Highlander's Winter Tale (7 page)

Cree turned after closing the door to find his wife right there in front of him, a questioning look on her face. “We will sit and I will tell you everything.”

That he suggested they sit frightened her all the more, for it meant the news would leave her limbs too weak to stand.

Cree placed his hand to her back and eased her over to the chairs in front of the hearth. He saw the fear in her dark eyes and he worried that it would grow once he told her all. Terror was already growing amongst those in the keep, the warriors who had kept a keen ear outside the door of the tower room as Cree and Alexander spoke had been quick to spread the word...there was no stopping the evil man of Winter Tale.

Dawn urged him to speak, anxious to hear what he had to say, yet frightened at what she would hear.

Cree explained it all and Dawn asked a question she feared her husband could not answer.

“How do we defend against him is the question I keep asking myself and one I intend to find an answer to. Though time is of the essence, for he will continue to toy, frighten, and influence us and take great pleasure in doing so.” He reached out and took hold of her hand, lacing his fingers with hers, feeling their warmth, their softness, and their strength. “There is something I have not told you.”

Dawn titled her head in question, worried over what he would say.

“Alexander says you will surrender to him, for he can give you something that I could never give you.”

Dawn shook her head and gestured.

Though her gestures were quick, they were clear to Cree. “I have given you everything you have ever wanted.”

She nodded and smiled.

Cree waited a moment before he spoke again. “He says he will give you a voice.” He felt his heart swell when without hesitation he spoke her response aloud. “You already have a voice. I helped you find it and allowed it to grow strong. Alexander has nothing to offer you that you would want.”

She nodded vigorously, then frowned, pointed at him, and tapped her temple.

“Of course I already knew that, but I wanted to hear you say it.”

Dawn got up from her seat and moved to sit on her husband’s lap, her arms going around his neck and her lips settling gently on his in a kiss. She loved him so very much, for he truly had helped her to find her voice and have it heard, and she was grateful every day for him and the love they so generously shared.

After a tender exchange, Cree tightened his arm that rested at her waist. “I will see this done. I will destroy him.”

A sudden burst of laughter filled the room, sending a shiver through Dawn and rushing anger through Cree.

“You heard that?” Cree asked.

Dawn nodded and patted his chest.

“Aye, I heard it as well and I believe I heard him once before in our bedchamber.”

Though, Old Mary had warned her against telling Cree how Alexander could hear her thoughts, she felt now was the time for him to know. She explained it all to him, even Old Mary’s warning of telling him for fear the clan would think their chieftain possessed by evil.

“I am glad you told me. We will need to be vigilant of our thoughts and though it is not something I would have ever thought to say to you...you must not think before you speak.”

Dawn nodded with a smile.

Cree kissed her softly, then whispered, “I am going to make that bastard suffer for what he has done.”

A heavy pounding at the door startled them both.

“Cree, hurry you are needed in the Great Hall,” Sloan shouted.

Dawn hurried off her husband’s lap and followed him to the door.

Cree threw it open to find Sloan pacing in front of it. He stopped and shook his head. “Madness has struck the Great Hall.”

Dawn hurried along after her husband and was shocked to see all those in the Great Hall arguing with each other. Not one of them stopped or acknowledged Cree’s entrance. They continued to squabble among themselves, some even shoving one another.

Cree stepped up on the dais, behind the table, and his strong voice thundered throughout the room when he shouted, “Silence!”

The Great Hall turned silent instantly and wide, frightened eyes turned on Cree.

His angry, strong voice boomed throughout the hall. “I will not tolerate foolishness. Behave properly or I will see every one of you punished.” His fist came down on the table with a mighty blow and it sounded as if the wood cracked. “I rule here and you will obey me or suffer a far worse fate than the one you believe has been delivered upon you.”

Dawn watched their frightened yet hopeful faces. They wanted to believe that Cree would keep them safe and rid them of the evil that had descended upon them, but they also feared the evil too strong for Cree to defeat.

“You will all busy yourselves in tending the ill and helping the servants who have tended to your needs since this has begun.” His fist came down on the table again. “Do not make me return here again or you all will regret it.” Cree turned to Sloan. “Have Flanna see this done, and then meet me in my solar.”

