by Brina Cary
Her eyes went wide and he tried to back peddle, “If ye dinnae like it I can return it.”
“No!” She snatched her hand back, cradling the necklace to her chest. “I mean, no, I like it.”
Pride filled him. He had been right. In the shop her gaze had gone to the necklace several times. It was simple necklace, a white gold heart with three blue stones. They had a fancy name, but not one that meant anything to Jacob. “Would ye like for me to help ye with it?”
She nodded but said nothing as she handed it to him. He waited as she turned around before stepping close enough to smell the shampoo she used, lavender and vanilla. He drew it around her neck, allowing his hand to graze her skin. He grinned as she shivered. He carefully clasped it and let his hands rest on her shoulders. “I hope ye like it, Amelia.”
She stepped from him and turned to face him. Once again she nodded, but didn’t speak.
****
Jacob took her hand. Such strength, such power. Yet, so gentle. “Lass, ye must know, how I feel…”
Amelia suspected, but was not sure. After all, who could really be sure that someone felt the way they hoped about them. The necklace made her wonder. It made her hope. “I must be crazy. Just completely out of my mind. I mean, you guys took me from my home, but all I can think about is how you made my skin tingle. I think you broke me.” That was the only excuse. The only reason she would feel this way. Unless… “Jacob, why did you sleep with me?”
“Och, I told ye before.”
“No, no you didn’t.”
“Did I nae?”
“No. You told me that I would never have another lover. What did you mean by that?”
“Do I really have to say?”
There was a hint of hurt in his eyes. She turned from him, unable to weather being the cause of it, and shrugged. “It would be nice to hear the words… You’re a guy. Guys are supposed to say it first. You know, so I know you mean it.” Shyness seemed to overtake her. Why couldn’t she say the words to him? Three little words. Words that had never been so hard to say before, why were they now?
“Och, Amelia, ye wound me.” The light shone brightly in his eyes as a sad smile played upon his lips. “Perhaps soon ye will find the words.” He leaned forward and lightly kissed her forehead. “Ye are verra precious to me, Miss Amelia. Verra precious indeed.”
“Why?” No one other than her father had ever said she was precious to them. There were days, as a child, when she did not even believe her father. He had left her. If she had been so precious to him, why didn’t he stay? Left both her and her mother. Left them to fend for themselves with only the occasional letter or random phone call. Looking back on it all though, Amelia began to remember other things. Her mother telling her that her father would do anything to ensure her safety, even lie to her. Could he have been lying when he said business kept him away? Could it really have been for their safety?
Jacob’s gentle hands cupping her face drew her back to the present. “Because ye are. ‘Tis no other reason than that. Amelia, ye must understand. ‘Tis a most precious thing, to be treasured by someone. Ye are my heart and soul, lass. If ever we are separated, I will find my way back to ye. May take me forever to find ye, but I will nae leave ye.” Stepping back slightly, Jacob raised her hand and flattened her hand out. Raising it upright, her palm towards him, he brought it to his chest. As he placed it over his heart he whispered, “’Tis beatin’ for ye, an ye alone.”
The moment was defined by intimacy. It screamed of trust and faith, begging for both to be returned. It was as if this moment meant everything to him. It did to her. His eyes seemed to bore into her very soul. Daring her to challenge him. Truth radiated back to her. This was a man that would never lie to her. This was a man that truly believed his heart beat for her.
“Jacob, I…”
Her words were lost as the ground began to shake. A roar echoed all around her. Heat seemed to come from all sides. Jacob’s eyes were wide. Quickly he enveloped her in a hug. Squeezing tightly. She was at a loss. What was happening?
Then the wind came.
The blazing wind threw them several feet forward. Pain tore through her legs as the tiny rocks on the pathway scored her skin. Jacob held her tight to him. Held her as the ceiling came crashing down upon them.
The roar was too loud. It gave the impression of a freight train bearing down on her and crashing at the same time. The ocean cascading around her in a hurricane. A manned rocket being launched towards the moon.
