Timeless Mist

by Terisa Wilcox

  "Come and sit here wi' me awhile, wife."

  Kris sat in his lap, tense and very unsure of herself.

  Iain gently rubbed her back until he felt her relax against him a bit. He kept up the steady motion of his hands as she reached for her wine and sipped it. He hadn't watered it down tonight, hoping it would help her settle down.

  "Are ye happy, Kristianna?"

  She favored him with a smile, "I am, Iain. More than I can tell you."

  "'Tis glad I am to hear that." He hesitated. "I know that I told ye that we wouldnae ha'e to consummate this union, but I'm afraid 'twill ha'e to be done. I had forgotten about the elders wishing to see the bridal sheets.

  Kris licked her lips nervously and nodded.

  "It needn't be done right away though, lass. We will talk for a while, if that is acceptable to ye."

  "It is." Kris agreed. It would be much easier for her if she had an inkling of Iain's feelings toward her. If she knew that he cared about her at least, then that would be so much the better.

  She mentally shrugged, her thoughts not really on what the spoke of. All she could do was hope and pray that someday he would come to love her as she loved him. For now, she decided, she would love him. She wouldn't say the words to him, but she wouldn't hide the fact from him anymore either. She would love him and show him that love and hopefully, when he realized it, saw it for what it was, he would reciprocate. She knew he cared about her and for now, she would let that be enough.

  "Ye arenae paying the least bit attention to what I say, are ye lass?"

  "What?" Kris asked, shaking free of her reverie. "I'm sorry." She smiled at him, and nodded, embarrassed. "I'll listen this time, I promise."

  "I was asking ye if ye would ye believe me if I told ye that I am beginning to care for ye? And nay just as another member of my clan."

  Shock coursed through her and she gasped, meeting his gaze. She searched his eyes and knew he spoke the truth.

  "Oh!" She threw herself into his arms, not nervous at all anymore.

  Then he kissed her, and Kris let herself forget everything else except the joy of being in his arms.

  * * *

  Kris woke late the next morning, and then only because the bed beside her had grown cold. She sighed contentedly and stretched. Then stopped. She never realized the different muscles that were used when one made love.

  It didn't matter. She figured she'd get used to it, especially if last night was any indication of how little sleep she'd be getting in the future. That didn't matter either.

  A noise at the door made her pull the sheet up to her chin and look. Iain smiled at her as he entered the room, a tray filled to the edges with food in his hands. He used his foot to close the door and set the tray on the bed between them.

  "It looks like a feast." She smiled at him.

  "Aye, a feast fit for a queen. I wanted no one to disturb us, so I decided to get things to break our fast before anyone decided to take upon themselves."

  "What clever thinking, my laird."

  "Aye, I thought as much as well." He looked at her a moment, "and how did ye sleep, my lady?"

  "You mean when I finally got to sleep?"

  He grinned.

  "Hmm. I slept well enough, thank you." She reached for an apple, "you're looking mighty pleased with yourself. Any particular reason for that?"

  Iain gave her a purely lecherous grin, causing her to giggle.

  "You're bad."

  Iain raised a brow at her.

  "I mean that in a very good sense, of course."

  "Ye look a bit pleased wi' yourself as well this fine morn, lassie."

  "I'm basking." She bit into the apple, letting the juice run down her chin and smiled at her husband.

  "Basking?"

  "Um hmm." She refused to say more.

  "I wonder if I can aid ye in that?" Iain moved the tray and reached for her.

  She went willing into his arms, deciding breakfast could certainly wait awhile longer.

  * * *

  A banging on the door awoke Kris. She blinked and blearily looked around for Iain who was already on his feet striding to the door.

  "Aye," he growled. "The keep had best be burning down or somebody is going to pay for this interruption."

  Raibert stood at the door, sword at the ready, gasping for breath.

  "Ye ha'e something to say?"

  Raibert nodded, "Aye. I just came to gi'e ye a report from the watchmen in the west section."

