Highland Blood

Chapter 13

“My Lady,” Ute protested as I packed my box full of the medicines I’d brought with me from the coven, “the Mormaer wouldn’t want you leaving the castle in your fragile condition.”

“Fragile? What about me is fragile?” I retorted, annoyed, as I pulled out several small bottles and mixed a draft. I then applied some distilled oils to a salve. When I was done, I packaged both up and handed the bundle to Ute. “Take this to the lass, Tira, who Artos nearly had lashed. Tell her but two sips once a day of the draft, but to rub the oils on his chest and feet. If she sees no change in two nights, let me know and I’ll go see the boy.”

“My Lady, you are with child! You will risk the life of your unborn healing these children.”

“No, I won’t. I am learned in such craft, Ute. I know how to handle medicines and sick people.” Epona had taught me well. Now, at last, I had a chance to use my skills. While Gillacoemgain had asked me not to leave the castle, there was no way he expected me to sit at home for months on end. Surely, he would understand. I hoped.

I finished packing my boxes and then headed outside where a small guard, and the farmer, waited.

“We’ll escort you, Lady Gruoch,” one of the soldiers said. He was an older man, one of the more regular guards I saw roaming about the castle.

“Thank you, though I hardly expect trouble during an impromptu trip. But thank you, all the same.”

“The Mormaer would have our skin if anything happened to you. He might have it anyway knowing we let you out of the castle,” the man replied.

“Your name, sir?”

“Standish.”

“Well, you can just tell the Mormaer there was no stopping me. That would be the truth,” I said, winking at him. I then turned to James, the farmer who’d spoken up. “May I ride with you?”

Bemused, he smiled. “Of course, My Lady.”

After I settled into the bench alongside the farmer, we headed out. Thora, who’d been playing with one of the stable boys, caught sight of me. Leaving the stick she’d been chasing behind, she ran to catch up.

“Almost missed an adventure,” I told her.

She barked at me.

I looked back at the boy in the yard. I’d seen the lad a few times now. He was the one who’d lured Thora away at the wedding. I’d need to make an effort to seek out this child who’d won Thora’s heart. I waved to him.

Grinning, the child waved back then ran off.

“You said you were waiting to have a case heard?” I asked James as we rode.

“I’m rather glad it’s your ear I have on the matter, Lady Gruoch,” he told me then. “My problem is one of matrimony. I want to wed the daughter of my neighbor, but he won’t give her up without more of a bride price than I can afford to give. She’s not his only child. He’s got five daughters. I could win any other bride for a better price, but my heart won’t have it. I love the girl.”

“Then I shall speak to this man in exchange for your time today.”

James laughed. “Old Douglas, what’s he going to say to the King’s niece?”

“Let’s hope he says yes.”

At that, James laughed.

We rode from Cawdor Castle a short distance toward the little village of Nairn on the Moray Firth. The sky was bright blue colored, stray clouds drifting overhead. The weather was warm. We rode for a while when the farmer guided his cart toward a small farmhouse. The little white building, the roof made of thatch, sat in a lush green field.

“There are three children here who have the fever, assuming they are still alive,” James said, directing his cart toward the house.

A woman stepped outside the little cottage, wiping her hands on her long skirts. We stopped just before the door. She eyed the Moray men suspiciously.

“Afternoon, Flora,” James said as he pulled the wagon to a stop. He got out then turned and offered me his hand.

“And what’s this all about? Are those…are those the Mormaer’s men?”

“They are,” James answered, “and this is the Lady of Moray.”

“You’ve brought the Lady of Moray to my house?” the woman said, and I could tell by the expression on her face that she hadn’t really meant to say it out loud. “My Lady,” she said, curtseying to me.

“Please,” I replied, reaching out to take her by the elbow. “James says your children have taken ill with fever. I thought I could help.”

“You, My Lady?”

“I have some skill with herbcraft,” I replied.

“Please come in,” she told me and led me inside the little house.

I turned to the soldiers. “I’ll call if I need you.”

They shifted uncomfortably but said nothing.

Within, the place was over warm and smelled of the animals who shared the home. The air felt sticky. From the back of the house, I heard a small cough. I followed the woman who led me to the back where three children lay on pallets. Each looked deathly pale. The smallest, a little girl, coughed miserably. At once I knew she had an infection in her chest.

“May I?” I asked, kneeling down beside the little girl.

Flora nodded.

“Well, now, little lass,” I said, sitting beside the girl. She had hair the color of straw and wide blue eyes. Her brothers looked wide-eyed at me from their bed nearby. “Sounds like you swallowed a frog. Have you? Did your brothers slip a frog into your broth?” I asked her.

Despite themselves, all three children giggled.

“It hurts when I swallow,” the little girl said.

“Me too,” one of her brothers added.

I set my hand on her forehead. She was hot with fever. “Let me see inside that throat,” I told her.

The girl opened her mouth wide. Inside, I saw red sores inside her mouth trailing down to her throat.

“May I?” I asked, pulling her blankets aside. “I want to see your feet.”

She nodded.

As I expected, I saw her feet were covered with blisters, as were her hands.

“Hmm,” I noised, nodding thoughtfully then shifted to look at the boys. “Now, the two of you,” I told them, finding them in the same condition as their sister.

“Tell me, do you children mind your mother well?” I asked them.

They all nodded.

“If I give her something for you to drink, even though it tastes like sour stump water, will you drink it?”

They grimaced but nodded.

I turned to Flora. “Air the place out and change their bedding. Then I want you to give them each a draft,” I said, opening the box I’d brought with me. I mixed several herbs, including lemon balm, peppermint, and other helpful ingredients, then handed it to her. “Brew the herbs into a draft and give it to them, each from their own cup, twice a day,” I said. I then handed her an oil mixture. “This is for their hands and feet. Be sure you wash your hands with hot water between using it on each child. Send word to Cawdor if you see no improvement in two days.”

