Fashioned by Fate
By
A. Rhea King
Duncan felt queasy, like he was still aboard the tossing schooner on a rough sea. But his other senses told him he was on solid ground. He felt sand under his hands as he curled and relaxed his fingers. To his right and near him, water rushed on and off the beach. Rain pelted his body with the stinging force of hail. And he felt other immortals; over a dozen of them and that made his nausea even worse. Duncan tried to get up but the world began spinning, landing him on his side. Duncan cried out when his still healing ribs broke again under his weight.
"He's conscious," a woman said and a hand laid on his arm. The person's touch was gentle and made the spot on his arm warm.
"Leave him. Others here need our attention. He doesn't," a man scolded. Duncan heard the second person's heavy Scottish accent.
"He's hurt too Donny," the woman argued. "He'll freeze to death if we leave 'im. And the next front's almost upon us," Duncan heard the same Scottish accent in the first person's voice now.
"I doubt…" the man trailed off. "Nyssa will be unhappy."
"We can't leave 'im 'ere. Go get the wagon. We'll take 'im back."
"You've had better ideas, Gen," The man said, his voice fading as they walked away.
Duncan opened his eyes some, staring at the leg in his line of sight. The woman was wearing denim jeans. Duncan looked up, but his vision quickly blurred with pain from his head. Duncan reached up to find where the injury was on his head that had him half blinded with pain, but the woman's hand took his, lacing her fingers with his. Duncan closed his eyes then tried to move again.
"Shhh. Don't move. Shhhh," the woman whispered. Duncan felt the woman's hand on his shoulder. "You've had a rough night. Relax."
Duncan started to ignore the person, but the pain in his head worsened when he tried to move again. He laid still.
"A woman," Duncan started, but his head began throbbing. He closed his eyes tighter.
"Shhh. Hush now," the woman beside him said, laying her hand on his cheek. "All's well. All's well."
Duncan slipped back into unconsciousness with that phrase whispering through the blackness.
Duncan slowly became aware of the dull rythmatic drumbeat of rain above him and the mournful howl of a raging wind. Somewhere nearby there was water dripping into something. Duncan moved and winced. His head began throbbing a little with the slightest movement. He guessed his head injury that was now causing the pain must have been serious enough to kill him earlier if it was still healing. Duncan's eyes tightened when he realized he felt other immortals still. He tried to get up.
Somewhere beyond his pain he heard a quiet voice say, "Shhhh. Hush now. All's well."
Duncan remembered the voice, but it was a fuzzy memory, like a memory of his far to distant childhood. Duncan moved his hand toward his head.
"Relax. All's well," the person crooned, gently taking his hand and lowering it back to his stomach beside his other hand.
Duncan slowly opened his eyes. He was in a dimly lit room on a bed and a woman with long curly golden hair sat beside him. Her full tresses were pulled back with a piece of ribbon, but some had managed to come loose and cascade over her shoulder. She was dressed in a plain white T-shirt that had streaks of grime and mud across it and her faded blue denim jeans. The room they were in was in complete contrast to the woman's modern appearance. Above his head was a thatched roof and whitewashed sod mud walls surrounded him. The floor was rough-hewn wood held together with wooden pegs. He lay in a crude double bed with woolen blankets piled around him. Beside the bed was a plain, handcrafted bedside table with an oil lamp lighting the room. Next to the lamp sat a ceramic bowl of water with clean cloths on one side and a pile of blood soaked ones on the other side. Duncan remembered his head hurt and realized the cloths must have been used on his head. Duncan's eyes found the woman again.
"Where am I?" Duncan whispered, cleared his throat, and repeated the question.
"Fehrn Loch." She smiled. "Although, there's no loch. You're 'ead aches yes?"
Duncan nodded a little.
"Aye. Let me get some Advil for that." She stood.
Duncan snatched her wrist before she could move away. She looked down at him, smiling still.
"There was a woman and a man with me," Duncan said.
The woman leaned near him, laying her hand on his shoulder. "Details to sort out later. It's been a busy tonight. The storm hit fast and hard, but you weren't the only boat to be caught in it. It feels we've been pulling people from the ocean for days instead of twelve hours. Let me get you some Advil so you can rest, okay? In the morning, when it's light, we can see if your friends are among the living, okay?"
Duncan hardly heard what she'd said. Her clear emerald green eyes that reflected the smile on her face stunned him.
"Your name?" Duncan asked.
"Geneesa. And you are?"
"Duncan MacLeod."
Geneesa stood up. "Good name. Now, if you'll release me, I'll get you the Advil I promised. Then I have to help the others on the beach."
Duncan let Geneesa's wrist go. She turned and left the room, only to return a few minutes later with the promised Advil and glass of water. Geneesa helped Duncan up on his side so he could take the pills and drink the water. Geneesa sat the glass on the table, and then laid Duncan back down again. She laid her hand on top of his, her touch gentle as a feather
"Rest, Duncan MacLeod. Morning will be here shortly and we'll see if we can find the two who left port with you, alright?"
Duncan nodded a little.
