The Highlander

Chapter Twenty Four

Clyde wore the finest clothes, I noticed, the deep green of his jacket stood out at the table and the golden embroidery shone under the sunlight that filtered through the tall glass windows that lined either side of the great hall, their deep crimson curtains pulled back.

"It has been too long since we last saw each other," Clyde continued, "ye should visit more often, after the war is won, I mean." Clyde looked up at me from the throne like chair he sat on, his posture diffused relaxation and egoism into the room.

"I will." I nodded, a small smile on my lips which received one from Clyde, but I was too hungry and focused on devouring part of a pig to notice the slightly forced look plastered on his face.

When I finished my meal I finally noticed the lack of blonde time-travelling beauty at the table.

"Has anyone seen my betrothed? I assumed she came here when I woke up and found her gone." I asked. Panic slowly started to seep into my veins but I refused to let the fear take control of me just yet.

When no one immediately answered, confirming my Rose was okay the fear started to flow in with force and freedom over its own movement, heading straight to my heart where it began to pound with urgency.

"She's in the garden."

At first I didn't even hear the answer for it was so softly spoken. But after looking across from me I realised it came from Clyde's silent wife.

The woman was around her mid-twenties, the same age as Clyde I assumed, and was also dressed in finery like her husband. The same hunter green sparked with silver embroidered flowers and leaves. A matching silver necklace adorned her pale neck which led up to her head, covered in long auburn locks.

The woman wasn't the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She had her faults: her mouth slightly too small, her eyes too wide apart. But her irises where the most intriguing part of her. Whilst her left eye was a soft green, her right was a stormy blue.

"Ye are sure, my lady?" I asked. She only nodded once before turning back to her food, picking softly at it before tearing a small piece away and nibbling on it.

The delicate, yet wary actions startled for me for a moment. The woman's eyes held such sadness that tried to tell a story yet darkness pulled the truth away an instead plastered fake smiles and joy on the woman's face.

Had Clyde mistreated her? Hurt her? Worse?

I refused to think my friend and ally could do this to a woman. But he did say himself it had been a long time till we last saw each other.

"Thank ye." I said before excusing myself, "I am going to go find Rose, I don't assume she has had anything to eat yet. Let's hope I can remember my way to the garden from last time I was here."

I left swiftly and to my surprise found myself almost walking automatically in the direction of the garden, no thinking necessary. I walked out the large doors leading inside the castle and into the courtyard only to be met by mayhem.

"Go back were ye came from!"

"We do need help from these bastard boys!"

"I'll kill ye for that!"

Similar shouts and screams filled my ears as blue tartan lined up against green. Swords were unsheathed and raised in the air threateningly, he sunlight glinting of the sharp edges ever emphasising their danger.

"MEN!" I roared. Silence fell.

Green retreated from blue. Men hung their heads, looking away from my eyes I didn't doubt were enflamed with anger and embarrassment at my own warriors. Slowly one by one, they threw their weapons to the floor until one man spoke.