by Jane Stain
Eoin grabbed Ciaran’s wrist and pulled him down one aisle and then another, plainly knowing exactly what he was looking for and where he would find it.
Ciaran's eyes were adjusting, but that didn't really help him. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason, no organization to the way things were stored in here. Weapons shared shelves with jewelry, dishes, and musical instruments.
A ring caught Ciaran’s eye, and he reached for it.
Eoin snatched Ciaran away before he could touch it, shaking his head at him with fire in his eyes.
Ciaran raised his other hand up in surrender, but he shot Eoin a look that said there would be questions later.
At long last, Eoin stopped and pulled an old halberd up off a shelf where it lay next to a gardening spade and a shepherd’s crook. The halberd was undecorated and plain.
Ciaran raised his eyebrows at his cousin as if to say really? This is what we went to all this trouble for?
But Eoin just tugged Ciaran by the wrist back toward the door, which he closed and locked. Back down the spiral staircase of the tower. Back down the gray hallway past the room where Nadia had been toward the narrow greystone street where they had left the wagon.
When they passed the door, Ciaran couldn't help but notice no light came from under it. She must have finally taken his advice and gone to bed, fie upon it all. He should have a chance to talk to her. “I will stay here and protect Nadia,” he told his cousin. “That druid child, Tahra, may be after her. You and Baltair can make do without me awhile. I ken you will be back here before long, aye? Take me back with you then.”
Eoin tsked, took ahold of Ciaran’s wrist again, and tugged him to the wagon. “You will do no such thing. What would Baltair and I tell Searc? We wouldna be able to explain your absence. Nay, you are coming with me.”
They had reached the wagon, and Eoin pushed Ciaran up onto the seat before putting the halberd on the floorboards and then climbing up, himself.
Nadia had to get up and move around. She'd been sitting at this computer desk for hours, and that wasn’t healthy.
She moved out into the hallway, and then, to the music that played through her earbuds, she danced the routine they were working on right now in dance class. She really liked it. Full of sways and long reaches, it did a lot to fill her imagination. The music was good too, a great modern Celtic ballad.
While she worked out the tension that had built up in the backs of her thighs from sitting so long, she kept an eye out. The far door down the hall had clicked shut when she entered the hallway. That door went up the corner tower to what she'd always thought of as a dead-end, because the door up there was locked. Apparently, the druids gave some people keys, because the guys had been gone at least twenty minutes and there was no other way out of the building. Eoin and Ciaran would have to come back through this hallway on their way out.
The music reached its crescendo, and she had to breathe deliberately in order to have enough air to do this part of the dance. Normally, she would sing through it and stretch her lungs as well, but something made her not sing this time.
If she was honest, that something was Eoin. The man disapproved of just about everything, and she didn't need his negativity when it came to her singing. Her deepest self came out in her song, more so even than when she danced. There was no way she was going to subject the true inner core of herself to Eoin's negativity.
Maybe there was time to get Ellie here with her before Eoin came back through. She stopped the song and texted her friend. "Eoin and Ciaran are here in the history building, upstairs for now. Back down any minute. Get over here."
She would have texted Sarah too, but just a few days ago, Sarah had moved to 1706 to be with Meehall. Nadia and Ellie were now the only two Americans in the secretarial pool at Celtic University.
It was stuffy in here. She needed to get some air. Out of habit, she turned off the lights as she exited the front door of the building, then looked outside and saw the apple wagon.
It looked both out of place and like it belonged here. It was from a different time, but it matched the architecture and the ancient feel of Celtic. She walked all around it, taking in the crates full of apples, the raised seat and running board where the driver would sit, and the pair of horses hitched up to it, patiently waiting with their tails swishing prettily.
"Couple o’ kilted highlanders arrived in it, saying they had just bought it from a farmer," said a familiar voice she couldn't match with a name or face, an older man who belonged here on campus, but who for the life of her she couldn't place into a position, faculty or staff, student or parent.
