Chapter 43 – Traveling to Cleves

Elizabeth.

Letzte Nacht ihre Mutter hatte einen Traum.

Wir wissen, dass einige Futures sind nicht gegossen durch Schriftsteller oder Maker. Der Traum erzählt, dass werden Sie Teil von etwas, das größer ist als du. Eine grosse Veränderung kommen in das Land der Grünen und viele werden aufgerufen, etwas, was sie nicht verstehen. Ströme von Blut waschen über die Plains und viele von ihnen sterben nach einer Hoffnung. Der Traum auch erzählte von einem kleinen Vogel mit der Macht, um diese Zukunft. Wir Angst vor dieser Leistung. Es ändert die Menschen.

Elizabeth, unser kleiner Vogel.

Elizabeth woke with a start.

She sat bolt upright in the bed she was sharing with her husband in the inn. He was awake, having been woken by her nightmare and her voice that had cried out. He sat up, hands, both bound and not, going to her shoulders as she panted a little and looked about, taking in her surroundings.

"Katie...Urr ye a' richt?" He asked her softly.

She took a breath and closed her eyes, nodding. "Yes."

"Ye cried oot fur yer faither in yer kip." He murmured as he touched her face softly.

"Ein Traum. Nur ein Traum." She said in her native Prussian as she took a breath.

He rose to his feet and fetched her some wine. She took a sip and looked at him as he watched her gently, hands on his hips. When she had drunk it down she laid back and he again joined her.

"Whit wis it aboot?" He asked.

"My father told me about a future and a dream my mother had."

"Th' future? wis she a witch?" He asked her as he looked at her, caressing her brow with his hand.

She shook her head. "No. Just a dream."

"Dae ye wish tae blether aboot it?" He asked caressing her hair and her cheek softly trying to calm her.

She shook her head and laid back. He looked at her as she closed her eyes, face tight. He laid back and laid on his back, head turned to watch her.

Morning came and the paid made ready to leave the monastery. Abbot Alexander had, with Lizzy's money, seen to a coach coming and taking their belongings, meager as they were. Jamie, Lizzy, and the children all said their goodbyes to the brothers and then got comfortable in the carriage. Murtagh hopped up with the driver.

They were away, riding toward Cleves.

Lizzy really did not know what awaited her there. She swallowed down her fear as she looked out the windows. Jamie did as well. He did not get sick when he could watch outside, staring at a point that did not move for a long time.

He looked over as she shifted. They traveled through the night, but came to an inn at midday the next day. The horses needed rest as did the travelers. Murtagh saw to everything as Lizzy climbed out of the wagon and walked about. Jamie followed, leaving the children, who slept, in the carriage.

She sighed and looked to the east, arms wrapped about herself.

He came to her. "Whit's it?" He asked softly.

She shook her head and turned to him. "Nothing?"

He lifted a hand to her brow and licked his lips softly. "Dinnae lie tae me, katie."

"I just...I worry about how it will be to go home."

He smiled. "Yer th' rightful leader o' th' duchy. Yer fowk wull support ye."

"If they do not hate me."

"Ye cuid nae hae predicted ye wid hae bin awa' fur nearly a decade." He stepped to her and brushed her hair back. "Thay wull mind."

"I was a child when I left them."

"Baith times." He said. "A bairn wha wis sent tae be a bride 'n' a bairn sent tae bide wi' relations."

She looked down. "What if they hate me?"

"Thay wilnae hate ye." He said. "Mibbie be a little...annoyed at bein' abandoned fur sae lang by th' rightful heir, bit that wull chaynge whin ye return."

"Did you feel the same going home to Lallybroch?"

"Worse mibbie." He admitted looking past her. "Ah knew nearly ilka jimmy thare wha cam oan quarter day. Ah wasn't feart fur masell, if someone learned o' th' cost oan mah heid, bit ah wis concerned aboot ye 'n' th' bairns." He took a breath. "Bit, th' fowk wur happy tae hae me return, wi' a guidwife na less, 'n' a freish son."

"But what if Alex can never return?"

"Wee James wull be laird." He said simply. "Ah hud documents drawn up in trial o' that." He smiled. "Forby. He wull be a duke whin we bygae. Whit does he need o' a wee scots clan land-ship? he wull hae fowk that support him in loads cuntry. Alexander fraser wull bide weel, a'm sure o' it."

