Highland Bloodline

by Florence Love Karsner

  The two soldiers would be rewarded for finding the Highlanders. Their informant had told them there were three brothers and a young lad. They couldn’t care less about capturing a lad, but the third brother would be found sooner or later. Their contact had told them he came and went from the lodge, but didn't know exactly where he was at the moment.

  "We'll find the other one, too. You can count on that. You Highlanders need to be taught a lesson about siding against the Crown—not a smart move on your part. But then, you're not known for being especially intelligent, are you?"

  Laughter followed and the two soldiers spurred their horses on just to see how the Scots rode without any help from their hands. When the soldiers looked back at the two, however, the Scotsmen sat tall in the saddle as if they were out for an enjoyable afternoon ride.

  CHAPTER 7

  W

  abi poured himself a mug of tea, a Darjeeling variety Aned Favŕe had brought over to him. As the steam rose above the mug, the old wizard added a dollop of honey and sniffed the tea, enjoying the tangy aroma that filled his nostrils. Finally he stood and stared out the window looking down toward the water below his cottage. The loch was white capping and as Wabi watched, an eagle swooped down, extended his great talons, and reached down into the turbulent waves and secured his next meal.

  "Owl, my friend, I dislike leaving my cottage knowing Ian is on his way. But this is one situation that requires my immediate attention, as you well know. Ian is a very bright young lad and I have no doubt he'll manage on his own until such time as I'm able to be with him."

  Owl sat on his perch listening to his Master. The two had been through adventures that made Owl's head spin, literally, and he was still with his Master. Being a companion of Wabi did not mean he was forced to stay. He was free to leave at any time, but he knew his place was with this old one. The Creator would never force any of the species to stay with another if they did not wish to do so. Free will was one of the Creator's laws.

  You've experienced this phenomenon before Master. If the Creator so desires, you will return again and complete your destiny as he has planned. And I will be here, as always, waiting for you.

  "Knowing you'll still be here when and if I return is comforting, Owl. I just wish this situation had come at a better time. There's so much turmoil in the country with the British government's demands on the Scots and I'm concerned for all of my countrymen, especially for Caitlin and her loved ones."

  Alex and the MacKinnon family will take care of her, Master.

  "Of course. But once I enter my hibernation state, I can no longer communicate with her, nor feel her vibrations; nor can I call Ian or hear him if he should call me. But I have no choice. Every day I feel less and less able to perform my duties the Creator has set out for me. My power is all but gone and I must go now, the time has come again.

  "Only you will know where I'll be. I trust you'll keep this knowledge to yourself, and if the Creator so desires he'll allow me to go within and find that deep well of energy that will return my powers. If not, then I will continue to sleep forever.

  “In just a short while, the Beltane fires will be lighted across the land. This is a time of celebration of the return of life and vitality to the earth, a rebirth so to speak. All creatures, including man, may find rejuvenation and a new connection to the Creator during this period.

  "I shall enter my hibernation and dwell in the home of the Druids on the Isle of Orkney, a place of the ancients who share my blood. There is power in this place, and if it is my destiny I will harness that power and return to my assigned place on this earth.

  "However, if I do not awaken before the great fires die out, then you have my permission to inform Caitlin and Ian that the time has come for me to move on to the next life the Creator has designed for me.

  "I've traveled this plane and been the caretaker for this line of healers for generations now. My intuition tells me the latest healer in this line, just a child now, has been given power that may be greater than all those who came before her. If this is correct, then doubtless there will be extremely trying times ahead for all those who care for her and I pray I will be allowed to help guide her. She may be a challenge even for this old wizard. But as always, the Creator's wishes shall be done, not ours."

  CHAPTER 8

  T

  he spring morning air still had a nip to it, but thanks to the gardeners and Reggie's green thumb, Cameron Castle was teeming with colorful flowers and plants and the vegetable gardens had to be picked every day. The sight was pleasing to Hector as he made his early morning walkabout around the estate. He entered the kitchen through the back door and casually strolled into the kitchen hoping to snitch a scone from Ethel's pastry basket.

  "Morning, Ethel. Have ye seen Reggie? I've looked all over but she seems to have disappeared," he said as he lifted the tea towel and pinched a buttered scone.

  "Oh, aye, Mr. MacKinnon. She was here earlier, but I'm not real sure where ye might find her now. There was a wee problem, but she's quite a capable young woman so I expect she'll manage to deal with it."

  "What kind of problem? Is it something I need to know about?"

  "One of our kitchen helpers, Aileen, a young woman from our village, has difficulty some days, as most of the women do. And there's naught to be done I'm afraid. She lost her husband at Culloden ye see, and she's grieving still. I imagine Miss Reggie's trying her best to console her. The girl says she has family around the Lairg Fern area and would like to get back to them, but she has no means to get there and she's pretty poorly most days anyhow. Mind ye, she's good in the kitchen though, sir. She's almost as good a cook as meself." She laughed and turned back to rolling out her piecrusts.

  Hector walked away, nibbling on his scone. With just a little thought, he knew where Reggie would have taken someone to console them—the rose garden. He often found Reggie there herself and wondered if she, too, weren't grieving over her own husband, who had died following a hunting accident some time ago.

