Because the story Anamchara is very long, this list of chapters is provided for ease of navigation. A synopsis (spoilers galore!) is below to aid in remembering what happened. To start reading the actual story, please go to "Love and Death"which is labeled as Chapter 2 on this site. The last chapter and the epilog were posted together in "Measure of A Man".
I regret to say that I didn't realize the limit of one comment per chapter would interfere with leaving comments after chapters have been rearranged. Comments can be left on any chapter or sent via PM. I promise I'll read them and respond.
Cassandra and the Sisterhood: Hope Triumphant III - Anamchara
Highlander Fanfiction by Parda - 2014
DISCLAIMER: Cassandra, Methos, Connor, Duncan, Amanda, Rachel Ellenstein, Michelle Webster, and anyone else you recognize from on-screen are not my original characters, and I didn't come up with the idea of HL. No money is being made from this story. The original characters Anne (created by Bridget MT), Evann (created by Robin T), Emory (created by Listen-r) and Elena (created by Vi Moreau) belong to their respective authors; the rest of the original characters (Sara, Colin, Serena, Karla, Urushan, etc.) are mine.
Contents
1. Love and Death – Duncan buries his wife and visits Cassandra
2. The French Connection – Methos has a new job and meets an old friend
3. Reborn – Duncan and Connor go a-wandering
4. Methuselah's Gift – Connor says goodbye to Rachel, Duncan talks with Methos and goes walk-about
5. Bless the Child – Connor and his daughter Sara
6. Two of Hearts – Cassandra asks Connor for a date, Amanda visits
7. Double Jeopardy – Duncan and Methos go spelunking
8. Turnabout – Connor considers his options
9. Promises – Connor and Cassandra (finally!)
10. The Watchers – Curious students
11. Chivalry – Duncan to the rescue
12. Timeless – Cassandra and Elena take care of a problem
13. Deadly Exposures – Duncan gets a new name and a new life
14. Crime and Punishment – Duncan considers the problem of justice
15. Birthright – a MacLeod family picnic
16. Line of Fire - Methos returns
17. Haunted - Trying to cope
18. Freefall - Connor lashes out
19. Unusual Suspects - the investigation takes an unexpected turn
20. End of Innocence - saying farewell
21. Inferno - changes in the wind
22. The Lamb - immortality comes too soon
23. Passion Play - Connor and Chelle deal with death
24. Something Wicked - a darkness comes
25. Mortal Sins - Methos is unfortunately detained
26. An Eye for an Eye - the price of vengeance
27. Hunters - Duncan, Cassandra and Chelle seek their friends
28. Manhunt - seeking the truth in Armenia
29. Justice - Urushan tells a tale and asks some questions
30. Testimony - Methos faces a jury of his peers
31: The Measure of a Man - putting the pieces together
31. Epilog - To Be - new beginnings
Cassandra's tale will be continued in Hope Triumphant IV: Mother and Hope Triumphant V: Phoenix. The original character Karla Morgan is featured in my story The Guardian, which is on fanfiction_dot_net. All the sections of the Hope Saga are listed below.
Hope Saga
Hope Forgotten - Cassandra and the Prophecy
I. Priestess (1200BCE) Roland tracks Cassandra to the temple of the Goddess
II. Witch (1500s) Cassandra moves to the Highlands of Scotland and spends time with Connor
III. Guardian (1592-1623) Cassandra watches over mortal Duncan
IV. Exile (1630) Connor visits Cassandra in Aberdeen and finally realizes she is playing a different kind of game
V. Penitent (1996) Cassandra visits Connor in the Highlands and asks for his forgiveness
VI. Sentinel (June 1996) Cassandra warns Duncan about Roland
Hope Remembered - Cassandra and the Horsemen
I. Friend (summer 1996) Connor helps Cassandra train to fight Kronos
II. Fury (Nov 1996) Cassandra and Duncan go after the Horsemen
III. Confidante (Nov 1996) Cassandra and Elena compare notes on the MacLeods and Methos
IV. Kindred (Dec 1996) Cassandra spends Christmas with the MacLeods
V. Priestess (1 Jan 1997) Cassandra reclaims her power as a priestess
Hope Triumphant - Cassandra and the Sisterhood
I. Healer (1997-2006) Cassandra goes into therapy, Duncan faces Ahriman, and Methos goes a wandering
II. Sister (2006-2029) Cassandra sets out to change the world
III. Anamchara (2029-2082) Duncan and Connor say farewell to their wives then look for partners for the years to come
IV. Mother (2600-2700) On a new world, Methos and Cassandra begin again
V. Phoenix (2800s) Even a society of immortals can't last forever
Synopsis of Hope Triumphant III: Anamchara
A way to remember or find out what's happened in this story
Here there be spoilers. Turn back now unless you want to find out the quick way what happens!
To start reading the story, please go to the chapter entitled "Love and Death"
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1. Love and Death
June 2029 - In New Zealand, Duncan buries his wife, Susan, and then he and Connor (also a recent widower) wander about for a while. Duncan decides to leave the life of Mark Johnson behind soon. Connor plans on spending more time with his family. In the airport, they read of a man who was shot then beheaded. Connor notes that someone isn't playing by the rules.
