by Sky Winters
She was captive until finally, a stooped-over man poked his head in. “It is time to introduce you to the clan,” he said.
She looked down at her dress and back at the man, her face burning red. “Do I have this on right?” she asked, gritting her teeth.
He examined her for a moment and uttered a light sigh. “Excuse me, lass, I'll be back with someone to help you.”
Sadie sat down on her cot and put her head in her hands. This whole thing was incredibly embarrassing. Suddenly, Gail was in the room and began chuckling heartily.
“Look at you, lass,” she laughed, poking at the buckle that Sadie had clasped around her waist. “It was a nice try, but actually that goes here,” she said, pointing to Sadie's chest.
“Oh!” Sadie exclaimed in surprise and tried not to squirm as Gail began tugging at her dress, fastening the buckle between her breasts.
“There!” Gail said, beaming at her proudly. “Come on now, the clan's ready to meet you. They'll only trust whatever the council says, so it was best for you to stay here last night. Don't worry though. They will be treating you like family in no time.”
“Sure they will,” Sadie said doubtfully. But when she looked at Gail, she was smiling, so Sadie tried to banish the nervous butterflies in her stomach and follow behind with a stoic face.
Gail led her out of the tent, where she was intercepted by the elder who had asked if she was ready. He led her to the center of the camp, where the entire clan was gathered. James was standing sternly beside the council, who were in the center of the group. He looked particularly handsome now in the daylight, grinning at his comrades. Still, something seemed to be making him uneasy, and he avoided her gaze.
“Today we must welcome to our clan Lord Lachlan's former fiancée Sadie. It seems that fate has brought her to us and we must honor this with the highest respects possible. We must all do our best to teach her our ways, as her journey has been a wee bit unconventional.”
Sadie had been led to stand in front of the council, and she was nudged to step forward. She gave a meek bow, unsure of what else to do.
“Introduce yourself, lass,” one of the council members said. His voice was neither kind nor unkind and she sighed.
“My name is Sadie. I'd tell you where I'm from but I don't really know. This is all very unfamiliar to me, so I appreciate your guidance.”
She bowed and backed up, standing beside James. She had the strong urge to lean into him, but it seemed wildly improper. And besides, he had backed away from her, his face grim. Something was going on with him, and she was beginning to feel very put off by whatever it was. She wished he would just talk to her about it. The rules somehow prohibited him from paying any attention to her? Was that what he was implying? What kind of rules were those?
“Sadie may roam about the camp and do as she likes, just as anyone else. But if anybody causes her any trouble, you will answer to the council. Be as considerate of her requests as possible and guide her however you can. That's all for now.”
The meeting was adjourned, and the council members marched one by one in a single-file line to the big tent and disappeared behind its flap. James lingered outside for a moment before turning away from her, his muscular back rippling as he sauntered away, toward a group of men who were summoning him. She wanted to follow him and ask him what in the world she was supposed to do now, but there was no reaching him. And she refused to embarrass herself in front of James or his clan. She would just have to do what she had always done best – prove how independent she could really be.
Chapter 13
Sadie wiped her fiery red curls away from her sweating forehead as she ran, attempting to keep up with the stocky, fiercely beautiful Highlander women who were prowling the hills. Their job had been to look for berries and wildlife, and hunt if they were able. While she had never killed a thing in her life, she was determined to do her part. But the women were much faster than she anticipated, springing many feet ahead of her before she could stagger up the hill behind them.
She would have been completely miserable if it weren't for Gail, who had taken her under her wing and hung back from the rest, cheerfully explaining what they were looking for and giving her valuable advice about how to survive using the Highland wildlife. She shared a flask of water with Sadie and did her best to keep the mood light, using it as an educational experience rather than a way to show her up, as it seemed the other women were doing.
They had treated her bitterly since the moment she could roam on her own and given her own tent to stay in outside the council's watch. They fully expected her to become a highly functioning member of the community, and she had scarcely had any time to see James, not that he had given her the time of day since the moment they had arrived. He had been busy carrying out his duties, and she had seen his face covered in war paint as he sped through the camp after hearing rumors of strangers in the midst. She had never seen anybody so captivating as his vibrant, serious eyes shone passionately and his body moved in a sexy, almost panther-like way as he made his way toward the threat.
She blushed as memories of their passionate night in the woods came back to her.
“You all right, lass?” Gail asked, concerned.
“Yes,” Sadie replied, turning her attention back to gathering mushrooms in a basket.
“Don't let these women worry you,” Gail said, snatching a berry from Sadie's basket and sticking it into her mouth. “They're just jealous.”
“Why would they be jealous of me?” Sadie asked miserably. It was good to talk about this and get her mind off of James, but it left her feeling as if there was something wrong with her. It was never much fun to feel like you didn't fit in.
“Well,” Gail said. “I'm sure they have their reasons.”
