The Devil’s Laird by Brenda Jernigan

Chapter 19

They journeyed along the tree-covered road with the only sounds being that of the horses’ hoofs hitting the ground and the birds in the trees.

Siena was riding lead. So far, she had managed to keep their pace slow in hopes that Roderick would come after her. He’d saved her once before. Would he do so now?

However, on the second day, her hopes were dimming. Once he had his son back, he really didn’t need her anymore. She felt that Roderick cared for her, but he’d never said that he loved her.

Now she had to think for herself and not depend on anyone rescuing her.

She was lucky that Lord Malcolm had chosen only two soldiers to ride with them for protection. What would happen once she led them to the Holy Grail? She wasn’t sure.

She glanced back at Lord Malcolm. He hadn’t missed many meals. His middle was wide, his eyes were beady, reminding her of a big, fat rat that no one could trust. So far, he hadn’t mistreated her, but she knew that he could tell his men to deal with her at any moment.

She had her magic but if she were too slow to react there was no telling what they could do to her. There was the possibility that she could disappear and be back at Black Dawn. That would be easy, but her father and Lord Malcolm would still seek to find her to satisfy their greed. Wasn’t that the reason she was taking them to the Grail in the first place? She was protecting all the Scott clan, not wanting any of them to die for her.

Lord Malcolm rode up beside her. “How much farther?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps midday tomorrow.”

“Are you sure we are going the correct way? We are nearing Edinburgh.”

“Aye. The place is a little past Edinburgh,” she said glancing uneasily over her shoulder.

“The Scots are none too fond of us,” Malcolm’s voice, though quiet, had an ominous sound. “You haven’t set a trap with your so-called husband? It would be a shame to have to kill him.”

“I assure you that Roderick would be very hard to kill, however, my husband has no idea where I am, so you can ease your worries. Tell me, why is the Holy Grail important to you?”

“What a foolish question.” Malcolm had a hard-cold-eyed smile. “It promises everlasting life and no man can ever conquer you, so I’ll have all the power of any man living.” Malcolm glanced around. “We have ridden far enough today. We’ll make camp here tonight and tomorrow you had better fulfill your promise.”

It was a long night with fitful sleep for Siena. She dreamed of her husband, wanting to see him and hold him. What if she never saw him again? Tears streamed down her cheeks at the very thought. She dozed off and on the rest of the night.

She needed a plan to get herself out of this mess.

* * *

The next day around noon,they entered Roslin Glen with its lush green foliage. They passed the old abandoned church, which was once grand, but no more as half of its walls had fallen.

As they rode past the structure, oak, elm, and ash trees surrounded them. The trees and ground had lots of flora, so they had to leave their horses behind to enter the forest.

“Why do we leave the horses?” one of the soldiers asked.

“Because the pathway we travel will be small and tangled with foliage. It will be easier and faster on foot. You two …” Siena pointed to the knights. “You will have to clear the way with your swords or you could give me a sword and I can do it.”

“Not a chance,” Malcolm said.

The knights nodded and started to swing their blades to make a path through the woods.

The journey was a struggle and slowed their progress but finally, Siena heard a waterfall. Strange she was going to a place that she had never actually seen except in a vision, but she did remember in the vision the chapel was beautiful and she remembered there was a waterfall. They came out of the trees on the side of a beautiful waterfall that plunged sixty feet into a steep-sided gorge.

“Where in the hell are you leading us?” Malcolm spat and backhanded Siena.

Her hand went to her face to rub her stinging cheek. “If you hit me again you will be very sorry. You didn’t expect the Grail would be easy to find, did you?” She looked at him as if he were stupid. “I’ve heard that men have searched for years and have never found the cup. You are close, but we can always turn back.”

“No. I, too, have heard the tales,” he admitted. “I chose not to believe in such nonsense.” He looked around, then asked, “Now, where?”

Siena pointed up. “A small brown chapel should sit at the top of the falls. But first I need to get a stone out of my shoe before I can make the climb.” She sat down on a small boulder to remove her shoe and shake the stone out. The soldiers and Malcolm were taking a drink from their pouches and not paying her any attention. She needed a plan.

Again, she prayed that Roderick would come for her. However, if he had any chance to find her, she needed to leave him some clues. How could he possibly know where she was going? She had relied on Elsa to give Roderick her message if she saw him, which meant that Roderick would have had to go to her father’s castle. There was a possibility that might not have gone well.

She thought about what she needed to do and finally came up with a plan to leave something to mark her trail. Siena tore a couple of strips off her skirt and tied one to a branch beside her. It was the best she could do as she stood and said, “I’m ready.”

The climb took her breath away and a couple of times she stood aside so the men could pass her, giving her a chance to leave a couple more strips of her skirt.

When they reached the top, they could see on the other side of the river stood a small brown chapel covered in ivy which looked more like a cave than a church.

A small man came out of the door and stared at them but he said nothing. He was dressed in brown monk robes. His long, white beard came to the middle of his chest. He sucked in a breath and asked, “Why are you here?”

