Highlander's Embrace

by Amy Isan

  Highlander's Embrace

  Misty Highlands, Volume 1

  Amy Isan

  Published by Amy Isan, 2013.

  ~*~*~

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  HIGHLANDER'S EMBRACE

  First edition. December 16, 2013.

  Copyright © 2013 Amy Isan.

  Written by Amy Isan.

  Sign up for her newsletter for prizes, review copies, and new release info here: http://bit.ly/18WuvMU

  Table of Contents

  Copyright Page

  ~Prologue~ | 1520 — December

  Chapter 1: Elyn | 1540 — August 25th

  Chapter 2: Gavin | 1540 — August 26th

  Chapter 3: Elyn | 1540 — August 26th

  Chapter 4: Gavin | 1540 — August 26th

  Chapter 5: Elyn | 1540 — August 27th

  Chapter 6: Gavin | 1540 — August 28th

  Chapter 7: Alec | 1540 — August 29th

  Chapter 8: Sheena | 1540 — August 29th

  Chapter 9: Elyn | 1540 — August 29th

  Chapter 10: Gavin | 1540 — August 29th

  Chapter 11: Elyn | 1540 — August 29th

  Chapter 12: Gavin | 1540 — August 30th

  Chapter 13: Gavin | 1540 — August 30th

  Chapter 14: Elyn | 1540 — August 31st

  Chapter 15: Gavin | 1540 — August 31st

  Chapter 16: Elyn | 1540 — August 31st

  ~Epilogue~ | 1540 — September

  ~Prologue~

  1520 — December

  Moira MacDonald tightened her grip on her husband’s hand, frowning and groaning as she trembled. The midwife drew herself close between the Lady's splayed legs and tried to calm her.

  “Easy. Easy there, just breathe...” the midwife whispered, her voice sounding sweet despite her exasperation.

  Moira grunted loudly, begging God to take her where she lay. Her husband was near her, clutching her hand and planting bearded-kisses on her glistening forehead.

  “It’ll be over soon, Moira, then we’ll have a child...” The Laird of Eilean Donan looked apprehensive, but he trusted the midwife, Kenna, with all his heart. A fire was crackling in the room, making it feel altogether too hot with the energy that was flowing through it.

  It would be the first child of Moira and Richerd MacDonald. They hadn’t been blessed with conception until the last summer. They prayed for a boy, hoping that he would grow strong and empower their clan.

  “I can see it, one more push, my Lady.”

  The midwife pushed Moira’s knees apart with gentle persuasion, then leaned down. Moira screamed as she pushed one final time, her curled red hair sticking to her skin and neck.

  The tension in the air evaporated and a huge sigh left Moira’s lips. She collapsed back in her bedding, large pillows pushed up against her lower back. She gave her husband a tender look.

  The midwife carefully held the baby up as if it were a fine piece of glass. She severed the umbilical cord and wiped the babe’s face, ensuring it could cry out in confusion and loss of comfort.

  Kenna wrapped the baby up in a blanket and handed it to Moira. Her face lit up in jubilation as she took the small thing in her arms and cradled it.

  Kenna smacked her lips with some satisfaction. “It’s a girl, my Lady.”

  Richerd wasn’t disappointed. Any expectations he had vanished the moment he looked at the blue eyes of their red-headed baby girl. He smiled and knelt down with his wife, giving the small thing a kiss on the forehead.

  ***

  The following morning he met with a scribe to send a message to the nearby highland clan he had long been rivals with, The MacKenzies. He and his wife had discussed it, and decided that having a girl was truly a blessing. The MacKenzies had recently been blessed with a baby boy, and it was the perfect opportunity to unite the two families, bringing Scotland that much closer to peace.

  ***

  A week after the letter was sent, disaster struck. The baby MacDonald vanished from her crib in the royal chambers. No trace of her abduction remained except for tattered cloth and the scent of fire. Richerd and Moira sent a second letter to the clan MacKenzie, blaming them for the loss of their child.

