by B. J. Scott
“I have never met such an annoying man in my life.” Arya spun around to face Cailin and Fallon. “I need a bow and arrows. Where can I find them?”
“You are going despite Bryce’s orders?” Cailin asked.
“Of course, but I will go prepared and not run off without thinking this through.” Arya squatted and grasped Andrew by the shoulders. “Can you show me where you last saw your sister and cousin?”
“Aye, but Uncle Bryce said we werena to leave the castle alone again, not until we find them. He also told you to stay with the women.”
Arya shook her head. “I think your da needs to have a long talk with you and should teach your sister how to take care of herself. I am not asking you to disobey your uncle. You willna be alone. You will be with me. As soon as you show me where you last saw them, you may return to the castle.”
“I want you to tell her, son.” Cailin rested her hand on Andrew’s shoulder. “Please, your sister and Elise’s lives might depend on it.”
Andrew nodded. “Fine I will take you there.”
Arya rose. “Good lad. And you will show me where I can get a bow?”
“Aye. Follow me.” Andrew entered the hallway.
“Try not to fash. I’ll find them,” Arya said to Cailin and Fallon, then raced after Andrew.
Chapter 16
After retrieving a bow and quiver of arrows from the clan’s weapons vault, Arya followed Andrew to the last place he’d seen his sister. “Did you notice what direction they went?”
Andrew pointed to the east. “I told them not to go, but Leslie never listens to me. If anything happens to her, it will be my fault.” Andrew lowered his gaze and kicked at a rock. “I’m the oldest, and my da told me to look after my mam, my brothers, and my sister when he was away. I let him down.”
“Sometimes people do things they shouldn’t do, even when they’ve been warned it is dangerous.” Arya knew that all too well, given her tendency to act first and think of the consequences later. She stroked the lad’s shoulder. “It isna your fault Leslie wandered off. I’m sure you father willna blame you.” Arya slid two fingers under Andrew’s chin, then lifted until their eyes met. “While I see if I can find the lasses, you go back into the castle and wait with your mam and aunt.”
“You are supposed to remain with the women too. Uncle Bryce willna be pleased when he finds out you disobeyed his orders,” Andrew warned. “You are na familiar with these forest trails, so maybe I should go with you.” He proudly puffed out his chest. “I know every inch of the woods and could be your guide so you dinna get lost.”
“I will deal with your uncle,” Arya replied. “And while I appreciate your offer to accompany me, it would be best if you returned your mam. My father taught me how to track and to survive in the forest, so I’ll be fine. I can move much quicker alone.”
Andrew pouted, then nodded. “I hope you find them. Mind the peat bogs and hidden ravines, they are not always easy to spot.”
“I’ll be careful. Now go find your mam.” Arya watched as Andrew trotted off, waiting until the lad entered the castle before starting her search.
She began at the spot where Andrew had last seen the lasses and called out their names, praying for a response. Perhaps they’d gotten bored with hunting hares and were playing nearby. She yelled their names again. But there was no reply.
After a quick study of her surroundings, Arya decided she’d do better on foot. The brush was too thick for a horse and would limit her search to the trail. Besides, how far could two wee lasses wander?
Arya followed a narrow, but well-worn footpath, watching for signs the bairns had passed through the area. After traveling a short distance, she found a broken twig and then another, a clear indication someone or something had been here recently. She crouched down to get a better look, hoping it was the bairns and not a wild animal. There was no doubt in her mind the forest was filled with wolves. She’d heard them howling at night.
It only took her a second to notice two sets of small footprints in the soft earth, along with some rabbit tracks, leading into the forest. Convinced she was going in the right direction, Arya left the path, moving deeper into the woods. But as the underbrush thickened, her progress slowed, dampening her optimism. Her stomach knotted with worry. If she didn’t locate them soon, they might never be found. If night fell and the temperatures dropped any lower, they’d likely freeze to death by morn.
She fought her way through the dense bracken, climbed over fallen trees, rocks, and stumps, but after an hour had passed, she’d lost their trail. She paused to catch her breath and to rethink her strategy. Perhaps she’d misread the signs or overlooked something along the way. It was hard enough for an adult to trek this far, for two wee bairns, it would be almost impossible. She’d have to find her way back to the trail and start again. But as she turned to leave, she thought she heard a noise coming from straight ahead. It was faint, so she cupped her ear, listening until she recognized what sounded like a bairn crying.
With renewed hope, she hurried toward the sound, praying she’d find the girls unharmed. But optimism turned to despair when she came to a ravine, the dirt around the edge loose and recently disturbed. Her chest tightened as she peered over the edge, relieved to find out it was not as steep as she’d feared. But there was no sign of the bairns.
“Leslie! Elise! Can you hear me?”
“Aye, we’re down here. Please help us.”
Arya recognized Leslie’s voice, but she couldn’t see her. She craned her neck in an attempt to get a better view, but to no avail. “I’m here, but you need to shout out again, so I know where you are. Is Elise with you?”
“Aye. We’re down here,” Leslie cried. “Please hurry, Elise is stuck in the bog and canna get out.”
