The Highlander's Quest

by Dana D'Angelo

  He shook his head. “’Tis nae a guid idea,” he said.

  The thieves knew how to steal, and they probably knew how to kill as well. Although it wasn’t his choice to have Elspeth travel with him, he still felt responsible for her safety. And if the lads were with them, he would feel obligated to them as well. As things stood, he had enough to consider, and having two dirty bairns trailing after them wasn’t a burden he wanted to shoulder.

  Angus noticed that the lads lingered as if they waited for him to change his mind. “Leave this place,” he said.

  When they discovered that he wasn’t jesting, they reluctantly turned around and left with their horse.

  Angus didn’t know how the youths would navigate the darkened forest, but it was none of his business.

  “Get on the horse,” he said to the lass.

  “Nay, I’ll walk,” Elspeth said. “How far should we go?”

  “As far as we can,” he replied.

  The thieves were already a day ahead of them, and they would keep their lead if he and Elspeth tarried in the woods.

  They made their way cautiously through the forest. Elspeth was tired, stumbling after him and nearly falling on a couple of occasions. She would have continued trudging along, but he ordered her to climb on top of the horse. In the end, he suspected that she was secretly glad he insisted that she ride the mount.

  The torch they carried had burned out long ago and was discarded. It was fortunate they no longer needed it. The moon had come out and illuminated a worn path, leading them out of the thicket and into a small clearing. Not far off, he heard the unmistakable sound of rushing water. He guided them in that direction, maneuvering around a couple of dead trees and traversing past the varying sized rocks that littered the area.

  Leaves flew past them as the wind started to pick up. The trees bent with every strong gust, and Elspeth’s long hair whipped across her face. She drew her plaid over her head, and pulled the rest of the fabric closer to her body. Although she didn’t complain, he knew that she likely felt the effects of the lashing wind. It would only get colder, and he knew they needed to find shelter soon. While he was used to the elements, Elspeth was not.

  Just when he was about to resign to the fact they might have to sleep in the open, he noticed a rocky mass. He led them closer to the overhang. The solid wall was at least nine feet tall. Along the top grew a lone birch tree, and long grasses and bushes flourished near it.

  Angus crouched and ran his hand along the base of the wall. The grass beneath his palm felt dry and brittle. On the far right, he noticed a large boulder that was ideal for blocking the prevailing wind.

  All in all, this site was an adequate place to stop. He observed that there was an added advantage. With the natural protection at their backs, he had no fear that anyone would ambush them.

  “Ye stay here with the horse,” he said, handing her the reins.

  Angus moved away from her without waiting to hear her protest. He spotted a clump of heather and walked to the spot. Using his sword, he cut off several branches to use as bedding. The springy shrubs would keep them comfortable and off the cold ground while they slept.

  Elspeth tied the horse to a small bush, and ignoring Angus’s directive, she began to gather a bundle of twigs a short distance from him. When she saw him approaching with his arms laden with heather, she met him halfway.

  “I can take that.” She reached for the vegetation and made her way to the foot of the overhang to prepare the bedding.

  Angus grunted at her efficient manner. At least he could now focus on making a fire. He searched the area for logs and stones and dropped them near where he planned to dig out a firepit. After he yanked out the turf, he piled several pieces of wood on the exposed earth. He took one of the rocks he found and hammered four stakes into the soft ground. Once they were in place, he stacked the logs between the stakes, creating a reflective wall, and then surrounded the pit with several rocks. He hoped that his amendments would contain the heat and prevent the strong wind from blowing out the flames.

  Elspeth came over to watch him work.

  Angus reached in his sporran and brought out the flint and steel that he always carried with him. He hit the tools together to create sparks. But every fiery particle that fell on the clump of grass he prepared was snuffed out by the wind.

  On his third attempt, a frustrated hiss escaped his lips. “This willnae work,” he said

  “Ye should use birch bark as tinder,” Elspeth said.

