by Sky Winters
Meghan laughed awkwardly and pulled away. She had never been good with open sentiment. “Just be safe.”
Kareena nodded. She picked up the bag and turned to leave.
“Wait,” Meghan called. “I have one more thing for you.”
“You’ve given me enough Meghan,” Kareena pointed out gratefully.
“Aye, but this one is the most important thing,” Meghan replied as she went to the cupboard and pulled out an old book whose covers looked worn and overly used.
“This book is for… whenever you need some drastic help,” Meghan said softly.
“Is it a book of remedies?” Kareena asked.
“It is,” Meghan nodded. “Tis a special book. Look to it for guidance but use your own knowledge and your instincts. You understand me?”
Kareena took the book gingerly and nodded. “Aye, I will. Thank you,” she said before leaving the apothecary for good.
Kareena was up before the sun the next day. It took her only a few hours to gather all her belongings. She wanted to travel as light as possible and that turned out to be easier than she had anticipated. Kareena stared down at her brown rucksack, amazed that nineteen years could be boiled down to a few measly possessions. Her mother had left her nothing in the way of a keepsake and she did not wish to take anything that belonged of her father. The only thing that she had that was precious to her was the book Meghan had given her.
In the privacy of her room, Kareena leafed through its yellowed pages. There were several recipes for remedies, many of which she recognized, but others were foreign to her. She didn’t have time to dwell on them however. She wrapped the book in one of underskirts and packed it away with the rest of her things. She had managed to bribe one of the younger stable boys into giving her his britches and shirt. She put them on and stared at herself in the grainy mirror in front of her.
Once she had thrown a coat over herself, she didn’t look quite like a girl, but she didn’t look like a man either. Her hair fell straight over her shoulders, a fiery red that was hard to hide. She found a thick piece of string, gathered her hair into a tight knot and tied it firmly. Then she added a lopsided hat that hid her bun and turned back to her reflection. Except for her sharp nose, her features were soft and decidedly feminine. She stepped towards her dead fireplace and grabbed a small handful of ash, which she proceeded to smear across her face in small strokes. She was subtle in her approach and by the time she was finished, she looked much less like herself.
With a sigh, she slung the bag over her shoulder and slipped out of her room without a backward glance. As she moved through the castle’s stonewalls, Kareena felt a small beat of sadness. She did have affection for the castle, it had served her imagination well and she was sad to leave it. Still, it was not her home, and now that she had become so painfully aware of it, Kareena knew that she could not stay.
The party was getting ready to move out when Kareena slipped into the stables. She waited till they had mounted their horses and started for the gates before she saddled Frazier and joined them. She stayed at the back with the horses, keeping her head down and eyes sharp for anything that might give her away. Earnan Baird was leading the small group and Kareena prayed that he was not an observant man. Just to be safe she had a dagger hidden in the waistband of her britches.
As they passed through the keep, she could feel the castle’s shadow looming over her in farewell. Just as they were passing through the gates Kareena looked up and caught Meghan’s eyes fastened on her. She gave her a small smile of farewell.
“Be safe,” Meghan mouthed.
Kareena nodded as she passed through the castle’s gates, leaving it behind forever.
Chapter Five
They made excellent progress. By twilight, the party had travelled well into the forests and they were only a day away from reaching Elsick castle. Kareena did not wish to disengage herself from the group until they had cleared the forests. She was impatient to be away from them but common sense told her that to separate now would put her at risk. The forests were quiet but they were dangerous. Wild animals prowled the land, especially at night and Kareena did not wish to be alone if she happened upon one of them.
The forest was alive with the soft ever-changing glow of the sun’s last rays before it disappeared for the day. Kareena was starting to believe that she could escape without anyone ever noticing her. The horses were a great means of camouflage.
“That’ll do for today,” Earnan called out gruffly as he held up his hand, halting the group. “We’ll make camp ‘ere and head out early on the morrow.”
The men grouped together while the horses surrounded them. In the chaos of setting up camp, Kareena managed to avoid notice. She helped where she could and made sure the horses were properly fed and watered. The men were exhausted and that meant Kareena was safe. They were just about to sit down to an early supper when a noise in the distance caught their attention. Earnan Baird sat up; his face wore an expression of intense concentration. He was almost completely bald, making his translucent eyes that much more prominent.
“Shut it the lot o’ ye,” he barked and everyone fell silent. “There’s something in the woods this night.”
“Tis just a wild animal,” a younger man said with casual indifference.
“I thought I told ye to shut it,” Earnan shot back. “Shut your mouth and open your ears. Those aren’t paws you hear, those are wings.”
A sudden panic caught a hold of Kareena. Her eyes strained into the distance trying to catch some movement but she could see little in the fast fading light. Earnan rose slowly. He was slightly hunched, but he still looked deadly. He reached for his bow as his eyes darted around the forest.
“There,” Earnan said suddenly, pointing east, a few metres away from where the group had set up camp. Kareena stifled a gasp as she recognized the dragon that had crossed her path only days before. “Hurry up,” Earnan shouted. “We might be able to catch that dragon once and for all.”
