The next morning Daniea woke early feeling refreshed and like her purpose had been renewed. Skipping down the stairs to the kitchen she couldn't stop grinning as she quietly made plans around the castle. When the noon day sun rose high into the sky, she made her way to the stable as the drunken clansmen began rousing themselves awake and into the hall for food.
As she approached the barn it was unusually quiet. Looking around she spied Alec cleaning tack and Jamie stacking hay.
"Morning mistress." Alec greeted with a smile.
"Good morning, how are you today?"
"In fine health Lass."
"Good morning Jamie," She chirped, clutching onto the basket in her hands.
He shook his head, barely acknowledging her presence.
She glanced over to Alec, who winked at her and motioned for her to keep talking.
"Jamie? I was thinking perhaps we could go for a ride this afternoon together. Maybe you could show me around some more." She smiled.
"I'm busy." He grunted.
Her stomach began to tighten. "Ohh."
"Ah this will keep. Why don't you go with the Lass, sounds like a wee bit of fun." Alec pushed.
Jamie turned suddenly, an angry glare plastered on his face.
" I said I'm busy, and there's no reason you should even be down here, you were not sent fer. Now get woman and leave me be!" He yelled.
Daniea backed up a few paces, her heart beating furiously. She sat the basket down on the bench and began to walk away.
'I'm sorry Jamie…. I.." She choked on her words.
Alec rushed over to her, grabbing her arm gently.
"Don't mind the boy ma lady, he's acting a fool. You are always most welcome here."
He guided her over to Raven's stall.
"Why don't you and this beast go stretch your legs for a bit, the gatherings almost over so the moors ahead should be a bonnie place to ride.
She simply nodded as a tear fell onto her cheek, swung up onto the horse and rode away as fast as Raven's legs would carry her.
"Have you lost all your senses boy!" Alec screamed at Jamie when Daniea was out of earshot.
"I don't know what your talking about." Jamie stated, never stopping his work.
Alec grabbed the pitchfork from his grasp, making him turn around.
"What!" Jamie screamed.
"You know what, why did you treat her like that? She's your friend, she cares about you."
"That the problem." Jamie snapped, cutting him off. He could see the perplexed look on Alec's face, he took a deep breath trying to release some of the tension within his muscles.
"I can't let myself get any closer to her, I can't fall in love… I can't marry, not with this price on my head."
"Who said anything about love or marriage you daft fool," Aggravation and a bit of understanding crept into Alec's mind.
"It's lunch, let's go " He ordered, pushing Jamie up the hill and into the hall.
As they stepped into the castle Mrs. Fitz spotted the two and gestured to Alec, wondering what Jamie was doing with him. All he could do was shake his head and take his seat.
When Daniea reached the top of the hill she dismounted and sat against the trunk of a large tree, Raven happily grazing around her. As the cool winds of the highlands dried her tears she could hear hoofbeats coming from a distance. For a brief moment she thought it could be Jamie coming to apologize but her hope was soon squashed as a stranger reined in his horse and began to walk towards her. She cautiously crossed her arms over her knees as he approached.
"Good day mistress." The middle aged clansmen greeted.
"Afternoon."
A grin spread across his face, " What would a girl like you be doing out here all on your own?"
"I'm not alone." She stated slowly rising from the tree and inching over to Raven.
He looked around, then began to look her over.
"Ahhh that accent, your that Irish Lass the Lairds keeping around. I saw you in the Hall the last few nights" He moved towards her, "I sworn allegiance to himself, so I figure I'm entitled to the Mckenzie Healer."
"Are you ill?" She asked, dreading the answer.
"Aye, but nothing a romp with the Mckenzie's whore won't cure,"
"I'm no whore you bastard!" She screamed as she ran for Raven but he was too fast.
He grabbed her, tackling her to the ground. He tried to kiss on her but she squirmed away. He took control once more, yanking her head back by her hair. She groaned as he touched her. When his grip loosened for a mere second, she rammed her head into his chest, managing to flip over and claw at the grass. Before she knew it he was back on top of her, only this time he was punching her anywhere his angered fists would land. Blood soon streamed from her face, as it became bruised and cut. He rolled her over keeping her disoriented form pinned with one hand and pulling his long knife with the other.
A sudden pain pierced her hip, the knife slicing its way through her petticoats deep into her flesh. Down he dragged the knife, slashing its way from her hip to foot. She managed to reach around for a second, clawing at his face but even the blood she drew was not enough to stop him.
