The Highlander

Chapter Five

 Rosaline

Ares was restless and tired. He had started to slow, meaning the whole clan was now moving along at a slow pace. I could tell Finlay was annoyed by this yet he still rode on. The light was starting to slowly fall from the sky, yet it was still bright.

We had travelled for nearly a week now. I didn't know if it was five says or six or even seven. I tried to count the days and nights but the confusion of being in a new place, a new time. Every night Graham or Finlay prepared me a place to sleep, a blanket to lie on and one to wrap around me. I always slept within feet of one of them beneath the night sky, the warmth of the air snaking around me and luring me into a soft, deep sleep.

When we set off the morning was bright and light, I only hoped that the weather would stay pleasing throughout the day of riding and that we would we would reach out destination soon. I had never rode a horse before and the jolting and straining of my legs caused immense pain whenever I tried to walk or sit an hour or so after riding.

I didn't know what time it was but was afraid to ask. We had been riding for a few handful of hours and I was starting to get tired but didn't want to look like a child asking to be put to bed at six o'clock. I really should have learned how to tell the time from the sun.

Ares, one of the strongest horses I had seen, was starting to tumble slightly on his feet. We were in rocky terrain and many horses had already fallen over multiple times, neighing out in pain and anger. Yet Ares was determined to carry on, through the hours of rain and torment and rocks and mud. He stormed through whatever was in his path, determined to carry his leader and myself.

The rain had started not long after we set off, the morning sun a horrible joke making us think the journey would be pleasant and joyous. While tracking through a mountain side road a large mud slide suddenly attacked, sending some warriors and their horses to the floor. One horse was so badly injured, after being hit by falling rocks, that the only loving thing to do was to send it to sleep.

I turned my head as I couldn't watch. I felt Finlay's reassuring and comforting hand on my back. Finlay said we were going to war, yet innocent lives were already being taken.

We had to turn down a different route, one filled with more rocks and uneven paths and my nerves grew.

When Ares took a sudden sharp tumble, jerking forward before restabilising, I was shocked into the sudden fear of falling and flinched backwards, crashing my back into Finlay's chest, hard. Finlay seemed caught off guard and to stop himself and me from falling he gripped my thighs hard, holding us in place.

I gasped, not in shock of falling, but in shock of the contact between me and Finlay. I could feel his erratic heart beating, pounding my back. His breathing was fast and deep, blowing the hair around my right ear.

His hands seemed to tighten on my thighs, on the verge of pain before he released them, drawing then back to the reigns that lay in my lap. His sudden action caused the already high skirt to travel higher, showing the middle of my thigh. All the riding had caused my skirt to travel up my legs and I was too nervous and scared to disturb Finlay, moving my arms out of his, to move it down.

"We stop for the night. Conall," a strong looking warrior rode to out side in a flash, "take Blair and scout ahead for some place to rest." The skin headed warrior nodded once before riding ahead. A young boy following shortly.

"Who is Blair?" I asked as he rode by. I recognised his face, but couldn't think of why. Finlay dropped the reigns and jumped off Ares and onto the sodden, muddy floor. I wrinkled my nose at the thought of stepping on it.

"He was the boy who saved you from the fire." Finlay said, his back turned to me as he fell to the floor. Before I could answer Finlay turned to look up at me.