The Silent Highlander by Donna Fletcher

Chapter 17

“Elysia, we’re here,” Odran said, riding through the village. He hated to wake his wife. She had fallen asleep in his arms only a couple of hours ago. He had insisted she ride on his horse with him. He’d leave her protection to no one but himself.

She stirred in his arms.

Thankfully, there had been no attack, but then he hadn’t expected one. Time would be needed to regroup and another plan devised. He did wonder how Tavish had gotten involved with the group. Or that he thought nothing of taking his own life, though in a way that was wise and selfless of him. No man, no matter who he was, was strong enough to survive torture. Tavish would have confessed all. Odran would have learned who was responsible for forming this group of miscreants and put an end to it.

What troubled Odran was that Tavish had given no indication of being anything other than a skilled warrior for his clan. He’d fought beside the Clan MacBridan before the most recent battle. What had changed? What had been his intention for trying to join Odran’s warriors? Had he intended to spy on them? Or had his intentions been to eventually kill Odran but do it so that he would not be blamed for the death?

Odran wished that by some miracle Annis would succeed in what he, Brogan, and Rannick had failed to do—find a way to break the curse and finally bring an end to the madness.

Odran tightened his hold on his wife when she opened her eyes with a stretch, not realizing she was in his arms and on a horse. “Careful,” he warned and she grabbed tight hold of his arm.

“We’re here?” she asked, glancing around seeing little in the dark, few torches leading the way through the village.

“Aye, and you’ll eat and rest before anything else,” he ordered, knowing she had little of either lately.

There was that command to his tone again. The very thing that had always sent an unease through Elysia when hearing it from any powerful man. She had seen for herself how pointless it was to argue with men who commanded and demanded. They were accustomed to having their way, and yet she felt no unease with his command. Was it because her husband’s order was issued out of love rather than demand for obedience?

Elysia’s thoughts were abruptly whisked away when she spotted the keep, a towering ominous shadow embraced by the night sky. It was much larger than Elysia expected and intimidating in its looming presence. The Great Hall was just as daunting, appearing a cavernous yawn that would swallow her whole and it was so quiet that one could hear the spit and crackle of the fire in the enormous hearth when they entered.

Elysia moved closer to her husband’s side and she relished the feel of his strong arm as it slipped around her waist and tucked her close to him as he glanced around the room, the emptiness and quiet seeming to disturb him.

“Find a servant, Finch,” Odran ordered, Finch coming to stand behind him with Lendra in tow.

“Is it usually this quiet?” Elysia asked, keeping her voice soft in worry that it might echo throughout the empty room.

The way her husband’s hand lay on the hilt of his sword and his green eyes darted around the room confirmed his answer before he responded.

“No,” Odran said as Finch hurried into the room, a servant following him.

“Forgive us for not greeting you properly, my lord, but your mother, Lady Margaret, has taken ill, and your father, Lord Fergus, is with her along with the healer,” the servant lass said.

Elysia saw that the young lass kept her head bowed, never looking at Odran.

“My wife needs food and rest, Deara, see to it while I go see my mother,” Odran ordered.

Deara’s head popped up to stare, in shock, at Elysia for a moment before she lowered it quickly.

“Also find room for my wife’s servant, Lendra,” Odran said.

The lass bobbed her head and motioned for Lendra to follow her.

“You won’t be needing me tonight, my lady?” Lendra asked before following Deara.

“No, Lendra, eat and rest. I will see you in the morning,” Elysia said and got an odd look from Deara.

“Give me a moment with Finch, then I will see you to our bedchamber before I go see my mother,” Odran said and strode away from her.

Elysia nodded, not bothering to tell him she intended to go see his mother with him. It would be improper for her not to meet the woman on her arrival, especially with her having taken ill. She also was curious as to what ailed his mother and curious to meet the clan healer.

Odran returned to her side and she slipped her arm around his. “Let us go see how your mother is doing. And please do not argue over it with me. My visit may help in her healing.”

Odran scowled. “I’m afraid it would do more the opposite.”

His remark surprised her but he did not argue with her. He escorted her to his mother’s bedchamber.

