A Journey Out of Time (16 page)

Rowan & Sonya talked about their plans for the day, but eating wasn't something she seemed able to accomplish. Instead, she rearranged her porridge. There would only be a couple more days before Rowan left for the Lowlands & she didn't want it to be ruined, but as the conversation turned to the dispute Rowan was to settle, Sonya excused herself to her bedchamber. Rowan caught her hand before she turned, a question evident on his face. Sonya leaned down & whispered in his ear, making him chuckle. He laughed & kissed her hand & she walked away, smiling. It wasn't hard to make him laugh. A promise to kick his arse during their next training session was all she needed. Angus was the only one that heard Duncan's growl on the other side of the table. It took all his might not to laugh & he coughed into his mug instead.

Standing at the window, looking out towards the gardens, Sonya saw nothing. She wished Kerry was there to talk to her. Since she wasn't, Sonya sat down with the treasured quill she had adopted from Angus' desk & began writing to Kerry. She had been writing to her each week. A light knock came at the door & Sonya smiled. As she strode across the room, she was surprised to see Anne without any of her ladies.

"Were we to meet for sewing today?" Sonya asked frowning.

"Nay, deary, nay." Anne sat down in the chair closest to the fire.

"Are you okay, Milady?"

Anne seemed to be studying Sonya & then smiled. "I am just fine, lass. Doona worry about me."

"Well," Sonya assured her, "You do not need to worry about me either."

"I am nay worried about ye, Sonya. Ye are too much like me. Ye will do what is right in the end."

"Do what is right?" She knew what Anne had hoped & what she feared as they were also her feelings.

"We are having a celebration tonight."

Sonya rolled her eyes & Anne laughed. "It is perhaps something ye will have to get used to."

Sonya sighed. "Yes, I know, especially around Angus. As well as running a huge household & many other things."

"Aye."

"It is in celebrating Samhain?"

"Aye, it is, but Angus has decided that we shall all dress with masks. I told ye that he loves these things."

Sonya smiled. "He wouldn't be Angus otherwise." She caught herself with the familiarity & her eyes opened wide. "I mean His Highness."

Anne laughed.

"What shall I wear?"

"Ye can wear whatever ye like. I have brought ye a mask to wear. Perhaps that will help ye." Anne stood, handing her a light blue, almost periwinkle mask with feathers & bead work around the outer edge.

"Thank you! This is lovely!"

"It should bring out yer eyes."

"And what colour is yours?"

"Yellow!"

Sonya smiled. Anne loved bright colours. When Anne reached the door, she turned & smiled serenely. "Sonya, ye still have both of your kilts?"

"Yes, of course."

"Remember what I said to ye that first night." She turned & closed the door behind her, leaving Sonya standing there staring after her. It hadn't been a question, it was a simple statement. Another knock at the door made her jump.

"Yes? Come in."

Rowan opened the door & smiled at her, bringing a smile to her face.
That
was the knock she had been expecting.

"Are ye ready for practice?"

"Not yet. I was writing & then your Lady Mother stopped by about this evening."

"Ah, yes, the Samhain. I should have told ye about that before. It slipped my mind. Shall I wait?" He motioned toward her dress.

"Yes." Sonya grabbed her trews & a shirt & stepped behind the changing screen. She suddenly wished she knew if the screen was see-through or not! "Another gathering for the king then," she said.

"Oh, aye, lass, aye."

"And masked as well, I understand."

"Aye. It should be interesting. What colour will yer mask be lass?"

"It is light blue. It is a feathered one."

"Ah. Sounds good."

Sonya rounded the screen & Rowan smiled. She sat down next to him on the bed, but before she could reach for her boots he lay her back looking down at her. She smiled up at him. "Shouldn't we be going?" she asked. He chuckled, then leaned down to give her a quick kiss. Taking her hands he pulled her up. She put on the tall, black boots that Anne had made for her practice sessions. Holding out his hand they headed towards the armory. So far Rowan had refused to let her practice at the lists with all the other trainees. She suspected it was because they were all male!

Going over to the rack, she gently lifted her sword from where it rested. She flexed it in her hand. Sword wielding certainly built the arm muscles really well! She readied her stance. Rowan had been teaching her that the key to fighting multiple opponents was to rely on footwork, shield & armor for defense, while counter-cutting. Counter-cutting involved unit movements so they were both offensive & defensive.

"The best defense is a good offense."

"Aye, lass!" he beamed. "Tis a great way to put it!" Sonya smiled. Being from the future had it's advantages!

Each knight's offensive cuts would also serve as a defensive against the opponent's blows. Rowan explained there wasn't enough time to block & then strike a blow. He was starting to teach her to spot the training of others by their stance & movement. She figured learning that would take her a while! She also had to get used to people watching the practice sessions early on. She quickly learned to be aware of their presence, but not to focus on it. Angus loved watching the practice sessions.

Sonya shook herself from the tension she felt in her back. It was unusual for her. She had learned to ignore things like sound outside an area where a sword could reach her. Even the swaying of the kilt Rowan sometimes wore or the movement of his cape no longer caught her off guard. Today they weren't using shields & she was glad as she felt they were more trouble than help. She moved the sword in her hand, getting it comfortable in her grip. The clanging rang out & Sonya
loved
that sound! Rowan had never been gentle on her. She had her share of cuts & bruises & very sore parts over the months. She would get up again, listened to what Rowan & sometimes Angus told her & begin again.

