Page 26 of Highlander’s Haunted Past

When Rob retreated back into the tent, Kenna shifted and sat up halfway, the plaid loosening ever so slightly about her as she slowly forced open two groggy eyes.

“What is it?”

Rob picked up Sutherland’s bottle of ointment, using the memory of the wounds that were lurking underneath the plaid to slow the stirring underneath his kilt.

“Let’s get this over and done with, lass.”

* * *

After only a couple of blissful hours of sleep, the Queen’s men came crashing through the camp, cracking their swords against their shields to rouse them all. Rob packed hastily, with Kenna doing her best to keep pace despite how tightly he had wrapped the bandages around her. Within an hour, the entire camp was mounted and moving quickly down the road toward Aberdeen. The carts, piled high with all that the horses could not carry themselves, slowly fell behind, a few men from each clan remaining with them.

They rode until the sun was threatening to set before they were allowed to stop and give the horses a moment to be watered and given a bit of rest. Kenna collapsed on the grassy overgrowth along the side of the road with a groan.

“It would seem the Queen isn’t giving the Gordons another chance to get us riled,” Rob said as he crouched beside her, scrutinizing her face to try and gauge her response.

“Probably fer the best, ye ken,” Kenna replied with a deep yawn. “Though I’d be willing to risk it fer a few hours if it meant a wee bit of sleep.”

The party mounted up once more to the chorus of shouts from the Queen’s men and rode well through the night.

When the sun started to rise, another call echoed down the line and everyone gratefully dismounted for a second small chance to rest the horses, and themselves.

Rob settled himself in the grass next to Kenna, noting that she, for once, didn’t try to worm away from him as he lay close beside her, close enough to feel the heat radiating from her. But then, she might have already been asleep.

Once more, the break ended too soon, and Kenna rose haphazardly, her face pale and her eyes covered in a smooth glaze.

“Are ye all right?” he asked, wrapping an arm around her as they went to find their horses.

She gave him a weary glance. “No, but why are ye?”

“I suppose I’m used to it,” Rob said, realizing for the first time since they had started this trek that Kenna was not. “Saddle up on my horse. I’ll ride behind ye so ye can get some sleep.”

She flushed. “‘Tis not necessary.”

“No, ‘tis not, but ye’ll do it anyway.”

Kenna must have been truly tired, for she did not fight him on it as he helped her up onto his saddle and mounted behind her, taking a moment to tie his plaid around them both before the party began to move. It would keep them both warm and, tied tight enough, she could sleep and lean to either side and not be at risk of falling off. Once again, she did not fight it, even though they were now so close together, tucked away in their own little cocoon.

“I am sorry that I canna hold my own,” Kenna mumbled after a mile or so had gone by.

A soft smile spreading across his lips, he tugged at the knot tying her horse’s reins to his saddle.

“‘Tis nothing to fret about. My father used to drag Hugh and me on these sorts of long hauls through the countryside once every so often. Said we needed a warrior’s stamina. Ye’ve hardly been asked to do so much.”

“Before we started this godforsaken journey, I hadn’t ridden any further than ten miles on horseback in one go.”

“Really?” Rob asked, feeling her slowly relax back into his chest. “How’d ye get anywhere?”

“We were rich, ye fool; we took a carriage,” she replied with a soft, sleepy laugh. “Ye would think the son of such a noble laird would ken that.”

“Would drive me nuts—riding in a carriage.” Rob allowed his chin to lower to rest atop the softness of her curls.

“‘Tis a good thing ye have that warrior’s stamina then. Tell me about these long, childhood rides of yers.”

Rob began to recount the memories that came to mind, one story ebbing and flowing into the next as if there was no beginning or end. As they rode, their bodies relaxed more against each other, the steady trot of the horse rocking them in a rhythm that kept his blood hot and flowing within him, though most of it gathered in one place. Kenna either paid it no mind or was yet to realize it, for soon her breaths grew heavy and slow and Rob knew she was asleep.

* * *

The day came and went, and night was upon them again when they were finally close enough to Aberdeen to be given a true break. The Queen, still a bit fearful, disallowed the lighting of fires or the unfurling of the few tents that were not back on the carts—her guards even warned them all against raising their voices above a whisper—but the atmosphere of the party was still light now that everyone knew they would be getting a bit of rest.