He stood up slowly, proud of what he had done and began kicking her repeatedly for the insolence. Again and again he kicked her as hard as his body allowed. The breaking of bones could be heard a few feet away.
As he crawled back onto the ground, her struggling permanently ceased. He began moving aside her flayed dress to have his way with her, but without notice Raven bolted towards him and clamped his teeth around his wrist. He pulled away from the mad horse, but Raven kept after him. Rearing and trying his best to keep him away. Finally he fled leaving Daniea to die on the moor.
Awhile later the injured clansmen stumbled into the hall raving about how a mad horse had attacked him. He wanted retribution in the form of gold for being attacked by an animal belonging to the Laird, he protested. All eyes drew to him and the men that accompanied him to the gathering.
Laughing and hushed whispers spread like fire around the hall as Colum calmly began to think about his demands.
Outside Murtagh was walking towards the hall from the smithy when he noticed Raven cantering wildly down the hill. He threw his hands up to stop the stampeding animal and then he saw it. Blood dripping down his fur from the body sprawled across his back. He gently rolled Daniea into his arms, He stood in shock, sickened by the brutal sight in his embrace. Carefully he carried her into the hall, the closer they came to the tables the louder the argument within rang clear.
"Those scratches on yer face weren't put there by no horse!" Murtagh boasted.
All eyes landed on him and the limp form in his arms. It took a few seconds for the men to realize who it was but when they did, they pushed their way through the crowd to surround him. Fear and anger flooded Jamie's veins, Alec and Rupert kept a tight grip on him. Mrs. Fitz inched closer but screamed and had to turn away when she saw what the monster had done to her.
"That horse you've been complaining about, was it a large black one with blue eyes." Alec questioned.
"Maybe." Was all he said, he underestimated how quickly she would be found.
"My laird, Daniea was out alone on the moors riding Raven this afternoon." Alec stated, his eyes never leaving Daniea's broken form.
Colum could barely speak, "Mrs. Fitz would you go tend to the Lass and let me know what you find."
With tears in her eyes, Mrs. Fitz agreed.
"Jamie! Take her upstairs."
Cautiously Murtagh placed her into his shaking arms, He nodded to Jamie understanding how much will power he was mustering to not kill her attacker that minute.
With each step, and each jostle up the stairs to her room, blood stained the walkway as it dripped from her open wounds. Jamie barely let out a single breath in fear it would cause her more pain. Mrs. Fitz scurried around the room and instructed him to lay her on top of the bed, which he did as gently as possible.
Minutes of silence fogged the room as she began collecting herbs and cloth preparing to uncover the real damage.
"I… I need to be downstairs Mrs. Fitz."
"No you don't, you are needed here."
"What can I possibly do here, I need to make that filth pay!" He growled.
"I need your help and so does she, if you just would of…" She began stopping mid sentence,
"If I would have what mistress." He pried, curiosity overcoming him.
"None of this would have happened if you would have went with her like she asked!" She screamed.
Her display of anger took him back for a second.
"How did you know…"
"I bet you never even looked in the basket the Lass brought down to you did ye."
He didn't answer.
"I will not be saying another word on the matter, but for her sake you better hope and pray Lad!"
As she was beginning to clean the blood from the gashes on her face she noticed the bed sheet staining with a great amount of blood.
"Jamie, carefully lift back the folds of that rip on her skirt."
He hesitated for a second, then slowly exposed the deep slash that extended all the way up her leg. His stomach churned as Mrs. Fitz quickly acted applying pressure to as much of the wound as possible. Jamie remembered Daniea's quick action on his shoulder, so he retrieved clean cloth and binded the enormous wound shut, halting the bleeding till it could be sewed closed. Mrs. Fitz took a deep breath and nodded to Jamie in gratitude.
He took a few steps back and leaned against the bedpost, his anger transforming into dread. He watched as the multiple bruises and gashes became known as Mrs. Fitz continued to clean off the blood. Her eyes both swollen shut, her nose appeared broken, too many cuts to count. This pattern extended down both arms and her other leg.
"Jamie your dagger."Mrs Fitz ordered.
She cut off what remained of Daniea's corset and through her chemise. Carefully she rolled the cloth up just exposing her stomach and ribs which were swollen and jutting in odd places. Her skin no longer its lustrous white but shades of black and blue.
Jamie had to turn away, scalding tears silently spilling from his eyes.
"Jamie the next part we need to be alone, go downstairs. I will be there presently."