  Chapter 1: Elyn

  1540 — August 25th

  A fiery haired woman planted her hands on her hips and leaned over in a stretch. She sighed and wiped her hands on her threadbare dress, flecks of her legs showing between the dusty and damaged seams. Elyn looked up at the sun, feeling like it was trying to kill her. She almost preferred if it would just get it over with, since it had apparently opted to go for the long and painful route: starvation.

  Almost three months had passed and not a single drop of water had fallen on her family’s crop. At this point, if any water did fall, the scorching sun would lick it up faster than she could dare drink from it. The loch was useless, too salty to be any help.

  Elyn stood up from her knee and walked over to the well. The highlands stretched across the horizon, taunting her with their energy and strength. Dark clouds teased her from across the ocean, but she knew they wouldn’t come here. Across the way was Eilean Donan Castle, a towering monolith that housed the Clan MacKenzie and their Laird and Clan Chieftain Angus. The loch surrounding the castle was impressive, salty, and sometimes would foam during the harsh storms when they ravaged the land.

  The MacKenzie family protected the small village of Dornie from roving bandits and thieves. At times of strife, from other clans themselves. The two other large castles that dominated the highlands were Strome Castle and Castle Iverlochy, the seat of the country, where King James resided over Scotland.

  Elyn knew better though. Scotland didn’t belong to anyone, she only allowed those who lived there to live a little longer. Even from her small place in the mountains, she knew better.

  She narrowed her eyes and peered down into the well. The bottom of the well was as dark as a moonless sky in the summer, and she knew it would be futile to try and dredge any water up. Another well would have to be dug. Despite every fibre of her being telling her not to, she dropped the bucket down the well and heard it scrape against the dry stone and mortar.

  The bucket smashed into the floor of the well; nothing was there.

  Elyn sighed. It was too late in the summer to rebuild, and with no crops, her family would be forced to move into the castle walls early this year. Often, families in Dornie would have the privilege to move inside Eilean Donan castle’s protective walls during the harsh winter. The MacKenzie clan was in good favor with hers, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.

  She went inside the small house and found her parents slumped over the table, as if they were sharing a secret with each other. They looked pitiful. Her father, Colin Douglas, was old and growing worse everyday. He could no longer tend to the field, which left her mother, Alison Douglas, in charge of taking care of him. He held a lump of bitterness for being a burden.

  “There’s no more water in the well again, Da,” Elyn said, sitting at the table on a stool. The well-worn wood was smooth against her legs.

  Colin furrowed his brow and licked his lips.

  “What’s it?” Elyn asked, growing impatient. “I think you two were talking when I walked in, ye donae have to hide it.”

  Her father weaved his hands together. “Your sister already told me the well is empty.” A pause. “Your Ma and I have been talking ‘bout moving back to the castle.”

  “Again?” Elyn groaned loudly and crossed her arms. “It’s terrible in there. Cannae we dig another?”

  Elyn's Ma touched her hand. “We donae have a choice. I’m sorry, lass.”

  She slammed her hand on the table. “We do have a
choice! We donae have to stay here! The Laird barely cares about us lot, anyway!”

  Her Da frowned heavily. “That ain’t true, you’re speaking lies now, lass. You’re lucky the guards aren’t around to hear you... You know the MacKenzie’s always take good care of us.”

  Elyn pushed away from the table with a jolt, knocking the stool over as she stood. She turned away from them and stormed out the front door. A knot welled up in her chest.

  “Leave her be,” she heard her Ma whisper to her Da as the door slammed shut behind her.

  That only made the knot tighter.

  ***

  Outside the home, Elyn spotted her sister, Sheena, returning from visiting neighbors. A large basket was slung over her shoulder. It looked fairly heavy, with Sheena rearranging it to try and get a better hold. She turned away from the road leading to their home and regained her composure, swallowing her pride so she wouldn’t have to explain why she looked so haggard to her sister.

  She whirled around and waited impatiently for Sheena to move within earshot.

  After a minute, she cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted. “What ye got in there?”

