He caressed her cheek with his finger. “And I canna deny ye exist any longer, no more than ye can deny what ye are. Yer no one o’ my kind. Yer a Muiraran from the house o’ Shamaelon, a royal house, I’m told. And yer to join wi’ a man compatible wi’ yer heart, lass. Ye’ve got two in there, ye ken. One for you, and one for me.”
Shona looked to his chest and touched its center with her hand. “I still have it, then. I still have your heart.”
Dallan brought his face closer to hers and whispered, “Aye, Flower. I ken ye do. Ye’ve had it for a verra long time.”
Shona took and released one shaky breath. “I… I need to give it to you. It wants you badly. Sometimes I cannot control it. It is as if it has a mind of its own.”
Dallan’s eyes locked with the Maiden’s for several seconds. He swallowed before continuing, his emotions and heart open, getting ready. “Kwaku says we ha’ to go through ‘the Joining.’ Once it’s done, my heart and yours will be one, and it will live within both o’ us. It needs us both to take care o’ it. Ye’ll still need to feed it.” He slowly brought his lips closer to her own. “Wi’ yer music.”
Shona let out a tiny gasp as he brought one of his hands behind her head, tangled his fingers in her hair, loosening what was left of her braid, and tilted her head back. “And after the ceremony, we join in a more human manner.”
She raised a single brow at him.
“Dinna worry, Flower. ‘Tis needed if we’re to survive, the heathen says.”
Shona continued to stare up at him, her breath shaky. “I still do not quite understand it all. But I do know I am getting hungry again and my… heart hurts. Too much for me to handle… too big…”
“Let me take it from ye, M’eudain,” he whispered as he began to lower his lips to hers.
“Uh, um…”
Dallan pulled away slightly from Shona to find Lany nervously standing in the doorway, and leveled a pointed gaze at the unwanted interruption. “Aye?”
“Uh, sorry to bother. Kwaku needs you in the other room and Zara wants Shona.”
Dallan nodded to dismiss Lany and returned to the Maiden. “’Tis almost time, Flower. Ye understand now what is to happen? Ye understand why we need to do this?”
Her eyes began to fill with tears. “I do not want to see you harmed in any way. Even if I did not want this, I would still do it to save you. You are all that matters to me now. It is as if my whole life has been a lie.”
“Then let me give back to ye what Brennan has stolen. I canna change the pain he has caused, M’eudain, but I can help ye mend. Ye need to heal, lass, just as I do.”
Shona looked at him a moment, her face locked in concern. “I can heal you. I can take it away. You miss your family, do you not?”
“Aye.”
“You miss your brother?”
“Aye, Flower. That I do.”
She stopped and cocked her head, a quizzical look on her face. “I know who you are.”
Dallan raised a curious but tender brow.
“I read parts of the book from the library. If I am correct, you were born sometime in the seventeenth century?”
He nodded. “Fourteenth of January, sixteen seventy-two to be exact.”
“You are from the MacDonald Clan of Glencoe. Your family was killed during the massacre of the same name. Your brother…” She shook her head. “I do not know what happened to him. I cannot feel him, yet he is not gone like the others.”
“He’s gone, lass. Like the rest o’ them. They’re all gone and there’s nothing to be done about it now. I’ve been a fool harboring the pain all this time, blaming the heathen for what may ha’ happened if I’d been there or not. A man canna spend his life chasing revenge. Because of my own black heart, I almost lost ye by not wanting to hear what my friends were trying to tell me about how special ye are. How badly ye need me. How much I would come to need you.”
“Dallan, I…”
“Shhhh, dinna say anymore.” He drew her closer. “Except that ye’ll be my wife. Can ye? Will ye?” He kissed her tenderly. “Will ye marry me, Shona? Will ye let me care for you and yer heart? Will ye let me wipe away yer wee tears, lass? Say yes, M’eudain. Say yes and let me take ye home.”
