Chapter 4
The afternoon always brought quiet time for Mazey.
Siusan was off with the cook, helping in the kitchens to prepare supper.
She usually got to play with some bread dough and helped prepare vegetables for soup.
It kept her busy, but also taught her some skills Baile wanted her to learn.
Mazey thought it might be a good idea to run the errands she needed to get done in the village while they occupied Siusan.
She headed out with a basket and a list in her head of things that needed to get done—she needed to get some herbs for her frayed nerves, a piece of ribbon for Siusan and Garia asked her to grab some mushrooms. She sauntered slowly down the path towards the various venders and stores.
An old woman in town collected herbs from the nearby forest and always put some aside just for Mazey.
She used the tincture regularly ever since her mother passed, bringing the recipe with her to the Buchanon clan.
The old woman gladly obliged foraging for the herbs and making them into a tincture she could use as needed.
She walked into the small building, ducking her head to avoid hitting the threshold.
The familiar earthy odor assaulted her senses.
A small frail woman stood in the shop's corner, bent over a table with a mortar and pestle in hand, grinding something meticulously.
Old age curved her spine and her eyes squinted at her work.
She looked up briefly from her task and smiled at Mazey before returning to add more of whatever herb she was pulverizing.
Without looking up again she spoke softly. “What do ye need today Mazey? Ye need some herbs for a pregnancy or are ye looking for something else?”
“Nay, ah plan to keep my bairn. Ye know ah’ve never needed that herb.” She shifted uncomfortably from the personal question. “Ah just need something for anxiety. Ah find myself unable to calm down and ah haven’t had yer tincture for a while now. Do ye have any for me?”
The woman nodded knowingly and handed her a small packet. “Add to hot water twice a day and drink after five minutes of steeping. Ye’ll calm down all right.” She repeated the same instructions every time Mazey visited.
“And it’s all right for my bairn, it won’t hurt her?”
The old woman smiled softly and shook her head. “Nay, lass, she’ll be right as rain. Congratulations. Ah could tell by how ye’re walking, but yer just wee in the waist aren’t ye?”
“Aye, but she’s a strong one, this bairn. She’s full of life.” Mazey gave her a few coins, pocketed the pouch and left the dwelling with gratitude.
Hopefully, the calming herbs would still the fear whenever she thought Baile would be cross with her.
Or perhaps it would quell the nightmares she accepted as part of life.
She was only a short distance from the village when she felt something strange.
The hair on her neck and arms rose, and she shivered uncomfortably.
It felt as though someone were watching her.
She glanced around nervously, looking for any sign someone was following her, but was alone.
It was five minutes walk to the keep, so she scurried along, quickening her pace.
She heard a twig snap behind her and spun around so fast she almost fell over.
Just behind her was none other than her ex-husband, Hume.
His eyes narrowed and his mouth pulled taught in a straight line.
She stumbled backwards, trying to place distance between her and Hume.
She felt a thrill of fear soak through her bones, like an icy bath.
Her vision narrowed as if she were in a cave and all she could see was straight ahead of her to his sneering mouth and dark eyes.
What did he want? Mazey tried to play nice.
Sometimes if she was extra sweet to Hume, he wouldn’t hurt her.
Perhaps he just wanted to fix things between them.
Maybe he wanted her back and would finally stop hurting her.
He might even love on her and the bairn.
She just needed to convince him that this was all a misunderstanding.
“Hume, it’s nice to see ye…” She didn’t get out another word before he closed the gap between them.
He stood with his nose almost touching hers.
She couldn’t help the involuntary step she took back yet again and the shaking that started as soon as he moved close.
She tripped on a branch and almost fell over, catching herself and gashing her hand on a rock.
He spoke in a low growl, all humanity gone from his eyes.
He looked like a wolf ready to strike. “Ye don’t get to leave me, whore.
Baile hasn’t let me near the keep. Ye’re mine.
