Chapter 17
Isla found the four girls before the fire in the main hall, and while her own mind spun with information that only gave her more questions to ask, she knew she had to get to the bottom of their presence while the battle still raged. Camdyn would kill her if Aislinn missed his victory, of that she was certain. Half way across the room she really looked at the young women. Minna and Iona were talking so quickly and animatedly, their hands flying and their voices starting to rise in order to too be heard over each other. Aislinn was smiling affectionately at them, while also looking extremely embarrassed, and her hand was clasped tightly around Fyfa’s. Now that was a surprise, Isla did not know why, but she knew Fyfa kept to herself in the clan. She helped her grandmother a lot and was extremely quite in company, but Isla had never seen her in a group situation.
Aislinn was already making ripples in the clan. From the looks of things, she was going to create some huge waves, but without them this clan would be stuck in a place it should never have entered. Camdyn was slowly reversing the problems his father had created while he had been fit and well, and Aislinn was going to help with this changes. Even if she didn’t know it yet.
Oh, that also reminded her, she needed to check on Laird Toren, the illness he had from before Camdyn had left had been getting progressively worse. He hardly ever had any lucid points and when he did, he didn’t make much sense. The elders had to make a choice and soon, Camdyn needed to be named Laird so that this clan could become greater than it was when she was a girl. Now that was a long time ago.
Aislinn was distracted from the rather novel and rather boisterous third retelling of her now dramatic and daring rescue of Fyfa. At this point it had changed from an exchange of words to Aislinn practically holding Larena over the side of the parapet and forcing her to confess all the evil she had committed in her young life. While it was entertaining, if this version got out she hated to think what Camdyn would think of her treatment of his sister. She had noticed Isla heading their way, she needed to have a word with her about this whole ‘lady’ thing that was happening. She needed her to see that she needed to find a place in this clan, if she would help.
Releasing Fyfa’s hand, she was half way out of the large chair in front of the fire, when Isla descended upon them. Only for Minna and Iona to accost her with their tale of misadventure. Aislinn gave a sigh and sat back down. Looking at Fyfa she saw the girl trying to hold back a smirk of amusement at the situation she was in, though there was nothing malicious about it. “Oh, go ahead laugh, I know you want too. I would be, if it wasn’t me this was happening to.” Giving another more exaggerated sigh, she got her intended result when she heard her companion give an almost silent chuckle. “Aha! I knew you were in there somewhere. Any more trouble, come and get me, I will not let another person be treated like that. You don’t look like you’d hurt a fly.”
A tiny cough and Aislinn had to lean in to hear the actual words, “Well, maybe I would hurt a fly I can’t stand them flying around.” The smallest smile, but Aislinn was convinced that eventually this shell that surrounded to girl next to her, would fall away. Looking back towards Isla, who was completely bemused by the drama in front of her, and knew she had to save the poor woman. “Oh Isla, could I borrow you for a while. I do believe I should probably see the Keep, as I feel I would get lost if I was sent to a particular room.”
Isla looked at the girl gratefully. She truly wanted to help all those around her. Though the tale the others had just told her was hard to believe. The general gist had been received, Aislinn had stood up for Fyfa, against Larena. Now Isla would fight to the death for this girl. Her opinion had not changed on Aislinn, only her believe had been made stronger. But this only made her feel stranger. She was exactly like her. It was not just her looks now, her warmth and convictions, her actions and her protective stance where exactly the same as someone who was here a long time ago.
Now back to the matter at hand. She thought over the request, the only issue she had was the timing. The girl would need to know her way around the Keep. She knew that Aislinn was expecting to be put to work, and that was the reason she was asking for a tour, but Isla was not about to yet tell her the work she would be expecting of her. A future mistress of the Keep needed to know it like it was an extension of her own body, the people as well, she would have to be introduced to the servants. This would take a while, however, Aislinn was completely up for that task.
“Oh, m’lady, I’m afraid the tour will have to wait. Don’t worry yourself, it will be my pleasure to take you around later. But Camdyn extracted a promise from me that I would let you do nothing this morning except watch the mock battle. And as I have already failed to keep you outside, I feel that I should escort you at least back to the courtyard, the men will be making their way back soon. If he does not see you there, his ego may be affected, and the male ego is a very emotional beast, that would have a very negative effect upon his mood.” Winking at Aislinn, “and we don’t want to see him in a bad mood now do we.”
Smiling and rather forcefully she took hold of Aislinn’s arm, and grabbed Minna’s with her free hand. Just like that, she had all four of the women out in the courtyard just as the sun managed to fully break through the cloud cover. The women were starting to head back to the tower stairs, which undoubtedly meant the men had completed their little game and were on their way up. She just wondered how many wounded she would have to deal with this time. Why the men wanted to hack each other to pieces and congratulate themselves over it afterward was beyond comprehension.
Waiting in the centre of the courtyard, Aislinn took a chance to watch the people of her new home. Quite a few of the women went back to work in the Keep, laughing over the actions of some of the men on the field, while others were talking of the prowess of others, and which ones they would like to celebrate, or commemorate with later that day. Any mention of Camdyn she heard was always followed with a glance in her direction, which actually made Aislinn ridiculously pleased…until the thought that maybe they thought that she was only with Camdyn because he wanted her to warm his bed, and eventually he would grow weary of her and they could take that place instead. Oh dear, she really was not used to being the centre of attention.
The women who remained in the courtyard had split off into groups. And with all she could see Larena and her shadows were nowhere in sight. That, though, was not a comforting thought, at least if you could see her you knew what she was up too. Most of the groups had young children running around between the skirts of the women, or toddlers and babies sat on their mothers hips. Watching those mothers interact with the children, some dotingly, others distractedly but all held an aura of inevitability around them…that the time to chat was short as their children would do something that would require their full attention. Aislinn had always wanted a family, someone to love her, and for her to love. Jealousy was creeping up on her and it was not an emotion she wanted to entertain.
A raucous at the entryway had that emotion flying straight out of her mind. The men streamed in, sweaty, covered in dirt and most had a wound of some sort with blood mingling with the filth they were already covered in. They were all bared chested, only that was only a cursory thought as Aislinn only had eyes for one man within the group. Scanning face after face, which became more difficult as children and women joined the group, she eventually managed to spot him and she was moving before she had even thought about it.
Camdyn walked into the Keep on his own two feet. An excellent end to a victorious morning. Now he had to see if he could convince Aislinn to ‘help’ tend his wound. He knew it was not serious and there was more blood because of its placement rather than any serious injury. Coming up behind the twins, he through an arm around the shoulders of each laughing with them over some of the slip ups the inexperienced and experienced warriors around them had made. While his attention was on Aonghus retelling a feat, he was trying to convince everyone, of miraculous recovery and conquer of the enemy, his face was grabbed in a surprisingly strong grip.
His face was turned roughly in the direction of a pair of eyes he could recognise anywhere, even though he had not known them for long. The twins shared a look and carried on their way, with a loud conversation about lucky buggers, and people stealing the best women around. But Cam only stood staring into a concerned face and allowed her to pull his head in this direction and that. It was only when she poked a finger in the slash she found within his hair that he pulled her hands away. “I think, Aislinn, I may need your steady hands to care for me. But inside, please, my manhood could not take it if it did not look as though I could take care of a small cut on my own.” He was laying on the charm he knew, but he could see she was worried.
Taking her hand he tugged her towards the Keep. Rethinking the main hall idea. All the others would not make a good audience for what he wanted. The only place he could truly not worry about any other man laying eyes upon his prize would be his room. But it would not be proper if they were alone. His eyes landed on Isla, perfect, he really did surprise himself with his plans sometimes.