Her ears hurt. Dirt and debris flew everywhere. Pain ripped through her ankle. Seemingly, a thousand needles pierced her skin. The scream that escaped her was lost amongst the roar. A dull sound enveloped by the shrillness of the roar.
Chapter 16
Amelia’s eyes felt heavy. Pain slammed into her. What had happened?
Debris was everywhere. She was trapped. Jacob? Where was Jacob?
“Jacob!” She tried to move, but it was hard. Rocks. There were rocks on her? Stones… Frantically, she pushed at them while screaming for him. “Jacob!”
“Amelia,” he responded. “Amelia, keep calm. ‘Twas an explosion.” Her vision was blurry as he came to kneel beside her. His hands grasped her head as if he was checking her for wounds.
“Jacob, what was that? What happened?”
“An explosion. ‘Twas a bomb.”
“A bomb?” Why would there be a bomb?
“Aye. Dinnae move, Amelia. ‘Tis not safe. The walls are old…”
She looked around and sure enough, the walls were still reverberating from the blast. They had stood for centuries, surely they would hold for a while longer. Surely, they would protect them until they could get out. They had to get out!
“Jacob! We have to get out of here!”
“Stay still, I will get ye free. First, I need to make sure ye will be all right if I move the stones off of ye. Can ye stay with me and be calm?”
She nodded. What choice did she have? Loose gravel was slowly streaming down upon them from above.
He tore his shirt and wrapped it around her face to make a mask. There was dust everywhere. Even now he was thinking of her. The fabric carried his spicy scent and it surrounded her, comforted her. “I need to tell you something.”
“’Tis not the time.” He moved the stones off of her one by one until he got to her leg. Looking down, she saw that she was trapped.
A stone shook loose from above. She squeezed her eyes shut and screamed!
When there was no impact, she looked up. Jacob was holding the large stone up, shielding her. As he tried to move it to the side, the wall came down.
*****
“Jacob! No!” How dare he! Tears ran down her face, soaking into the strip of shirt about her face. If only she could move!
“Lass, ye must live. I swore an oath to ye, to protect ye no matter what came. Please be brave, let me keep that oath.” The wall was crumpling. He wouldn’t be able to hold it up much longer. Soon… Soon the wall would fall…
Voices sounded in the distance. Darren. Will. “Please, Jacob! They’re coming! Don’t do this! Hold on!” The men were behind her now.
“Dear Lord…”
“Please help him!!”
“No, the lass. Help the Queen. She must live. Remember the oath.” She vehemently shook her head. “Lass, dinnae fret. I love ye. God help me, but I love ye.”
Darren and Will grabbed her by her upper arms and began trying to pull her to safety. “My leg! It’s caught under the rubble. Get Jacob! Save him!”
“Ignore her command,” Jacob wheezed. “The Queen comes first.”
Darren and Will ignored her and began digging her out from under the rubble. Within seconds they realized the wall was still coming down. The ceiling was crumbling as well. The ancient castle walls could take no more. “Will, grab her arm. I will grab the other.” She knew. Knew they were getting ready to pull her to safety. Knew they were going to leave Jacob to die. “NO! Jacob! You cannot make them do this! The
y can save you too!”
“Lass, I know how ye feel. Although, t’would be nice if ye said the words.”
They grabbed her upper arms and began pulling her as she screamed in frustration. As they pulled her free, she screamed “I love you, Jacob!” However, the wall fell on top of him, the ceiling going with it as Darren and Will dragged her to safety. As she watched Jacob disappear beneath the debris she could only hope that he had heard her words. Hope that he knew just what he meant to her. In that moment, she knew that she had never really loved before, and she knew she would never love again. His last breath took her heart with it.
A keening sob tore through her as one of the men picked her up. Cradling her to his chest he whispered to the other. However, she could not make out his words. Gaelic. They had resorted to Gaelic. It did not matter though, she had lost Jacob. Nothing else mattered. The man that loved her was gone. The world was over.
