Chapter 2
As I awaken, I notice that sun is out but it is still very cold outside. Someone has come in and laid a fire out in the fireplace to make sure the room was warm for me. I went to the water closet to relieve myself and then back to my room to wash the night away from my face. Lily came in and asked if there was anything I needed, so I asked her if there was anyway I could have a bath. As if she had already anticipated she had a couple of young boys that I had not met yet, bring a gold tub with clawed feet. After the tub was set a parade of servants entered my room with bucket after bucket of hot water. Once the tub was full to my satisfaction Lily handed me a bar of soap that smelled like lavender. As I lay back in the tub, I got to thinking that living here may not be as bad as all that, just a little inconvenient, at least I don't have go outside to use the bathroom.
When I arrive down in the dinning room, I notice that I am the only one here, but breakfast is laid out on a side board. As I look at the offering, I think to myself that if I continue to live here and eat what is served I will get fat. For breakfast there were eggs, bread, butter, jam, what appeared to be bacon (did they have bacon in this time period?).
I was half way through my breakfast when Melissa walked in, she looked like she had not slept at all. I was beginning to worry because she looked weaker today than yesterday. She got herself some coffee and took a little bit of egg and sat down to join me. While we were eating she asked if I could ride. I told her it had been a while since I last rode, but I don't think it would be a problem. After breakfast I returned to my room to find a riding habit sitting on my bed. It appeared that while I was eating my room was put to order. As I looked at the riding habit I noticed it was not a split skirt. Damn, I was thinking I don't ride side saddle, so I got out some jeans and put them on under my skirt so I could at least be comfortable and sit astride.
Melissa and I went to the stables and Donald got ready to saddle up two horses for us. Melissa's horse was a sweet natured little chestnut mare, and I was offered a beautiful roan gelding. When Donald went to saddle my horse I asked for a regular man's saddle there was no way I was riding any other way. Donald looked at me like was crazy, but what can I say, I am a modern type of girl. As we left the stable area, Mrs. Croft approached with a small basket that fit over the saddle horn. She told us that it was a little snack type repast for us to eat while we were out on our journey. Melissa and I rode in silence for a while and I could see that the ride was taxing her and asked her if she wanted to return to the manor, but she refused. I asked why she did not use the little cart that I was in stable yard but she told me she was going to ride until she could ride no longer.
We sat for awhile by a stream that ran through a section of the property, and ate the little picnic fare that Mrs. Croft packed for us. As we ate the cheese and small chucks of apple we talked about our lives, and dreams. Melissa asked me about my life back home and I told her about my job, and family. The things I like to do like go to movies, read books, listen to music. She told me that I would not have movies here or any other music except the music that was played on the pianoforte or at the theatre.
As we were talking about things, I finally asked her how she ended up here, on this estate in that manor. She told me that she decided to take a trip one day and flew to London because she always wanted to see Europe. Melissa informed me that the same thing happened to her when she left the airport, only she didn't have anyone to help here then. So I asked her why she just didn't go back into the airport, and she told me she didn't want to go back at that moment that she could do it later. Well later never came. As she was walking down the road she met up with a man who decided to grab her and take her home. Melissa told me she fought the best she could, but could not get away. As she continues to tell me the story I keep thinking this is just like something out of a romance novel, only being told in real time. When her captive finally let her down she turned on saw the manor house that was now hers soon to be mine, the man introduced himself as Connor. She described him with feeling, giving me a description that had me almost drooling. Connor was over 6 feet tall, he had blonde hair that fell to his shoulders and over his eyes, his eyes, when you could see them, were an emerald green and bright as the morning sun. Melissa said that she was lost the first time she looked into them.
Eventually, she said that Connor wed her and they were very happy. I asked her about children but she told me that every time she was pregnant she miscarried within the first four months. I told her I was sorry, and to continue her story. By the end of her story Melissa's face was wet with tears and I asked her why she was crying. Melissa told me that Connor was an immortal and was supposed to live forever. Connor died before he regenerate after a battle because he was beheaded. I reached out to Melissa and held her while she cried. When her tears were spent we remounted by using a rock as a mounting block and headed for home. On the way home I asked her about Duncan and why he was living in her house. The answer surprised me. Duncan is her brother-in-law. You can imagine my reaction when she told me that. Did that make Duncan immortal also? I would suppose so. We arrived back at the manor and Donald helped us dismount and Melissa and I walked up to the house together each in our own thoughts.
Melissa excused herself and went to her room to rest. I went to mine to change out of these clothes and put on something more comfortable. Seeing I was alone I put on a long skirt that reached my ankles and a plain white long sleeve t-shirt, put on my sneakers and went down stairs. I went to the library to see if I could find anything to read. There wasn't much I could find to read. The books available to me were written by 15th and 16th century writers. I found some books by Geoffrey Chaucer, a couple of early Shakespeare plays, stuff written by Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Thomas Moore and other stuff. I chose one of Shakespeare's plays, curled up in a chair and, and proceeded to read.
