Time and Space (10 page)

“So you’ve worn a quiver before?” Donnall was trying not to sound impressed, but he was. Cadence never ceased to amaze him.

“Not at all. I’m just used to wearing accessories.

Donnall raised an eyebrow, but remained silent. Cadence knew more than was proper about things men dealt with. “Reach back with your right hand and grab one of the arrows.”

Cadence fumbled a bit but finally managed to grab one.

“In battle, you will need to do it quickly. There will be no time to waste for your fingers to search for an arrow.”

“What happens when I run out of arrows?”

“One of the men will walk along the castle wall replenishing arrows.”

“That would be a good task for one of the younger girls.”

Donnall frowned. Women had no place on the wall facing enemy arrows. They needed to trust the men of Moone to protect them and Cadence, with her attitude, was making the women question the abilities of the warriors.

“You are going to lay the bow horizontal while you put the nock of the arrow on the string and then bring it back to vertical.”

It took a couple of tries, but Cadence finally managed to get it right.

“When you pull the bowstring, use the muscles of your back, not your arm. Lastly when you release the arrow, maintain the stance you are in now. Are you ready to give it a try?”

“Yes.” Donnall could hear the determination in her voice. Cadence drew the bowstring back and loosed her arrow. “Ouch, damn it.”

“Are you alright?”

“The bow string snapped against my breast.”

“Would you like me to check your injury?” His cock stirred as he stepped closer to her body.

“No, thanks. I’ll just have to adjust my stance and maybe bind myself the day of the battle. Can I try it again?”

“Very well.”

An hour into practice, Cadence’s arm and back were on fire from pulling back the bowstring.

“Your shoulder is dipping. That will affect the flight of your arrow.”

“Let’s take a break. My arm is going to fall off if we keep this up much longer.”

Donnall frowned. “We do not have a lot of time left to practice. Fionn’s men will be here to work on battle drills after the noon meal.”

“Why don’t we work with the dagger instead?” Cadence raised her arms to stretch her tired and sore muscles.

The hard look in Donnall’s eyes relented. “All right. Show me how you would hold the weapon if someone was coming at you.”

Cadence stepped back and took the blade from its small sheath. She tried to remember every Chuck Norris movie Carter had made her sit through. Holding the blade at her side, she raised it quickly, looking like Norman Bates during the shower scene in
Psycho
.

“What are you doing?” Donnall bit his lower lip.

“I’m getting ready to attack you.”

“And when I do this?” Donnall came at her, knocking her arm down and sending the dagger into the grass.

“I’d do this.” She raised her knee stopping just short of Donnall’s family jewels.

“That is a smart move, but let me show you how to make sure your weapon stays in your hand. Your position leaves you vulnerable to attack if you do not knee your enemy with enough force to disable him.” He demonstrated the proper way to hold the dagger and Cadence quickly mastered it.

“I heard what you were saying to the women in the kitchen about being able to defend Moone.” He’d been mulling over the best way to bring this up and he couldn’t hold his tongue any longer.

“The women seemed excited about it.”

“Fionn agreed to let you help because you are Carter’s sister.”

Cadence turned, her green eyes blazing. “No, Fionn agreed to let me help because he thinks I can make a difference.”

Donnall shook his head. “’Tis true you are a good student. You picked up the bow quite easily and your shots have been accurate here on the practice field, but you have no chance of hitting the mark in battle, I fear.”

“Oh really?” A small muscle ticked in her cheek.

“Your emotions will take over and you will crumble under the pressure. There is no room on the castle wall for a crying lass.”

“I respectfully disagree.” Cadence’s smile was icy. “If I were incapable of keeping my emotions under control, my dagger would be sticking out of your chest.”

Donnall took half a step toward her. He would never tell her, but she was near irresistible all riled up like this with her emerald eyes glittering dangerously and red hair whipping around in the wind. “I need to get back to the real work of getting Moone’s warriors ready for the attack. I did enjoy spending my morning with you, little mouse.”

He waved and started back toward the keep. It hadn’t been his intention to upset Cadence, but the quicker she realized she wasn’t a warrior of Moone and stopped urging the women to fight, the better off they would all be.