All heads turned when Odran entered the bedchamber with his wife. Odran’s father immediately rose from where he sat at his wife’s side to walk over to his son. Elysia could see where Odran got his fine features. Lord Fergus was still a fine looking man, even with his pure white hair and touches of wrinkles on his face. He was of good height but not as tall as his son and slim.

“It is good you’ve come. She is not doing well,” Lord Fergus said tearfully.

Odran might not have shown how his father’s words affected him, but Elysia felt it in the slight flinch of his body and the brief shadow of pain that seemed to dim his green eyes. She gave his arm a squeeze, reminding him he was not alone. She was there with him.

“Elysia, my wife, Da,” Odran said.

Lord Fergus attempted a smile. “I am sorry the arrival to your new home is not a more pleasant one. I am truly pleased to meet you, Elysia.”

“And I, you, Lord Fergus,” Elysia said.

“Who is there?’ came a cry from the large bed.

“It is I, Odran, Mum,” he called out and walked over to the bed, keeping hold of his wife’s arm.

A thin hand reached out from the bed. “Odran, thank the Lord I get to say goodbye to you.”

Odran released his wife’s arm and took his mother’s frail hand in his.

Elysia stepped aside, glancing at a woman who stood not far from the bed. She was taller than Elysia, but then most women were taller than her. She had sizeable hips and breasts and possessed good features. Her dark hair lay in a neat braid on her chest and her dark eyes roamed over Elysia as if in judgment. She wondered if the woman was Lady Margaret’s personal servant and protective of the woman.

Elysia turned away, her eyes lowering to the bucket between the woman and the bed. She scrunched her eyes not sure if she saw what she thought she saw and took a step closer.

“Leeches?” She looked closer to make sure she was seeing the contents correctly. “Who puts leeches on this woman?”

“I did. I am Glenis, the healer. They are there to help her,” The dark-haired woman said, stepping forward.

Bliss had taught her differently and instinct had Elysia reacting. She gave her husband a gentle push, letting him know to move away from his mum and he did. Then she eased the blanket off Lady Margaret’s chest, and blocking her from Odran’s view, removed the cloth covering her chest. She winced seeing the leeches sucking at the woman’s chest and anger sparked in how thin she appeared, as if she’d been starved.

“The leeches will do more harm than good,” Elysia argued, reaching out to remove the bloodsuckers.

Glenis grabbed her wrist roughly.

“Get your hand off my wife!” Odran ordered with a fury that sent a chill through Elysia.

Glenis immediately released Elysia’s wrist and stepped away from her, her head bowed in submission.

Elysia looked to her husband. “These leeches only make your mum worse. They must be removed.”

“You are not a healer. You know not what you say,” Glenis challenged.

“You are right. I am no skilled healer, but my sister, a talented healer, taught me enough to know that leeches are not the answer to healing a person.” Elysia’s worry for the older woman had her acting without permission. Her hand went to the fattest leech and, recalling what she had seen Bliss do to remove several from a young child, she placed her finger at the slimmest part of the slug-like creature where the head would be, got the mouth off then eased the sucker part of the leech, at the back, off the skin. She dropped the leech in the bucket and got busy on removing another one. “Odran, please send for Lendra. She will help me tend your mum.”

Lord Fergus stepped forward as if coming out of a haze and just realizing what was happening.

Odran’s arm shot out to prevent his father from taking another step. “Elysia knows what she is doing. I’ve seen her heal many.”

His father paused, uncertain for a moment, then conceded with a nod.

Odran ordered a servant, standing off in the corner, to find the woman who arrived with them and bring her there.

“You can’t help me,” Lady Margaret said, tears clouding her eyes. “The curse has come to claim me.”

“I cannot speak for the curse, but I can make sure the leeches don’t take your life,” Elysia said with a gentle smile.

“Who are you?” Lady Margaret asked, her aged eyes squinting as if trying to recognize the woman.

“I’m Elysia, Odran’s wife.”

“NO!” Lady Margaret wailed. “NO! Why did you wed, Odran? Why did you condemn this woman to a living hell?”

Elysia raised her voice to be heard over the wailing woman. “He didn’t condemn me. I freely chose to wed him.”

Lady Margaret’s wailing stopped abruptly. “Why?”