  As he reached the winding path that led through the rose garden he heard voices, and occasionally a sob emerged as well. Thinking perhaps this was not the time to interrupt, he turned and went back toward the stable.

  He needed to talk to Clint about hiring one more helper. Apparently Winston was getting on in years, as was Clint, and needed a hand with the sheep. Presently, the flock produced enough wool to keep the estate working, and a younger helper would make things easier for the old ones.

  But that problem was one he could fix. But there was another one he couldn't. This latest problem, the British breathing down everyone's throat, was something else. Hector felt sure the soldiers would show up at Cameron Castle eventually. Would they close the Sanctuary? Did they know he was a Jacobite supporter?

  That evening, Hector and Reggie had their supper together in the small library next to the great room. It was quiet and they usually spent this time reviewing the day's events at the Sanctuary, and Ethel took special pains to make sure they were not interrupted during these dinners. Of course, she always included some of the fine wine from the Cameron Castle cellar—she knew the mistress would have approved of that.

  It was obvious to Ethel these two were on the way to becoming more than just coworkers. Hector's face actually lit up when Reggie came into the room, and Ethel was delighted to see some happiness as there was so much grief and depression in all the women at the castle.

  The Sanctuary was proving to be a safe haven for the women and children in this area. Most of the women had lost husbands at Culloden and had no place to go. Millie's grandmother had left her the estate and Millie had asked Hector to turn it into a refuge for the widows and their children. So far the project was working well, and finding Reggie to manage it for him was the key to its success as far as Hector was concerned. He took care of managing the financial end and she kept the staff organized and worked well with the women.

  The most difficult situations usually involved the children. The mothe
rs were hardly able to take care of themselves, much less their bairns. To Hector's dismay, there were many small bairns who required someone to feed them, hold them, and care for them fulltime if their own mothers were unable to do so. That was where Dorothea proved to be his savior. Taking care of children was exactly what Dorothea was meant to do, and she loved every minute of it.

  Reggie, too, blossomed at the Sanctuary and greatly enjoyed being with Hector every day. He was nothing like her husband, and it surprised her that she found him so appealing.

  In her opinion he was very handsome, with his dark hair and eyes, and broad shoulders that always pulled at his coat. At first glance he appeared imposing to her, something about his very large size, and his brogue took her a while to decipher. The Highlanders definitely had their own way of speaking. But once she'd gotten to know him better, she realized he was very intelligent and had the patience of Job.

  He spoke about his family in the Highlands often and Reggie dreaded the day he would leave her and return to them. They'd had a number of conversations regarding how long he would stay at the Sanctuary, but he still hadn't given her any real idea of just what he had in mind.

  "Hector, I have a personal understanding of how it feels to lose your loved one, your husband. But as terrible as that was, some of these women have so much more to deal with. Most of them lost their homes when their husbands didn't return from Culloden. They have no way of making a living, and some of them have children they can hardly care for. Some of them have even lost bairns to various illnesses. Life is most difficult for these women, Hector. What you have created here is a wonderful respite for them. Where they go from here is not clear yet, but today they are being cared for."

  "Aye, today they're being cared for. Living in the Highlands had its own difficulties, but being cared for was something I never had to worry about. Mam and Da instilled in all of us a desire to care for each other, and we've spent a lifetime doing that. But now there's such uncertainty with the Brits I fear we may be in for some trying times."

  "I agree. I know you told me you'd eventually be going back to the Highlands, but I hope it's not any time soon."

  "Aye, that's my plan. But don't worry lass, I'll not leave ye by yerself just yet. We've still got more work to do here."

  He poured another glass of the deep red claret for each of them. "Come, let's take a moonlight stroll through your rose garden."

  As she stood, he placed her arisaid (a plaid wrap) about her shoulders and escorted her out the door.

  By the time they returned, Hector had heard Aileen's story, and several others, which made him even more aware of the grief these women were experiencing. Some of the stories had him wishing he hadn't heard them.

  CHAPTER 9

  F

  ollowing his adventure with the highwayman, Ian was taking his sweet time roaming about the countryside, in no great hurry, and enjoying being on his own for the first time in his life. A week or so passed before he turned his mind to moving on to Wabi's cottage. He knew that once there his time would be taken with hours of instruction. He did love learning from Master Wabi, but this new freedom was certainly a treat for a young lad.

  He stopped for a moment and returned his compass to his inside pocket. He knew exactly where he was now even without consulting the device. But Da was right, the compass had kept him on track all the way. On his last visit to Wabi's he'd scouted out the area around the cottage, so he recognized the stone circle next to the stream running along the east side of Wabi's property. These stones had been placed here eons ago and Wabi instructed him to go past them quietly, with reverence, which he certainly did now.

  As he approached Wabi's cottage, his first observation was how quiet it was. Last time, he'd been amazed to see how many birds and various animals seemed to inhabit the grounds close to the cottage. But today he heard no birds, saw no squirrels nor foxes. The quiet was eerie and he slowed Merlin's trot to a walk.

