Highland Chieftain (Book 5)

Epilogue

Epilogue

The screams permeated the air, the tension thick, room overly warm. The men had long since dragged the father away. He had already charged in twice. The screams tearing through to the very core of all those present. Sweat tricked down the temples of most of the women present. It had been a long two days, and the end seemed to be nowhere in sight. Isla wiped at Vika's forehead, the damp cloth too warm now for any real comfort.

Calling for fresh water to be brought from the well, the rag thrown to the side useless until the waters return. Yet worried eyes met her own as Isla glanced over at Nessia as she checked to see if the baby was crowning yet. This was too difficult a birth and they both knew it. Vika was so tired, but there was only one way for this to end. Isla just sent prayers to the Lord above that the end would be a positive one. Though the look in Nessia's eyes told her everything.

Swallowing the boulder which lodged in her throat, she cradled her granddaughter close to her chest and whispered in her ear. Ignoring the women who were attending to different duties around the one room cottage. "Not long now Vika. Just keep pushing and we'll soon see you new bairn." She hoped the catch in her voice was hidden in the pain her granddaughter was feeling.

Vika's head was shaking from side to side, "No," a sob drawn from her chest. "I can't do this anymore." The door opened in a rush of cool air. Aislinn stopping as she took in the scene.

"I brought the water, thought I would see if you could find use for me?" Isla knew Aislinn had been told of the situation. Had probably come to support the women here, everyone knew what was happening, they were just trying to keep the truth of it from Vika.

Returning her attention to Vika, as Nessia started issuing orders once more, Isla stroked the stringy hair back from the slick forehead. "You can do this Vika, you already did this with mini Isla, you can do this now." The shaking head was weaker this time, but the scream which came forth was pure torture. Everyone stopped, waiting for Nessia to say if this had made a difference. But the slight shake in the negative was enough to shoot the tension in the room up once more.

Nessia caught her eye once more, nodding her head towards the door, before she pulled her apprentice to take her place. Vika hardly seemed to notice anyone else in the room at this point, but Isla made sure she knew she was not being abandoned. "I am just going to replenish the water Vika, I will be right back." Her granddaughter weakly caught at her hand. "Nay, please..."

The tears stung the backs of her eyes, but Aislinn was there, waiting for her. "Vika, I will keep you company until Isla returns." The cheery voice was at odds with the pain in her eyes. Mouthing a thanks towards her, she took a moment to kiss Vika's temple, before releasing her position and Aislinn slipped in behind Vika, propping her up as Isla took the difficult steps away to meet Nessia outside of the small cottage.

Isla knew what was going to be said was not pleasant, but whilst the words were not said, they were not true. So instead of looking at Nessia, she took a moment to look out into the night, her breath misting in the slight breeze. The coolness of the night chilling the sweat on her face.

"The bairn has not turned, Isla." The words where the whisper of the breeze. The sound more of a death knoll than anything else she could have heard. "We have both been in this situation before. We know what this means. There is no new way I know of. It will be difficult..." A warm hand squeezed her shoulder. "You must prepare yourself Isla." Nodding at Nessia, she waved her off.

"I'll be in shortly..." her next words cut off by the howl from within. The wince could not be stopped, the pain tearing at her heart. The door slamming as Nessia hurried back to her patient. Isla looked skyward instead. The pinpricks of light a solace to the soul as her granddaughter wailed through the pain of this labour. Turning when she realised that nothing could stop this from happening as it was. All she could do was pray the Lord above would see through his mercy to this small cottage.

"Isla?" Turning it was like looking upon a ghost. The screaming was still ongoing, whilst the world around seemed to listen in hushed tones.

"Grant, how did you escape from the others?" He should not be hearing his wife in such pain, not when it should be a time of such joy by now.

She watched as this large man seemed to shrink, wringing his hands and looking so lost, like a little boy looking for something to call his own. "They fell asleep, expected me to do the same but I could not..." the pain from within made both of them look towards the cottage. "I could not, not whilst Vika was still." His hands lifting as if he did not know what to do with himself.

Stepping closer to him, she took hold of one of those hands. "Where is Isla?"

A fleeting smile. "She is staying with Fyfa and Hamish tonight. Everyone seems to want to help out...but all I want is to be useful."

"Grant, the way you can be useful, is to wait for the women to do their job and then you can be a father once more." She could not bring herself to tell him what was happening, could not face the truth of it yet. "I need to get back, Grant. I need to be with Vika."

His nodding was almost unconscious. "Of course, of course. I just...I'll wait out here. For news." Turning he sank to the ground. His back against the gate post. He was a good man, he just did not know what to do the same as all the women in the cottage did not know either.

The scene she walked back into was a nightmare. She did not know what she had done in this life time to cause such pain in her heart. Switching with Aislinn once more, the hours passed slowly and in a blur at once.

As the babe finally made its way into the world, it was the blood which would not stop. The bairn's cry caused sighs of joy, the gushing of red caused pangs of hurt. As Nessia tried in vain to stop it. Vika gripped Isla's hand tightly. Urging her closer and closer until she could whisper into her ear.

"I am sorry grandmother." Her voice was barely audible.

"Nay, do not be sorry."

But Vika was already continuing. "Nay I do. I must confess before my soul meets God. All those years ago, I gave some herbs to Larena. And I knew God would punish me for the acts of that day. I knew this was the time, everyone tried to make it seem not. But I killed a life, and therefore God must take mine now." She gasped in air, the women frantic around them.

But Isla was frozen from the confession of her Granddaughter.

"Please forgive me, Grandmother. God may not, and Larena may not, but yours is all I want." The earnestness in her expression tugged at Isla and yet all she could do was shake her head. The pain which tore through Vika was not purely physical, but her colour drained. "I sorry. So sorry."

The bairn's wail took hold in the cottage as the quietness of everyone else settled around her. Standing suddenly, Isla strode to the door. Her own flesh and blood had done such terrible things, where had she gone wrong? Aislinn tried to stop her, but Isla just shrugged her off.

Grant met her as she left, but she need not say anything, only her face told him of events inside. Pushing past her, his agony of sound took hold of Isla's soul and she stumbled against the wall. The pain tingling up and down her left arm. Her breath coming in short sharp gasps. Clutching at her chest, she slid down the wall. Her vision blurring before her, her chest constricting her breathing.

"Isla!" Aislinn's voice in her ear. "Nay, Isla, you will not do this today." There was a commotion around her. "Nessia, here, please."

Yet Isla felt so very tired. And closed her eyes to the blackness beyond.

AN - Next chapter is the sneak peak at the next book in the series.