Her heart was buried in the rubble.
Chapter 17
The bombing was such a shock. The city and the country was in mourning. Too much had been lost. Looking out through the door of the small cottage, Amelia felt so lost. In such a short time she had come to care for the country that had claimed her as their queen. They trusted her and now… Now the nation was in mourning. Now she was in mourning.
The men, her men, had managed to get her out of the tunnel ruins in time. Looking upon them she felt such sorrow overtake her. Jacob was dead.
He used his body to hold up the wall long enough for her to get out. He used his body to save her. With his very last breath he protected her. “Oh, Jacob… How could you?” She reached up and lightly fingered the necklace he had given her. It symbolized his devotion, his offer of protection. He had fulfilled his vow.
Her eyes drifted to the men that had dragged her to safety. Would they blame her? Will stood in front of Darren. The two guards were talking quietly. Never would they let her know how bad it was. They had ushered her out of the city before anyone knew she was still alive. How had someone gotten close enough to the castle to plant a bomb?
Oh God. Edith was dead. So was Fiona. There was no way they could have survived. The blast would have been too strong. Her throat clogged. How many more of her new friends had lost their lives because of her? If she had turned down the monarchy then they would be alive. Unless… Unless Edith had been right and they choose a monarchy to prevent war. Who would want to go to war with them though?
“Will, Darren,” she called. Turning to her she noticed their eyes. So sad, hardened with a deadly resolve. They would get revenge. Hopefully they would let her join them. They had bandaged their wounds, but not all wounds could be fixed with stitches and bandages. “I am truly sorry for your loss. I know this has been an atrocious day; however, there are things to discuss.”
“Amelia, we must leave ye here. We must return to let the people know ye live.”
“That’s what I want to talk to you guys about.” Taking a deep breath she began. “I need to know. Do the people want me as queen or was this an inside job?”
“Lass, we were picked to protect ye. The SNP made a choice…”
“Do the people want me as queen? Yes or no.”
Darren took a step forward. “We would not protect ye if it ‘twas not truth. The people rejoiced when they were told of yer arrival. Parties were held. Ye are our queen. For good or bad, ye are ours. We shall protect ye no matter what harm is tossed our way.”
“Was this done by someone in the country or was this done by an outside party?”
“’Tis said a foreigner sent a package this morning. ‘Twas not checked… an oversight… An over sight that cost lives.”
“Where is he or she from?”
“’Tis not yet known. The package was delivered by a local courier.”
“Was it given to the courier? Or postmarked?”
“Should have word soon.”
“Are there any suspects?”
“Lass, we shall keep ye safe. Dinnae fret.”
“Will, I’m not fretting. I’m trying to make political decisions. We have warheads, oil, money, etcetera. Someone tried to destroy the infrastructure today. Why? Because they want either one of those or all of them. If we find out where it came from, then we might learn which one they want. In the meantime I want protective measures placed around each of those three items. I also need to speak to the people. How do I do that?”
Darren pulled a small radio from his back pocket. Keying it up he whispered, “Mack, the Queen wishes to speak to the nation. Will ye put her through?”
“Darren, thank goodness ye live! The Queen, she is unharmed?”
“Jacob died fer her.” Silence greeted him. “We lost many. Has a count been taken?”
“Fifteen casualties, including Jacob. Aye, I shall put the Queen through. Is she ready?”
Amelia nodded and grabbed the radio from Darren. “Yes, Mack, I’m ready.”
“Then speak. All will hear.”
She cleared her throat, “This is Amelia MacRory… your Queen.” Taking a deep breath to calm the butterflies swirling in her stomach she continued, “I regret to inform you that someone attacked us today. They did not just attack me. They attacked Scotland. We are at war with an unknown party. I am begging you to not let them win. Their goal was to attack our infrastructure. To bring us down by splitting us up. Scotland is united and that makes us dangerous. Dangerous to them. Dangerous to the world.
