Borrowed Time

Chapter Nine - A Past Avenged

It was the morning of the third sun rise; the time had come for Circinn to give Zabandos his answer. I was nervous, and my baby could sense it. She began kicking, reminding me she was here.

The village went through its normal morning routine, while Zabandos stood on the bank of the loch across from us, waiting for Circinn's answer.

I was certain he had made his own battle preparations, and began to over think everything that could happen when Circinn told him to go pound sand. They could charge, which we were prepared for, my preferred scenario of events.

Worst case, they could send a volley of arrows over the loch. We hadn't prepared for that, but there really was no way we could have without tipping the enemy off that we were preparing for battle and loaded for bear.

I decided to test Zabandos' tenacity, and walked down to the bank of the Loch to draw water. I knelt down, filling the water buckets with the icy water of the loch. I shivered as the water hit my hand, snow had begun to fall.

Zabandos watched me from across the loch, studying me as I drew water. He whistled, and I stood up to look at him.

He smiled at me, as he noticed how far along in my pregnancy I was. Even the beltless baggy tunics I had taken to wearing didn't cover my growing belly.

"When is my grandchild arriving?" He hollered at me from across the Loch.

I ignored him, and struggled to carry the water buckets back to the animals.

"Daughter! Don't ignore me. I have a right to know." He hollered at me.

His words angered me. I stopped and turned to face him, "I am not your daughter, nor are you in any form my child's grandfather. You are merely the man, the mongrel of Rome, who has come to take my husband away from me."

"He has a duty to Rome, girl. You can come with him, and have your child in comfort, instead of in the dirt like a whelping dog. I long to have my son come back to me, and having a grandchild and new daughter would make me very happy."

I wanted to call him out on his lie; he didn't care about Circinn, let alone me and our child. He was trying to lure me into a false sense of security; I was not one of the ignorant girls he was accustomed to.

"His duty to Rome was over when he was ordered to kill his people. You are here to bring him back for execution or a life of slavery. You will do well not to confuse me with a mindless twit that the Romans have turned your women into. I will not be a slave to anyone, but thank you for your offer."

I picked the buckets back up and walked back to the animal pens.

"Your husband has one hour to give me his answer, do you hear me girl? I look forward to breaking you and teaching you your place."

***

"Don't forget to light the peat." I told Circinn as he led the children and non-combatants back to where my time machine was.

The men had built a stone and timber half wall around it to help shield us from anything that could fly our way. I would be able to use these materials along with the rebar I had made to create a base for the airship. I had planned a floating island for now, just to get us out of this area.

"We are ready. Don't worry, Meryia."

He kissed me one last time before going to give Zabandos his answer.

"What say you, boy?" I heard Zabandos yell from across the loch.

"If I am to die at the Roman's hands, it will not be as a deserter of Rome, but as a freeman of Alba." Circinn said.