I don't know how long I sat in the chair before I dozed off and had started dreaming again of the man with the flowing chestnut hair and the sword again. I still could not see his face, but I was able to see that he was in a special room wielding the sword as if he was in battle; thrusting and parrying over and over again. His fluid movements made the exercise effortless and watching the muscles in his arms and back flex made me breathe heavily. The man in my dream was about turn, and I hoped to be able to see his face, when I felt someone enter the room. Damn, just my luck, still no face to go with the vision.
When I open my eyes, Duncan is in the room pouring him self a snifter of brandy. He noticed that I had awaken and asked if I would like something to drink. I told him brandy would be fine. While we are sipping our drinks I ask him about his life and if he had any family. Duncan is very forlorn as he tells be about the life he has lived. He said the only family he knew was Connor. He had no idea about his mother, except that she was Valkyrie, and his father died when he was a child. Well now I knew where the immortality came from. I did not approach the subject of Connor because I had a feeling it was a tough subject for him to handle. As we approached the evening, Melissa came into the library and sat with us for awhile. She was already dressed for dinner, so I excused myself to the same.
As I entered my room, I began to think about Duncan and the life he must have lived. To be immortal would be a very hard life to lead. It is probably very hard for him to have friends let alone a relationship. I actually found myself having feelings for him, but what the feelings were I had no idea. I do know that I like him though; he is a gentleman in every sense of the word. He is handsome, and appears to very intelligent. Whenever he touches me no matter how slight the touch I feel giddy, like a school girl, and I feel like something has been missing from life until I met him.
Tonight, I dressed in a green silk gown that brings out the emerald color of my eyes, and works will with my waist length blond hair. To night is just the same as last night we meet in the drawing room for a glass of wine, and at 8 o'clock we enter the dining room where another feast is set up. As I look at the table laden with food, I think to myself that if I stay here I am going to get fat. Sitting in the middle of the table was what appeared to be a turkey or some kind of game bird. I am not sure of myself yet to ask questions. A hardy potato soup was served tonight and for desert there were cherry tarts with coddled cream.
After dinner we again adjourn to the drawing room. Melissa decides to read poetry that was written by Sir Thomas Moore, and after about an hour of conversation and readings Melissa excuses herself and goes to bed. Duncan and I are sitting and we are both involved in our own thoughts. After sitting for about 10 minutes Duncan asked if would like to take a short walk, and I told him that would be fine. Duncan went and got me a wrap to put over my shoulders and he took my elbow as we walked out the French doors onto the patio. We walked along in companionable silence, hand tucked into the crook of his arm. There was a little chill in the air, but I did not feel it. When we approached the gardens there was a wrought iron bench where we decided to sit. I looked up and there was not a cloud in the sky, the moon had risen and the stars were bright; we sat there like we were a couple just contemplating life. Neither one of us spoke a word just looked out over the horizon and enjoyed each others companionship.
Eventually it got too cold to sit outside so Duncan helped up from the bench and escorted me back to the house. As we entered the drawing room, he turned to me and said he was going to go home and he would see us tomorrow for dinner. He walked with me to my room, kissed my hand, turned and walked down the stairs.
As I change into a night gown and crawl in bed, I begin to think about what I had learned today. I wonder how old Duncan really is. Duncan looks like he is about 30 years old but being immortal he could be 10 times that old or a 100 times. I fell asleep thinking of Duncan and what my life is going to be like if decide to stay here. As I drift off to sleep I am hoping that I will once again see my mysterious warrior. Maybe this time I will see his face. I again fall into a peaceful sleep and yes, there he is my warrior in his glory. I am now able to see that he is not in a room practicing with his sword but on a battle field, bodies on top of bodies slain and lying in blood soaked grass. My warrior is now moving but very slowly, he drops his bloody sword on the ground and falls to his knees beside it. I want to reach out to him, but I can not, it is a dream. Suddenly, he moves like he has heard something and I finally see his face it is Duncan. His torso is drenched in blood and he looks so sad and tired I just want to hug him. He reaches for a skin at his side and pours the liquid that is in there over his head and slowly walks off the field all alone.
Duncan walks down to the river, and removes his torn and bloody clothes, and walks into the water. He submerges his body to rinse the blood from his body and inspects the areas of his body that he can see to find out how severe any cuts are, the deeper the cut the longer the regeneration takes). As he walks out of the water, I admire the sight of a magnificent body, well muscle with wash board abs, well defined chest which appears to be covered in soft hair, not too much but enough to make my hands itch to touch, and strong muscular legs, and as I continue to take in the warrior of my dreams I notice that his manhood is as magnificent as the rest of him. He falls on his knees and offers up a prayer to the gods for his life today, and asks that the fallen warriors be delivered into the halls of the fallen, so they can be revered and honored.
