Stone of Destiny

by Laura Eno

  Gavin laughed, relief blowing through him like a gale wind. He wanted a strong woman by his side; someone like Abbie. What he needed though, was a lass to love him as a man, not as Laird. The village was full of opportunists who wanted to be the Lady of the castle. One day Abbie would give him the words of love, he was sure of that. Until then, she must be protected. He gave the Fae’s description to Thomas.

  “Inform me quietly if any of the men spot her. Tell them not to approach her but to keep Abbie away from the woman.”

  “Should I let them know that she is Fae?” Thomas asked. "I'm not certain if the knowledge would be a help or a hindrance."

  Gavin thought that over for a moment before deciding. Since he was surely the target of the game she played, anything that would hurt him was an open possibility and that would include harming his men.

  “Aye, they need to know of the special danger involved.”

  Thomas left to deliver his instructions and Gavin headed back to the castle to find Abbie. After searching through the house and not finding her, he looked outside, finally locating her out by the stables. She greeted him with such a wide smile that he was reluctant to say anything about her wandering. He caught the eye of her vigilant shadow and nodded thanks to the guard watching over her.

  “You dinna want to be wandering about right now, lass, without letting someone know where you're headed.”

  Abbie could tell that Gavin was concerned for her well-being and tried to suppress her natural rebellion at being told what to do. “I know that you're looking out for my safety, but I can’t be caged up in the house. I’m used to doing as I please and I feel quite safe here.”

  Gavin let out a sigh. She was right, after all. “I’m not worried about the people. It’s the Fae that troubles me. Promise me you’ll move the other way if you see her, agreed?”

  “I promise.” Abbie gave him a kiss, knowing he was worried over nothing but protective of her anyway. “Besides, do you think I haven’t noticed the guard following me around?”

  “Well, I was hoping you hadna.”

  Abbie just laughed. “How did the trip go for Thomas…or would you rather not talk about it?”

  “Och, it went well. Dinna worry about that.”

  Abbie felt relief. As much as she didn’t want Gavin to marry elsewhere, she certainly didn’t want to be the reason for some battle or strife. She laughed silently. Maybe I’m giving myself a lot of undeserved credit, like I’m Helen of Troy or something. He hasn’t indicated that I’m to take her place, only that he didn’t wish to get married.

  “You look amused.” Gavin grinned at her and raised one eyebrow.

  “It’s nothing.” Abbie quickly changed the subject. “So when is my first riding lesson?”

  “As soon as the festivities are over we will start teaching you to ride, I promise.”

  The mist had grown heavier while they stood talking and droplets formed in Abbie’s curls like tiny jewels, giving her hair a sparkling effect.

  “Have I told you lately that you are beautiful, lass?”

  “Not for three or four hours, at least.” The way Gavin talked to her thrilled Abbie. She felt wanted and loved, even though he hadn’t expressed it in so many words.

  Gavin lifted her hair with one hand and kissed her neck. Abbie tilted her head back, exposing her throat, to which he trailed more kisses down before finally coming to rest at the top of her breasts. Enfolding her in his arms, he kissed her long and deep, holding her close to his muscular form as his hard shaft strained against too many clothes.

  He suddenly picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Gavin began walking back towards the castle with Abbie helplessly laughing while hanging upside down.

  “All you had to do was ask and I would have walked back with you. Why are you carrying me?”

  He patted her bottom and then gave it a slow squeeze. People laughed and gave way as they walked through the crowd.

  “I had to carry you, lass. I'm afraid your long skirts are the only thing protecting my dignity.”

  Abbie laughed so much she was hyperventilating by the time they made it back to the castle. Supper was laid out on the table when they walked in so Gavin reluctantly set her down, but sent her heated looks all through the meal.

  Katherine was glad to see Thomas back, relaxed and smiling. She hadn’t had a chance to speak to Gavin about how things went but, from the demeanor of them both, it must have gone well. Abbie and Gavin belonged together, Katherine thought. There was more going on here than met the eye, more than just a Fae’s involvement. It spelled out destiny to her and she’d learned over the years to trust her feelings on such matters.