“These men seek the Holy Grail,” Siena answered.

“Only the worthy can touch the Grail,” the hermit said with raised brows. “First you must cross the stream.”

Malcolm shoved one of his men in the back to go first. The soldier was halfway across the stream when he stepped on a slick rock. The current was so strong that he lost his footing and fell into the water which took him straight over the falls to his death.

“How are you supposed to get across the stream?” Malcolm asked.

“How indeed,” the hermit said.

Malcolm shoved Siena to the edge of the riverbank.

Siena looked up at the hermit.

He smiled and said,

Out of the darkening forest rode she.

Over the waters so still.

Down into the depths of her watery realm

To wait for the moment death’s knell.

(Val Joice)

Siena looked at the water,which was anything but still. Her knees trembled. Crossing the stream looked impossible. Gathering her courage, she took a deep breath and murmured, “Be still.” When the water had settled and remained calm, she pulled up her skirt and walked across the river never slipping once. As she turned around, she saw that Lord Malcolm had followed her. The minute her foot touched the riverbank, the water once again was swift.

“Charles, stay on that side until I come out,” Malcolm ordered his soldier.

Siena strolled over to the hermit. “I am Lady Siena.”

“I am, Nicene, keeper of the Holy Grail. I knew you would come someday.”

“Where is it?” Malcolm shouted, shoving Siena out of the way.

Nicene let out a slow breath. “Inside the cave, milord.”

Siena got to her feet, resisting the urge to curse Malcolm as she brushed off her cloak. She felt sure, he would get what was coming to him. There wasn’t anything holy about the man.

Malcolm darted inside. He gasped. “There are many cups in here. How do I know which one is the Grail?”

“You must choose,” Nicene said.

The gold cups glistened. Some had jewels, some were plain. Lord Malcolm looked at each one before he chose the largest cup of all. He picked it up and turned toward them.

“Is this the Grail?” Malcolm asked. “It’s hot to the touch.”

The cup glowed bright red and soon Malcolm was screaming as his body burned until he turned to dust. The wind swept into the chapel and picked up the dust, carrying it out and into the woods.

Siena gasped at what she had just seen.

“Lord Malcolm chose poorly.”

* * *

Even though Roderickwould ride through his own land to get to Edinburgh, he chose not to ride with his men so he could move faster.

After he crossed the Scottish border, he knew of many shortcuts that he could take to lessen the distance that he needed to travel.

He must get to Siena.

He rode hard but was forced to rest his mount when they came to a stream, however, he did not sleep and hadn’t for two days. Urgency gave him the strength to keep going. The moon was full tonight and would light the way.

After his mount had rested, they rode through Edinburgh, then on to Roslin Glen, wondering how in the world he would find his wife.

He found St Stephens, the old church, that was partially destroyed. He rode around to the back where he saw four horses grazing. They had been hobbled so they would stay put, so this had to be the way to go, Roderick thought. He dismounted and left Hercules a good distance from the other horses so they wouldn’t fight each other. “Ye stay here until I return,” he told his horse who nudged his hand. Roderick gave Hercules a bit of grain to keep him happy while he was gone.

There was an opening in the foliage that might be the beginning of a path, he entered the lush green forest feeling a little helpless for the first time in his life. He knocked the undergrowth out of his way with his sword until he could see what looked like foliage that had been recently trampled and cut, a good sign.

Barra knew she was needed. After all, Laird Scott was her duty even if he didn’t know that she existed, so she went to find him. And so, she found him traipsing through the woods but going the wrong way. He was swinging his sword to make a path.

Since he couldn’t see her, she would have to give him a few nudges. Oops, he was turning the wrong again. Men had no sense of direction, she thought. Barra bumped him beside his head and whispered, “wrong way.” He turned back to his left and then looked behind him before he changed directions.

Roderick heard a waterfall and came to a dead stop when he found himself on the side of a cliff with a sheer drop to the right. He felt like there was someone with him, but he couldn’t see anyone.

Where in the world was his wife? He didn’t see a chapel. “Blast!” he swore. “Now which way?”

He glanced around. A small slip of white material caught his eye. After he retrieved the small piece of cloth, he felt like someone had bumped his head, so he looked around and then down. There was a small footprint in the dirt. Siena had left him a sign. There also appeared to be a small single path leading straight up.

“So, we climb,” he said with a sigh, moving forward.

“Yes,” Barra whispered.

He found Siena’s cloth ribbons along the way, so he knew he was going in the right direction.

It was a tedious climb. Finally, when he reached the top of the cliff, he saw a knight sitting on a rock staring across the river. He hadn’t noticed Roderick until he said, “Where is she?”

The knight grabbed his sword and swung around. “Who goes there?”

“The Devil’s Laird. I’m not in the best of moods, so I’d speak quickly if I were you.”

Roderick saw the man swallow hard and jump back. His arm was shaking so badly that the sword was waving back and forth in the air. “I—I did not hurt the lady.”

