The Archivist

by Christy Sloat

  He left the room and I was alone with my thoughts. Many were of what had just occurred, but the others were of my future and if Eoin had room in it. Would he ever learn to accept this world that I lived in now? He was alone in Scotland before me. Ainsley was now gone and the camp was burnt to the ground. But if I learned anything in my reading, it was that Scottish men hold their pride and their honor above all else. As I closed my eyes to rest, I could only think of one possible solution for our situation and it wasn’t what I wanted at all. But Eoin had to go home.

  Eighteen

  “Eoin has to go back to Scotland,” Jessa said, as she helped me dress. “It’s been two days and he’s completely lost, Savannah. He doesn’t fit in here and I can’t blame him. He wanders around the apartment like a lost puppy and Emme and I don’t quite know what to do for him. We’ve filled him in on all things 21st century. Well, as much as we can. He’s watched a lot of videos on YouTube about the fate of his people and Scottish history. He sure does love YouTube. I found him watching a kitten video over and over again, laughing like a buffoon. It was pretty cute.”

  I shook my head, and tried shoving her off, frustrated.

  “I can dress myself, Jessa. I am feeling a lot better today. You don’t need to be right here.”

  I was thankful for her help, but I was going stir crazy being cooped up in this apartment. Eoin and I had zero time together since our kiss and I wanted time alone with him. Jessa was helping me get ready, so we could go for a walk. Fresh air was good for me and it was what Emme said I needed. She had driven all the way down from Maine to help Jessa. It was smart of Jessa to find her when she knew I was lost. Instantly I felt bad for being fresh with her.

  “You have no idea what it was like for me when I knew you were gone,” she explained to me earlier in the day. “I was frantic. Sick. I looked to the guidebook and it hardly spoke about a traveler being lost and even less about what I should do to help. So I pulled out the index and Emmeline was the first number on there. Thank God she picked up the phone. The poor girl’s planning a wedding and she stopped to help us. She’s got a lot of knowledge, you know? She had her own experience being lost in time. But it was her choice to take off her tether.”

  “Sorry for snapping at you,” I said to Jessa, shaking off the memory. “I know you went through hell to help me. I love you girl. I just… I don’t want to lose him. I feel something with Eoin. Something I’ve never felt being around any other guy. He grounds me. I feel like I belong somewhere.”

  “Somewhere? What does that mean?”

  I sighed. It was hard to explain this to someone who already found her place in this world. She belonged everywhere she planted her feet. Telling her the truth meant possibly hurting her feelings.

  “It means that when I am with him, I feel like I belong with him. It doesn’t matter where we are, we are whole when we are together.”

  She sat back against the wall, in shock. “You… you have feelings for him? You were gone for a little over two weeks, Savannah. How does one fall in love in that time frame?”

  I guess the days blended together well enough that I didn’t keep track of the time as well as I thought I did. But time meant nothing to me anymore.

  “People fall in love at first sight, Jessa. It’s actually possible to gain feelings in a two week time span. Besides you have no idea what we went through together on our journey to find this,” I said as I held up my bracelet. “We learned a lot more about each other than I ever did about Trevor. He’s a pure heart, Jessa. And I can’t say that I don’t feel a strong connection to him. I won’t lie about that.”

  Her mouth closed and she grabbed me into a hug. “I’m so happy you’re home. I was lost without you. I had to lie to everyone and say that you went on a trip to ‘find yourself.’ ” I laughed, because that’s exactly what I did.

  “I missed you, too. I am glad you had Emme to keep you sane.”

  Speaking of Emme, I needed to hurry up and finish up here. She was leaving today and wanted to talk to me first. I brushed my hair, ran some product in it, and put on my glasses.

  “I have a class,” Jessa announced, as she looked at her watch. “I gotta run. See you guys later?”

  I heard the tone in her voice, the one that said ‘You’re not going to run off to Scotland again are you?’

  “I have to stop off at the library to try to get my job back, and then we will be right here when you get home from class.”