She looked at him. "But it is your home."

"A'm aye laird Broch Tuarach, mo ghraidh." He then wrapped his arms about her. "Bit a'm an' a' an earl noo. Ye wull hae tae teach me howfur tae be yin. Bein' a laird in bonnie scotland is muckle different than bein' a pal in a foreign land."

"Indeed."

He smiled at her and kissed her cheek. "Ye wid ken."

She swallowed. "How is it you always cheer me."

He bent and put a finger under her chin and lifted her face upwards to the sun. He kissed her tenderly and then smiled at her. "We kin dae anythin' as lang as we ur th'gither. Ye tellt me that."

She nodded. "Yes. And I meant it."

"Sae dae ah." He said, face inches from her own before he kissed her again.

After a few moments, she pressed back from him, nervous about people watching them. No one was, the grooms were all interested in other things. Lizzy went and lifted her son who was mostly asleep while Jamie gently woke the girls. He nodded for them to come as Murtagh came out.

"A' is arranged." Jamie's godfather said. "We wull bade 'ere twa nights tae rest th' mounts. Th' innkeeper says it's ainlie anither four days tae th' border o' cleves 'n' a day beyond that tae th' capital."

Jamie nodded. "We ur making guid time then. Braw." He took the hand of Janet and nodded to Ellen to follow him. Ellen had grown and her fiery hair made it clear exactly who her sire was. Janet looked more like her mother and even more like her aunt for whom she was named, Jamie's elder sister.

They walked into the inn and then upstairs to the rooms that Lizzy's coin provided. Murtagh had the small room on the end. Jamie and Lizzy had a comfortable room as did the girls. All three rooms were next to each other. They would get hot meals as well as part of the bargain.

Almost never did guests come to stay more than a night and normally they tried to cheat the innkeepers. Murtagh had made sure the lady knew that she would be well looked after if she gave good service to them.

So the pattern of staying in an inn two days and traveling a day and a half before another inn came to be. It was slow going, but to be expected given the time of year and the distance. The group had to cross France. Thankfully with Jamie and Lizzy being fluent in French, it was easy enough to find shelter and good food.

They arrived in Cleves after nearly a fortnight of travel. It had been slow going. With children they had to stop and let them run about a bit as well as breaks to empty bladders or eat food. Lizzy saw to Jamie's hand, which continued to improve. Also the cut where th brand had been removed healed and was scarring nicely.

Lizzy looked at her home country and sighed.

She walked to the edge of the carriage way and looked at the might Rhine below. She swallowed. She closed her eyes, breathing in the air.

Footfalls behind her broke her reverie. She looked back as Jamie came to her. He blinked.

"Howfur muckle o' this is cleves?" He asked.

"All of it. From here, north." she said waving a hand. "Kleve is where my family castle is." she said. "It is about a day's ride from here." She said. "Cleves runs to the south also." She said pointing.

"This water is th' rhine then?"

"Yes." She said pulling the hair that had blown into her face from it. She smiled. "Schwanenberg castle is where I grew up. It is larger than many castles in England." She said.

He blinked.

They found an inn that overlooked the river and Lizzy walked out onto the balcony, looking out over her lands. Jamie joined her, holding two glasses of liquor. He handed one to her. "Tae th' lost princess returning hame." He said lifting his.

She smiled. "Slainte mhath." She said and downed it in one drink.

"Slainte." He said drinking his own.

The innkeeper's wife came out and spoke to Lizzy. The language was too clipped and fast for Jamie to understand and he stood, listening and watching as the women conversed. When the matron nodded, dipped her head, and left them, he looked at his wife, cocking his head.

"Sorry. I realize you would not know Südgeldersch." She said.

"Is that whit that wis? it sounded lik' dutch, bit harder 'n' wi' wurds missing."

"Ja." she said nodding.

He stepped to her. "Urr ye happy?"

She nodded a little. "I am nearly home. I missed it. I think I know now your apprehension and joy to come home to Lallybroch."

He nodded and smiled. "It wull be weel enough." He looked about as his arms came about his wife. "This land is a' yers."

She looked back at him. She had said the same to him when they have come to Lallybroch. She shook her head and leaned back against his broad chest. "Ours." she corrected in the same way he had done.

He smiled and nodded. "Ours."

She looked down at his wounded hand and then back out over the valley.

