Myths and Lore
By
A. Rhea King
Duncan watched the beach drawing closer as he rowed toward it. The night was fading around him and he could hear faint music coming from the village. Spring had found him wanting to return to Fehrn Loch and Geneesa. For the last four years he and Geneesa had kept in touch with letters and an occasional phone call when she was on the mainland. On her last call she asked him when he was coming to visit and he answered in three weeks. When the spring storms weren't as strong. The rowboat slid to a stop on the beach. Duncan jumped out of the boat and pulled the rowboat onto the beach, immediately feeling immortals like he had last time he had been here. Duncan had forgotten about them or the fact he and Amanda had never figured out who in the village were the immortals they felt. Duncan turned to grab his bag from the boat.
"What are you doing here?" a voice asked.
Duncan spun, finding a giant of a man standing on the shore, sword in hand. If Duncan's shock hadn't stolen his thoughts, he might have smiled at the idea the man looked like a Nordic warrior with his long blonde hair, blue eyes and simple clothing. But the long, double-edged sword in his hand unnerved Duncan. This island might be remote, but greeting a stranger with a sword rather than a gun did not feel normal in the least.
"I asked what you're doing here?" the man demanded.
"Geneesa's expecting me."
The man's blue eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"
"Duncan. Duncan MacLeod."
The man's stern face broke into a warm smile. "DUNCAN! Yes. She told us you were coming to visit. Come! Come!" the man motioned Duncan to follow him.
Duncan grabbed his bag from inside the rowboat, keeping a wary eye on the giant as he followed him toward the road. His heart leapt into his throat when two other men moved from the growing shadows where the road began it's leisurely way up to the village. Both were carrying swords as well.
"Duncan!" the giant told them. The man turned suddenly, thrusting his free hand to Duncan. "Brutus. We never met, but I guess you met my mother. She wanted your friend out of her house."
Duncan shook his hand, forcing a smile. "Yeah." He eyed the two strangers, keeping a close eye on their swords. Both men had moved them to rest the flat of the blades against their shoulders. They appeared to have relaxed since parting from the shadows.
"Come!" Brutus laughed. "We are celebrating tonight!"
"Celebrating what?"
Brutus laughed, giving Duncan's shoulder a solid, almost painful, slap. "Come, Duncan. You spoil our fun by asking too many questions."
Brutus's large hand was guiding Duncan up the road now. The man led him into the common house and Duncan stopped short. The house was decorated like it had been years ago. People were laughing and dancing.
"DUNCAN!" a voice cried.
Duncan turned, already half enveloped in two arms. Geneesa laughed in his ear, hugging him.
"Hi," Duncan said, glancing back. The two men were gone. Brutus was laughing with three men and his sword was gone.
"I didn't think you would make it so early," Geneesa said, moving back.
Duncan smiled at her. "I got away earlier than I'd expected."
"All the better."
"What's going on?" Duncan looked around the common house.
"We're celebrating!" Geneesa laughed, moving to his side but keeping an arm around his shoulders.
"Celebrating what?"
"Life," Geneesa chirped, grinning.
"MOMMY!" a voice cried.
A girl ran between legs and leapt up. Geneesa caught her into a sweeping hug.
"Look, mommy," the child said, holding up a cornhusk doll with a few hand-made clothes on it.
"Oh my! That's beautiful."
"Nana won it and gave it to me."
"Did you thank her?"
The child nodded, fat black curls bouncing around her face. She hugged the doll to her, looking at Duncan with dark brown eyes. Her skin had the same olive tone to it as Duncan's skin with freckles spattering her arms like her mother's light skinned arms.
"Who's he?" the child asked, watching Duncan.
"This is Duncan. He's come to visit us."
The child leaned on her mother's other side, whispering something in her ear.
"Yes," Geneesa answered.
The child looked at Duncan with wide eyes and an expression that was both horror and fear. She looked at her mother.
