Highlander's Winter Tale Read online

  Dawn kept still as he continued.

  “It was not in my power to change the wording of the curse through the years, but it was easy to instill enough fear into the telling of the tale to help me gain the power I craved and that power will allow me to break the curse in a way that will benefit me.” He laughed a most unpleasant laugh. “No one, not one soul ever questioned the curse—until you. You understand what Glenna meant for the curse to do.”

  Dawn nodded and gestured.

  “You are right. She meant for the curse to contain and punish me throughout time. And as far as love sealing my fate, that baffled me. She knew all too well that love mattered not at all to me. Soon I will be free and have a clan to rule, to bend to my will, to do my bidding.” He pretended to shiver with pleasure. “I can just feel the fear nourishing me.” He pointed at her hand. “Now put that thing away and come with me.”

  Dawn shook her head.

  “Do not be troublesome. One way or the other you will submit to me. It would benefit you and your children if you comply. Your husband’s fate is already sealed. He will die either way. In exchange, I will give you a voice and let your children live. If not, I will cast a spell on you and you will serve only me and not care what I do to your children. Either way, you will be my companion and lover. If you think to delay the inevitable, know that once Cree arrives all it takes is one touch and he will fall ill. I will take great joy in letting him linger and suffer unless, of course, you plead for mercy with a clear distinct voice for all to hear. The choice is yours.”

  Silence filled the narrow hall for a few moments, Dawn keeping her thoughts silent.

  “My lady—”

  Dawn, startled by the unexpected voice, turned to see Bessa standing behind her, her face turning pale. Dawn’s thought quickly went to Old Mary.

  “Lady Dawn wonders if Old Mary has worsened.” When the lass remained quiet, staring wide-eyed at him, Alexander commanded, “Speak up.”

  Bessa jumped in fright and her voice quivered as she spoke, “There is no more brew left and Old Mary stirs restlessly.”

  Dawn let him hear what she wanted him to hear as she reached out to Bessa and took her hand. Fear held the lass captive and Dawn understood why. It was obvious Alexander was speaking Dawn’s thoughts and only evil could do that.

  “Lady Dawn says to go to Flanna and she will know what to do,” Alexander said.

  Dawn nodded, confirming his words and stepped in front of Alexander so the young servant could hurry past him without him laying a hand on her. And she could give Bessa’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

  The talisman forced him to take several steps away from her. “To your bedchamber to toss that horrid thing into the flames so no else will be tempted to use it, then you will tell me your decision. If I am pleased with it, I may let Old Mary remain lucid long enough for you to bid her farewell.”

  Dawn hurried down the hall, prayers clear in her head.

  “They will not help you,” Alexander said with a laugh and followed behind her at a safe distance from the talisman.

  ~~~

  Bessa rushed into the Great Hall and ran to Flanna, grabbing her hand. “He is no longer in the tower room. He roams free and will see us all dead.”

  Those people close enough to hear her gasped and began spreading the word.

  “Where did you get this?” Flanna demanded, seeing the talisman sticking from her clenched hand and pulling it free.

  “Lady Dawn shoved it in my hand after the devil spoke for her. He can hear her. The devil has possessed Lady Dawn.”

  “Nonsense! Now tell me what he said,” Flanna demanded anxiously.

  The lass repeated it. “Lady Dawn says to go to Flanna and she will know what to do.”

  Before the lass could say anymore, Flanna ran out of the room, straight to Cree’s solar. She did not knock, she threw open the door, and rushed in.

  Cree was about to reprimand Flanna for disobeying him when he saw the horrified look on her face. “Dawn?”

  Flanna nodded and hurried over to him, her hand opened wide with the talisman in it.

  ~~~

  Dawn went to the hearth and pretended to toss the talisman, she had slipped to Bessa, into the flames. She poked at a spot in the fire with a stick, wanting Alexander to believe she did as he had ordered.

