Highland Bloodline

by Florence Love Karsner

  CHAPTER 17

  I

  an wrapped his plaid about himself, grabbed Henson and sat down, legs crossed, arms snug against his sides. "Henson, we're going to move quickly now. Ye'll get used to this way of traveling, and ye'll like it—eventually."

  Bowing briefly, as Wabi had taught him, he closed his eyes, lifted his face to the sky and began a faint chant, one that would only be heard by others of his ilk. His concentration wandered momentarily and he thought about his plan. He was using Caitlin's map as his reference point, but it was so very old. Would the markings still be the same today? Would they lead him to Master Wabi? Would he be able to sense Wabi's presence as usual? And if not, then what?

  Knowing to entertain these thoughts would prevent him from traveling, he became centered and once again began his chant, and the earth began a rhythmic throbbing Ian could feel in his soul. A blinding light flashed and lit the sky all around as a whirlwind encircled the young wizard and lifted him from the ground. It slowly began its frenzied, spinning, tornadic pace—he was on his way.

  The few moments of unease and vertigo that always accompanied time weaving were worth the experiences that came next. The singing always came first, soft voices that blended so perfectly you never knew when one stopped and another began. A magnificent kaleidoscope of colors followed with an array of hues the human eye could never discern. Each time Ian traveled in this manner, he experienced a brief interval when he wished to stay in this place, this paradise of sounds, colors, and feelings. But the whirlwind had other ideas, and with a final unexpected thrust, he was deposited at the top of a lush green meadow with sheep grazing in the distance. To say it was a rather unceremonious landing would be exactly right.

  He rubbed his backside and at first wondered if he had landed on his moor in the Highlands. For a second he thought he spied someone in the distance, but then they disappeared as if into thin air. Perhaps he hadn't seen anyone. The aftermath of time weaving often left one a bit disoriented for a few moments.

  Henson had apparently survived the trip, but his fur stood on end in every direction. Ian laughed, then placed his feline friend down on the grass.

  Taking his map out once again, he began to look closely at the various markings. According to the map, there should be several stone structures, apparently erected by peoples of ancient times, near where he had landed. To the east he saw a stand of oak trees, and to the west he could see the roiling sea, its whitecaps splashing upwards reaching for the seabirds as they dove and circled above.

  "Henson, there's a cairn somewhere nearby. We need to find it. Beneath it is a series of deep caverns within the earth. It would be a perfect place for Druids to practice their rituals. Mam always said they were to be revered and certainly ye shouldn't offend them. Even Julius Caesar believed them to have great power and respected them. Wish I'd read more about them, now."

  It was only moments later that his ears detected a musical sound coming from an area just in front of him. Walking to the top of the moor, he discovered he was actually standing atop a cairn, but it had been overgrown by grass over the years.

  "Then the map is right. This is the Druids' cairn, right here under my feet."

  Henson ran off, as usual, but Ian wasn’t concerned.

  A cairn would have marked the site of burial for one or more persons. That being the case, Ian was careful to keep an attitude of reverence as Mam and Wabi had indicated. The climb down the side of the cairn was quite steep and Ian lost his footing more than once in his descent.

  "Dang it. A bloody knee and scraped elbows, just what I need." He finally got to the base of the cairn and looked about. If there were caverns here he saw no entrance, but did see a small stream that ran along the cairn, so he stopped to drink.

  He may not have seen anything, but suddenly he certainly felt something—a vibration was pulling him, beckoning to him, filling the air around him. Was it Master Wabi? No. Master Wabi's call was unique and Ian knew it from all others. Someone was calling, but who? There was no decision to make about whether to answer the vibrating call—he could not resist it.

  He came closer to the exterior wall of the cairn, but still saw no entry. Eventually, making his way along the wall, he came to a tall stand of grass and thought to sit there for a moment, perhaps long enough to discover the nature of the vibration. As he sat down, he almost fell backward. Just behind the tall grass there was a steep flight of grass-covered steps that seemed to go downward forever.

