The battle cry echoed throughout the farm as I charged my opponent, lowering my shoulder as I always did in an attempted to topple over my target. However, as I collided with my sparing partners hairy chest, instead of toppling him over, I bounced of the old man's chest and landed hard on the ground behind me. I lay there a moment, trying to catch me breath, the cold snow a welcome sensation as it fell on my face. I had been at this for almost an hour and had yet to move the old man from his spot. When I could properly breath again I rose to my feet, with the help of one of the old man's massive horns "are you sure you're a coo?" I asked as I dusted myself off. The old man turned from me and started to walk away. "Oye! I'm not done yet!" I called after him.
"You need to find yourself a lass baby brother" my eldedt sister teased as she walked by, a basket full of eggs tucked under her arm "no one asked Yoo!" I growled at her. She stuck her tongue out at me teasingly and I responded by kicking dirt in her direction.
When I turned to confront the old man again he had vanished into his barn, so I had decided to leave him be. Instead I grabbed my belt and headed for the forge. If I was going to be leaving for the capital in the morning I would need to make sure my dagger was sharp, since it was the only weapon I had left.
"You shoe your horse?" I looked up from the stone to see my father leaning in the door way. "Aye. Horse is shoed and my bags are packed. Got the bow ready to go and the arrows are over their cooling down in the water" I pointed to the large barrel of water. "Look, Connor, I can't stop you from going, and to be honest I admire that you are going to such length to help a friend. Makes me proud. Lets me know your mother and I did well in raising you. But I can't have you going to the capital alone with nothing more than two daggers and a bow." I cleaned the blade of the knife and sheathed it back inside my boot. "I don't have much of a choice dad. I don't exactly have anything else" I said as I walked over to the barrel and pulled the arrow heads from the water and shoved them into another barrel full of sand.
"Take this" he tossed me something at me. "what is this?" My father laughed "I thought you of anyone should know a sword when you see one" he joked "well aye, I mean where did it come from?" I asked eyeing the old sword. "It was mine. From a long time ago. Back when I was forced to fight in the war against the Cameron clan." I looked the blade up and down, pulling it from its sheath. It was old, and would need some repairs, which I could do.
I thought all the soldiers in that war were issued claymores?" I asked questioningly. "Aye. They were. A small group of us got separate from our platoon in the midst of some confusion. You need to remember that I was younger than you are now when I fought in this war. A group of Cameron berserkers hunted us down one by one. We ran for the low land boarder, we didn't think they would fallow us into the low lands but they did. During our retreat I lost my claymore inna bog. They killed the rest of the group and would have killed me, had it not been for once brave Lowlander. Killed three berserkers, with that very sword, before he was able to drag me to safety. I owe that man my life. By the time I was able to walk again the war was over and I intended to return home. He gave me that sword to protect myself. I have never had to use it." My father turned to leave "what was his name? The man who saved you?" I asked before he left. My dad smiled at the memory "Alastair Pringle." With that my father left and I set about the repairs on the old blade.
It was early morning. The sun would not be up for a couple of house and the house across the farm was dark. My dogs sat by the front door of the cabin peacefully, waiting for me to open the door sonwe could start our long journey.
When I opened the door, the dogs quietly left before me. As I was getting everyone packed into my horse, my parents made their way over to the cabin. "Your sisters don't know you are leaving?" My mother asked "I didn't tell them. If you didn't either than no, I guess they don't. But I'll be back before yule. I'm not going to be gone long" I said reassuringly. "Take this please" my mom handed me a bundle of dried meats, cheese, and bread. "Thanks mom" I gave her a hug. "You be careful on your trip home. It won't go well for you if anyone associated with the MacDonalds finds that treaty on you" I chuckled slightly "the laird has to agree first" my father helped me, unnecessarily, onto my horse "he will say yes, I am sure of it" I looked down at both of them and smiled "be safe our son" my dad added as he held my mom close. "Aye, I will" I gave the horse a slight gab of my heels to spur it into motion and a firm call of "Dhòmhsa!" Spurred my dogs into action and they fallowed after me. I cannot know for sure, but I am pretty positive my parents watched me go until I was completely out of sight.
I do not own any of these photos. All and full credit to the owners.
A True Stubborn Caledonian Lass:
ReplyDelete> Laying as still as she could, she awaited underneath her blankets on her bed desperately trying to not hold her breath in anticipation. Her goal was to be assumed to be still sleeping through the dawn as her mother would come and check on her as scheduled, the exclamations of both of her sisters yelling ‘Mother!’ in the mornings as they were now old enough to be in serious relationships, yet their mother would still would check on them. It was a habit that she would never break out of with the children that lived at home. Connor was the lucky one and didn’t have to deal with their mother’s habits anymore.
As the footsteps reseeded down the hallway after the door to her bedroom had been closed, Maisie waited for a little bit longer, awaiting for the next signal.
She could hear her mother talking in a hushed voice with her father, their words hard to make out, but Maisie could understand the jest of it. Their mother was worried about Connor leaving again, and their father, bless his soul, was trying to reassure her that he will be fine. The pair contracted each other so much, but somehow made it work.
The familiar creak of the old wooden front door closing was the signal she had been waiting for.
Jumping into action, the suppressed anticipation now pumping through her veins as she flipped open the blankets to reveal that she laid awaiting in improvised disguise, an old pair of Connor’s pants altered to fit her, a square-like tunic that hid her curves that she had made in secrecy during the night, an old pair of their father’s boots that came to her knees, and a winter button jacket she had bartered for at the small market for a couple of pairs of woven wool socks. A packed small saddlebag was hidden as well, and her sgian-dubh that was given to her upon her return from Arrakis on her belt.
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