Sloan bobbed his head and Cree walked out of the hall, talking his wife’s hand as he went. They returned to his solar and once he entered, he went and poured himself a tankard of ale. He raised it to his lips, though it never touched them. He slammed the tankard down hard on the sideboard, the ale spilling over the sides.

“What am I failing to see?” he said angrily.

Old Mary had said the same. What were they all failing to see? Something in the curse or the tale itself? And why had Alexander said that when the snow melts all that was Cree’s would belong to him when he would once again disappear...or would he?

Dawn did as her mum’s words had reminded. She stripped away the nonsense and was left with one burning question. Why did evil follow Alexander? No evil-doing was mentioned in the curse. On the contrary, love was to seal his fate. He would find no peace or rest until then.

A knock sounded before Sloan entered and Dawn took her leave, letting Cree know that she was going to see how Old Mary fared.

“Keep me apprised of your whereabouts,” he reminded.

She sent him a nod as she walked out the door, and then hurried up the stairs and prayed that Old Mary was awake. She was disappointed to find the old woman still slept.

“She had not stirred since you left,” Bessa said.

Dawn walked over to Neil and pointed to Elsa.

“She rests comfortably, though I worry she will not wake.”

Dawn shook her head and wagged her finger, reminding him that he should not think that way.

“It took me a long time to find a woman I could love and I do so love Elsa.”

Dawn gestured slowly to Neil, urging him to have faith.

Neil nodded. “She is a strong woman. Even when they accused her of being a witch she had remained strong and tried to make them see reason. But fear has no room for reason. Not even when she held a talisman in her hand that repels witches did they believe her.”

Elsa stirred and Neil was right there to assure her all would be well, though he was not sure of his own words.

Dawn left them alone after telling Neil if Cree came looking for her that she went to speak with Flanna and hurried down the stairs to the Great Hall. It was calmer than before and everyone was busy. No doubt due to Flanna who stood in the middle of the room issuing orders as sharply as Cree. Dawn waved her over and Flanna directed one of the warriors to take her place. His voice boomed as strongly as hers had.

“You need something?” Flanna asked.

Dawn nodded and gestured.

“Aye, I have both talismans with me,” Flanna said, patting the pouch hanging from the belt at her waist. “After speaking with you, I fetched the pouch from the kitchen where I kept it.”

Dawn patted her chest and held up one finger.

“You need one?”

Dawn nodded, holding up one finger to confirm, then gestured again.

“You want the one for a witch?” Flanna asked surprised.

Dawn bobbed her head.

Flanna opened her pouch and withdrew a bunch of small oak sticks held together by a worn strip of wool and handed it to Dawn.

Dawn took it and pressed a finger to her lips, letting Flanna know she was not to tell anyone about this.

Flanna nodded.

Dawn’s hands spoke once more.

Flanna easily understood. “The talisman that captures a witch’s power is a stone that has a hole going through it. When the stone is held in front of a witch, the hole draws the power out of the witch and into the stone. The stone then must be broken, breaking the witch’s power forever.” Flanna shook her head. “It is not only difficult to find such a stone, but even more difficult to break it and both must be done by the person who found the stone.”

Dawn tapped her head, pointed to Flanna, then shrugged.

Flanna shook her head. “I do not know of anyone who has found such a stone.” She paused a moment, a look of fright in her eyes. “Do you think—”

Dawn once again pressed a finger to her own lips, warning Flanna to remain silent, then hurriedly gestured that she was going to join Cree in his solar.

Flanna nodded. “Be careful.”

Dawn gave her a hasty hug and hurried off.

“Lady Dawn!” Bessa called out, stopping Dawn before she reached the solar. “Old Mary is crazy with fever.”

Dawn flew past the lass and up the stairs to Old Mary’s room. She paused a moment upon entering, staring at the scene before her. Neil, his face wrinkled with fear, stood with his eyes fixed on Old Mary thrashing around in the bed, her arms swinging wildly and though she talked, she made no sense.

Dawn hurried over to her, hearing prayers on Neil’s lips as she passed him that Elsa would not suffer a similar fate. With some difficulty, she got hold of Old Mary’s thrashing hands.

Old Mary glared at her. “No sense. Nothing.”

Dawn tapped her chest gently, letting her know it was all right.