She didn't really care, either. The only two kilted warriors nearby were Eoin and Ciaran. Now all she had to do was get rid of the old man so she could sneak into the wagon and go with them.
She turned to him, and when she saw him, he looked just like she expected him to. But she still had no idea who he was. No matter. She gave him a concerned look. "Really? They were just inside the history building a little while ago. They went upstairs and never came back down. I hope they don't disturb anything."
The old man's eyes turned a wee bit angry as he contemplated the history building. "Ye dinna say." He made his way up to the front door. He had to exert himself slightly to get it open, but open it he did. When he went inside, he didn’t turn the light on.
Nadia didn’t care why. She made her move. Looking all around to make sure no one could see her, she climbed into the back of Ciaran and Eoin’s apple wagon and hid under a plaid blanket between two of the crates. The plaid didn’t match either of their kilts, and it was lodged down so far between the crates, she doubted they were even aware of it.
Her phone vibrated.
There was a text from Ellie. "Are they still there? I'm in bed, but I can get dressed and head over!"
"No! I'm hidden in the back of their wagon," Nadia texted back to Ellie as fast as her thumbs would fly. "They'll be here any minute. I don't want Eoin knowing I'm here. I don't know how you would get in the wagon with me without him seeing you. Sorry."
"Whoa. I won't ruin it for you. Send Baltair back for me, okay?"
Nadia had to stifle a laugh, and she sent Ellie ten different laughing emojis before she texted, "Okay."
"I'm so jealous,” Ellie texted. “This time, you're with people who’ll know what's going on when you get there!"
"I'm so sorry. I wish you were here.”
“Me too. You have to let Eoin know you’re there, you know.”
“I know, but I want to have something historical to write about first.”
“Ha! You mean you want to wait and see if you can get Ciaran alone first.”
Nadia sent Ellie an innocent angel emoji.
Ellie sent back a finger pointing at Nadia.
“I hear them coming!” Nadia texted as fast as she could. “Take care."
"You too. Bye."
"Bye."
The wagon lurched twice as the two beefy warriors got aboard.
Ciaran was beseeching Eoin. “You have the right of it. I dinna ken what you could tell Searc. But Nadia’s in danger. I couldna bear it if anything were to happen to her.”
Nadia's heart softened toward Ciaran even more, and she just had to peek up at the driver’s seat from under her plaid blanket to see her protector.
Eoin put an arm over Ciaran’s shoulder and patted his back, more in a way that kept Ciaran in the seat than made him feel reassured. “Look aboot you. This is a fortress. One druid child isna going to march in here uncontested. Although you mayhap should have told the lass to stay on campus and not wander off into toon.”
Before the horses even took one step, the world was spinning around the wagon as if it were the agitator in an old top-loading washing machine, causing nausea, dizziness, and elation.
Nadia remembered this feeling well. It meant they were traveling through time.
3
Steady daylight, instead of darkness, indicated they had arrived in 1706. The world had s
topped spinning, and Nadia's dizziness was subsiding.
But the horses had begun to step, and now her body was being jostled about much more than she was accustomed to in modern-day cars. She smiled. It was less bouncy than when she'd ridden a horse during her last time-travel adventure. This would do. She could even take notes on her phone while she eavesdropped on what was sure to be a juicy historic conversation. Thumbs poised above her phone, she waited under her plaid blanket in glorious anticipation.
"Why did we go tae all this trouble just tae get that halberd?" Ciaran asked in a tone every bit as grumpy as Eoin's.
Ciaran’s voice exuded the resentment he felt toward his cousin for not allowing him to stay and take care of her. This made Nadia smile some more. She wished she could jump out of hiding now and reveal herself, but if Eoin felt comfortable time traveling in this location, then she needed to wait until she was far away from it before taking the risk that he would take her right back where she came from as soon as he saw her. Eoin was a no-nonsense sort of man, and while Nadia normally admired that, in this instance it would not be convenient.