"Good lad." Geneesa patted his arm.
She leaned over and picked up the lantern before leaving the room. Duncan watched the light disappear as she closed the bedroom door. He closed his eyes, falling asleep again.
"Mr. MacLeod," a voice said through his dreams.
Duncan stirred a little, but didn't move otherwise.
"Wake up Mr. MacLeod."
"His name's Duncan," Amanda's voice said tartly, harshly cutting through Duncan's deep sleep.
"Well, wake him and come to supper," the other voice, Geneesa's voice, said. "He's sure to be hungry now." Duncan heard footsteps across the floor and the door click shut.
Duncan sighed, feeling someone lay a hand on his cheek.
"Duncan," Amanda whispered and soft lips kissed his cheek.
Duncan stirred again, this time turning toward the lips. He opened his eyes and Amanda's brown eyes stared into his.
"Hi," Amanda said, smiling.
Duncan smiled in return.
"You've been asleep all day," Amanda said, her hand slowly caressing Duncan's cheek.
"Asleep…" Duncan tried to remember what she was talking about.
His memories began piecing together, slowly filling gaps. He remembered he and Joe standing beside the radio below deck of the schooner. There was a small craft warning coming across it. A sudden northern storm had reached a dangerous status and small craft were advised to make for port immediately. They were fifty miles north of the Shetland Islands and the nearest port was seventy-five miles south of them. With their engine down they would never make port with the sails before the storm hit. Duncan radioed for help and reached a fishing boat. The captain of the fishing boat agreed to swing by to pick them up but he was another twenty-five miles north of them. Both the captain and Duncan felt there was enough time, so he, Joe and Amanda waited for the fishing boat. The storm hit them before the fishing boat could reach them. Joe and Duncan had struggled to get the decrepit engine running and by some miracle it sputtered to life right before Duncan was ready to beat it to death with a wrench. They turned back south as the seas grew rougher and the waves began reaching dangerous heights. And then everything happened at once. In the lightening of the storm Duncan saw the rising wall of water ahead of them. He didn't give Joe time to argue as he forced his mortal friend into a life vest. By the time Duncan had managed to slip his over his head, the schooner was caught on the edge of the wall of water. The three were thrown to the stern end as the boat began rising up on the wall until it was standing stern to bow and the three were dangling in air holding onto the railing. Duncan remembered grabbing Joe's wrist and yelling something to Joe. Joe yelled back, but the roar of the ocean drowned both their voices out. Duncan looked down and saw a raging black sea patiently waiting for the inevitable to happen and to swallow them whole. The wave, after dangling them above those black waters for what felt eternity, crashed down with the schooner, capsizing it. The schooner splintered like a glass hitting cement. After that, the world was water and silence to Duncan. He lost track of how many times he drowned before waking up on a beach with a woman beside him reassuring him he was alright. The next memory was a blonde haired woman sitting by his bed, asking about his head. She brought him Advil and left him to sleep. Then there was blackness until now.
"Joe?" Duncan asked.
"I don't know. No one's told me anything. And the storm is still pretty strong. The woman that was here told me that they've pulled almost thirty people form the beach…but more were dead than alive. I don't know what happened to Joe."
"She…Geneesa?"
"Yes. She's the only one that I've met that will even talk to me," Amanda said with that all too familiar disgusted tone she got when someone had made her mad.
Duncan looked toward the door. Duncan slowly got up, looking down at himself. He was dressed in wool pants. He looked around and spotted his own clothes on a chair at the foot of the bed, neatly folded and placed in a pile with his hiking boots sitting on top. Duncan got up and shut the door. He slowly dressed, wincing at the stiffness in his body.
"I lost my vest after the boat was destroyed," Amanda said in a hushed voice. "She said when they found me they thought I had a broken arm because it looked like I did, but when they got me back here, it was fine and I only had bruises and scrapes. She said you had a concussion, but not as serious as it looked on the beach. Duncan…I think they know."
Duncan shot Amanda a disbelieving look.
"They know! They know about us! And I feel other immortals. A lot. I mean, no one's come after me but I've seen a lot of swords around here. I feel like a duck in the middle of hunters with loaded guns."
Duncan sighed, looking at Amanda. "Last night was probably so confusing that they don't know much. If what you said is true, if they pulled that many people out of the ocean, then I doubt anyone really noticed. And I've felt the others too."
"I can't believe they pulled that many people out."
"It was a race, Amanda," Duncan reminded her. "We were even with four other schooners when the rigging broke. At least six more passed us and there were forty-eight at the start. This storm hit without any warning and until it's over, no one's going to know much of anything."
Amanda stood up, walking up to Duncan. "I just get this feeling that they know Duncan. They know we're—"
A knock on the door cut Duncan off. He turned toward it.
"Yeah?" he asked.
Geneesa stepped in. "Are you two coming to supper?"
"Right now," Duncan said. He leaned down and pulled on his hiking boots, quickly laced them then turned, following Geneesa out.