Hearing a feral roar from behind him, he turned to see Cadence aiming her bow at him. Frozen in place, he watched her arrow sail toward him, thumped into the ground only an inch or so from his boots.  Donnall grinned up at her. “Nice shot, but we both know you cannot do it twice.”

Cadence notched an arrow and sent it flying toward Donnall. It landed an inch in front of her first arrow.

The satisfied smile on her face was gorgeous. She stomped toward him. “Not only will I fight for Moone, so will the rest of the women.” Ripping her arrows out of the ground she hurried past him without a backward glance.

“I want you to call a meeting,” Cadence demanded when she saw Fionn and Carter sitting together at the head table in the great hall. Fionn was rocking Cardinn while Jilly sat in Carter’s lap, the remains of her lunch in front of them.

“Auntie Cadence!” Jilly flew off her father’s lap and ran to Cadence who bent down to greet the little girl.

“Hello, honey.” Cadence peppered her face with kisses.

“You got a dagger! Can I hold it?” Jilly jumped up and down excitedly.

“Girls cannot hold weapons,” Fionn said quietly.

“Oh really?” Cadence turned from Jilly and stood to face him.

“You’re fucked now, Fionn.” Carter started to laugh.

“How is that possible? We are both dressed.” Fionn’s handsome face was scrunched in confusion.

Carter sighed. “It’s a way of saying you’re in for a fight. You just told my
armed
sister that girls can’t touch weapons. Would you like a moment to rephrase that?”

Cadence raised an eyebrow and turned back to Jilly who was looking at her like she hung the moon. “You can’t hold my dagger because it’s very sharp, not because you’re a girl. Girls can do anything.”

“Tell me what this is about, Cadence,” Fionn urged gently.

“I spent the last three hours with Donnall. He showed me how to shoot arrows and how to use my shiny new dagger.”

“Isn’t there some kind of custom where the first time a blade tastes blood is celebrated?” Carter chuckled.

“The party nearly came at my expense,” Donnall said, striding into the room.

“My blade would have enjoyed kissing your skin,” Cadence practically growled.

“Easy, little mouse.” Donnall winked at her.

“Stop calling me your little mouse. I’m more like a lioness and I will fight for Moone.”

“Big cat with large teeth and a loud roar,” Carter added.

“The loud roar is certainly true.” Fionn smiled.

Cadence slammed her palms down on the table “I’m glad you think this is a joke. Three hundred heavily armed English soldiers are coming here to kill us all. Your infant son included.”

Fionn snapped his eyes down to his peacefully sleeping son and wrapped his arms more protectively around the baby before looking back up at Cadence.

“I see I have your attention now, my lord. Moone has seventy-two able-bodied men according to you. If we add the able-bodied women, that brings our numbers up to one hundred and fifty. In the original timeline, you sent those men into battle and they all died. Yourself and Donnall included. We need to do things differently this time around otherwise we’re all going to die.”

“Cadence is right, Fionn. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result. Everyone dies and Moone falls with only the men protecting her.”

“It is a wise sentiment,” Fionn grudgingly agreed.

Carter snorted and locked eyes with his sister whose lips quirked up at him.

“In only a few hours, I was able to learn how to shoot arrows and how to handle a blade.”

“I have no doubt, Donnall is an excellent teacher.”

Cadence snorted. “For a barbarian who claims he has better things to do than prepare the women to fight.”

“The English will hardly fear an army of women,” Donnall deadpanned.

“Arm us and leave history to tell the tale,” Fianna said coming to stand at Cadence’s side. Islynn was a step behind her.

“I daresay he’d be quite afraid of the three of us.” Islynn smirked at the outraged look on Donnall’s face.

“Oh please! I’d have you all flat on your backs in no time.” Donnall crossed his arms over his chest.

“Sorry, you’re not my type,” Islynn took a menacing step toward Donnall.

“Nor mine,” Fianna added.

“You’re welcome to try,” Cadence teased.

“I didn’t mean on your backs like that. Oh hell!” Donnall turned to Fionn and Carter for help.

“What are you suggesting, Cadence?” Fionn asked.

“Arm the women with bows and daggers. Let us train to fight and when the time comes, put us up on the wall to defend our home.”

Donnall snorted. “And what happens when the crying and wailing for your mothers starts?”

