Her Noble Destiny

by Annie L. Marshall

  “Dinna answer yet, Jaedin. We’re goin’ for an outin’ today,” he said. “Now get yerself up. I’ll send Katie in to help ye dress.”

  “It would be more fun for you to help me,” Jaedin giggled.

  Aiden released a booming laugh then said, “Ah, tis a lustful woman in my bed.” He continued to laugh as he bent down to kiss her lips. “Now get dressed or we willna make our outin’,” he said as he left the room.

  Jaedin fell back on the bed and placed her hands behind her head. Well now, Jae. Who would’ve thought being blind could have such wonderful benefits. She giggled.

  * * * *

  “Tis a bit steep here, so hold on to me tightly,” he said as he picked up Jaedin.

  Once they made it to the bottom, Aiden set her down. She could hear water.

  “Where are we?” Jaedin asked.

  “We are down in the glen near the castle. There is a brook fed by the river above by a waterfall,” Aiden explained. “There is a large oak tree next to the water that has a bed of moss that we can sit on,” he said as he led her over to the tree.

  Jaedin placed her hands on the trunk and felt the soft cool moss and the roughness of its bark. Then as she came to a knothole that was familiar, she took a deep breath in. “Oh, my God.”

  Aiden stood nearby watching her explore the tree. “Is everythin’ alright?” he asked.

  “Aiden, I know this tree,” she said. “When I was a little girl, I used to climb this tree!” She began giggling with glee. “It’s a bit smaller around and it hasn’t been damaged by lightning, but this is defiantly my tree!” Then she wrapped her arms around it and hugged the oak like it was a long lost member of the family.

  “Then tis here we will sit,” Aiden proclaimed then spread out the blanket and sat down with his back against the tree, facing the brook. Then he reached over and drew Jaedin into his arms. “Tis good to see ye happy.”

  “I’ve felt so lost since I came here.” She laid her head on his chest. “So useless.”

  Aiden grasped her by the shoulders and drew her up, “Ye’re not useless, Jaedin.” He softly kissed her mouth.

  “But I feel useless, Aiden. I use to help a lot of people as a nurse back in my time.” She paused for a moment waiting to see how Aiden would respond. “Without my eyesight, I have no direction. No purpose.”

  “Your time?” he quietly asked as he stood up.

  Jaedin took a deep breath then began her tale. “I’m not from your time, Aiden. My time is 2009. I was a nurse which is a sort of healer, with my country’s army.”

  “The United States?” he recalled their earlier conversation on the journey to Inverlochy.

  “Yes.” She was impressed that he’d remembered.

  Aiden rubbed the side of his face with his hand around to the back of his neck and continued to listen to what Jaedin told him about her time in Iraq and the events that occurred just before she leapt time. “Did ye ken a Kenna MacKellar?” he asked.

  Jaedin’s heart stopped. “Sergeant Major MacKellar?” she asked.

  “I believe tis what Iain said she was called.” Aiden sat back down on the blanket. “Kenna was Iain’s wife. She was with Iain in battle against Longshanks and his army when a whirlwind took her.” Aiden’s voice was sullen. “The same whirlwind took Iain shortly after that.”

  “I remember you talking about Kenna, but I had no idea it was the same woman.” Jaedin placed her elbows on her knees then cradled her forehead in her hands. “Kenna’s voice was one of the last things I remember before everything went dark.” She wiped a few tears from her eyes. “It’s good to know she survived that firefight. Well, for a while at least.”

  “Duncan told me it was Lorna, queen of the Fae Guardians herself that lifted them into the funnel that took them to heaven,” Aiden explained. “But before she took Iain, she told Duncan to seek me out and that I needed him in order to understand. She ken ye were comin’.”

  Aiden drew Jaedin into his arms again. “Dinna fash Jaedin, ye may not have use of yer eyes, but I have many uses I can envision for ye,” he said in an even lower husky voice then covered her mouth again with his.