Geneesa led them down a short hall into an open room. A roaring fire gave off a warm light and even warmer heat from the fireplace at one end of the room. Several comfortable looking chairs sat around the fire and animal skins covered the floor between them and in front of the fireplace. On the opposite side of the room was a kitchen. But it was as antiquated as the house they were sheltered in. There was an old refrigerator sitting next to rustic counters. The same person who had laid the floors most likely made the counters too. There was an old wooden stove sitting in one corner that had a large kettle pot sitting on it. In the center of the kitchen was a long table that seated ten. A woman that looked like Geneesa sat at one end. To her right were two small boys. To her left were a teenage girl and man in his early twenties. Geneesa had returned to the stove to take the kettle off the stove and bring it to the table.
"Come. Sit," Geneesa ordered the two, motioning to the open seats.
Duncan and Amanda walked to the table and sat down. No one spoke and stared at the two, even as Geneesa went about serving them stew from the kettle and filling their glasses with a drink from a plastic pitcher. She sat bowls down in front of Duncan and Amanda and filled their glasses with what turned out to be mead. She took her place between Amanda and the young man and smiled.
"Grace, mother?" Geneesa asked, looking at the woman at the end of the table.
The woman was glaring at Duncan and Amanda.
"Mother," Geneesa said.
She didn't move.
"Nana?" One of the boys said. "I'll say grace Nana. I'm hungry."
Nyssa looked at the boy and her stone expression softened into a smile as heavenly as Geneesa's. "I'm sorry Devin. I'll say grace so we can eat."
Everyone bowed their heads, so Duncan and Amanda did the same. In a quiet voice and in a language neither Duncan nor Amanda knew, Nyssa said grace. In English everyone at the table said Amen and began eating. Amanda shot Duncan a strange look that he couldn't read. He looked at someone tapping his shoulder and one of the boys was handing him a basket of bread. Duncan smiled at him, but the child didn't return it. Duncan took the bread, took two slices and handed it to Amanda. She passed it on without taking any. The conversation at the table was focused around village news of the last forty-eight hours, who was housing how many of the wounded and various odds. They acted as if Amanda and Duncan didn't exist at the table through the entire meal. The others finished and began leaving the table until Amanda, Duncan and Geneesa were the only three left at the table. The teenage girl was clearing the table and washing the dishes in an enameled sink sitting near the fire.
"People here…" Geneesa started. Duncan and Amanda looked at her. She was staring into her glass of mead. "They don't like strangers. We're a remote island and have little contact with the outside world. Something like a monastery."
"Where exactly are we?" Amanda asked.
Geneesa smiled at her. "Well, if you wanted to go as far north in Scotland as you could without leaving Scotland…this would be it. It's a small island that you can cross in a day on foot. My ancestors have lived her for generations…through Vikings and Englishmen, drought and cold—"
Duncan interrupted. "So we're in the Shetland Islands?"
"Part of them."
"Unst?" Duncan asked.
Geneesa laughed. "That would have been luck, wouldn't it? No, sir, we're beyond that. It's the nearest port, however. Two days if you have a good engine."
"A good engine?" Amanda asked.
Duncan sighed, scrubbing his forehead with his fingers. "She means a boat with any engine, don't you?"
"Yes."
"And…" Amanda looked from Duncan to Geneesa. "Without?"
"A week. You have to fight a strong current between here and Unst. You two went through it during that race." Geneesa smiled at Amanda. "Must have had a good engine."
"You know about the race?" Duncan asked her.
"We heard about it when the last supply boat came back a week ago. We watched most of the boats pass from the cliffs while we were out with the sheep before the squall started."
"Well…is the supply boat here?" Amanda asked.
"Naw. It went back to the mainland two days ago." Geneesa drank some of her mead. "But it doesn't have a good engine anyway."
"Do you have a radio? Can we radio anyone?"
"Who would you radio if you could?" Geneesa looked at Amanda. "There's a storm outside. It's not letting up any time soon either. And when it does, there's no guarantee there'll be a boat within radio distance to hear us."
Amanda's lips pressed in a thin line. "Then how are all of us supposed to get back to the mainland?"
Geneesa smiled, shrugged, "Wait. When Jake gets a hold of someone, he'll let them know we have some beached sailors and corpse here. Or we'll wait until the men come back with the supply boat."
"When is that?" Amanda snapped.
"Two, maybe three weeks. Depends on the storm and what she's planning on doing now. It's normal for her to hit like this at this time of year, but usually she gives sailors something of a warning. All the mainlanders will have priority over us islanders. Always do."
"Priority of what?" Duncan asked.
"Help," the teenage girl answered, looking at the two. "We get help when they get done helping the mainlanders. If there's any to be got."
Geneesa smiled at the girl. "Yes, but we have mainlanders here, Iona."
The girl frowned, turning back to her dishes.
"In the mean time, get some rest." Geneesa stood, finishing off her mead. She walked over to Iona and handed the girl her glass. Geneesa walked to the door and began pulling on parts of an oiled fisherman's suit. "Iona will be here tonight. If you need anything, she'll get it for you."
"Is this your house?" Duncan asked.
"Something likes that," Geneesa answered with a smile. She looked at Duncan. "Good eve."