  Despite the two being sisters, they didn’t look very much alike. Elyn's curled red locks were in stark contrast to the rather unimpressive head of coal-black hair that Sheena had. Elyn's face was much more freckled as well, and her eyes were different colours. Sheena approached the house, while Elyn tried to dig her hand into the basket of goods.

  Sheena slapped away Elyn's hand. “This ain’t fer ye. It’s fer all of us.”

  Elyn frowned, rubbing her hand to try and stir some guilt in her sister. It never worked. “What’s the point anyway? We have to move into the castle early again.”

  Sheena nearly dropped the basket at her feet as her jaw dropped. After she salvaged her balance, she turned on her heel to look over the horizon, at the grim castle dominating the distance.

  Elyn continued, “Aye. The crops are bad again. I keep tellin’ ‘em we need to move somewhere better.”

  Elyn's sister sighed, turning back to Elyn with a wrinkled brow. “Ye know that ain’t possible.”

  “Aye.”

  “Especially with the rumblings of a war on our hands.”

  “War? With who?”

  Sheena pursed her lips. “The MacDonalds. Who else?”

  “Oh.” Elyn lost interest. “That old thing. I wish they’d drop it already.”

  “Who knows. Maybe Da and Ma know more than me. Here, help me with this.” She lowered the basket to her hip and handed several loaves of bread to her sister. She and Elyn split a loaf, laughing as they tried to forget the looming clouds on the horizon.

  ***

  Back inside the house, Sheena and Elyn presented the bread to their parents.

  Colin was relieved. He clasped his hands together and muttered a silent prayer. “Thank goodness you’re back, Sheena. I didnae think ye’d have any luck at all.”

  Sheena smiled. Behind her smile was a bit of pain, but she put up with it to make her parents proud. “Elyn says we gotta move sooner than later this year?”

  “Aye,” her Ma answered. “We won’t be alone though, a couple other families are moving in too. You know the MacLeods, the Cannlets...”

  “I still donae want to. It’s bad enough we are reminded of their power when we live this far away!” Elyn said.

  “That’s enough! I won’t hear such talk about the Laird in this household,” Colin rose up from the table with some difficulty. His exertion surprised him though, and his hand quickly went to his back, tending to a sore spot. He sank back down in his chair and looked away from Elyn. “Maybe you could start gathering our belongin’s. Make yerself useful.”

  “What belongin’s?” Elyn spat. Her Da stared at her hard, unflinching despite the obvious pain he was in. Elyn walked back out of the house, slamming the door shut behind her.

  “What use is it really?” Sheena said, trying to back up Elyn without angering her Da. “Why do we even come back to this land every year?”

  “We have to. I won’t give up on it. That’s the end of it.”

  Sheena nodded solemnly. After a moment, she went outside to find Elyn.

  She found her sister on her knees, pulling out dead weeds, which shred like thin cloth under her fingers. Sheena knelt down next to Elyn and touched her back lightly.

  Elyn exhaled heavily. “Remember when we were kids and we were able to stay outside the walls for the summer? When we didnae have to sac’rifice the last bit of light and warmth inside?”

  Sheena nodded slowly. “We’re not kids anymore, Elyn.”

  Elyn turned away, looked to the castle in the distance. “Aye, we ain’t.”

  “Let’s get started. Ye know Da needs a lot of help.”

  “Aye he does... that he does.” Elyn stood up and wiped her face, her grim dress marking her face with dirt. She nodded to Sheena and they returned into the house and began the process of packing their things.

  It didn’t take very long, but it felt exhausting. The most important things were their small amount of clothes and some bedding material. The bread that Sheena had retrieved was more than helpful in keeping their energy up.

  Their Da really wasn’t much use. Often, Sheena would glance at him with a furrowed brow. Elyn could see the ache in his face, that yearning to be useful and powerful again. Truth be told, Elyn could only briefly remember the times when he was strong and youthful, before the accident that kept him chair-bound for the rest of his years.