"Analees, it's okay." Geneesa laughed, kissing her daughter's cheek.
Analees looked at her mother, not looking reassured.
"ANA!" a girl cried, running around a pair of dancers. She stopped short, staring warily at Duncan. Then, as she had suddenly remembered her intended destination, she ran up to Geneesa and began tugging on Analees' pant leg. "Cake!"
Analees beamed, wriggling to get free. Geneesa laughed, setting her down. She and the other child ran off into the crowd.
"Why didn—" Duncan began.
"DUNCAN!" someone cried.
Duncan turned. Iona smiled, kissing his cheek before he could move away. Duncan smiled a little; glad that she wasn't so cold to him this time he was visiting. Her husband Marty was standing beside her and held out his hand.
"Good eve' mate," Marty said with a grin.
"Iona's expecting," Geneesa informed Duncan, turning to stand beside him.
"Really?" Duncan said.
Iona grinned. "Yes. She's eight weeks old."
"She?"
"She 'ants a daughter." Marty laughed. "Wishful thinkin'."
Duncan leaned forward, kissing Iona's cheek. "Congratulations."
Someone called Iona and the couple left with a smile. Duncan looked back at Geneesa. She was watching a young boy and girl dancing.
"Why didn't you tell me you had a child?" Duncan asked.
"Didn't think it'd matter." Geneesa held out her hand out to Duncan. "Dance?"
Duncan took her hand, pulling her to him. He tossed his bag on a chair then wrapped his arm around her waist. The two mingled in with the other dancers. Duncan watched Geneesa watch those around them, achingly aware that he was no less in love with her than when he'd left four years ago. Geneesa looked at him, smiling. She slid her arms around his neck, laying her head against his chest.
"I'm glad you came back," Geneesa said.
Duncan wrapped his arms around her, closing his eyes and moving to the music with her.
Duncan reached for Geneesa beside him but his hand found something that wasn't human. He opened his eyes, finding he'd grabbed a hold of a teddy bear leg. Gripping the teddy bear's back was Analees. She was crouched beside the bed, holding the teddy bear in front of her like a shield, watching Duncan.
"Good morning," Duncan said.
Analees didn't answer.
Duncan smiled, making sure his naked lower half was covered by blankets. He turned on his side, rising up on his elbow so he could look at her. Analees hunkered down lower, as if she were trying to hide from him.
"Analees isn't it?"
Analees nodded.
"Where's your mother?"
Analees motioned toward the open bedroom door. Duncan glanced at the door. Geneesa and Analees had led him to a small, newly built house last night. It had one main room with a cot set up next to the fireplace, and one room off of it that was Geneesa's. Geneesa explained that after Analees was born the villagers built her a house of her own. It was a benefit of having children in the village because they were as important as the fishing boats and the sheep to the islanders. Duncan looked back at Analees.
"Where are you from?" Analees asked.
"Paris."
"Where's that?"
"East and South."
"Huh?"
Duncan smiled. "You go east, then south and you'll eventually reach Paris."
"Is it big?"
Duncan nodded.
Analees stood up, hugging her teddy bear to her chest. She swung her torso back and forth, stating, "No one has black hair here."
"I noticed," Duncan said. Duncan had been acutely aware that the majority of the villagers were blonde, some were brunette, there were three redheaded girls, but no one had black hair. Geneesa had dodged Duncan questioning who Analees' father was.
"You have black hair," Analees said.
"Yes. I do."
"Momma said you're like her and me."
"What do you mean?" Duncan asked.
"Well, are you im—"
"Good morning," Geneesa said, entering the room. She was carrying a broom in her hand and wearing a smile. "Sleep well?" Geneesa asked Duncan.
Duncan laughed, smiling at her. "Yes."
"Ana, go to Nana's and ask her for some eggs."
"Okay," Analees said, skipping out of the room.
Geneesa stepped back out the door, saying as she closed it, "Breakfast is ready when you are."
