A Highlander's Promise

The Start of Something New

Caitir was pressured for help. The floors need to be washed, the guest bedchambers prepared, and the food and supplies that were to be delivered from the town needed to be organized once they arrived. The equipment for the games had to be brought in from the village, as well as the musicians.

She wasn't sure if they would be ready in time and in this age, who knew exactly when they would arrive? If the guests arrived late or early, Caitir needed the house to be prepared beforehand.

So when Caitir saw Ceana in the hallways she asked her daughter to get the sheets from Beathag and start airing out the guest bedchambers. She didn't notice that Leora was trailing behind her, so when Caitir left, the two went to work together on the chores.

They went through all the room, carrying each a basket. Leora looked at the linens in Ceana's basket and then at her own.

"What are these?" She asked as she inhaled their succulent floral scent.

"Dried up flower satchels," Ceana explained. "We're going to place a few in each room and open the windows so that they will smell nice. We haven't had guests in a while so they haven't been used."

"Oh, I see," Leora said as she placed a satchel on the dresser next to the pile of linens Ceana had just set down.

Like potpourri, how cute!

"Ceana, these are just adorable! Do you know how to make these?" Leora asked constantly sniffing the basket, "I really would like some for my room or even to wear."

"Of course I do, however, spring is practically over so we might not have such a variety in smell," Ceana replied. "I'll take you out to the nearby grove or maybe even near the pond in the forest. There are some really nice ones there."

"Alright," Leora said as she smiled. They were going to actually do something together other than sewing. A rush of excitement came over her at the fact that there was progress in their relationship. Then a temptation of adventure fluttered within her body.

Going to somewhere with lots of green meant taking a horse, right?

Leora has only ever ridden a pony when she was, maybe seven? Sure, they didn't have cars around here, but riding a horse was really all she was looking forward to just to get out of this castle. The last time she was on a horse brought her very distasteful memories of being covered in dirt and tied behind MacLachlans' men. But she decided to give it another chance and put the past in the past.

"I think that's enough rooms for now," Ceana said as she set down her empty basket, "Beathag has to wash some more linens."

"Ceana, can I ask you something?" Leora said as she put her basket aside and she headed down the hall beside the MacAlister girl. "Your uncle is the Laird of the clan, correct?"

"Yes."

"Isn't the Laird the ruler of the whole territory? The highest in command?"

"Yes," Ceana said, not understanding where Leora was going with this. "All the Lairds serve under the King."

Is she trying to uncover a secret about MacAlister?

"A Scottish king or an English King?" Leora asked, hoping the answer would give her a clue about what time period it was.

"Scottish of course!" Ceana replied as if there was no other answer possible. "But the King is currently imprisoned in England."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear," Leora said apologetically. She wasn't quite sure how to respond to that and she didn't know when this King she spoke of lived. She turned to Ceana who wore a stare full of disbelief.