Do ye hear me? Mine.” The last word was so definitive, fear rose from the pit of her stomach and clawed its way up her spine.
Hume grabbed her arm roughly and jerked her forward.
She followed, unsure what to do. The fog in her mind seemed thick, and made it difficult to think.
She stumbled along, tripping over every rock in the road.
She didn’t know where he was taking her.
She guessed whenever they got there it wouldn’t be pleasant.
There was a small ravine on the side of the road with a thick forest enclosure surrounding it. He was pulling her toward the ravine.
She pulled back, trying to twist her arm free of him.
He didn’t let go, but twisted her arm with a sharp jerk and then pulled up hard on her when she almost fell over.
Her arm snapped loudly and then went numb.
She tried to pull away again, but an intense pain jolted through every part of her body.
A wave of nausea tore through her as he jerked her forward.
She screamed in pain and he looked back with a sadistic smile on his face.
Desperate to get away from him, she leaned forward and did something she never did before.
She bit the flesh of his arm as hard as she could—blood.
The man howled aloud in fury and pain. She didn’t see the blow coming.
His hand connected with her jaw and stars sparked into life around her vision.
She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision, but to no avail.
Mazey whimpered in pain. In fear, she tried to fall to the ground. Hume hauled her up by the hair of her head and threw her forward. Then pulling her by the other arm, he led her farther in. They were just approaching the tree line. She had a terrible feeling. Something bad would happen.
“Hume!” A rumbling baritone yelled at them from the direction of the road.
She tried to turn to see who it was, but Hume threw her to the ground and drew a claymore she hadn’t noticed him carrying on his hip.
Why does he have a sword when he’s not on guard duty?
Two men rushed down the hill towards her ex-husband with swords drawn, interrupting her thought.
She ducked her head to the earth, covering the back of her neck with her arm and plugging her ear against her shoulder.
The other arm refused to move and sat uselessly next, throbbing in pain.
She heard clanking metal, men yelling and finally a gurgling sound she couldn’t or didn’t want to, identify.
The silence that followed seemed to stretch into eternity.
What would happen to her now? Someone touched her shoulder softly.
She jumped and cried out. A voice spoke in what she thought must be a soothing tone, but she couldn’t be sure.
Comprehension failed her. They repeated what they said, but she just shook her head, keeping her head covered and her eyes shut tight.
Then warm, strong arms scooped her up, and she was being carried away.
She kept her eyes pinched tight and laid her head on the shoulder of the person carrying her.
The warmth of his body allayed her fear, and she breathed in deeply—parchment and tobacco. Baile was her rescuer. She sighed lightly and fell asleep in his arms, content to let him carry her wherever he went.
Mazey opened her eyes and looked around her, but when she tried to shift, cried.
Her arm throbbed. She closed her eyes and took in a sharp breath, breathing out slowly through her mouth as she tried to calm herself.
She was in a room, but couldn’t remember how she got there or why her arm hurt.
Memories surfaced. She went to town and recalled buying herbs from the little shop on the corner and then… what happened?
The memory hit her in a thunderous clap of emotions.
Images danced in her mind—Hume on the road, pulling her off the path and toward the ravine.
She shuddered at the thought of what he would do to her in the secluded area.
He brought his mighty sword with him and hadn’t been on guard duty since she left.
He never carried it with him unless he was on duty, so she wondered if he planned to use it on her.
Something else stood out in her mind. How did he know she would be on the road? Had it been pure luck?
Questions swirled and the discomfort of her swollen arm overwhelmed her.
She sobbed. Her head ached as the tears continued to flow.
When the sobs shook her arm, sharp pain coursed through her and she cried even harder.
It wasn’t until she felt a sharp little nudge in her belly she stopped.
Her bairn was still alive. After all that pain and hurt, her bairn was there and survived.
The tears returned, but this time they came from happiness.
Her child would live and that she could raise it.
She could be happy. There had to be a plan to keep her ex husband away. Baile would know what to do.