Geneesa walked out the door before Duncan or Amanda could reply. Duncan looked at Amanda, who was staring at the teenage girl.
"Was she serious? We could be stuck here for two or three weeks?"
Iona looked at Amanda. "You could always swim to mainland," she snapped.
"We'd be frozen before we reached the current."
Iona raised an eyebrow. "It'd match your attitude, wouldn't it?" Iona turned back to her dishes.
Amanda stood up and walked back to their room. Duncan followed her, glancing at Iona as he walked in. She was watching him, but without as much anger in her face as she had just had. He shut the door.
"I don't like this place," Amanda said the second the door clicked shut. "This place creeps me out."
"It's just remote," Duncan said.
"Remote? Not on the edge of the world my ass! I don't want to be stuck with these people for three weeks. Hell, for another twenty-four hours for that matter!"
"We're strangers, Amanda. I'm sure it's nothing personal."
"Do you even know where we are? You know this place. Where are we!?"
"I don't know. I've never heard of this village."
"There is something not right here. I feel like…" Amanda hissed, storming up to Duncan.
"Like?"
"I feel like they know what we are. And I don't like feeling so many immortals and not having my sword."
"Amanda, relax."
Amanda pulled close to Duncan, laying her head on his chest. "I'm worried about Joe, Duncan. I want to know if he's dead or alive."
Duncan wrapped his arms around her. "So do I."
Duncan opened his eyes and saw sun filtering through the cracks of the shutters on the window. He got up and found someone had left clean clothes on the chair at the foot of the bed for him and Amanda. She was still asleep on the other side of the bed. Duncan got dressed and walked into the kitchen. Iona was sitting at the table reading a book. She looked up at him.
"Oatmeal?" she asked.
"Please," Duncan answered.
Iona got up and fetched him a bowl from the kettle on the stove. She sat it down with a mug of coffee then retrieved honey, sugar and milk. Duncan smiled his thanks, but she still didn't smile back. She returned to her place at the table and her book. Duncan ate in silence, watching the girl out of the corner of his eye. He finished and she was quick to gather his dishes and start to wash them.
"Nyssa said you were to go the beach to help. Use the skins over there," Iona nodded to the hook for coats by the door. A wool coat and an oiled fisherman's suite were hanging by the door.
Duncan looked at Iona. "There was a ma—"
Iona interrupted him. "I'm to take the lady to look for your shipmate."
Duncan stood and dressed in the coat and skins. He looked at Iona. "Which way to the beach?"
"Follow the road west. You'll see the ocean from outside," Iona said.
Duncan let out a long sigh and stepped out of the house. He stopped in the door, staring. He could have sworn he just stepped into the village of his childhood. Ten long sod houses ran along both sides of the road. Behind the ones facing him he could see a long, low building built with large wood timbers that had to be hundreds of years old. Mostly women and children filled the road that ran east west between the houses. Chickens, a few goats and one cow mingled in with the people. Duncan slowly stepped out into the muddy street, shutting the door behind him and turned west. He felt the eyes of every woman and child on him. He could see and smell the ocean below the village. Duncan followed the road around the last house and saw people on the beach. Four schooners were beached on the sandy beach. Duncan continued walking; watching as one by one the men and women stopped working and turned to stare at him. Duncan fought back his nervousness. Amanda's complaint that these people knew about their immortality was ringing in his head.
"You're one that was pulled from the beach?" A man asked Duncan as he passed.
Duncan looked at him, nodding.
"You look well." The man shook his head. "Better than most we pulled out last night. You were sent you to help?"
"Yes."
"Marty!" the man called.
Duncan watched the young man from last night's dinner walk up.
"Take Mr…" the man hesitated.
"MacLeod," Marty finished.
"Take him with yours out to search. Maybe we'll find your schooner, Mr. MacLeod."
Duncan shook his head. "No. It was destroyed. I saw it."
"That's a shame. Them's boats are expensive." The man turned away from Duncan before he could comment.
"Come on mate," Marty said.
Duncan looked at Marty. His accent was Australian, not Scottish like everyone else's. Duncan followed the young man.
"Were you a racer?" Duncan asked.
Marty laughed. "Naw. This 'ere's me 'ome," Marty answered.
"You…don't…"
"Sound Scottish?" he stopped long enough so he and Duncan were walking side by side.
Duncan nodded.
"I'm not. Married into it."
"Married?"
"Iona's me wife, mate."
"She's…She's just a child," Duncan said.
Marty laughed, giving Duncan's shoulder a solid, jolly slap. "Right mate. Right."
He turned, smiling at four other men. They were watching Duncan with silent wariness.
"We got ourselves a new shipmate, boys. Nyxas sent him with us so you best not be given 'im grief," Marty looked at Duncan. "You any good at running sails?"
"Yes," Duncan answered.
"Good. You're on aft. Let's go hunt for some waterlogged racers, mates." Marty turned and walked toward a rowboat. Duncan trailed behind the men, fighting with his uneasiness. What kind of family would let a child like Iona marry someone who appeared in his late thirties? In some parts of the world he'd understand. But this was Scotland, or at least part of the country of Scotland.