She slumped in his arms, her emotions so alive that he had to hold her up. “But where is home?” She whispered.
He wrapped her in a warm smile. “Where ever the fair wind takes us, lass. I ha’ a feeling ‘twill be a good many places.”
“But what of my family, Dallan? Will I ever see them again?”
“Aye, lassie. I’ll see yer not kept from yer mother and Da. I ken how much I’ve missed my own. I’ll not see ye go through that. I’ll find a way.”
“And Kitty? What of Kitty?”
“The wee chirper will be fine. Och, she can take care o’ herself, not to mention a few others in the process. The lass is either charmed or cursed. I’m not sure which. Dinna fash yerself, she’ll get along.” His smile vanished behind a face full of longing. “Ye havena answered my question, lass.” He again brought his lips to hers and whispered into them, “Will ye marry me?”
Shona raised her mouth to his and tenderly kissed him and eyes closed, mouth still against his, she whispered her answer upon his lips. “Yes.”
The Weapons Master then claimed the Maiden one last time before heading for the fencing room to prepare for the Joining.
* * *
“I brought it in case you had nothing. No Maiden should be joined unadorned. You want to give Dallan a memory to have with him should circumstances separate you for any short length of time.” Zara’s voice was soft and compelling. Shona found it hard not to stare open-mouthed at the graceful woman before her.
Zara held the dress up in front of her to display it better, and the Maiden reached out to touch the silken fabric. It shimmered and moved when her fingers contacted, and she abruptly drew back her hand.
Zara smiled. “It is very rare.”
“What is it made of?”
“Sariana. A Muiraran silk.”
Shona wasn’t sure which was more intriguing, the woman before her or the ivory-colored alien silk she displayed. “It is beautiful.”
“It is yours.”
“Mine?”
“Actually, it was your mother’s. She allowed me to bring it with us. She knew as well as I you would likely be joined here.”
“My mother?” Shona whispered. “My real mother?”
Zara smiled again. “Yes, Maiden, your real mother.”
Shona backed up and fell into a nearby chair, her face full of shock. “Do I have a father as well?”
Zara merely nodded. “A whole huge family.”
Shona’s look changed to simple curiosity. “Are you like me?”
“Yes. Would you like to see?”
Shona swallowed, smoothed back some loose wisps of hair from her face and nodded.
Zara put the dress on the table and fluxed.
Shona gasped. The woman was beautiful, more than she had ever seen in her life. It was not so much physical beauty that the Muiraran woman possessed as… a presence, as if Zara’s heart and spirit were fully displayed before her.
“You look similar to me,” Zara began. “Your features, Muiraran. Your heart, patterned for Dallan. You will become all that he needs, sister. Just as I have for my husband.”
“How can that be?”
“Our race is very relational. We cannot survive alone for long. When one of us reaches the age of Joining, we must find a mate, and we become what our future mate desires in his heart. I did not always look like this. The state of our hearts governs our appearance. The bigger my heart for my husband grew, the more I became what I am now.”
“My appearance will change?”
“As your heart grows. But because you and Dallan bonded as children, you have a head start. I do not think you will change much in appearance, but your heart will change considerably the stronger it becomes. Dallan will not want to let you stray very far f
rom him. He, like Kawahnee, will probably keep you to himself for a good year.”
“I do not understand.”
“Kawahnee would not accept invitations anywhere during the first year we were joined. He made sure we were kept busy doing other things."
Shona’s brow raised in comprehension as she blushed.
Zara smiled. “You and Dallan may be busy for a long time, child.” She picked up the dress. “Let me help you put this on. Then we will join the others.”
Shona stood, still blushing as she began to remove her soiled, torn clothing. “Where are the others?”
Zara smiled as if hiding something. “The roof.”
“The roof?”
“Kawahnee does not like to be cooped up indoors. Neither does Dallan.”
Shona stopped and stared at Zara, whose features had melted back to human. “How does that happen?”