  Jaedin wrapped her arms around him as he rolled to lay her gently on the blanket. Aiden deepened the kiss, their tongues dancing a sultry dance, igniting the fires deep within. His right hand entwined within her hair, cradling her head. With his other hand, he reached down to unlace the keyhole of her dress. One by one his fingers tugged on the leather lacing to slide it out of the stitched eyelets, willingly exposing her breasts to him. Aiden slid his large hand in to cup one of her alluring breasts in its embrace, kneading it, bringing it to life. His mouth left hers and trailed down her chin to her neck, tasting the essence of her skin as he continued his journey. As his mouth found her breasts, his hand dipped lower to find the hem of her dress, raising it slightly, he placed his hand upon her ankle then slowly, slid his fingertips up her leg to find her already wet with anticipation.

  Aiden rolled away from Jaedin only long enough to slide her dress the rest of the way off. “So beautiful,” his voice deeply purred and then he brought his mouth down upon hers, again his hand entwined in her hair as his kiss brought her to ecstasy. All was quiet except for the sound of the water rushing over the rocks and falling into the brook. A cool breeze carried upon its fingers a seductive caress over their skin as he positioned himself over her and claimed her body and soul, burying deeply into her. As Jaedin cried out in euphoria, Aiden’s hands released their hold on her hair and lifted himself to his knees and grasped hold of her hips to bury himself deeper within.

  The cool breeze continued to play upon their skin, bringing them to even greater heights as Aiden thrusts met heavenly cries of passion from Jaedin. Deep within them, the ancient drums of spring beat as their hearts raced, pleasure climbed toward their release.

  “Aiden!” She called to him from deep within her primal soul.

  His head fell back with a groan and quickened his trusts. “Jaedin!” He answered her call as his hands tightened their grasp on her hips and with one more plunge into her, he himself allowed his own climax as she arched her back to meet his. The ancient drums were appeased.

  ChapterTen

  Her Noble Destiny

  Chapter Ten

  “Listen here ye daft twit, nothin’, I repeat nothin’ will stand in my way of marryin’ Aiden MacAlister. Do ye understand?” Elspet informed to the young girl.

  “But laird MacAlister has already given her the ring and taken her to his bed,” the girl nervously explained.

  “Tis nothin’ but a minute problem.” Elspet paced the floor of her chamber. “Ye ken men canna be trusted. They’re not married, yet.” She opened her chest and withdrew a small pouch. Sliding the drawstrings open, she revealed a tiny bundle of herbs wrapped with string. “I refuse to allow my lout of a da to trade me as chattel to the highest bidder,” she stated as she handed the young girl the bundle. “Drop this into a tankard of Aiden’s precious hot cider. Allow it to steep for a few moments before ye serve it to him. Make sure ye remove it before handin’ the mug to him,” Elspet instructed. “Then go below and bring the foreign tart up to her chamber. I’ll do the rest.”

  “Aye, ma’am,” the girl said as she attempted to leave the small chamber.

  “If ye tell anyone what we have planned, I’ll make sure ye dinna see the light of the next day, do you hear me?” Elspet threatened as she dug her nails into the girl’s forearm.

  “Aye, ma’am,” the girl squeaked and shaking with fear, scurried quickly from the room.

  “I’ll not be losin’ my chances at Aiden,” Elspet spat out loud as she continued to pace back and forth across the room. “Especially to that blind, short, fat wench who has no business bein’ here.”

  “Who would ye be talkin’ about, Elspet?” Aiden asked as he walked into her room with Katie in tow. “I ken ye woudna be talkin’ about my soon to be wife.” He slowly approached the nervous woman.

  “Aiden, I…�
� Elspet couldn’t finish.

  “I’d be vera careful what ye answer with.” Aiden’s eyes clouded over with anger.

  Elspet looked over at Katie who was standing by the doorway. “I told ye to keep yer mouth shut, yet twit!”

  “Katie said nothin’. I was standin’ outside yer door about to invite ye to Jaedin’s and my weddin’ when I overheard ye plottin’,” Aiden said as Alasdair walked through the door.

  “What tis all this shoutin’ about?” the older man asked.

  Elspet ran into her father’s arms. “They are accusin’ me of the most horrible things, da!”

  “Alasdair, we’ve been friends for a long while. As long as I can remember in truth,” Aiden began. “Ye ken I wouldna have any reason to deceive ye.”

  “Aye, that I ken,” Alasdair answered.

  “Yer daughter was plottin’ to poison me and do harm to my Jaedin,” Aiden explained. “She even went as far with her scheme as to enlist the aid of my young servant, Katie.”

  Alasdair looked over at the young girl who was still shaking with fear.