  Alexander entered the room cautiously and once he reached the middle, he said, “You comply nicely, Dawn, which has me believing that you will submit to me willingly to protect your family and clan from harm and endless suffering.”

  Dawn had no doubt Cree would come for her. She only needed to bide time until he did and the only way she could do that was to keep him talking.

  Alexander stepped closer to her. “Do not think to play games with me. I know it is only a matter of time before Cree appears—to late—to save his wife.”

  Dawn took cautious steps back away from him.

  “Why delay what you know is inevitable? There is nothing—nothing—that can stop me. I will take what I want and you can do nothing. Now give me your hand and at least prevent those you love from suffering.”

  Cree!

  Alexander laughed. “He cannot hear you, my dear.”

  The door suddenly flew off its pins and before it came crashing down on the floor, Alexander and Dawn rushed out of its path.

  Cree stood in the doorway, fury swirling in his dark eyes and the thick muscles in his body taut and ready for battle. His glance went to his wife and he held his hand out to her.

  Alexander rushed toward her, his hand outstretched and Cree rushed at him, landing a vicious blow to his jaw. Alexander cried out as he went down from the pain. Cree did not wait, his powerful fist landed punch after punch to Alexander’s face.

  Dawn’s hand yanking at his arm was the only thing that stopped him. He was quick to grab Dawn and move them both away from Alexander, crumpled on the floor.

  “Another talisman,” Alexander said with anger as he rubbed his jaw and sat up.

  “The same one,” Cree said, holding it up for Alexander to see.

  Alexander turned a furious glare on Dawn. “You will pay for this.”

  “Do not dare threaten my wife,” Cree warned.

  “What will you do?” Alexander challenged as he got to his feet. “You think a bunch of sticks will protect you from me. He held his arms out to his sides. Do you see blood on me anywhere? And how many times did you strike me? The talisman may weaken my ability to protect myself, but it cannot do any great harm and it cannot destroy me.”

  “But I can!”

  Cree and Dawn turned to see Sloan standing in the doorway, grinning and holding a stone with a hole in its middle in one hand and a smithy’s hammer in the other.

  Alexander’s eyes turned wide with fright as Sloan ran toward him. He frantically looked about and grabbed a split log from the basket near the hearth. He swung it at Sloan, knocking the stone from his hand.

  Cree pushed his wife aside and lunged once again, grabbing Alexander. They fought, Alexander’s attempts weak thanks to the talisman.

  “Where did that damn stone go?” Sloan said, getting on his hands and knees to search over the floor.

  Dawn dropped to her knees and joined Sloan in the search. She found it under the bed out of her reach. She turned and tapped Sloan’s arm, pointing under the bed.

  Sloan reached for the stone, but it was out of his grasp. He inched himself forward, his fingertips just grazing it, but unable to grab it.

  Dawn watched Cree struggle with Alexander. Her husband’s strength went far beyond any man’s and his struggle to hold Alexander was obvious. What was more obvious was that Cree held the talisman so tight in his hand that the twigs were beginning to break one by one. If the talisman was destroyed before Sloan could reach the stone, her husband would not stand a chance against Alexander—none of them would.

  She tapped on Sloan’s leg, letting him know he needed to hurry.

  “I am trying,” he said and Dawn heard how h
ard he was trying in his strained voice as he stretched his arm further under the bed.

  Dawn hurried to the basket of logs and found a stick used for kindling and hurried to reach under the bed and place it next to Sloan’s arm so he would know it was there. Then she returned to the basket of logs, grabbed one, and without hesitation slammed it against the back of Alexander’s knees. He went down with an angry growl and turned toward her as he did, his arm outstretched, reaching for her. Dawn had no room to scramble back away from him, the hearth right behind her. She was about to kick his hand away when he suddenly was lifted off the ground by his neck.

  “Enough,” Cree shouted as he slammed him against the wall and stepped aside.