  As Ian stood and began to make his way downward, Henson returned and went bounding along in front of him.

  "Wait, Henson. We don't know where these steps may lead." But Henson turned a deaf ear to Ian's warning. The farther down Ian went, the stronger the vibration became, and at the bottom of the steps he came upon an arched doorway with a thick wooden door. When he raised his hand to knock, the doorway opened slightly. Before him stood a young man, perhaps only a few years older than himself. He was dressed in a long, sand-colored tunic and his hair was just a fringe around his skull. Ian stared at the young man. Never had he seen anyone like this.

  "Welcome, Master Ian. Please follow me."

  "What? I'm no master, sir. And who are you? Why should I follow you?" Master Wabi had taught Ian to always know where you are going and never to follow blindly.

  "I am called Jobaer. Come, young master. Our leader will explain all you need to understand. Come now. Follow me. All will be well."

  Ian slowly followed, taking in his surroundings as he did so. There were several tunnels leading off the main one, and hundreds of candles lighted the way. Occasionally he felt a draft of wind as they passed an adjoining tunnel. The music he had heard earlier was here as well. Perhaps it was a flute, certainly a woodwind instrument of some kind, and the sound was enticing.

  Finally the young man stopped and pulled back a colorful, finely woven curtain hanging at an entrance to one of the tunnels. Jobaer then bowed and quietly walked away. From within, a voice called to Ian.

  "Come. Come now."

  Ian hesitated, then followed Henson, who darted through immediately.

  The words were spoken by a tall, thin man whose very presence filled the room. Ian felt the vibrations coming from this one, much like what he felt in Master Wabi's presence.

  "I am called Danaan. Join me. Master Wabi indicated we may have a visit from you, Master Ian. He will be most pleased you have completed your assigned task."

  "I am no master, sir. I am only an apprentice of Master Wabi."

  "Yes, of course. But if Master Wabi has chosen you to follow in his path, then the title of master will most certainly be yours soon."

  "Where is he, Master Wabi?"

  "He has come to us as he has come before, and we are humbled to assist him in his time of need. A great one such as Master Wabi has need to hibernate at various intervals in his lives. We are simply his friends, his brethren of a similar ilk, and it is our pleasure to offer our assistance to him."

  "I must see him. It's important, ye ken? My family's in trouble and Wabi can help them if only I can find him."

  "No, young master. He cannot help you at this time. His power must be regenerated and he must go deep within himself and begin to renew his energies. Have no fear young Ian, the Creator will be with his chosen one."

  "But there's no time. I must—"

  "If you wish, you may abide with our order while your master is here. We spend much time studying nature, the ancient ones, their beliefs, and their rituals. Master Wabi suggested you might gain knowledge and experience through time spent with us. It is, of course, your decision."

  "I should stay here? Master Wabi says so?"

  "Yes. He has begun his hibernation already and will return if and when the Creator so desires. Until such time, we would be honored with your presence." He leaned down and scooped Henson up, cradling him gently in his arms.

  "I see you've brought a companion with you."

  The large cat purred and Danaan smiled and scratched h
im behind his dark ears.

  "Ah, so. Of course. A special one as well."

  He placed the cat on the floor, bowed to Ian and called for Jobaer, who was there instantly.

  Jobaer smiled. "Come, young wizard. I'll take you to your quarters and clean your wounded knees."

  Before he departed, Danaan turned his attention to Ian once again. "You should join us for our evening meal and meditation time. I think you'll find the food delicious and the prayers comforting."

  Ian had no other plan. He had thought to convince Wabi to come help him, but this was not to be. Reluctantly, he accompanied Jobaer to a small chamber that had been carved into the walls of the cavern. It was complete with a small cot, several candles, and to Ian's delight, a stack of books stood in the corner.