  “Is this true, Elspet?” the MacDougall laird asked his youngest daughter. Lowering his voice, “Dinna lie to me, girl. Is this true?”

  Elspet couldn’t say anything. She just kept looking at Aiden then back to her father with her mouth gaping.

  “I must beg forgiveness for any harm to ye or yers, Aiden,” Alasdair apologized. “We will be leavin’ post haste.” He said as he grasped Elspet by the upper arm. “Ye, daughter, willna be causin’ anyone harm ever again,” He stated as he drug his daughter out of the room and down the hallway.

  “Katie, tis alright, lass,” Aiden said to the frightened young girl. “I’m not angry with ye.” He patted her on the shoulder. “Now, take the day to rest then tis back to yer duties in the morn. I’ll inform Mairi,” he said as the girl crumbled to the floor in tears. “Lass, dinna worry. She willna hurt ye. Ever,” he said then dried the tears with his sleeve.

  “Thank ye, laird MacAlister,” she breathlessly said through her sobs.

  “I look after my clan, Katie.” He smiled and tapped her on her red nose. “And ye are a part of my clan.”

  ChapterEleven

  Her Noble Destiny

  Chapter Eleven

  A troupe of performers came to the village near Inverlochy for the Summer Solstice celebration and set up a large pavilion just on the edge of the town. With them, they brought exotic animals, jesters, jugglers, acrobats, and a fortune teller.

  “Thank you for bringing me here, Katie.” Jaedin thanked the girl.

  “Tis good to be outta the keep for a bit,” Katie admitted.

  The two continued to walk past various tents and merchants. Jaedin could smell the heavy scents of the soaps as they walked closer to the apothecary merchant.

  “Katie, what smells so wonderful?” Jaedin inquired.

  “Tis the soap merchant, ma’am,” the girl answered.

  “Oh, can we please stop there? I’d like to pick up some nice smelling…”

  “Ye already smell heavenly, wife.” Aiden’s low brogue purred in her ear.

  Jaedin squealed in delight as Aiden’s arms circled her then looked at the blushing merchant. “Allow my lady wife to chose her heart’s desire, then send yer man to the keep for payment.” Then he turned his attention back to Jaedin. “I must get back.”

  “You’re not going to stay?” Jaedin’s tone was leaking disappointment.

  “Nay. I just came to check on ye” he explained. “I have business to tend to.” Then he turned to a pile of soap and picked one up and inhaled its scent. “Mmmm. I like this one.” Placing a kiss on the tip of her nose he headed back to the keep.

  Jaedin brought the cake of soap up to her nose and sniffed it.

  “Tis Sandalwood, milady. Made from the finest Sandalwood oil from India ,” the merchant proudly announced.

  Aiden was right, it smelled wonderful. “I’ll take a dozen of them.”

  The merchant looked puzzled.

  “I dinna think she understands yer meanin’,” Katie said.

  “Oh, right! Twelve, I’d like twelve of them,” Jaedin explained.

  “As ye wish.” The merchant gathered the selected cakes and placed them in a linen bag and handed it to Katie, then turned her attention to the other women who had walked up.

  Katie steered Jaedin back into the alley to walk past some of the other merchants.

  “Read yer fortune, lassie?” A cloaked old woman asked from just inside the doorway of the tent as Katie led Jaedin down the walkway.

  “She calls herself Madam Taran, a fortune teller. But she’s widely kenned as nothin’ but a witch,” Katie whispered into Jaedin’s ear with a bit of contempt.

  “Oh, phooey on that. She’s probably just an unmarried woman trying to make a living and nothing taboo within her practice. I think it would be fun, Katie,” Jaedin said.

  “Well, I’ll not be goin’ in,” the young girl stated, “She scares me.”

  Jaedin laughed as the old woman emerged from the tent. “You’re being silly, Katie.”

  “Dinna fash, I’ll get the lass back to the castle safe and sound,” the old woman said.

  “I’ll be waitin’ right outside the tent for ye, ma’am.” Katie said, still very leery of the fortune teller.

  The old woman smiled then took Jaedin by the hand with her heavily jeweled one and led her into the small tent and sat her down on a chair in front of the small round table. Then she lit the lantern on the table and sat down on the opposite side taking Jaedin’s hands in hers. She reached in a pocket from underneath her cloak and brought out a small vial of oil and poured a few drops in each of Jaedin’s hands. Then she massaged her hands for a moment looking into the young woman’s eyes, saddened by the fact that those eyes couldn’t gaze back at her.