  As the horse ambled along, Henson reared his head from the saddlebag, as if to see for himself.

  "Something's not right, Henson. No sounds, no animals. No smoke coming from his chimney. Wabi always keeps a small kettle heating on his stove for his tea."

  The cat leaped to the ground and tore off toward the water. Ian had learned to trust him, and knew he would return before too long. Dismounting, he unsaddled Merlin and let him loose in the small pasture behind the stable. They both could use a rest after this journey.

  He walked down to the water's edge where Henson had fled. Still no sign of Wabi, but as he stood watching the never-ending ripples on the dark waters, he spied a large bird on the wing and had no doubt who it was—Owl.

  The bird traveled with Wabi and Ian was well aware they communicated constantly. As yet, Wabi had not taught him that particular skill. As he watched quietly, the great bird circled the cottage and made a spectacular, downward spiraling dive that had Ian grinning from ear to ear.

  Jeez! How does he do that?

  Ian marveled at how the bird could make such a maneuver without losing control. He had seen him do this before when he visited last time. Still smiling to himself, he started back up to the cottage, intent on going inside and seeing if there were any clues as to Wabi's whereabouts. Perhaps he had left him a note. He hesitated to "call" Wabi, as he had been instructed to only use that manner of communication when absolutely necessary, so he'd wait a bit before he resorted to that measure.

  As he walked up the cobblestone walkway from the water, the great owl zipped by and alighted on the post at the rear of Wabi's cottage. The post had been placed there for him long ago. As Ian neared the post he stopped momentarily, finding himself feeling a bit dizzy.

  Whoa. What's this about?

  He thought he might sit on the steps a second. It had been a long trip, so he must be more tired than he realized. Once again, though, even sitting he felt dizzy, and then heard a buzzing sound, like a swarm of bees hovering about their hive.

  He put his hands over his ears and thought to stand up again and try to make his way inside. When he did, however, the buzzing got louder and the dizziness came again full force, causing him to lose his balance and fall to his knees.

  Holy sheep shite! What's happening to me?

  From a faraway distance he heard another sound. Was it a voice? No. It couldn't be. There was no one else close by. Then, once again, the same sound. It must be a voice. Yes. It was a voice. What was it saying?

  Yes, yes...

  Then the buzzing drowned out the sound of the voice. Finally, the buzzing died down and the voice came through, more clearly this time.

  Yes, Ian, I am speaking to you. Now open your mind and listen. You can hear me if you will.

  Ian shook his head and looked about. Still no one around. “Mam? Are ye calling me? Are ye trying to tell me something?”

  Oh, for heaven's sake! It's not your mam, it's me. Now look up here, look at me.

  Ian looked up and saw Owl staring down at him.

  "Owl? Are ye talking to me?"

  Yes, I am. This is not difficult if you'll just pay attention. It took me forever to get through to Caitlin—please tell me you aren't going to be so dense. I expect more from you, young wizard.

  Ian threw his head back and began laughing so hard he almost keeled over.

  "This is unbelievable! I'm talking to an owl! And yer right, it's not difficult."

  Then let's get down to business shall we? Master Wabi has gone into hibernation. At the moment you will not be able to communicate with him, nor he with you.

  "What do you mean hibernation?"

  There are times when my Master must retire to a place of quiet and peace. He must go deep within and seek renewal of his powers. It is an arduous undertaking and there are no guarantees he will return from this resting place, a place of the ancients. That is a decision the Creator alone will make. Master Wabi is a pawn in his hands and will obey the Creator's wishes.

  "But where is he? I need to speak with him. There'
s a lot of unrest in the Highlands. I'm worried about my brothers, and myself, too. The Brits are capturing the Jacobite supporters and putting them in prison—sending them to the islands. They'll become slaves, Owl. I need Wabi's help!"

  My master's instructions were that I tell no one his location. However, he has left a task for you, young Ian. It is his wish that you seek him, and through doing so you will make use of all the skills he has taught you. If you should discover his whereabouts, however, he will still not be available to you. You are to learn from this experience and take advantage of all knowledge that may be presented to you. It may be that there will be experiences coming your way that will deepen your understanding of this world and of peoples unknown to you before this time. Leave your prejudices aside and be open to the truth, even if it isn't what you thought it to be. Lastly, you are to remain steadfast in your own beliefs—they are well founded.

  "So I can look for him, but even if I find him I can't talk to him?"

  That is correct. But if he has set this task for you, then he will have had a good reason. My advice would be to not question but follow as he instructed. Master Wabi never makes any requests without a good reason. Trust me.

  "I don't even know where to start, Owl. I have a compass, but that won't tell me where to begin."

  I would suggest you spend a few quiet moments recalling the many lessons from Master Wabi, then proceed from there.

  With that, Owl spread his great wings and lifted off his post. Within a few seconds he was but a black dot on the horizon, leaving Ian standing alone staring into the distance.

  CHAPTER 10

  T

  hrowing open the windows in old Jamie's room, Caitlin stuck her head out, taking in a deep breath as she did so. She'd been cooped up in this room for days now and a breath of fresh air was welcome.