Five hours, six corpses and one schooner later, that was the last worry on Duncan's mind. He was thinking about how good that hard, antiquated bed he slept in last night was going to feel on his aching muscles.
Duncan walked into the house with Marty and was met by Amanda and Geneesa. The people from last night were gathered around the table.
"I found Joe," Amanda said.
Duncan's tiredness and sore muscles were forgotten. "Take me to him," Duncan ordered.
Geneesa pulled on her coat and led the two three houses up and on the right. She knocked on the door and a brown haired woman answered it. She looked at Duncan carefully, and then opened the door. Geneesa led them in, past a table of people eating supper, to a cot at the back of the house. This house was not divided into rooms like Geneesa's was. It was open and there were six cots set up next to two double beds. On a cot nearest to the fireplace Joe lay unconscious. Duncan knelt down beside his friend, taking up his wrist to feel his pulse. It was regular, but not as strong as it should be. Joe's head was bandaged and blood was soaking through the cloth bandages. His arm was in a make shift cast and the left side of his face had a nasty bruise on it.
"He was found early this morning," Geneesa said. "He has hypothermia, but he's made it past that. He hasn't woken since they found him."
"He could have internal injuries," Duncan said, looking at Geneesa.
"We know. Many people we found could. But we can't contact anyone, Duncan. There's not been a noise on the radio since the storm passed. And worse yet…" Geneesa trailed off.
"Worse yet? Worse yet what?" Amanda demanded.
"'Nother storm's coming this way," the woman that had let them in said.
Duncan looked at her. "What? How do you know that?"
"The sky was red. The animals have been restless. Another one's coming."
"That's bull—" Amanda started. Duncan's hand on her wrist stopped her. She looked at him and he shook his head.
Duncan looked back at Joe, laying his hand on Joe's shoulder. "Hold on," Duncan whispered.
"Would you like to stay here tonight?" Geneesa asked.
"Geneesa!" the woman hissed.
Geneesa shot her a glare. "He's their friend, Mary. Hush."
Mary's lips pursed into a thin line. "I won't have 'em in my house, Geneesa. If they lodge here, then you'd best expect us to be staying in your house. I won't stay in the same room as these two!"
"Mary!" a man at the table said. He got up and walked up tot he woman, laying his hands on her shoulders. "Come to supper," he ordered gently, turning her away.
Mary shot Amanda and Duncan a glare before letting the man guide her back to the table.
Duncan looked at Geneesa. She was watching the woman. Duncan looked down at Joe. He wanted to stay, but he didn't feel it would be best.
"We'll move him," Mary said.
Everyone looked at her. She was standing by the table, still glaring at the two. "I don't want him in this house either. I have no use for—"
"MARY!" the man yelled. "Silence woman!"
"NO!" Mary yelled back. "I want him out too. Take him. Take him. I have no use for his kind nor theirs. We never should have helped strangers on the beach. These storms will never stop now!"
Geneesa turned, looking at Amanda and Duncan. "You'd better go back. This is going to take a while."
"TAKE HIM OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Marry yelled.
"Mary, stop it," the man said, walking up to her and taking her in his arms.
Mary's rage didn't dissipate despite the loving arms that were trying to calm her. Amanda and Duncan got up and left. Amanda stopped Duncan in the street.
"They know," Amanda whispered. "This entire village knows."
"I'm beginning to believe you," Duncan whispered back. "But what are we supposed to do, Amanda? Swim to Scotland?"
Amanda frowned at him. "No."
"Then we have to wait this out. Come on." Duncan started walking with her back to Geneesa's house.
"I want to know who the other immortals are," Amanda whispered. "This scares me."
"I know. I know," Duncan crooned. He felt Amanda's hand tighten around his in the darkness, the same tightness that was clenching his stomach right now.
Geneesa slowly sat her book down on her leg, marking her place with a red ribbon. She leaned back against the boulder behind her, her eyes scanning the flock below her. Five minutes later Duncan's head over the top of the hill followed by his torso. He waded through the flock, smiling a little at memories of tending flocks just like Geneesa was doing.
"Afternoon," Duncan called.
Geneesa smiled. "Afternoon."
"Nyssa sent me with tea." Duncan lifted a thermos and two metal cups.
Geneesa laughed, setting her book on top of her backpack beside her. Duncan sat down next her, leaning against the boulder behind them.
"Well, that's not all true," Duncan said as he poured them each tea.
"Oh? Which part?" Geneesa asked as she took an offered cup.
"Nyssa was making tea. I suggested bringing you some. Just when I figured she was ignoring me as usual, she showed up on the beach with a thermos, order me to bring it to you, pointed me in this direction and left. Marty suggested I didn't ignore her order."
Geneesa smiled. "Mother is a force to be reckoned with I'm afraid. Normally she's a very warm person, but she doesn't take strangers. Just like Mary and most of the older people here."
"Older people?" Duncan asked.
"We call them older." Geneesa sipped her tea.
