[Druids Bidding 02.0] RenFaire Druids: Dunskey Castle Prequels

by Jane Stain

  “Och, Drusilla. None o’ means ye harm.”

  At the sound of Dall’s voice, Emily was so relieved that she sank to the floor and started crying, but she reached out to Dall and grabbed whatever she could find of him, trying to tell him she was glad he was all right. Her hand settled around his calf muscle.

  It seemed to work, and even better, Dall sat next to her and put his arms around her until the sobbing subsided and she felt like herself again. And then he still held her close.

  With them all gathered inside the early morning darkness of the stone heather kirk, Dog was telling everyone who had remained inside what happened.

  “Four that we wounded back there at the canyon followed us all the way up here.”

  Tybalt said, “Dang. Did you shoot ‘em all?”

  Dog shook his head no. “No, but we got ‘em all. Dall got the ones hiding too good for us to shoot.”

  Tybalt shined his phone right on Dall’s face. “Why do the MacGregors and those Menzies hate each other so much? Is it a family feud?”

  Done with her crying and feeling safe and secure again in Dall’s arms, Emily tried her budding teacher voice on Tybalt. “Please get that light out of his face. That’s rude.”

  To her surprise, it worked. Tybalt lowered the phone right away and said, “Sorry.”

  Dall gave her an appreciative squeeze. “We dinna hate the Menzies. We fight tae hold the land. With land, we hae meat aplenty and raise our children withoot want. The Menzies strive tae hae the land once maire.”

  Mike spoke up. “And how long has this clan war been going on?”

  “For as long as anyone remembers,” Dall said.

  “That’s intense,” said Mike in a hushed tone.

  “Dude,” Tybalt said to Dall, “you’ve been fighting like this all your life?”

  “Aye, lad,” said Dall.

  “No wonder you’re so good with that sword.”

  They were all quiet for a moment.

  “See if Eamann wrote tae us?” Dall asked Emily.

  “It isn’t morning yet,” she said.

  “But it is. In a few moments, the light wull come through the cracks in these walls.”

  Emily got her phone out of her boot and powered it up while Dall watched over her shoulder. The Time Management app came up all by itself. There was a new red dot on the map. Using two fingers to zoom in on the map, Emily revealed that under the new red dot was the word ‘horses’.

  “Och,” said Dall. “They mean for us tae enter Clan MacIntyre lands.”

  “Is that another enemy of the MacGregors?” Mike asked Dall.

  “Na enemies, but dinna mistake. We rival all but the Campbells. And we ainly dinna rival the Campbells because we hae sworn fealty.”

  “Will the MacIntyres let us go down there and get the horses, Dall?” Emily asked it loudly enough for all to hear, yet softly, as he still cuddled her, with both of them seated on the floor in their corner behind the kirk door.

  The sunrise entered the kirk through chinks in the stone wall at that precise moment, illuminating all the bikers’ faces as they looked to see what he’d say.

  “’Tis na ainly getting the horses,” said Dall. “If we gae doon their side o’ the mountain, then we wull be in MacIntyre lands for the duration o’ oor journey. Nay family tae stay the night with, nor any allies.” He looked at Emily then, and hugged her tighter. “And if the horses ae na there…”

  She gave him a nervous laugh. “I get it,” she said. “I’m the weakest link in this chain. If not for my difficulty climbing, you would choose to stay in these mountains and walk back to Campbell territory.”

  “Nay, lass. Thanks be tae ye, I see an opportunity.” He smiled at her.

  She gave Dall her practiced quizzical look, with her eyebrow raised just so.

  He smiled again, and her heart melted even more. “We have numbers enough against all but an organized attack, sae the MacIntyres wull let us get the horses. And with the exception o’ one lone MacGregor guide,” he put his hands on his own chest, “we appear English.”

  She smiled back and got lost in his eyes for a few moments, and then she remembered what they were talking about. “But how is that an opportunity?”

  “’Tae strengthen what ties the MacGregors hae with the MacIntyres. Both hae Clan Donald overlords, and both need tae see, with clear eyes, the Campbells taking that ower.”

