Luceo Non Uro || Outlander

Chapter 9

Marsali

It felt strange, walking about the Big House without Daddy or Claire there. I could see that it was in fact their home, though. Daddy's books lined the shelves built into the wall, and Claire's surgery showed signs of being put to good use healing the settlers of Fraser's Ridge. It appeared as if they had simply up and vanished overnight.

On our first night there, I cooked up what scraps of food I could find that had not spoiled while Fergus hunted for fresh meat. As I stood in the pantry, taking inventory on what could be salvaged, I heard it—a terrible, guttural squealing that sounded as if it were coming from all directions at once. I screamed and crossed the room to pick up Germain. He began to cry as I yanked him from the floor by his underarms. The terrible screeching seemed to follow me into the kitchen. I ran outside, with Germain on my hip, as far away from the house as I could get before losing my breath. I panted and surveyed the abandoned house. It looked the same as it had before.

"Marsali! Marsali, my love, what's happened?" Fergus was coming over the hill carrying two rabbits tied together on a string. 

"Fergus... there is a demon in that house," my breath came out shakily, forming small clouds in the cold mountain air. Knowing I was not one to be easily frightened, Fergus dropped his rabbits and took off towards the house. I watched with bated breath as he returned outside a moment later and began skirting around the side of the house. I followed his direction, although keeping a good distance. He seemed to be searching the foundation for something, because at one spot he knelt down and began to crawl into what must have been a burrow. I gasped as I watched him lunge backwards out of the hole and get overtaken by a... a giant white sow. Fergus laid flat on his back, unmoving.

"Fergus! Fergus are ye alright?" I ran towards him with Germain still on my hip, and keeping a wary eye on the sow that was snorting and grunting as it made its way into the woods nearby.

"Aye," he groaned. "My new shirt is ruined," he muttered, exasperated. He began wiping mud from his face and clothes, without much success.

"Well, at least it's only a pig and not the Devil himself come to pay us a visit."

 "Come here," he turned on me with a mischievous smile.

"Don't ye dare," he made to stand up, "Don't ye dare touch me, I have a child," I brandished Germain at him, but it did nothing to slow his pursuit.

"Finally, revenge," he laughed. I realized with horror that he was speaking of when I threw horse shit at him before we began courting.

"I said I was sorry," I screeched as he barreled towards me, muddy hands outstretched. Germain giggled with glee as he watched his father smear mud onto my face. "Ye bastard!" Fergus took off running to pick up the forgotten rabbits before I could retaliate. Germain toddled after him. I rolled my eyes and went to begin heating water for a bath that I had not planned on taking today. Fergus would need one as well, but I would allow myself the luxury of having the warmer water. 

"Where do ye suppose they went?" I asked Fergus later that night as he washed himself in the tub. He poured a pitcher of water over his hair. It fell in a curtain over his face in delicate ringlets. I rubbed my stomach as I watched him repeat the motion. Water trailed down his back as he considered my question.

"I don't know, possibly River Run? Milady would probably want to be there for the birth of her granddaughter."

"Ye'd think they'd have written though. It's nearly my time as well," I had begun to grow anxious over the arrival of our bairn already, especially now that I could not even rely on the midwife who had delivered Germain in Wilmington. Fergus looked at me with warm eyes.