"Iona doesn't seem too fond of us either."
"Iona's moody," Geneesa stated.
Duncan looked at her in surprise.
Geneesa smiled at him. "In all the years I've known Iona she's only been friendly to men, before she was married. Now she's friendly to her husband and cat. And Nyssa and Nyxas."
"Nyxas seems nice."
"Never make him mad," Geneesa warned.
"That bad?"
"You'd think the wraith of the devil was set loose on ya!"
Duncan smiled. He took a sip of his tea, looking up at the sky. "Storm passed three days ago."
Geneesa was nodding when he looked at her. "Yes."
Have they heard anything on the radio?"
"No."
'How did I know you'd say that?' Duncan thought as he continued to sip his tea.
"Amanda says you two think we're lying," Geneesa said.
Duncan closed his eyes. Amanda and her big mouth!
"Course, she's also making great friends with everyone in the village, too, so…" Geneesa looked at Duncan. "Tell me the truth. I don't trust her truths."
"We do," Duncan admitted.
"Mmm. I'm sorry to hear that," Geneesa said.
Duncan looked at her. She was staring at the flock.
"Most people would offer some sort of consolation for someone being stranded like we are," Duncan said.
"This is our home. We're not sorry you're here. You are," Geneesa pointed out.
"How old are you?" Duncan asked.
Geneesa smiled at him. "Why does it matter? Age has no relevance here."
Duncan changed the subject. "Have you ever left this island?"
"Oh yes. Many times."
"Where did you go?"
"Where haven't I gone, you mean?"
"Okay. Where haven't you gone?"
Geneesa thought, and then smiled at him again. "I don't think there is any place. I've traveled the world over, seen all sorts of places, people, atrocities…even earned a degree in medicine."
Duncan sat his cup down and hugged his knees. "This place is strange, Geneesa. No one will answer our questions, not even you."
"What haven't I answered?"
"How old are you?"
Geneesa leaned near him. "Shame on you," she scolded.
Duncan was surprised. "What?"
"I know you've been educated and you've not learned asking a woman's age is worthy of punishment by death?"
Duncan stared at Geneesa. She smiled and laughed, sitting back. "I'm kidding, Duncan. You take things too seriously. I'm thirty-two."
"You don't look it."
"Why thank you." Geneesa sipped her tea, her eyes smiling at him.
Duncan looked away with a smile. He picked up his cup and sipped his tea.
"What else do you believe I haven't answered?" Geneesa asked.
"How old is Iona?"
"There you go. Asking a woman's age again. Shame on you. She's twenty-four."
"She looks sixteen."
"If you haven't noticed, Duncan, we all look younger than we are in this place. Sometimes a curse, most of the time a blessing."
"I've noticed. Many people would love to know you're secret." Duncan leaned back against the boulder, stretched his legs out in front of him and crossed his ankles.
"It's in the food, I suppose."
"Food?" Duncan scoffed. "Mutton and fish; hardly an age preserving diet."
"You forgot kelp, coffee, mead and lots of hard work." Geneesa laughed.
Duncan laughed with her, nodding. "I did. So, if you were traveling the world, why did you come back here?"
"Home is where the heart was," Geneesa answered quietly.
Duncan watched her face. It was the first time he'd never seen it without a smile. And her sad expression made his heart ache just staring at it. Geneesa looked at him.
"My husband was murdered. He was killed for twenty dollars. I needed home after that."
"I'm sorry," Duncan said.
Geneesa shrugged a little, looking at the ground. "Fate is a bitch."
Duncan reached out, taking Geneesa's hand. He felt terrible for bringing back such a painful memory. Geneesa moved closer to him in response. Duncan slid his arm around her shoulders and she laid her head on his shoulder. The two sat in silence, watching the flock.
"You're herding sheep?" Amanda asked.
Duncan rolled his eyes, feeling her eyes on him.
"I'm stuck doctoring, cleaning and cooking and you're herding sheep with Geneesa?"
"I'm not the only one."
"Oh. That's right. Iona and one of the other rescued people are taking half the herd to the other side of the island. How could I forget?"
Duncan turned, looking at Amanda. "So come with us."
"No. No I swore never to herd sheep again eight hundred years ago."
Duncan laughed. "I didn't," he said as he leaned toward her. "I need my coat."
Amanda stood up so they were eye to eye. "I hate this place, Duncan. These people give me the creeps."
"Yeah? Well…at least you don't have to spend the day with Iona again." Duncan smiled smugly then reached around her to pick up his coat.
"That's not funny."
Duncan laughed. "Is too me. Why don't you stay with Joe today?"
Both looked at the cot beside the double bed they'd been sharing. Geneesa had him moved to their room partly because Mary was still having a fit about him being in her house and partly because she felt they would rather tend to him. Amanda had been doing that while Duncan was working around the village.
"I hate this place," Amanda muttered.
Duncan kissed her cheek and left. Amanda watched him leave before sitting back down in a chair in a huff.
