Silence. Pure, agonizing, dead silence loomed over the group as they travelled to their first destination. Most of the men had many things on their mind but for once in their lives, bit their tongues because of Jamie. Yet as soon as they found a suitable place for making camp for the night, most of the men began to make fun of young Willie while Daniea looked on across the lake, ignoring their flapping tongues, spewing childish insults.
Racking coughs soon caught her ear, as she turned to their plea she spotted Ned Gowan leaning against his horse, handkerchief to mouth. Without uttering a word she rose and began to dig through her bag of medicines until she came to find the one she sought after.
"Do you have a pipe?" She asked Ned, who pointed to his saddle bag.
After many draws on the pipe his coughing soon ceased and with this small act a new friendship was born.
At supper time Daniea joined in on the conversation for a small while before retreating to the solace of her lake side perch once Jamie returned from hunting rabbits. She began to hum to herself when Angus gently brushed her arm getting her attention.
"Thought you might be a wee bit hungry?" He smiled, handing her a plate with roast rabbit and bread neatly stacked.
"You're a dear," Daniea smiled, while the wind blew heavily from across the water. As Angus turned to leave, a not so quiet whisper could be heard from fire side.
"Oy, I dare say that scar would scare away even the most drunken of men that would venture to get between her legs." Willie snickered.
Daniea quickly looked down, the wind had blown a portion of her skirt array exposing part of her scarred leg. Rupert simultaneously whacked young Willie in the chest, knocking the wind out of him as the whole group of men, Jamie included, tried to pry their eyes away from her.
Crying was no longer an option, she hadn't cried through the attack or the pain of healing; and now because of a careless young boy's comment a single tear would not fall. She wouldn't, no matter the price, allow herself to fall to pieces. Adjusting her skirts accordingly she stood up and walked towards the boy.
"Aye you might be right. But I would wage a fair deal even the most drunken of men would bed me before a whore would even have the chance to stop laughing at your tiny pecker."
Roars of laughter could be heard a mile away, yet no smile broke through Daniea's blank expression, she simply just sat the food down in front of the fire and walked away but not until locking eyes with a very tense Jamie.
Willie didn't dare to speak another ill word about Daniea from that time on, but he did manage an apology once they reached the next town and gathering taxes were well under way. She couldn't be mad forever but she did warn him if she heard him acting as such a fool again she would injure more than his pride.
Thankfully not to many people needed Daniea's healing skills except a young mother with a teething baby. Following the woman into her house, she not only helped the child but received some much needed time just being among women.
That night while Daniea was sluggishly finishing her first homemade dinner since leaving Leoch, the dram that Dougal arranged began. All eyes gazed upon him and his words much like a spell. The rebellion, he preached about but it wasn't until he began talking about the consequences of the monarchy that he truly caught Daniea's attention. Then in one swift movement her hardened heart began to crack. Exposed to the world was Jamie's scarred back. She could see every single muscle in his body tighten as Dougal continued talking. Her eyes which had seen the scars many a time never left their owner. Jamie's most hidden fault now displayed for the sheer shock factor of it all. For no reason except the clanking of coins being raised to support a doomed cause, or one that he believed in.
After the last person had left the hut, Dougal quickly tossed Jamie's ripped shirt to Daniea.
"Be a dear and stitch this up would you."
She bit her tongue so hard blood began seeping into the corners of her mouth, for she knew she would lose her temper and that would help no one. She nodded,brushed past the men in a hurry, back to the campsite where she mended the fabric and a piece of her soul in the process.
Town after town, dram after dram the same song and dance occurred. And each night Daniea mended the shirt and snuck it onto his bedroll before he waked.
Jamie soon noticed that along with his shirt mended and smelling of honey suckle, each morning when he gazed quietly upon Daniea she appeared to have acquired a new bruise or scratch upon her skin, but he was no longer in any place to question her about it.
As the group headed for yet another town smoke appeared over the hill's crest. Dougal slowed them as they made their way into view.
"The Watch!" Murtagh hissed, " Jamie," he called and signaled towards Daniea.
Just as Dougal rode down to meet the Scotsmen raiding a small farm, Jamie grabbed Daniea's reins and forced her to follow him into hiding miles up the road.
"Get your hands off my horse ye bastard!" Daniea screeched once they slowed down.
Jamie taken aback by her fury did as she asked,
"Quiet woman."
"No, not till you explain to me why I have to be here with you, hiding like rats."
He remained silent, infuriating her further.
"You must hide because of the bounty on your head, but I do not!"
He still didn't utter a word, a half hour passed in silence.
"Try punching a tree next time." Daniea stated, a calmness now in her voice.
"What?" Jamie asked, curious of her statement.
"The next time Dougal shows your back, go punch a tree after, help release some of that anger you've been holding onto."
Before he could respond Murtagh rode up to meet them looking extremely anxious.
"Are you alright Lass, no one dared follow ye did they?" He asked, staring at Jamie.
"No, we weren't followed."
"Are you worried for Jamie…. Or fer me?" Daniea questioned.
Yet still no answer was provided just a weary look exchanged between men as the rest of the group arrived.
"What aren't you all telling me?" Daniea sneered as the group surrounded her.
"Nothing to worry yer bonnie head about Lass, we best be getting on down the road." Dougal boasted.
She attempted to speak more but Dougal glared at her, "That will be all mistress, best not waste anymore time on the watch."
Following Murtagh who warned her again to let the matter go, she spied Jamie canter up to Dougal and be brushed off as Daniea was in the same fashion. Whatever the men were keeping hidden from her, she at least wasn't the only one in the dark.
After their encounter with the watch, the somber mood never lifted for every village they visited next had already been plundered by the British; and the clansmen could barely feed their own families. And at each destroyed village Dougal made sure the families ate and were taken care of thanks to the Laird and taxes already paid.
Finally after over a month of traveling they were on the final road to the Mckenzie villages when a most horrific sight appeared in the distance. Great pires stood along the side of the road, dead clansmen tied to each with a T etched into their flesh. T for traitor. No this wasn't the watches doing, this for certain was the British.
Without hesitation the bodies were cut down and buried properly, yet as the words of remembrance ended Murtagh nodded to Daniea, who sang a song of mourning into the highland wind guiding their spirits home.
Thankfully their next stop was at a village inn, the warmth of the fire and drink warmed their bellies and rested their weak souls. Dougal gladly payed for Daniea to have her own room upstairs away from the ruckus of the dram downstairs. Yet sleep did not come easily for between the drunken musings downstairs and the creaking outside her door. The noise and her nightmares contained her within the confines of her room, always on guard. But unbeknownst to her, the creaking outside her door was Jamie. Sleeping while keeping watch, assuring no drunken man would bother her, not again.
As the morning light peered through the window Jamie was gone, leaving not a trace but as she went down to have breakfast with her group of men all hell broke loose. The battle was on. The battle for her honor because some of the idiotic young bucks of the town decided to get fresh at her expense.
"You know I dare say you all would use any reason to brawl, but… I sure do love you bastards, bloody fists and all." Daniea smiled as she attended the wounded men, all the men except Jamie who was nowhere to be seen.