In December, Duncan goes to Prague to visit Cassandra, who's running a school for the Phinyx Foundation. Amshula, a Guardian at the school, asks Duncan out, but he (still grieving) declines. Sara (Connor's daughter) greets her Uncle Duncan and they talk of family matters: Connor is living in the Highlands at the family farm with Colin, Sara's twin brother. Sara wants to have another baby but the sterility plague is causing miscarriages. Duncan convinces her to go to Scotland for a family Christmas.
Duncan asks Cassandra about the shooting-beheading, and she agrees to look into it. He asks for help in finding Methos, and Cassandra says he recently finished an engineering degree in Canada, but she doesn't know where he is.
Sara tells Cassandra she wants to volunteer for the medical treatment to have another child; she's seen visions of her son. (Both Sara and Colin have some psychic powers.) Cassandra is pleased there will be more children born to this family; she's keeping track of Sara's half-siblings, too. Sara tells Cassandra that she expects Cassandra and Connor will be lovers again someday.
2. The French Connection
December 2029 - Methos is in a bar with friends talking about building a space ship when Serena, a lovely immortal, arrives. She greets Methos by the name Philippe and kisses him passionately. His friends, who knew Methos as a boring Canadian engineer, are surprised. Methos and Serena enjoy a weekend together, then he shows her the engines they're building. Her company makes some of the parts. She offers to pay for the two of them to go into orbit and have fun there, enticing him with the promise: "It will be new."
3. Reborn
December 2029: The MacLeods gather at the family farm in the Highlands for Christmas. Sara sadly realizes it's the last one; her father can't pretend to age anymore. Duncan and Connor travel the world for a few years together then fake their death at sea so they can change their identities.
July 2034 - Sara reads of the death of her father in the newspaper. A few weeks later, he comes to visit and admires her son, Will, born a few months before. Connor says his new name is Michael Connor Audren, and Sara realizes she'll have to lie to her husband whenever she wants to see her dad.
Methos reads of the deaths at sea then drinks a toast to his old friend, Duncan MacLeod.
4. Methuselah's Gift
November 2034: Methos visits Duncan in Australia and tries to convince him not to go see his children and grandchildren, since "Mark Johnson" is dead, but Duncan goes anyway. His family doesn't recognize him. Duncan tells Methos he's going to start a career as a helicopter rescue pilot.
January 2037: Connor moves with Rachel from New York to a house in England. They spend her final years together, and Connor's children and grandchildren visit in the summers. Whenever Sara's husband or Colin's wife is there, Connor leaves, since they don't know about immortality and might recognize their "deceased" father-in-law.
Summer 2041: Rachel dies in her sleep on a lovely summer day. After her funeral, Connor starts to walk from Cornwall to Scotland, carrying her ashes. Duncan goes walk-about and ends up in Ireland, where he meets the immortal Kate, who invites him to learn how to weave. He signs up for her class, and one day they go for a walk along old paths. They meet Sofie, who just shot a man then took his head. She explains she's only been an immortal for three years, that he was stalking her and killed her cat and threatened her mother, so she defended herself. Duncan eventually accepts her story but warns her to follow the rules from now on. Kate takes Sofie as a student. Kate and Duncan discuss the brutal reality of the Game then part as friends and with hopes of seeing each other again. "You can show me the kilt you weave," she says.
5. Bless the Child
Autumn 2042– At St. Hildegard's Academy in the Alps (another of the Phinyx schools), Connor and Sara aren't getting along. Cassandra points out that Sara's husband has recently left her, and her father had "died", so she's feeling abandoned. Connor points out that he's moved to Austria just to be with Sara and her daughter, Alea (now 15 years old), yet Sara's not happy at all. Eventually, Sara admits to Connor that her husband left her and took their son with him because he thought she was having an affair with "Michael Audren", and Sara's been blaming her dad. They deal with that, and then Sara joins the betting pool the students at St. Hildegarde's have going about how long it will take Connor (known as Sensei Mike) and Cassandra (known as Laina Garrison, the music teacher) to finally go to bed.
6. Two of Hearts
St. Hildegarde's, December 2042 – Cassandra tells Connor that she never stayed once her children were grown and drops a hint that he might consider leaving now, but he wants as much time with his children and grandchildren (even if they know him only as a friend) as he can have. Cassandra asks Connor to watch the sunset with her, and they go on a few dates. Cassandra tells him she wants to be lovers again. Connor thinks about it for a day then says no, because he's concerned she wants more than he can give.
Amanda visits the day after Christmas, bringing Connor cookies as a present, and asks for Connor's professional appraisal of a necklace that resembles one Rebecca used to wear. He remembers when the four of them (Duncan and Amanda, himself and Rebecca) used to double date. Amanda mentions how nice it is that Immortals can swap partners over the centuries without getting jealous then kisses Connor goodbye. Connor wonders if Amanda is suggesting he be with her, or is acting as a matchmaker for Cassandra.
Amanda offers to help Cassandra figure out how to get Connor into bed.