  “Oh.” She thought of more fun things. “So, what’s our story? Shall we be a traveling troupe of actors?”

  Dall suppressed a grin. “Nay, lass. That story wore thin at the castle and ainly worked because ye saved Alasdair from his choking fit. And ainly just. Nay, we tell the MacIntyres the truth, but nay all o’ the truth, ye ken?”

  Everyone nodded.

  “Yeah, that’s the best thing.”

  “Yep, that would be easier.”

  “Then we won’t contradict each other.”

  Mike beat Emily to the applicable Shakespeare quote. “Oh what a tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive.”

  The way down off the craggy mountains into the green forests and glens was easier than the way up had been, but Dall still held his arm out for Emily, and she still held on to it. Every time they saw a bird take flight or animals running from a water hole or anything else at all remarkable, their eyes would meet and they would enjoy it together.

  Just before they entered MacIntyre lands, Dall whispered in Emily’s ear so softly she could barely hear, “Lass, hae ye aught tae cover yer wound? I dinna want them tae ken.”

  “Why not?” she whispered back.

  “If what I suspect is true, then it will cause them tae separate us.”

  “What do you suspect?”

  “I dare na say.” He looked at her brooch.

  So Emily went behind a bush and put on the long sleeved Scottish shift with the embroidered neckline, resolving to insist that he scrawl his next secret in the dirt.

  They came to a river that twisted and turned down a steep canyon, and they kept seeing it all the way down into a lush forest, where they were able to use the river as a guide through the woods. The forest was dim even in the daylight, but peaceful.

  “Should we go scout ahead?” Tybalt was talking to Dall, but he had already moved on ahead of the group, and he was peering off as far into the distance as he could, between the trees.

  “Nay, stay togither,” Dall said softly. “Dinna make sae many sounds. We are like tae see MacIntyres any moment.”

  Tybalt spun around on his heel and fell in behind Dall and Emily.

  They all walked as quietly as they could, and didn’t talk. It was hardly quiet, though. Twigs broke under their feet. Birds called to each other from the tops of the trees. The river babbled over rocks.

  One moment things were tranquil. The next, they heard thundering hoofbeats.

  Emily froze, unsure where the sound was coming from or what she could do to get out of the way.

  Dall grabbed her uninjured arm and pulled her uphill away from the river. “This way,” he hissed to the bikers.

  They snapped out of their own frozen indecision and followed Dall up the hill between the trees just in time. A dozen deer charged through the forest along the river, right through the spot where they had stood moments before. Emily gasped at how beautifully they ran, how gracefully they jumped over fallen trees.

  A few of the men gasped, too, but she didn’t think it was because of beauty. Sure enough, the guys were readying their bows, but they were too late. The deer disappeared as fast as they had come.

  And then the reason appeared, for the running of the deer: a dozen men in green kilts with bows out and claymores swinging at their sides or riding on their backs.

  “Harness yer bows,” Dall said to the bikers. His voice was calm.

  For a moment, Emily could feel how ready his body was for whatever action might come, but then Dall made himself even more ready by gently moving her behind him and stepping forward unhindered by her. Out of
the corners of her eyes, she saw Dog and his crew putting their arrows back in their quivers and slinging their bows back over their shoulders for carrying. But she kept watching the MacIntyres. They walked with purpose, keeping their bows raised.

  Dall called out something in Gaelic, and one of the MacIntyres answered. Bit by bit, Emily could tell how the conversation was going, even though she only understood a few words.

  “Hail, MacIntyres.” Dall said as if he were greeting old friends. But he wasn’t waving.

  “Hail, MacGregor. Are ye leading English hunting parties now?”

  “Ainly when the pay is good.” Dall relaxed a bit, but he was still on alert.

  The green-kilted men laughed, but they didn’t lower their bows all the way. “Ye canna hae oor deer.”

  “Nay tae fash, we are na here tae catch yer fine deer, just oor ain horses.”

  More laughter erupted. “Lost yer horses, hae ye? Best tae keep a lead on them, aye?”

