The Guardian by Diana Knightley
Ten - Hayley
As we descended into the valley, we couldn’t make out what was happening above. It simply looked like we were coming up on a storm. There wasn’t much special about it, at least from here. Ahead of us rain poured down and wind gusted. Lightning lit up the sky, the hallmark of our intense storms.
Our approach brought us to a small croft where Fraoch engaged the farmer in a long conversation that was difficult for me to understand, though I wasn’t expected to participate anyway because of sexist bullshit.
I took the moment to unpack our raincoats and so when he was finished with the discussion we pulled them on, just as it began to sprinkle on us. Fraoch mounted his horse again and we turned our horses back to the path. “Och, Hayley, the man said these storms hae been rainin’ down upon the valley since last month.”
“That’s awful.” Thunder rolled through the sky.
He snapped his raincoat up to his chin. “Aye, he is feeling verra religious about it all. He is sure there has been a judgment from God. We need tae find the vessel and deactivate it else they will become superstitious about it all.”
I grinned. “Very modern of you to be so skeptical.”
“What does skeptical mean?”
“To not believe in God, or magic, to not believe in superstition.”
He chuckled. “Aye, thank ye, m’bhean ghlan, but though I would like tae be more modern, I hae tae believe in God.” I followed him as he steered his horse around a wide, deep looking puddle, watching behind to make sure my horse stepped well. “I do verra much like tae think on the science of how the world works, but ye must still ken that God is drivin’ it — Did I catch fish? Aye, then God is smiling fairly upon me. If nae, then God is givin’ me a lesson. Tis important tae hae belief because life can be verra dispiriting without it.”
I said, “This is true.”
He added, “Tae be modern is tae pray tae God tae help me find the fish, but also tae ken the tide, the current, the weather, tae use m’GPS, and understand where the fish like tae be — do they want the heat of the sun or the shade? And then if I catch fish, I hae had science and God tae thank.”
I nodded. “Well, that definitely sounds like a modern, independent man.”
He grinned. “Daena get me wrong though, I must still leave gifts for the fae for a good yield. Science can take the credit, God might watch over me, but I must be careful nae tae anger the fae.”
I laughed as we came upon the edge of the storm and spent a moment looking at the monitor we had brought. It showed a vessel with a marking that wasn’t on Kaitlyn’s list — though who was I kidding? My eyes glazed over when she showed me that list. I had thought, “Old book, ancient list, what ever.”
But it didn’t look familiar.
“What do you think, Fraoch? Is it the one from your childhood?”
“Explain it tae me again — I could hae seen it in the year 1717, and then m’father might hae hidden it away? And now someone, somewhere, has activated it, and turned it on in every time period? Anyone who finds it is in danger of jumpin’?”
“Exactly.”
“Why haena anyone found it yet?”
“I don’t know.”
“Och, I guess we must go in and find it ourselves.”
“Does it bother you that this involves your mother? That this is a secret you are figuring out, that your father kept from you?”
He shook his head. “Nae. I am only worried about the vessels and the danger they pose tae m’family: ye and Archie and Isla and m’brother Og Maggy. I am serious, Hayley, when I say tae ye, I daena care about the connection tae my ancestors. They are nae here now. I lived with them for a time, I married, I lived a life, but when I left home I truly left. I am nae regretful on it.”
“Good, I’m glad you feel that way, it’s how I hoped you’d feel.” We rode quietly for a moment. “Do you think, since Lady Mairead knows her, that they might be adversaries?”
“I daena ken.”
“And if that’s the case... what side would you end up on? What side would I have to be on then? I do not like the idea of being on Lady Mairead’s side—”
“But Lady Mairead’s side is Og Maggy’s side.” He straightened his back. “I daena ken if m’mother and Lady Mairead hae bad blood between them, tis nae matter tae me. The only thing I must concern m’self with is the bad blood between m’wife and Lady Mairead. And keeping ye safe from her ire.”
“What if she did something to your mother, though? What if that’s what happened to your mother — that Lady Mairead did something to her? If so, don’t you have to do something to avenge it? For your honor?”
He shook his head. “Nae, not really. Tis nae my fight. M’mother passed on when I was verra young, I daena remember her. I canna fight for her honor and I hae nae need tae fight for mine. With Lady Mairead I hae tae trust Og Maggy’s judgment and ken that she had many chances tae kill or conquer me and I am still here, livin’ with her son. If ye think on it, if she wanted tae keep me far away from Og Maggy’s throne, she has nae been verra good at the plan, for I am as close as could be. She is lucky I hae nae need for the crown.”
“Good, I wouldn’t want you to feel torn between your ancestral family and our current family. It would be difficult to balance.”
“And ye arna thinking on it right, m’bhean ghlan. Ye are thinking too modern about it. This is the eighteenth century in the lands of Scotland. M’ancestors are Scottish, Magnus’s ancestors are Scottish, we are all one people, ye ken, and my father was a poor man who lived in a small village and died...” He paused then said, “Och, I hadna thought of it.”
“What?”
“He died just afore I was approached by Roderick tae kill Og Maggy. I hadna thought on the coincidence and now I daena like the...” He shook his head. “I am relieved Og Maggy killed him.”
He exhaled. “But that is m’point, Hayley, m’family was poor. Living in Glencoe I had nothing, now I am part of a family that is rich and powerful and Og Maggy is a king. This is m’family now, my clan, I would nae trade it.” He smiled, rain dripping from the front of the hood pulled over his head. “Besides, Og Maggy’s family has the better food.”
“Hell yeah. Okay, good, that all makes sense.” I looked around. Our horses were plodding along, splashing on the wet trail, not wanting to near the epicenter of the storm.
Finally Fraoch said, “We should tie our horses up, they won’t want to get closer.”
We dropped down into the mud.