  They finished collecting the last of their belongings. With the morning light, they’d set off in their cart toward the castle, along with many other families forced to turn in early for the year. The small town of Dornie would be quiet. In Eilean Donan’s small village, they’d be shoved into a darkly lit and overcrowded section of the city that made up the inside, squeaking by on the reserved wheat that the MacKenzie clan kept stowed away for such times. Last year it was barely enough, and if the rest of the highlands suffered the same harvest, it would be worse this year.

  ***

  That night as Elyn got ready to sleep, she heard a howling of wind rattle their house.

  She sat up and held her gaze against the wall of the house. The roar of the wind shook and almost threatened to tear the house’s eaves from itself. With the dismissive wave of her hand, she smoothed her auburn-hair and laid her head down again, the tugging and pulling of the wind making her eyebrows twitch.

  The faint smell of smoke disturbed her sleep. She looked around the darkness of the small house and stared hard into the night, sniffing to try and discover the source. After a few moments, she shrugged and laid back down, dozing off quickly.

  ***

  Elyn and her sister woke early the next day so they could admire the sunrise from the expanse of the highlands one last time. Once inside the castle walls, it wasn't impossible to sneak out to catch the first rays of the day, but it was definitely more difficult. There was something different to it anyway, an inexplicable sensation that marred the vista when they had to watch it from the castle. They gathered their thin cloaks, worn with age, and snuck out the front door.

  The sun was bright that morning, with only the gentle fog on the highlands to filter out the light. The sky was the color of wrought-iron. Dew had formed across the cracked earth, the tufts of grass scattered across the land looking positively grateful for what little sustenance they earned. There was a distinct smell of soil and dew that mixed together to greet the two women.

  Elyn felt she understood what that meant to scrape by with so little, she felt like she was starving of thirst most of the time as well. Not just for food, but a sense of belonging, a sense of freedom and being. She could never put her finger on it, but she never felt quite at home with her family. She didn't dare say anything to any of them though, not even Sheena. They moved across the dying farm and toward the edge of Eilean Donan Castle's influence, where the highlands seemed to fight back against being taken advantage of any
more than they already were. Grass that were impossibly thick and tall grazed against the girl’s calves and knees, tickling and itching alike. They moved deeper into the land, making their way toward the distant mountains.

  As the sun peeked over the horizon, blazing the green and flowered land with warmth and light, the girls looked to each other with knowing gazes. Elyn watched her breath curl around her neck before it disappeared. Sheena’s breath fogged in front of her as they panted from the small hike, their hands clasped tight over their cloaks and shoulders, trying to fight off the chilled air.

  “I swear I’ll never get used to the sight of the sun over all this,” Sheena said at last. Elyn nodded, her breath a bit shaky and fast.

  “I wish we could all just stay here. We wouldn’t have to go back to the castle, we could just live.”

  “You know better than that, Elyn, these lands ain’t fer us. Untamable, I think is what they call it.”

  “Aye. I know... I know.”

  Sheena rubbed her sister’s back. “It’ll be alright. We’ve done it before.”

  Elyn shook her head, a smile teasing her lips. “It ain’t that. I just wish I could see this all year. After we moved into the castle, I didnae get ta see it again until we moved out. It seems too short...”

  Elyn grew silent. Sheena nodded. At the very least, Elyn was sure that she’d have her family to keep her from falling into a wintery sadness. She never felt like things were quite right with them, but she loved them all very much anyway.

  After several minutes, they turned back to the house.

  There, the girls found their parents still sleeping. Sheena gathered some bread to hand out while Elyn tried to rouse her Ma.

  “Rise and shine,” Elyn said. She gently nudged her mother’s shoulder, watching her eyes flutter open. As she sat up, Elyn placed a piece of bread in her hand. “You’ll need this today.”

  “Only if you’ve already eaten,” her Ma said, not having taken the bread yet. Elyn nodded quietly, turning to watch Sheena handing a piece of bread to their Da. It hurt to see them so... decrepit. Eventually, Elyn's Ma took the bread and thanked her, to which she nodded silently.