's back.
But Katherine had drunk several tankards of ale in the tavern.
The first telltale sign was the ever-so-pleasing red tone that came into her milky white face.
The second was a very brief grimace, before she covered it with her usual mask of self-control and contentment.
And third was the cunning that showed on her face briefly while she thought of a way to ask for what she wanted without seeming to do so —a skill of hers that he begrudgingly admired, so good was she.