“There will be time to soothe
you
after the English are all dead.” Cadence smirked.

Fionn and Carter barked our sharp hoots of laughter they tried, unsuccessfully, to hide with a cough.

Jilly climbed up into Carter’s lap. “I want the girls to fight, Daddy. We’re tough too. Feel my muscles.” Jilly flexed.

“You are very tough, little love.” Carter tested her muscles and turned to Fionn who was sitting with a thoughtful look on his face. “My vote is for yes.”

“Who said this was a democracy?” Donnall wailed throwing his arms in the air.

Cadence growled and turned to Donnall, her hand going for the hilt of her dagger. “What have we got to lose beside our heads, you annoying barbarian?” Cadence turned back to Fionn. “The women would also help to hide our true numbers.”

“How do you mean?” Fionn leaned forward curiosity lighting his blue eyes.

“If the women all wear breeches and tie their hair back, we’ll all look like the men. They won’t expect to see the number of riders you have when we are all still visible on the wall.”

“I agree,” Fionn said. “I’ll order more weapons to be crafted. Donnall, you can start instructing the women in the morning.”

“For fuck’s sake, Fionn!” Donnall threw his arms wide.

“I’ll train the women.” Cadence turned and smiled at her brother-in-law-to-be.

“Don’t bet against her, stubborn warrior,” Carter cautioned.

“You’ve had one lesson. How do you expect to train an army?” Donnall scoffed.

“One woman at a time!” Cadence turned and strode from the hall, Islynn, Fianna and Jilly at her heels.

      Cadence sat atop Fairy Hill in the darkness, her arms wrapped around her knees. Millions of stars winked and glittered overhead while a few “fairies” floated past. This was the perfect place to come and think over all that had happened today.

After her epic battle against Donnall, she’d taken the women with her to see Padraig, the blacksmith. He’d almost laughed out loud when she asked for seventy-five more daggers to be made just like the one Donnall commissioned for her, along with one smaller and duller version for Jilly. Her tiny niece had been very excited at the thought she’d get a blade like her brave Auntie Cadence.

After Padraig agreed to her wishes, they’d all gone to the armory, making the same request for bows strung like her own had been, so that the women would be able to draw and fire, along with plenty of arrows. The look on Ciaran’s face had been priceless, full of disbelief. She was sure a word from Fionn would get him moving to carry out her request.

The one thing not as easily handled was Donnall. He was such a contradiction, one minute caring, wanting her to go back to 2015 where she’d be safe and the next, completely annoying by saying women couldn’t defend the castle. He couldn’t help being raised in a man’s world, but with everything at stake, now wasn’t the time to insist half of the castle’s population sit idle on the sidelines.

“Flag of truce, my beauty?”

She turned to see Donnall waving a white linen napkin. Unable to help herself, she started to laugh. “I’m not armed.”

“Thank the gods. I would hate to give my life bringing you supper.” He walked up to where Cadence was sitting on the cold ground.

“I would never stab anyone bringing me food.” Donnall bringing dinner out to her was a nice gesture, but she couldn’t help wondering what he wanted. He’d made his stance on arming the women perfectly clear.

“I brought a blanket too. It’s a chilly night.” Donnall handed Cadence the basket filled with food and spread out the blanket. “Not too many fairies out tonight.” He settled himself on the far edge and looked around Fairy Hill.

“It’s getting cold.”
In more ways than one.
Cadence sat at the opposite end of the blanket from Donnall. “Why are you here?” It wasn’t exactly the kindest thing to say.

“Because I was an arsehat earlier.” His tone, for once, sounded serious.

Cadence laughed. Donnall had been an asshat. A big one.

“You did well learning the bow today and…”

“And, what?” Donnall seemed to be struggling. Maybe there was more to his attitude than a simple battle of the sexes.

“And if you know
how
to fight, then you will be
in
the fight.”

“That’s the point.” Was it possible he was really afraid something would happen to her?

“You’ll be closer to the danger,” Donnall whispered, bowing his head.

Scooting across the blanket, Cadence laid her head on Donnall’s warm shoulder. She hadn’t realized how cold she was until she felt the heat of him sinking into her cheek. “You’re worried I’ll get hurt?”

