Chapter 15
A blanket of white. Blinding in the weak winter sunlight. A soft glow in the darkest night. A comfort for those looking out from safety, and yet a bitter chilling death to any caught alone within it. The wind had a frosty bite as the world was lit with a soft cloudy sunset, the light not lasting enough hours in the day. A bracing breath led to a mist of swirling air as it was released once more to the wild beauty beyond. The winter may be harsh, and death was always a breath away, but there was such a glorious magnificence to behold every morn that the very power of God himself could be seen by the insignificance of man…or so Aislinn thought as she looked out over the top of the curtain wall. Taking cleansing breaths as she tried to clear her mind of all that was clogging it with the wool, able to finally make her thoughts unravel to be understandable.
Her eyes wandered over the village only a short walk from the Keep itself, the path cleared through the very feet that traversed the distance daily. The joy of the MacKay people effervescent and tangible. A people who were once more prospering, new life continuously being celebrated and welcomed into the tight knit clan they were. Each and every life valued for the very fact they were alive and a part of the very fabric that kept them all safe together.
With a small smile, she folded her arms and leant against the rough stone of the parapet. Her nose tingling in the cold, as she saw the tiny, perfect snowflakes fall once more from the thick blanket of clouds which had covered the sky above her, slowly making its ways towards the fading light, hoping to block out that light before it left the world naturally.
This was home. The place she could call her own, and know that she belonged on an intrinsic level. Her husband was the Laird, and the two bairns they had were the centre of her whole life. The only mar was the loss of their second daughter, her death an extra wrench, especially as she had never had a chance to live before her life had been taken from them. Never forgotten, but life had to move on, no matter how hard life was at times. Her Azzarra was watching over them all now, gone too soon to join a maker who could not give her up for long.
It was that loss which had added wool to her mind over the knowledge she had gained. It was also such knowledge which needed to be pushed aside for a moment, her dreams were back with a vengeance, and this time she was most definitely at a loss as to what they all meant. Her temples began to throb once more and lowering her head, she brought her fingers up to rub at her temples once more.
At times like this she felt so utterly alone.
Though she should have lost that feeling by now surely. How many times had she tried to go it alone over the years since Camdyn had found her? And how many ties had someone found her and let her know that no one in the MacKay clan did anything alone. Never again would she traverse the wild with no end in sight. The end would always be this lonely structure that had a heart of pure light.
It was as that thought came upon her that she heard the tread of feet behind her. Only this she knew was not Cam, or his second Hamish, or even Hamish’s wife Fyfa. Isla had taken ill with a cough that everyone was worried over as nothing felled the sturdy woman who was the mother and disciplinarian to all. No these feet were soon to be abed, and had had a hectic day filled with snow ball fights and warming themselves once more as they took prime seats by the roaring hearth in the main hall.
Waiting for them to pounce on her, as she knew they were planning…or rather her own daughter was, her companion, the practically silent, watchful little boy would try to puzzle out the fun Catriona found within the act, and indulgently let her drag him around with her wherever she was to go. Her little warrior, always there to protect her, even as he was only a few years older than her. Catriona had very much claimed Scottie as her own, and Scottie seemed very content to let her. In fact the entire clan expected them to arrive as a pair if one was expected some place. The only person who was still reluctant to see the beauty in their innocence was Camdyn, as Catriona’s father he decided that he was the one who had to take a step back and always be there to let Scottie know there was a line he could not cross…not that it would be years until they reached that line.
Moments later a growl came from behind her, and tiny hands grabbed at her leg. Pretending to jump at the contact, she looked down to see the bright shining face of her giggling daughter, as she looked back to Scottie proud of her achievement. She had managed to sneak up on her mother and that was something she could use to prove to Scottie she was a ‘big girl’ now. Reaching down, she ran her hand over the soft light brown hair, which was slowly turning darker as the years passed. Her golden haired girl was becoming a little lady, slowly but very surely. Her bairn’s were borrowed from God for a time, until they were old enough and wise enough to create their own pieces of heaven.
The open arms of her warm bairn were an invite that could never be turned down. Bringing her quickly into her place on her hip, she took note of how heavy she had grown. And thought that in a few months’ time she may not even be able to do this for her. The thought filled her with trepidation and wonder. She had been given another gift, she just did not know if she could stand to lose another. But how could she not want to try no matter the outcome. Not when her first born was suddenly cuddling into her neck, small arms tightly locked around her neck.
Scottie stood before her, not quite looking in her eye, but that was just his way. No one knew what he had suffered in the first years of his life before Sheena and Aonghus had taken him in and shown him the love of a family, most probably for the first time. He had grown so much, was able to articulate himself so much better…he just chose to stay quiet whenever he could. Holding out her hand for him, he stared at it for a few minutes, but she knew by now to wait, he would choose what he wanted and stick with it, and so when he chose to take a hold, she squeezed tightly. Knowing how the choice to touch was hard on him. But he tried so hard.
Heading back to the warmth of the Keep, she had to wonder just who they had managed to sneak past. As the hour was fast approaching that they were to be sleeping soundly. Shaking her head, she knew Cam would be having a few sharp words with his men. But really their daughter had a way of wrapping everyone around her little finger in such a way, that she very much could do most of what she wanted. The only respite they had was at such times as now, as she carried a very sleepy little girl back to her place of safety which had never been called into question.
“Aislinn!” The call made her turn as she reached the bottom of the staircase of the curtain wall. Fyfa hurrying towards her, her second son sitting contentedly on her hip as he took in everything with wide green eyes, his hair a deeper red than his mothers, but the resemblance was very clear between the two of them. “Fyfa?”
Pausing before them, Fyfa took a few sharp breaths. “Sheena was going out of her mind, she had no idea where these two had wondered off too.” A stern look at the two bairns, and while neither of them seemed to be paying much attention, Aislinn knew that her daughter would apologise so prettily to Sheena that everyone would be enchanted once more. She really needed to sit down and talk to Catriona soon. But this moment was not that time. “What else it wrong?” The look upon Fyfa’s face spoke volumes that could not be spoken in front of the bairns.
“Leathan…” Perking up slightly at the sound of her brother’s name, Catriona turned her head towards Fyfa, but soon lost interest. “Cam said to tell you, ‘your similarities are becoming clear’…whatever that means?” Looking perplexed, Fyfa looked down as Scottie held out a hand towards her.
“Can you take the bairns back to the Keep?”
“Aye. I take it that meant something more that is being said?” Only nodding Aislinn stood Catriona on her feet, and kissed her forehead before standing to leave, noting absently that she was already clasping Scotties free hand in her own. She shared a look with Fyfa before hurrying in the direction she had last seen Cam and Leathan. Knowing that Cam would not be happy with the scene she had just left.
Leathan had been showing signs of the same dreams she had had her entire life, and if it was so, she would not wish it upon him, but had to train him to work with them. Yet, he was just too young to understand how at the moment, and they terrified him at times to such an extent nothing could calm him for hours, except her touch as if he recognised she was the only one who could truly understand.
It was as she traversed the familiar path, it was her mind at work. The memories of the latest dreams flooding her mind. Artair was too far away, blocked from them by a wall of snow and ice, but he was in trouble…or soon would be. And while the MacKay’s looked out for each other, this time it seemed they would fail. As nothing could get there in time to help him. He would either get through the coming torment, or drown in it, and whichever it was would indelibly change the clan forever.
She just hoped that he was in a fit state to survive what was to come. For if they lost him…they would lose so much else as well.