7. Double Jeopardy –
Paris, December 2042 - Methos visits Duncan's apartment, and finds a trail of discarded clothes leading to the bedroom. Methos tries to guess the identity of the mystery woman while Duncan makes breakfast. The woman appears, and it's Serena, also known as Kate the weaver from Ireland. The three have breakfast together, and Kate/Serena suggests they go to bed together, too. Maybe Duncan's friend Amanda would like to join them? Duncan hastily demurs.
They go spelunking in the catacombs below Paris and chat about old times. Duncan learns that Methos and Serena/Kate knew Ramirez fifteen hundred years ago. She, being an engineer, asks about his sword, and Duncan says he'll introduce her to the current owner.
They go to dinner and Duncan is challenged by an old foe. Both Kate and Methos try to convince him to ignore it, but he goes to fight while they wait. Kate realizes that Methos is seriously interested in Duncan, but is waiting for Duncan to make the first move. Duncan wins the fight, and Methos tells Kate to take care of Duncan. Methos wanders Paris alone, remembering Byron's poetry.
Duncan recuperates from the quickening in a hotel room with Kate then they go to his flat in Caen. While he gives her a footrub, she asks him if he said no to her suggestion of a threesome because he doesn't like men in general or because he doesn't like Methos that way? Duncan ducks the question. They talk about lovers and friends; Kate mentions an immortal lover who got depressed (the way all immortals do) and followed a destructive path to death. Duncan remembers pulling Gregor and Connor and himself out of the same sort of thing. Kate leaves the next day, and Duncan goes to Paris to talk to Methos, but he's disappeared. Duncan isn't sure he's ready for a relationship with Methos, but decides that when Methos returns, he'd like to find out more.
8. Turnabout
Austria, 31 December 2042 - After a chat with Sara, and then a conversation with Cassandra, Connor reconsiders Cassandra's offer. Cassandra remembers Amanda's advice about men during their recent shopping trip: let them do the asking. Sara and Alea bake Connor a birthday pie; he's 534.
9. Promises – Connor and Cassandra (finally!)
'nuff said.
10. The Watchers – Curious students
Sara wins the betting pool the students had on Connor and Cassandra, but Alea tells her the film class put together a video detailing the relationship, and Sara immediately shuts down all the communication towers in the valley to keep it from going public. Cassandra uses the Voice to get every last copy from the students. Sara tries to adjust to her father and her mentor being lovers.
11. Chivalry – Duncan to the rescue (This story is told in more detail in "Elena's Journey")
Mediterranean, January 2044 - Duncan goes to rescue his friend Elena Duran, whose plane (with her husband and her mother-in-law) has gone down in the Mediterranean. She washes up on the isle of Minorca, and Duncan kills an immortal who's hunting her. Elena spends a week at St. Hildegarde's with Cassandra and Connor, then goes to Australia, taking time to grieve. Connor and Duncan discuss the recent shooting/beheadings, but see no pattern. When Elena returns in 2045, she seeks out Duncan in France, and they become lovers once again.
12. Timeless – Cassandra and Elena take care of a problem
London 2046 - Cassandra hears that Claudia Jardine has been beheaded by Peter Shaw. She tells Connor, who suggests she let Elena know, since Shaw and Elena became enemies forty years ago. Cassandra reads the Watcher files on Peter Shaw. One of his kills is Claudia's teacher, Walter Graham; Claudia had no idea. Elena says she wants to kill Shaw, and Cassandra goes with Elena to Scotland, where Elena takes his head. After they bury the body, Cassandra warns her about the addictive power of quickenings.
May Day, 2046 – At St. Hildegarde's school, Cassandra updates the files with lists of kills. Connor reflects on the number of heads he's taken then suggests he and Cassandra go to the woods and celebrate May Day in the time-honored way.
13. Deadly Exposures – Duncan gets a new name and a new life
Spring 2046 – During a rescue mission in the English Channel, Duncan stays behind on a life raft so the overloaded helicopter can get back to shore, then drowns in a storm. The media blast the story of the fallen hero, while Connor and Cassandra and Elena get boats and hunt for his body in the waves. Elena takes him to England to recuperate, and Duncan gets a new identity with the name of Justin Morris. He wanders about, and in June he meets Kristl while hiking in the Alps. She's one of the Phinyx Guardians, searching for a serial rapist in the hills, and she doesn't like his story, so she calls in backup: one Michael Connor Audren a.k.a. Connor MacLeod.
Duncan and Connor fly a helicopter back to St. Hildegarde's school and have dinner with Cassandra. She offers to teach Duncan to resist the Voice, and he immediately agrees. Cassandra has asked Connor to kill her if she starts to teach anyone the Voice, and now Connor tells Duncan that the task will fall to him if Connor dies.
14. Crime and Punishment – Duncan considers the problem of justice
July 2046: Duncan takes a job as dance teacher and martial arts instructor at the school. Connor's been practicing connecting with animals via the Quickening, and he and Duncan and Cassandra practice extending their range. Connor's granddaughter, Alea, graduates, and she and her mom, Sara, and her brother, Will, move to Edinburgh.
The Guardians find the rapist they were looking for, and Connor and Cassandra and Duncan discuss issues of justice and how much immortals should get involved. In September, Elena comes for a visit, and Duncan discusses the death penalty with her. Elena leaves for a funeral and invites Duncan to join her in Argentina come Christmastime. In October, Amanda visits, and she and Duncan demonstrate the tango to a very interested class of girls. He asks her about the death penalty, too.
