Chapter Seventeen #3
Ysenda sighed, but she continued. “I’ve had the dream for a long time, but it is becoming more persistent.
And more clear. I used to dream of monsters chasing me, but I could never see them.
Last eve, I dreamed of a huge beast with long teeth, its jaw trying to bite me in the face.
It nearly did, and I began to scream to get it off me. Lewis was here.”
“None of what ye said excuses that he came out of yer bedchamber this morn,” Logan said.
Gavin said, “I agree with Da. We need a priest. Ysenda, ye’re getting married.”
Merewen started to argue with Gavin, and then Gwyneth yelled at Logan. The entire group began to argue again, Ysenda began to cry, and then Brenna set two fingers between her lips and let out a shrill whistle.
“Ye all better listen to me and listen well.” She looked at Gavin and Logan and Torrian and everyone else, one by one. “Now, I’m going to put myself in that poor girl’s position.”
She moved over to another chair, grabbed something to lock her leg above the chair, not moving. “Merewen, wrap my leg with those plaids, please.”
Merewen did as she instructed, then stepped back.
Brenna barely managed to keep herself still, but then she pointed to Logan. “Now, ye two wise arses. Which one of ye would like to come over here and demonstrate how a man could compromise a woman in this position.”
Gavin and Logan both stared at each other wide-eyed.
Logan said, “Brenna, ye are being unreasonable.”
“Nay, ye are. That granddaughter of yers would have so much pain from any movement that it could never happen. Come over here now. Try and show me how it could be done.”
“Brenna, ye know if there is a wish for it, they’ll find a way,” Logan grumbled.
“Mayhap until a lass screams in pain. And that lass would be screaming. Her private area is nearly covered in metal, for heaven’s sake.”
Logan covered his ears at the word ‘private.’ “Saints above, Brenna. Use some discretion.”
“Logan Ramsay, ye’ve tested me many times over the years, but I swear this is yer worst.”
The old warrior just glared at her.
Tara began to giggle. “Nicely done, Aunt Brenna.”
“Gavin, ye wish to show me how the man compromised yer daughter?”
“Ye made yer point, Auntie.”
Brenna hopped down off the chair. “Good. Now I’d like to help yer daughter get out of that contraption and into the one I brought. Will ye help me?”
“Aye,” Gavin and Merewen spoke at the same time.
Logan turned to leave. Brenna called out, “Logan, no priest. Do ye hear me?”
He mumbled but kept going.
“Logan Ramsay. Ye heard me, but I dinnae hear ye.”
“Nae wedding.”
“Gavin?”
“Agreed.”
Marcas looked at Lewis and said, “Ye may take yer leave.”
Chapter Seventeen
Aunt Brenna’s soothing ways save the day again!
Ysenda didn’t know whether to feel bad or good about the entire situation.
Tara came over and helped her to sit up. “Come. Aunt Brenna has taken the men out to unload the cart. I’m sure she has things to help ye. I canno’ wait to see her contraption. It will be wonderful to feel a wee bit more natural than the device ye’ve been in.”
She didn’t know whether to cry or rejoice about what had happened. In fact, she could feel the tears misting her gaze.
Tara patted her forearm. “The same thing happened to Ceit. They tried to force her to marry Brin because they stayed in the cave together. It was life or death. Ye canno’ be cold in this weather, or it could kill ye.
Ye canno’ move, so that makes it even more dangerous for ye, but they are too bull-headed to understand that simple truth.
But as ye know, Ceit and Brin married a short time ago, and they are verra happy.
’Tis important not to force things on young people.
My mother said her mother made Alex promise not to force marriages on his sisters.
So Aunt Brenna believes the same. ’Tis only right that if men can choose their spouse, then women can too.
Ignore yer grandfather. He’s a stubborn old man who loves ye and wants what is best for ye, just as yer sire does, but his old ways of thinking often get in the way. ”
That didn’t stop her need for a few tears.