Geneesa and Duncan strolled along behind the sheep. Geneesa had been unusually quiet since Duncan met her outside the village, like her mind was miles away. The two reached the northern end of the island and the sheep spread out to graze on the short tough grass. Geneesa found a boulder and sat down beside it. Duncan joined her, watching the sheep.
"Want to talk about it?" Duncan asked.
"Hm?" Geneesa asked, looking at him. She pulled her shoulder bag off and sat it down beside her.
"What's bothering you?" Duncan said.
Geneesa was looking toward the village. "They raised the coast guard this morning. They may be another three weeks," Geneesa said.
"Why?"
"The race seems to have priority. They're going to do a thorough search of the race route for survivors. Then they'll send boats here."
"So why does that upset you?" Duncan asked. "We'd be gone."
Geneesa looked at him. "I don't want you to go."
Duncan caught his breath. The feeling he'd buried since he'd first looked into Geneesa's eyes came back to life. Duncan looked away, looking out at the ocean beyond the cliffs.
"I'm sorry. I know she's close to you and…I'm sorry," Geneesa said.
"Amanda?" Duncan asked, looking at Geneesa.
Geneesa nodded, staring at the grass she'd pulled up and was playing with.
"We're not like that," Duncan said. "It's really hard to explain, but we're not like that."
Geneesa nodded a little, but didn't look convinced. Duncan reached out and laid his hand on her cheek. She looked at him. Duncan leaned close, kissing her. Geneesa leaned closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Duncan ran his hand around her back, pulling her on his lap. Geneesa pulled closer as their bodies slowly entangled. When Geneesa was laying naked under him he forgot he was stranded on a remote island with strange people. All he could see was a goddess lying under him with a warm smile and a heavenly touch.
"Come!" Geneesa cried, bursting into the room.
Amanda and Duncan had been playing chess for two hours and both jumped when the bedroom door burst open. Geneesa was dressed in a long woolen dress embroidered with bright died wool. She tossed a dress to Amanda.
"Come to the common house across the way. Hurry!" Geneesa laughed and disappeared.
Amanda and Duncan exchanged looks.
"Get dressed," Duncan said, smiling at her.
Amanda gave him an evil look, watching him leave the room. Duncan was met by Marty at the door. The man thrust a stein into Duncan's hand and he, Nyxas and three other men marched him to the long building behind the houses. Inside the common house candles and four large fireplaces lit the wide-open space. Tables of food were laid out and lively music had everyone dancing. Duncan was surprised how everyone, even Mary, was now greeting him happily as if he were an old friend. Yet somewhere inside he feared this change in attitude.
"DUNCAN!" Geneesa cried, appearing through the crowd. She snatched the stein from Duncan's hand and gave it to someone, then pulled him into a mass of dancing people.
"What's going on?" Duncan asked.
Geneesa shook her head, latching onto his hand and draped her other arm over his shoulder. "We're celebrating life! Dance with me!"
"We're not…" Duncan trailed off.
"Not what?"
"A few days ago. That didn't…I mean…"
Geneesa laughed. "NO!" Geneesa laughed. "We're not married. We're not that uncivilized!"
Duncan laughed uneasily. "This just seems…odd. And everyone that—"
Geneesa cut him off with a kiss. She looked in his eyes, saying quietly, "Shut up and dance."
Duncan stared into her eyes for a moment, then obeyed. Duncan spotted Amanda and she looked just as confused. A man had gotten her to dance, but she looked lost. Duncan looked down at Geneesa. She was watching Amanda too. Geneesa looked up at Duncan.
"You love her, don't you?" Geneesa asked, her smile waning a little.
"Not like that," Duncan said.
"You watch her like you do."
Duncan swallowed. He grabbed Geneesa's wrist and led her out of the hall. He led her away from the village until the music was distant. Duncan turned, looking at Geneesa's eyes. She was quiet and serious now.
"What's going on Geneesa? Why the celebration?"
"I told you why."
"You didn't tell me anything," Duncan sighed. "This place is strange, Geneesa. For two weeks everyone in the village has hated Amanda and I, and don't tell me because we're strangers, Geneesa. I've seen them with the other racers and sailors they rescued. They don't treat them like they do us. Joe's unconscious and everyone here has treated him like he's evil. Why?"
Geneesa pulled away from Duncan. "It doesn't matter," Geneesa said. "The coast guard will be here in two days. You'll be gone. It won't matter then. And this is my village, my family. You don't have to know why we choose to celebrate. It wouldn't mean anything to you anyway. You're leaving. None of this matters to you. Not even me."
Geneesa turned, walking away. Duncan looked down, fighting between feelings.
"Do you think Amanda and I are different in some way?" Duncan asked. Duncan looked up at Geneesa's back.
Geneesa froze in mid-step. She stood still for a long time, not answering him right way. Geneesa finally turned, looking at him.
"You're both immortal. Joe is a Watcher," Geneesa asked. "You mean different like that?"
Duncan hadn't expected her to honestly know and to hear her say it shocked him.
"How do you know?" Duncan asked.
"Joe has a tattoo."
"About me…and Amanda?"
"Doesn't matter, does it? We're right, you two are."