Zara touched her face. “Instinct. Neither you nor I can hold ourselves in Flux for long. It automatically hides our features from humans when surrounded by them, unless we need to use our hearts for other things. One’s heart cannot do two things at once. Our camouflage instinct, for example, will shift to other abilities being used. That is why when we sing, our true selves show. You must be very careful, child, when and where you sing with your heart.”
Shona removed her dress and threw it across a chair. “I do not understand the difference between singing with my heart and just… well, singing.”
“After tonight, you will.” Zara said, then drew the silken gown over Shona’s head. The fabric was loose and flowed to the floor in layers that shimmered with the slightest movement.
Zara, done with that, moved to Shona’s hair and undid what little was left of the braid Kitty had plaited into it before the symphony. “Men like it when our hair is free.” Zara said as she brushed it with her fingers. She then went to a corner of the room and picked up a small brown leather pouch. She reached within and pulled out a circlet of gold. It looked to be a neck or headband.
“What is that?” Shona asked, moving to get a better look.
“The symbol of your house, child. And your office. It tells people human and Muiraran, what you are.”
“And what am I?”
“The mate of a Time Master, child. A daughter of the house of Shamaelon. It says that you are special.” She held it up for her to see.
A Celtic knot with emeralds encrusting what looked like a letter T atop a letter M adorned the golden band's center. Nothing seemed to make the letters within the knot stationary. It appeared as if they floated on air. How utterly … alien. Shona thought as she heard an unconscious gulp escape her.
Zara smiled, stepped forward and placed it on Shona’s head, adjusting the band until it rested as it should, the knot and letters rising from the center of her forehead.
Shona looked at her expectantly, then around the room. “I wish there were a mirror here. Do I look all right? Will Dallan like it?”
Zara gave a light laugh. “You will see yourself mirrored in his eyes. Let them tell you how you look.” She reached into the pouch again and pulled out a golden belt, also decorated with emeralds. She placed it around Shona’s waist, gathered the folds of her gown and anchored them in place, then stepped back to study the Maiden.
“Is it all right? What is wrong?” Shona asked, noticing the displeased look on Zara’s face.
“Something is missing. Something Dallan needs.”
Shona glanced at herself then slowly gave her attention back to Zara. “I know what is missing.”
* * *
“What d’ye want me to do, John? Wave my hand and get us back to the village that way? Och, I dinna ken how any o’ it works! How am I supposed to get us all to Genis Lee?” Dallan spun to face Lany. “And what o’ Shona? The poor lassie has been through enough already. She’s barely accepted the fact she’s no a human being and now ye want her to do what Zara does? Saints, man! I’ve never even seen what Zara does!”
John tapped Dallan’s shoulder to get his attention back. “The Maiden can do it, Dallan. You only have to do the preliminary work. Once she gets started, your job is over. Don’t worry, she’ll be strong enough after the Joining to make the trip several times in a row.”
Dallan’s eyes widened at the statement. “But how?”
Lany put a reassuring hand on the Scot’s shoulder. “The Joining has to take place before anything else can be answered. Claiming your bride is more important right now. Take care of her first. Worry about the rest later.”
Dallan snorted once and looked at him, eyes narrowed.
“After all, she’s more important," Lany added, ignoring the Scot's look. "She’s why you’re here to begin with, isn’t she?”
Dallan sighed in resignation, turned and wearily sat on a nearby bench, one of several arranged about Angus’s private rooftop garden. He dropped his face into his hands and rubbed tired eyes. “Aye, lad, yer right. She’s the important thing right now. The rest can wait till morning.”
“Good,” John began. “And don’t worry, Kwaku will guide you through everything and tell you what to do. It will be just like learning how to use a new weapon.”
Dallan brought his face out of his hands at the remark, his eyes filled with fatigue and slowly nodded.
