A Journey Out of Time (32 page)

"Well, son," started the queen in her gentle, yet commanding voice, "they have not had their
human
ceremony but they have spoken the vows."

Torqual went white. How was that possible? He was whiter than she was & they called her fluorescent legs in the 8th grade!

"
Our
vows?"

"Yes, Torqual, not only did they say the vows, but they said them inside The Seven Stones."

Suddenly a chair appeared behind Torqual & he sat down hard. "I…had no idea."

"You may want to do a little further checking before abducting mortals in the future," Ailene said, sounding amused. Sonya couldn't help but laugh & Torqual gave her an annoyed looked.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why didn't you ask?" she blustered back, moving her head from side to side. "How was I to know it made a difference?"

Torqual stood back up, his composure restored. He tugged his tunic & placed his hands down at his sides. He looked up at his mother & said, "Why can she sense me?"

Queen Ailene raised a brow & regarded her. Sonya suddenly felt like a specimen in a jar as they both looked at her & then at each other.

"Can she now?" The queen didn't sound surprised, but interested. Sonya wondered if anything surprised these people.

"Yes."

"Well, she also went to The Seven Stones & was granted the ability to read the scroll about Cullen's change," she informed her son.

"Really?" he sounded almost in awe. That must be a new sensation for him!

"
Granted the
ability
to read
the scrolls?" Sonya queried.

"They are not in English," Torqual informed her. "They are of an ancient language.
Our
ancient language."

"They aren't? What does that mean exactly?" she wondered.

"How did you get the scrolls?" Ailene asked her, ignoring her question.

"Well, I got one & Duncan got the other one." Ailene nodded for her to go on. "I had this feeling," Sonya shrugged, "to put my hand on the stone & then place the other one on the other side. When I did, one of the scrolls appeared. When I placed the scroll back, it was gone again."

"Hmm," was Ailene's reply. "Interesting."

"Mother?"

His mother looked at him, but did not say more about that. "It is time to decide, Torqual. You may come back at any time, but the girl, she must be returned. It has been too long. "

"How long
has
it been?" Sonya asked frowning.

Torqual looked at his mother & grinned. The queen let out a sigh, but she evidently wasn't surprised that he hadn't told her how much time had passed. Sonya crossed her arms, narrowing her own icy, blue eyes. He looked at her & held out his hand. Sonya looked at his hand a moment & then looked up at him & smiled. She put her hand in his.

"Mother," he bowed.

"Be well, my son." You could hear the affection in her voice.

Sonya curtsied, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Ailene smiled a beautiful glowing smile. Suddenly a square box appeared in her hand.

"This is a gift from my people for your kindness, your
tolerance
towards my son & for your wedding."

Torqual scowled at his mother & suddenly the box was in Sonya's hand. "Thank you, Your Highness."

Ailene nodded. "Would you also extend my pleasure to Casia & Cullen on their soon to be born child?"

"Of course, Your Highness."

Torqual & Sonya looked at each other. She
had
been right about the baby. She smiled. Queen Ailene laughed, the bells ringing from her voice. Then they were there no longer in Sualtam.

*

"Bloody hell! Get your hand off of my wife faerie!"

Duncan froze mid stride & Sonya laughed. They had appeared in the hall just before the dais. Cullen was sitting next to Casia & Duncan had leapt up from his chair in an instant.

"Torqual, unfreeze him please," she requested, chuckling.

"As you wish."

Torqual barely moved a finger & Duncan went forward barely catching himself on the edge of the table. Sonya took a step forward. She knew Torqual could handle himself, but she hoped she could explain to Duncan…quickly.

"Duncan," Sonya said.

He went flying around the table & down the step taking her by her shoulders trying to move her aside, "Aye lass, just a moment." But Sonya stood her ground putting her hands on his chest.

"Duncan," she said again. Torqual stood there looking amused. He was
not
being helpful!

"Aye lass?" he said, glancing at Sonya, then looking over her shoulder.

"This is Torqual. He is from Sualtam."

"Aye, I ken where he is from & where I will be a sending his body back to!"

"No, you won't. Well, not
yet
." Sonya looked at Torqual who had a crooked grin on his face as he looked back at her. At least the man had learned to smile! "I asked him to come with me, Duncan."

"Ye, what?" he roared, looking at her intently. "Woman what is wrong with ye? Why would ye ask one of the wee folk to come with ye when he took ye like he did?"

"Duncan!
Please,
stop yelling at me I am right here!
I
will explain everything that happened, later." Duncan was still scowling at Torqual, who was still looking amused. Well, at least he should stay entertained here, she thought!