Duncan finishes his lessons in resisting the Voice, the week before Christmas, he and Connor go to Frankfurt to meet Kate, who wants to see Ramirez's sword. She and Connor discuss metallurgy; Duncan goes shopping for presents. At dinner, they talk of Byron. The next day, Connor goes to visit a friend, and Duncan and Kate go sightseeing. She's worried about Sofie, who became her student seven years ago in Ireland. Kate hasn't heard from her lately. At dinner, she asks more about Byron. Duncan asks her about Methos; Kate says he's due back from Mars in April.
Connor and Duncan go to the Highlands and watch the sunrise over the Solstice stones.
15. Birthright – a MacLeod family picnic
December 2046: Sara and Colin MacLeod celebrate their 50th birthday at the family farm in the Highlands. Duncan and Connor and Cassandra gather with them for Christmas. Will says he likes it in the Highlands, and Sara and he move to the farm. Sara once again begins to have psychic dreams: a scene of smoke and fire.
In the summer of 2047, the MacLeods gather for a family picnic. Alea brings a friend from school, who's pregnant, and tells her mother that she's thinking of trying to get pregnant, too, probably by artificial insemination. Cassandra says world population is dropping, and will be five billion by 2060.
Connor and Cassandra announce they're taking new jobs and their relationship is on hold for now. Sara suggests to her older brother John that he move from Colorado to the Highlands; he says he'll think about it. Sara's dreams are more frequent now, and her son and Colin's son are showing signs of psychic powers, too. In the summer of 2048, Alea gets pregnant, and Sara tells her it will be a girl, born with the snow, and red hair. She's had dreams of Will's descendants, too, and more dreams of fire.
16. Line of Fire - Methos returns
October 2048 – In London, Cassandra and Sara attend a Phinyx reunion. Duncan stops by, and Connor arrives for a conference on metallurgy. They gather in a hotel, and sense another immortal: Methos is in the bar. After brief, polite conversation, Methos invites Duncan out for a beer. They chat and cautiously reconnect after five years.
The next morning, Sara and Cassandra go to the reunion, gather intel from the Phinyx Sisterhood, then report to each other on the status of the world. Grace is investigating the genetics of psychic ability; Sara's family isn't the only one. Reports on immortal genetics show no family ties. Sara joins the council in session; Cassandra attends the convocation of the priestesses.
Methos is walking in London when he's caught by the explosion of a bomb. After he heals, he starts to help the people nearby. Connor hears the explosion from a distance and starts to run: the hotel with the Phinyx reunion is in flames. But Cassandra and Sara are all right; they were outside. Connor is carrying a woman away from the flames when there's another explosion and he dies.
The explosion takes the head of another immortal, and the quickening seeks out Methos. After it's over, he joins a woman from Phinyx at a first aid station and offers his services as a doctor.
Connor wakes up and finds Cassandra in row of dead bodies; she was burned beyond recognition by the second blast of fire. He searches for Sara and finds her sitting under a tree, exhausted. He joins her and she tells him, "I love you, Daddy." Then she says, "It's getting dark" before dying in Connor's arms.
17. Haunted - Trying to cope
October 2048 After helping the injured and the dying all day, Methos seeks out female companionship for the evening. In the morning, he sees a picture of Connor holding a dying Sara in his arms in the news.
Duncan and Connor help Cassandra heal by removing burned tissue while she's dead. Unfortunately, she's semi-conscious for some of it, and this triggers flashbacks to being tortured.
Once Cassandra is sleeping peacefully, Connor goes to be with his grandchildren, who are staying in a hotel. He contacts Erika, a Phinyx Guardian, and offers to help her track down the bomber. Sara's ex-husband, Daniel, arrives and tells Connor that his presence is no longer necessary; Daniel will take care of his own children.
When Cassandra wakes, Duncan tells her that Sara has died. She weeps, mourning her goddess-child. When Connor arrives that afternoon, she tries to comfort him. He's interested in the bombing, she's not. When he sees the picture of him and Sara on the news and realizes that Phinyx is publicizing it, he's furious at this invasion of his privacy. Cassandra suggests that maybe the photo will help change the mood of the people and discourage such bombings. Connor loses his temper, saying her Phinyx disciples are just using death as PR opportunity, and that Cassandra doesn't care about Sara at all. Cassandra doesn't respond and he calls her a cold-hearted bitch and walks out on her.
After Connor leaves, Cassandra tries to figure out what she did wrong. She decides she should have been more supportive, and she hopes he won't be too angry with her or hit her too many times. She cleans the apartment, then stops, realizing she's reverted to acting like a slave. She goes to the bathroom and stares at herself in the mirror, saying, "Hello again. Hello, me."
18. Freefall - Connor lashes out
October 2048 - Connor goes to a bar and drinks too much. He calls Duncan and says he'll be back at the hotel soon. On the way out of the bar, Connor meets Methos, who expresses his condolences on the death of Sara. Connor, in an utterly foul mood, curses him and walks out.