  "You have books? Most folk don't have any, much less as many as I have seen since coming into this cavern."

  "Yes. Danaan reads to us each day, and we are all able to read ourselves. But when he reads from the ancient scrolls, the message comes with a greater emotional understanding than we are able to muster as yet. He is a great leader and you should listen when he speaks. He is not of the same ilk as Master Wabi, but he has great knowledge and understands more than we novices."

  That evening, the food was just as Danaan had said it would be—delicious. Ian hadn't eaten very well since leaving the lodge in the Highlands, and he ate his fill, pinching off tidbits and hand-feeding them to Henson.

  The evening prayer service was also most interesting. Ian knew there were cultures that had unusual rituals and had read about many of them. But to actually see a ritual being performed firsthand was an exciting adventure for him.

  Danaan had taken his place on a small raised dais made of wood that was covered with a fabric similar to the curtain in the cave, with numerous animals created from colorful threads. Certainly this exquisite stitchery was the work of a woman, but Ian had seen only men so far. Danaan had changed from his beige tunic into a long, white one that dragged the ground as he walked along, and two young novices walked quietly in his wake.

  In preparation for the lighting of the Beltane fires, the ritual this evening was dedicated to cleansing oneself and purifying the body to be more acceptable to the various gods. This preparation was done in order to transcend earthly things for the life of the spirit.

  As always, the Druids practiced their worship in the open air. In this instance, they gathered under the grove of oak trees near the mound.

  When the ceremony ended, Danaan and the two young novices began their walk along the path among the others. When Ian looked up from his own prayers, his head jerked up even higher. He found himself staring. He had never seen anyone as breathtakingly beautiful as the young woman who walked at the end of the procession. She too wore a long, white tunic very similar to the one like Danaan wore. Flower petals clung to her long, white-blond hair that flowed down her back as she moved gracefully down the path. He reached out as if to touch her as she passed by.

  Jobaer quickly grabbed his arm and pulled it back. "No, Master Ian. She is not for you."

  "But who is she? I must meet her. She's beautiful."

  "Her name is Arduinna. She is a young priestess of our order. She is pledged to celibacy and has dedicated herself to being one with nature and not with any man. She is not for you."

  Ian was speechless and stared at Arduinna until she disappeared in the distance.

  The next day, when the great fires were lighted across the land, prayers were offered for all peoples, the animals and all beings found in nature. Each village had its own specific rituals, but all were centered around a spirit of renewal and rebirth, well-being throughout.

  There was much celebration, dancing, and sharing of foods. As the sun began to slide down the sky and daylight faded into night, the villagers were exhausted from their activities and the day came to its end and the rituals ceased.

  As was common at the end of the celebration, the villagers rushed their cattle over the dying flames of the sacred fires. As the last cow rushed through the smoky haze, suddenly a roar came from the crowd. The final flame jumper was not a cow, but rather a huge mountain lion with dark ears and a long dark tail.

  "Oh! Where did he come from? I've not seen a mountain lion for many years. They roamed our caves here for eons, but none have been seen for ages. Danaan, is this a spiritual omen of some kind? Should we be afraid?"

  "No. There is nothing here to be afraid of. It is simply one of our fellow creatures making his own celebration of the Beltane. He is not to be feared. He is chosen."

  Ian knew the moment Master Wabi returned to them. His very soul felt a stirring and relief flooded through him. A sharp tingling down his spine had him up and running across the mound toward his friend and master. The old one took long strides and met him quickly.

  "Wabi! Are ye all right then? Do ye still have ye powers? Are ye hurt?"

  Wabi smiled and embraced his young apprentice. "I am well, Ian. The Creator has been generous with his gifts and I am myself once again. Now, young one, it appears you met my challenge and found me. That was quite a feat, and now it's time we moved on. You have much more knowledge to be gained. Come. Let's be off now."