They hit, parried & thrust again & again. Sonya lost all track of time during practice. Rowan thrust the sword at her, her own knocking it to the left. He swung up & aimed for a downward hit to the neck, but she braced her legs & held the sword above her head, holding his sword aloft. She no longer shook with the power & weight of his hit. She pushed up with her now muscled legs & twisted her arms up & around, taking Rowen's sword down. Before he could lift it up, Sonya swung her sword up & around stopping just inches from Rowan's neck. Rowan grinned at her proudly & the sound of applause filtered into her hearing from the back of the room. She walked to Rowan's side & he hugged her & Sonya swore she heard a growl emit from the door. Thinking it was just Angus' hound she thought nothing of it until she turned to smile at Angus & saw not only Angus, but Anne & Duncan as well! She took in a ragged breath…The tension down her back. She really needed to stop ignoring that or get get better at it. One or the other.

Angus met them midway. "Well, done, lass, well done! I am so proud of ye!" he hugged Sonya.

"Thank you Angus."

Angus clapped the proud instructor on the shoulder as they turned to walk towards the other spectators. "Ye have done an excellent job, lad. Really, ye have," he told Rowan.

"Thank you Angus, but as I said in the beginning, Sonya is a natural." Sonya smiled up at him, proud of her accomplishments. She looked at Anne whose eyes were shining, a beaming smile on her lips & Sonya smiled at her. Nodding to Duncan, Sonya turned to replace her sword. Duncan looked proud too, but also…sad? She walked toward the door.

"Ye have learned a lot, lass during your stay." Duncan said. "Well, done."

"Thank you, My Lord."

Duncan grinned that crooked grin at her & her breath caught in her chest, threatening to choke her. Both Rowan & Angus looked at each other. She didn't miss it. It was due to the formal address she used for Duncan. She just hoped that no one could tell how it made her feel inside when Duncan called her lass. It hadn't lost it's affect on her one tiny bit. Damn. Was she still looking at him? Crap.

Rowan stepped behind her placing his hand on her hip & they walked past Duncan, out of the room. They parted at the stairs where he gave her a kiss & she smiled. She started to turn to go up the stairs when she had the feeling again & glanced down the corridor. Duncan was coming. She turned quickly & dashed up the stairs. At the top, she rounded the corner & stood there.

"Rowan."

Sonya sunk down & peered around the corner.

"Duncan," Rowan replied in an even tone.

"How…has she been?"

Rowan's tone was casual. "Ye mean after ye left without even saying goodbye to the lass ye offered yer home to? Yer mother's stone to?"

Sonya's hand flew to her neck. She saw the tightening of Duncan's jaw & it shot pain through her chest to see him like that. She closed her eyes. What Rowan said had hit a cord with her as well. She never felt abandoned at Duncan's leaving, only mad.
Really
mad.

"Aye," Duncan replied.

Sonya peered down at Rowan. He wanted to be angry at Duncan, but he'd grown up with him. He had dallied with the girls & gotten drunk with this man. Fought side by side with this man.

"She has been well," Rowan said evenly.

"I see ye are courting the lass."

Ugh! Sonya rolled her eyes.

"Aye. I wish to marry her Duncan. She will make me a grand wife."

Duncan's jaw clenched again. In a poignant voice he said, "Aye. She would make any man proud. She is
quite
a woman."

What did he just say?
She would make any man proud? Did he mean
him?
She is quite a woman? He was talking about her!
They
were talking about her. Holy cow! She suddenly couldn't breathe & got up as quietly & quickly as she could & hurried to her room. Sonya took in deep breaths. She didn't move. She didn't know what to do. She felt silly & giddy. She felt like a girl who just had the cutest boy in school tell her hello. She glanced over at the bed. The most beautiful dress lay there. Walking over to it, she ran her hand along the periwinkle chemise. She had never seen a colored chemise before. The dress that went over it was pale blue in colour. The bodice that tied below the breasts was also a dark periwinkle. It was superb with the light & dark colors. Apparently Sonya hadn't been born in the right time, but that had now been remedied. She was going to love wearing this!

Sonya scrubbed & washed her hair. Taking pink rose petals from the writing table, she rubbed them across her arms & neck. She put on the beautiful dress which only Anne could have sent to her & stepped in front of the mirror. She liked these bodices that tied with laces. It was like having a push up bra without the bra! She looked at her hair a moment. It was getting long. Turning her head upside down she began to French braid it. Taking the end of the braid, she wound it on the top of her head. She looked around, she needed bobby pins. What do they use here? Aha! Safety pins!
I tell you those things are good for everything! God bless my aunt Joey who always had them around!
After some creative fastening & some rose petals stuck into the braid, she was a
lmost ready. Then she saw it, a dark purple pouch lying on her pillow next to the mask. Sonya opened the strings & tipped it upside down. It was a brooch. It was beautiful! The top & bottom were rounded like her sword. Sonya smiled. In the center was a circle of small sapphires with a silver center. It was from Rowan. It was the pouch he picked up when they were in the village.

Sonya picked up her cape & was trying to fasten the brooch when she heard Rowan call out. "Sonya! What keeps ye lass? I stand here awaiting ye!"

"Come in here & help me with this brooch!"

Rowan came in chuckling. "Doona look so fashed, lassie. Here, let me show ye." He twisted the brooch & it locked. Ah!