There Can be Only One, Chapter 14 by patricia51
(Fighting and free)
(Note: If you feel that I rather abruptly left Katniss and Rue after the end of the last chapter I really do have reasons for switching to Clove and what is happening to her.)
(Dover, England 1738)
The clash of steel could be heard a long way. Such a long way that Clove Honor heard it long before her senses picked up the presence of another Immortal. In fact, she realized, she was sensing two of them. Her horse was moving only at a slow walk so it was easy for her to rein in and watch the fight from behind the concealing trunk and branches of an ancient oak tree.
The petite English Immortal frowned. This didn't look right. That the two men fighting were Immortals she had no doubt but there were witnesses. An older woman with a young man, obviously her son, the driver of the coach that was stopped on the side of the road were exactly three too many witnesses for a Quickening. And there could be more spectators in the coach she couldn't see.
As she watched the taller man suddenly executed a maneuver that blurred it was so fast. The other's sword went flying and Clove tensed. But rather than take his opponent's head the victor lowered his sword and gestured. His face cold in anger the loser mounted a horse that grazed on the far side of the road and spurred it. His direction went away from the coach and away from Clove herself. The remaining Immortal scooped up the fallen sword and the trio mounted back into the coach, which then headed towards her.
Moved by a sudden impulse Clove turned her horse around and trotted ahead. She looked at the sky. Evening was beginning to draw near and she expected the coach would stop at the inn she had passed not an hour before. It would be a good place to meet this Immortal who had pricked her curiosity. After all, she didn't have any place in particular she needed to be or...
A wave of sadness passed over her. Or any one to meet was how that thought finished. She understood now what Deirdre had said about love and loss. She missed Katniss dreadfully. Of course the Irish Immortal girl was, hopefully; still alive somewhere but the world was a big place to find one person, even if that person held her heart.
Lost in her thoughts Clove was surprised when suddenly she looked up to see she was at the inn. She dismounted and allowed a hostler to take her horse to the barn. Going inside the inn itself she took a room for the night, taking her sparse baggage up to it and putting it on the bed.
Should she take her sword? She decided she wouldn't need it. If the man had refrained from killing on the road he probably wouldn't try to take her head in front of the crowd of witnesses she had seen already gathering in the dining room. However she tucked a knife behind her belt concealed by her loose flowing top and checked to make sure the other one already in the boot sheath was still there. No need to be reckless she thought.
The clop-clop of the coach's team of horses reached her ears as the sensation of the other Immortal's nearing came over her. She waited at the corner table she had chosen, two jacks of ale sitting on the table top.
The door opened and the young man and his mother entered, followed by two other travelers, both dressed in the garb of fairly prosperous city dwellers. So there were more witnesses Clove thought. Finally a tall handsome man stepped through the door, hand casually resting on the hilt of his sword. His piercing gaze took in the room in an instant and settled on Clove. He lifted an eyebrow in question. She nodded and gestured towards the waiting ale.
Long legs covered the room in a moment. He bowed and took the offered seat.
"I am Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod," he announced in greeting. He picked up the offered jack of ale and tipped it in salute to Clove.
"Oh my." Clove said in surprise. "YOU are Duncan MacLeod. From the descriptions I've been given I would have thought you would be eight feet tall and capable of breathing fire and possibly flying. Oh and I am Clove Honor by the way."
Duncan noted the twinkle in the girl's eyes and smiled. "I'm sorry not to live up to your expectations."
"Perhaps it's just as well," Clove replied. "I met another MacLeod and the memory is not one of my favorites although I hasten to add that the unpleasantness was completely the doing of me and my former friends and not Connor."
Duncan laughed. "Understandable. Connor has a limited sense of humor at the best of times and even less when threatened. But tell me who it is that has been whispering strange conceits about me?"
"Deirdre O'Connor and Katniss Everdeen."
"Really! Deirdre I have known for a long time. She is one of my favorite people and the world is a better place with her in it. Katniss I don't know as well but she is a charming young lady and I have very happy memories of them both." Duncan paused and studied the younger Immortal. "I see you feel that way too."
Clove looked surprised. "Am I that obvious?"
"Perhaps. But I have lost loved ones before as well. It leaves its mark, especially when the loss is fresh."
"I don't know that she's gone for good." Clove went on to explain how the two girls had been parted. "It probably sounds ridiculous but somehow I just believe that I would know somehow if she was dead."
"I never underestimate the power of things we can't see but only feel," Duncan replied reassuringly. A grin crossed his face. "As I recall she was a very lively young woman and I see you are as well. I hope for both your sakes that she is alright and that the two of you will find each other."
Clove laughed musically. "Katniss DID warn me about you and about a certain Hugh Fitzcairn. She said a few charming smiles and either of you would talk me right out of my clothes and into your bed in short order." As Duncan opened his mouth to protest she held up her hand. "Let me first add that she also told me if that ever happened that the results would be very pleasing and would leave a smile on my face for quite a while."