“To Cawdor?” the little girl asked.

“This is the Lady of Moray,” her mother informed her.

“Are you really?” the girl asked, her eyes going wide.

I nodded. “I heard the three of you were not feeling well. I came to see you.”

The children smiled excitedly. “Really?” the little girl asked.

I smiled at her. “Now promise me you’ll drink the draft? No complaints?”

“We’ll do it, My Lady.”

I smiled. “Very well,” I said, then rose to go.

“Thank…thank you, Lady Gruoch,” Flora told me.

I nodded to her then headed back outside. With a smile, James helped me back into the wagon.

“James MacNess, by the Great Mother, thank you for bringing our lady here,” Flora told him.

My escort smiled. “She insisted.”

I waved to Flora, and we set off once more. I was careful to clean my hands as Epona instructed me as we rode. The last thing I wanted was to spread an illness that seemed to have a mind of its own.

We rode then into the little village of Nairn. Since most people lived on nearby farms, Nairn was not much more than a marketplace and a few scattered houses. Many people, however, were gathered near the center well when we arrived. Gillacoemgain’s soldiers, I noted, were met with suspicion.

I gazed out at the Moray Firth, the expansive body of water nearby. A sweet wind whipped off the dark blue water. The air felt warm and fresh. After a bit, James had collected many parents and elders. I went at once to meet with them, listening to them describe the same symptoms Flora’s children were afflicted with. And once more, I dispensed the same medicines and advice. I could see in their eyes, that the people of Moray were both surprised and grateful. And finally, I felt like I was doing the Lady’s work.

I was packing up my boxes when a woman in the crowd approached me.

“You’re Boite’s daughter,” she said.

I smiled at the old woman. She was bent, white-haired, and far advanced in age. She reminded me of Andraste. “Yes, Mother,” I told her.

The old woman eyed me curiously. “You’re with child,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “Looks like my knot magic worked.”

“Knot magic?” I looked at her closely. She had an air of magic about her.

“In your wedding gown. It was me who sewed it for you. The magic is in the stitches,” she said, but then added, “but of course you know about such things.”

“I do. And, yes, I am with child.”

The woman leaned against the center well and nodded thoughtfully. “I’ve seen you in the cauldron,” she told me then.

“Have you?”

“You, but not you. I’ve seen the raven.”

I stilled. I cast a glance at James and the soldiers. Busy with the villagers, they had not heard. “And what was the raven doing?”

“What the raven does so well. Let it loose,” she said, “when the time comes.” She gazed at my belly. “Twins.”

I nodded, wondering how much more she knew.

She laughed. “Be well, daughter of Boite. Moray is your home now. You are welcome amongst her people,” she said then wandered off.

It was then that James gently took my arm. “My Lady of Moray, there is a gentleman here I’d like you to meet. An acquaintance of mine had come to market in search of a new horse. Perhaps you’d like to meet Douglas?”

I grinned. “Lead the way.”

As I walked through the busy market, the people of Moray smiled and stopped to thank me. My heart filled with joy.

James then led me to a horse fair. Six horses were up for bid.

“Which is he?” I whispered to James.

“Black hair. Long beard.”

I motioned to Standish who joined me.

“Do you carry any coin?”

At first, he looked surprised then he laughed. “Have your eye on something, Lady Gruoch?”

“In a way.”

“I do.”

“May I borrow it?”

Standish handed me his coin pouch. I went amongst the horses and inspected them all, settling on the best colt offered that day. There was no doubt Douglas had also noticed the horse, but he was angling for something cheap.

“You there,” I said, calling to Douglas. “What do you think of this colt?”

Douglas, who’d been lost in thought, turned and looked at me. I realized then he was noticing me for the first time. The farmer next to him leaned into his ear and whispered something. I saw his eyes go wide.

“My Lady,” he said awkwardly. “Finest beast amongst the bunch,” he said then smiled, pleased I’d asked his opinion.

The horse trader eyed me skeptically, but catching sight of James, the expression on his face told me he suspected the ruse.

“I’ll take him,” I told the horse trader then turned to Douglas. “A bride token for a friend. He wishes to wed his neighbor’s daughter. Do you think the horse is enough?”

Douglas stroked his beard. “Depends. How many daughters does the man have?”

I could see he still had not caught on to my game. The horse trader handed the colt’s lead to me.

“Five,” I replied.

“Oh yes, that and a few sheep or goats would do.”

“A fair trade, you think?” I asked Douglas.

He nodded.

I motioned to James. “Master Douglas has agreed to the deal. Here you are, sir,” I said, handing the lead to Douglas. “I’ll have the sheep sent from Cawdor this afternoon. When can James expect your daughter?”

Douglas looked from James to me then to the colt and back to me again. He laughed out loud. “The Lady of Moray has outwitted me, lads,” he called to his friends who laughed good-naturedly. “Come for dinner tonight, lad,” he told James. “We’ll settle the matter then and you can tell me how you got the Mormaer’s wife to bargain on your behalf.”

“Thank you, Douglas,” James said then bowed to me.

“I’ll ride back with my men,” I told him. “Why don’t you head home and get your house ready for your bride.”

James laughed. “Our first daughter will be named Gruoch, I promise you, Lady.”

“Oh, please don’t. Name her Emer for my mother.”

James bowed.

I turned to Standish. “I’m ready. Mind if I ride with you?”

Chuckling, he shook his head. “I’m ready when you are.”

With that, I mounted behind Standish then left the small village of Nairn, pleased that I had done the Lady’s work.