Highland Dream (Book 1)

Chapter 23

Does contain information about children swapped at birth. due to historic gender reasons. please be aware.

Chapter 23

Aislinn felt like she was dying. The only thing she knew that was real, was that Camdyn, somehow, was with her. There was no way to get back, there was no way to escape, but Camdyn was keeping her sane as she struggled to breath in a world that was lacking in air. She was right on the edge. She needed to ask for help but couldn’t get the words out. Never had she felt this hopeless, the helpless and so out of control. She couldn’t take in air, she panicked, there was not more she could take. The air around her grew heavy, weighing her down. Her vision went patchy, the twisting, turning colours growing dim before her.

As the colours grew dim, and tiny lights exploded in front of her, finally focus came with her visions. A new world appeared around her. She could breathe again. Rain fell upon her, hitting her face, washing away the fear she had felt only moments ago. The vision she recognised, she had seen this before, only this time she was on the outside looking in. The lightening, the castle, the feeling of betrayal.

The castle, she was startled to realise, was MacKay Keep. Now she had seen it for herself this was unimaginable. What was this she was being shown? Why here? Why when she had just become aquatinted with these good people?

As for who she had been the last time she was here, that was obvious when see turned fully towards the Keep. The woman was slowly making her way up the incline before Aislinn. She could feel the waves of betrayal radiating out from the poor woman before her. The utter weight of the feeling brought Aislinn to her knees. How this woman managed to continue forward showed her utter strength of will.

But, this woman was not alone. The anguish this woman felt was directed over the item within her arms. An infant, barely hours old. Silent tears streamed down the woman’s face. She tried to protect the child, even as her feelings rebelled against her. If Aislinn were to guess, it would have been that the woman had lost a child, but the one in her arms was alive and most definitely healthy, of that she was sure. The confusion Aislinn felt only added to the chaotic mix of feelings, swirling around her.

The woman passed as silently as shed expressed her emotions. The infant she held close seemed to sense the need to stay quite. Aislinn had never had a vision quite like this. She knew things about these people, almost as if she had been here before. She knew the child she saw was not the woman’s. But, she also knew that woman had given birth not to long before. Why would a mother have left her child and be leaving the Keep with another?

A Girl!

The baby before her was a girl. That was the reason, this woman had had a boy. The boy was needed, where a girl would not be tolerated. This girl was been taken from where she should be, for a boy to take her rightful place. Aislinn felt terrible sorrow for her. Such a tiny being, and already this world had been unutterably cold and unfeeling. This girl had been abandoned by those who should love and protect her, because she was not the correct gender. She was not good enough to belong, so passed off in exchange for another.

The utter inhumanity of the situation, but also understanding, beat together inside of Aislinn as the woman held herself against a tree from support. This woman had given her child, and taken another in exchange but her emotions could not be silenced. She could not keep the child in her arms without remembering the child she had freely given. Aislinn understood the need for a boy in this society. The men did the hard labour, the fought for the people, kept the people safe and fed and sheltered. The women kept house, and produced more boys. Girls were throw away commodities to be bought and sold as needed through marriage. Those of noble birth having a much harder time of it. Married to suit their fathers’ treaties. At least those of lower class could marry among their own class, free to love if they so choose.

That child had already learnt her place in this world, at the moment of her birth. Had her mother the same regrets as this woman? Had she thought about this girl as the boy she now claimed grew? Did that woman ever know that her child had been swapped, had the midwife done such a thing without the mother’s knowledge?

Where ever this woman was headed, Aislinn knew she would not bring up this child. The child would go to others. She just hoped they were kinder to her than her own family had been. As the final thought passed through her head Aislinn was dragged down into blackness. Unable to move, but alive, and surrounded by warmth. Exhaustion took over and blackness was taken over by nothingness.

Isla walked out into the corridor. Unsure whether Aislinn would survive the night, but they had done all they could for her now. Leaning against the wall she waited for the room to clear from behind her.

Hamish soon joined her. He had not left the room, had been there for Aislinn as much as for Camdyn. He was silent, much the same for him, but he had been different with Aislinn. More ‘alive’ around her than she had seen him in at least two years. Whatever had happened to him he would not speak of. She now feared that if Aislinn did not make it, not only would they lose Camdyn but Hamish, his second, as well.

“I will stand guard Isla. Go. If you are needed, I will make sure you are called for.” Without looking at her, he made sure the room was empty save for Aislinn and Cam and closed the door firmly, before standing resolutely before it. As unmoveable as stone.

Isla did not argue. She knew this man better than that. Would give him the space he needed to do what he felt he must. She did not want to leave, but knew there was nothing more she could do. With a final promise to return at day break, she left, thoughts heavy and feet dragging.