  “Birch bark?” he asked doubtfully. He turned to look at the lone birch that grew on top of the rocky overhang.

  “Aye, when I used tae go hunting with Da, we always gathered birch bark. Da says it helps tae start fires quickly. Ye can even use it in bad weather.”

  “I’ll just keep trying tae light the grass bundle,” he said.

  “Ye tried that, and it wasnae successful.”

  “This is true,” he said slowly.

  “’Tis a wee cold,” she said, hugging her arms to her chest to emphasize her point. “If we can get some birch bark, we could have warmth in the next few minutes.”

  She made her way to the wall as if she considered climbing it to get what she needed.

  “Nay, I’ll go,” he said, stopping her.

  He walked to the rugged mass and frowned as he tried to assess how he would reach the top.

  “This better be worth the trouble,” he muttered under his breath before he began his ascent. He grabbed several rocks jutting from the wall, and with great effort, he made it to the summit. Once there, he found a fallen birch branch and sliced off several strips of the bark with his dirk. When he had enough, he stuffed the pieces into a pocket created in his plaid.

  When he reached the bottom, he took out the tree scraps from his kilt and set them on the woodpile. He rubbed the flint and steel together, but when nothing happened, he leaned on his heels.

  “These are useless,” he said, frustration seeping into his voice.

  “Ye need tae create shavings tae help spark the fire,” she said. “May I?”

  “Of course,” he said, gesturing to the firepit. “I’ll be impressed if ye can get it started.”

  Elspeth nodded and bent over the logs on the ground. With her back to the wind, she carefully scraped across the bark’s outer surface with her own dirk, creating a small mound of shavings.

  “Try using your tools now,” she said.

  Angus did as she suggested, and sparks dropped on the wood shavings. Letting out a sound of disbelief, he watched the tinder ignite. He grabbed the clump of grass that he prepared earlier and carefully placed it in the flames. A second later, the fire grew bright and strong. He brushed the dirt from his hands as the smoke filled his senses.

  “Ye are incredible,” he said.

  Her cheeks flushed at his compliment. “At least we can have some heat,” she said.

  “Aye, I would be glad for the heat.” He picked up a twig to feed it to the fire. At the same time, Elspeth reached for the same branch, and their hands touched.

  She paused and looked at him. “I’m sorry,” she said, although she didn’t immediately let go of the branch.

  Then again, neither did he. For a moment, the world became silent and still. The flickering light shone on her curly hair, causing her fiery tresses to glow. Once again, he was struck by her undeniable beauty.

  Her nearness was intoxicating. He dropped the twig into the firepit, and powerless to stop himself, his gaze dropped to her plump lips. Her pink tongue darted across her mouth. Temptation overwhelmed him, and he found himself leaning toward her, desiring to taste the honey from her lips. His hand moved to cup the side of her smooth cheek while his thumb ran along her lips, tracing its perfection. She hesitated for a second before she leaned her face against his palm.

  Angus barely noticed the cool surrounding air. Instead, he felt a hot, tense undercurrent that flowed between them. He was confident Elspeth felt it too. She held her gaze while taking slow, shal
low breaths.

  Her lovely eyes, he noticed, reflected the golden flames. But he saw desire there as well, a desire he shared. During the day, he kept his mind focused on his quest. It was through sheer will that he was successful at ignoring his attraction to her. Except now, his concentration was centered on the bewitching woman before him. He was well aware of all he repressed, and at this moment, he wanted to haul her into his arms and kiss her.

  A sudden blast of wind whipped through the open space. Some object hit the horse, eliciting a startled snort from it. But the noise was enough to drag Angus back to the present. He abruptly pulled back, cursing at himself as reality crashed over him. No matter how alluring, Elspeth was an innocent lass, and it would be wrong of him to take advantage of her.

  “Dinnae worry about it,” he said gruffly. “Ye need tae rest.”

  For a second, a confused look entered her eyes, but then she blinked. Whatever spell that encircled them had vanished.