Cassandra is out walking and goes to the tree where Sara died. She lights a candle and says farewell. Duncan calls Methos to ask for a raincheck on their agreement to go riding, because Connor needs him right now.
Connor is out walking in London, remembering, and a young man tries to take his wallet. They get into a fight and Connor beats him bloody then kicks him when he's down. Connor gets the Buzz and looks up to see Cassandra watching him from a distance. She backs up then turns and walks away.
19. Unusual Suspects - the investigation takes an unexpected turn
19 October 2048 - Connor goes to the tree where Sara died. Duncan finds him there in the early morning hours. They sit vigil in the rain until dawn then go back to the hotel. Daniel and Alea and Will tell Connor (whom they know as Mike) that they're going to take Sara's body to the Highlands, so that Connor can handle the funeral arrangements of Laina (aka Cassandra, who's not dead).
So now Connor has nothing do to. Duncan tells him that Cassandra cried when she heard about Sara, and Connor realizes he acted like an idiot the day before. He sends Methos an apology, and sends Cassandra a note. They agree to meet in the Highlands in a few days.
Connor and Duncan go the memorial service for the victims of the bombing, and Connor gets more info from Erika about suspects. She says they're looking into the possibilities of a Phinyx fanatic, who made martyrs to advance the cause. Connor wonders briefly if Cassandra might have set the bomb but decides no.
20. End of Innocence - saying farewell
20 October 2048 - At Sara's funeral, Connor and Duncan meet Sara's boyfriend, who puts a ring in her grave. He was going to ask her to marry him. Methos has sent a bottle of whisky, and after filling in the grave, Connor and Duncan drink toasts to those who have died. Later, Connor and Colin talk and try to comfort each other. Colin says he's going to be a grandfather soon, and he's looking forward to seeing Alea's daughter when she's born, hoping she looks like Sara.
The next morning, Cassandra arrives at the MacLeod Farm, and she and Colin plant flowers on Sara's grave. She has visions of many MacLeod descendants, born from Colin and Sara's lines.
Connor shows up, and apologizes to Cassandra. All is going well, but when he asks a lot of questions about the bombing, she realizes he was suspecting her. She's furious, and he's angry too. When she says the name "Caorran", Connor steps toward her, telling her that his daughter's name was "Sara Heather MacLeod". Cassandra (still hypersensitive from flashbacks the day before) interprets this as a threat and uses the Voice on him. They calm down, but Cassandra (remembering him beating the mortal) tells Connor that he's too violent, and she can't be his lover anymore. He eventually agrees to split up, and they part, still friends, but not on great terms.
That night, Colin tells Connor that Yellowstone has erupted and the volcano is destroying half of North America. Connor climbs the hill to the graves and tells the women buried there that he's going to go find John in Colorado. On Sara's grave, he finds the long braid of Cassandra's hair.
21. Inferno - changes in the wind
Oct 2048 – Duncan calls Methos and cancels their plans again; Duncan is going with Connor to look for John. Methos says looking for survivors that close to the volcano is foolish. Duncan's going anyway. Two weeks later, Cassandra calls Methos and they meet in a garden in Sheffield. She asks Methos if he can still love, after all this time. Yes, he reassures her. They both think the civilization will collapse soon; he's hoping to get to the stars first. He asks about dead immortals at the bombsite; she tells him it was probably Grace Chandel. Methos invites Cassandra for a drink and she says no, but they part on friendly terms.
November 2048 – Duncan and Connor dock their boat of relief supplies on the coast of Texas and deal with paperwork. Connor gets the trucks and they head north, though they're told the roads are closed in Kansas. On the way, there's an accident, and they help Michelle Webster (an immortal Duncan knew sixty years ago) out of a car. She's escorting Tomas, a five-year-old preimmortal, to Ceirdwyn's school. She tells them everything under the ash is dead. Connor's going anyway.
Once in the ash, they leave their trucks and start walking. The place is a blast zone. Connor remembers reaching out with his quickening and touching the world a few years ago with Cassandra. He tries it now, searching, and hones in on John, who's lying in bed with his wife, both of them dead for weeks, buried under ash. Connor gives up, and he and Duncan walk back.
December 2049 – In London, Methos and Cassandra meet by chance at the memorial of the bombing. There's a full-size sculpture of Connor holding the dying Sara, though the faces are blurred and not recognizable. Methos is excited about the space ship; Cassandra is moving up through the ranks of the Gaian priestesses, neither of them has heard from the MacLeods.
22. The Lamb - immortality comes too soon
Winter 2050 - Duncan and Connor are working as teachers at Ceidwyn's school for pre-immortals in Ohio. Tomas is a student there. Baden, another immortal, shows up to help. He's a friend of Chelle's, and he tells them that she did 20 years as a U.S. Marine, and became a doctor. Duncan realizes he doesn't know Chelle at all.
A few weeks later, Chelle arrives with Terah, who looks nine but is really 14. She's already an immortal; she was killed then kept as a sex slave by an immortal who liked young girls, and she's never been around other kids. They decide to teach her what they can. Zachary, a math teacher and a middle-aged pre-immortal, teaches her to add and Chelle teaches her to read. Terah and Tomas play together.