  The talk around the table tonight centered on the upcoming celebration. There was a good-natured rivalry between Thomas and Gavin over the different athletic competitions, both being well matched in strength and ability. Abbie didn’t understand most of what was said, but she supposed she would witness it firsthand soon enough. Based on the number of people that had already arrived, days before it was to take place, the event would be crowded.

  During the course of the conversation, Abbie learned that the foot race would be to the top of the hill where the stone circle lay. Reaching the Slὶabh a Dh'aois on horseback had been steep enough. She couldn’t imagine running up it.

  “The race commemorates the first competition set by King Malcolm III in the 11th century when he summoned contestants to run up Craig Choinnich,” Gavin explained. “We have organized challenges of strength and endurance each year since that time.” Her interest in everything around her endeared Abbie even more to him. Gavin welcomed the intelligence the lass displayed.

  “Would you like to go into the village with me tomorrow? I have a few things to finalize there.” Gavin smiled at her enthusiastic reply. Abbie hadn’t been to the village yet and seemed anxious to see it.

  Later, after everyone else had retired for the evening, Abbie asked Gavin a question that had been on her mind ever since visiting the stone circle.

  “Have you ever actually walked inside the stones?”

  “Nae lass, I didna want to risk being sent elsewhere.”

  “Has anyone ever tried it?”

  Gavin felt a prescience in the moment that disturbed him, but he couldn’t identify what it was.

  “Not in my lifetime, but the stories tell of the occasional stranger who would appear, claiming to be from another time. There are still more legends of people from here who have gone into the circle and disappeared. It’s not something that anyone wants to chance.”

  “Would they have something to do with my appearance?” Abbie still wondered how she got here, even if she was happy it happened.

  “Nae, you didna come through the stones. As I recall, you arrived at my feet, trying to look up my kilt.” Gavin grinned as Abbie blushed. “You could have just asked for a viewing.”

  “Well, I’m asking now.”

  Gavin scooped her up and carried her off to bed, happy to comply.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Something nudged her awake and Abbie felt a moment of disorientation before realizing why.

  “Do you always sleep this soundly?” Gavin laughed softly, having entered her as she lay facing him.

  “Only when I’m having dreams of a magnificent highlander ravishing my body.”

  Gavin spoke to her tenderly in his own language, the unknown words hitting their target anyway as longing and desire infused Abbie with a sense of completeness. She looked into his eyes and basked in the glow she found there. They made love until the sun touched the horizon, heralding the beginning of a new day.

  “We’d best go eat so we can leave for the village.” Gavin nibbled on her earlobe, eliciting a giggle from Abbie. She had to slap his hands away before she could get dressed.

  ***

  Thomas informed Gavin over breakfast of rumors that a few of the Campbells had been seen camping outside of the village. “But there seems to be no more than three or four of them, acc
ording to witnesses.”

  “Call out a few of the men to go into the village with us and have a look around. I need you here to keep an eye on things.”

  Thomas left to arrange it and a small contingent waited at the stable by the time Gavin and Abbie had finished eating. Gavin gave them their orders and they left, except for one guard named Lucas. He rode with them down the hill.

  As much as Abbie wanted to learn to ride on her own, she enjoyed the feel of being tucked between Gavin’s legs. She started to laugh as she thought about it.

  “Why are you laughing?” Gavin stroked her breast as he held her.

  “I was just thinking that you might be more comfortable with me on my own horse so my butt isn’t rubbing against your erection that never seems to go away.”

  “Nae, that’s the best part of it.” He drew her even closer against his body and did a slow grind for her benefit, making her laugh harder.

  Abbie was fascinated and tried to look everywhere at once when they entered the village, much to Gavin’s amusement.

  “Are there no shops in your time?”

  “Malls, skyscrapers and the internet will be a discussion for a later date.”