She was mysteriously quiet for a moment before they moved forward in their search. The other women began brushing past them pointedly, their baskets full to the brim with edibles. Sadie watched them saunter back to the camp, their strong, thick legs and fiery hair descending the hill, snickering as they left. They were probably laughing about her basket being only part full, Sadie thought miserably. Gail gave a cheerful squeal and soon her thoughts were back on the only friend she had made in the camp.
“Look it that, Sadie! I found me a baby bird,” Gail said, approaching it gingerly. “Do you see where it might have come from?”
Sadie peered at the trees, finally spotting the nest. There were two other birds much the same as the tiny bird on the ground.
“Up there,” Sadie said.
Without hesitation, Gail scooped the small bird up in her apron, careful not to touch it, and held it gingerly against her breast as she climbed up into the tree using only her long legs and strong arms. She placed the baby bird gently in the nest, bringing alarmed cries from all three of the babies, before dropping down to the ground with a satisfied grin.
“That'll do,” she said proudly. And with that, they collected their baskets and headed back to the camp.
***
Sadie hadn't been able to keep her mind off James, and that night she finally had a moment alone with him. It had happened purely by chance – he had left the comfort of his group of friends and nearly ran into her as she emerged from her tent.
“Oh!” she exclaimed in surprise, before she realized it was James. “I'm sorry.”
He looked down at her, a faint grin on his lips. “Careful there, lass,” he said with a wink.
“Where were you heading?” she asked as he backed up. She was reluctant to let him get out of her sight now that she finally had him there.
“Just looking to get some water,” he said.
“I have some inside,” she said. “Come on in.”
He stood hesitantly in front of the tent, bringing his broad hand up to his forehead and running it through his hair.
“Come on, I won't bite,” she said.
“That a fact?” he asked with a grin, and she laughed, looking down at the ground in embarrassment
. He was referring to their tryst in the woods. But he'd made it clear that it wouldn't happen again. She could see why he had become so formal, it seemed like he was under constant supervision, working hard under the Elders to carry out some important position in the clan.
He stood just inside the tent, to make it obvious to anyone who might be watching that he didn't intend to fully enter. She poured him a glass of water and brought it to him, biting her bottom lip and looking into his eyes. He held her gaze, his eyes soulful but pained. Was he holding himself back? What was keeping him from being the man she had met in the dungeon?
“Thank you, lass,” he said finally, taking the glass and drinking deeply. “How are you liking your accommodations?”
“They're...” She didn't quite know what to say about the tent the Highlanders had set up for her. It was flattering to be thought of and given her own space, but she wasn't used to sleeping on a cot, or being so cold, for that matter. The women who had overseen her placement had decided that she should be put as far away from the campfire as possible. “It's cozy.”
“Well, you take care then,” he said with a nod. He began to leave, and then thought better of it and turned back to face her. She watched him hopefully, secretly wondering if maybe he was going to say or do something romantic, but instead he cleared his throat and straightened his back, taking on the self-important look he got when he was on official council business.
“The council wants to summon you to their tent tomorrow for an announcement.” His face was flushed, and she tried to read his expression. It had gone cold though, and she frowned.
“Oh...okay. Thank you.”
James gave her a formal nod and ducked out of the tent, leaving her alone, her eyes fixed on his broad back as he made his way back to the bonfire.
Chapter 14
The next morning, the light filtered through her tent, and she woke up feeling alone. All that ceased when she heard a familiar voice. James was at her entrance again.
“Hi,” she said sleepily. She'd been finding it difficult to adjust to the intense schedule the Highlanders kept. They were up late into the night laughing and drinking, singing and dancing, and woke bright and early, even before the sun finished rising. She had been doing her best, but her body was confused and exhausted.
“The council is ready to meet with you,” he said, swallowing hard.
“Do you know what they want to talk to me about?” she asked, looking down at herself. She was still in her night clothes.
“Well,” James said thoughtfully. “I think it's about your plight. They have some things they want to explain to you.”
“Great!” she exclaimed, rushing to her dress and slipping her nightshirt off to slip into it. James cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed.
“Oh, I'm so sorry,” she said. That had been absent-minded of her. She had dressed casually in front of her husband so many times before that she didn't think twice about undressing in front of James. She really needed to get more sleep. And it might help if she stopped wondering if the two of them might ever be a couple.
“It's all right,” he said, his voice strained. “I'll wait for you outside. Just come out when you're ready, lass.”
Sadie nodded, pulling the dress on and buckling the brass buckle over the cloth on her breasts. She did her best to smooth her rebellious red locks, but had to be contented to tuck them behind her ear before meeting James outside of her tent.
“Ready?” he asked, his voice smooth and gentle. He took her by the elbow and she fought the urge to lean against his broad, muscular torso as they moved swiftly through the camp together. But he dropped his hand from her arm once they reached the scarcely populated bonfire. Most of the Highland rebels were still tucked securely in their tents, preparing for the day.
