The Devil’s Laird by Brenda Jernigan
Chapter 13
The next few months were the happiest that Siena could ever remember. She had brought color to the great hall with the many banners that she’d had hung on the walls. Now it didn’t look so drab and dull. She also kept busy helping the sick or those who would let her. Some were still very standoffish; however, she felt like she was making a difference.
Her husband was very loving at night, but he still had that haunted look in his eyes that she wished she could erase. She knew Michael was the reason, but so far, she couldn’t see anything about the child, making her doubt that she did have a special gift. She wanted to tell Roderick about seeing Michael in her vision at the church, but she still wasn’t sure of her abilities yet. She prayed that this would change. She definitely didn’t want to get Roderick’s hope up until she could tell him something firm.
The days had turned warmer or should she say the snow had melted and now it was cool but not freezing. Elen sent word to Siena that she needed to gather herbs and she’d like for Siena to go with her. Siena dressed in her arisaid, having learned how to wear the plaid, she’d gotten good about wearing it around her shoulders and tied at the waist with a belt to keep warm. However, she still wore her underskirt that she’d had a pouch sewn into the fabric for her precious stones.
Siena was more than ready to get outside now that the weather was nicer, and Agatha said she wanted to go along also. It seemed that everyone was ready for fresh air and sunshine.
They waited outside for Elen to join them, and together they made their way to the stables.
Garvin brought out the horses. “Do ye have the laird’s permission, I might ask?”
Siena looked at him with a puzzled expression. “Should we?”
“Aye, ye should. He is training down in the lower bailey. Be sure to stop by before ye leave so he dinna take off the top of me head.”
“Quit ye fussing and help me up,” Elen instructed.
“Can ye handle the horse?”
“I ain’t dead, lad,” Elen said.
Agatha laughed and so did Siena as they left with Garvin’s mouth hanging wide open.
Elen led the way down to the lower bailey, where Roderick was practicing with swords. It appeared he was training the younger soldiers.
He disarmed his opponent as they rode up, then he swung around so fast it startled Siena. She gasped. She could see the strength of a warrior in him. He jabbed the tip of his sword in the ground when he saw them. “Where are ye goin’?”
“We need to gather herbs,” Siena said.
“Ah, wull, I need to send someone with ye, and you still dinna answer my question as to where.” But before they could answer his question, he turned to Elen. “Are ye able to ride, Elen?”
“I’m hundred and three, lad and was sitting a saddle before ye could walk.”
Roderick smiled and held his hands up in defense. “I’ve no doubt, but do ye have a way of protecting yerselves? And where are ye goin’?”
Elen rolled her eyes before answering, “We’re going to the glen where the blue burn is located to see if the hawthorn tree is blooming.”
Siena was glad that Elen answered because she hadn’t bothered to ask where they were going. She was just glad to be outside and riding. “I have my bow and arrows,” Siena answered his other question. “I can protect us.”
She saw Roderick look at the bow she had slung around her body. “But can ye hit anything, lass?”
Siena took offense to Roderick assuming that she couldn’t hit her target or do anything because she was a woman, so she snapped her answer, “I believe I can.”
He didn’t appear to believe her as he stood hands on hips not saying a word. “There is a target on that tree.” He pointed to the end of the field. “Let me see you hit the center.”
“Would you like me to shoot from my horse or on the ground?”
He didn’t answer her barb, but he was gentleman enough to help her down from her mount.
“Show me the target again,” Siena said as she pulled her bow over her head.
Roderick took the bow from her and one of her arrows. “I’ll show ye.” He pulled the string tight and let his arrow fly hitting the dummy right where a heart should be.”
He smugly handed the bow back to her. “’Tis easy.”
Siena definitely wanted to wipe the smirk off his face. Slowly, she pulled the string straight back, the arrow even with her mouth and let the arrow fly.
It hit in one of the painted eyes.
She wanted to laugh at his dumbfounded expression but thought it wise not to. “Aye, it was easy,” she said, then added, “I figured an eye was just as good as the heart. Either way, the man will not be going anywhere.”
The men who stood around them cheered as she went back to her mount where Roderick graciously helped her back up.
“The lass has proven herself,” he said with a smile.
Elen cleared her throat and asked, “If the hawthorn is blooming ye ken what it means?”
“Aye, I do. Beltane.”