  “If you say so.” He laughed, not understanding any of it, but delighted with her enthusiasm.

  They stopped at the goldsmith shop first. While the men spoke in Gaelic, Abbie wandered from item to item, marveling at the intricacies of the designs on pieces from candleholders to knife hilts. She recognized the MacKenzie clan design of the stag’s head with the words Cuidich 'N Righ, which Gavin had translated for her as Help the King, on some of the items.

  After two more stops, where Gavin had to drag her away from watching one woman spin thread and another as she made candles, they entered the tavern. He explained to Abbie that the upstairs portion served as the inn for travelers if they didn’t wish to camp in the woods. The crowd inside provided a warm welcome for them and progress was slow as Gavin stopped to greet each person. Three strangers at a back table faded into the crowd, avoiding the Laird and his party.

  Lucas joined them at a table in the back of the room and the three of them chatted over some kind of beer or ale. Abbie was never quite sure what she was drinking. The varying tastes and degrees of alcoholic content in this time and place always kept her guessing, especially since they normally had Gaelic names.

  The conversation turned to cattle so Abbie leaned back in her chair and listened while the mild alcoholic buzz relaxed her. With eyes half-closed, she heard a commotion start up outside the tavern.

  The noise quickly grew louder, with horses neighing and people shouting added to the mix. Everyone turned toward the door, wondering what was happening out there. Abbie jumped up at the same time the men did.

  “Stay put, lass. I’ll be right back.” Gavin and Lucas ran to the front and out the door, knives and swords springing into their hands like magic from the vast arsenal they carried upon themselves.

  As she stood there waiting, arms grabbed her about the waist from behind, clearly not expecting much of a struggle from a wee lass. Abbie kicked into the man’s shin and brought her fist back over her head in a wild aim. Luck was on her side; she felt a solid connection with the man’s nose.

  Cursing her, the man spun her around. She felt swallowed up in a mat of filthy hair that hadn’t been washed in months. The face that leered out of it sported a broken nose, already swelling as blood continued to spray. He raised his hand to hit her but his eyes went blank and he fell forward instead, taking Abbie down with him.

  Someone yanked her out from underneath the man and held her tightly. She struggled for a moment before realizing it was Gavin and relaxed in his arms. Looking down at the floor, she saw why the man had fallen. He was dead, Gavin’s sgian dubh buried to the hilt in the man’s back.

  Gavin had thrown the knife with deadly accuracy from across the room the moment he walked back in the door and saw the wretched man with his arms around Abbie. His guard pulled the blade out, wiping it on the body, before handing it back to his Laird. He rolled the man over with his foot to get a better look.

  “Aye, it’s one of the Campbells, the unwashed vermin, but who broke his nose?”

  “The lass did.” The innkeeper stepped around the bar just then. “Sweetest thing I’ve seen in all my years. She punched backwards like she had eyes in the back of her head and about split his face in two. Let me buy ye a drink, lass.”

  Despite her repeated assurances to Gavin that she was fine, they steered her into a chair and forced her to drink something they called Uisge Beatha. It tasted like whisky, only stronger, and was not something she'd ever acquired a taste for. Their remedy was worse than being assaulted, she thought as she sputtered and choked through Gavin’s helpful glass tipping procedures. About halfway through her drink, Abbie no longer felt any pain. By the time she’d finished it Gavin had to help her out the door.

  In her inebriated state, Abbie found the situation quite hilarious as Gavin sought to upend her onto his horse first before trying to mount. She kept slipping off so he had to get up and have Lucas hand her up to him. They started back up the hill, Gavin holding her tightly with one arm while she continued to giggle. He slowly let go of his fury over what had transpired and joined in her laughter.

  “You dinna drink verra often, do you?”

  “Nope.” Abbie’s head kept bouncing off of Gavin’s chest. “Can you make the horse quit rocking? I think I’m going to be sick.”

  Gavin got her off the horse just before she puked.