Donnall turned to face her. “Yes, damn it. Is that so hard to understand?”

“No. I have the same fear for you.” Knowing that Donnall was killed in the battle was taking its toll on her.

“I will be fine,” Donnall huffed.

“No you won’t. When I was reading an account of the battle, it was a massacre, by the way, you’re name was not mentioned. You died along with everyone else. Donnall, you died.” Cadence drew a harsh breath trying to hold back her tears.

“Would you mourn for me, little mouse, if history repeated itself?”

“Only if someone else killed you.” She tried to lighten the mood, but could still see an image of Donnall’s bloody corpse in her mind.

Donnall laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “But not if you killed me yourself?”

Shaking her head, she buried her face in the crook of Donnall’s neck. “This William Longhurst is going to come to Moone and take what belongs to us, namely our home and our lives.”
And our freedom
, she added silently not wanting to sound too
Braveheart.

“Who did you say is coming here?” His voice was full of shock and disbelief.

Cadence looked up to see the blood had drained from Donnall’s face. He looked like he’d seen a ghost. “William Longhurst is the name of the commander of the British Redcoats. Do you know him?”

He nodded glumly. “He’s my older brother.”

“Donnall, how is that possible?”

“My given name is Donnall Longhurst. When I came to Moone, Fionn’s father suggested I go by my mother’s name, so I wouldn’t carry the stigma of being English.”

“He sounds like he was a wise man.”

“He was a true father to me in every sense of the word. He never treated me any different than he treated Fionn. He taught me how to be a man.”

“What happened to him?” She knew she would have loved meeting Fionn and Fianna’s father.

“He died in some silly skirmish against a rival clan from Kildare. Fionn and I were only seventeen summers old.”

“I’m sorry you lost him so young. What a tragedy.” Historically speaking, she knew a lot of men died in clan wars, but seeing how the loss affected Donnall made her heart break.

“What would be more tragic is being struck down by my own flesh and blood.”

“Like Cain and Abel,” Cadence muttered against his shoulder.

“Who?”

She kept forgetting Moone Castle kept to the Celtic gods and goddesses. Donnall would have no knowledge of bible stories unless he was taught them as a child before he left England. “It’s an old story about two brothers. They fought and one brother killed the other. Would William recognize you after all these years apart?”

“Yes. I favored our mother with my dark hair and hazel eyes while my other brothers favored our father with light hair and blue eyes.”

“I know you’re worried about something happening to me, but putting that aside, you have to see the women can help.” If Donnall didn’t come around to see the logical side of this argument it was going to be hard to get the women trained without his help.

“I am grudgingly coming around to see that, but was it truly necessary to arm our four year old niece?”

Cadence giggled. It felt good to sit here with Donnall and work out their differences without bloodshed or angry words. “Yes! Jilly was over the moon at getting a dagger and if she can hurt one of those bastards before they can hurt…” She couldn’t bear to finish the thought.

“Come here.” Donnall wrapped both arms around her and held her close. “What is it like to know the future?”

“I used to think it was a blessing. Knowing the exact day when the English Army would arrive. Knowing what Moone did the first time, so we’re able to draw up a different plan of attack, but…” She snuggled closer to the warmth of Donnall’s chest.

“But, what?”

“It’s sad to read almost three hundred people died here, but when you don’t know any of them, it doesn’t really hit you as hard. Now that I’m here and I know all of you, it’s devastating. That’s why I need to do everything in my power to save you.”

“You are very brave, little- Cadence.”

“I like it when you call me your little mouse.” She pressed a kiss to the warm skin on the side of his neck.

“But, you told me to stop earlier.”

“I was mad at you, silly barbarian.”

“Will you always be mad at me when you do not get your way?” He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I’d sure like to find out.” Cadence laughed.

“What are you doing out here on such a cold night?”

“I was trying to figure out a way to apologize to you for being so angry this morning.”

“Apology accepted.”

“What’s the catch?” It couldn’t be that easy. Liam would keep her on tenterhooks for days before forgiving her for being angry with him.

“There is no catch, my beauty. You are trying to save my life and our home. I was in the wrong for thinking the women should stand by and trust the men to protect them. Now, let’s get you inside before you catch a chill.”