AN - Only one or two chapters left of this book. I am extremely sad to be ending this book and Artair's story, but I know that I have done all I can for him. The next book has been started though. So, here is a chapter for you, but just warning that it is nearly over!! Enjoy, Az x
Chapter 59
Artair kept glancing from Sheena to Rohesia. The resemblance really was uncanny. He knew they looked alike, it was his first thought upon seeing Rohesia, but seeing them so close together was just...peculiar. With a start he realised this is what most people would think when he and Aonghus stood side by side. There were just a few more differences between the women than he and Aonghus had...so it must be even more disconcerting for any who looked upon them. He had never really thought about it, he just suffered from the brunt of stares and starts for the majority of his life. Never really thinking of it as strange...until now. When he saw what everyone else saw in two other people.
Rohesia was rewrapping Sheena's arm, both having deduced that the break must be clean. Whilst Aonghus hovered over them, much to Sheena's glares. Though Artair had to admit that she must be in a great deal of pain. Especially after a rescue which had her knocking her arm against a cliff wall as she was pulled up from the ledge she had sat upon. Looking down at his nephew, he noted the young lad was a very puzzled expression as he too looked from his mother to his new aunt. As if he just could not work out the mystery that they presented. When Scottie eventually looked up at him, the lad was just confused. "Are they sisters as you and Da are brothers?"
He flashed a grin at his worried brother. "Aonghus?" The shout had Aonghus spinning to look at them, Artair reaching out as if to steady him as he wobbled a little too close to the edge once more for his liking. Realising a gust of breath as Aonghus looked a little paler than usual but caught himself to walk towards the. "Aye?" He ruffled his son's hair. "Your son has an interesting questions. Why don't you answer it?" With that he left the difficult explanations to Scottie with his father, and instead turned to have a difficult discussion with a just as perplexed Percival, Alfred and Father Thomas. He would rather not do this so close to an edge which could plummet them all to their deaths but until Rohesia was finished, and Sheena was comfortable they could not continue onward.
Rohesia had known she was real, but seeing and believing are two completely different thing. From the moment Sheena had come over the edge of the cliff, Rohesia had been in shock that everything she had experienced had in fact happened. From the moment Sheena's feet had touched the ground, despite the pain she was in, she had barrelled forward and pulled Rohesia, pulling back, obviously remembering her confusion over being able to her, to gush about how glad she was that Rohesia had found her way home. And for some reason Rohesia believed her, for something in her gut did tell her that she was on her way home. Reluctantly Sheena had released her and bobbed down and brought her son in for a quick squeeze, which he did not return, but only seemed to take in everything about her face, before turning once more to Rohesia to do the same. The poor lad just seemed so confused.
But at the tightening of Sheena's lips and her paleness had Rohesia worried. But she had not needed to say anything, Sheena already knew her body was at its limits. With a ruffle to her son's hair, she had stood. "You did really well Scottie. I am so very proud of you." He did not smile or show any pleasure in the compliment but he did pull his shoulders back a little, showing he had heard her words and did take them to heart. Before she turned to Rohesia once more. "I think I need a little help with my arm, my husbands did a good job considering we were inches from our deaths, but I would like it done a little better. If you do not mind?"
Rohesia had nodded to a small dip off the path on the opposite side to the cliff, as far away from the drop as possible. Taking the bag of bits and bobs father Thomas threw her way, she headed off to sit beside Sheena, wondering again how any of this could in fact be real. Had she in fact died, and all of this was purely a dream? No it was too cold for that. The moment Aonghus had been brought up he was straight on them, throwing an extra cloak around Sheena's shoulders, and fussing. Much to Sheena's chagrin. Rohesia decided right there and then that she was most definitely not going to get on her great aunts bad side...ever.
With strips of cloth for bandaging, found among Father Thomas' odd collection of belongings, she rewrapped Sheena's arm. Yet the woman hardly let a gasp loose as Rohesia moved her arm in what had to be painful directions in order to make sure the cloth was tight enough. Both the women let loose a sigh of relief, when Aonghus walked away. Sheena laughing a little at Rohesia. When she asked why she laughed, Sheena stroked her good hand up and down Rohesia's arm. "I am sorry, I forgot you could not hear. We both sighed in relief at the same time, and from the look of alarm that had just entered my husband's face, as Artair has walked away, I can only imagine he has the torture of trying to explain the inexplicable to our son." Rohesia failed to see what was funny about that, but wondered if it was an 'in the moment' kind of funny, so she smiled anyway and continued with her ministrations. Biting her tongue the entire way. But she did need to ask something, "Would you mind just slowing your speech a little, you speak so quickly I fear I may miss something you say, and I would hate to misinterpret you."
Sheena's mouth went into a silent oh. "I do apologise. I had not realised, though I should have..." she petered off at Rohesia's look. "I am doing it again am I not? I promise I will slow as much as possible, but you have to promise to tell me if I go too quickly, will you not."
Nodding her agreement, Rohesia finished with a brush of her hands, gasping aloud as Sheena pulled her down flat on her bottom beside her. Making sure she was looking directly at her Sheena asked, "Why have you not asked me yet? I can see you bursting at the seams to do so. We are family, in more ways than one it seems from the way Artair keeps glancing at you." Both women turned to find an unashamed Artair staring directly at them as he spoke to the three other males in their contingent. Rohesia turned to face the woman who was only a few years older than her, it was hard to get her head around the fact that she was in fact her great aunt.