Earnan mounted the nearest horse in one quick move and raced after the dragon. His men mimicked him and Kareena was forced to do the same. She knew she should have stayed back and bided her time, but she could not bear to think of that dragon cold and lifeless. It was not the type of animal that should fall prey to a hunter’s arrow. It was the kind of animal that deserved to live wild and roam free.
“It’s him, the beast,” Earnan roared from the front of the pack. “And we are going to be the ones who catch him.”
Kareena spurred her horse faster. The further in they moved, the thicker the growth of trees became. Darkness came creeping in and at some point during the chase Earnan slowed, until the small party were bunched together. Kareena hoped that the dragon had lost them, but she could smell it close by. It was hiding.
“I think we lost it,” one of the men said cautiously.
“No,” Earnan said confidently. “It’s here. This animal is a smart one, but I’m smarter.”
Kareena caught sight of the dragon at the same time that Earnan did. His body stiffened immediately as his face broke out into a wide grin. “We’ve got it now.”
Slowly, he reached back towards his quiver and pulled out a long arrow. He aimed for the dragon; Kareena could see the rise and fall of his chest. She acted without thinking. Instinct was all it was, she screamed as she rode her horse directly into Earnan’s. Startled, his horse bucked, sending him and his bow and arrow flying onto the forest’s musky ground. The riders that surrounded him scattered in obvious shock and confusion, allowing the dragon the opportunity to fly out of sight into the darkness.
“What the bloody hell was that?” Earnan all but bellowed.
He stood fast, his eyes darting around frantically for the person who had toppled him. His translucent eyes fell on Kareena and she felt a shiver of fear race through her. Earnan came forward and before she could stop him, he had pulled her off her horse. His hand was painful around her wrist as he pulled her towards him.
“You lo
ok familiar,” he said angrily as his eyes studied her face.
Kareena tried to turn her face away, but Earnan grabbed her jaw and pulled it up to face him. He frowned at her before then realization dawned. He pushed her back, releasing his hold on her wrist. Then he grabbed the coat that was wrapped around her shoulders and pulled it off her.
“Well, well,” he said with a growing smirk. “We have a runaway lass on our hands.”
Kareena tried to back away but she found herself surrounded. “You stay away from me,” she said threateningly.
“You’re a plucky lass if ever I saw one,” Earnan said with a leer. “Let’s see how brave you really are.”
He came forward and tried to grab at her but Kareena put her hands on his chest and shoved as hard as she could. He stumbled back but he didn’t loose his footing. “Grab her,” Earnan barked to the men that surrounded the both of them. They descended around her. Knowing she was surrounded and outnumbered, Kareena reached for the dagger she had hidden earlier that day.
Earnan came forward again and this time, Kareena let him get a hold of her. He had just relaxed when she swiped at him with the dagger. He jumped back but Kareena knew she had managed to cut through his shirt. She might even have managed to give him a flesh wound. Either way, she didn’t hesitate to find out. Taking advantage of his shock, she pushed him back and jumped over him as she ran into the dark forests. Almost immediately she heard an enraged scream and the sound of running footsteps just behind her. Thankful for her britches, Kareena ran faster than she had ever run before.
“Split up and find her,” Kareena heard Earnan scream.
Kareena knew that at least one man was on the right track. He was directly behind her and gaining quickly. The moon gave her some measure of light, but her eyes were already tired from the long day and straining as hard as they were able. She screamed as her foot caught on a large stone that she had not seen, sending her flying, face first onto hard, dry earth.
Kareena moaned as she realized that her left ankle was twisted. She forced herself into a standing position but she realized immediately that she wouldn’t be able to run. Still, Kareena limped forward, trying to put as much distance between her and the party. Her breath caught as she heard thick footsteps just behind her. She turned in time to see one of the men step between the trees. He was one of the younger ones, with a short dark ponytail and buckteeth.
“Got ye,” he said giving her a smile. “Lucky me.”
“Stay away from me,” Kareena hissed as she backed away slowly.
He laughed darkly. “Earnan is waiting to get his hands on you,” he said. “But since I was the one who found you, I think my hands should be first.” With that, he tore at her blouse exposing her supple breasts to the night air. He licked his lips as he ground his body against her, and began to lift up her skirt. He began to fumble with his trousers.
Kareena still had her dagger on her. She was about to reach for it when the sound of a firestorm made her jump back. From the roving darkness came the large form of a great dragon. Kareena could see the sharp points of the dragon’s mane as it bent its head and charged straight for the man advancing on her. Kareena watched in shock, as the dragon sent him running back the way he had come, screaming at the top of his lungs. Before she could process what had just happened, the dragon re-appeared.
“Thank you,” Kareena said under her breath automatically.
The dragon bowed its head in answer and came slowly towards her.
“This is so… strange,” Kareena muttered, as she looked the dragon in the eye.
The dragon turned and walked back into the thicket of trees and instinctively, Kareena followed it. They walked for a short while before the dragon led her to a little grove that was shielded by trees on one side and rock on the other. The rocks were arranged into the opening of a cave.