Duncan laid back in bed, trying to finish the child's partial answer.
Duncan remembered feeling the salty air on his face from the deck of the ship. He could still hear the aged wood creaking with every rocking wave that splashed against the hull. He could hear the men on the deck laughing as they drank and played cards. The sun was warm and occasionally water would manage to splash him where he sat on the deck mending a sail with four other men.
"Duncan," he heard the captain call.
"Hey," Geneesa said.
Duncan looked at her, smiling warmly at her. They were sitting on the dock of a small sheltered bay. She had gone out with him after breakfast to show him where to tie his sailboat up among the larger fishing boats. Then they walked up to the cliffs and enjoyed lunch there. Duncan closed his eyes again when she began stroking his hair. He felt the warmth of her leg, covered by a lightweight linen dress, against his cheek.
"Where were you just now?" Geneesa asked.
Duncan looked at the ocean beyond the cliff. "At sea."
"Tell me about it."
Duncan sighed, changing the subject. "Who is Analees' father?"
Geneesa leaned down, kissing his forehead and whispering, "I could tell you and be truthful, but you'd never believe me. Please stop asking me Duncan."
Duncan looked up at her. He reached up, laying his hand on her cheek. "I missed you."
Geneesa smiled, kissing his lips. Duncan sat up, pulling her to him. Both the sea and Analees' father faded from their minds.
"DUNCAN!" a voice cried.
Duncan turned, watching Analees run down the beach toward him. Her black hair shined in the sunlight and water splashed up was soaking her short sundress. Analees grinned, reaching out to him as she came closer.
Duncan sat the net down and turned, catching her when she leapt into his arms. Analees laughed, leaning back when Duncan began spinning her around. She flung her arms around his neck, hugging him.
"I was scared you'd be gone!" Analees said.
"Naw," Duncan answered, accepting the kiss on his cheek.
Analees squirmed to be sat down. Duncan sat her down, and then turned back to the net. Marty, Brutus, Nyxas and another man were mending a hole in the center.
"What's happened?" Analees asked, leaning against Duncan. He felt her lace her fingers around his back belt loop.
"Shark," Brutus said.
Analees laughed. "There's no sharks!"
"I got hungry," Marty joked.
Analees laughed. She ducked under Duncan's arm and pulled herself on his lap. Analees laid back against his chest, lifted her arms up and locked her fingers behind his neck. Duncan smiled, glancing down at her.
"Duncan?"
"Hm?"
"What's Paris like?"
"Busy," Duncan answered.
"Busy?"
"Yes. People are always coming and going."
"Are there a lot of people?"
"Yes. Thousands."
"Oh. Are there others there too?"
"Other what?" Duncan looked down at her.
"Analees, does your mother know where you are?" Nyxas asked.
"She won't care I'm with Duncan.
"Ana."
"But I—"
Nyxas gave her a 'no arguing' look. Analees sighed, turning around. She smiled at Duncan, waving as she ran off.
Duncan looked back at the men. "Other what?"
"People," Nyxas said.
"People?"
Nyxas nodded.
"But she just asked about that. Why would she ask again?"
"I don't know. I haven't been a four-year-old in years," Nyxas joked.
The men laughed, making Duncan smile. Brutus started telling a joke, making all of them forget the little girl's half finished question.
The dog raced past them, barking as he chased the running child. Duncan laughed, watching Analees stop and run another direction. The Border Collie barked as the two disappeared over a small rise. Duncan looked back at Geneesa. She was watching where her daughter had disappeared.
"She's a wonderful child," Duncan commented.
Geneesa nodded.
Duncan started to ask the question but stopped when Geneesa looked at him.
"You're stubborn," Geneesa said.
"What?" Duncan asked in surprise.
Geneesa laughed. "Either that or you're too curious for your own good. Which do you think it is?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You just can't let it go. You keep asking who her father is."