  Iain became instantly alert. "What news?" He waved Raibert into the room and closed the door.

  "Ye were right to be cautious. The Campbell's ha'e been spotted snooping about."

  That news made Iain sit down. He ran a hand through his hair, and glanced at Kristianna, "how close are they to discovering us?"

  "If we are careful and our scouts keep to the mists of the hills and wooded area, we are safe for the moment."

  "I assume from your tone that we dinnae ha'e as much time as we would wish, howe'er."

  "Nay. Mayhap a fortnight, mayhap a bit more. I would say nay longer than a month though, until they discover where we are."

  "Aye, I would agree wi' ye, if they are that close." Iain rose from his chair and stood by the fire. "This will cut our time short for this honeymoon my màthair insists on. Considerably."

  He gave Kris, who had covered herself with the sheet and blankets, an apologetic smile. Her eyes were wide with fright and he would need to take some time to reassure her.

  "Aye." Raibert answered with a quick glance in the same direction.

  "I wish for ye to start e'eryone else to packing up the keep and preparing for an attack. We will need all the supplies we can get. Mayhap plan a raid or two, if ye think it can be done safely wi' out gi'ing our position away. I will come to the Greathall as soon as I ha'e dressed and broken my fast. "

  "I will see to all the details, laird."

  "Good."

  Raibert bowed, "I will take care of it all."

  "Thank ye. Bring us something to break our fast, will ye?"

  "Of course," Raibert grinned and left.

  Iain knew his captain would take care of all the details, but he heartily wished that such news had not come today of all days. Why couldn't it have waited another month or so? He shrugged and set the thoughts aside. It would do no good to dwell on them right now.

  Aside from fortifying the keep, he could do nothing until he had something solid to go on. Now it would be a waiting game. Waiting and watching. If they had enough time, he would move the clan higher into the hills. If they did not, he shrugged, then 'twould be a battle again.

  Right now, he needed to see about comforting Kristianna and giving her what assurances he could under the circumstances.

  * * *

  Kris stared at Iain as Raibert left the room. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do, if anything. She did know, however that she was nearly numb with fear.

  She shook her head when she realized Iain was speaking to her.

  "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

  Iain came to her and held her hand in his. "Lass, I understand this is all strange to ye. Ye ha'e nay idea what to expect, nor what is expected of ye. I promise ye, I will take care of ye and keep ye safe."

  She nodded, but could not bring herself to speak.

  "We will ha'e a lot to do in the next few days. I must see where the Campbell's are before I can plan what we do next. In the meantime, ye must see to the stowing of our gear. Elsbeth and my màthair will help ye. Do ye think ye can do that?"

  Kris nodded again as a tear escaped.

  Iain pulled her into his embrace and held her tightly. "Dinnae fear, lass. 'Twill be well enough, ye shall see."

  Kris clung to him, wondering what would happen next. She didn't want to lose him now, she'd only just found him. Theirs was a love still in its infancy. To delicate and too new to be tested just yet. She knew that, as sure as she'd ever known anything. Now was definitely not the time to tell Iain her
secret about being a Campbell. Especially not with the Campbells so close to discovering their hiding place. She would never gain his love if he knew that detail.

  She sighed, pulled back and looked at Iain.

  "I'll be fine. Your màthair is here and knows what to do. I'll help her as much as I can." She offered him a weak smile, 'besides, I have to learn it all sometime, don't I?"

  Iain smiled at her and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. He dropped a kiss on her nose, "ye will do well, lass."

  "I love you, Iain." She said, before she thought better of it. Before he went into battle, she wanted him to know that. To take that knowledge with him when he went.

  He gave her a purely male look of satisfaction and dragged her into his arms again. A knock at the door interrupted them before Iain could speak.

  Raibert was here with food.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The next several hours were full and busy for Kris. Iain had left the room to go check on the scouts as soon as they had eaten something. He still hadn't really spoken of how he felt about Kris, nor about her declaration. He'd told her after the ceremony that he cared for her, but caring wasn't exactly loving. Had he just been trying to ease her mind and help her relax?