She could feel the blush creep up on her cheeks. "Um, aye, Father Thomas married us in rather a hurry before we left the last village." She flicked her eyes back to Artair who stared back at her with such intensity she could not meet his gaze for long. It was Sheena's squeeze on her shoulder that brought her attention back to the woman beside her. "Well, I can see rushed or not, Artair is rather happy with the priest's actions." As Rohesia turned beet red, she was sure, she went to protest, only for Sheena to wave her good arm to keep her quiet. "Nonsense, don't fight it, for these men fight for what they want, and you have no hope of winning. So choose to lose and you will win more than you ever thought, I promise." Rohesia pulled her bottom lip between her teeth thinking the words over.
Sheena eventually knocked her shoulder against Rohesia's. "Now ask me."
Releasing her bottom lip, she licked her lips to moisten them. Before allowing a small smile of concerned amusement to cover her face. "How did you end up down there?"
Sheena leaned back, as if getting herself comfortable. "Now that is the right question. Just tell me if I go too quickly." At Rohesia's nod Sheena went into her tale. "A few months ago, the Laird's wife starting dreaming, she sees the future in her dreams." She said this as if it was common knowledge, not something that was at all abnormal, or would have been called witchcraft in Rohesia's own home country. But Sheena ploughed on, as if nothing was remiss. "She started to tell me and Aonghus of a danger to Artair. We were worried off course, but due to the weather we could not come to help. A few weeks ago, Aonghus deemed that the tides of spring would soon be upon us. And so, with Cam's permission." She noted the small furrow that appeared between Rohesia's brows.
"Camdyn, our laird. Well he agreed for us to travel. Saying he would look after Scottie in our absence." Sheena's gaze landed on her wayward son. Who was still in deep discussion with his father, his brow even more furrowed in perplexed confusion than before. "So we left Scottie in their care, and set off for a hard and cold journey to the pass we knew Artair would head for if he was in danger."
Sheena shifted a little, getting more comfortable in her little groove. "We were only a day from the keep when Scottie came charging towards us, kicking up snow about him from the horse he had managed to commandeer from the stable. He had brought half of the Keep charging out after him, but after some discussion, Cam thought it might be best for Scottie to be with those he wanted to be with, even if the journey was arduous, he may go through more," she paused looking for the right word. "'Problems' than we would have if he came with us. We lost another day as more supplies were sent for, before we felt we could take him with us."
Rohesia turned to the wily lad once more, hardly seeing how he could cause such 'problems'. But trusting his mother knew best she turned for the rest of the tale. "Eventually, after a hard, cold and at times dangerous journey, we reached the valley leading to this path from the Highland side. It was then me and Aonghus...er...argued? Aye, I will say argued. Over what to do next. As we had no idea if you would come this way. If in fact we were too late to help. Or even when you would pass this way when you did. But this morn when we awoke to the sunshine showing the path had melted a little." But with a pointed look to the snow still in piles around them, it was obvious that 'a little' meant it was enough to pass with, though not entirely safe.
"As we were 'discussing' which of us would go up and which would stay with Scottie. Scottie decided to take matters into his own hands, as he did not like us arguing with each other. So of course, we both had to rush after him. Solving that argument. He paused around this spot, as he could hear us calling him, but when we arrived, and found him, both Aonghus and I were completely consumed with worry, we both dismounted to check he was safe." Sheena blushed at the next part knowing it was her own stupidity that had caused all this. "But when I dismounted, I did not check where I was dismounting, and took a tumble over the edge. I have to say, my stomach dropped and I have never felt terror or relief like it. The ledge was far enough out to catch me fully, but as I landed I broke my arm." She let the hysterical laugh burst out of her, but the truth was, she could have very easily died.
"Aonghus was beside himself, and poor Scottie did not know what to do with himself. Aonghus finally got the rope tied and rappelled down, only by the time he reached the ledge, the rock he had tied it too came hurtling down with him. Therefore we were trapped here. Scottie was alone up there, we had no idea what to do, and by this point I had to do something about my arm. It was Aonghus, he said something about knowing Artair was near. I think it's the whole 'twin' thing about them, and sent Scottie down to find you." Sheena glared at her husband over Rohesia's shoulder. "That was what we were arguing over, I do not think he should have sent our young bairn out on his own, not knowing what he could have faced."
Rohesia reached out and cupped Sheena's shoulder. "There may have been danger, but he did well, and was so very brave. Forget the 'what could have beens' and celebrate the fact you are all safe, when it sounds as if it could all have gone completely the other way." With a shared smile, Sheena nodded. "Aye you are right, but I think it will take me some time to get over this I think."
"As it rightly should do." Sheena looked up at her husband, Rohesia followed her change in gaze. "But for now I agree with Artair, we need to get moving and put as much space between us and this mountain once more. For if I see it again it will be too soon." With a solid agreement, they all mounted, Sheena commandeering her own mount once more, despite the protestations of her husband. Though Rohesia could see that she was a more than capable horsewoman even with only one arm available for her use.
With a safe journey off the mountain pass they were free to traverse the valley at a pace they had not been able to in the last few days, due to the rocky land of the Lowlander side of the path.
It was two long weeks later, of slow, laborious, cold and with thin sunlight that continued to burn Alfred even more to Artair's amusement. But it was late on the last day of travel, which they eventually scaled the final hill that blocked their view and Artair knew he was home. He had left with a yearning to find something. This time he finally had what he wanted the most. To feel whole and at peace with himself, with the knowledge he had someone to share his life with in the place he loved the most.