He lifted the tent flap for her and they walked in, first Sadie, then James.
“Welcome, Sadie,” the lead councilman said. She had finally discovered that his name was Ivar.
“Thank you, Ivar,” she said.
“We brought you here today to discuss the pendant that you are wearing. We have cause to believe that you came upon it in another time.”
“Another time,” she acknowledged. Even though it was clearly the truth, it still sounded startling and unbelievable coming from anybody else.
“Yes. You are from the future, aren't you, lass? It seems time to tell you the story of the necklace you are wearing.”
“All right,” Sadie said.
Ivar gave her a small smile. “You may sit down for this, lass, it's a long tale.”
Sadie sat and watched Ivar curiously.
“It began on a day much like this, nearly ten years ago,” he said. “These strange things somehow happen in plain sight. A girl, matching your description, had been sighted coming in and out of the Highlands. Not wandering or journeying as you might envision, but more like fading, in and out, in different places. Most people thought of her as a spirit, and were fearful and afraid.
“Fortunately, it soon became understood that there was a thin veil between certain points in time. And many of the spirits agreed that this was the case with the fire-haired girl who was seen walking between the realms. She was beautiful, and as time went on, she aged normally as any girl does. She was the Highlander's secret, she was, and one of the best kept.”
Sadie tried to picture this strange phenomenon and how it must have made these superstitious people nearly go insane trying to figure out what kind of omen such a woman might bring. Would she be a sorceress? A teller of evil? A bringer of good luck? Only the community could decide.
“Eventually, this woman was discovered and sought out by many clans, and Lord Lachlan heard her tale as well. He became obsessed with seeking out this woman, claiming she was a Highland witch who could give him the power to defeat the bear clan once and for all. He was convinced that she would be the most beautiful woman in the world and give him everything he had been desperately seeking – power and control over the Highland tribes.”
Sadie frowned, remembering Lord Lachlan's disgusting, pock-marked face as he had tried to force himself on her. She looked at Ivar, anxious to hear the rest of the tale.
“Lord Lachlan was part right. He went out to seek the specter, and the first Highland woman to meet her description was the fire-haired beauty, Alana. Alana met all of his fantasies, and he captured her immediately without another word.”
The whole council bowed their heads at this, their faces frowning deeply.
“She was able to help him fulfil his dark intent in a way he had not anticipated. She was the leader of the bear clan, fearless, strong, and beautiful. But Lachlan and his men had overpowered her and taken her by force. She'd been taken to his castle and thrown in the dungeon, where Lachlan enjoyed himself as he tortured and killed her. The necklace you wear belongs to Alana. She who finds it around her neck can carry the new spawn of the Alpha of the bear clan within her, thus continuing our clan's legacy. Without that necklace, our clan is barren, and we are left with no heir to continue the Bear Clan's blood line.”
Sadie looked down at the pendant, her eyes wide, and suddenly realized that the war paint James had been wearing when they met in the dungeon was the same symbol on the pendant. Did that mean that James was the leader of the clan? Were they destined by forces stronger than fate?
“What if we just gave the necklace to somebody else?” Sadie asked, fingering it.
“I think you'll find that removing that pendant, once on, is a difficult task,” Ivar said with a soft, private laugh. “It has come to you by way of fate.”
“Oh,” Sadie said.
She tried to remove the necklace, but her body seemed to have no desire to take it off and it stayed put.
“I see what you mean,” she said, dropping her hands back in her lap.
Ivar smiled. “When Alana was killed, Lord Lachlan took the necklace and hid it away in his castle as a trophy. He considered her death a small victory against the Highlanders, as
he was aware of her status among the top seniority of the clan. She was a leader. But that wasn't the impact he wanted, at least, he didn't know it. Without his knowledge, though, he had left us with the inability to bear any more children to the clan by removing the source of our female leaders' power. Normal women cannot bear the bear shifter children. It takes a lot of strength and power. Normal women are not even chosen to wear the necklace. Our brides have come from far and wide, and apparently,” Ivar's eyes twinkled, “through time.”
“This doesn't make any sense,” Sadie said, exhaling. She sneaked a glance at James, who was standing dutifully, staring forward and making no notice of her.
“Well, maybe it will, my dear. Remember, Lord Lachlan wanted the specter. He had tested poor Alana and discovered that she was human after all. And with that, she had been killed and he had lost his temporary sense of victory. That being gone, he was back on the hunt for the Highland specter. He found her just a few days ago, and somehow, he could capture her in a special room. The spirit looked just like you, lass. You've come and gone from this place since you were a wee one, traveling in your dreams and walking through the hills of Scotland, waiting for your chance to come once and for all. Perhaps you have an old soul and missed our beloved land.”