  She sighed, and looked at the ceiling. No answers up there. She decided that sometime soon, after things settled down again, she and Iain would have to sit down and have a very long, very honest conversation. Right now, however, she had enough to keep her busy.

  She looked up from her daydreaming, startled when Iain banged back into the room. She jumped to her feet and went to him.

  "I stink of sweat and horse, lass. Ye may wish to keep your distance until I have bathed." He smiled at her.

  "What news? What's happening out there?"

  Iain sighed and pulled Kris over to the chair by the fire. Settling himself, he pulled her down onto his lap and just held her for several long moments.

  "I must bathe and change, then eat something. Raibert and I ha'e come up wi' a plan we think may work, but it means I will be away for several days."

  Kris sat up and looked at him. "What are you planning on doing?"

  Iain ran a hand through his hair. "We will try to throw the Campbell's off the trail for a wee while."

  "How are you going to accomplish that?" Kris shook her head, trying to make it all compute.

  "'Tis a bit detailed." He gently put her from his lap, "and right now I cannae stand the smell of myself."

  Kris grinned at him, bent and dropped a kiss on his mouth.

  "I'll go see to a bath for you then, my laird and some food."

  "Aye, ye do that."

  She strode to the door, but turned to give him her best look of invitation, "after all, isn't it the duty of the laird's wife to help him bathe?" With a quick wink, she left the room before Iain could say anything. She whistled softly on her way to the kitchens, wove her way through all the activity in the Greathall and finally reached her destination.

  * * *

  Iain unbuckled his sword and laid it aside. It had been a long day full of tension and fear of discovery as he and Raibert had followed the Campbell's from a goodly distance trying to gauge just how close they were to discovering the keep and the clan.

  As he waited for Kris to return with food, he stripped off his shirt and boots, glad to get them off his poor abused feet.

  He was restless, however and looked about for something to soothe his nerves. His eyes lighted on Kris' sack sitting in the far corner. Over the past few days they'd spent alone together, he'd come to appreciate some of the music she'd introduced him too.

  Aye, that would be a good diversion right now. He grabbed the pack and set it on the table, pulling the cd player out as well as the earphones. Kris could plug in the speakers when she returned if she wished.

  He opened the center pouch, the zipper still fascinating him enough that he smiled at the wonder of it. He reached inside for the case that held all of Kris' music, intent on finding something soothing to listen too, when his eye caught sight of another zipper on the inside of the bag. Intrigued, he reached in and slid the zipper open.

  Inside the small pouch nearly hidden from view where two small parchments. He pulled them out, surprised by the feel of them. Shiny and stiff, he was again filled with a sense of wonder at the things from Kris' time. Turning the parchments over, he saw they each contained a tiny portrait of Kris. Surely not at her best, he thought.

  The top one read 'driver's license' and the picture itself was not the most flattering. Kris had called such portraits photos. The other's she'd shown him had been much more becoming and pleasing to look at. He wondered at the artist who'd created this picture. Had he been so poorly educated in such matters that he couldn't have done a better job of capturing her image?

  He sighed and let his eye wander away from the picture to the other information on the small paper. There were numbers on it that he had no idea the meaning of. Her name was also listed. Kristianna E Campbell.

  Iain's jaw slid south and he sat down heavily in the chair. Campbell? The lass was a Campbell?

  Nay! It wasn't possible. How could she be a Campbell? And if what this small piece of parchment said were true, how could she have lied to him? Especially about something so important?

  A noise at the door made him look up to see Kris returning. She had several lads in tow with a large tub and numerous buckets of hot water. Directing the lads to set the tub by the fire, Kris busied herself with setting out the food on the table while the boys filled the tub then filed out.

  She glanced at Iain.

  "Why are you just sitting there? Your bath water's getting cold, Iain." She walked over to him and reached for him.

  He flinched and rose, moving away from her.