Duncan smiled. "I'm stubbornly curious."
Geneesa laughed.
"Is Ana immortal, Geneesa?"
Geneesa nodded. "Yes."
"When are you going to tell her?" Duncan looked where the child had disappeared.
"Not until she's fifteen or sixteen. She wouldn't understand it now, Duncan. All she knows is she's different and sometimes she gets sick because of that difference."
"Sick?"
"She felt you coming."
"Are there other children in the village that are immortal?"
Geneesa sighed, meeting his eyes when he looked at her. She nodded. "Twenty."
"How is it there's so many?" Duncan asked.
"MOMMY!" Analees screamed.
They both leapt up, running toward the scream. They came over the rise and found the dog barking at the edge of the cliff. Geneesa slid on the grass as she stopped at the edge, dropping to her knees at the edge.
"Oh God!" Geneesa cried, staring.
Duncan dropped to his knees beside her. Analees was clinging to a thin sapling sticking out the side of the cliff wall but even as the two watched they could see it was being pulled out of the sandy soil.
"Baby! Oh baby!" Geneesa gasped.
Duncan grabbed Geneesa when she started to go over the cliff. She stopped halfway over the cliff.
"Let go!" Geneesa yelled at him.
"You can't go after her, Geneesa."
Geneesa's green eyes met his. "Let. Me. Go."
"Geneesa, you can't help her."
"I can't let her die Duncan. Not this young."
"Geneesa, you—"
"BACK OFF!" Geneesa growled with a very uncharacteristic snarl.
Duncan slowly released her arm. Geneesa looked down, slowly climbing down the face of the cliff toward Analees. She reached the tree and gingerly reached out to grab the tree. Geneesa pulled the tree towards her, easing her daughter to stand on the cliff face beside her. Duncan let out part of his held breath. The child was safe, but not out of danger. Geneesa stood for a moment, talking to her. Analees began to slowly ascend the cliff with Geneesa climbing so her arm was always around the child. Duncan moved toward the edge so he could help them when they were within reach. A chunk of earth suddenly gave way under Duncan's hand and he almost fell over the cliff himself when he lost his balance. Duncan looked down. Geneesa was holding Analees against the face of the cliff with her head turned away from the crumbling dirt. She looked up when the rain of dirt stopped, then looked down.
"We're going down," Geneesa called up to him.
"You're closer to the top."
Geneesa looked up at him. "The edge is crumbling Duncan."
Duncan started to argue when another large chunk gave way under his other hand. Duncan grasped for something to catch himself with, but the ground continued crumbling under his weight. Duncan slid over the edge, clawing to grab a hold of something to break his fall toward the rocks rushing up below. His fall ended with a loud crunch of bones and blackness.
Geneesa cringed, staring at Duncan's lifeless body.
"Is he dead? Did he die!?" Analees asked in a panicky voice. She looked up at her mother.
"No. Come on sweety," Geneesa said, starting down the cliff toward the rocky shore below them.
Inch by inch they descended a third of the twenty foot drop.
"Oh no," Geneesa said, looking both directions.
"What mommy?" Analees asked.
"Nothing sweetheart."
Geneesa looked around them for another foot or handhold.
"Why'd we stop?" Analees asked.
Geneesa looked up. "Resting," Geneesa lied.
Analees looked down at the shore where Duncan lay. "Is Duncan dead mommy? He isn't moving mommy. Did he die?"
"Stay still, Ana," Geneesa ordered, looking to her right.
Ana turned, reaching her leg toward a foot hold. She began putting her weight on the rock and it crumbled under her weight, making her loose her balance.
"MOMMY!" Analees screamed, falling backward.
Geneesa reached out to grab her and lost her footing and handhold. Her arm snapped around Analees' waist, pulling the child in front of her as the two fell backward toward the rocks below. Geneesa hit the rocks with a sickening crunch of bones breaking. Analees landed hard on top of Geneesa's body, crying out when pain shot up her arm she had tried to catch herself with. She lay on her mother's body, holding her broken arm and crying.
