"I'll have to get to a better position."
Jamie twisted his head briskly towards the voice. But no one was to be seen.
"Relax, Relax. More haste, more waste. Pleasure is beautiful."
Another voice, coming from nowhere. Was he definitely going mad?
"Oh, dear. Oh, I'm dizzy! Oh, I'm dizzy."
How things could have gone so wrong? He and Fiona were in a safe place yet, when the mist lifted.
"Jamie was magnificent. But then I knew he would be."
They had recognized the whereabouts of Borreraig. For once, Fiona should have been safe, one can hope.
"Could you call the ladies off?"
And then, this thick, black fog had fallen upon them, and they found themselves separated once more.
"You and I, we're finished."
Why could he never keep her at his side? He could almost say it was the story of his life.
"Remind me to give you a lesson in tying knots sometime."
And now he was alone again, wandering in a thick black fog, harassed by these twisted illusions, praying for Fiona to have found her way home safely...
Chapter 10: I want you.
Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a beam of light piercing the fog around him, followed by a faint voice, calling for help. He waited several minutes, all senses on alert.
"Look at the size of that thing!"
The beam of light shone once more through the mist, and a big, round, metallic object appeared before Jamie's eyes, rolling right in his direction. This is where he realised the object was a spherical cage, made of golden bars.
"Gay and cheerful."
Unfazed by this mysterious scenery, Jamie intercepted the ball, and much to his surprise, found Fiona inside, looking at him with terrified eyes through the bars.
"Fiona! How did you get in there?"
"I don't know! I have just woken up in that thing!"
This unusual prison could have allowed Fiona to move rather freely by rolling it, if it wasn't bound by a chain of the same metal. Jamie grabbed it, wondering what or who could be at the other end.
He soon found the answer, when he heard a voice he knew all too well to be reassured:
"Lassies… always needing to be protected, comforted… so sure to be irresistible! Well, I admit however that protect them is a good way to feel important… or hide what you really are..."
The black mist lifted suddenly, and Jamie discovered that the voice came from a single man, who walked casually towards him. His features were concealed under an elegant feathered mask, and he was wearing a sort of very tight doublet with matching breeches, made in a fabric he could not identify. Maybe leather? The end of the chain tied to Fiona's cage was hanging at a collar at his neck.
"Who are you?" Jamie asked, more and more unease by the strange feeling of belonging emanating from the familiar walk and silhouette of the man.
He removed his mask. And Jamie's eyes widened when he saw, powdered and adorned with a mouche on the left cheek, his own face, like a reflection in a twisted mirror.
"So, don't you recognise yourself? I am you, your shameful, inner you."
Jamie's hand tightened on his dirk, and let his natural bravado conceal his growing anguish.
"It's a nice trick, you had, lad, but an imperfect one. You may look like me on the outside, but inside, you are all wrong! I would give my life to protect a lassie!"
The double chuckled.
"Aye… but you'd never really give your heart to one, would you? Not even for that pain in the neck you're dragging with you all along!"
He pulled brutally on the chain, dragging the cage to him with a yelp from Fiona when the boulder jerked in response.
"Stop this!"
"Fine. I am tired to pretend I care for lassies..."
He detached the chain from Fiona's cage, and kicked brutally the golden boulder towards Jamie. The young highlander rushed and caught it with his arms, throwing a furious glare at his double as he tried – in vain - to break the golden cage while reassuring Fiona, who afraid and helpless, was whining to no end. But soon, her weeping was cut by the unctuous, melodious voice of his double.
"...Aye... why care for lassies? Our precious Doctor is so much more important to care, agree?"
Jamie jumped on his feet, leaving Fiona behind him.
"What do you know about him? Is it you who trapped him? Like Fiona?"
"The Doctor? Trapped?" he laughed. "Och, if only I could have done so... Isn't this another excuse for the real reason of your quest? For abandoning your jacobite fellows? That so charming Bonnie Prince, that poor Alexander... These MacLaren are all well-buildt lads, don't you think? Well, I admit this Doctor is remarkably handsome in his way... "
"Stop it!" Jamie shouted, beginning to move forward his double in a threatening manner.