“At this time I am asking that you mourn the fifteen friends that I lost today. Mourn their loss and keep their families in your prayers. They did not deserve this. One man died holding up a wall, so that I may live. His sacrifice and the sacrifice of the other fourteen will not be forgotten. I assure you that the individuals responsible will be destroyed. If a country is behind this attack then I will personally do everything within my power to see them punished.
“In the meantime, I am asking that Scotland remain united. Do not allow this to fracture what you have worked so hard to accomplish. Do not let this destroy us. I was ushered out of the city for safety, but shall return shortly. I will personally oversee the burial of our dead. Then I will establish a new order of protection for our country. We will fight and we will win. I shall stand besides my Scotland. This is my home and they have attacked my home. I assure you that I will find them and they will regret every single thing they have done. They will beg for their lives and then our friends will be avenged. We will take no prisoners, and we shall ensure that no one else ever dares to harm us again. This I swear to you.” Jacob would not die in vain. He would be avenged. Even if she had to kill the bastards herself.
Tossing the radio back to Darren, she nodded. It was time that she called in some favors. Some old friends from long ago were just perfect for what was needed. They could go where none others could. Sometimes it paid not to be a normal person. Only abnormal people could have the friends she had.
Chapter 18
The great thing about having the degree she had was the people she had met along the journey. Political Science majors and History majors tended to travel along the same paths until graduation. Amelia had managed to keep in touch with several of the Political Science majors she had met. One such happened to work for the C.I.A.. Her husband also happened to work for a protection agency. Cradling the phone to her ear, Amelia took the damp cloth offered to her by Will. Mouthing a thanks as a familiar voice began shouting in her still sore ear. Vaguely she was aware of Will leaving her and going back outside.
“Amelia MacRory! How dare you up and move to Scotland to become a freaking queen without telling me!! Here I was thinking I was your best friend! And you know that Intel is my life! However, you don’t even tell me that! What in the world is wrong with you?!”
“Genevive, I’m sorry that I haven’t called you yet.”
“You’re darned right you’re sorry. Just wait until I can get Chris to go with me. We’re going to be on the first plane there and I’m going to knock you on your
ass. It was two days before I found out you were in Scotland! Those bastards didn’t even lock your front door. All kinds of horrid things were going through my mind!”
“Gen…”
Her friend instantly went silent. Gen was the nickname only to be used in times of danger. “Amelia, what happened?”
A sob tore through her. “He’s dead.”
“Sweetie, who’s dead?”
“Jacob. Jacob’s dead. I loved him and they killed him!”
“Oh, God. Sweetie, Chris and I will be there on the next plane. Everything’s going to be ok. We’ll come for you.”
“No! It’s too dangerous. They bombed the palace. Jacob and I were in the tunnels. He… He held up the wall long enough for them to get me out. He was crushed… right in front of me.”
“I’m calling Chris now. Do you know who did this?”
“No, there was a package delivered. No one knows yet who did it.”
“I swear to you that we’ll find out who did this. Just hang on.”
“I’m going back to the city here in a few minutes. I have to… to bury… them.”
“Dear God… I’m going to fix this. We’re going to bring you home. You hear me, Amelia? You’re not alone! Stay safe, Amelia. I’ll be there soon. Chris will bring his guys. We’ll fix this. Don’t worry. We’ll make it right the only way we can.”
Her throat was so clogged up she could only nod. Genevive would not let her down. They would be there soon and would know exactly what happened. Genevive and Chris would help her get revenge. They were trained in that. They knew how to. They would never fail her. They never had. Even when Genevive almost died, they still never failed her. She had always wanted what the two of them had… Now, the only man she wanted it with was dead.
For a fleeting moment she was angry with Jacob. Why had he taken it upon himself to give his life for her? If he had just held on a little longer they could have gotten him out alive. How dare he let the wall fall. How dare he not give her a chance to save him. The tears began to slip down her cheeks. How dare he leave her alone. So very alone.