“No! No!” Old Mary insisted her eyes wild with fear. “Evil.” She gasped. “Cree must save us!”

Bessa started wailing. “We are doomed. We are all doomed. The devil will get us all.”

Dawn looked with pleading eyes at Neil and he hurried over to the lass and slipped his arm around her, comforting her enough that her wailing subsided. Try as she might, Dawn could not calm Old Mary and as she continued her tirade, it grew more senseless.

“You know! You know! Hurry!”

Dawn let go of her arms, afraid her old bones would break if she kept tight hold of them. Instead, she bathed the old woman’s head, fighting to get the fever down.

Finally, Old Mary calmed and seemed lucid for a few moments. “No time left. No time.”

Dawn stared at Old Mary as she fell into a restful slumber. After seeing that she would remain so, Dawn turned to Bessa.

“That is our fate...to go mad,” the young lass cried.

Dawn was grateful that Neil silenced her. “Hush now. That is not our fate. Lord Cree will keep us safe.”

Dawn nodded in agreement, then gestured to Neil that she was going to speak with Cree.

He gave her a brief nod and kept his arm wrapped around Bessa, speaking soothingly to her.

Dawn closed the door behind her and was about to hurry to the stairs when she saw Alexander standing in front of them.

“It is time to meet your fate, Dawn,” he said with a smile and started walking toward her.

Dawn waited until he was a few feet away from her before she pulled out the talisman she had tucked in the shoulder of her tunic and held it out in front of her.

Alexander stopped abruptly, his smile fading. “You discovered my secret.”

You are a witch!

“I am, but how did you know?”

Dawn spoke as she always did...with her hands. She refused to let him into her head, and she purposely gestured rapidly to see if he could follow her.

Alexander’s smile returned. “You have a strong mind. You lock me out of your thoughts and you realize what others have failed to see all these years. Some believed it was revenge I was after, but from whom when the woman who cursed me was dead?” He shook his head. “No, it was not revenge I wanted.”

Dawn gestured again.

“Aye, you are right, it is power I searched for and gained through the years. You truly do have a wise mind; we could do very well together.”

Dawn posed another question to him.

“Of course you would be curious to know the truth of the tale. I will tell you, and then it is finally time for me to create my fate and yours as well.”

Dawn did not like the sound of that, but she made sure not to think on it or the fear that was turning her skin to gooseflesh.

“People can be made to believe anything, especially when it comes to love. Glenna is the woman spoken about in the Winter Tale. The one I supposedly loved. Though, it was not a battlefield where I found her, but a small skirmish and it was Glenna who found me beneath those bloodied corpses. What she did not know was that it was me who took those lives. When I learned she was a chieftain’s daughter I saw an opportunity and I began to bend her to my will. Her father was not quite as trusting as his daughter and not as easy to influence. He stood in the way of my plans,” —he grinned— “As does your husband.”

Dawn struggled to keep her fear from surfacing, knowing he would feed off any he sensed. Though, she could not stop the already creeping gooseflesh from continuing to crawl further up her body.

“I planned on wedding Glenna and becoming chieftain, but then I realized that she was growing skeptical of me. She was wiser than I thought and an excellent healer, which made her more aware than most others. Too late, she discovered I was a witch. By then, I had convinced her clan that she was the witch and that she must be banished. But my dear Glenna was so much wiser than I thought. She left her clan only to return years later when I was wed and had her clan well-in-hand. It was my turn to learn too late that she had acquired the skills of a witch and attempted to free her clan of my hold over them. Naturally, she could not match my skills, though I must say she surprised me in the end when I had her hung. She was skilled enough to curse me, though foolishly left my fate to love. Love can never overpower evil. Her weakness in letting me survive year after year allowed my power to grow even stronger, and too wait for such a moment as this. I will finally be able to free myself of endless slumbers and walk the earth once again with far greater power than ever before.”

Dawn kept still as he continued.

“It was not in my power to change the wording of the curse through the years, but it was easy to instill enough fear into the telling of the tale to help me gain the power I craved and that power will allow me to break the curse in a way that will benefit me.” He laughed a most unpleasant laugh. “No one, not one soul ever questioned the curse—until you. You understand what Glenna meant for the curse to do.”