  We said our goodbyes and I found Emme sitting in the kitchenette drinking freshly brewed coffee. I poured myself a glass, not realizing until then that I missed it beyond belief. She smiled up at me and I sat down across from her. She was a young Librarian, like me, who had loved someone from the past before. She told me her story last night. He was from England and she fell for him instantly. But she knew he was better off living his history, and not being with her. She had a duty to uphold, so she gave up their romance to save him and her library.

  She was now engaged, and happy in her life. Her life as a Librarian came first, and she stayed true to her gift. I, on the other hand had started out the complete opposite. The gift was all I thought about. It was mine and no one else’s. But like she said, I broke a cardinal rule. You never interfere. I had done so much damage.

  “So how bad is it?” I asked her. She knew the meaning. I didn’t have to explain to her.

  “Sir Malcolm Walsh was never hanged for his crimes against the crown. They instead brought his ashes from his mistress’s home and put them on display in the courtyard for all to see. They claimed that it was English soldiers who burnt him, and in the end that is what caused his death. They tied that in nicely with the fire at his former encampment. The original story was that they burnt down the castle, with him in it, but historians later proved that he was killed elsewhere. And that the English lied, about yet another thing. So, it’s not bad, not at all.”

  I sighed as relief washed over me. “No, not bad.”

  “But you did break a rule. And he doesn’t fit in here. You have a big decision to make, Savannah.”

  “Yeah, take him back and the English never stop hunting him until they get his head on a pike. The whole story about Sir Malcolm will change. And you know it. They’ll kill Eoin instead.”

  She nodded and took a drink from her coffee. “Or you keep him here, and he is eternally lost in time, like you were. It’s a conundrum.”

  “Sure is.”

  I saw her off to her car shortly after that and waved her goodbye then went into the apartment to get ready for my walk with Eoin who was waiting for me on the couch. The girls had found a nice outfit for him to wear. Jessa did what she did best, found clothes to dress someone up in. I swear she should follow her passions.

  “You look nice,” I said to him. He stood up and turned toward me. His hair was brushed out and lay gently in waves across his back. I never realized how long it was.

  “You as well,” he said. “I hate these clothes. They itch. I miss my kilt. It’s much freer and open. In this,” he said, referring to his jeans. “They make me feel, well, confined. It’s likely I’ll die of strangulation if I stay in these.”

  “Strangulation of what exactly?” I asked with a giggle. His cheeks reddened and he laughed boisterously.

  “Aye, I think you get my meaning and I don’t have to explain it to ya. All the same, I miss my clothes, but I don’t miss certain other things. Like being chased by the English soldiers. It feels like I can breathe for the first time in years. I don’t have to be looking behind me as much. Waiting an ambush or an attack. Ye get my meaning?”

  I did get it. That month away, I felt the same. The fear of being hurt or worse by the English weighed heavy on my mind.

  “I heard your talk with Emmeline,” he confessed as he approached me now. “I don’t need ya to discuss what I plan on doing with her, lass
. And ye don’t have to worry about me neither. That’s my decision, ye know.”

  I nodded. “I am sorry for talking about you when you weren’t there to defend yourself. But she’s right about some things, Eoin. If you go back the English soldiers will not stop hunting you until they have what they want. And if you stay, I’m afraid you’ll never be happy here. Our world is much harsher than yours was. But not in the same ways. It’s socially harsh. People are rude and can be mean at times. The ways of your people are lost, especially in America. We are selfish people and a lot of us only think of ourselves. Don’t get me wrong, there are good people still to be found. But the unity of your people isn’t the same as my people.”

  He stopped in front of me and took my hands in his and looked them over. Our hands fit well together, I noticed. Even though his were much larger and rougher than mine, they felt right. It hadn’t been a long time that I’d known him, and there was so much more I needed to learn about him, but so far, I liked what I knew.