"It does matter." Duncan walked up to her, grabbing her arms. "How? Was it the night you saved us?"
Geneesa stared into his eyes for a long time. "Yes."
Duncan let her go. "I don't believe you."
"I didn't say you had to."
"How do you know? How do any of you know?"
Geneesa leaned toward him. "It doesn't matter. Two days and you'll be gone. We'll be a memory before long and you'll be back to your life. I'll be herding sheep; you'll be fighting so there can be only one. We know about you're kind, Duncan. We always have. You aren't the first immortal to end up on our shores, or live on the island for that matter. But what does matter is you'll be leaving. How you choose to leave is up to you."
"Wait." Duncan grabbed Geneesa's arm before she turned away. "Is the celebration is for you?"
Geneesa looked at him. "Yes."
"Why?"
"Life." Geneesa pulled away from Duncan. "To celebrate life."
Duncan grabbed her arm again and this time when she turned he kissed her. Duncan grabbed her face and leaned into the kiss. Geneesa pulled away and he kissed her neck. Geneesa leaned into his hold, letting him take her again.
Sunlight filtered down through the cracks in the barn. Duncan felt Geneesa lying beside him in the hay at the back of the barn. He had heard people come in before the sun had risen. They fed the goats and two horses that lived in a corral beside the barn and left. Moments before daylight finally came in, two women passed with the herd of sheep, softly gossiping about others in the village. The village woke up after that and Duncan had laid listening to it, but he didn't move. His hand mindlessly stroked Geneesa's body, he occasionally he kissed her soft skin and watched her sleep. His fear and concern about this place seemed to have vanished with the first orgasm, and by the second he could only think about how he needed Geneesa.
"Oh no," Geneesa whispered.
Duncan looked at her. She was looking at the roof.
"What?"
"The sheep." Geneesa started to get up.
"I don't think you have to worry about that," Duncan said, pulling her back to him.
"Yes I do. They—"
"I heard someone take them out earlier. They're gone."
"Nyssa's going to kill me," Geneesa murmured. She laid her head on Duncan's shoulder.
Duncan leaned down and kissed her lips. Geneesa looked in his eyes when he pulled back.
"Make love to me again," Geneesa whispered.
Duncan obeyed.
Duncan watched the ocean from his perch on a boulder. He felt Amanda, heard her coming up behind him. Then she was sitting down on the boulder beside him. The ocean filled their silence.
"Are you staying?" Amanda asked.
Duncan closed his eyes. 'Should I stay or should I go?' had been repeating in his mind all day. Tomorrow the Coast Guard would be there to pick them up. He had to decide today.
"Do you love her?" Amanda asked.
Duncan looked at her. "I don't know."
"Does she love you?"
"I don't know Amanda. I don't…know."
"Have you asked?"
"No."
Amanda hugged her knees with a sigh. "This was an unexpected change."
"Me?" he asked.
"No. Everyone's nice to me still this morning. Did she tell you what the party was about?"
"She said it was for her and it was for life. I don't know what that means. They know we're immortal, Amanda."
Amanda didn't say anything and Duncan was grateful. He didn't need any chide remarks right now. He needed to clear his mind and find an answer to the question, 'Should I stay or should I go?'
Amanda looked at Duncan. "Joe woke up. He's confused, but he says other than a headache and his arm, he doesn't hurt anywhere else."
"That's good," Duncan said.
"He was asking for you."
"I'll be back later. I need to…to think."
Amanda nodded. "Okay. Iona's taking me to pick flowers for Geneesa. I don't know what this whole thing is about, but everyone seems to suddenly be concerned about her."
Duncan nodded. "I've noticed."
Amanda slid off the boulder and walked back toward the village. Duncan stared at the ocean, wishing it could solve his problem for him.
Duncan looked up when someone knocked. Geneesa was standing in the door with a smile. Duncan finished lacing up his hiking boots and turned. She was holding a shoulder bag by the strap.
"This is to take." Geneesa handed Duncan the shoulder bag. "In case you get hungry," she said, smiling.
Duncan reached out, laying his hand on her cheek. She laid her cheek against his hand, closing her eyes.
"I have to go," Duncan said.
Geneesa looked at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him. "I know. It's best you do."
Duncan wrapped his free arm around her waist, holding her to him. He wasn't sure what she meant by that. Duncan moved to kiss her cheek and she turned her head so their lips met. Duncan closed his eyes, pushing his fingers into her hair. Geneesa moved away suddenly, smiling at him.
"They aren't going to wait forever, Duncan," Geneesa reminded him.
Duncan gave her one last kiss on her forehead and the two walked to the door of the house. From the road, they could see the coast guard boat waiting just off the beach. Duncan turned to Geneesa.
"Good luck," she said, touching his arm.
"In?"
"Life."
Duncan smiled, grabbing her hand and kissing her fingers. She smiled again, watching him turn and walk away. Geneesa's smile relaxed as she protectively crossed her arms across her stomach. Geneesa looked down at her abdomen, one hand trailing across it. She looked up, watching Duncan disappear behind the last house.