"Shhh," a voice said, and then someone laid their hands on her arms.
Analees looked up, staring at Duncan. There was a nasty bruise along his face and blood was drying from his bloody nose and ear. Duncan's left arm had a deep gash down it that was starting to close. Small sparks of electricity danced across the large gash, closing it each time the sparks flashed across it. Analees moved off Geneesa's body, reaching her good arm toward Duncan. He pulled the child into his arms, holding her. Duncan sighed, looking around. The beach ran in both directions, but he didn't know which was the safest. Analees' arm would most likely be healed shortly, but he didn't know that for a fact. Immortals before they became immortal healed different every time. Duncan sat down on a rock, deciding it was best to wait for her crying to ebb before starting out. Duncan was looking down the beach when he heard someone gasp for air. Duncan turned his head, staring at Geneesa. She was moving slowly, struggling to get to her feet. Duncan clambered to his feet, setting Analees on her feet beside him.
"Stay here," Duncan ordered the child as he walked toward Geneesa.
Duncan crouched down beside Geneesa, laying his hand on her arm. Her hand snapped out, snapping around his throat and started to turn to break it. Duncan grabbed her wrist with both hands, seeing recognition appear in her eyes. She let go of his throat, but didn't try to pull her hand away from him. Duncan stared at her.
"I can't feel you," Duncan whispered.
"And you never will," Geneesa replied.
"I don't understand."
Geneesa pulled away from him, getting to her feet. She sat down on a rock beside Duncan, looking at Analees. Geneesa looked back at Duncan.
"You know how there are Scottish and Americans and French and such?" Geneesa asked.
Duncan slowly nodded.
"It is the same with immortals. There's your kind, there's my kind…"
Duncan sat down on a rock, staring at Geneesa. Geneesa leaned toward him and he reactively moved away, staring at her with wide eyes.
"Breathe," Geneesa ordered in a hushed voice. "I know it won't kill you, but it would make Analees feel better if you didn't die twice."
Duncan looked at Analees, standing a few feet from them. She was sucking on her right thumb as she watched them with those dark brown eyes that looked like his. Duncan's heart skipped a beat. Eyes that looked like his. Black hair and skin tone just like his. Duncan looked at his feet. It couldn't be… There was no way it could happen…
Duncan looked at Geneesa. "Who's Ana's father?"
Geneesa smiled, laying a hand on Duncan's shoulder. "You are. Being unable to feel us is only one difference between us. Analees…she's another." Geneesa sat back, looking out at the ocean. "I never wanted you to know. I've seen how hard all this is to accept for your kind." Geneesa stood and walked over to her daughter.
Duncan watched the two, his whirling mind jumbling his thoughts into incoherent phrases he couldn't piece together. Geneesa looked over Analees' arm, talking quietly to her daughter. Analees nodded or shook her head in response. Geneesa stood after a few minutes and turned, smiling at Duncan.
"Ana didn't die," Duncan said, his brow furrowing as he said it.
"I broke her fall."
"She didn't die. How?"
Geneesa laughed a little. "That's not magic Duncan. That's a mother's instinct."
Duncan looked at the spot the two had fallen.
"We're going to leave now. Are you coming?" Geneesa asked.
Duncan looked back at her. She was still standing with her daughter, watching Duncan. Duncan rose to his feet. Geneesa turned, sliding her hand in her daughter's hand. The two began walking along the shore and Duncan followed behind them. He felt numb and the pieces of his thoughts fought being put together in his mind.
"Is she your only child?" Duncan asked.
"No," Geneesa answered, turning her head some so Duncan could hear her over the ocean surf. "My second. Iona is my first."
Duncan stopped. Geneesa seemed to sense it and stopped too, looking back at him.
"Who was Iona's father?"
"Warren was his name."