Elysia dropped the last of the leeches in the bucket. “I wed your son because I love him. He has my heart and always will. Now when did you last eat.”

“She cannot stomach food,” Glenis snapped.

“Then we’ll have to find a food she can stomach,” Elysia said.

Lendra entered the room.

“Fetch my pouch, I need you to brew a drink,” Elysia said and Lendra bobbed her head and hurried off.

“I am the healer here,” Glenis objected.

“If you feel she has little time left, what would it hurt for me to see if I can be of any help?” Elysia asked, challenging the woman.

“Let her try, Glenis,” Lord Fergus ordered and the woman held her tongue but anger flared in her dark eyes.

Elysia turned a soft smile on her husband. “Go and talk with your da. I will see to your mum—alone.”

Odran understood his wife wanted everyone gone and he ordered the two servants from the room and Glenis as well. He looked to his wife fussing over his mum and pride swelled in his chest. His wife may be a wee one and softly spoken but he believed that with her sisters’ departure, Elysia had found not only her strength but her courage as well.

Odran went to the bed, leaned down and kissed his mum’s brow. “Trust Elysia, Mum, she has a kind heart and an honest tongue.”

Lord Fergus went to his wife and touched his lips to hers. “I am close, mo ghràdh, if you need me.”

When the door closed on everyone, Lady Margaret spoke. “Fergus has my heart. I lost it to him when I was young. I thought once that I could keep my family safe from the curse. I was wrong. I couldn’t stop it. At least be wise and don’t have any bairns so you don’t suffer the endless heartbreak that I have endured. Let the Clan MacBridan be no more so the curse has no MacBridan to feed on.”

Elysia thought about the bairn snuggled safe in her stomach and she silently prayed and pleaded that Annis would find a way to break the curse and save them all.

* * *

“You aresure your wife knows what she is doing?” Odran’s da asked for the umpteenth time since retreating to the Great Hall an hour ago.

“Elysia may not be a seasoned healer, but she saved more warriors from dying of wounds they suffered on the battlefield than any healer I have known,” Odran said. “She possesses a talented stitching hand as well.”

Fergus looked at his son, his heart heavy. “Your mum begged me not to seek a wife for you and now—seeing how she has suffered through the years—I wonder if I should have listened and not been selfish.”

“I believe fate thought differently, Da, and I’m glad for it. I love Elysia. She has given me something I haven’t had in years—hope for a better tomorrow.”

“That would be wonderful for us all, son,” Fergus confessed. “But she’s a wee bit of a thing. Make sure you hold onto to her in a storm or she’ll get blown away.” Fergus was surprised to see his son laugh. He couldn’t recall the last time he heard him laugh.

“Elysia is much stronger than she looks, brave as well.”

Fergus hugged the tankard in front of him on the table and kept his voice low as he spoke. “I’d love to see you and Elysia have sons and daughters but your mum is right—don’t have any bairns. Don’t let them suffer as you have.”

“I’ve already made that clear to Elysia. We won’t be having any bairns,” Odran said and almost cringed from the stab to his heart the words had caused. He would love to have bairns with his wife, a whole gaggle of them. But he refused to have them suffer the curse as he had, as his whole family had, and he still worried over Elysia and what the curse might do to her.

He had enough talk of the curse and moved the conversation on. “You need to know what happened at Clan Loudon.” He explained the incident with Tavish.

Fergus rubbed his hands over his face in frustration. “In a way, I can’t blame our neighbors for fearing the curse has spread with the unfortunate luck of several clans of late. I would probably think the same myself if I were on the receiving end. You need to be careful. Losing your brother was difficult enough, I’ll not bury you too and your mother as well. Damn the curse!”

“Elysia’s sister Annis has gone off in search of the witch in the hills to see what needs to be done to break the curse.”

Fergus dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. “That’s been tried. There is no witch in the hills.”

“Maybe I want to believe we didn’t search hard enough,” Odran admitted.

His da’s brow shot up. “And you think a woman will accomplish what three men couldn’t?”

Odran smiled and shook his head. “I’ve met many women through the years, some strong some weak, but never have I met one with such a strong, determined nature and with a willful power that would rival any noble as Annis possesses.”

