Highland Island (Book 6)

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Waking as if from a terrible nightmare, into the bright light of day. Relief washing over her, it was as if a weight had been taken from her chest and tossed aside. Her head, whilst a little tender, had stopped hammering through her skull at least. It was the calm after the most horrendous of storms, all she had to do was bask a little in the light upon her now. Puffing out a breath, back arching as she stretched, spine popping and her shoulder cracking. She let her eyes blink slowly open as she fought the light making its way joyfully into the room. Settling back down upon the comfortable ticking once more, she reached up to rub gently against the scabbed mark upon her temple. A stabbing pain was short lived as it almost immediately became a dull thud.

Pushing her way up onto her elbows, Isla let her head hang back a little, before she finally finished sitting up. The soft blanket falling to pool in her lap as she rubbed sleepily at her face, being careful to avoid the sore areas. Hearing movement in the room, she glanced to a large, hand carved chair in the corner. Gilbarta sat slumped in the chair, a slight puff of sleep escaping her on each breath. Not calling out, letting her friend sleep even if the position she was in was not going to cause a joyous awakening in her joints, Isla made her way slowly and rather squeakily towards the edge of the bed. Her feet finally swinging down onto the cold stone flooring. The flagging seeping all the warmth from the soles of her feet as she pushed to stand wobbly for a moment, before her brain decided to take over and she could walk on even footing to the water bowl upon its stand on the wall with the door.

The water has obvious never been warm and woke her up vigorously. The shock of the cold water hitting her face widening her eyes and washing away the cobwebs from the corners of her mind. Reaching for a rough drying cloth it was with a rather familiar feel, like she was back to normal after a night of actions which now made her a traitor. Leaning the heels of her hands upon the wash stand, she dropped her head forward, closing her eyes and centring her mind against the truth of what she had done. Knowing she had to keep this secret for the rest of her life was a weight which settled slowly, but surely, over her shoulders and around her neck. A weight she knew instinctively she would have to get used too, the guilt if she managed to keep it secret from the clan would then be between her and God upon their meeting.

At a slight shuffle behind her, she glanced back to find herself locking gazes with Gilbarta. Both of them just stared for a pensive moment, before Isla pushed back from the wash stand and went to sit in the chair angled towards the one her friend currently occupied. With a furtive look to make sure they were alone in the room she began to speak.

"What have we done Gilbarta?" Her words still whispered even with them being completely alone, before she dropped her head into her hands, hiding her face from view.

"What was needed to be done, Isla. We made sure that the clan was safe, even if we are not fully so yet." The tightness to her voice was most obvious. Gilbarta did not like the actions of last night either. But the bloodshed had been kept to a minimum. The only blood she knew that had been shed in the escape was in fact her own when she had been hit over the head to cover up for their actions. In less than a whisper her last words floated to her in a solemn cloud. "But what I have done to us? That I cannot see or feel."

"It will be what it will be. I am afraid that nothing can change the road of fate now." Isla huffed a laugh before her next words burst forth. "Only next time remind me to have Moira hit me over the head. You have a mean arm about you." The giggle was short lived, but had at least released the tension a little.

Isla leaned her elbows on her knees, her head in her cupped hands. "So," she waited until eye contact had been achieved. "What do we do now?"

Gilbarta leaned back, head titled to look up at the beamed ceiling. "Well, your mother will be back soon, she told me to sit with you as she sorted some things out below. I have not slept this night, keeping vigil over you to make sure I had not inadvertently killed you." A wry smile. "She needed to speak with your father and Uncle." A yawn punctuating her words. "So, until your mother returns, we rest a little more before we go for a walk."

"A walk?" The question brought an answer in a swirl of fog. The memory pulling itself free to show her the promise that she had made. The face of the person she would be meeting floating before her closed eyes. That was when she realised she had closed them, snapping them open she let her gaze roam around the room once more. "You seriously think that we will be able to get out there and walk alone, after last night?"

"Aye, I believe we can, we just have to convince your mother that it is right for your health." A wry smile between them both. "Your mother can convince anyone of anything. If she wants this for you, it will happen. She convinced Cook to give you a day off work did she not." The statement spoke volumes in and of itself.

"Hmm, but we have to convince her of it first. If you think I can get out of her sight today then we may have a mission on our hands." Settling back again she let her nostrils flare as she breathed deeply out, until her lungs felt empty and each new breath was cleansing her soul. Her prayers being sent heavenward over her actions, hoping that God above would forgive her actions against her clan. Though he had to be on her side when it came to saving a life, surely. Closing her eyes she let her mind wander around in a circle as she started to doze off a little.

The sharp scrape of the solid wooden door upon the flagstones grated on Isla's nerves as she jolted upright. The peace shattered she stared at the darker side of the room as her mother stepped through looking as if she was trying to keep quiet. Which usually meant even more noise would be forth coming. A double take from her mother had the woman straightening her shoulders and bustling in all the louder, if that was possible.

"Well, now, I see you are up and about. Good. That's good." Coming towards her, the woman was a force to be reckoned with. Gilbarta had stirred next to her also. Using the disruption of Isla's mother, Gilbarta stood and went herself to the wash stand. Isla felt like she needed the cold splash of water to clear her mind in the face of her mother.

"Well, seen as your up, some people will be wishing to talk with you about the happenings of last night." Isla opened her mouth to respond, thought she did not know what she would say. Her mother forged on regardless. "Now, I think that man a foolish dolt if he believes you can add anything to what was said. The brutes gave you a bump on the head and knocked you clean out. So I say, we leave for the cottage and I can fend them off from our own little Keep." A twinkle in her mother's eye. "What do you say, Isla? How about we barricade ourselves in?"

The humour was a welcome respite. "But what about Father?" A small smile taking over at the jesting.

"I am sure that he can look after himself. He went to defend your honour last night. And so this morn he finds himself asleep, in said cottage" Smirking at each other, Isla reached out and allowed her mother to help her to her feet.

"I'm alright, I promise, you've always said I have a thick skull. Now you have proof." She thanked Gilbarta as she appeared as if from nowhere with a thick shawl to place around her shoulders. She took her friends hand in her own and squeezed her fingers. "Will you come with me to the barricades, Gilbarta?" A nod was her answer, and slowly they made their way, with the stealth of trained guards to the village and her small cottage with attracting the attention of those she did not wish to see as of yet.