"Warren what?"
"I don't know," Geneesa smiled.
"We can't have children," Duncan argued, but he was having serious doubts about that truth right now as his eyes watched the child standing beside Geneesa.
Geneesa smiled. "I can't convince you of something you don't want to believe, Duncan."
Duncan marched up to her, shaking his finger in her face with sudden fury. "I don't believe any of this!"
"You didn't see me dead? You didn't see me come back to life?"
Duncan's hand dropped and his jaw wagged soundlessly. Again, he felt numb and dazed.
"Yes or no," Geneesa said.
"Yes."
"So you know I'm immortal. I could not die and come back if I weren't."
Duncan shook his head. "I don't know that. I can't feel you."
"You'll have to choose what you believe Duncan. I can't choose for you." Geneesa turned, taking her daughter's hand and walking again.
Duncan followed behind her, asking, "How many in the village are immortal like you?"
"All except five."
"And who are the immortals I feel?"
Geneesa looked down at her daughter. "Ana and the other children. I told you the truth earlier. Until the children are twenty, your kind can feel them."
Duncan stopped again, but this time Geneesa didn't stop. Duncan watched them disappear around the cliff, then sat down on the beach. His mind was whirling. Everything he'd come to believe and know for the last five hundred years had suddenly been shaken at its foundation and was threatening to come unraveled. His whole existence felt threatened. Duncan closed his eyes, desperately trying to calm his mind.
Duncan watched Geneesa walk up to him. He had been sitting on the beach for three days, trying to make sense of Geneesa's death, Analees' appearance, and the facts that had once been the only truths in his life. Geneesa sat down on the beach beside him, holding a sandwich out to him. Duncan took it, watching her set a thermos and shoulder bag down beside her. She looked at him.
"Any conclusions?" Geneesa asked.
"How old are you?" Duncan asked. He took a bite of his sandwich.
"Seven hundred and four years old."
Duncan looked at her. "Who's the oldest?"
"Nyxas, Nyssa, Mardra, Jathon and Kielt."
"How old are they?"
Geneesa closed here eyes. "They are…twelve thousand nine hundred and seventy-six years old."
Duncan was staring at her when she looked at him. "Twelve thousand?" Duncan gasped over his bite of sandwich.
Geneesa nodded.
"How…I mean…they would have…my God!"
Geneesa laughed, smiling. "They look good for their age, don't they?" Geneesa joked.
Duncan swallowed, looking at the sandwich. Three days sitting on a beach, thinking did not make this information any easier to process. It only made him have more questions.
"Analees…she's really my child?" Duncan asked. "How do you know?"
"Because you're the only one I'd had sex with in the last ten years."
"I don't know how I'm supposed to handle this."
Geneesa laid her hand on his arm. Duncan looked at her hand. He realized for the first time how young it looked. Duncan looked up at Geneesa's face.
"How old were you when you died?"
"Twenty-three."
"What did you die from?"
"I was killed in a clan battle. Sword through the gut. How did you die?"
"I was thought to have a demon inside me and was burned at the stake."
The two looked out at the ocean.
"I've never had a child…a family before."
Geneesa let out a long sigh. "Duncan…I don't want you to think you have to stay here or with us. I've managed alone before and I have my family here. I don't want you to feel obligated."
"Don't feel obligated!?" Duncan looked at Geneesa, aghast. He smiled. "This is hard to take, Geneesa. All of this is going to take a lot of time to adjust to, but there is one thing I do know…I still love you and I love Ana and I'm not leaving you two. If she didn't look so much like me I would have a hard time believing she was my daughter but… I'm not leaving you again."
Geneesa reached up, her hand gently tracing his face from his brow to his jaw. Duncan sat his sandwich aside, taking her hand in both of his. Duncan kissed her fingers, pulling her to his side. Geneesa closed her eyes, resting her head against his shoulder. The two sat in silence, letting their love talk in their silence.