Things are going well until the fall, when Zachary cuts off his own head, leaving a suicide note that says "I can't live this way." It was his 50th birthday.
23. Passion Play - Connor and Chelle deal with death
September 2050 - After Zachary's funeral, Chelle goes to Connor's room, saying she's interested in some rough sex, no pretty words, and tells him "Don't be gentle with me." She also says she does not want to be gentle with him. Connor is definitely willing to oblige. Over the next several months, their relationship starts to become more than just physical, and they both become a bit more cautious.
24. Something Wicked - a darkness comes
November 2050 - Terah and Tomas go missing, and Chelle and Connor go in search. They find a campfire, then Connor lies in wait while Chelle talks with Terah and David, an immortal who's been camping out in the woods and hanging out with Terah. There's no sign of Tomas. Terah accuses Chelle of killing her father, and Chelle admits it's true. David offers to kill Chelle, and Terah enthusiastically agrees. Swords are drawn, but then David shoots Chelle and offers Terah the chance to take Chelle's head in revenge.
Connor intervenes and shoots them both with an electric stunner, killing David. Connor ties them up and waits for someone to revive. Chelle is first, and while she goes to wash off in a creek, Terah wakes up. Connor asks her where Tomas is, but she won't say, so he starts using the stunner on her,and she screams. Chelle returns, gets Connor to stop, then uses her quickening to search out Tomas. He's in the tree fort nearby, and he's a full Immortal now.
Terah admits she killed him so that he would be her eternal playmate. She's thinking of killing others, too. Chelle beheads her, and while the quickening is happening, David revives. He's furious with them for killing "a helpless girl", and Connor is happy to oblige him with a duel. Connor defeats David easily and takes his head.
After the quickening, Connor helps Chelle put the bodies on the fire then goes to find Tomas in the tree fort. They talk for a bit, though Tomas doesn't realize what Terah did to him and Connor doesn't say anything. As he's climbing down from the tree fort, Connor shoots him with the stunner and catches the body as it falls. He says farewell and takes Tomas's head.
25. Mortal Sins
November 2050 - Connor and Duncan stand vigil over the funeral pyre of Tomas, Terah, and David. Back at the school, Chelle tells the other immortals what happened. Terah's diary reveals that she seduced Zachary just before he killed himself. Baden is not happy that Connor killed Tomas and says they shouldn't automatically kill immortal children. Connor ends the discussion by reminding everyone of the Game and saying that eternal children don't belong in an endless war.
Later, Connor and Chelle meet in the dojo. She asks him to spar, and he says no, but when she asks again, he agrees. They engage in a brutal bout with swords and then with bare hands, both of them seeking to be punished for taking the children's heads the day before. He beats her bloody before it's done, giving into his rage. He apologizes and they talk about handling death and anger. That night, she comes to his room and they are gentle with each other for the first time. They agree to meet in Paris in the spring in a few years.
April 2052 - Methos gets a note from Duncan, saying he's back from North America and would Methos like to cash in that raincheck? Methos writes back to say yes, in the fall. He's busy right now, working in India on the space program and the ship will be launching soon. However, as he's walking home, he runs across a beheaded body, then unknown assailants shoot him with stunners and his world goes dark.
26. An Eye for an Eye - the price of vengeance
April 2052 - Returning from the trip to North America, Connor goes to the Highlands to see Colin, only to discover that Colin died the month before. No one in the Macleod family has any idea who Connor really is. His granddaughter, Alea, suggests they become lovers, and Connor turns her down. He tells stories to Orla and Ian, his great-grandchildren, and leaves.
Methos wakes up in a cell, and then is interrogated via intercom by the Immortal Tribunal, which tells him they will execute him if they don't like his answers. They use a truth detector, and he's honest, but still evasive. When asked if he likes to kill, he says no, but that's a lie. They zap him with a nerve gun, and ask him some more questions, and he explains he's not like that anymore. They tell him they're going to hold him for further evaluation. "How long?" he asks but gets no answer.
Connor wanders after leaving the family farm, gets drunk, and gets into a bar fight. He enjoys the fighting a bit too much and accidentally kills someone. The villagers beat him up in return, and he doesn't fight back. They also go too far, and he dies. They strip his body, put him in a boat, and row to the middle of the loch. When he revives, the two people in the boat panic and start smashing him with oars. During the struggle, one of his eyes is ripped out. They throw him overboard. He washes up on the beach, half-blind, bloody, and naked, and just lies there.
27. Hunters - where are they now?
December 2052 When Methos doesn't appear in the fall as promised and doesn't answer letters, Duncan decides to go to India to find him. He doesn't have much luck, and he sends Cassandra a letter, hoping she knows something.
June 2053 - When Connor doesn't appear in the spring in Paris as promised, Chelle goes to Cassandra for help. They gingerly discuss their lover. When Cassandra finds out that Connor beat Chelle up, she's very concerned and asks Chelle never to tempt Connor that way again. Cassandra uses her quickening to find both Connor and Methos. She tells Chelle that Connor's son died, and encourages Chelle to go and offer Connor comfort in Scotland. Then she goes to India to help Duncan find Methos.
