by Fiona Faris
Sophia gave a slow nod of acknowledgment to Logan. Though she still looked full of sorrow, he could swear there was a hint of pride and acceptance in her eyes. There wasn’t much else he could do beyond this, but it was a start.
Logan stood, about to close the meeting, when suddenly, a thought struck him. He thought of the story of the dragon, the one he had told Ava, and how similar it had felt at the time. The dragon in the legend had come and demanded all the boars. There had been someone who had previously demanded something from Logan, and hadn’t taken too kindly to being told no.
This whole time, Logan had been thinking it strange that the farmlands on the southern border were set aflame, but now it struck him. Those were his largest farms; those were the farms that fed the people through most of the winter. Without those lands, they would struggle. Not only that, but the south border was not far from the eastern border. And the eastern border was where one of the neighboring clans lived. Dillon’s clan.
It was all starting to make sense now. After practically demanding Logan give up his estate, Dillon had grown furious when he refused. This had to be his doing. Dillon must clearly be planning something.
“Alrick, were there any other signs near the fires that could have given us a hint as tae how they started?” Logan stood, furiously then knowing full well what this all meant. Alrick stood, and his eyes opened wide, as if he too came to the realization. He rushed out of the room and called to one of the other scouts below.
Alrick and the other scout returned quickly. The other scout began speaking.
“We thought it rather strange at the time, but we found many goose carcasses nearby. Slaughtered bits leftover near the flames.”
Logan’s mouth dropped in shock. No one in his estate ate goose. They had long been an important symbol to his family’s name. It was a custom not allowed for his people.
Alrick rushed over to Logan and leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Ye canna’ think it Dillon? Do ye think he started this?”
“That is all I am thinking for the moment. I have no other suspicions tae follow.” Logan reached over and grabbed his mug of ale, only to throw it across the room. He had promised himself he would try to keep his anger in check, but a situation like this warranted such a reaction.
“I need ye and the other scouts tae go out first morning and visit the two neighboring clans, Dillon’s and the Addairs. We need tae see if anything strange is happening near their borders. Only then will we ken how to proceed.” Logan had avoided meeting Sophia’s eyes, out of fear of what she would think of his reaction. But in that moment, she stared back as fiercely as she had ever looked at him. If the reason for the fires was another clan, she wanted to know and she wanted to make sure she got her own revenge.
“I need us tae make a team of people tae patrol the borders. If someone struck once, there is no use thinking they won’t strike again. I need my people safe and protected.” With these words the fellow elders slammed their mugs down in support as well.
“I will follow through with this, Laird.” Alrick stood, bowed to the people, and raced out of the room to begin organizing the next day’s adventures.
Logan sat back down and dismissed the council meeting. He knew there was something going on beyond the fires and he couldn’t believe it had taken him all day to figure this out. Dillon was sending a message. But Dillon wasn’t the only one who could arouse fear. Logan had a plan, and he was ready to show Dillon his estate wasn’t one to be corrupted.
Chapter Eight
Outside, the sun had set. The only light in the castle came from a collection of lanterns along the walls and the bright glow of the full moon sliding through the windows. Though it was nearing nighttime, the castle was still in chaos. People rushed around at all hours. Moans of pain weaved through the hallways. There were hungry children crying, and people who longed to return to homes they would never have again. But there was something else, too: a shimmer of hope. Fanny, Gilbert, and Sophia moved as quickly as they could, healing during each and every moment of the day. They healed many patients, but there were still others who needed help. It was difficult to keep up with the task.
Sophia sat on the edge of the bed in Fanny’s bedchamber. She patted her forehead with a cloth to wipe away the sweat that lingered at her temple. A breeze carried in the scent of the nearby river, and Sophia longed to rush out and dive into the waters, as she had many late afternoons when she lived in her farmhouse. She wanted to feel the river wash over her. She had never seen the ocean in her life, but the waters of the river were enough to make her feel as if she had her own private sea.
Sophia wished she could return to her old life, without all of this loss and pain. There wasn’t even a room for her to retreat to any longer. She was in Fanny’s bedchamber because hers was no longer usable, as they had to house some of the seriously injured patients there for frequent linen changes.
“Fanny, I dinnae ken how we are going tae heal all of these people.” Sophia dropped her hands into her lap and sighed deeply. Even as they healed patients, the list of the injured continued to grow. There were people who moved into the keep with burns they had attempted to heal themselves, only to find they festered overnight. There were people who had been healed already, but returned seeking more assistance, and were in need of cleanses, herbs for stomach ailments, and more.
“Aye, wee one; dinnae fret, we will heal as many as we can. We will take shifts. Gilbert is ready tae bandage people on his own now.” Fanny walked over towards Sophia and sat near her. She put her hand atop Sophia’s and gave it a soft squeeze.
“Yer doin’ good work, Sophia, dinnae punish yerself because ye canna do it all. Yer mum would be proud. Yer already becomin’ a fine healer.” She stood up and walked over to the trunk that stood in the corner of the room.