Afraid the earth beneath her feet might give way, Arya backed away from the edge of the ravine and moved a little to the right. “I see you and am coming,” she shouted, after catching a glimpse of Leslie standing at the bottom of the ravine, frantically waving her arms.
With no time to waste, Arya carefully made her way down the rocky crag to where Leslie stood crying and shivering. The lass was covered in dirt, but aside from a few scratches, she appeared to be uninjured. Arya threw her arms around her tiny shoulders and hugged her. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
Arya never held a bairn before now. She’d never had an interest in babes. But when she felt Leslie’s arms wrap around her neck, her heart squeezed, and she didn’t want to let the wee one go. Is that what it felt like to be a mother?
But Leslie was not the only bairn Arya was searching for. She held the lass at arm’s length. “Where is Elise?”
Leslie sniffled, then pointed. “There.”
Panic squeezed Arya’s chest when she saw Elise, up to her waist in a bog pit, struggling to get out. “I know you’re afraid, but dinna move about. The more you do, the quicker you’ll sink.”
“I want my da,” Elise wimpered. “I dinna want to die.”
“You won’t if you listen to me. Stay very still and keep your arms above the mire as long as you can. I’ll find a way to get you out.” Arya did her best to mask the fear in her voice. But she had no idea how she’d help the bairn out of this mess.
She searched for a branch, something she could use to reach Elise, but there was nothing long enough. She spotted several boulders at the edge of the pit, and a couple partially submerged in the bog, but they were too far away from where the lass was stuck.
“Can you reach the tree limb above your head? Perhaps you could use it to pull yourself out of the mire.”
“Nay, it is too high. Please help me, Arya, I’m sinking.”
“I’m doing my best, sweeting. I’ll get you out, dinna fash.” Arya tried to reassure her, but time was running out. Elise’s upper chest, arms, and shoulders were th
e only part of her body still visible. There had to be a way to reach her. She just had to find it.
Upon scanning the area again, Arya spied a tree stump sticking out of the water about a foot from where Elise stood. If the lass could grab it, that might buy her some time.
“Can you move at all?”
“Nay.”
“You must try. There is a tree stump a little to your right. Do you think you can you touch it?”
“I’ll try.” Elise stretched her arm as far as she could, her fingers only inches away from the stump. “I canna reach it.”
“You must try harder, Elise. You can do this,” Arya prompted.
Elise squeezed her eyes shut and reached out again, her fingers grappling for a hold. “I touched it,” she squealed.
“Good. Do it again. And this time, hold on to it if you can,” Arya shouted.
The lass grunted, extending her hand until she grasped the stump. “I’ve got it.”
“Great. Now pull yourself as close to it as you can.” Arya retrieved her bow and the rope she had suspended from her waist, praying it was long enough to reach the lass. She tied one end securely to an arrow, just above the feathers, then took aim at the log.
“You’re not going to shoot her, are you?” Leslie shrieked, fear resonating in her voice.
Arya didn’t respond. She had to remain calm and steady so she’d hit her target and not Elise. She drew the bowstring close to her ear, then let the arrow fly, striking the log only inches away from the lass’s hand. “Elise, I want you to take the rope and wrap it around your wrist. Do it several times if you can. Then hold on to the rest. Are you able to do that for me?”
“Aye,” Elise replied, her voice quivering as she spoke.
The bairn was cold, and Arya knew she needed to get her out of the bog as quickly as possible. “Let me know when you have the rope around your wrist and I will pull you toward me.”
“I have it. Please hurry.”
Arya twisted her end of the rope around her right wrist, before grabbing the rest with both her hands. After asking the Almighty for help, she tugged with all the strength she could muster.
Her first attempt failed. Arya didn’t feel any movement, and feared the bairn was submerged too deeply to haul her out. But she’d not give up. She gritted her teeth and dug in her heel, using her body weight as leverage. “Dinna let go,” she shouted when the rope slackened a little.
“I willna. I can feel myself moving,” Elise called back.
“You’re doing it,” Leslie squealed with delight and jumped up and down.
“Stay back from the edge,” Arya warned. “The last thing I needed is for you to fall in too.” She closed her eyes, quickly wrapped the extra rope around her wrist, and yanked it again. Her feet kept slipping in the mud and her arms grew tired, but Elise was inching closer and Arya refused to quit until the lass was in her arms and safe.
“Just a wee bit further and I’ll have you out.” She prayed for the strength to endure, but she wasn’t certain she could hold on much longer. “You can do this,” she groaned through clenched teeth, then suddenly, as if by divine intervention, she found the power to haul Elise the last few feet, and out of the mire before collapsing.
“You saved me,” Elise sobbed. “Thank you.”
Arya crawled toward the lass, then wrapped her arms around her shoulders, a mix of joy and relief washing over her. She hugged her tightly, then kissed the top of her head.
Elise snuggle closer, her body shivering. She was sopping wet and covered in mud, but she was alive and safe. For now.
Arya glanced to the top of the ridge, wondering how she’d manage to get the two bairns out of the gully and up the steep incline. Then there was the journey to the castle, an arduous trek through the brush and brambles. And night was coming. But she had to find a way. If she did not get Elise back to the castle and out of her wet clothes soon, she’d surely perish and her effort to save her would be for naught.