“’Twas what the druids sent me tae get," Eoin told Ciaran in a dismissive tone.
Ciaran was not to be discouraged. “’Twas locked up because 'tis a druidic artifact, I well ken. What does it dae? Why dae ye want it sae?"
Who cared? They needed to move on and discuss more historically notable topics. Still, she was growing bored, and she situated herself so that she could peek out from under her blanket.
Eoin didn’t answer any more questions about the halberd. They didn’t talk much at all as they went down a hill into a valley full of short trees, and then the wagon came to a stop.
Baltair’s joyful voice preceded his bounce into the wagon by seconds. “Och, thank God in Heaven ye came back early! I didna ken how I would stand tae remain withoot ye!”
“Hold on! Hold on!” called out an older man from outside the wagon. “Ye promised me a full day o’ this young man’s labors in order tae complete the sale price o’ my horses. If ye take him and them away now, then ‘tis robbery, and I wull hae the constable after ye!”
Fear for the farmer flowed through Nadia’s veins. The man was courting danger. Couldn’t he see Eoin was dangerous? Wasn’t he afraid?
But far from the grumpy tone he had used with Ciaran, Eoin’s voice now came out silky smooth. “Here ye are.” There was the clink of coins. “Does that settle us even?”
The coins clinked around a bit. “I suppose. Howsoever, if ye plan on taking the wagon back and forth across my land on the way tae yer camp, then ye wull owe me for the inconvenience. Those two are half my herd o’ horses, and the others will whinny at ‘em.”
More coins clinked.
The older man’s voice faded into the distance. “Verra wull. Ye nae hae the team and clearance tae traverse my fields. Dinna claim I ne’r did give ye naught.”
Baltair socked Eoin’s arm. "Ye are an auld softy, is what ye are. Dinna fash. Yer secret is safe with us. Aye, Ciaran?"
"Aye." Ciaran punctuated his affirmation by socking Eoin’s other arm. "Say, think ye we ought tae get Searc’s leave afore we—"
With the hand that wasn't driving the horses, Eoin grabbed Ciaran around the shoulders again, gripping him tightly while at the same time bursting into song at the top of his voice.
As I was a goin' ower the far famed Kerry Mountains,
I met with captain Farrell, and his money he was countin’.
I foremaist produced my pistol, and I then produced my rapier
saying ‘Stand and deliver,’ for he were a bold deceiver.
Mush a ring um a dor uma da
Whack for the daddy-o.
There's whiskey in the jar.
I counted out his money, and it made a pretty penny.
I put it in me pocket, and I took it home tae Jenny.
she sighed and she swore that she never would deceive me,
but the devil take the lasses, for they never can be easy.
This song was Irish and not Scottish, but she assumed Eoin knew that. It was her favorite from this time period, and she had to bite her lips to keep herself from singing along as he continued in his rich baritone voice.
I went up tae my chamber, all for tae take a slumber.
I dreamt o’ gold and jewels, and for sure 'twas nay wonder,
but jenny drew me charges, and she filled them up with water
then sent for Captain Farrell tae be ready for the slaughter.
Mush a ring um a dor uma da
Whack for the daddy-o.
There's whiskey in the jar.
'Twas early in the morning, just afore I rose tae travel.
Up comes a band o’ footmen and likewise Captain Farrell.
I foremaist produced me pistol, for she stole away me rapier.
I couldna shoot the water, sae a prisoner I was taken.
Mush a ring um a dor uma da
Whack for the daddy-o.
There's whiskey in the jar.
Nae there's some who take delight in the carriages a-rollin',
and others take delight in the hurling and the bowling,
but I take delight in the juice o’ the barley
and courting pretty fair maids in the morning bright and early.
Mush a ring um a dor uma da
Whack for the daddy-o.