“Are we all ready, gentlemen?” Angus asked as he popped out from behind a large fern. “I believe the lass is.” He happily made his way to a marble bench placed in front of a variety of potted flowers, ferns and small fruit trees, all of which seemed to glisten in the moonlight. He sat, his face beaming. “I’ve no been to a wedding in a verra long time. In fact, I’ve never been to this kind. What’s to be going on exactly?”
John sat next to Angus. “I think it’s a first for all of us. Kwaku and Zara are the experts. I know the basics, but that’s all.”
Dallan, still seated on the bench next to John’s, looked at the Lord Councilor expectantly. “Saints!”
“What is it?”
“I’ve no a ring for her. Do I need a ring, John?”
“You don’t need anything tonight. This is very informal. The formal ceremony will take place once you and the Maiden are safely back in Mishna. You may take her shopping for a ring then if you like.”
Dallan’s voice was no more than a whisper. “In the city?”
John smiled. “Yes, Dallan, in the city. You and Shona will eventually live in Mishna but much of both your trainings will be done in Genis Lee. You will probably have living quarters in both.”
Dallan shot him a look of disbelief.
“Unless there is another place you had in mind. But I do have to warn you that there are stipulations and rules as to how to handle your wife. You can’t pop in and out of places whenever you want. You will take an oath during the formal ceremony to perform what is asked of you by the Elders. And, once taken, you cannot break the oath. Your heart and Shona’s will not let you. And usually they frown on a Time Master returning to his own time. Too much temptation to tamper with things.”
“What sort o’ things?” Dallan asked, breaking his silence.
“Changing history, preventing deaths of loved ones when they were meant to die. Causing deaths of others who were not meant to.”
Dallan stared long and hard at his own hands. “I canna bring them back? I canna interfere?”
“Time Masters do not "interfere", John began. "They're more like observers sent to record events and gather information which can be used to make sure the same mistakes are not repeated or prevented altogether. As to any actual interfering on your part it’s entirely up to you, Dallan. The oath can be refused, but if you do, they will take Shona from you.”
Dallan abruptly stood, his eyes narrowed to slits. “No!”
“It would be within their rights.”
“No!” Dallan began again. “How can they take my wife? She canna survive without me! Ye said so yerself.”
“I know. But the Elders will sacrifice two of their own, if they think it will save
multitudes of others.”
“They would separate us and let us die?”
John swallowed and nodded.
Dallan fell back onto the bench. “Great Mother o’ God.”
Lany, who had stood silently to one side, finally joined the others. “Of course, who’s to say what happens before the oath is ever taken? Say if you happen to be experimenting with Shona’s abilities and just, um, accidentally ended up back in Scotland for a few moments? Could happen.”
John couldn’t decide whether to grin or glare at Lany. “Could.”
“Aye, it well possibly could,” Angus stated calmly and added a wink.
Dallan took a moment to ponder the possibility before nodding. “Aye, I suppose.”
They all began to chuckle.
“Ah ha!” Kwaku bellowed from behind a holly bush. “I am happy to hear you all in such good spirits.” He sat next to Dallan. “You have done well, yes? You have had great success wid de Maiden. In time Boyeee, she may even begin to like you.”
Dallan’s amused expression turned deadly. “Have ye nothing better to do than insult me?”
Kwaku stopped his chuckling, brow furrowed in serious thought, and looked back to Dallan. “No,” he answered and began to laugh again.
“Bloody heathen,” Dallan grumbled as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his legs. He wearily shook his head. “Saints, I’m tired.”
Kwaku’s laughter abruptly stopped. “Not too tired, I hope!” He slapped Dallan hard on the back.
Dallan pitched forward and caught himself only by throwing his feet out in front of him. His eyes narrowed to slits as he sat up straight. “I’ll get the job done, if that’s what yer worried about.”
“I am not worried, Boyeee. At dis point, I know you would do de job even if it were not required of you!”
Time Masters Book One; The Call (An Urban Fantasy, Time Travel Romance) Page 46