“Here.” She grabbed a quilt from the trunk and handed it to Sophia. “Tis time for ye tae get some rest. I will come get ye when it comes time for yer shift.” The plan was that they would all take turns, working in shifts to heal the injured folks. If they could all take many turns, then maybe they could heal all of the people who needed it within only a few days. The sooner they treated the wounds, the better chance people had of avoiding any permanent damage.
Fanny and Gilbert were going to focus on the worst injuries as a group, while at early dawn, Sophia would heal the more manageable patients on her own: those with smaller burns, those who only needed ointment, or those who needed simple tonics. That way, they could tackle both serious ailments and the growing number of smaller ones.
“Thank ye, Fanny. I’ll do my best tae get some sleep so I can get back out there as soon as I can.” Sophia laid down on the bed. Her eyes were heavy with the need for sleep. She pulled the quilt up to her chin and let out a sigh that competed with the drafty winds whistling through the castle. Fanny slipped out of the bedchamber and blew out the only candle in the room.
Outside in the hall, Gilbert waited for Fanny. He leaned against the wall. He sounded slightly irritated with lack of sleep, or maybe hunger. “The new apprentice needs tae get some sleep? She’s nae cut out for the healer’s life, it seems,” he said.
Fanny shushed him. “Let the girl rest. She had a hard few days, and she lost everythin’ she had in the world. We got much tae take care of. Let us begin.”
Sophia tried to pretend she couldn’t hear them talking about her outside the walls. Gilbert had been rather grouchy lately. She tried to be pleasant to him, but she understood what it must feel like to have worked so hard for an apprenticeship, only for someone new to be handed one. He was a good healer and a good student, even if he might not be a natural.
But she wasn’t exactly new to this trade, either. Fanny had long known Sophia. Her mother and Fanny had a close friendship, and Sophia learned quite a bit from both her and her mother. Whenever the people living near the border closest to their home needed help, Sophia would rush along with her mother and do her best to assist. By the time she was only five y
ears of age, she could tell herbs from one another by smell alone.
Her mother had always wanted her to continue on this path, but after her death, it was too difficult for Sophia to learn from Fanny. She would still help her whenever she came out to the farms, but she didn’t have time to head towards the castle anymore. She needed to keep the household in line and help her father in whatever way possible.
Thinking of her father caused a pain to well in Sophia’s chest. She felt the loss throughout her entire body. She longed to keep her eyes closed, to sleep through the night, but try as she might, she just couldn’t allow her eyes to remain shut.
Maybe it was the full moon causing a stirring deep inside her, but she suddenly thought of her mare. If she was not going to sleep, she might as well get up and check on Moon. Maybe make herself a tea as well. Sophia looked through the trunk for a soft cloak to throw over her shoulders. She found one that fit her well, and tied it around her neck. Laird Logan had kept to the promise that Fanny had made for him, and he’d made sure she had at least a few necessary garments.
Once the cloak was fastened around Sophia’s neck, she opened the door of the bedchamber and poked her head out. She checked to make sure no one was around. As much as she wanted to help the people who needed it, if she had to bandage up another wound right now, she would not be able to handle it. She might just break down into tears.
The hall was empty, so Sophia slipped through the open door. She made her way down the long corridor. The light from the moon was shining in through the windows and the lanterns helped guide her way, but still Sophia was not accustomed to the castle and she was having difficulty finding a way out. She heard a voice around the corner, so she pressed herself against the wall and waited for it to pass. As she moved her back against the brick, her cloak rustled against the stone and the voice stopped its mumbling. She wanted to peek around the corner but was afraid of who she would find; instead, she waited. She saw a shadow moving across the floor toward her, and she drew in her breath. The figure was long and had the build of a sturdy man.
“Sophia, did I frighten ye?” It was Laird Logan. His eyes moved up and down her body, and Sophia was suddenly reminded of the soft, gauzy dress she had pulled on to sleep in. The cloak hung just below her buttocks, but the front was fairly open. She pulled the fabric close around her, and Logan looked away. She couldn’t be certain, but she thought she saw a red tint on his cheeks that wasn’t coming from the flames of the lantern.
“Nae, ye didn’t. I was worried ‘bout my mare. I thought it a good chance tae check on her, and maybe getta tea.”
“Aye, well, may I join ye? Seems I cannae sleep myself.”
Sophia’s eyes widened. She was not overly fond of the laird, but the fact that he wanted to follow her to the stables at this hour brought a blush to her cheeks. Surely he had better things to do, even in the late evening? Well, if he wanted to join her, she would let him.
“Aye, whatever ye desire, Laird.” She gave a swift nod. “I dinnae ken how tae get there so ye found me at a proper time.” Logan gave a quiet and brief laugh.
“I’ll show ye where they are.” He turned the corner and led the way.
The two walked for some time. They weaved this way and that, and all the while, Sophia wondered how someone could ever know an estate this big by memory. Sure, she knew the path of the river, and the woods beyond it, but that was easy. That was the natural world. How did one manage to avoid getting lost in a maze of stone such as this?