  “The massage feels nice, but I thought I was here to get my fortune read,” Jaedin broke the silence.

  “Tis a bonnie ring ye’re wearin’,” Madam Taran began. “Ye’ve traveled a long distance, lass,” the old woman started by placing a few drops of oil on Jaedin’s head then gently tilted her head back, placed a single drop in each eye then covered them with her old hands.

  “What are you doing?” Jaedin asked, still puzzled by the old woman’s methods.

  “Healin’ ye,” she answered. “Hush now, lass.” She sternly ordered then began chanting in ancient Gaelic. A language Jaedin had only heard her grandmother speak when she was praying.

  The wind picked up and thunder sounded outside the small tent. The heavens opened up and the rains fell. Jaedin could faintly hear the sound of people running, seeking shelter. Even Katie took off running for the castle to seek out Aiden for help.

  The old woman continued chanting as the storm outside raged. Her voice rising and falling with the sounds of the tempest, engulfing Jaedin in a trance. She could hear the ropes holding the tent groan as the wind whipped at the bindings and the rain pounded the heavy fabric walls.

  The only words Jaedin could make out where an ama - time, an doinneann - storm, an gaol - love, and a’ faicinn - see.

  “So much ye’ve seen with these eyes.” She continued to hold her hands over Jaedin’s eyes. “Beauty of the earth, great battles that have torn apart villages, brutally savage wounds that ye’ve healed. But the one thing ye wish to see still escapes ye.”

  “What would that be?” Jaedin asked.

  “The love of the large one,” the old woman continued. “He’s the one who found ye when ye were lost. Ye ken he is good to ye. Ye ken he desires ye, for he’s takin’ ye into his arms and his kisses sear through yer heart. But what ye want most from him, he willna give.”

  “I can see into yer heart, lass. As much as ye yearn for his touch, ye still wish to return to yer own time. There is a way, but tis a heavy price for it.”

  “What’s the price? I’ve already lost my sight,” Jaedin asked with a bit of malice in her tone.

  “Yer sight will return, to
be sure. And ye will be able to see that which ye’ve yearned to see. However, that first gaze twill be yer last. Ye shall go back to yer own time. All here will be but a dream.”

  “All here is already a dream to me,” Jaedin said with tears in her eyes. “What must I do?”

  The old woman looked upon the younger with sadness in her eyes. “Ye must go to the place that holds the strongest of emotions, the last place the two of ye shared in passion.”

  “The tree. Take me to the tree.” She couldn’t continue because it hurt her too much to know that Aiden would never love her the way she loved him.

  Lorna’s heart ached for her daughter. She wanted so much to take her into her arms and reassure her that all would be well. But she had already defied the Ancients by being there. She couldn’t take any other chances by revealing her identity. “As ye wish, lass,” she said and took her by the hand and led her towards the tree line. Through the darkness of night, Lorna no longer took the form of the old woman as she led Jaedin through the maze of trees, deep into the woods to a clearing where the Ancient’s standing stones slowly appeared through the mist. In the center of them was the oak tree.

  Just outside the stone circle, Lorna stopped. “This is as far as I can go, lass. From here on out, it’s up to you, dear one,” she said as she kissed Jaedin’s hand then let go and turned her in the direction of the tree. “Just continue walking straight ahead and don’t stop until you reach the tree.”

  Jaedin took a deep breath, “Thank you, Madam Taran.” There was nothing but silence. “Madam Taran?” The old crone was gone. She took another deep breath then slowly walked in the direction of the tree with her hands stretched out before her to feel her way. She had climbed this old oak tree when she was a little girl. It had been an old tree, but even now, so many years earlier, she could feel that it stood strong and proud. She placed her hands in the knot hole. A roll of thunder echoed in the distance. She turned around and slowly slid her way down to sit on the cool, mossy ground underneath her tree. The last time she was here, Aiden and she had made such passionate love. The ground shook as she felt the storm roll in. Tears began forming as she remembered how gentle Aiden had been when he first found her. She brought her fingers up to her lips as she recalled the first kiss he’d given her. “Aiden.”