Days later while making camp after another long stretch of travel, Daniea made her way to the stream to cool off and relax before supper.
"Lass!"
Daniea looked all around, no one was in sight except the figure of Dougal running from a small distance away.
"What's?"
"Madam, are you alright?"
The accent was undeniable, as she turned the bright red coats of a half dozen soldiers greeted her as they crested atop the hill behind her.
"Aye, Lieutenant. I am perfectly fine."
"What's this about, the Lass is part of the Clan Mackenzie whose soil you be standing on ye ken."
"And who might you be?" The soldier asked, looking down upon the Scotsman.
"Dougal Mackenzie, War Chief and brother to Colum, Laird of this land."
"Nevertheless, a woman such as yourself," He stared her up and down, " One, that I believe has been so sought after since leaving… Ireland, would be of great interest to my commander, I shall take you to him."
"If the lady goes I go." Dougal quipped, now standing beside Daniea one hand easy on the hilt of his dagger the other across her back.
"As you wish."
Daniea and Dougal were guided up the hill and onto waiting horses. Sheer confusion clouded Daniea's mind, and fear flooded Dougal's. Why would the British be looking for her? And how did they find her in the middle of nowhere?
A small fort rose miles up the road in front of them, a sea of red spread forth around them. The lieutenant guided them into a dining hall where all manner of Englishmen were busy poking fun of the Scottish and once they heard Daniea's accent, Irish alike.
Dougal stood his ground but was finally outnumbered and forced to an area downstairs while the gentlemen kept wondering why the Irish girl had been brought to their table. Minutes later it became all too clear when Black Jack Randall barged through the door at a sprint and ordered everyone out except the Lieutenant that brought her and Daniea herself.
"Well done Lieutenant, as promised," Randall handed the soldier a bag heavy with coins.
"You're dismissed, and make sure no one disturbes me while I detain this rebel."
"Yes Captain." The Lieutenant smirked, knowing full well what was going to happen.
Randall faced the door for many long seconds, his arms crossed behind his back. His body heaved as he drew in full deep breaths.
"Daniea Douglas…" he began.
Hearing her name froze her still where she sat.
"Bastard daughter to a member of the traitorous watch, and an Irish whore. If I had known who you were when I first encountered you on that highway, it would have saved me a great deal of time and money."
"I do say I have absolutely no idea of what you are speaking." Daniea sneered through gritted teeth.
"Oh don't you? Let me refresh your memory Madam. A young irish girl around 13 years old, hair the color of pitch, eyes as green as the Isle. Hiding from view in the backrooms of a sea side brothel called The Siren's Song. A temper as fierce as any predator, and tongue as sharp as a blade when propositioned by any man that dare spot her."
Daniea's word could not form, yet her tongue was as sharp as ever.
"I am no whore."
"Oh of course not my dear, I've always known that, which is what makes this so much sweeter. It's amazing how much a person can change in five years, especially a woman." He quipped, taking a long hard look at her curves.
"Quit toying with me and make plain what you seek of me Captain." Daniea growled rising from her chair to face him.
"Madam, ever since our first encounter I have been in a state of extreme discomfort." Randall admitted, shifting uneasily where he stood.
"I'm not sure what you mean Captain."
"Allow me to put your fears at rest, I want the opportunity to allow you to know the real me, a frank conversation of truths between us." He smiled, gesturing for her to take a seat next to him.
"First I should apologize for our encounter in the woods, if I would have known who you were I would have never acted in such an appalling way."
"A man should never act that way towards any woman." Daniea spat.
Randall groaned, "That could be argued."
"If we speak of truths then enlighten me Captain, you claim you have been in discomfort since our first encounter, I have concluded this was not in the woods months ago, so when?" She questioned, leaning towards him, watching him shift in his seat.
Without answering he rose slowly, fetched his long coat and withdrew a tattered piece of paper from his inner pocket. Gently he unfolded the aged parchment, displaying it on the table in front of her.
"My likeness, this was…" She began.
"Many years ago, when I was traveling through Irish outposts searching for rebels to the crown. My men and I stopped at the Siren's song for entertainment. Just as I was about to meet my company for the evening, a young girl caught my eye. She was being handed money from some of the women, when one of my men decided they wanted the girl instead. I've never seen so much fire in a girl. She, without thought pulled a knife out of thin air it appeared and threatened to cut off his manhood if he touched her again…then when he did not back off she stabbed him in the throat and watched him bleed to death. She didn't blink or cry, there was just something so… dark about that young girl."
" Just because you have my likeness and some irrational thoughts about a young girl, you do not have any reason to detain me here like a criminal."
