Highland Magic

Cien sat atop his mount, and gazed down. They stood on the ledge looking down into the morning mist at the McPhearson keep. It was cold and foreboding in the cool morning, but Cien didn't notice.

He balled his fist at the anger the sight of the keep brought him. The mounting rage had built with in him until he thought he would die from the torture. He wanted to blast into the keep with all his men, and kill anyone who stood in his way of getting to Rose.

He knew he couldn't do that. He let out a heavy sigh and un-balled his fist. Rose would be hurt in the skirmish, he was sure of it. As soon as they attacked, Alex would go find her, if she weren't already dead, and kill her then. No, attacking off right, wouldn't work.

But he knew his plan would.

"Are you ready, Laird?"

Cien nodded, taking a long last glance at the keep. He would find Regan today. He would find her if it killed him.

~~~~~

I felt a smile creep onto my face as I watched what happened before me. Yesterday one of the maids had been assigned to me to keep me from singing. It seemed the downstairs hounds enjoyed my voice too much for the rest of the populations liking. I wanted to laugh. I could hear them howling from my room.

Inna was a nice girl for such a retched place. She had pretty blonde hair, she tied in a ribbon behind her head and a shy if not pretty smile. She would sit with me in the room, making sure it was warm and I was fed well. But what I really enjoyed was her baby.

Grace was only about nine months old, and full of mischief. She crawled around the floor in her little white dress/tunic thing. She had a cute little patch of red hair on the top of her head and was full of such sweet laughter. She played with me, laughing at my silly faces and my crooning.

Every once in a while I would see one of the guards assigned to my door peek a head in to make sure I wasn't killing everyone in the room. I didn't mind though. If it meant I got to have Inna and Grace as company, I didn't mind.

Inna didn't seem to think I was a witch. When I asked her if she thought I was one, she only cocked her head and said that she didn't believe in witches. A few hours later she had come back with Grace.

Grace sat before me, trying desperately to chew on her foot, but she kept rolling on to her back side. I laughed as she tried again and again. I never realized how entertaining a child could be. Grace threw her little fists in the air and seemed to declare war on her feet, as she seemed to try to savagely attack the offending foot.

She gurgled and spoke in a language I had never understood. Laughing to herself and playing with her feet, she finally got part of a toe in her mouth. It slipped out and she let out a squeal.

The door to my room swung open and the soldier standing there looked ready to do me bodily harm. I only raised an eyebrow at him and waited.

Inna looked up and saw the soldier and sighed.

"Gavin, the child is playing. Be off with ye." He didn't seem to like that and shot her a cold glare. "Be off with ye." Inna repeated and he finally closed the door softly behind him.

"Maybe you shouldn't be here, Inna." I said looking down at Grace again. "I mean, what if they think I hurt you both or something. I don't want to be responsible for that."

Inna didn't look up from her sewing. "Never ye mind that. Ye just sit right back there, and enjoy yer self, now."

I was not convinced. If something happened to Grace, there was a good chance I would be blamed for it. I knew enough history to know that if they already thought me a witch, and something bad happened to either Inna or Grace... well you know the saying "Off with her head?" It wouldn't just be a saying.

Inna began to hum as she sewed the tunic in her lap. She'd told me yesterday it was for her husband, and that it was the first she'd ever made for him herself. I knew she was taking great pride in it, as she would softly hum to herself now and then as she sewed, a beautiful hum of a song I think. Although I couldn't be sure.

It was early still, and outside a window, I could see the morning mist covering the hills. Standing, I moved to the window and gazed out on the land. It really was a pretty place, if not brutal. The hills were soft and green in the mist, and even the cliffs looked soft.

I stared at the cliffs, and wished. Cien I wish you were here. I closed my eyes and sighed before slowly opening them.

I stared at the cliffs and saw some sort of movement. Men? I mentally shook my head. No, there was no one ever up there. But my heart still wished. It wished for Cien, and to be held in his arms once again. To be loved by him again.

He'd never admit it, but sometimes I would look at him, and I could see it shining in his eyes, bright and beautiful. He would look away, and I would feel myself blush, but I knew it was there. He loved me. He just hadn't said as much. Yet.

A girl can hold out hope.

~~~~~

Cien felt himself being drawn toward the castle again. There was something beautiful about it. He didn't know what, and part of him didn't care. He closed his eyes and wished for Regan. Beautiful Regan with her wavy black hair and sparkling laughter. He could almost see her in his minds eye. Her beautiful eyes, sparkling with good humor and... what was that that he saw in her eyes? It made me feel much hotter, and a little uncomfortable.

Opening his eyes, he promised her and himself then and there, that he would find her. Today. Suddenly in one of the far towers, he thought he saw movement in a window. He watched it more carefully, but saw nothing move again.

Turning back to the men, he raised his fist and dropped it.