Cullen had stood when Duncan went roaring over, but retook his seat. Casia had her arms crossed & gave Torqual a look of a mother annoyed with her child. Torqual didn't seem to notice or chose to ignore her. Duncan stood glaring at Torqual, but didn't say anything more.

"In case anyone was wondering
I
am fine," Sonya put on a big smile. She looked at Duncan, then saw Cullen's grin & smiled at him. Looking back at Duncan, she continued, "Torqual will be
our
guest for a time. He is very
curious
about
our
people." She tried to look sternly…at the side of her husband's face. Duncan snorted.
So much for a welcome home of hugs & kisses
, she laughed to herself.

"Well, I suggest we get on with dinner then," Cullen announced loudly. Everyone in the room had stopped eating to watch. Torqual made a brief nod towards Cullen, but didn't say anything. Swords could be heard being returned to their scabbard.

Finally, Casia caught her eye & boy did she ever!

"Casia!" Sonya cried. "Look at you!"

Casia smiled, glowing with a
very
extended stomach! How long
had
she been away? She turned scowling at Torqual & hit him!

"Ow!" he grabbed his shoulder.

"Torqual," she growled. He grinned as she shoved him in front of her toward the dais. Before she could take a step up, however, she was suddenly jerked back by her skirts! Duncan pulled her back up against him, wrapping his arm around her rather intimately.

"Ye will tell me
everything
that happened lass," Duncan whispered loudly into her ear. Ah, to feel his breath again! She closed her eyes, wanting to melt, inhaling.

Sonya smiled. "Aye,
husband,
I will," she said as seductively as she could.

Duncan turned her towards him, wrapping her in his arms. He kissed her so hard that she could have cared less that they were in a room full of people. Her arms curled around his neck & into his hair. When he let her go she stumbled back. Eating food sure wasn't on her mind now! Every pour in her body ached for him.

As Sonya dumbly turned back toward the dais she looked at Cullen's big grin. She was sure she was red & took a deep breath. She started to step up again when Duncan slapped her hard on the backside!

"Ow!" she laughed at his playful grin, rubbing her back side.

Cullen motioned Torqual to sit next to him. She wasn't sure if Cullen felt Torqual was safer there or because he was just as curious about Torqual as Torqual was about Cullen. Sonya sat on the other side of Torqual, leaving Duncan to sit at the opposite end next to Casia.
She
felt
that
was safest! She would give Duncan her steamiest look & he would stop scowling temporarily & grin back with a look promising to make up for the time they had lost. That was just fine by her!

"Cullen, I am going to retire to my room, if you don't mind," Casia said. Cullen looked startled & rose.

"Aye, Casia. Are ye okay, love?"

"Yes, my love. I am just a little tired right now," she smiled at him tenderly, with her hand on his arm. "Perhaps you would walk me to our chamber?"

"Aye, lass. Tis always a pleasure." Cullen smiled at his tiny wife & helped her up from her chair.

"We may have to stop by the garderobe again."

Cullen chuckled. Sonya heard a barely audible noise issue from Torqual, but when she touched his arm lightly, he turned towards her.

"Yes, Sonya?" he sounded perfectly calm.

"Perhaps we could go for a walk?" she suggested.

"Of course," he answered. "Perhaps those gardens you like so much."

Everyone looked at her & she tried not to notice. She smiled & they rose from the table. "Duncan? I am going to show Torqual the gardens, would you like to come?"

"Nay, I doona wish to come, lass," he tried to sound polite & she had to laugh quietly. She kissed him on the cheek.

"I won't be too long," she whispered in his ear.

"See, that ye
aren't
or I will have to come get ye," he grinned.

*

Torqual & Sonya walked for a while in the quiet.

"So are we so different? Besides those powers you have that is."

"There is that. We live a lot longer."

"I would say so."

"How old are you?" he asked.

"Younger than you," Sonya replied with a smile.

"And yet you treat
me
like a child?"

"Perhaps it is the mother's instinct in me."

"Well, you better get a move on then, because Casia is going to have a baby first."

"You knew they took the Sualtam vows?" Sonya asked quietly.

"Yes, I knew. She was never to be mine," he said solemnly.

Sonya looked up at him. She hoped he would find someone like she had, but she didn't say it. They continued on through the gardens. Perhaps they didn't see things the same way. Maybe he would always be too logical.

"How often were you here at Dunvegan, before?"

"Just when I caused a bit of mischief here & there," he grinned.

"I am not sure sabotaging the marriage bed is what Casia would call mischief."

"Cullen thought it was funny," he chuckled.

"Cullen thinks most things are funny. So, are you going to stay?"