  “I’ll stop ye right there,” he said, looking me in the eyes. “I make my own ways in this world, your time or mine, lass. And I’ve seen harsh things in your world, I seen a lot of your worlds moving pictures. It is scary here, that I will admit, but then there is beauty that I’ve never seen before. I miss Scotland so much I feel as if my heart will wither up without the smell of heather and the way the sun hits the grass in the mornin’. But seeing your face right now, it makes me happy. Happier than I ever was before. I make the choices for where I want to be. And I want to be with you. No matter where that is. I am not leaving here. You can try to take me back, but I won’t go.”

  My breathing stopped as well as my heart. He was faithful to me? But why? Just like Jessa had pointed out, we barely knew one another. Yet, he was so willing to be here, in my time, to give up his world for me.

  “You’ve only known me a short while Eoin. How can you say that?”

  He kissed me in answer and held his arms around my body so gently, as if not to break me. When he pulled away, he said, “Did you feel that?”

  I did feel it. The electricity of our connection, the passion, and the way I longed for more when he was finished.

  “I did. What is it?”

  He laughed and shook his head. “The people of my clan call it anam-charaid, or soul friend. It means that your soul has met its match. I believe that my soul has met its match in you, Savannah. From the moment my eyes fell upon you, I knew. I fought it but it’s not worth the fight any longer.”

  There was once a time when I would have laughed at such a notion, but not anymore. I knew what he meant, because I felt it too. Although we were far from being in love or saying such deep words to one another, I did feel like my soul was meant to be with him. Our souls were matched and that’s why I couldn’t let him die in that field. It was also why I knew what we had to do.

  “We have to go back to Scotland, Eoin,” I voiced. “We have to try to save Ainsley and the others. It’s crazy and it may not work, but I think we can go back and try to prevent the castle from being burned down. Maybe then I can feel like I accomplished some sort of goal as a Librarian. I was given this gift to observe history, and I broke a sacred vow by bringing you back. But nothing says that I can’t save the lives of hundreds of people who are about to die needlessly. I want to go back and warn them at least.”

  “Aye, a fighting chance. And then what of us?” His eyes searched mine.

  “I’m not sure where we will end up, Eoin. But I do know that I won’t leave without you. This time I’m going to play it smart and safe.”

  He only nodded and took my hand in his. “I’ll follow you then.”

  Nineteen

  We took a walk around my neighborhood, allowing Eoin and I some much needed fresh air. Planning our trip back in time during our walk helped us visualize what we had to do. Eoin walked next to me, his hand in mine, as we spoke. Things with him were easy, and I felt comfortable, but I couldn’t let my feelings cloud the duty and responsibility I had to face.

  I had to do things right this time. I couldn’t go into the book like I did last time; unprepared. This time I would be ready to face whatever the English soldiers had in store for us.

  “Is there anything you haven’t done that you want to do here? Before we head back,” I asked as we reached the steps of my apartment.

  “Hmm… I have taken a bath. But I don’t understand the standing bath.”

  I looked at him sideways. “The shower?”

  “Yes. I’d like to try a shower.”

  Showing him how to control the showerhead and the water, was the easy part. Hardest for me was resisting the urge to jump in the shower with him. I was never comfortable naked, but something about Eoin made me not even bat a lash at the thought. I wasn’t an experienced girlfriend in the least, but there was an urge to be with Eoin in the purest of ways, that I’d never felt before. Sex was meant to be beautiful, and I couldn’t help but think that Eoin would make it beautiful for me. He’d made me feel beautiful just being near him.

  “Would you like to stay with me?” he asked, watching me, watch him. He took off his shirt, revealing a set of abs that practically made me squeal.

  “Nope. No. I have things to do.” He laughed as I closed the door, but before I did I caught a glimpse of him fully undressed. Thank God for the Scottish, because they made one perfect man.