  "Iain?" She looked at him then noticed he held something in his large hands. "What…" she cleared her suddenly dry throat, "what is that?"

  "Ye are a Campbell."

  Kris started to shake her head.

  "Nay, dinnae e'en think to try to deny it. I ha'e the proof here in my hands. Ye are a Campbell."

  Kris sighed and sat down. "I wanted to tell you before this. I never meant to let it get this far, Iain."

  "Let what get this far? Ye mean ye ne'er intended to let me wed ye and bed ye? What did ye ha'e in mind then, lassie? Did ye intend to murder me in my sleep? Did ye intend to betray me and mine to the Campbell's? Is that why, after all these months of successfully hiding in these hills the Campbell's are nigh onto discovering us? Did ye somehow get word to them?"

  "No," Kris breathed, stunned that he would even think such a thing. "I told you the truth about being from the future."

  "Nay." Iain bellowed. "I willnae believe any more of your lies. I should ha'e had ye thrown in the dungeon in the first place."

  "Iain, please," Kris begged, "please, just listen to me. I can explain all of this, if you'll just give me the chance."

  Iain shook his head violently. "Gi'e ye a chance to spew forth more lies? I think not, my lady." He snarled sarcastically. "I will gi'e ye nay chance to finish your vile deeds of betrayal."

  "Iain, please," Kris implored again. "It's not a betrayal. Yes, I did lie about my last name, but I thought it was necessary at first. How could I tell you I was a Campbell? You didn't even believe me that I was from the future at first. I panicked and told you the first thing that came to mind about my last name. I knew what would happen if you found out I was a Campbell. You'd have immediately had me thrown in the dungeon or something. I was scared." She rose from her chair and went to him. "You have to believe me. I never meant to lie to you. I never meant to keep it a secret about who I was."

  Iain's stance was rigid and unmoving. He glared at her, icy contempt showing in his face, his eyes hard and cold.

  "Just give me a chance to explain, please." Tears rolled down her face, but she tried valiantly to stop them.

  "Fine, then. Explain. But know that 'twill be verra difficult to convince me ye speak the
truth now."

  Kris nodded and went too pour herself some wine. She was going to have to be completely honest with Iain and hope and pray that somehow she could convince him of the truth.

  "When I first woke up," she began, "you know I had no idea where I was. When I found out, and Elsbeth told me what year it was, I freaked. I knew about the MacGregor's distrust of the Campbell's. I also knew that if I claimed to be from the future, you probably wouldn't have listened to anything after that, just had me burned at the stake for a witch. I gave you the first name I could think of to save myself a trip to the dungeon or the fire."

  "Why did ye nay tell me the truth before we were wed? Or e'en after that? We ha'e had enough time in this room and talked enough that ye could ha'e told me the truth." Iain said calmly, a little too calmly to Kris' mind.

  "I was working up the courage to do just that when Raibert brought the news about the Campbell's being so close. I figured then was not really the best time to divulge the fact that I too was a Campbell." She looked at Iain, her voice pleading, "please believe me. I was scared. I was out of my element, out of my own time and petrified of what was happening and what would happen. Especially if you ever found out the truth." She walked over to him and put her hand on his arm, "I love you, Iain. I'm asking for you to forgive me. Forgive me for lying to you, for deceiving you. I had no evil intent and no ulterior motives other than saving my own skin."

  Iain was so silent for so long, Kris began to get nervous.

  "I must think on all of this, lass." He finally said, "I dinnae know if I can forgive ye, or forget that ye are a Campbell."

  "Is there anything I can do?" Kris asked sadly, knowing already what the answer to that question would be.

  "Nay. I wish to be left alone for a time, however. I will be gone for at least a se'nnight. When I return we will see what conclusions I come too and if I can live wi' this."

  Kris nodded, realizing there was nothing more she could do or say to convince him to change his mind.

  She walked slowly to the door. Hand on the knob, she turned and gave him one last look.

  "I love you, Iain. And again, I'm sorry."

  Iain acknowledged her with a sharp nod, but nothing more.