Chapter 1 #2
“Everyone must learn to swim since many rivers and lochs are nearby. If ye don’t know how to swim, ye can drown, plus it makes an excellent place to escape from fire.
Ye can never be too prepared, lass.” Taking her father’s advice, Elayne rigorously practiced until she could swim lengths across the loch, trying to beat his powerful strokes with his longer arms and strong kicks as he swam.
They had a wonderful time on the rare days in the summer when they enjoyed a picnic on the banks of the loch after swimming.
One day, when fifteen years of age, Elayne’s father allowed her to swim unaccompanied in the loch, for she had labored on a hot day from the early morning hours. William felt guilty about making his daughter work, especially since other children could be carefree and play.
Elayne rode her favorite horse, River, to the loch and saved an apple and an oatcake to eat later.
She took her wooden sword and sparred in practice against a sturdy tree after she tethered her horse.
Thwack, whomp, crack! She wielded the sword furiously against the tree bark as she had seen the warriors practice with each other countless times.
On a sunny summer’s day, the relentless sounds beckoned to the young man who rode his horse alone in the forest. What caused those sounds?
The man slipped effortlessly from his horse and tethered his stallion, Night.
He crept stealthily toward the sounds that echoed in the forest, astonished to discover a bonnie lass hitting a wooden sword against the tree.
A good form for a young lass. Intrigued by her, he wondered how she had learned.
“What are ye punishing the tree for?” he called out to her.
Elayne turned to address the person who spoke to her.
She did not recognize him, but he wore their MacPherson clan colors for his tartan and had a friendly smile.
Elayne was immediately attracted to his bright, humorous eyes.
Clearly a clan warrior, he had long raven locks, a chiseled jaw, and muscled arms.
“I’m not punishing the tree but practicing my fighting skills.”
“What do ye need fighting skills for? That is what men do. Is there someone threatening ye?”
“Nae one has threatened me, but I want to be prepared if they do. Everyone should protect the clan as best they can from our enemies, should they not?”
“Who taught ye how to fight?”
“Nae one taught me. I learned by watching the men train in the fields.”
“Would ye like to practice with me? I could teach ye new skills if ye like. I will use a tree branch so ye won’t get cut by my sword if ye do not block my thrusts with yer sword.”
Nae one had ever offered to teach her before, and his offer was too good to pass up, so she said, “Aye, thank ye. I want to learn from ye.”
He nodded and used his sword to whacked at a sturdy but thin tree branch that would suit his purpose.
“What is yer name, lass?” he asked as the branch fell.
“I am Elayne. What is yer name?”
“I am Cailean. Let’s test ye with a few strikes of my trusty sword,” he said, winking.
As he swept the tree branch through the air, Elayne giggled in response.
Cailean enjoyed her playfulness and interest. The lass was unlike the other maidens at the castle, who simpered at him and batted their eyelashes to gain his attention.
Their behaviors made him want to run away.
Her ignorance of his position suited him just fine.
Cailean tested her mettle by taking a swing at her like he would on the training field, and she met his strike with ease.
He changed his stance and thrusts, and again, she met him.
Exceedingly surprised by the strength she showed, he admired her ability to block his blows.
Cailean was amazed that her upper arms’ strength surpassed that of the young squires he had taught.
When he praised her for her skills, her beautiful smile lit up her face.
Tentatively, he struck her sword and feinted a thrust. But she parried and struck a blow where he had nae expected, being quick, observant, and flexible.
Later, he demonstrated advanced maneuvers and had her copy them as well as his stance.
Then he tried to assess how much she had learned.
After half an hour, he asked her if she wanted to rest.
“Nae, I’m not tired. I would rather learn more from ye.”
She impressed him with her desire to learn. "I will show ye a few more moves. Then I intend to go swimming. Do ye ken how to swim?"
“Of course, I do. I came here to swim and practice. I rarely get free time, but this is what I prefer to do with it.”
Cailean showed a few other maneuvers to Elayne and enjoyed her ability to learn quickly.
She stunned him by reversing a maneuver when he did not expect it and smacked him on his side with her sword.
Rarely caught off guard by another in the training field, he took seriously his duty as one of the laird’s sons and to his clan.
Cailean wished to be the best warrior in the clan so he could make his father proud.
He couldn’t believe this toned slip of a girl could best him in a maneuver.
He’d even learned something new from her.
They finished their swordplay and went to the loch to swim.
Elayne removed her dress, swam in her linen shift, and challenged him to a race.
And the lass was not fully developed yet.
Cailean removed his kilt and swam in his long linen shirt, protecting the young lass’s modesty since he usually swam naked.
Initially, Cailean matched Elayne stroke for stroke.
His powerful muscles won at the end of their race, overtaking her.
They sat in the sunshine on the rocks and dried off.
From her pack, Elayne took out her meager food, cut the apple and oatcake in half, and offered half to him.
She was starving from the exertions, and if she was starving, Cailean must be ravenous.
The young lass’s generosity impressed him. He accepted the food from her and resolved that the next time, he would be better prepared and offer her something to eat from his satchel instead of taking hers. As they ate, Cailean and Elayne talked about things they liked to do.
