Stitch in Time𓃒 𝐉. 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫

XV. Surgery

Roselyn was the first to hit the bottom of the stairs, surprised to have seen the trinkets here and there and touched one of the many vials that rested next to the window. Claire coming down seconds after pulled her away from that corner and in the direction of where Dougal gestured.

There stood Colum as he waddled out of the corner into the light of the sun coming through the window. "Good day to ye, Mrs. Beauchamp and Miss. Amara."

"Good day."

"You have no connections with Clan Beaton,  have ye?"

Roselyn stood off to the side as the man spoke directly to Claire.  "The Beatons? No."

"The healers of Clan Beaton are famous through the highlands. We had one here, until he caught a fever which carried him off within the week. Davie Beaton was his name."

Roselyn scrunched up her hands in the dress she wore - looking on the cracks in the ceiling as the two conversed without her. "This was his surgery, he called it."

"Really?"

"I understand you have quite some skill as a healer yourself," Colum prodded, and this made Roselyn tense up in suspicion. She knew he didn't drag them down here, in a 'surgery' and ask about Claire's talent for healing out of nowhere. 

"It's an interest of mine, yes," Claire admitted, Roselyn pushing herself closer to Claire who was flicking through the book with a warning look at her friend - who picked up on the growing blue hue around Roselyn's eyes.

"You know the uses of these potions and things?"

Roselyn gritted her teeth as Claire fell into the trap of Colum, agreeing with the man that she had known some. "Thank you for showing us this nice area and all, but we have somewhere to be," Roselyn piped out, straining her voice to remain calm and collected.

"Seeing as we have not had a healer since Davie passed, I want you to pick up where he left off," Colum continued, finally taking the conversation where he wanted it to be. "But we're leaving," Roselyn stated, her voice dropping a little to get the message across.

"No, you," he said, pointing to Roselyn, "are going. She is staying." Roselyn's eyes narrowed immediately, shaking her head.

"No, I'm not leaving. I'm staying with Claire."

"What did Dougal say to you? Did one of his thugs make up lies about me?" Claire questioned, demanding answers.

"My brother has his own counsel on you. This is my decision, and Miss. Amara is also willing to stay in one of the many rooms in the castle since she will not leave you."

"Then why am I staying?" Claire questioned, alarmed that their trip was going to be cancelled to go back home to their current time, and Roselyn's mouth twitched in annoyance.

"Because it is my pleasure that you do so."

"Because you think I'm a spy. Surely you don't believe that, and at least let Roselyn leave."

Roselyn's stature positioned itself heavily on the floor, her mind set as she refused to move a single budge from behind Claire to show that she was definitely not going to be the one leaving without Claire.

Colum walked up to face Claire, his face close to the younger woman and Roselyn moved on her own accord and stared between the two to make sure that Colum didn't do anything rash - he may be the leader of the Clan, but that wouldn't have stopped Roselyn from trying to raise hell to protect her best friend.

"I believe you have secrets, Claire. Both of you. Now maybe they're the kind of secrets that every woman hides, which pose no threat to me, Leoch, or to Clan Mackenzie. But until I know for sure, you will remain here, as my guest."

He turned swiftly, and walked as fast as his demented legs allowed him to up the stairs, only pausing by Claire's words and only to answer before leaving the dungeon with Dougal holding the door open at the top.

"You mean as your prisoner, don't you?"

"Only if you try to leave."

Roselyn glared at the spot that Colum was just in, clenching her hands into fists. 

"Roselyn, you can leave. Do not stay here for me," Claire muttered, and the white-haired figure only shook her head in displeasure. "Nope, I'm staying right here," she said stubbornly, pointing to the floor.

"I co-"

Roselyn's eyes widened in shock - surprise and hurt flickering across her face before it disappeared into her still shining blue eyes as her jaw clenched. She never would have thought that Claire would dare try and mutter those words again after the first time.

"Don't you dare," Roselyn muttered, her voice eerily low as she pushed herself off of the table and glaring at her friend who looked on with a sad look on her face - obviously shocked by her own actions.

"You do not have the right to tell me what to do, even using something that I have trauma with to get me to do your bidding if you don't like what I have decided. This is my decision, Claire. It is mine, and mine alone."

Without a second thought, Roselyn barrelled up the stairs of the cellar and slammed the door shut with as much as she could with the outdated doors - the sound not as loud as she would've thought it would be and leaving Claire in the middle of the Surgery.

They were both now trapped in Castle Leoch - one willing to stay for the other and one unwilling and crying at the bottom of the castle.