  Alexander’s eyes turned wide with fright as Sloan moved in and planted the stone with the hole in it against his chest and held it there.

  Cree, Dawn, and Sloan watched and waited but nothing seemed to happen. No dark mist was sucked into the stone, nor did Alexander shrivel up and dissipate. Nothing happened.

  Alexander laughed. “It is nothing more than a tall tale. The stone holds no magic over me. My power is too strong, nothing can destroy me.” He sneered with sheer wickedness and shoved Sloan’s hand with the stone away. “Now it is your turn to suffer, Cree, and since you favor fists let me show you what little effort true power takes.”

  ~~~

  Cree grabbed Alexander’s fist in his large hand before it reached his face and squeezed tight. The man’s eyes turned wide in pain. Cree shoved his hand away and quickly landed a brutal blow to Alexander’s nose. The crack of bone resonated off the stone walls and blood poured from his nostrils as he crumpled to the floor.

  “Break the stone,” Cree ordered before bending down and delivering a vicious blow to Alexander’s jaw. That crack of bone was heard as well.

  Sloan retrieved the hammer from the floor where he had dropped it and with a broad smile he brought it down on the stone, smashing it to pieces. He did not stop smashing all the pieces until there was nothing left but dust.

  Chapter Twelve

  Four days later...

  “I feel fine. I am going home,” Old Mary insisted as she reached for her cloak on the bed.

  Dawn quickly snatched it up and draped it around the old woman’s shoulders. She knew there was no arguing with her and she truly was doing well. Everyone struck by the strange illness had begun to get better after the stone had broken Alexander’s powers.

  “Walk me home,” Old Mary said, “since I know you will anyway.”

  Dawn smiled and nodded and took Old Mary’s arm as they left the room that Dawn had feared would not only be the old woman’s death chamber, but Elsa’s as well. Elsa had improved quickly and as soon as she was on her feet, she was helping others to recover. Neil was happy when she did, since it proved to him that she was herself once again.

  The Great Hall was empty when they entered it. Those who had taken ill there, having returned home two days ago. Life was returning to normal once again.

  “Your cloak,” Flanna said, rushing over to Dawn to help her on with it. “It is good the snow has stopped and it is no longer bitter cold, though some insist we will have more snow before this winter ends. At least, there will be no more Winter Tale to tell.”

  “The tale will be told again,” Old Mary said and Flanna and Dawn looked startled. “Tongues have already started speaking about it and merchants that pass through here will hear of it and spread the word how the Winter Tale is no longer to be feared thanks to the mighty Cree and his fearless clan.” Old Mary patted Flanna on the shoulder. “Dawn told me all about how you bravely disobeyed Cree’s order to keep from his sight to save not only Dawn but the whole clan.”

  Flanna’s cheeks reddened. “It is a small brave act compared to what Lady Dawn has done for all of us here in Dowell.”

  A crash in the hall had Flanna turning around abruptly and hurrying off, yelling at the poor servant who had dropped something.

  Dawn held firmly onto Old Mary once outside, not wanting her to slip and fall. It was obvious after a few steps that the old woman had gotten her strength back and that pleased Dawn.

  “A winter cloak, that is what the snow looks like upon the land,” Old Mary said. “I hear that Sloan is enjoying the attention from many lasses for being so heroic, but tell me how did he come by the stone with the hole through it?”

  Old Mary spoke aloud Dawn’s gesture. “He came across it before going into a battle that he did not think he would survive. He believed it was a special stone and kept it close always, though told no one but Cree about it.” Old Mary smiled. “He was right about it being special and it not only saved him that day he went into battle, but it saved all of us from Alexander.”

  Dawn pointed to her eyes, then shaded them as she looked around as if searching.

  Old Mary laughed. “He looks for another one now.”

  Dawn nodded and banged a fisted hand against the palm of her other hand.

  “His is that adamant about it?”

  Dawn shook her finger and her head and spread her arms.