Aunt Brenna entered with her father behind her. “Gavin, just set it next to her. I’ll arrange it and see if I can get her to walk.”
“I’ll stay and help,” her sire said.
Ysenda did not want him here.
Aunt Brenna took one look at her and said, “I think I know what the problem is.”
Tara frowned but said nothing.
Ysenda stared at her father, wishing him away.
“Gavin, since I have to undress yer daughter to change the contraption, I think ye should go. And dinnae let anyone in the door for half the hour.”
Her sire looked immediately uncomfortable and then said, “I’m leaving.”
“Here? Ye will undress me here?” Ysenda must have heard her aunt incorrectly.
Tara said, “I’ll get the partition. It will hide ye completely, and I’m sure yer sire will no’ let anyone enter.
But the partition will make ye feel better.
Then, if we can get this to work, can we not get her in the tub this eve, Aunt Brenna?
We could have it put in her chamber in front of the hearth. ”
“Aye. We’ll get her used to this and then a bath this eve. First, I have to remove yer leggings, lass, so I can check the bone.”
Tara added, “Oh, and Aunt Gwyneth gave me a new pair of leggings for ye. She made them extra soft and stretchy. Extra room to maneuver yerself. Here,” she took a package from a pile she’d brought in and set on a nearby table. “See if ye like this pair.”
Ysenda took the leggings out and ran her fingers across the fabric. It was a rich brown color, like the color of her favorite horse, and soft with lots of stretch in it. “I must thank Grandmama. These are more than fine.”
Aunt Brenna helped her remove her leggings, leaving her tunic on while Tara arranged the partition perfectly. “I think I know what the problem is, and now that yer sire is gone, I’ll ask ye.”
“Go ahead. Ask me whatever ye wish,” she said honestly.
“Ye do like Lewis, and he likes ye, but ye are worried the situation with yer sire and grandsire may have driven Lewis away. Do I make sense?” Aunt Brenna asked.
“Aye,” she admitted with a deep sigh. “He’ll probably hate me now, and we are just friends. He’s always teased me on patrol, but now he’ll probably never talk to me again.”
Tara said, “Ysenda, I think yer feelings are returned. The man offered for ye. I dinnae think he would do that if he didnae truly like ye. Dinnae worry on it.”
Aunt Brenna said, “Though dinnae expect him to return quickly. I suspect that Logan scared him enough that ye’ll no’ see him for a few days. Even though a man has feelings for ye, he will no’ like to be forced into marriage any more than ye do. Men act oddly when it has to do with their bollocks.”
“But where will he go?”
Tara shrugged her shoulders. “Who knows? Wait and see for sure.”
“But for now, I’d like to check yer bone,” Aunt Brenna said. “I’ll start off soft, and ye tell me if it hurts ye.” She took her two fingers and ran them down the front of her shin and over to the back of her leg where her bone had been broken.
“Tara, where was the break exactly?”
“In the bone in the back. About one-third of the way down from the knee.”
Aunt Brenna pushed carefully on her skin, following the bone down in her lower leg. “Does it hurt at all?”
“Just a wee bit in one spot.” Ysenda couldn’t believe how much better her leg was, giving her hope that she could be free of this restrictive position soon.
“Tell me when.” She repeated the same movement and waited for her to tell her when it was sore.
“There. That spot is a little sore, and I think ’tis exactly where the worst pain was before. I’m surprised it has healed that much.”
“Tara, did ye do this or Jennet?”
Jennet came in the door and called out over the partition. “We both did, Mama. I did my best to set it straight, and Tara checked me. How is it?”
“Beautiful. Ye did a fine job, ladies.” She ran her hand down the front of Ysenda’s leg. “’Tis smooth as can be. Feel it yerself. ’Tis no’ hurting her.”
Ysenda couldn’t help but get excited. “Then I can walk on it now?”
Three voices said in unison, “Nay!”