Dawn nodded and gestured.

“You are right. She meant for the curse to contain and punish me throughout time. And as far as love sealing my fate, that baffled me. She knew all too well that love mattered not at all to me. Soon I will be free and have a clan to rule, to bend to my will, to do my bidding.” He pretended to shiver with pleasure. “I can just feel the fear nourishing me.” He pointed at her hand. “Now put that thing away and come with me.”

Dawn shook her head.

“Do not be troublesome. One way or the other you will submit to me. It would benefit you and your children if you comply. Your husband’s fate is already sealed. He will die either way. In exchange, I will give you a voice and let your children live. If not, I will cast a spell on you and you will serve only me and not care what I do to your children. Either way, you will be my companion and lover. If you think to delay the inevitable, know that once Cree arrives all it takes is one touch and he will fall ill. I will take great joy in letting him linger and suffer unless, of course, you plead for mercy with a clear distinct voice for all to hear. The choice is yours.”

Silence filled the narrow hall for a few moments, Dawn keeping her thoughts silent.

“My lady—”

Dawn, startled by the unexpected voice, turned to see Bessa standing behind her, her face turning pale. Dawn’s thought quickly went to Old Mary.

“Lady Dawn wonders if Old Mary has worsened.” When the lass remained quiet, staring wide-eyed at him, Alexander commanded, “Speak up.”

Bessa jumped in fright and her voice quivered as she spoke, “There is no more brew left and Old Mary stirs restlessly.”

Dawn let him hear what she wanted him to hear as she reached out to Bessa and took her hand. Fear held the lass captive and Dawn understood why. It was obvious Alexander was speaking Dawn’s thoughts and only evil could do that.

“Lady Dawn says to go to Flanna and she will know what to do,” Alexander said.

Dawn nodded, confirming his words and stepped in front of Alexander so the young servant could hurry past him without him laying a hand on her. And she could give Bessa’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

The talisman forced him to take several steps away from her. “To your bedchamber to toss that horrid thing into the flames so no else will be tempted to use it, then you will tell me your decision. If I am pleased with it, I may let Old Mary remain lucid long enough for you to bid her farewell.”

Dawn hurried down the hall, prayers clear in her head.

“They will not help you,” Alexander said with a laugh and followed behind her at a safe distance from the talisman.

~~~

Bessa rushed into the Great Hall and ran to Flanna, grabbing her hand. “He is no longer in the tower room. He roams free and will see us all dead.”

Those people close enough to hear her gasped and began spreading the word.

“Where did you get this?” Flanna demanded, seeing the talisman sticking from her clenched hand and pulling it free.

“Lady Dawn shoved it in my hand after the devil spoke for her. He can hear her. The devil has possessed Lady Dawn.”

“Nonsense! Now tell me what he said,” Flanna demanded anxiously.

The lass repeated it. “Lady Dawn says to go to Flanna and she will know what to do.”

Before the lass could say anymore, Flanna ran out of the room, straight to Cree’s solar. She did not knock, she threw open the door, and rushed in.

Cree was about to reprimand Flanna for disobeying him when he saw the horrified look on her face. “Dawn?”

Flanna nodded and hurried over to him, her hand opened wide with the talisman in it.

~~~

Dawn went to the hearth and pretended to toss the talisman, she had slipped to Bessa, into the flames. She poked at a spot in the fire with a stick, wanting Alexander to believe she did as he had ordered.

Alexander entered the room cautiously and once he reached the middle, he said, “You comply nicely, Dawn, which has me believing that you will submit to me willingly to protect your family and clan from harm and endless suffering.”

Dawn had no doubt Cree would come for her. She only needed to bide time until he did and the only way she could do that was to keep him talking.

Alexander stepped closer to her. “Do not think to play games with me. I know it is only a matter of time before Cree appears—to late—to save his wife.”

Dawn took cautious steps back away from him.

“Why delay what you know is inevitable? There is nothing—nothing—that can stop me. I will take what I want and you can do nothing. Now give me your hand and at least prevent those you love from suffering.”

Cree!

Alexander laughed. “He cannot hear you, my dear.”

The door suddenly flew off its pins and before it came crashing down on the floor, Alexander and Dawn rushed out of its path.