During dinner, Cass and Duncan have an encounter with Amshula, the Phinyx guardian who hit on Duncan thirty years ago. She's figured out they're immortal, and she wants answers. Cass uses the voice to convince Amshula to work to hide the secret of immortality, the way the Watchers used to. Duncan isn't happy with this, and wonders why mortals would bother, especially since Cass told Amshula that the Game and The Prize weren't real. Cass agrees they'll need to come up with something, and they decide to deal with it later.
Amshula meets with a friend, who believes that immortals are avatars of the gods, and that Cassandra is the handmaiden of Shakti, the one who changes. The watchers are being reborn.
Cass and Duncan keep searching for Methos, using a key that belonged to Methos and Cass's psychic powers to guide them north to Armenia. There they meet an immortal named Erianne, who's on her way to a place called Haven, which she says is a school for Immortals. Duncan is worried it's a trap, but Cassandra tells him that Methos is there, so off they go.
28. Manhunt
(The character Karla Morgan is featured in Parda's story The Guardian.)
October 2053 - Erianne tells Cass about her immortal life so far, as they ride in a horse-drawn car to the Haven school. When Erianne falls asleep, Duncan asks Cass what she senses about Methos and Connor. Cass says Methos is awake and near. She didn't check on Connor because she doesn't want to intrude on his time with Chelle. Duncan asks why she and Connor broke up. Cass explains that Connor's violence frightens her, and says that she feels safer with Methos than she does with Connor.
Methos wakes up in his cell and finds out he's been dead for a while - 18 months have passed. The Tribunal tells him that his evaluation will be soon and asks him for the name of someone who can vouch for him. Methos thinks through a list of immortal friends who know him fairly well and could withstand the Tribunal's scrutiny. He names Serena then starts working on ways to escape.
In the valley near Haven, Duncan meets Karla Morgan, an old friend and now the preceptress of the Haven school, which has been converted from an old monastery and is on holy ground. He describes Methos and asks her if she's seen him. She says no and says she can ask around. Duncan asks her to not to; he doesn't want to spook anyone who may be keeping Methos prisoner. Karla interviews Erianne while Duncan tells Cassandra a bit about Karla: she fought for King Arthur and has been a warrior for centuries.
That evening, Duncan and Cass eat dinner at Haven school. They meet the other two teachers (Urushan and Pivik) and the students, one of whom is Sofie, whom Duncan met a dozen years before in Ireland with Kate. Sofie says Kate will be visiting soon, now that she's back on the planet from her trip to Ganymede. Duncan and Cass are relieved that the school appears legitimate but are still cautious. Duncan reaches out with his quickening to search for Methos but finds nothing but darkness.
In the morning, Karla asks Cassandra why she doesn't carry a sword, and they talk about weapons. Karla said she's heard of "the siren" (aka the witch in the woods) and Cass says she's heard of "the morrigan" (aka Karla Morgan), and they realize they're both part of an ancient organization called the Keepers, who safeguard magical talismans. Cassandra says her talisman was destroyed in Troy; Karla still has hers. They talk about starting the organization again.
Cassandra and Duncan go to the woods so she can reach out to Methos, but all she can find is that he's nearby. On the way back, they find the villagers are holding a trial for a man accused of rape. They use the Stone of Truth, a stone brought to the valley during the Crusades by Urushan, to tell when people are lying or not. The man is convicted of rape and is executed by the older women of the village. Duncan is uneasy with this as a judicial process. He helps bury the man and goes to talk to Urushan.
Cassandra goes back to Haven and tells Karla that the villagers are using a truthstone, which is one of the Keeper's talismans. They want to talk to Urushan, too.
29. Justice
Scotland - Friar Liam is praying for a one-eyed man named John, who washed up on the island the year before. John doesn't say much, he's been working in the smithy and doing odd jobs. A young woman named Chelle showed up that summer to see him (though she calls him Connor), but John told her to go away, then ignored her rather insistent protestations. He left early the next morning. Chelle left a letter from Cassandra for him in the blacksmith shop, but John never returned. Friar Liam has prayed for them both every day since then.
Armenia - Urushan tells Cassandra, Karla, and Duncan that he was given the truth stone by a hermit during the Crusades in Palestine nine hundred years ago, and he brought it back to Armenia. He keeps his oath to the hermit and uses the stone in the service of Justice. Urushan takes them to a cave under the school to see the stone. Duncan tests out the stone and wants to know how it works, but Urushan just says it's a miracle. Cass says she's seen one like it before.
Urushan asks them to consider how justice might be enforced for Immortals, and Karla, Duncan, and Cass hash out some ideas for a police force or jury of peers to take care of immortals who target pre-immortals or very young immortals, and those who use mortals as pawns. Duncan is not happy with the idea of tying people up and taking their heads but agrees that it could be acceptable if done with proper precautions. Urushan asks them if they would consider joining such a police force.