"Oh but in the eyes of the crown, you are if I say so. I can detain you as long as I like, but if you would like less comfortable ways of discussing the matter, they can be arranged."
"Threats now, I know your other methods of complying. Flogging perhaps, would running a cat of nine tails across my back tickle yer fancy.".
"Oh, on the contrary I take flogging very seriously."
"That I did know, at Castle Leoch I was told of a highlander boy that received a hundred, upon a hundred lashes from you."
" That boy is a wanted thief and murderer."
"Or he just stole a loaf of bread, and your making up charges...again."
"Dougal Mackenzie tell you that? Huh? He was there, he witnessed it. The thief had been flogged before for trying to escape. One hundred lashes administered by the corporal. A man that didn't lack skills when using the cat of nine tails. The thief didn't break, No he took his punishment without making a single sound. Set a horrible example for the on lookers. I could not allow that insult to the crown pass unchecked, so yes I decided a further one hundred lashes were in order, this time I would administer them myself.
Have you ever seen a man scourged Madam? It's not pretty, and the thought of that whip coming down across that pitiful raw flesh made my stomach flutter and my legs shake. I did… I had intended to pace myself, a hundred lashes is fatiguing to the arm. Again the boy refused to cry out, I wonder? If he thought he didn't I would take pity, but if that was the case he was sadly mistaken. I was hurting him, I could feel it. The sheer judder of the whip coursing up my arm, exploding into my heart, but the boy would not beg for mercy, the boy would not beg. Then something changed, one of my men fainted like a woman and the crowd barked in laughter. It was that moment I decided to bleed him to the bone. In that second the world narrowed down to my arm and his back. The whip connecting up both. The crowd had to look away, they were horrified. Blind fools… all they could see was the horror. I… I could see the beauty. I saw the truth. That boy and I... we were creating a masterpiece. An exquisite bloody masterpiece. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen."
Daniea sat there horrified but refused to let it show.
" I promised I would show myself to you, and so I have." He smiled coyly.
"Yes Captain, I believe you have."
"You think me a monster?" He asked, gazing upon Daniea's unchanging expression.
"Monster is a relative term, for wouldn't a fox be a monster to a rabbit. Or hunger the monster to a starving man. No Captain, you are a void. You feed on torture, power, lust. You lay a bloody path wherever you go, consuming all and leaving nothing behind except fear."
Randall chuckled, "You mean to flatter me my dear?"
"Only you would mistake my words as flattery, yet I believe that if you care what I think, perhaps there is still hope for you yet."
"Well you shall have a lifetime to try and find out." Randall laughed.
"What do you mean?" Daniea urged,
"Oh did I forget to tell you, silly me. All those years ago your father made a deal with me to keep not only your discretions but more importantly his away form prying eyes. He sold you to me...or if you prefer betrothed with no chance of escape."
"Liar!"
She rose from the table ready to strike but her body was still recovering. He struck her hard in the ribs, knocking the air from out her lungs. He grabbed her hair pulling her face towards him, "That my dear, is a word I would reserve for your loving father. Your darkness shall be mine!"
He then kicked her repeatedly in the ribs, once again cracking unhealed wounds.
Moments later, Dougal rampaged through the door.
"Here you come Lassie, were done here." He softly spoke, rising Daniea to her feet.
In the haze of pain, Daniea understood few words of Dougal's explanation to the soldiers but whatever they were served their purpose. For they both had escaped, but with the order for her to be returned to Randall the in three days on British soil.
Before reaching the campsite Dougal stopped them for rest and water.
"How badly did he harm ye?"
"She coughed up blood but replied, "I've lived through worse."
Dougal couldn't help but smile.
"Dougal…" She began, her nerves fragel. "I'm scared, is what Randall saying true?"
"Don't worry yer bonnie head about it, you never have to see him again if you do what I tell you too?"
"Don't you have to… return.. me to him in a few days?"
"An English officer cannot compel a scottish person unless there is proof a crime has been committed, and even so cannot remove a scottish person from clan lands without permission of the Laird concerned."
"You've been talking to Ned haven't you?" Daniea smirked.
"Aye, I thought it might come to this."
"But how, I'm only half Scot?"
"Well, we're just going to have to make you a full Scot then shall we."
Daniea looked on in confusion, Dougal let out the breath he had been holding and gently pulled her in, hugging her tightly. "You're going to have to marry my dear."
Tears began to fall from her cheeks,
"Shhh Lass, I have the whole thing under control, have been thinking about it ever since we found out what Ole' Taran did months ago."
"So who am I to marry?" Daniea asked.
"Murtagh and I have thought long and hard Lass, yer like a daughter to us, so we have decided Rupert would make a proper fit."
