Highland Island (Book 6)

Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Rohesia found herself practically dragged across the way to the two other women waiting nearby. Gilbarta's arm locked with her own as she babbled on about what she would show her and what Rohesia could help out with whilst she was here. Oh what fun it seemed they would have. The men whilst perplexed over their appearance were taking their commanders lead and allowing them into the group. Though with a little suspicion.

Her smile seemed genuine, though Rohesia did not know why. She was as much in the ruse here as them, even if she had no idea why. What the question was for her, was what did this Gilbarta want from them? Was she being too suspicious herself? She needed to take her lead from Sheena, she was already on her way with the commander. Rohesia needed to do her part and make headway with the girls as Sheena charmed, or rather stubbornly showed her skill with the commander.

"Rohesia, meet Moira, her father's Darach." A raising of eyebrows seemed to amuse Moira.

"I know, I don't take after him much do I?" She seemed to have a sunny disposition, but there was a tension underneath the surface that Rohesia probably only saw due to her being in a similar situation.

"And this is Isla." A wave in the other woman's direction. Rohesia had known that she would meet Isla, but whilst Gilbarta was not so shocking in the meeting. Isla was a different situation. The woman was so central to the Clan, was so vibrant and alive, but she was also a wrinkled, old lady with a spine of steel. The woman before her was just a faint ghost of the woman she was to become. There was a strength to her, but she seemed not to realise it fully. As if she was still growing into herself.

The moment passed a little too long as she stared at Isla, but how could she not. The comparisons she made in her mind we staggering. Whilst she could not seem to do the same with Gilbarta, it was as if she had expected to see Gilbarta after all of the information she had given, or chosen not to give. What shocked her the most was that Isla was not who she expected. Gilbarta seemed to be the one in charge here and Rohesia had to wonder what was to happen to change that.

Shaking herself free of her own thoughts, she tried to smile but knew that she had been the one to make the situation awkward. "It is lovely to meet you all. I am sorry," she was still staring at Isla. "You do remind me of someone. It was just a strange moment. I apologise." Isla seemed to take it all in her stride, however, it was a little difficult to pull herself totally out of her dissection of the face before her. Forcing herself to turn, they started to head off at the entire group set to walking. Gilbarta still linking her arm would not let her go far.

Letting the men take a few paces ahead, Gilbarta fell behind Moira and Isla as well, both the women looking back and sharing a look that could only have meaning for friends who knew each other so well. With louder voices than was necessary, Moira and Isla started up a story about a Cook and a missing bag of flour. Gilbarta let them speak for a few minutes before she spoke out of the corner of her mouth in barely a whisper. "You are not really sisters are you?"

Rohesia tried not to look over at Gilbarta, a life time of needing to look at people to hear was not something that was easy to break, and she had no idea how long this would last. One thing she did know, however, was that she needed to speak the truth here, what exactly she had to say was a mystery thanks to Gilbarta herself. But she knew the truth was what was needed. "Nay, we are not." Thinking about where else to go with the tale, Gilbarta surprised her once more.

"Sheena and I go back a long way." The words did not have to be elaborated on for Rohesia to know exactly what Gilbarta was talking about. "And you are too similar not to be related in some way, so my question is, who are you?"

Still facing forward, the pace not exactly slow, more leisurely at this point, the path they followed barely trodden she answered. "Sheena's twin is an ancestor of mine. They ended up in different times and places. I am the daughter of an English Lord. Not that I claim any of that heritage now. I am married to a good man of Clan MacKay. But this is all in your future. Sheena is married to my husband's brother, so we are sisters of sorts now. Even if she is my great, great aunt." It was still so strange to think of that she did not do so often.

Of all that she said she wondered what Gilbarta would ask more information from. The time, what had happened with the MacKay's? But not any of that was mentioned next. "Your English then? I was wondering what was strange about the accent. A word of warning," a quick glance in her direction. "Don't mention that fact at all whilst you are here, you are my cousin from Edinburgh." Rohesia eagerly nodded her understanding.

"What else do I need to know?" Gilbarta was not judging her in anyway, was calm and collected the entire time, as if people dropped out of nowhere on her all the time.

"You sent us here." A slight misstep was the only response to that statement. "You refused to give us all the details, but we do know that we have to help Isla. We do not know the whole story there either. But it has to do with some men in the forest and a man called Donald?" A small nod to show she was correct in what she had said so far.

"So you are answering my prayers for help then?" There was almost relief in her tone, but she squared herself once more. "Or rather, I am answering them by sending you...to me." She shook her head. "I am used to strange, but this one is going to take a while to sink in truly." A quick glance ahead. "Can you do what your ancestor could?"

"It seems that I can, though I do not know all of what she could, I am still finding out what I am capable of. Sheena is the real asset here. She can fight, hunt and heal." She paused a moment, knowing it had to be said aloud, at least to Gilbarta. "I have been deaf for a large part of my life, only recently have I begun to hear mere whispers of sound due to Sheena's help. But upon our travels here, I found I could hear with clarity. Everything seems so loud right now. But I have no idea if it will last. And you did not tell me this would happen at all."

Gilbarta glanced ahead and pulled at their still joined arms to get her moving once more. "So you think you are only the means to get Sheena here and it will be all down to her. You will be of no help at all, and you may even lose your ability to hear, which for you will mean you are what? Even less help?" There was no judgement in her tone, it was more questioning her sanity. Though it was a little hard for her to judge the true meaning of tone again. Some were a lot more obvious than others.

"Sheena is better in things like this than me. And whilst I completely accept myself, as does my husband. I know I am not helpless, I can look after myself and my family. That is not the issue. In a time and place that is not my own, I have no idea what dangers I could bring about. Sheena is the brave one." Rohesia knew her capabilities and whilst she had done some things on her escape to the highlands she had never dreamed herself capable of, Sheena was the one trained for the battle that may be to come.

"You really do not see yourself clearly at all do you?" A soft smile and gentle shake of her head had Rohesia confused. "You have courage and fortitude. I think you take a step back in a lot of situations because you believe you will only hold something back, but actually, I think you will find it different if you step forward. I think you need to try it to see what I mean. And Sheena knows your worth, I can see it. She respects strength, and she respects you. If you told her to do something what would she do?"

Rohesia did not even think about it, "She would follow what I said. She already had on the journey here."

"Well, then. If you trust Sheena's judgement so much. Maybe you should trust her judgement of you and your word." A check of the men and women before them. None were looking back at them. Moira and Isla launching into a new story, this one about a runaway cow.

"How about I let you know what had happened recently in the clan?" Gilbarta shot her a sharp look. "I know if I let loose information on you, it will cause you trouble, and the same goes in reverse. You are members of Clan MacKay and therefore loyal to it. What I tell you may challenge that loyalty. But you are here to save Isla, which tells me you will view our decisions in that light." Not speaking in case she decided to stop herself, Rohesia had to concentrate on her foot falls for a minute before glancing back over. "Aye, whilst the rest of the Clan now would not take lightly to this, I have a feeling Isla has earned her place for you to be here now." She brought her head closer, her voice dropping further. "Here is what I know of what has happened. I have not been present for all, but it is what I know." She proceeded to explain the events that led up to this moment, in as quick and concise way as possible. Aye, Rohesia could tell Gilbarta was not changed much at all from now, except by age.

By the time they stepped out of the forest and an unfamiliar familiar sight was before her, she knew all that had happened. What she also knew was that she and Sheena would have to be very careful about what they did, how they did it. And the actual task they needed to complete...well that was still unclear at this very moment. She just hoped Gilbarta's faith in her was justified.