  “Feeling better now?” Gavin felt remorseful. He hadn’t known she wasn’t used to strong drink and he tried to be sympathetic. As soon as they crested the hill he led her over to the spring and held her hair back so she could splash water on her face.

  “I’m better now.” Abbie smiled up at him, but fell into the spring before Gavin could grab her. Gathering her in his arms, he carried her the rest of the way back to the castle, letting the guard take his horse to the stables.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Roaring for Katherine the moment he stepped inside the front door, Gavin carried Abbie upstairs and laid her on the bed. He stripped the bloody clothes off and had her covered with a blanket by the time Katherine arrived.

  “Would you make one of your famous cure potions for Abbie? She’s going to need it.”

  “I’ll have something ready by the time she wakes up. Let her sleep right now and ye can tell me what happened, with the blood all over her dress.” Katherine gave him a gimlet eye, but Gavin laughed.

  “You’ll be verra proud of the wee lass when I tell you.” They exited quietly but Abbie was dead to the world.

  ***

  “What was in that drink?” Abbie woke up sometime later with her head spinning. She found Katherine sitting next to her, grinning and holding up a cup of something that smelled vile.

  “This drink or the first one ye had?”

  “Both.” Abbie held her nose and dumped the liquid down her throat in one gulp. It would have been worse to just sip it.

  “Well, that one,” she said pointing to the empty cup, “will have ye feeling better in no time. As to the first, I gather ye dinna have such strong drink in yer time?”

  “There’s whisky, but not that strong. I never drank straight whisky anyway.” She shuddered at the remembrance and almost got sick again.

  “Let the potion work while ye sit still for a bit.” Katherine left for a moment to issue orders for a bath and came right back.

  “I have to warn ye, news of yer doings has spread like wildfire already. They're like to make ye a warrior by suppertime.”

  Abbie groaned at the thought of having to tell her tale like it was some kind of epic adventure.

  “Dinna worry, just give them a glare and bare yer fist at them. They’ll shut up.” Katherine howled with laughter at the thought.

  The bathwater arrived while Abbie considered baring her fist at Katherine for the teasing, sparing her from further thought o
n it. She gratefully sank into the water, only then realizing how truly filthy she felt. Gavin entered the room and helped soap her down, apologizing again about the whisky.

  “You’re forgiven, as long as you help me get really clean.” She sighed in bliss as he lathered her hair.

  “I’m verra proud of the way you handled yourself in the tavern today.” Gavin had a tone of deep respect in his voice as he spoke.

  Abbie was proud of herself too. She'd always hoped she would come out fighting if faced with a situation like that, but one never knew how they would react until it actually happened.

  “But I don’t want to have to repeat the tale to everyone I meet, okay?” She’d noticed that epic stories were a favorite pastime around here.

  Gavin shook with laughter. “Not to worry, lass, everyone else will be telling the tale for you.”

  “Oh, great,” Abbie muttered and sank below the surface of the water to rinse her hair. Gavin was still laughing when she resurfaced. He toweled her off and held her tight before the fire.

  Tucking her head under his chin, Gavin spoke softly to her in Gaelic, as he was wont to do from time to time. The low rumble of his voice as Abbie rested against his chest reassured her, filling her with warmth. She felt content to remain in his arms, with no thought of tomorrow. He tilted her chin up with one finger and bent to kiss her. As she reveled in his affection, a quote came to mind, unbidden, from the ancient Roman poet, Horace:

  Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.

  Its meaning seemed ominous to Abbie and she quickly shook it out of her head, deepening the kiss until all that existed was Gavin in the here and now.

  “Are you ready to eat supper and face your audience?” Gavin wasn’t above teasing her.

  “Actually, I’m starving. Somebody only gave me whisky for dinner.” Abbie leaned in closer and lightly grazed her nails down his bare chest.

  “Then find some clothes quickly, lass, or you willna be leaving this room at all.” There was no doubt in his mind at this point that he was dealing with a sorceress. She could have him on his knees any time she wanted.