  "But Wabi, ye've got to help me. The Brits are scouring the country looking for Jacobite supporters. How do I know they aren't looking for my brothers, and me too? There's a lot of confusion everywhere I go."

  "Ian, hear me now. Your brothers are very capable men. They would prefer you be with me. There is nothing you can do to help them at this moment. We'll return to Skye and try to get information about the situation with the British. Come. Gather Henson. Time's wasting."

  The dervishing whirlwind that dipped from the sky sent leaves scattering and caused branches to fly about. With a nod of Wabi's head, smoke from the dying fire encircled the two and they disappeared in a fiery trail of red flames licking about them as they departed.

  CHAPTER 18

  C

  aitlin looked to Robbie. "We'll stick to the forest as much as possible. This map shows a clear path and my compass will keep us on target."

  Robbie nodded. "I may not be such a good rider, but I can read a map and know how to use a compass. The library in Edinburgh has a room that's filled with nothing but old maps. I've spent more time than you would believe in that room. If I can manage to stay on this horse, we'll get there alright."

  "Of course we'll get there. We have no choice. Alex and Jack have certainly been taken or they would have returned by now. You and I will have to figure out a way to find them and bring them back with us."

  "We can go to my home there, I suppose. Mattie, our housekeeper, will still be there. She's been with us as long as I can remember. She'll help us. She's quiet as a mouse but knows everything that's going on in Edinburgh. She'll know the latest on the talk about town."

  "But, Robbie. We've got to find out where they are. Is there more than one prison in Edinburgh? Or did they send them off already?" She shook her head in exasperation.

  "First of all we must get there, then we'll tackle those problems. Let's be off now." She slapped Soldier on the rump and prayed Robbie would keep up with her

  ~ ~ ~

  It only took a couple of hours of riding for Robbie to realize that if he relaxed his legs his backside didn't bounce around so much, and the fact he had very long legs seemed to be to his advantage. Plus, Caitlin was right. Goliath was surefooted and seemed to know exactly where they were headed.

  He wasn't certain how long it would take them, and neither was Caitlin. If they'd been able to talk to Da he'd have given them some details that could have been helpful. But Caitlin knew Da would have tried to stop her, and she was determined to do this.

  "Let's walk the horses for a little. My rear end is tired and I'm sure yours must be too. We'll stop at nightfall and rest a bit longer."

  "I don't think we should stop, I think we should keep moving."

  "Well, I think we should just walk on for a little now. We're
being followed."

  "What? Followed? How can you tell? I don't hear anything."

  "I don't actually hear anything, but I sense something or someone. I'm sure we've been followed for some time now. As soon as it's dark, we'll find a place to get off and see who's trailing us."

  Robbie didn't like the sound of that, but had no better idea himself. "What do we do if it is someone?"

  "I have a pistol. Alex always insists I take one anytime I go by horseback." She spoke with authority, which was her way of trying to sound sure of herself in order to convince Robbie she could carry out this impossible plan. "And I can tell you, he's gruff with me if I don't do what he asks."

  At this moment she would give anything to have him putting her in her place for not following his rules about traveling. Even better than that would be his strong arms holding her close and telling her all would be alright and to "trust me, mo chridhe."

  Night was beginning to close in on them and Caitlin decided now was the time to find out who was close on their heels.

  "Let's stop here. There's a stream where the horses can drink and we can stretch our legs. We'll have a quick bite to eat and then move on."

  Robbie dismounted and led Goliath over to the stream. The animal was truly a man's horse, being at least eighteen hands high. Only someone with legs as long as Jack's or Robbie's could straddle his great girth, and Robbie was learning that riding was not quite as difficult as he had thought it might be. But it did feel good to be on his own two feet for a while.

  Caitlin walked behind him and led Soldier to the water also. She got to her knees and Robbie came over to kneel next to her. She put a hand on his arm, indicating he should be still and quiet.

  "What? Do you hear someone?" he whispered.

  "No. But there's someone close, very close. I feel them."