He nodded his head and removed himself from the room, he knew what was left to be done, but he couldn't fathom the thought. Mrs. Fitz was checking to see if she had been raped as well.
Each step was agony as he rejoined Murtagh and the rest. Rupert and Angus surrounding him, making sure he didn't do anything rash just yet. Twenty minutes later a very sullen Mrs. Fitz descended the stairs and took her place in front of the Laird.
"Mistress Fitzgibbons, have you thoroughly looked over our young Daniea?" Colum asked.
"I did my Laird," She responded, choking back sobs.
"And what did you find?"
Mrs. Fitz took a deep breath, " It appears she was beaten with both fist and boot. She has bruises, gashes and broken bones all over her body. Her attacker also took a long knife and ripped it through her skirts and leg down to the bone, from her hip to her heel. It also appears that he either attempted or succeeded to rape her my lord. There was so much damage I couldn't tell fer sure, ye ken."
Bile rose in Jamie's throat, Murtagh now joining in to restrain him.
"Lastly... will she live Mrs. Fitz?" Colum asked softly, fearful of the answer.
"If I…. if I was the healer she was… maybe. But…. but I'm not. I...I don't think she will make it through the night." Tears spilled down her face, Murtagh quickly wrapping his arms around her to comfort her.
Jamie sunk to his knees, it had to be a dream he thought, it couldn't be real. Just that morning she was sweet and beautiful, full of life. Now she was lying still and cold in a bed, beaten nearly to death.
While Colum and Dougal dealt with the questioning of her attacker and his clansmen, the rest of the castles tenants were ordered to disperse till judgement. Alec told Jamie to return to the barn while he took care of an exhausted Raven.
He had to keep it together he kept telling himself over and over. As he reached the barn he noticed the basket she had been carrying that morning. He sat down beside it on the bench and hesitantly opened it. Inside was a feast of food accompanied by a letter. He unfolded it and read,
Dear Jamie,
I know it is strange reading a letter when your sitting across from the person who wrote it but I have always been better at writing than speaking. I want you to know how thankful I am for what you did last night, not only for putting your life on the line for me by escorting me back to the castle, but for protecting me through all this and above all for being kind, and a true friend.
I never thought I would meet another kindred spirit in my life after my family passed away but your generous and loving heart thankfully has proven me wrong. I hope you enjoy the food, I'm not much of a cook but Mrs. Fitz taught me to make all your favorites this morning as a special surprise. Also Alec allowed me to steal you for the afternoon. I want you to know you will always have a special place in my heart Jamie, and if you ever need anything at all I will be here.
Yours always,
Daniea
Racking sobs finally found their way through Jamie, he crumpled the letter in his fist and cried harder than he had in years into the paper. Not only could he have prevented this from happening if he had only went with her. But she only wanted to thank him for his kindness, and he repaid her by trying to push her away with anger and cowardice. Pushing her away because his feelings for her were becoming too strong and the thought of not being able to be with her because of being a wanted man terrified him
As the sun began to set over the highlands, Alec fetched Jamie for sentencing. He pulled himself together and stood beside Murtagh and Rupert by their Laird.
"Robert O' Connell, you have been accused and found guilty of attacking a daughter of the Mackenzie Clan, beating her half to death and possibly raping her as well. Your clansmen are in agreement, that you not only committed this horrendous crime but you also beat your own wife and bairns. Therefore they stand with their laird. You are now sentenced to death by way of your crime, to be carried out at sunrise."
The man screamed in protest all the way to the pit to await the battle that would be awaiting him in the morning. Through dinner many people including the Laird, Dougal and Letitia visited Daniea's chamber. Finally Murtagh pushed Jamie back upstairs, Mr. Fitz had finished cleaning and binding her wounds. She now was tucked in her bed, clean in a soft chemise. Her breathing slow and shallow.
They simply watched her and spoke softly to her, within an hour Jamie was asleep in the chair next to her bed. Refusing to leave her side even when his nightmares jostled him awake. Murtagh and Mrs. Fitz reappeared at sunrise, he brushed Jamie's arm waking him. He bolted upright scared that she had passed while he slept. Surrounding the bed they discovered she was still alive. Murtagh couldn't help but smile,
"That girl right there is as stubborn as a wild rose, it's going to take more than a beating to kill her." He half joked, half prayed. Knowing all too well she could die any minute. But it was just enough to give Jamie the hope he needed to not worry about her while he went to carry out the Laird's sentencing. It was time for retribution.
