Chapter 7 #3
“Thank ye, Cailean. This means so much to me. I am so grateful to ye.” She stood on her tiptoes and pulled him to her to kiss his lips to thank him. She ran her fingers through the silken hair at the nape of his neck..
Cailean crushed her to him and kissed her passionately one last time.
Elayne expressed her heartfelt need for once in her life, and pleaded, “Hold me, Cailean.” He held her tightly in his arms and inhaled her sweet, intoxicating scent, wishing he could bottle it and carry it with him.
“I wish ye were beside me on this quest for the clan. I ken I would be successful with ye.”
Elayne stepped back and gazed deeply into his eyes.
Stroking his temple, she said, “I am with ye, Cailean, and I ken ye will be successful—more than ye realize now. Ye need to trust yerself. I am with ye here in yer mind. We talked about possibilities and being open to new ideas and caring for others as ye negotiate.” Pointing to his heart as she touched his chest, she said, “I am with ye here. I believe in ye and ken how much ye care for yer clan. We are only memories away. Ye can transport yerself back to the loch anytime ye wish. Stay well, Cailean. I will miss ye.” Not trusting herself with her overwhelming emotions, she strode out of the stable as she trembled inside and walked across the keep, back to the forge.
She needed to be strong today to protect her feelings.
No one can know how I feel about Cailean.
I want him to see me smiling and happy as he rides away. I want him to feel confident and proud.
The sounds of the bailey and the stable collided as more people began their daily tasks.
Tradesmen awakened as dawn cast the first rosy glow in the sky.
Elayne heard more voices added to the usual background noises in the courtyard as she prepped the forge for work, though she would not begin work until after Cailean and his family paraded out of the castle. Her father remained abed.
Elayne made herself a cup of tea to soothe her nerves and anxiety.
She nibbled an oatcake, hoping to extinguish the dread that overtook her.
Too tied up in knots to eat, she put the oatcake aside for later.
The noises outside swelled, and Elayne went out to observe the activity.
Warriors dressed in kilts and holding tall poles with banners the colors of the clan stood next to their saddled stallions, ready to leave while they awaited the laird and his family.
Elayne gazed at the laird, his lady, and others who emerged from the castle.
There were too many people to glimpse Cailean.
Grooms paraded stallions before people who emerged from the castle while warriors mounted their horses.
More clansmen gathered in the courtyard, filled with excitement and pride over the pageantry and fanfare of their clan.
A short time later, people cheered as the warriors, with their colorful banners waving in the wind, rode ahead on their horses, leading the laird and his lady with their family behind.
People craned their necks to see in the crowded courtyard, and cheers rang out when they glimpsed their laird.
Fathers held small children on their shoulders so they would have an unobstructed view, while harried mothers held hands of older children so they wouldn’t become separated in the crowds.
The powerful laird was grandly dressed in his kilt, with a sword on his back and a dirk at his waist that flashed in the sun.
His lady appeared regal by his side. A warm cloak covered her green gown that peeked through.
She wore a silver coronet on her head, with a single braid of red hair down her back.
Behind them rode the bridegroom, who resembled his father.
Raulf smiled broadly, anticipating his wedding to Laird MacDonnell’s daughter, and waved to everyone assembled.
Elayne’s heart stopped when she caught sight of Cailean.
He appeared resplendent in his kilt with the sash of his tartan across his broad, muscular chest and pinned with a glistening silver clan brooch.
His sword was sheathed on his back, and its hilt flashed in the sun.
He looked confident, like the powerful warrior he was.
His eyes struck her, meeting across the sea of people, and it felt like time stopped for a moment.
Elayne smiled at Cailean, and her eyes glowed with the love and devotion for him she couldn’t express in words.
He placed his fist against his heart as he passed her.
She saw the yearning she experienced reflected in his eyes.
And then he was gone. His sisters followed and were swallowed up by the warriors and guards before the supply wagons. The noise of the crowd swelled as the entourage passed through the gate and the village below the castle.
With heavy hearts, Cailean rode away from the love of his life and Elayne bid farewell to her only friend and the man she loved with all her heart.
With nothing left to distract her from her loss, Elayne changed her clothes and began her work, beating the heartless iron.