  They spoke as if they were old friends sitting around a campfire, but the property owners kept their bows trained on the trespassers the entire time. Slowly but surely, the MacIntyres walked up within sword range, and only then did they make their move. Their leader stood by Dall’s side. The others spread out until all the strangers were within sword reach.

  Their leader said something to the effect of, “We will keep you company during your search for your horses.”

  Nodding, Dall reached his arm back for Emily.

  She gladly took it, as much to show these not-quite-hostiles she was under his protection as for the joy that touching Dall always brought to her.

  They all walked on along the noisy river, the MacIntyres talking amongst themselves in Gaelic. Emily intuited that Dall was keeping quiet so he could hear them. It couldn’t be easy for him, because she and the rest of the 21st century travelers were comparatively loud when they walked. She winced whenever one of her feet dragged over the uneven ground, making a scraping sound loud enough to obscure a few of the standoffish highlanders’ words.

  An hour later, they arrived at a settlement similar to the one Dall’s brother headed.

  A Gaelic argument broke out between Dall and their leader. Terrified, Emily could tell it was about her, but not much else. She clung to Dall’s arm and shrank into him, trying to disappear. For the second time, she wondered what would happen if she pushed the time travel button on her phone right here and now. Unfortunately, it was in her boot and she didn’t dare let go of Dall long enough to fish it out.

  In the end, Dall coaxed her into the main house with him, whispering, “All is wull. Please be silent, though, Drusilla.”

  Emily nodded yes for him, wondering about Mike and the others. Looking over her shoulder, she saw them all seated on the ground in a circle with the deer hunters standing over them, casually talking amongst themselves. Supposing they would be all right, she swallowed the lump in her throat and let Dall guide her into the house.

  The two of them were shown into an office, and the door shut behind them.

  “Wull, if it is na Dall MacGregor, then my eyes are tae auld tae be trusted.” The grey-haired green-kilted man behind the desk spoke in English, presumably for Emily’s benefit. He was looking at her curiously.

  Dall inclined his head. “Well met, Ian MacIntyre. This is Emily …”

  “Emily Shaw,” she said, habitually reaching out to shake the man’s hand.

  He took it and instead raised it to his lips, simultaneously meeting Dall’s eyes. “Ye keep charming company, Dall MacGregor.”

  Emily took her hand back and stepped close in to Dall once more.

  He told the man, “She wull be my wife once I hae met her kin.”

  “Congratulations. Now, I understand ye are the owners o’ the horses I hae been asked tae hold.”

  Although there were plenty of horses, Emily chose to ride with Dall for the sheer pleasure of it, let alone her contemptible horsemanship. They slept in the heather two more nights, but although they were jumpy from their confrontations with the Menzies, there were no incidents.

  They all teared up when they finally turned the last corner on 14 July 1540 and saw Kilchurn Castle over the waters of Loch Awe. The crude four-story building was a safe haven in a wild and dangerous land.

  It was then Emily knew she hadn’t appreciated just how safe the castle was, and just how dangerous the outside was. She thought this was why the druids insisted that Dall be inside the castle when he time-traveled, and why they had gone to the trouble of bringing her here to make sure he made it back in time to leave from there.

  The party all looked at each other and smiled, and then they were all urging their tired horses into a gallop along the shores of Loch Awe. Their joy at riding into the safety of the castle was dampened when someone wearing a Campbell kilt greeted them at the front gate. This meant that Colin was in residence, and in charge.

  As soon as their party of fourteen had finished clearing the gate, someone called out a command and all the men mustered in courtyard, mostly red MacGregor kilts swaying.

  “See ye in Eamann’s healing lair in five days,” Dall whispered before he handed her down off the horse, squeezed her hand, and ran out to take his place with Colin’s militia.

  A Campbell gestured for the archers to come out.

  With a worried look at Emily, Dog gestured for his crew to follow.

  A young MacGregor took Emily’s horse, and then she stood there alone, without the slightest idea what to do or where to go.

  A gentle hand rested on her shoulder.

