it will not be long enough to cover. Ye may find the Cailleach still has her iron grip here in the hills, and the nights are cold.”
“Yes. I’m grateful that I had my coat when...” She let the last trail off, remembering that Betha didn’t know where she came from.
Betha disappeared deep into the cave. In a moment or two, she returned and handed it to Aileen. “’Tis a beautiful chemise ye have on, but this will keep ye warmer.”
Aileen smiled. “Thank you, Betha. It’s lovely.”
“I’ll leave ye to change. Then come and sit with me by the fire.”
“More questions of my land?” she asked twirling the material between her fingers.
Betha squeezed her hand. “Nae, only the one that has not been asked.” Turning aside, she ducked and left Aileen wondering what question it would be.
Quickly changing and putting on the gown, she felt instantly warmer. Moving outside, she found Betha and sat down next to her.
“Here, drink this.”
Aileen took the cup hesitantly. “What is it?” She sniffed the contents and then smiled. In her time they would have called it peppermint tea, but now, “Mint brew with other herbs?”
“Aye. I noticed ye are not drinking the ale, and Sir Stephen mentioned that ye prefer water. It is one of my own mixtures.”
Aileen let the warm liquid permeate her body, and watched the flames dance within the fire. “So, what is your question?”
Betha angled her head to the side, as if studying her. “How did ye meet Sir Stephen?”
“That’s it?” she blurted out. She saw the look of alarm on Betha’s face and reached out a hand. “I’m sorry, it’s just everyone keeps asking me about my land, the colors of everything, how long I’m staying, that I expected something else.”
“’Tis a simple question, I thought.”
She only nodded. “I found Sir Stephen in a tunnel near the abbey. He appeared to be unconscious and in pain.”
“He must have had a vision. Why were ye in the passage?”
“Passage?” Aileen frowned. “Oh, the tunnel or burrow?”
“Aye,” said Betha shifting slightly.
How much to reveal, Aileen thought. “I was trying to get away from someone. I had overheard some disturbing news and got lost within the abbey tunnels.” There, at least that wasn’t a lie.
“Did he speak of the vision with ye?”
Aileen snorted. “Heavens, no! He told me to go away, after I tried to help him. I told him I was a healer, but he refused my touch.”
Betha’s eyes went wide. “A healer? Now I grasp why ye were sent.”
Before Aileen could respond, she could sense him standing behind her. His power swept over and through her. She started to tremble, and clenched her hands in the folds of her gown.
“Then pray tell us all, Betha.” His tone held a challenge.
She eyed him narrowly. “Ye ken Aileen is a healer. She might have been sent to help ye with your visions.”
“No fae healer will be touching me. I will seek out Osgar if I require healing,” he snapped.
Aileen’s mouth dropped open, and all she could do was stare at the retreating beast. How dare he! “Of all the idiotic beings I’ve encountered in my life,” she hissed out. Standing, she looked down at Betha. “Thank you for the kindness you’ve shown me, but I think I’d like to rest for the night. Is there anywhere I can lie down?”
“Aye. Ye may share the cave with us and some of the other women. Donal, my husband, will be sleeping near the fires with the other men. Just grab one of the wraps inside.”
Rubbing her temples, she handed her cup to Betha. “Good night.”
“Sleep well, Lady Aileen,” whispered Betha.
****
The sound of light chanting brought Aileen out of a deep sleep. Soft snores emanated from the side of the cave, and she blinked trying to adjust to the dimness inside. Smiling, she saw a mother and daughter curled up together. Quietly, she made her way outside, tugging on her coat.
Sunlight sprinkled the sky with its first golden rays of light, and she
“Yes. I’m grateful that I had my coat when...” She let the last trail off, remembering that Betha didn’t know where she came from.
Betha disappeared deep into the cave. In a moment or two, she returned and handed it to Aileen. “’Tis a beautiful chemise ye have on, but this will keep ye warmer.”
Aileen smiled. “Thank you, Betha. It’s lovely.”
“I’ll leave ye to change. Then come and sit with me by the fire.”
“More questions of my land?” she asked twirling the material between her fingers.
Betha squeezed her hand. “Nae, only the one that has not been asked.” Turning aside, she ducked and left Aileen wondering what question it would be.
Quickly changing and putting on the gown, she felt instantly warmer. Moving outside, she found Betha and sat down next to her.
“Here, drink this.”
Aileen took the cup hesitantly. “What is it?” She sniffed the contents and then smiled. In her time they would have called it peppermint tea, but now, “Mint brew with other herbs?”
“Aye. I noticed ye are not drinking the ale, and Sir Stephen mentioned that ye prefer water. It is one of my own mixtures.”
Aileen let the warm liquid permeate her body, and watched the flames dance within the fire. “So, what is your question?”
Betha angled her head to the side, as if studying her. “How did ye meet Sir Stephen?”
“That’s it?” she blurted out. She saw the look of alarm on Betha’s face and reached out a hand. “I’m sorry, it’s just everyone keeps asking me about my land, the colors of everything, how long I’m staying, that I expected something else.”
“’Tis a simple question, I thought.”
She only nodded. “I found Sir Stephen in a tunnel near the abbey. He appeared to be unconscious and in pain.”
“He must have had a vision. Why were ye in the passage?”
“Passage?” Aileen frowned. “Oh, the tunnel or burrow?”
“Aye,” said Betha shifting slightly.
How much to reveal, Aileen thought. “I was trying to get away from someone. I had overheard some disturbing news and got lost within the abbey tunnels.” There, at least that wasn’t a lie.
“Did he speak of the vision with ye?”
Aileen snorted. “Heavens, no! He told me to go away, after I tried to help him. I told him I was a healer, but he refused my touch.”
Betha’s eyes went wide. “A healer? Now I grasp why ye were sent.”
Before Aileen could respond, she could sense him standing behind her. His power swept over and through her. She started to tremble, and clenched her hands in the folds of her gown.
“Then pray tell us all, Betha.” His tone held a challenge.
She eyed him narrowly. “Ye ken Aileen is a healer. She might have been sent to help ye with your visions.”
“No fae healer will be touching me. I will seek out Osgar if I require healing,” he snapped.
Aileen’s mouth dropped open, and all she could do was stare at the retreating beast. How dare he! “Of all the idiotic beings I’ve encountered in my life,” she hissed out. Standing, she looked down at Betha. “Thank you for the kindness you’ve shown me, but I think I’d like to rest for the night. Is there anywhere I can lie down?”
“Aye. Ye may share the cave with us and some of the other women. Donal, my husband, will be sleeping near the fires with the other men. Just grab one of the wraps inside.”
Rubbing her temples, she handed her cup to Betha. “Good night.”
“Sleep well, Lady Aileen,” whispered Betha.
****
The sound of light chanting brought Aileen out of a deep sleep. Soft snores emanated from the side of the cave, and she blinked trying to adjust to the dimness inside. Smiling, she saw a mother and daughter curled up together. Quietly, she made her way outside, tugging on her coat.
Sunlight sprinkled the sky with its first golden rays of light, and she
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