Borrowed Time

Chapter Eight - A Harmless Distraction

It had taken up until the night of the second sun rise to complete all the piping, stakes and parts for the pumps. I had begun to craft the rebar that would make the base of the airship until I could get back to my world and have a larger supply of technology. I was certain I could craft it to carry every villager here, but wasn't certain if it would also travel through time.

Through my study, I knew that the Romans never went to the farthest highlands of Scotland, so if the time travel was an utter failure, I could hide my new family there. The horrid snow and ice would be better than leaving them to fend off the Roman's ire.

The weavers had made plenty of woolen cloth, which would be used to augment the silk from the Roman's uniforms. I knew from experience woolen cloth was not aerodynamic on its own, and the silk would be needed in abundance. I sat down in front of the fire pit close to the loch.

I could see Zabandos, keeping his watch on the bank of the loch across from us, and the more I looked at him, the more I looked forward to seeing him die. I had never felt as much hate for anyone as I did for this man. It wasn't a Christian thing to do, but I think God would forgive me this sin.

My thoughts were interrupted as Circinn approached me, carrying my dinner. I had missed him the last day and a half, as I was used to him being close enough to see. We had been so busy preparing for our battle that we had been miles apart, so it seemed. We sat together, watching Zabandos watching us.

"You think he ever wonders if you are happy or not?" I asked.

"I am sure he doesn't care, nor do I care what he thinks."

"The Romans must think that he would be able to sway you back, considering you share a lineage with him. As if blood is what makes a man a father."

"I have a father, and it is not Zabandos. Like Aifric said, the Romans are stupid." He smiled at me. "I like to believe that, but I know it isn't true. They haven't conquered the world by being stupid."

I put my plate down and held his hand. He leaned over to kiss me.

"What Aifric said about them executing you for desertion, is that true? Is that why they have come?" I asked.

"Eat; I don't want you or our baby sick."

He ignored my question, and I didn't push the issue. His changing of the subject gave me the answer I needed.

"I am more tired than I am hungry. I feel like I could sleep for a century." I said.

"I should take you to bed." He kissed me again.

"Soon, if he's watching us, he won't be paying attention to our warriors moving to his rear or flanks."

"You are wise, wife. "

"Of course I am, that's why you married me, that and the fact that I am mostly harmless."

"Yes, mostly, but overly smart. Your intelligence would make me fear you if you weren't on my side."

"That's only because you have seen how my mind works. When you first met me, you thought I was just some poor lost Roman girl."

"I knew you weren't a Caledoni, you were dressed weird and had funny hair, so there was no other option of what you could be, except an alien who had fallen from the heavens."

"I had forgotten what color my hair really was."

I pulled it out of the braid, to look at it. My hair had grown like a weed on my head since I had become pregnant. The ends were still sky-blue, but the roots and mid length were auburn.

"I have my mother's hair."

"You should give it back to her someday when you return to America." He smirked at me.

Circinn made me laugh something I never had seen my father do with my mother. They seemed to just co-exist with each other, barely talking. I wondered if they had noticed my absence yet. I had been gone for over six months. They probably figured I didn't need anything, and they rarely stopped by my apartment.

My mind began to wander to other things that could be if I left this world. I was familiar with the good and bad of time travel. I could go home, and I would still be pregnant, and I would have memory of the people here.

I could arrive precisely when I left, and have no memory of my time here, or Circinn. Worst yet, everyone I took back with me could slowly die, disappearing into dust on arrival, and I would lose my baby.

I could arrive without them, and retain all the memories of my husband and child that should have been. The thought of losing either of them scared me. I had the start of the family I never knew I had wanted. I loved my husband, and as our child grew, I had fallen deeply in love with her too.

I forced myself to shove my tears aside. With Circinn facing desertion charges from the Romans, and a battle soon to start, I didn't want to worry him any more than I knew he already was.

I clutched him, pulling him closer to me, the thought of losing him still at the forefront of my mind. I felt secure with the fact that we had done our night's fishing; the trap in the lake was set and ready to go. Our warriors had made it across the loch unseen, and were getting into position.

"Let's go to bed." I kissed him. He helped me to my feet and we went into the crannog.

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