Duncan laughed as well. "I would be delighted to try to live up to my reputation however I never make a pass at a friend's lover or at someone whose heart is so obviously taken. Well," he grinned with delight, "that caveat doesn't apply to anyone Fitz is chasing of course but that's just for fun."
"Of course," Clove agreed with a smile.
Having disposed of that the pair settled down to really get to know each other. They swapped experiences and strange places visited, some of which were familiar to each other. Duncan mentioned that he had traveled to China via the northern route and had an encounter with an Immortal Cossack that nearly cost him his head. They talked about their shared friends and how Clove had left her former companions for Katniss.
"I didn't know at the time that I was attracted to her," the English girl admitted. "I just knew I preferred being with her and sharing her life and adventures to the rather grim routine I was locked in with Cato and the others. It took Deirdre to wake us both up to see what we were hiding even from ourselves."
"She's very good at that."
The pair drank, ate a surprisingly excellent supper and drank more. They moved from the dining area to the drinking room proper where they took a secluded pair of chairs near the fire and continued to learn more about each other. When they decided to call it a night it was very late and Clove's head spun when she stood up.
"I think," she said, carefully enunciating her words, "that I should have skipped the last round."
Duncan nodded. Once. Any more head bobs and he wasn't sure he could keep his already precarious balance. Definitely a bow was out of the question. He was just as careful as Clove had been when he spoke.
"May I escort you to your room Lady Clove?"
"Thank you Sir Duncan. It would be most appreciated." Clove replied. She considered making a curtsy but decided against it. First of all trousers didn't curtsy well and second was the knowledge if she started dipping she wouldn't stop until she ended on the floor.
Between the two of them they made it to Clove's room. And they were still there when the sun rose and the light streaming through the curtain less window woke them both. Clove stirred, stretched and then started to snuggled when she realized just who was in bed with her. She jerked upright, clutching the bed clothes around her.
Duncan opened one eye slightly. "Clove if you will stop trying to cover up and peek under all that stuff you are trying to hide under you will see that all you are missing are your boots and the knife you had tucked in your waistband."
The English girl ducked under the covers. When she came back up she was blushing.
"I'm sorry Duncan."
"You should know better. Surely you know Deirdre and Katniss well enough to know that the men they call friends would never take advantage of a drunken woman, especially a friend." A happy, dreamy look spread across his face. "And I certainly would never spoil the very pleasant memories I have of either of them by acting like you were worried about."
"I know. It's just that the quality of men I spent most of my time with before Katniss weren't up to your standard."
"It's alright." Duncan kissed Clove on top of her head. "You still have to be careful. The next smiling friendly face could hide someone just itching to take your head as soon as your back is turned." He threw back the covers that Clove had dumped mostly on top of him and swung his legs out of the bed. "For now we should get going before we end up paying for this room for another day."
Just as he reached for his boots the bed shifted. A pair of arms circled him from behind. From her position kneeling behind him Clove spoke hesitantly.
"Duncan until I fell in love with Katniss I had never... I mean no one ever made me feel like she does. We said we'd be together forever or at least until the gathering. But we knew we might be separated by one means or another."
She hesitated. "Deirdre told me that love isn't finite. Once that I fell for Katniss and my heart opened she told me that there would be lots of room for others. It shows in her as you well know."
Duncan smiled in fond memory. "I know." He covered her hands with his own.
"Not that I'm saying I'm in love with you," Clove hastily added, to the accompaniment of a chuckle from Duncan," but I like you. A lot. I think we've already become friends. I've been very lonely and I don't want this to end so soon."
"Besides," and even without looking Duncan knew there was an impish grin on the girl's face, "I've heard some really good things from both Katniss and Deirdre. And Katniss has always urged me to try new things; especially ones that she raves are really good. Unless of course you are too much of a gentleman for an invitation by the friend of a friend."
Duncan turned and kissed her. "I try to be a gentleman but I'm not stupid about it." They fell back on the bed.
They ended up renting the room for three more days. On the last afternoon they stood together in the courtyard of the inn as Duncan's baggage was loaded back into a different coach.
"I'm heading back to Scotland, to my home," he had told her. "Speaking of that may I make a suggestion?"
"Of course."
"You won't find Katniss tearing about all over the world. You could pass just out of range of each other a dozen times and never know it. I suggest you go to someplace that you know sooner or later she will come to and wait."
"Where? Vienna?"
"I was thinking of Ireland. No matter how far I roam I always find myself drawn back to the Highlands. Go to Kildare and settle there. She'll come one day."
The coachman cleared his throat. Duncan and Clove exchanged a deep embrace and a kiss. Then he was gone. She mounted her horse and turned west.
"Ireland here I come."
(To be continued)
(Note: The date of Duncan's first duel with Walter Reinhardt in the episode 1X8 "Revenge is Sweet" is 1728. I moved it 10 years latter to better match with Clove's travels after she and Katniss are parted by the shipwreck. And Duncan's timeline doesn't show anything else until 1746 when he is fighting with the Scottish clans against the English.)