“I love to read books, but I have only one, and its pages are worn from countless readings. What do ye like to read?”
Nae lass at the castle had never asked him about his interests before.
They both shared a love of reading and riding.
“I love adventure stories.” Therefore, Cailean vowed to bring her a book in his saddlebag and give it to her the next time he saw her.
“How did ye learn to read, lass? It is amazing ye love to read.”
“My father taught me.” Elayne glanced up and sought the position of the sun.
She did not wish to cause her father any worry, plus if she returned late, he would be less likely to let her go again.
Elayne gazed at Cailean. “I need to return home. Thank ye for teaching me how to use a sword better. I learned a lot from ye today, and I enjoyed our race in the loch.”
“I enjoyed the afternoon with ye, Elayne. Thank ye for sharing yer food with me. I hope to see ye again, when we can practice if ye like.”
“I would like that, but I don’t ken when. I have to help my father with his work.”
Cailean walked her to her horse, lifted her into the saddle, and watched her ride away.
He couldn’t remember when he had spent a more enjoyable afternoon where nothing was expected from him or his position.
How would Elayne’s behavior change when she learned he was the laird’s son and as she grew into a woman?
Of course, that presumed there would be another pleasant interlude, but he would not leave that to chance; he determined he would seek her company on the hills of the loch again.
When he returned to the castle, his duties and obligations again consumed him.
In the following weeks, Cailean looked for Elayne wherever he went.
He was unable to leave the castle for days at a time, having too many responsibilities to leave, so he scoured the grounds for her.
But to his dismay, he did not find her. Cailean should have asked about her father’s work.
Finally, he found her at the loch, and they fell into a relaxed and easy friendship. The kind he’d never found with another lass.
Throughout the rest of the summer, Cailean encountered Elayne several more times at the loch. One day, they shared a picnic lunch, and Elayne teased him about all the food he brought. She had never seen so much food. She hadn’t the opportunity to take part in a feast at the castle.
During their encounters, they talked about what they read, and Elayne loved the books Cailean loaned her.
Cailean did not disclose his relationship to the laird, and Elayne did not ask about his family ties.
She was content to share their time discussing things they enjoyed, swimming and training.
So absorbed in training and their enlightening discussions, Cailean failed to ask her more questions about her father.
Since he never encountered her in the keep, he surmised her father must be a farmer, and they lived outside the village.
The summer passed by quickly. Unfortunately, they did not run into each other again until the following summer.
When they finally met, Elayne noticed how much taller and muscular Cailean had become. He brought her more books to read, and they continued to train in secret. Elayne also noticed how handsome Cailean had become, his stubble more prominent. When he didn’t shave, his beard was full and thick.
Their friendship developed in isolation from anyone else.
Cailean enjoyed his carefree time with Elayne.
Especially, he enjoyed her refreshing honesty, innocence, and lack of guile.
They laughed together, and Elayne listened intently to his stories and concerns.
She offered him advice only when he asked for it, and he enjoyed her novel insights.
Cailean spoke of battle strategies. To represent the terrain of waging a battle, he used sticks and stones for the opposing sides.
Elayne had studied the historical books about war strategies he had brought for her to read; she enjoyed reading any subject he brought to her.
Knowing her honesty and kind heart, her father did not ask her where she got her books.
Elayne said, “It comes down to knowing yer enemies: how they fight and assemble their warriors, how many men, archers, and horses they have. Having knowledge ahead of time would seem to me to be crucial for victory over yer enemy. Yer strengths should be kept protected so yer enemy cannot take advantage of ye. It is best to be unexpected when ye can.”
Like a game of chess, they played out various battle scenes so Cailean could clearly see them in his mind’s eye.
Cailean kent the day fast approached when he would need to leave the clan.
To protect the clan, he would go into battle with his brothers and father.
He wanted to be prepared. His goal was to become his clan’s most fearsome and powerful warrior, training vigorously daily to fulfill this ambition.
One day at the loch before the end of summer, Elayne gave a gift to Cailean.
“What is this for?”
“I made ye a gift. I ken ye are concerned for our clan and the future outcome of battles ye may have to wage for the clan’s protection.
So I made this for yer protection. My prayers for yer safety go with ye into battle and on yer journeys.
I hope ye like it. It was time consuming to make.
I sewed each day after work until I completed it for ye. ”
Cailean unwrapped the cloth and string that bound her gift.
In his hand, he beheld an embroidered cloth with flames of fire leaping up from the bottom.
Over the flames was a red heart with a golden flame leaping from its center.
The edges of the cloth were embroidered with green shades of pine and fir trees.
A blue loch was stitched into the design. Cailean loved it.
“I can’t believe ye spent so much time making this for me. It is almost like a tapestry, as ye have embroidered many stitches. I shall carry it with me always. Yer embroidery will remind me of these peaceful and carefree times with ye here by the loch.”
“Ye have a bold and brave heart. Ye love yer clan and have the strength of the clan behind ye. Armed with these, ye will be victorious in yer battles. I hope the time for ye to leave to fight for yer clan never comes. But if it does, I hope this will protect ye from harm.”