Cree stood in the doorway, fury swirling in his dark eyes and the thick muscles in his body taut and ready for battle. His glance went to his wife and he held his hand out to her.

Alexander rushed toward her, his hand outstretched and Cree rushed at him, landing a vicious blow to his jaw. Alexander cried out as he went down from the pain. Cree did not wait, his powerful fist landed punch after punch to Alexander’s face.

Dawn’s hand yanking at his arm was the only thing that stopped him. He was quick to grab Dawn and move them both away from Alexander, crumpled on the floor.

“Another talisman,” Alexander said with anger as he rubbed his jaw and sat up.

“The same one,” Cree said, holding it up for Alexander to see.

Alexander turned a furious glare on Dawn. “You will pay for this.”

“Do not dare threaten my wife,” Cree warned.

“What will you do?” Alexander challenged as he got to his feet. “You think a bunch of sticks will protect you from me. He held his arms out to his sides. Do you see blood on me anywhere? And how many times did you strike me? The talisman may weaken my ability to protect myself, but it cannot do any great harm and it cannot destroy me.”

“But I can!”

Cree and Dawn turned to see Sloan standing in the doorway, grinning and holding a stone with a hole in its middle in one hand and a smithy’s hammer in the other.

Alexander’s eyes turned wide with fright as Sloan ran toward him. He frantically looked about and grabbed a split log from the basket near the hearth. He swung it at Sloan, knocking the stone from his hand.

Cree pushed his wife aside and lunged once again, grabbing Alexander. They fought, Alexander’s attempts weak thanks to the talisman.

“Where did that damn stone go?” Sloan said, getting on his hands and knees to search over the floor.

Dawn dropped to her knees and joined Sloan in the search. She found it under the bed out of her reach. She turned and tapped Sloan’s arm, pointing under the bed.

Sloan reached for the stone, but it was out of his grasp. He inched himself forward, his fingertips just grazing it, but unable to grab it.

Dawn watched Cree struggle with Alexander. Her husband’s strength went far beyond any man’s and his struggle to hold Alexander was obvious. What was more obvious was that Cree held the talisman so tight in his hand that the twigs were beginning to break one by one. If the talisman was destroyed before Sloan could reach the stone, her husband would not stand a chance against Alexander—none of them would.

She tapped on Sloan’s leg, letting him know he needed to hurry.

“I am trying,” he said and Dawn heard how hard he was trying in his strained voice as he stretched his arm further under the bed.

Dawn hurried to the basket of logs and found a stick used for kindling and hurried to reach under the bed and place it next to Sloan’s arm so he would know it was there. Then she returned to the basket of logs, grabbed one, and without hesitation slammed it against the back of Alexander’s knees. He went down with an angry growl and turned toward her as he did, his arm outstretched, reaching for her. Dawn had no room to scramble back away from him, the hearth right behind her. She was about to kick his hand away when he suddenly was lifted off the ground by his neck.

“Enough,” Cree shouted as he slammed him against the wall and stepped aside.

Alexander’s eyes turned wide with fright as Sloan moved in and planted the stone with the hole in it against his chest and held it there.

Cree, Dawn, and Sloan watched and waited but nothing seemed to happen. No dark mist was sucked into the stone, nor did Alexander shrivel up and dissipate. Nothing happened.

Alexander laughed. “It is nothing more than a tall tale. The stone holds no magic over me. My power is too strong, nothing can destroy me.” He sneered with sheer wickedness and shoved Sloan’s hand with the stone away. “Now it is your turn to suffer, Cree, and since you favor fists let me show you what little effort true power takes.”

~~~

Cree grabbed Alexander’s fist in his large hand before it reached his face and squeezed tight. The man’s eyes turned wide in pain. Cree shoved his hand away and quickly landed a brutal blow to Alexander’s nose. The crack of bone resonated off the stone walls and blood poured from his nostrils as he crumpled to the floor.

“Break the stone,” Cree ordered before bending down and delivering a vicious blow to Alexander’s jaw. That crack of bone was heard as well.

Sloan retrieved the hammer from the floor where he had dropped it and with a broad smile he brought it down on the stone, smashing it to pieces. He did not stop smashing all the pieces until there was nothing left but dust.