  “I do not blame him for never wanting to be without one again. I am sure Elsa would have gladly used hers if she had been able to and it is probably why Alexander made sure she was struck with the illness.”

  Dawn stopped and gestured quickly.

  “How did he know she possessed one?” Mary continued after Dawn nodded. “Many healers look for such a stone and if lucky enough to find one, keep it a secret. Alexander probably did not want to take a chance that Elsa had one, so he struck her with the fever. He did the same to me, though it was my knowing things that he could not take a chance with. I knew something was not right, so I fought as hard as I could, though I remained much too confused to be of any help.”

  Dawn disagreed, letting Old Mary know she was of great help, fever or no fever.

  Old Mary brushed the compliment off and gave a nod toward the storehouse. “I see Alexander’s punishment is going well.”

  Dawn looked over at Alexander, gagging as he cleaned the rotted food from the storehouse.

  “Cree was wise in not simply killing the man. It is better the clan sees that there is no longer any reason to fear him. I hear Alexander is also being made to tend the cow he turned ill.”

  Dawn pressed her hands together and pressed them to the side of her head.

  “He has been made to sleep in the barn with the cow as well?”

  Dawn nodded.

  “What will Cree eventually do with him?”

  “My wife encourages me to set him free and let fate seal his destiny. She feels it is what Glenna, the woman who cursed him, intended,” Cree said, joining them and taking Old Mary’s arm to help her along as they walked.

  “And how do you feel?” Old Mary asked.

  “I prefer to hang him, then burn him and be done with it.”

  “Would he not suffer far more if he was made to live without his powers?” Old Mary asked.

  “You think like my wife.”

  “I take that as a compliment.”

  Cree scowled when he saw that Lila and Dorrie were waiting at Old Mary’s door. He had hoped to have some time alone with his wife, the last few days having kept them too busy to spend barely any time together. Dawn also had little time to spend with friends and he did not want to deprive her of that after all that had happened.

  “Stay well,” he said to Old Mary and turned to his wife. “I will see you when you finish here,” he said gruffly and walked away annoyed. He scowled and mumbled growing more irritated with each step. People hurried out of his way, though he took no notice of them. His thoughts were on his wife.

  He turned, deciding to remind her that he was not a patient man and was met with a snowball to his chest. Another one followed catching him in the shoulder. Gasps mingled with chuckles around him as he swatted away a third snowball that nearly caught him in the face.

  “You are asking for trouble, wife,” he said as he advanced on her slowly.

>   Dawn grinned and danced around like a child thrilled with her actions as she packed another snowball and threw it at her husband. It caught his leg and she was quick to make another and this time she got him in the face.

  Dawn’s mouth dropped open in shock as he stopped abruptly and slowly wiped the snow off his face.

  “You will pay for that, wife,” Cree said.

  She did not wait to see exactly what it would cost her, she took off running. She heard his heavy footfalls not that far behind her and she hurried toward the woods, not an easy task with all the snow.

  She got only a short distance into the woods when her husband pounced on her, sending them both tumbling into the snow. She soon found herself flat on her back, her husband straddling her.

  “Now I have you where I want you,” he said, a rare smile surfacing on his handsome face.

  She shook her head and gestured.

  “You have me where you want me?”

  She patted the snow, then slipped her hand beneath his plaid and caressed him.

  He groaned and reluctantly grabbed her hand. “It is a romp in the snow you intended?”

  She smiled softly as she gestured.

  “You want to make memories with me?’

  She nodded.

  He leaned down, kissed her, and whispered, “We shall make a memory neither of us will ever forget.”

  And they did.

  The End... for now!

  Look for more adventures of Cree & Dawn coming your way!

  An interesting side note... a hole that is created by nature in a stone is known by some as a Hag stone, warding off witches, and to others a Holey stone that protects. It’s rare to find them and luckily I have found not only one but two. So keep an eye out for your very own Holey stone.