Lochlainneach

The Ballad of the Black Fowlis

Featured Gaelic and Pronunciations:

- Brùnaidh (brooh-nee) - brownie. A mythological Scottish household spirit that comes out at night to help with farm work when the owners leave out a bowl of milk or cream.

- Amaideach (ah-my-deek) - silly

- Saoirse (sehr-sheh)

- Tadhg (tygh)

- Malachy (mah-lah-kee)

- Ailbhe (ahl-vah)

- Caragh (Kara)

- Sigourney (sih-gohr-nee)

- Laoise (lee-shah)

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14 April, 1747

CAILEAN POV

The moment the door to the Laird of Cìosamul's study behind the Laird, Cailean, and his sister, Catrìona turned right on him. "A year! A bloody year and no word! Where the hell have ye been, Cailean?" she demanded from him.

"Hold on just a second. Where have I been? Cat, I thought ye'd gone back te yer time-" he began, but she cut him off.

" My time? It's our time, ye damned idiot! We were both born in that time and we both lived in it!" she spat back.

"All right, fine. I thought ye went back te our time. Jamie said he was takin' ye back te the stones and when he came back te Culloden, he'd said ye'd gone! Why did ye even come back? Jamie said he wasnae leavin' that battlefield alive."

"It didnae work, I didnae pass through. So I got away and came straight here, and fer the record, Jamie is alive and well, thank ye verra much!"

"He's alive? Wait, hold up, what do ye mean it didnae work? Are ye stuck here?"

" We are stuck here, evidently, and what I mean is I didnae pass through, I woke up on the other side," she told him firmly. " Where have ye been ?"

"What aboot Archie? He didnae pass through, did he?" Cailean asked her with concern.

"He's fine. He's here, and so is Jamie. Now where have you been? And who's that woman ye were with?" she demanded back from him as a knock sounded at the door.

"Enter," said the Laird from his desk, reminding Cailean that he was there and rubbing his temple. The door opened and both of the Fowlis siblings raised their heads to see Jamie entering the study, the woman Cailean had brought with him tight on his heels.

"Is everrathin' well? Ronald said ye'd both left rather..." Jamie began, suddenly freezing when his eyes landed on Cailean. "Cailean?"

"Christ, Jamie!" Cailean exclaimed when he saw his good-brother. "Glad te see yer alive! How the hell did the get off that battlefield?"

"He can tell ye later. How the hell did you get off of that battlefield?" Catrìona interrupted, demanding rather firmly.

"Are they always like this?" the Laird asked, directing his question to Jamie.

"Quite," Jamie replied, closing the door behind the woman.

"And who is this lovely lass ye've brought with ye, grandson?" the Laird asked, grasping the moment to try to diffuse the tension.