"Ur they vineyards?" He asked pointing across the river.

"Yes." She smiled. "Rhenish grows here."

He chuckled. "Colum kin come tae visit then. "

"He is welcome if he can travel."

He chuckled a little. "Ah doubt it." He said. He shifted then, moving to the wall. He placed his good hand on it and leaned looking about. "This land is bonny."

"So are the highlands." She said coming up beside him.

He nodded. He looked at her as she leaned on the wall, looking down at the town that spread below to the water's edge.

A servant came out with Rhenish for them to drink as Lizzy looked to the west. She closed her eyes as a soft breeze stirred her hair. "A storm is coming. Shall we retire to our room, laird Broch Tuarach?" She asked.

"Aye." He said lifting a hand to her as she nodded to the servant to follow them.

ZzZ

It was midday when they arrived at Schwanenberg castle.

Jamie nodded to his children to stay put with Murtagh as he stepped out into the sunlight. The air was crisp and the smell of rain lingered from the storm the previous night. He turned and lifted a hand to Lizzy who had dressed in the dress she had worn for Quarter Day. Though the stomach had been more pronounced when she had first worn it, she had altered it so it fit snuggly to her body. She smiled as she ducked to walk out of the carriage, stepping down, her hand taking her husband's.

The guards looked at the lady who was clearly highborn by her clothing and her husband. One stepped forward, watching her.

"Who are you then?" He asked in Prussian.

"Elizabeth Katerina Hohenzollern Fraser von Cleves." She said softly.

He looked at her startled. She was the proper age and those lilac eyes...But they had thought her never to return because of her marriage to the English Duke.

She looked between them. "I must speak to the steward. He will know me." She said softly on her native tongue.

The lead guard nodded and looked to the younger who saluted and went up to the castle.

"My lady. Your return was whispered about, but we did not know to believe it." He looked at the man flanking her. "And who is this then?"

"My husband, James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, lord Broch Tuarach and Graf Von Cleves." She knew a long full name would give the illusion that he was higher born than he was.

He nodded and then saluted to them both. "Welcome indeed my lady." He said. "Long have we awaited your return to us."

Jamie smiled and stepped closer to his wife. "It is a pleasure to see my wife's country. It is as beautiful as she told me and I am from the Highlands. Green and beauty I know well."

"He is a Scot?" The guard asked Lizzy.

"Yes. From a very old and proud family." Lizzy said.

"But he is not a duke."

"No. His title comes from me. He has his own family lands for which he is lord."

"I see." The man said wearily.

Jamie watched the man. He was clearly not sure what to make of his Duchess appearing out of thin air.

The younger returned with the steward behind him.

"Greetings." The elder man said bowing. "I received your letter." He cocked his head. "It is a wonder to see you alive, my lady."

"I bring you a household." Lizzy said. "Myself, my husband, my husband's godfather, and our children."

The steward shook his head. "We were not sure you would ever return to us."

"How do we know it is her?" Came the younger guard's voice. "She has been away from Cleves so long. Sure she can speak the tongue, but our mistress knew a great many things many women do not." He looked and saw the dirk at her belt. "Perhaps a test, since she is rumored to be an imposer."

Jamie shifted a little ready for the challenge to his wife, but she laid a hand on his arm.

"Jamie no." she said in English.

He took a breath, watching her curiously.

She lifted her head. "What challenge?" She asked again in Prussian.

"Master Wang Lun." The elder guard said. "He taught the young mistress and her father to be excellent with blades."

She smiled a little. "Fetch him."

She turned away and began to see to her clothing. Pulling the heavy skirts upward to kilt them even as Jamie looked at the men and then moved to his wife. "Whit urr ye daein'?" He asked in English

"Stay out of this, James." She answered.

"Wha is Wang Lun?" He asked.

The crowd that had been attracted to the commotion parted to reveal a small man who stood to Jamie's chest with a long flowing braid from the back of his head. His skin was leathered like paper and he watched the pair with coal dark eyes that slanted. He stood in loose clothing, hands behind him, holding a sheathed blade against his back.

His gaze was watchful and he regarded the pair before him with almost contempt.

"I am." The man said in English though accented. He watched the pair before him wearily. "You away long time, lady. Let us see if you remember lessons."

Jamie's eyes widened and Lizzy smiled and nodded.