Arya’s teeth began to chatter. She, too, was soaked from head to toe, but could not worry about her own discomfort. In her mind, Elise and Leslie were all that mattered.
“They’re down here!”
Arya felt a rush of relief. Those were the most wonderful words she had ever heard. Her heart leaped at the sight of Bryce and several of his men climbing down the slope of the ravine. She never thought she’d be glad to see him, but she was. “Thank you, Lord,” she whispered, then cradled Elise.
Bryce reached the bottom first and sprinted toward them. He tugged Elise from Arya’s grasp, scooped her up, and hugged her to his chest. “Are you all right? I was so worried about you.”
Arya noticed tears welling in Bryce’s eyes, and there was no mistaking the emotion in his voice when he spoke to his daughter. She could only imagine the angst of losing your child. But when he glared down at her, she saw the Bryce she knew emerge.
“I thought I told you to stay at the castle,” he growled.
Leslie wrapped her arms around Arya’s neck, then stared up at her uncle. “Arya saved us. If she dinna come when she did, Elise would have drowned in the bog. But Arya got her out.”
Bryce’s gaze traveled from the bairn cuddled in his arms to Arya, his angry expression softening. “Thank you,” he said before turning to his cousin Ian. “Bring me some pelts, then let’s get them back to the castle. Cailin and Fallon are beside themselves with worry.”
Ian darted up the hill, returning a few minutes later. He wrapped a fur around Leslie, then picked her up and passed her to one of the men to carry. He handed a pelt to Bryce for Elise, then offered the last one to Arya.
Using a nearby rock for support, Arya rose to her knees, then slowly climbed to her feet. But an unexpected wave of dizziness caught her off-guard, her legs buckled, and she crumpled to the ground.
“Are you all right?” Ian asked. “You look as pale as a ghost and as if you are about to faint.”
“I’m fine,” Arya lied as she made another fruitless attempt at standing. “I’m so cold. I can no longer feel my hands and feet.”
Bryce quickly passed Elise to his cousin and caught Arya around the waist before she hit the ground. “I’ll carry you,” he said.
Arya’s shook her head. “Nay. I just need a minute and can do it myself.” She tried to stand once more, but failed, as did her attempt to wriggle free of Bryce’s hold on her.
“Thrawn woman. For once, you will do as I say.” Bryce lifted her into his arms. “We better get you ladies home.”
Those were the last words Arya heard before everything went dark.
Chapter 17
Arya struggled to wake up. But she felt so snug and warm, perhaps she’d sleep a little longer.
“Can you hear me, Arya?”
Upon recognizing Cailin’s voice, Arya opened her eyes and glanced around her chamber. “How did I get back to the castle? I remember the ravine and the bog. I was so cold.”
“Bryce and his men found you and lasses, then brought you home,” Cailin replied. “You were soaked to the skin and covered in mud, but we cleaned you up and put you into bed.”
The events at the bog came flooding back. “Where are Elise and Leslie?” She tried to sit up, but her head began to spin, so she laid back down.
“They are both fine,” Cailin replied, “thanks to you. But you must lay still and rest. You had quite an ordeal yesterday.”
“Yesterday? I’ve been asleep for a full day?” Arya draped her forearm across her brow, then released a shuddered breath. She couldn’t have slept that long.
Fallon joined Cailin at Arya’s bedside. “Welcome back. I want you to drink this. All of it.” She slid her hand behind Arya’s head and brought a mug of steaming liquid to her lips. “It’s hot, so take is slowly.”
Arya took a sip, s
puttered, then turned away. “It tastes horrible. Are you trying to poison me?”
“I brewed a mixture of herbs meant to help you regain your strength,” Fallon explained. “It may not be pleasant, but it will have you up and around in a day or so.”
“I canna lay abed that long. I must go home, my mother needs me and I—”
“You will do as Fallon says and stay put until she tells you otherwise.” Bryce entered the chamber, then approached the bed. “My wife has a special knack for making nasty elixirs, but they do work wonders.”
“You canna order me to stay in bed.” Arya glared up at Bryce. “I have been away too long and have no idea if my mother is alive or dead. I must go to her, and you are not going to stop me.” Again, she tried to get up, but Bryce placed his hand on her shoulder, halting her effort.
“I’ve asked Ian to go and check on Scotia. If necessary, he will send word, and I will personally escort you home. But in the meantime, you are to obey Fallon and rest. Connor should be back any day with your pardon, then if you still want to leave, you can.”
“What my husband is trying to say, and not very well, I might add.” Fallon scowled at Bryce before returning her attention to Arya. “He meant to say how grateful he is for what you did at the bog yesterday, and that he should never have forbidden you to help in the search. Saving Leslie and Elise was a brave and selfless act for which we are all in your debt.”
“I only did what was necessary,” Arya replied. “I’m happy I could help, and am relieved it all turned out as well as it did.”
“Nay. You could have turned your back on them and left to be with your mother. But instead, you stayed to help find them and risked your life doing so,” Fallon replied. “We all want you to remain with us until you are well enough to travel. Or for as long as you wish. Don’t we Bryce?
