darkness shifting in eyes that weren’t quite right. A chill of apprehension slid down her spine. God, who was this man really? And why was it so important to him that she remain at the castle?
Dirc took in a deep breath, calmed himself, and tried once more to convince her. “Now lass, I only want ye to be safe. There are people out there who would harm ye.” He made a sweeping gesture across the horizon. “There is evil out there. Danger. Ye canna just go off on yer own.”
“There is always evil. Everywhere. In my time too.” But then she was not so naïve that she thought she could survive for long on her own in the Scottish Highlands, whether she wanted to leave or not. With the shock of being here at all, she hadn’t even given thought yet to what dangers she could face, but a woman alone in any time was vulnerable. And here… a woman not under the protection of a man was fair game. Winner take all. That much had been written in the history books. She would be a fool to go anywhere else until she knew more of what was going on. Better the devil you know… She sighed, turning her face away to gaze out the window. Between the tops of the trees, she could see one of the stone towers of the keep.
“I said I’d stay at the castle for now, and I will. I’ll be sure to tell you first if I decide to leave. All right?”
He nodded, looking relieved. “Aye. And I thank ye, for the consideration. I will rest much easier if I ken ye will be well protected. There is nay safer place for miles than Creagmor Castle.” Then he turned from her to clear away the few things on the table. “We’ll leave now then, it’s only a short walk. With any luck your accommodations this night will be much improved”, he said with a teasing smile. His mood had completely turned around, just like that. She crossed her arms and regarded him warily. What the hell?
Only a few minutes later they were on their way, walking at a leisurely pace along the path that ran through the oaks. Faith ran her fingers along the bark of one of the ancient trees, and it almost seemed to vibrate with life… and history, years and years of history. She smiled. “It’s so beautiful here. I love it. It’s almost… familiar somehow.” She gave a nervous little laugh. “I still can’t quite believe it. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up any minute, but I can’t ever remember having a dream that went on for so long, and in so much detail.” This just doesn’t really happen. Only in the movies, or in a science fiction novel. How could I not be dreaming it all?
Dirc smiled at her indulgently. “It’s nay dream, lass. Ye’re here, real as anyone. If ye’re nay real, then neither am I.”
“If you say so. But you could just be someone in my dream, for all I know.”
Dirc was walking faster now, and she had to hurry to keep up. The castle came into sight through the trees, and he whistled to one of the guards at the gate to warn them of their approach. When they were close enough, he yelled up to the man on top of the gate house.
“Tell yer laird I’ve come! He’s expecting me.” He turned to Faith, who was staring open-mouthed at the gate house with its massive portcullis and larger-than-life stone towers. Though these towers were dwarfed by the much larger ones of the keep. Normally he would not come to the front gate, but would enter at the back of the keep. He chose to use the front gate now only because introducing Faith to the Laird of Creagmor felt like an important occasion, worthy of such formalities. He only hoped Faith could hold her own with Bren. And he hoped that Bren would behave as he expected him to. From what he had seen of the lass so far, it was all very promising, but he was still anxious. The laird was a powerful and complex man, physically imposing, and he could be quite difficult at times. Nay, most of the time. He hoped it would not be much longer before fate took the matter out of his hands. This much
Dirc took in a deep breath, calmed himself, and tried once more to convince her. “Now lass, I only want ye to be safe. There are people out there who would harm ye.” He made a sweeping gesture across the horizon. “There is evil out there. Danger. Ye canna just go off on yer own.”
“There is always evil. Everywhere. In my time too.” But then she was not so naïve that she thought she could survive for long on her own in the Scottish Highlands, whether she wanted to leave or not. With the shock of being here at all, she hadn’t even given thought yet to what dangers she could face, but a woman alone in any time was vulnerable. And here… a woman not under the protection of a man was fair game. Winner take all. That much had been written in the history books. She would be a fool to go anywhere else until she knew more of what was going on. Better the devil you know… She sighed, turning her face away to gaze out the window. Between the tops of the trees, she could see one of the stone towers of the keep.
“I said I’d stay at the castle for now, and I will. I’ll be sure to tell you first if I decide to leave. All right?”
He nodded, looking relieved. “Aye. And I thank ye, for the consideration. I will rest much easier if I ken ye will be well protected. There is nay safer place for miles than Creagmor Castle.” Then he turned from her to clear away the few things on the table. “We’ll leave now then, it’s only a short walk. With any luck your accommodations this night will be much improved”, he said with a teasing smile. His mood had completely turned around, just like that. She crossed her arms and regarded him warily. What the hell?
Only a few minutes later they were on their way, walking at a leisurely pace along the path that ran through the oaks. Faith ran her fingers along the bark of one of the ancient trees, and it almost seemed to vibrate with life… and history, years and years of history. She smiled. “It’s so beautiful here. I love it. It’s almost… familiar somehow.” She gave a nervous little laugh. “I still can’t quite believe it. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up any minute, but I can’t ever remember having a dream that went on for so long, and in so much detail.” This just doesn’t really happen. Only in the movies, or in a science fiction novel. How could I not be dreaming it all?
Dirc smiled at her indulgently. “It’s nay dream, lass. Ye’re here, real as anyone. If ye’re nay real, then neither am I.”
“If you say so. But you could just be someone in my dream, for all I know.”
Dirc was walking faster now, and she had to hurry to keep up. The castle came into sight through the trees, and he whistled to one of the guards at the gate to warn them of their approach. When they were close enough, he yelled up to the man on top of the gate house.
“Tell yer laird I’ve come! He’s expecting me.” He turned to Faith, who was staring open-mouthed at the gate house with its massive portcullis and larger-than-life stone towers. Though these towers were dwarfed by the much larger ones of the keep. Normally he would not come to the front gate, but would enter at the back of the keep. He chose to use the front gate now only because introducing Faith to the Laird of Creagmor felt like an important occasion, worthy of such formalities. He only hoped Faith could hold her own with Bren. And he hoped that Bren would behave as he expected him to. From what he had seen of the lass so far, it was all very promising, but he was still anxious. The laird was a powerful and complex man, physically imposing, and he could be quite difficult at times. Nay, most of the time. He hoped it would not be much longer before fate took the matter out of his hands. This much
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