Lochlainneach

The Healer's Apprentice

Featured Gaelic and Pronunciations:

- Suas (soo-ahs) - up

- A maiseil (mah-shehl) - beautiful

- Crìost (kree-uh-stuh) - Christ

- Crìost Crò-naoimh (kree-uh-stuh kroh nuyv) - Christ of the Holy Blood

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18 May, 1746

Cìosamul Castle, Isle of Barra, Scotland

Becoming an integral part of life at Cìosamul Castle was all that kept me going in the weeks following Culloden. I was given my own surgery to treat sailors who came in with wounds from fishing, to treat maladies, and so much more. There was even an extensive herb garden outside, which was where I spent a lot of my time when I wasn't in the surgery or with Archie. On a particularly warm day in May, I had Archie with me while I harvested herbs from the garden. He had run off, but I wasn't all that worried, as there was always someone to find him and grab him for me. As I was about to get up and leave, however, I heard a soft singing voice nearby, carrying through the breeze from the direction of the lavender box.

"Fhir a' bhàta, 's na ho ro eile,

Fhir a' bhàta, 's na ho ro eile,

Fhir a' bhàta, 's na ho ro eile,

Mo shoraidh slàn leat

'S gach àit' an tèid tu... "

I stood and with my basket of herbs in hand, I followed the sound of the voice until I came to the sight of a young woman with alabaster skin and very pale blonde hair tied back in a plait, her back to me as she sang to Archie, who was listening intently.

"'S tric mi sealltainn o'n chnoc a's àirde,

Feuch am faic mi fear a' bhàta,

An tig thu an-diugh, no'n thig thu a-màireach,

'S mur tig thu idir gur truagh a tha mi... "

"Mama!" Archie cried when he saw me, interrupting the lass as she sang. She watched as he ran to me and threw his little arms around me, and the young lass stood, her very pale blue eyes wide with surprise. This young lass must have had albinism, as she was incredibly pale.

"Oh, good mornin', Mistress Fraser," she said to me.

"Good mornin' te ye, too, as well," I said. "I dinnae believe I've seen ye before. Do ye live here?"

"Oh, aye, I work in the kitchens," she told me. "My name is Thora. Thora Muirreach." Thora Muirreach... Alasdair's son, Archie, mentioned her once, saying she was a good singer.

"Ah, I've heard of ye," I told her. "Wee Archie Fowlis told me aboot ye."

"Oh," said Thora, her cheeks turning pink. "He... he probably would..."

"Do ye like te spend time up here?" I asked her.

"Oh, aye! I have always been drawn te herbs. They fascinate me," she said.

"Fer their medicinal properties or because of what they are?" I asked her.

"Both, I suppose," she replied.