Karla realizes that Urushan is not being hypothetical. The jury of peers already exists (he calls it a tribunal), and he's inviting them to join it. Cassandra immediately says yes; Duncan and Karla want to learn more. Urushan then introduces them to four other members: Tunji, Reagan Cole (a bounty hunter Duncan has met before), Chonglin and Sofie (both students at Haven). Cassandra is sworn in as a member, and Sofie asks if she will be helping in the evaluation that day. Duncan realizes they're going to evaluate Methos, and insists that Methos be let out of his cell and brought there. The tribunes want to leave Methos is in cell for safety, but eventually they says yes, providing Duncan will serve as surety for Methos's good behavior. If Methos escapes, Duncan takes his place, and if Methos kills anyone, Duncan will be killed.
30. Testimony
Methos is wakened in his cell by the immortal buzz. When he sees Cassandra and two men holding stunguns, he assumes she's behind his imprisonment. She turns and shows him that her hands are bound then tells him Duncan is nearby acting as surety. Methos agrees to behave, and the men with guns handcuff him. During their walk, Cassandra tells Methos where he is, what she knows about the Tribunal, and that a witness is on the way. Methos tells her the witness is Serena, his friend. All in all, he's feeling much better about the situation.
Back with the Tribunal, Duncan says hello to Kate (aka Serena). Then Cassandra and Methos arrive, guarded by Chonglin and Tunji. Methos is tied to a chair, and Duncan loans him a jacket, since it's chilly in the cave and Methos is wearing only pajamas. Cassandra and Kate greet each other warmly; they became friends in Ireland sixteen hundred years ago. Duncan realizes that Sofie and Chonglin and a bunch of other young immortals independently decided to protect themselves by shooting evil immortals and then taking heads, which explains the shooters he's been wondering about for the last few decades. Five years ago, with Kate's help, they organized into the Tribunal. Methos is not happy to find out that Serena is the one behind his lengthy imprisonment, but he can't yell at her now since she's still his star witness.
At the evaluation, Tunji presents information about Methos's background, including his Watcher Chronicles and pictures of him as Adam Pierson and connecting him with the Horsemen. (Years before, Chonglin had gotten hold of the disk Watcher Don Salzer made in 1995, which led the Tribunal to search out more records.) Methos admits (again) to his past and says he's changed. Duncan testifies for him, ending with "He's my best friend, and he's a good man."
Kate testifies, saying Methos is charming and smart and fun. Then she says he's also amoral with no sense of honor and she doesn't trust him at all. Methos asks her why she's angry with him, and she says she's not. Now that she knows about his past, she's realized he changes to suit his surroundings. She thinks he's hollow inside. The truthstone shows she's honest. When it's Cassandra's turn to testify, she says nice things about Methos and ends with "I want him to live." The five members of the Tribunal are then asked to decide what to do with Methos.
31. The Measure of a Man - putting the pieces together (Set in 2053)
The Tribunal votes 4 to 1 to let Methos go, and they apologize for detaining him so long. Methos is gracious about accepting their apologies (though he's considering how many of them he's may have to kill). Most people leave, and Urushan goes to fetch Methos's personal gear. Duncan gives Methos the katana to keep. Urushan returns, and Methos gives the Ivanhoe to Duncan. They spar in the cave, just for fun.
Methos enjoys some fresh air after his months underground, thanks Cassandra for her testimony, then talks with Serena. She tells him she's known about his time with the Horsemen for forty years, and she'd accepted that. Then she found out from Duncan that Methos was "the good doctor" that her lover Byron went to for help. She decided that Methos didn't really care about anyone or anything, and he's got no sense of honor or loyalty. That means she can't trust him. No one can. Methos manages to convince her that she's wrong; he does care. She apologizes, they part on good terms (though Methos is still considering killing her).
At dinner that evening, Karla and Cassandra and Methos and Duncan discuss what to do about the Tribunal. Methos and Karla are considering joining it, if only to take it apart from the inside. After dinner, Duncan knocks on Methos's bedroom door. They spend the night together.
The next morning, Cass and Karla go running together, then talk about finding the Keeper talismans. Cass says she can remake hers, but it will take time. Karla asks if Methos might be the key. Cassandra is not enthusiastic about the idea, but realizes it's possible. She goes back to the temple in France, where she finds a letter from Amanda, asking for help in locating the crystal pieces from Rebecca. Cass tells Amanda "yes" then sends a message to Karla to let her know they may be able to find the orb, another of the Keeper talismans. Chelle also sent a letter, saying Connor refused to see her. Cass doesn't bother to unpack, she heads for the Highlands to find Connor.
In the Highlands, Connor has retreated to a remote cottage, where he's been living alone since Chelle tried to talk to him in the summer. Cassandra uses witchcraft and their quickenings to find him. Eventually, he lets her in. They spend time together, until finally Connor comes back into the world. He needs to find a new sword and get a new eye.
32. To Be - new beginnings, set in 2060 and beyond
Methos and Duncan leave Earth to join a colony on another planet.
Connor visits the Highlands to light candles on the graves of his family. He meets Orla, his great-granddaughter, who is now in her thirties. She's moved south because of the hard winters, but promises him that flowers will bloom in the Highlands again someday.
Later, Cassandra is at one of her schools, and she watches another spaceship bound for the stars. Connor's on board. She goes back to her students (some of whom are descendants of Sara and Colin), knowing that someday, Connor will return.
The story continues in Hope Triumphant IV: Mother