The dragon stopped right outside it and looked at Kareena pointedly. By this point, Kareena’s leg was throbbing with pain. Her body ached with fatigue and her palms were slightly bruised from when she had tripped over and fallen. Kareena did not have the energy to think about it. She lay down inside the tiny cave, realizing that moss had been used to create a soft bed. She lay her head down and within minutes, she was fast asleep. The last thing she was aware of before she lost herself to her dreams was the dragon standing over her like a sentry.
Chapter Six
Kareena woke up the next morning with her thoughts in a scrambled mess. For a moment she thought she was still at Northwick castle and then in slow fragments, the previous night started coming to her.
She sat up fast, taking in the grass and moss that she was surrounded by. Her body still ached but it was significantly better than the night before. The bruises on her hands ached, but she could easily ignore the pain. She crawled out of the cave and stood carefully before she realized that her twisted ankle had been bandaged expertly so that there was barely any pain attached to it.
“Where am I?” Kareena asked out loud.
“Quite close to the Elsick mounth actually,” a deep voice replied, startling Kareena.
She looked to her side and saw a tall man in a blue kilt and white shirt, standing there leaning against a tree. He had broad shoulders but he was lean, almost panther like. His face was long, drawn in at the cheeks, highlighting the prominence of his cheekbones. His eyes were a deep, summery brown that was the exact same colour as his wild, sightly overgrown hair that hugged the lines of his neck. He straightened himself and walked towards her. His movements were graceful and strangely familiar.
It hit Kareena all at once and her eyes roved over his face trying to make sense of what her head was telling her. “It can’t be,” she whispered.
He smiled. “It’s nice to finally speak to you.”
“This can’t be,” Kareena repeated again.
“My name is Lysander,” he said gently.
“Were you… is it possible that you…. were the dragon from last night?”
“Aye,” he replied. “’Twas me.”
Kareena took a deep breath and stepped back. “How is that even possible?”
“You’re a Scottish lass,” he replied. “Don’t you believe in magic?”
Kareena shook her head. “Those are only myths.”
“Every myth contains a wee bit of truth,” he said, his eyes twinkled when he spoke.
“You… turn into a dragon?” Kareena said, trying to wrap her head around the remarkable reality.
“Aye,” Lysander nodded. “Every night as the sun sets.”
“This is unbelievable.”
Lysander smiled. “Ye get used to it lass.”
“It’s Kareena.”
“Well let’s get some food in your belly Kareena,” Lysander said. “Or you’ll keel over.”
He turned and started walking, forcing Kareena to follow him. After a short time, they came to a large river. Despite its size, the water coursing through flowed at an even pace, it was peaceful and extremely clear. As they approached, Kareena spied fish swimming downstream. Kareena noticed the remains of a used campfire next to the river. There was a spit hanging over the dead fire.
She watched in amazement as Lysander waded into the river. His hand flashed into the water at lightning speed and when he withdrew it, a plump silver fish was struggling in his palm. He walked back out and speared the fish with the spit before laying it over the dried logs and tree bark. He grabbed two sharp stones and struck them together, igniting a spark of fire almost immediately. Kareena lowered herself down as Lysander joined her.
She examined the fish on the fire, but every few seconds she stole glances in Lysander’s direction. He was a handsome lad, well built and strong. He instantly intrigued her but she was also intensely aware of the strange intimacy that sat between them. Her own emotions confused her. She had just met this man, and yet, sitting opposite him in the cold morning air, opposite a gently burning fire, she felt as though she had known him for years.
“Did I thank you
?” Kareena asked.
“You did,” Lysander smiled. “But I haven’t yet thanked you. You saved my life. If it hadn’t been for you, I would have been mounted on a wall.”
Kareena nodded in acknowledgement.
“Can I ask you a question?” Lysander asked.
“Aye.”
“Why did you do it? You obviously needed to keep your identity hidden. Saving me cost you your cover.”
“Aye,” Kareena nodded. “But I couldn’t just let them kill you.”
“But why?” Lysander persisted. “As far as you knew, I was just an animal in the wood.”
“There was something different about you,” Kareena tried to explain. “Something that made me want to protect you.”
Lysander smiled. “Curious.”
“What is?” Kareena asked.
Lysander shook his head. “Nothing,” he said as he checked the fish roasting on the spit. “Are you going to tell me why you were in disguise?”
Kareena sighed. “I was leaving Kinross, and I wasn’t going to be able to leave without covering up my identity.”
Lysander’s eyes rose in a question. Kareena hesitated for a moment but she answered his unspoken question. “My last name is McNeil of clan McNeil.”
“Why would Lord McNeil’s daughter wish to leave her home and family?” Lysander asked curiously.
“Because I am not really apart of the family,” Kareena replied. “I am illegitimate.” The words tasted bitter as they came out of her mouth but Lysander’s expression did not change and that gave her some measure of comfort. “I was tired of being an outsider in my own home. It was only then that I realized Kinross was never going to be my home. That was when I decided to leave. The night I first met you was the night I made the decision.”
“Do you regret leaving?” Lysander asked.
“No.”
“Then ‘twas the right decision.”
Kareena smiled. “Are you going to tell me…?”
“About my condition?” Lysander finished for her.