Siena had no idea what they were talking about, but she was ready to go for a ride. “You can always come with us,” Siena said to Roderick, wanting to have him for company.
“I’ve training, lass,” he replied. “Now be off with ye, but dinna go any further.”
After promising, they left the castle before Roderick could change his mind. Siena felt like he was treating all of them like children. What could a ride in the hills hurt? Then she thought about Beltane and rode up beside Elen to ask her, “What is Beltane?”
Elen removed her pipe. “When the hawthorn tree blooms, ’tis a signal of the beginnin’ of summer, lass, and that is when we have the Beltane feast to celebrate summer. My bones will surely welcome the warmer air.”
“Did you say that we will have a feast?” Agatha asked.
“Aye. ’Twill be verra special. There will be big bonfires lit on the hilltops, and all the hearth fires are extinguished to be rekindled with the cherished flames from the bonfires.”
They were winding their way down a single path to a small burn so they couldn’t talk. The stream was beautiful with crystal clear water flowing over rocks that sent water in many different directions.
“That sounds like a nice ritual,” Siena said. “In England, they dance around a Maypole, so I’ve been told as I’ve never seen it before.”
“I saw it once in my younger days,” Agatha said, then added. “It was pretty with different colored ribbons.”
Siena dismounted once they reached the water’s edge and so did Agatha. They turned to look at Elen who hadn’t budged. Siena wondered if Elen needed help.
Elen smiled. “I said I could ride, but gettin’ on and off this beast is entirely different, so I’ll stay seated if ye dinna mind.” She pointed her pipe. “There is our hawthorn tree.”
“Look it has flowers!” Siena exclaimed.
“Pick the flowers and put in one bag and the leaves in another. In the fall there will be berries so we will come back and get those, too.”
It was a glorious day without a single cloud in the sky as Siena and Agatha picked the precious flowers. The blooms came in clusters of white flowers with red dots on the petals.
Siena clipped the last of the clusters and slipped it into a bag. She had left a lot of blooms because she didn’t see any need of stripping the tree when they had what they needed. “This is more like a bush than a tree.”
“Aye,” Elen said as she puffed on her pipe. “This is a young tree, but it will grow bigger. Be sure to get some of the tender leaves.”
“They make a good tincture for sore throats,” Siena explained to Agatha who knew nothing about medicine.
“I believe I could use some now,” Agatha grumbled. “My throat has been a little sore.”
“We’ll have to take care of that once we return,” Siena said. She pointed. “I see some heather which is good for the kidneys, coughs and colds. I must have some of that as it will not be in full bloom until late summer.”
“’Tis unusual, lass that it is blooming now, but lucky for us.”
Siena hurried over to the one purple bush and she caught the light floral scent which he liked. She reached into the bush and picked several of the sprigs. In the middle of the purple she spotted two sprigs of white heather, something she’d never seen before. She reached to snip the white buds. The minute she touched the white sprigs she caught a glimpse of Michael. He was crying and asking when he was going to go home to his father. She gasped and clutched her breast.
“What is wrong, lass?” Elen asked.
Siena turned toward her. “I just caught a glimpse of Michael and he is alive, but I don’t know where he is located.”
“’Twas the white heather,” Elen said. “’Tis known to be lucky.”
Just then something swept by Siena and she screamed and jumped. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it was big. She moved as fast as she could back to where she’d left her bow, but she wasn’t fast enough as something caught her skirt and she heard the material rip.
Elen’s horse reared and the other two horses scattered.
“Go for help!” Siena screamed just as she reached her bow. She jerked it up and positioned her bow just as the animal swung around to come at her again. She took deadly aim, knowing that if she missed the animal would defiantly hit her and most likely kill her with his tusk. The animal’s black eyes were wild and his tusks long as he barreled down upon her. The arrow was swift. It caught the animal in the eye. With a squeal he fell to the ground and slid to her feet.
Siena’s knees were shaking so bad she could hardly stand, but then she heard Agatha scream, “T--there is another one, milady!” She ran right past Siena with the boar chasing right behind her. Again, Siena’s aim was true as she caught the animal between the eyes.
Siena was shaking so bad that her teeth were chattering. “I—I do believe that I need to sit down.” She staggered over to a smooth rock. She didn’t realize that tears were streaming down her cheeks, but when she let go of her bow, she realized that she still held the white sprig of white heather in her hand.
Everything would be all right.