There's whiskey in the jar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V74Zucn9VSI
(YouTube: Whiskey In The Jar (Live) - Darby O'Gill)
Ciaran piped up with another ballad in his pleasing tenor, and the three men sang together, first that song, then another, then another as the cloudy Scottish sky drizzled on them and the wagon rumbled to rival the thunder.
All the while, Nadia was fairly bursting to join in. Not yet, she kept telling herself. Wait until it will be too much trouble to take you back.
They were taking a break to drink some ale and catch their breath when Ciaran broached the subject of Searc again. From her last trip here, Nadia knew he was the Murray clan chieftain’s war commander. Ciaran, Baltair, and Eoin were in his war party, which camped out here and there to be able to move at the ready. Just in case the Camerons attacked. Or the Murrays saw a good chance to attack the Camerons.
The Murrays were against a Scottish union with England. The Camerons, on the other hand? Their clan chief’s son had been knighted by King Charles of England. They were not only Royalists, they were English Royalists. There was no love lost between the two clans.
Ciaran was asking Eoin, "Dinna we need Searc's approval for one o’ us tae gae and join up at Cameron Castle? ’Tis a good idea, and getting this wagon sae we could make the trip there withoot being detected was far tae clever on yer part, Eoin, but willna Searc take issue with us doing someaught sae consequential on a whim?"
"I dinna ken sae," Baltair said brightly. "He has a respect for our cleverness, has Searc. There was that time we brokered the cattle deal, ye wull recall."
"Aye, that there was," Ciaran said to Baltair with an appreciative look.
Eoin flexed the muscles of his upper back in a show of strength that was every bit as impressive as it was intimidating. "And I were Searc, I would be quite happy tae hae the extra cattle, but ye hae the right of it, Ciaran. We dae need tae speak with him afore we press one of us intae the service o’ Cameron Castle. For all we ken, he has some aught in mind, and we would scuttle it."
Nadia saw why Ciaran had brought this up. The path they were traveling —far too rustic to be called a road— came to a Y intersection here. On the left rose a pass through the grey-stoned highland mountains, while to the right lay a valley thick with heather, a good shallow place to cross the river.
Eoin hesitated a minute at the Y in deep thought before nodding with decision and turning toward the mountain pass. "Aye, we wull let Searc decide which of us wull be pressed intae servitude at Cameron Castle."
Nadia eyed the pass, calculating how far up Eoin would have
to be before he wouldn’t insist on turning back when she revealed her presence. Pretty far, she decided. Happy now for the plaid blanket, as the winds coming down from the pass were chill, she hunkered down between the apple crates, only keeping enough of the blanket parted so she could see what was going on.
The men sang some more to pass the time, and they were amusing in another way, too. Even though they were intimidated by Eoin —who in her opinion treated them unfairly— Ciaran and Baltair sidled up to their bigger cousin, taking every opportunity to punctuate what they said to him with small slaps, punches, and nudges.
Seeing they were an affectionate family in their macho way, Nadia didn't feel nearly so sorry for Eoin's wife as she once had. He was a good man, just a little gruff. In this period of history, that was probably a good thing.
They sang some more of her favorites, and she was having more fun than she had in months, probably ever since she started working at Celtic University. Sure, she took one ballads class and one dance class, but she couldn't afford to take more. She was there to work, and work she did.
Which reminded her. She was here to write an article to get closer to that promotion so she could afford the classes she wanted. Better note down what she had learned so far. The warriors of 1706 had war chiefs separate from the clan chief. The war chief took some warriors out and camped near the enemy's castle, waiting for the opportunity to attack. And of course men of this time had spies just like men of her time did.
She worried about Ciaran volunteering to go be a spy. It sounded dangerous. Worse, there was no way he would let her come along.
The road up the pass was steep, but the horses had no trouble pulling the wagon. It just was slow going. The singing helped, but she longed to be out there talking to Ciaran, not just watching him from under a blanket. And her muscles were getting cramped. Time to make her move.
But Nadia heard a different familiar voice from up the pass ahead. One she dreaded. "Who goes there?"