"And who knows? Maybe he would have a thing for your soft hands and face... maybe he would take you out of all this rejection, give you what you're waiting for so long... unless... unless, one more time, he would leave you behind on the moor, out of disgust, or because he judges he has played enough with these queer feelings of yours..."
"Stop it!" Jamie shouted louder, drawing his dirk.
"Poor Jamie, always needing to be the cute little pet of somebody… but this cute little pet, who will take care of him in return of all he gives ? Jamie's crying, since he can't find the one who will accept the offering of his twisted heart!"
"Enough! You are my enemy!" Jamie yelled, for good now, as he was rushing straight to his nemesis out of anger and infuriation.
"I am you. Just you."
He snapped his fingers, and arched his back. Earth trembled, and Jamie's legs collapsed, stopping short his impetuous charge. Much to his surprise, the young highlander saw the garments of his doppelganger flew from his body to disappear in the ground, like thick water absorbed by the grass of the moor, leaving so little to imagination that he literally embarrassed himself. His double then took the now free chain at his neck and whipped the ground. The metallic fabric sank in it, unwinding from the collar at his neck, like the string of a fishing rod. After a few seconds, the other Jamie grabbed the chain firmly, and pulled it forcefully from the ground.
The sky covered suddenly in thick, black clouds, moving so fast that Jamie could see them rotating clockwise to the naked eye, spiralling around the area until they reached the ground, forming an impenetrable dome, whose he and his double were the epicentre. Jamie ran to Fiona's cage immediately, but found himself separated from his cousin's prison by the wall of dark mist, which proved to be as solid and hard as if it was made of solid stone. He turned back and realizes the silver chain had gone through a fruitful fishing.
In front of him, stood what looked like a giant lizard whose stiff black scales shone like razor's blades all over its body. On its front, a twisted horn jutted out provocatively, and at its neck, a collar from which was hanging a sort of ceramic plate, and the chain his double had sunk in the earth previously.
The latter was lying casually on the back of the creature, twirling the chain between his fingers, and smiling deviously.
"Look at the size of your true self, Jamie! It's really a big power you have, don't you think?"
"My true self? Ah! I knew you were nothing more than a demon in disguise."
"You made me like this." his double snapped, his face suddenly stern.
The lizard roared, and plunged its horn in the ground. It turned red, and Jamie, hearing a hissing noise behind his back, turned and saw gigantic boulders falling from the dark sky. He flung into cover and rolled, just in time to avoid the monstrous projectiles crashing loudly at only a few inches from him.
"You and I have a fancy for ripe fruits, right?"
Jamie lifted his eyes at his double, who was grinning in delight. Behind him, the smoking rocks had burnt the grass of the moor. Infuriated, he ran once more, dirk in hand, to his mocking self, but only to be scratched by one of the creature's clawed paw.
"Oh, sorry! I like to wear nice things when it came from a beloved one. But of course, you know what I'm talking about..." He eyed his torn shirt greedily and winked. "Now, let's see if our nice legs will run long from the truth."
The horn of the monster sank in once more, and new boulders fell from the sky, although they were indeed summoned from the bowels of the earth. Jamie ran desperately, evading at each step the incandescent rocks crashing right behind his heels. His chest was burning from the effort, from the wound he received, and the stifling heat surrounding it, as rocks burned the grass of the moor, filling the air with blazing smoke. It would be a matter of minutes before he succumbed to exhaustion. He had to find an issue here and now. But how? He could not stay away from the monster, as it made him a target for its boulder attacks. He could neither get closer, or else, its claws would tear him to pieces. Unless... he noticed that each time the lizard summoned its burning rocks, he had to lower its head to plunge its horn in the ground. Surely it should be a lot more difficult to defend itself like this... Out of breath, Jamie hid himself behind a smoking rock, and waited for the right moment.
"Jamie? Where are you, sweet chap? Are you enjoying yourself without me? Come out and play!" his double called with a twisted fervor.
Jamie risked a glance from behind his hideout. His double gestured at his mount, and according to what he planned, the lizard lowered its head once again.
The horn sank in, and just when the first boulder was going to crash on his shelter, Jamie rushed to the beast, his dirk high in his hand, ready to strike a decisive blow by aiming its neck.
