Highland Chieftain (Book 5)

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The knoll of trees was rumours to hold the faeries. As wily as the fair folk were, perhaps they could hold the answer to his problems. They may ask for more than he could give, but at least they may give him some hope of a future that held a glimmer of light in the darkness he had been plunged into. It was like stepping into another time and another place. This was where the true magic of the highlands was. The fair folk had chosen their places well. Even the secret places could have secrets that were never meant to be found or understood. Nobody liked entering this knoll, it held secrets that could not be humanly comprehended. Yet as he would his way beneath the twilight of the trees, it was obvious that his soul had yearned for the peace that it created.

The hooves made barely a noise as a muted light danced about him. He let the horse have his head and lead him where he would. Closing his eyes he lifted his head to the sky and let himself feel the very air around him. Letting his eyes creak open slowly he glanced about the trees the lines of them muted by the moss which made its home upon them. A quick flash had him pulling his horse up short. A snort was his response, but there was a stillness about him which was trained through years together and the time spent at battle. The flash of white came again and with a soft murmur, he slid from his horse and led him almost silently towards where the horse who's tail had flashed before him.

Tying the reins loosely, he made his way over the springy foliage which was as if it was the height of summer rather than just leaving the dregs of winter. Slowly so as not to startle his quarry, it was with quiet determination that meant he walked the edge of the clearing until he was opposite the one person he wished to see. Coming at her from the front, giving her time to leave if she wish, as he stepped into the diffuse light which dappled the moss and wild flower ground. Hands out to his side, stepping each foot with care, as if approaching a filly that was ready to bolt, he waited a moment as Larena glanced his way and froze. Holding his stare with a depth of feeling he felt to his bones.

He paused a few dozen steps from her, lowering himself to a boulder only slightly larger than the one she sat on. He took in the details of her face, the large circles beneath her eyes betraying her sleepless night and the tightness of her lips that showed her anxiety. He let her think, let her take this at her rate. They had both been at fault before, left things unsaid, or said things which missed the vital information such as what it actually meant for them.

"Did Camdyn or Aislinn send you to find me?" The hollowness of her voice had an eerie, echoy quality as if said in a large empty hall.

"Nay, they did not. I had to clear my head and thought a ride would be a good idea. I was drawn here by a feeling and know the faeries must be behind it." He tried to laugh a little at his jest, but the laughter lodged in his throat. "I am surprised, however, that they let you out of the Keep after last eve."

"Aye, I am surprised at such myself. Aislinn and I spent much of the night in her chambers talking, of family and feelings and such. But having a new bairn is tiring apparently and around dawn she succumbed to slumber. I made Cam a promise upon my leaving that I would come here and nowhere else and if I was not back by last meal every man, woman and bairn would be out looking for me." Her smile was forced and painful to look at. "I saw the concern in his eyes over what I would do. But I also saw a fear of keeping me close as if he would make it worse to do so." Her eyes speared into Kendrick's and he was hit anew by the power she held over him.

"I have no intention to try what I failed to do last eve. You can rest assured of that. You may leave if you wish, if that is all the assurance you were waiting for." Turning her head from him, he saw her shoulder's stiffen as if waiting for him to walk away, rejecting her once more, now he was sure that she was safe from harm. But he would not and could not do that.