  “Ye are right,” she said, getting up. “We have a long way tae travel tomorrow.”

  Elspeth walked to the bedding that she prepared and wrapped her arisaid tightly around her. The wavering light from the fire was only enough to illuminate her feminine form.

  After he fed more logs into the firepit, Angus followed her to the sleeping area and found a seat beside her. He leaned his back on the stone wall and stared into the fire.

  After some time, the flames died down. The rustling from the bedding ceased, and Angus heard her soft, even breathing. Lying down next to Elspeth, he laced his hands behind his head and stared up at the moonlit sky. He let out a long breath. With the bonny lass resting next to him, and his mind turning over his plans for the following day, it was unlikely he would get much sleep tonight.

  Chapter 9

  A small movement caught her ears. Elspeth turned to her side and took in the scent of blooming heather emanating from her bedding. Upon opening her eyes, she noticed the dull gray sky and the slight chill lingering in the air. Usually, at this time, the birds were active and chattered with one another. But except for the occasional cry of a distant crow, it was strangely quiet.

  She stretched her arms and yawned, observing for the first time the light mist of rain that fell. Fortunately, the spot beneath the overhang had kept her dry and comfortable. She knew that she should get up, but the languid feeling in her body made her want to snuggle deeper into the natural bedding.

  Her thoughts drifted to the night before. She had never felt such a strong urge to kiss a man. Indeed, she had never allowed any man to get close to her. But with Angus, it felt different; it felt natural. She raised her fingers and touched her lips. Fortunately, they had come to their senses before anything happened, although she wondered what might have been.

  Elspeth shook her head at the silly thought and forced the notions aside. No matter how spectacular the kiss, she knew that a relationship with Angus was impossible. He was in search of his identity. Meanwhile, she had her own agenda. After she finished her plans, she was determined to return to the farm and forget about the handsome Highlander.

  With that resolve, she pushed herself to a seated position, but the object of her musings came into her view. His movements were assertive and deliberate as if he dismantled campsites hundreds of times before. At the moment, he was oblivious to her presence. The powerful Highlander crouched slightly to pick up one of the rocks that lined the firepit. Then, in one smooth motion, he tossed the heavy stone several feet from him. She sucked in a quick breath, mesmerized by his raw strength and masculine beauty.

  This wasn’t helping matters. Elspeth shook her head, trying once again to clear the untoward thoughts from her mind.

  “Where are we going next?” she asked aloud, forcing her mind to veer in a different direction.

  Angus dragged the turf over the exposed earth and tamped it down with his foot. At the sound of her voice, he paused. A frown appeared on his face, and Elspeth thought that he might not answer her. But then he said, “We’ll soon head into town.”

  “But I thought we would keep after the thieves,” she said, furrowing her brows.

  He didn’t respond to her comment. But as she thought things over, she realized he only selectively answered her questions. Most times, he seemed preoccupied and offered a series of grunts and one-word responses. In the end, it was probably best to keep to herself.

  Fifteen minutes later, the Highlander returned their campsite back to its original state. If someone trailed them, he was unlikely to find traces of their stay at this location.

  Angus helped her on the galloway and settled behind her. Although the horse appeared small, it was sturdy enough to carry them both. Angus held the reins and set them at a steady pace. They followed the widening burn while keeping a short distance away from the grassy bank. All the while, the light rain continued to fall. She covered her head with her arisaid, and the tight weave of the fabric kept her fairly dry.

  They continued alongside a watercourse that took them toward the southern part of the forest. Tall shrubs and trees grew on each side of the river. And on the horizon, she saw that the stream merged into one large loch.

  As they rounded a bend, Angus abruptly halted the mount. “The bridge has collapsed,” he said, pointing to the broken and rotted wooden structure that had once arched across the waterway.

  Before she could respond, he guided the steed toward the water’s edge.

  “Wait,” she said, trepidation entering her voice. “We’re nae going tae cross here, are we?”