Surprised by this sudden boldness, Jamie's double pulled at his chain, trying to shift his mount to a less vulnerable stance. Jamie jumped, and clung to the horn of the monster right when it raised its head.
The lizard roared and reared, shaking his head frenetically to cast this intruder away. The twisted appendix was not cold and rigid like Jamie would have imagined, but warm and pulsating in his hands. He had to be quick: sooner or later, its terrible claws could find their way to his flesh once more. So, going for broke, Jamie wrapped his legs around the monster's muzzle, gripped its horn firmly, and cut it off at one blow of his dirk.
Instantly a thick, white blood spurted from the fresh wound, as the monster bucked and cried in agony. Blinded by the sticky fluid, Jamie lost his grip almost immediately and fell on the ground roughly. Wiping his eyes, he saw the monster throw his double from its back in a last jolt, and collapse, the barren earth trembling when its tremendous mass hit the ground at last.
Immediately, the scales of the creature shivered, and its skin and bones began to literally liquefy themselves, melting in the ground like muddy water. Jamie took a quick glance at his double and understood: he was bringing its essence back on him, recreating the outfit that covered his body before their fight. Soon, nothing remained of the great lizard, apart from the burnt ground, and, curiously, the debris of the plate it was wearing at its neck.
Jamie advanced resolutely, dirk in hand, towards his double. Prostrate, the latter did not even seem to notice his presence, until Jamie grabbed a fistful of his hair, forcing his nemesis to look at him...
However, instead of the hateful or mocking gaze he expected, the eyes Jamie met were filled with tears.
"And now, what will you do, Jamie? Look what your blindness to truth does to yourself! Do you think the Doctor would fancy you right now?"
The voice of his double was no more than a murmur, but it was enough for Jamie to release his grip and sheathed his weapon. He shook his head in dismay, and finally, held out his hand to his double.
"Stand up!"
Without a word, the double seized the hand and got on his feet. Jamie sighed deeply.
"Listen, I don't know who you are, if you're my true self, a beastie in disguise or whatever, and I can tell you one thing: I don't give a damn."
"Why?"
"Because whatever I may be, I will serve the Doctor until my last breath."
Jamie's double chuckled lightly. "Cinderella too took a twisted way to get her prince charming."
Before Jamie could answer, he stepped back, and disappeared in a cloud of black mist.
For a moment, the young highlander stood helpless, then, his eyes fell on the debris at his feet, and he deliberately focused his mind on a more practical subject.
From what he could tell by the debris, it was a most ordinary plate, one of those that could be found in the home of well-off Englishmen. He was getting tired of the nonsense of these clues, and what could he do now, with one of these in this state?
"Too bad it's broken, it seems to be a nice thing."
Jamie yelped in surprise, at the voice of Fiona, who was standing behind him, twirling her fingers in embarrassment. He quickly put the pieces of dish in his sporran, as if he was caught in some shameful activity.
"How did you get out of this cage?" Jamie asked, snappier in his tone than he intended to.
"She simply... disappeared, at the same time as the dark clouds. I'm sorry if I frightened you, I called, but you looked so absorbed, and... But... Jamie! You are wounded!"
Unable to pay any more attention to his cousin's babbling, Jamie had already knelt at a stream nearby, and removed his torn shirt. Fortunately, the scratch on his chest was not very deep. Still, the young highlander was now plunging his head and torso in the cool water compulsively, rubbing his face until it ached, removing at each dive more of the both fluids soiling his skin, red and white essences melting together as they flew on the current.
Lost in his thoughts, he got up and retied the front tails of his shirt together. It had already dried, intact and clean again. But he could not care less of this new prodigy.
"Well, Fiona, your home is not far from here, I think you can go home all by yourself, can't you?" he uttered sheepishly.
Fiona shook her head, and held his hand tightly.
"Jamie... What happened when you were alone with him? The things he said... I didn't get them."
"I think it's better for us both." he replied bitterly.
He went off of her grip without crossing her concerned gaze, and the last thing she saw of him was his back, as he sank slowly, head down, in the white mist thickening around him.