The metal glowed with intensity as she used pliers to thrust it into the fire.
Elayne greeted her father as he entered the forge but did not look up from her work.
“It was kind of Cailean to let us use his horse and bow.” She turned to the anvil and iron and pounded short and long nails.
There would be many projects now. The weather was sunnier and warmer, and they needed to take advantage of it while favorable.
Winter could be brutally cold in the Highlands, making construction work challenging, if not impossible.
They had not finished with shoeing all the warriors’ horses yet either.
Not wanting to leave the forge today while her emotions were so near the surface and threatening to burst, Elayne created more lanterns to sell at the summer fair.
She still had an ample supply of sheets of tin.
Later, when her father gave her time away from the forge, she would visit with Bessie and learn new recipes or help her with her work.
Elayne needed to keep busy and force her mind to focus on work.
It was hard when she only wanted to think about Cailean.
He acted pleased with her gifts, especially the lantern.
Cailean had appreciated the designs of the configuration of the constellations.
She planned to make lanterns for the fair with more stars.
The design permitted a greater quantity of light to shine from the lantern, making it more useful for those who worked on farms.
In the late afternoon, Elayne completed one lantern and took a break to have a cup of tea and show the lantern to Mrs. Logan.
“What do ye think?” Elayne handed her the lantern she had made. “Do ye think people will wish to purchase these at the market?”
“This is wonderful,” said Mrs. Logan as she lit the candle and admired how the light danced around the room as she twirled it in her hands, holding it by the round loop of iron at the top. “I think yer lantern will be a popular item at the fair.”
“What price should we sell them for? This one I made for ye, so ye can take it home with ye tonight.”
“Thank ye, Elayne. It is a lovely gift. Let me talk to my friends to determine what they think is a fair price for the market. Did ye show yer father?”
“Nae, I have not shown him yet. Ye can show him and ask what he thinks. Did he say if he found an apprentice?”
“Nae, he has not shared that with me yet.”
“Do ye ken where he will have the apprentice sleep? There is nae enough room here. Will the new apprentice stay with the farrier or grooms? They could accommodate sleeping arrangements for a young lad, and he would be close by. It may make him less sad at leaving his family if he is in the company of other lads.”
“That is an excellent idea, and I will mention it to him. Ye have little space. And ye are a woman and need yer own private space. Ye have little privacy even now.”
“Thank ye, Mrs. Logan.”
At dinner later, her father praised the lantern Mrs. Logan had showed him.
“I ken yer lanterns will sell well, especially at the summer fair. I think ye should make a few larger ones with a thicker candle that may give more light. It is lightweight and portable but will become hot to touch when the candle burns. Ye did a fine job making this, lass.”
“Thank ye, Papa. If ye make a larger one, I can copy it and Mrs. Logan can sell for us at the market and the fair.”
“Aye. In other news, I have found a lad who is interested in learning to be my apprentice, and his parents agree. I will speak with the farrier and discuss if the apprentice can sleep there. I will let ye ken when he will begin here.”
Elayne nodded. “I am going to the farrier’s to make horseshoes and will see ye later.
When she arrived, Elayne greeted the farrier and his apprentices.
With her hammer in hand, she began work to pound out more horseshoes.
Work distracted her and kept her mind occupied.
Elayne didn’t want to think. She wanted to become so weary, she would fall into a deep sleep and hoped her dreams would take her far away.
Elayne labored for hours, until the farrier said, “Thank ye, Elayne. That is more than enough work for the day. Ye must be tired after working in the forge all day. Thank ye for yer hard work.”
“Ye are welcome. Good night.”
So exhausted, Elayne swayed with fatigue returning to the forge.
She washed her face and hands and changed into her nightgown.
The night slid around her, warm, like a living thing that breathed all around her.
Unbidden, tears slid down her face as she remembered Cailean’s warm breath on her neck earlier this morning, and his tenderness.
How will I endure the long months without him?
She fell asleep feeling a deep ache and longing for Cailean.
She dreamed of him and felt the comforting touch of his warm fingers caressing her cheek as he gazed into her eyes.
Her dream brought her comfort, even if only while she slept.
In her dreams, he held her heart and never let go.