“Are ye finding yerself at home here in the keep?” Logan finally asked, after about six turns in different directions.
“Yes, I am. I dinnae ken if it will ever feel like home, but I have felt welcomed.” It was true; from the minute the staff knew Sophia was an apprentice, they had begun treating her better than she could have imagined. It was almost as if she was royalty herself. She had meals when she needed them. She could wander into the kitchen for tea when she felt like it, and if she had need for anything at all, all she needed to do was ask.
“Good. Tis very good tae hear. I dinnae want ye tae feel like yer work is nae appreciated.”
Sophia didn’t know what to say in response, so she let silence fall over them. It was a good thing, because they had finally reached a door that lead to the outside, but they had to pass close by the great hall where Fanny and Gilbert were working. Sophia let Logan’s tall frame overshadow hers as she walked side by side with him. As long as she kept pace with him, she could keep herself hidden from their view. That, and the fact that they were focused on their patients, made it easy to slip by unnoticed.
Once they were outside, it felt like Sophia could finally breathe for the first time in days. Logan stood by quietly as Sophia leaned against the outer stone wall with her eyes closed, just to breathe in the cool night air. The air was thick with a fog rolling in. It held a twinge of salt from the far-away sea, and the tickle of pine trees.
“It feels good tae be outside!” she exclaimed in deep relief. “These last days, t’as been all patients every wakin’ hour.” The breeze rustled the cloak she wore, and she felt the air slip beneath the heavy fabric. Her nipples perked up at the cool sensation. She opened her eyes and looked at Logan. She felt herself blush, as she found he was looking at her with a wide grin.
“Tis good tae see ye smile,” he said before looking away shyly.
“Sorry tae distract us from the stables.” Sophia pulled her cloak around her and looked down at the earth beneath her feet. She was happy she’d left the bedchamber when she did. Even if she and Logan were speaking very little, it was as if she was seeing a different side to him, a softness she only picked up briefly in the council meeting. He was gentler when he wasn’t surrounded by all of his people.
“Aye, we shall be gettin’ on tae the stables.” He moved forward, but Sophia could see his steps were slow, as if he too was enjoying whom he was around her.
The two walked for a moment longer, until they reached the stables. Sophia ran forward, unable to restrain herself.
“Moon, my beautiful Moon. How are ye, dear?” Logan watched as Sophia brushed her hand over Moon’s long mane. She leaned in and laid her face against the beast’s pulsing neck. Logan walked up near the two and put his broad hand on Moon’s mane, stroking her gently.
“Tis a beautiful mare. Ye have taken good care of it,” he said quietly. Sophia continued to run her hand along Moon’s snout.
“Tis true. She’s powerful.” The two sat in silence for a short while. Sophia could feel the evening creep in further. The air got colder, and she found she had to keep the cloak pulled in tightly to stop from accidentally exposing the hardness of her breasts through the gauze of the thin dress. There was a part of her that was enjoying the breeze against her body.
It had been a long while since any man had laid his hands on her flesh. As brutish as Logan was, Sophia could not deny that she had pondered what his rough hands might feel like against the softness of her mounds, what it might feel like to have him slide the dress up enough to cup her buttocks…
Sophia shook her head and tried to bring herself back to the present. She looked around inside the stable and finally noticed just how many horses were inside. There were mares and stallions of all colors and sizes. This stable, while larger than any she had ever seen, could barely contain all of the animals.
Sophia checked Moon’s stall to make sure she was being well fed and well cared for. Her stall looked clean, and she had enough food. Sophia knew there were many people who had moved into the keep, especially given how many injuries there were, but somehow the number of horses in the stable caused her to be surprised. She had wondered how the people would even house their horses after the fires. They had no home for themselves, let alone homes for their creatures. The staff did seem to be taking care of them, however, and at the time being, that was all that Sophia could truly hope for.
Logan saw Sophia shiver, and he took off his own cloak in response.
“I see y
our nightshirt is nae doin’ much tae keep ye warm. Here.” He placed his own large cloak over her thin frame, and it fell like a heavy quilt around Sophia’s shoulders.
“Thank ye.” She ran her hand along the fabric. It was the finest wool she had ever laid her hands on. “Might be time tae head inside. I should try tae get some shut-eye.”
Logan frowned ever so slightly, but with the glow of the moon, Sophia could see the nearly imperceptible change. “Aye. Let us go then.”
The journey back to the keep of the castle felt much shorter than the walk away from it. As much as Logan and Sophia wanted to stay outside, neither knew how to express it fully, and neither understood it much, either.
Sophia spoke first. “It was nice takin’ this walk with ye. Thank ye for showin’ me where the stables were.” They entered near the Great Hall, but Fanny and Gilbert were distracted in the corner with a moaning patient. Sophia reached up and fumbled with Logan’s heavy plaid. “And thank ye for lettin’ me borrow this,” she said.