  When she turned to see Mairi there, she started to talk.

  The older woman put a hand over her own mouth.

  Emily nodded.

  Mairi gestured for her to follow, and took Emily into the huge kitchen, where she recognized several women she had given needles and the woman who had given her the embroidered shift she was wearing.

  All of these women waved to Emily and smiled.

  She waved and smiled back. Then she turned to Mairi. “Is it safe to talk now?”

  Mairi nodded yes. “Sae lang as ye are na loud.” She looked significantly out into the courtyard through a small wind opening.

  Seeing that all the other women were working, and wanting very much to show her appreciation for being brought into this haven out of harm’s way, Emily said, “How can I help?”

  They set her to work cutting up onions and turnips.

  Presuming these would be cooked, Emily didn’t worry about washing her hands first. But she had mentioned wanting to talk, and she noticed that all the women kept looking at her expectantly.

  “The actors and I are supposed to leave soon,” she said, “back to … England, and Dall has agreed go with us.” She paused to wipe a tear away.

  Mairi gave her a warm smile. “But that is wonderful.”

  Emily nodded yes. “It is, isn’t it?” She smiled in spite of herself. “But now Colin’s sending them away—”

  “Aw,” Mairi put her arm around Emily and held her close. “He wull come back, and e’en if he is injured, I dinna doubt he wull gae with ye. We all see the way Dall looks at ye, lass.”

  Word was the militia would leave in the morning.

  After supper, when the men had started their drinking songs, Eamann stuck his head out of his doorway and called them down into what Emily thought of as his dungeon.

  Emily gave Dall a bewildered look.

  Dall shrugged at her and looked to Alasdair for permission to answer Eamann’s summons.

  In turn, Alasdair looked to Colin, who was busy talking and didn’t even acknowledge him. So Alasdair nodded to Dall.

  The biker-archer-actors all got up and followed Dall and Emily down to Eamann.

  Emily guessed what was up. “You’re sending us home now, aren’t you.”

  Eamann nodded. “Aye, sae gae up one at a time and get any belongings ye left.” He pointed at the floorboards over his head.

  Each actor came back down with the leat
her backpack, bow, and quiver full of arrows he had left somewhere up top.

  Emily always brought everything with her into every room, she was so paranoid of losing any of it. She turned to Dall. “Dae ye need tae get anything?”

  “Nay, lass. I always hae what I need upon me.” He held up his sword. He had not been wearing it at the table, but he must have lain it near at hand. He sheathed it at his side.

  Emily was curious what Dall had in his sporran and in the various pouches on his own belt, but she didn’t want to ask him in front of Eamann.

  Dall moved in to kiss Emily, but at the last moment—while Eamann dealt with someone who had followed one of the bikers into his lair—Dall instead whispered in Emily’s ear, “When it all goes swirly, hand yer phone tae me.” He looked for her response.

  She nodded yes to Dall, but wanted to ask him why. She kept watching Eamann for her chance, but she didn’t get one, so she asked about the other thing that was bugging her. “Eamann,” she waited for him to look at her and then went on, “won’t it mess things up if we time-travel now, instead of waiting until the 19th?”

  Eamann didn’t answer. He just stood there and tilted his head sideways at Emily.

  “Oh yeah. You can just travel us forward to July 19th, huh.”

  Looking smug, Eamann waited for everyone to gather, and then he asked Dall, “Are ye ready?”

  Emily looked into Dall’s eyes.

  He looked at her phone and tickled her hand.

  She gave the smallest nod she could.

  “Aye, ready we are.” Dall told the druid healer.

  6 Return

  Emily was so excited. Siobhan was explaining that tomorrow after faire, she and Dall would be time traveling back to his highlands home in 1540 Scotland.

  Dall opened his mouth to speak.

  But Siobhan gave him a dirty look, almost like she was a teacher and Dall was a troublemaking student.

  Oddly, it worked. Dall obeyed Siobhan.

  Emily squeezed Dall’s hand gently, trying to get him to calm down. They could whisper to each other at the staged dance set later, so why was he trying so hard to talk to her now?