“Heard she almost wed Brogan.”

Odran nodded. “Aye, Bliss, Elysia and Annis’s sister, saved Annis from that.”

“She may have saved Brogan as well if Annis is as willful as you say. Such a wife can make for a difficult marriage.”

“Have you heard anything about Bliss, Rannick’s bride?” Odran asked, hoping to learn some news for Elysia about her sister.

“I don’t want to know,” Fergus said with a shudder. “The curse rings true, Lochlann has suffered far worse than Balloch and me. I hear Rannick is a savage. I feel for the poor woman who wed him. She’ll not last long. He’ll bury another wife and it may be his hands that snuffs the life from her.”

“Bliss is a skilled healer. She will heal Rannick,” Elysia said, having entered the Great Hall quietly and upon hearing her sister’s name had stopped to listen.

“You can’t heal a savage,” Fergus said sadly. “I truly am sorry, Elysia.”

Elysia fought her tears and worry for Bliss and raised her chin. “Lady Margaret sleeps peacefully. I do not believe she is dying. I believe she can grow well again. With your permission, Lord Fergus, I would like to tend her with the help of Lendra.”

“I will try anything to save my beloved, Margaret,” Fergus said. “Glenis is a fine healer. She knows well the old ways. She will be glad for the help.”

Elysia thought to remain quiet and work with the clan healer, but something had her speaking up. “I am sure Glenis is a fine healer, but some of the old ways have proven more harmful than beneficial, like leeches. Bliss learned that from an old, exceptionally skilled healer. I would prefer to tend Lady Margaret with only Lendra’s help.”

Odran spoke up. “You will have what you want. I will speak to Glenis.” Odran continued, cutting off his da before he could object. “It is time for change.”

Fergus deferred to his son with a nod.

Odran rested his hand on his da’s shoulder. “It has been a difficult few months.”

“It has been a difficult twenty years,” his da corrected. “I go sit with my wife. I will see you both on the morn.”

Odran walked over to his wife and took her hand. “Come, we will eat and rest in our bedchamber.”

They took the stairs up to the second floor, his parents’ bedchamber on the first floor. Elysia was glad for the privacy, a place where they could talk, and the bedchamber impressed. It was so large she thought she might get lost in it, and the bed size so big that she wondered if she would find her husband when in it. There were numerous chests stacked against walls and various weapons hung on pegs. A good-sized stone fireplace took up nearly one of the walls, keeping the room toasty warm. A table laden heavily with food and drink was positioned to the left of the fireplace with two chairs tucked beneath it.

Her small bundle containing her meager possessions sat on top of one of the chests, appearing out of place in its surroundings.

She did not know what had her speaking up, since she rarely did, but her tongue was far too quick to speak her thoughts. “I know nothing about being a lord’s wife.”

He leaned down and kissed her gently. “You are a good, thoughtful wife, Elysia, and you reason wisely. Do as you please. I trust you.”

His words stunned her and it was on her tongue to tell him she trusted him as well but she said nothing, trust still an issue with her. And how to fix that even more of an issue.

A yawn saved her from responding and as it ended, she said, “I’m tired.” She realized how it sounded. That she was letting him know she was not ready to make love with him and though she hadn’t meant it that way, it was for the best. With so much change, she needed to sort through things, come to understand things, come to accept things.

“Eat, then sleep, the night grows late,” he said and walked over to the table.

They ate in bouts of talk and silence until in one such silence, Odran said, “You don’t trust me, do you?”

“I don’t honestly know,” she admitted. “I realized the one thing that you and Saber share is that you both lied to me. If you lied about one thing of major importance, that makes me wonder if a smaller lie would mean nothing to you? And if that is so, how then do I trust you?”

He leaned forward bracing his arms on the table’s edge. “Would you have wed me if you knew my true identity?”

The question startled her and so did the squeeze to her heart. She fought for words as a feeling of dread overtook.

Odran stood, a spark of anger in his bold green eyes. “Your hesitation is answer enough. Do as you will. I have things to see to.”

Her response was so soft it could barely be heard. “Aye, I would have, for I could not bear to think of life without you.”