  After Eoin took his hot shower, which he said was amazing and wonderful, we headed to the library. I had to get my job back. Being gone so long had solidified that my future here was indeed bleak. Without a library to practice my craft, I was screwed. I needed the power of the library, and the books needed a safe place to be stored. Keeping them at home would never do. I made a vow to my grandmother that they would stay safe in the library’s basement, and out of sight of prying eyes.

  Eoin and I hopped in my car and after explaining to him why I drove instead of walked, and how the engine of a car worked, we drove down to the library. It wasn’t far from our housing section of the college. We could have walked, but I was honestly afraid of how Eoin would feel about the people who milled around. To avoid any confrontation or weirdness, I figured driving was my best bet. I parked up front and Eoin followed my every move. He watched how I opened the car door, and how I closed it. It became a tad bit annoying after he even began walking like me.

  “Eoin,” I said, facing him. “You don’t need to do everything I do. Just act natural.”

  He sighed, “Don’t ye forget I don’t know how to act natural in this world, Savannah.”

  Of course, he was right. I was just nervous and on edge.

  “Sorry,” I said. We walked in to the library and the brightness of it hit Eoin’s face. His face was full of wonder and longing to learn more about this fascinating place. It was like showing a child some new toy. Explaining the library’s history and inner workings, Eoin all but drooled over the interior and the beauty of it all.

  We walked into the entryway and ran smack dab into Trevor.

  “Oh,” he said, holding me up as I stumbled into him. “You’re back! Jessa told me you went on a trip. I see you are… looking well.” His eyes scanned over my outfit and then back up to my face.

  “I’m feeling amazing, actually.” It wasn’t a lie. The best part was I didn’t feel those butterflies in my stomach upon seeing his face. I was over Trevor Arnold, one-hundred percent.

  “Pleased to meet you good man,” Eoin said, to Trevor. Instead of letting Eoin stumble into a harsh introduction of Middle Age proportions, I intervened.

  “Yes, this is my friend, Eoin. He’s from Scotland,” I said to Trevor. “This is Trevor Arnold. The star football player here at our school.”

  Trevor nodded to Eoin, his jealousy apparent, and of which I wasn’t sure why. Maybe good old Trevor saw something in me after all? Of that I wasn’t sure nor d
id I care either way.

  “Well, we must be going. See you around.”

  I grabbed Eoin’s hand and pulled him hastily away. We found a suitable spot for Eoin to sit and read a book on Medieval History, so I could have adequate time to talk to the director.

  “I’ll be right back,” I told him. He assured me he wouldn’t talk to anyone or get too lost, and I made my way to her office. After a quick thirty minute talk about why I would never be working for this library again, or getting a good reference, I made my way downstairs to collect my things. I found my books in the hidden room, where I knew that Jessa had kept them safe. I picked them up and tucked them in a nearby satchel that my grandmother had given me. Standing in this room for the last time was surreal. I had screwed up not only my future, but Eoin’s as well. Going back to Scotland was not a hard choice now. Nothing else was keeping me here besides Jessa. I couldn’t leave until I spoke to her. And I did promise to be there when she got home from class.

  I found Eoin in the same spot, but this time, surrounded by giggling, hair-tossing girls. He was talking animatedly of Scotland and the perils of living in the dreaded age of the English rule. I sighed, wondering how he got himself into such a fine mess, and pushed my way through the group of women.

  “Eoin,” I said, breaking free of two blondes who rudely tried to hold me back.

  “Oh, my fair lady has arrived,” he said, pointing to me. Literally all their heads swiveled toward me and their eyes filled with such hatred. So this was how they wanted it was it? Fine. Two could play this game.

  “Eoin, darling, it’s time to leave,” I swooned. His smile grew wider, and he stood up, pushing away the gaggle of hags nearest him. “Sorry lassies, but myself and Savannah are off it seems. Good fortune to you all.”

  “Come on you big sap,” I choked out, pulling him free. As we broke free of the library doors, I turned to him, to see if he was looking back at his fans who adoringly watched from the windows. I found his eyes secured on only me. “You made some friends I see.”