“’Tis good to know. Ye need not be scairt of me, then, but I need to know where my wife has gone.”

“She and Lord Malcolm went into the chapel a short time ago. I heard screaming but no one has come back out. I cannot get across the river so I’m waiting.”

“Ye may leave safely if you go now,” Roderick said, then he moved closer to the stream which appeared to be knee-deep, but the water was swift. It didn’t appear that he had much choice, so he stepped into the ice-cold water.

Barra flitted to sit on Roderick’s shoulder. She held out her hand and said.

Water swift as the morning light

Be calm this day until the night.

Immediately the watercalmed so Roderick could walk swiftly across. He really thought that was strange but didn’t question his good fortune. Since he’d met Siena a lot of strange things had happened around him.

“My work here is done,” Barra said in her little voice, she giggled and was gone.

Roderick turned because he thought he’d heard somebody laugh, but no one was there so he figured it was the wind and nothing more. However, deep down he felt someone had been with him since he entered the woods and he was grateful. Lord, he needed some sleep since he was now hearing things. He shook his head and ran the short distance to the chapel.

A golden glow showed through the doorway and a small monk stood inside the door with his back to Roderick.

Nicene watched as Siena reached for the chalice. Immediately, she was surrounded by the soft golden glow as she and the chalice rose into the air.

“What goes on here?” Roderick demanded.

Nicene turned to him. “Ah, I see you have come. Lady Siena wants to rid herself of the black mark on her arm. She feels she is evil, and she wants the magic of the chalice to remove the mark, but she also feels unloved and she worries that her husband hasn’t come for her, so perhaps he doesn’t love her. And she isn’t sure she has much to live for.”

“But I’m here now. And I do love her.”

“Then you must convince her to come back before you lose her forever.”

“No!” Roderick shouted. In three strides he was underneath where Siena floated in the air. He reached up and grabbed her ankle.

“Dinna leave me, lass,” Roderick begged. “I need ye. Michael needs ye. I canna bear to live without ye.” A tear slipped down his cheek and he knew it was the first time he’d cried since finding his wife dead and his son missing. “I love ye, Siena

“Please stay with me. Ye’re not evil for if ye were you could never have touched the chalice.” He pulled her down to where he could see her face.

Siena was drifting in such a peaceful place, and she was very content. The light was bright and warm as it welcomed her. But then she heard someone calling her name. Slowly, she turned and glanced down to see Roderick.

He had come. He was calling her. But did he want her? It sounded like it. She must return. As she drifted down, she heard the words she’d longed to hear ever since meeting the man. Roderick loved her. He really loved her.

The next thing she knew she was in his arms hugging him. “Wait,” she said, and then she placed the Holy Grail back where she found it.

She turned and jumped back into Roderick’s arms, kissing him with all the passion that burned in her soul. She heard his growl as he tightened his arms around her. The sweetness of his embrace intoxicated her. The smell of him--that masculine scent drove her crazy. His magnificent kisses were firm and demanding as he ruthlessly plundered her mouth, leaving her breathless. But they were still in a church and needed to come to their senses, so she pulled back.

“You came for me,” Siena said with a smile.

“Of course, I came for you. Ye are my wife and I love you.” Roderick looked around. “Where is Lord Malcolm? I have unfinished business with him.”

“He chose poorly,” Nicene said.

Siena had forgotten about the hermit. “I’m sorry. This is Laird Scott, my husband. And this is Nicene keeper of the Grail.”

“I should hope so.” The hermit laughed. “Since you have been kissing him.”

Siena blushed.

Roderick nodded then repeated his question. “What do you mean he chose poorly?”

Siena answered. “Malcolm turned to dust when he touched the wrong cup. A gust of wind came in and carried the dust to who knows where.”

Roderick's eyes widened as chills ran all over him. “That could have happened to you. Were ye crazy to take a chance like that?”

“But I chose wisely.” She peeked down at her left arm and saw that her birthmark was still on her wrist, so she glanced at Nicene for answers. “Why?”

“You cannot change who you are, milady.”

“But I wanted the mark gone.”

“It is only a birthmark nothing more. It’s time you accept who you are, Siena, and don’t worry about what others think. There will always be naysayers. It’s what you believe that matters.”

“Nicene is a wise mon,” Roderick said. “You are my wife, a healer, and will be the mother of my son. I wouldna want it any other way.”

Siena nodded. From this day forward she would hold her head high and never worry again about what others thought. After all, she’d just learned she was a good person, or she would never have been able to hold the Holy Grail.

“Thank you, Nicene. I wish you well.”

“Ah, milady, I’ll be just fine, but I will have moved once again as others will seek the Grail and not for good reasons. Go forth and have a happy life, milady.” Then the hermit turned to Roderick.

“Some can love more than once. It has taken you a while to realize the truth, laird.” Nicene chuckled. “Remember this as I give you my blessings.

“True love is always worth working for because in the end ‘tis the only thing that counts.”