She frowned, uncertain why they reacted so strongly. “But ye said it was healed.”
Aunt Brenna explained, “Nay, ’tis healing, not healed. This is a big step and it has a great start. I’m always pleased when it starts to heal straight so I dinnae have to break it again and straighten it.” Her aunt’s hand continued to travel down her leg, checking everything over.
“Ye would do that?” The thought of such a thing made her wish to heave.
“To make sure yer leg is straight for the rest of yer life, aye. But they did a fine job, so we can move along to the walking contraption.”
“It looks like a big boot,” Tara said.
“It is. I had the armorer make it. The thing ye must remember is that yer leg will no’ be able to move inside it.
We canno’ risk breaking the bone again, so ye canno’ move it about.
It must stay still, and we dinnae want ye to put all yer weight on it yet.
I’ll give ye a walking stick to bear some of yer weight.
And I also need ye to know that ye have not been walking on the other leg at all, so it will surprise ye when ye try to walk on it.
In fact, it will try to tell ye no’ to walk on it because it has had no muscle movement to speak of.
So, yer muscles will try to say no walking.
But ye must start to move the good leg slowly. ’Tis a gradual process.”
Jennet added, “And never, never dismount from a horse for at least another moon.”
“Another moon? How will I go on patrol?”
“Yule is coming, so there will be no patrol for at least a fortnight. ’Twill not be an issue for ye yet.” Jennet added warm water to the basin. “Mama, remember when one of the guards didn’t believe us about being careful?”
“Ye mean the time he jumped off his horse and snapped the bone worse than the first time?”
“Aye. ’Twas a sad day for both of us. His because of the pain, mine because it was harder to fix.” Brenna shook her head with a smile. “People are fools sometimes.”
“I willnae be a fool. I promise, Aunt Brenna. I’ll do whatever ye say,” Ysenda said. She would do anything to get herself out of the contraptions and this restricted life she’d been forced into.
Tara said, “Mama and I saw something similar on Cameron land. A guard who didnae wish to listen. So he started walking on both legs, then he fell down a knoll and broke it again. Not worse, but the same break. He had to start all over again. He cursed out my mother until Papa came in and punched him. Papa rarely loses his temper unless it’s over Mama. ”
Aunt Brenna washed her leg with the fresh water in the basin Jennet had brought with her. Once she dried Ysenda’s leg, she said, “All right. I’m going to put this on yer leg, and then we will all help ye to stand.”
Ysenda wished to cry with excitement, but instead, she giggled. “I’m excited. Forgive me, Aunt Brenna.”
The three arranged the contraption and tightened it. “How does that feel? It should be tight, but it should not be painful,” Aunt Brenna explained.
“It doesnae hurt,” she replied.
“Tara, ye stand on that side of her. Jennet on the other side, and I’ll stand in front in case she topples. When ye stand, Ysenda, put most of yer weight on the good leg.”
Ysenda nodded, then leaned forward and let Tara and Jennet help her.
She fell almost immediately, but they caught her.
“What happened?” her aunt asked.
“My good leg buckled. Why?” Panicking because she thought it wouldn’t work, Ysenda resolved to beg her aunt to try again if she had to.
“Because ye havenae used it in a moon. Yer good leg will adjust; ye just must take it slow. Try again but give Jennet more of yer weight.”
She tried again and managed to stand up, her weight on her good leg and leaning against Jennet, who held her for now. “’Tis a verra different feeling.”
“All right, walk a few steps with support until ye are accustomed to the movement, then Jennet will step away, and we’ll give ye the stick on that side.”
She did as they suggested, and even though she stumbled a few times, she finally got used to the odd contraption and managed to walk with the cane and without putting any weight on her broken leg.
She smiled, hope blossoming through her. Her bone was healing, and she was going to take a bath this eve.
The only other thing she wished to do was find Lewis.
She had to apologize for all that had happened.