  The only body of water near her home was a small brook where the villagers bathed and washed their clothes. That stream looked nothing like the one Angus wanted to cross. The mud infused water rushed quickly past them, crashing over the many jagged boulders that littered the burn. As she peered into its turbulent depths, she couldn’t fool herself in thinking the water was safe.

  “We cannae stay here all day,” Angus said, his tone exasperated. “Let’s go.”

  He nudged the horse forward, intending that it enter the rapids. It took a step forward, but it suddenly pulled back, refusing to advance any farther.

  “The beast seems tae believe there’s danger ahead,” Elspeth said. “We cannae ignore this sign.”

  “There is nay danger,” he said. He glanced at her face, and after he noticed the fear there, he let out an exaggerated sigh. “If ye look at the boulders, ye will see that the burn only reaches the halfway mark. It cannae be too deep, therefore ‘tis safe tae cross.”

  Satisfied with the explanation he offered her, he climbed down from the mount. He took the reins and moving in front of the steed, he waded into the river. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to get far. The horse pulled back again, forcing Angus to tug harder at the reins.

  After a moment of struggle and with much reluctance, the galloway finally relented. But when it jerked forward, the unexpected movement threw Elspeth off-guard. To stay in balance and to keep her panic in check, she quickly grabbed a fistful of its mane.

  Angus advanced farther into the river until the water level rose to his waist. The temperature of the water had no effect on him. She, on the other hand, hissed when the icy flow encircled her bare legs.

  They were a quarter of the way into the burn when Elspeth once again peered into the rapids. Unexpectedly, the childhood stories of kelpies flooded her mind. Were the malevolent spirits lurking in these churning waters? Her heart pounded. And she was helpless to prevent all the childhood fears from emerging.

  She searched wildly for something to ground herself to the present, but it was next to impossible to stem her alarm. Certainly, she didn’t recall seeing wild equines in the vicinity, but this didn’t mean that kelpies weren’t present somewhere. She licked her lips, her mouth feeling unusually dry. Were there evil spirits lurking in the murky depths, waiting for a chance to drag her in? She still had many things to accomplish. Would she make it to the other side, or would this be the end of her? The string of unanswered questions caused
her to quake.

  When they reached the middle of the watercourse, the pony decided to suddenly clamber onto a boulder. The unexpected move startled Elspeth, and she bent forward and wrapped her arms tightly around the steed’s neck. Her actions caused it to neigh and violently rear back. Her hold unexpectedly loosened, and she let out an ear-splitting scream before crashing into the frigid burn.

  Elspeth began to flail as the cold water entered her mouth. When she was younger, a local bairn had drowned in a stream. She remembered her mother’s grim face when she questioned her about it. Her mother told her a kelpie caused the death and warned her to stay away from lochs and pools. And as Elspeth grew older, she dutifully washed clothes only by the edge of the brook. She was just too aware of what was hidden in the depths, and many times, she hurried to finish her chore and get away from the threat.

  But now, surrounded by water and struggling to breathe, she acknowledged she had made a terrible mistake. Stories of kelpies shouldn’t have stopped her from learning to swim. And because of her poor judgment, she was going to die...

  Suddenly strong hands grabbed her from behind and hauled her out of the burn. With the speed and efficiency that she came to associate with him, Angus put her on the horse’s back. Murmuring soothing words, his soft brogue calmed the animal as he guided it quickly across the river.

  When they made it to the other side, she slid from the mount and crumpled to the ground. Angus plopped down beside her.

  “What happened there?” he asked.

  “The galloway slipped,” she said.

  Angus arched a thick brow as if he suspected that she wasn’t telling the entire truth. “All right, I cannae swim,” she said. “The horse took a misstep, and I became a tad panicked. I dinnae anticipate that it would throw me.”

  He stared at her as if he wondered why he had allowed her to travel with him. But then he exhaled loudly and stood.

  “Get up,” he said. “We need tae find a place tae rest.”