Battle for Kirk and Home Chapter I

I was running. So hard I had to hurry! If I wasn't careful I would be caught! Its a grand thing I was brought up on the moor. If I hadn't a been I'da been dead right now. Thank ye father God fer your protection! I heard the sound of hoof beats on the moor and dropped into the heather. I stilled my erratically beating heart and slowed my breathing. I was perfectly still before the thought registered that there was danger. I guess that proves my training from birth was second nature now. Just like breathing.

I listened as the hooves stopped about four yards upwind of me. That's good. The horses won't smell me and give me away. It was fast becoming overcast and the horses were becoming restless. I listened again. There were three horses. Two riders. One of them began to speak.

"James, I want you to circle round this area and give it a good once over." his snobby British accent pierced the air and I got goose bumps. "If you find the fugitive tie it to your lead rope and bring it in to the barracks."

He turned and rode off with two of the horses. 'James' stayed still and waited for him to disappear over the hill.

"Tanks be to God he's gone now!" I was surprised when James spoke in an Irish lilt. The Irish didn't like the Brits almost as much as us Scots!

He dismounted and hobbled his horse so it wouldn't run off and started out on foot. I stealthily followed only ten feet behind him. It was good I'd borrowed my brothers trousers. It would be easier to tail him than if i was in a skirt. And anyway, I wanted to see how he would go about this search.

As I tailed him I was observing him. He was tall 6' 4" maybe, he had dark brown almost black hair that had faint red highlights. He was strong. You could tell by how he carried himself he could hike for days.

He climbed to the edge of the cliff and just stood there. I was about ten feet behind him. I didn't understand what he was doing. He was supposed to be trying to find me, but instead he was looking at the view! I decided I'd like to see what would happen if I made myself detectable, so I stood up and stepped on some dry branches so he could hear the sound.

James turned and looked at me. His eyes were green with gold on the edges and fringed with thick lashes. He looked at me with curiosity. "'Tought you'd be followin' me."

I tilted my head in question, " Aye, an did ye now. How would ye have known that then? I ken ye couldnae hear me. I'm quieter than a fox. So how then?"

As I talked he seemed to observe me. I was in a loose brown shirt of my brothers with a leather waist cincher over it. I also wore a pair of my brothers tan trousers and my own knee high soft leather boots the same color as my waist cincher. I had my plaid slung over my shoulder and my dirk at my belt. I also had my bow and a quiver of arrows on my back. I had leather cuffs on my forearms and leather hand guards also. All the leather I wore had scrollwork designs covering the visible surfaces. My auburn hair was pulled back and braided from the top of my head down my back. My large hazel eyes continued to look at him with curiosity.

"I knew you'd follow because it's better ta have te enemy in soight where they can't see you, than ta have the enemy tumble upon you in the heather by luck."

I raised my eyebrow at him and said, "Aye, that be true. But tell me how do ye ken that? The Brits don't ken anything about our ways of living on the moor. So how do ye ken?"

" I grew up in dear old Ireland on the wild lands. My father was a wandering blacksmith and I grew up on the road. He taught me ow to disappear in the grass and heather. And how to track someone and stay out of soight when need be. So tis how I know."

"Answer me this then, why are ye a soldier for tha Brits than?" I demanded.

"I came to Scotland to visit moi fathers sister and got conscripted. I haven't been able to leave." as he said this his eyes became sad.

I felt sorry for him. He seemed kind. I couldn't put him on the same level as the brutes that killed my parents and little sister.

"Well. Are you going to try and take me in then?" I asked.

"No."

I lowered my eyebrows, "No? Why?"

"Because you did noting wrong."

My face softened. "Aye. Thanks then. Won't ye get in trouble?"

"No. He didn't expect me to be able ta foind ya." He smiled.

I grinned back and tipped my imaginary hat and turned away.

"Oi! What's your name ten?"

I looked over my shoulder and said, "Enya." I turned and disappeared over the cliff.