Chapter 32
"Hell, ye should know that better than anyone."
Daniea cocked her eyebrow at the snide remark.
"Say what's really on yer mind ya old coot!" She lashed back at Murtagh. "I know that of all people, I should be able to tell what this damned poison is but I don't have the faintest. The ones I used would've done the job in minutes not ...months." She trailed off, crossing her arms over chest. "Which….."
Murtagh watched her as she paced around the room once more, taking careful time to look at Jamie's newest incision.
"Lass?"
"Which... if they did come back to finish the job then why is he still alive? And why would they take the time to destroy all of my mixtures?"
The questions she posed also perplexed him.
"The watch would never do such sloppy work." He commented as he thought on the situation a moment longer.
"Aye, that's fer damn sure." Daniea agreed from her position by the window. She released a long sigh. "I have to go get new ingredients immediately or he won't make it through the night."
"I won't leave his side." Murtagh promised.
"His side... His side!" A spark of recognition lite upon her exhausted face. "Help me roll him over on his side."
They both shuddered at Jamie's groans as he was maneuvered around but he still didn't wake.
"What's on yer mind Lass?"
"It...its most likely nothing but…" She trailed off as she gently removed the remaining poultice strips on his back.
Once she cleansed his skin of the remaining mixture; she began to trace the ever spreading black veins across his side and down to their origin spot. Because of the scar tissue she never thought to feel the cut but she could clearly see it wasn't healing well. Ever so gently, she ran her fingertips along the small slice. Sharp tiny raised bumps that could not be seen by the naked eye aggravated her own flesh. Daniea instinctively yanked her hand back at the foreign texture.
"Lass?"
"I think I might know what this is?"
"Well then let's get started on fixin the lad." Murtagh grinned.
"It's not that easy."
"Why not?"
She stood, grabbing the whiskey by the table and pouring it on her hands.
"It could be one of two toxins, the problem is the antidotes… if I'm wrong... the wrong one will kill him faster than the poison."
"Narrowing it down to two is better than having no idea."
Daniea nodded, "It has to be either ocunine or acisate."
"So let's go get the ingredients for both."
"I can't."
"And why the hell not?" Murtagh barked, tired of this conversation.
"Because I don't know the antidotes. Both the poisons are Watch specialties."
Murtagh could no longer hold in his temper as he begun to swear in gaelic, about how much he hated the watch, so loud he could be heard down the stairs.
"I know this is my fault! I brought the damned watch here and I swear the lord himself could not stop me from destroying them after I save Jamie." She growled.
"Lass, I…"
"Ye don't have to say it. After Jamie is healed I will take care of them myself and will never darken Leoch again with my presence."
"Now ye hold on, don't ya be going and putting words in my mouth I most certainly didn't say!"
"Never ye mind… I will be back. I best be getting herbs."
It took all night and most of the next morning but Daniea with Geillis's help completely restored everything that had been destroyed by their intruder. It was nearing midday when the young girl Laoghaire, whom Jamie had spared from quite a public beating, entered the tower room.
"Good day Mistress." She smiled towards a very weary Daniea.
"Laoghaire!" Daniea jolted, surprised by her sudden presence. "What can I do fer ya?"
"I was just wondering about Jamie. How is he faring?" She asked, striding over to his side.
"He's strong and fighting."
Laoghaire smiled as she pulled her cloak around her tighter. The girl then looked towards Daniea, "Ye look terrible mistress. Might I suggest ye take yer leave and get some food and perhaps some rest. I can look after Jamie fer ya."
Daniea thought for a second, " Well...
"It's the least I can do fer him after what he did fer me."
Daniea understood, "Thankyou Laoghaire, I am hungry. I won't be long just yell if anything changes or ye need me."
"Dinna fash, take yer time." Laoghaire smiled.
Daniea slowly stood, checked Jamie once more, happy to return Laoghaire's smile before she left them alone.
"Finally that she-devil is gone." Laoghaire began, careful to grasp Jamie's hand.
Daniea's ears perked up, her hearing impeccable since her training. She stopped heading to the kitchen and instead leaned against the wall outside the door, listening.
"I remember the first time I saw ye James Fraser, coming through the gates of Leoch." Laoghaire began, her voice soft and sweet. "I was only seven years old, still a child. Ye didn't notice back then how my heart leapt when you were near. But when ye went away, all those years...I never forgot ye."
Even though it infuriated Daniea she understood the girls plight.
"Twas so gallant a thing ye did, marrying that Irish wench to spare her from the British but look at where it got ye!" She sniffled, bringing Jamie's hand closer to her, holding it tightly against her chest.
"I thought…. I mean that when ye returned and ye took that beating fer me in the Great Hall, I knew I wasn't wrong. I knew ye felt the same. Then that day in the alcove, when ye kissed me…. Ye have always been mine James Fraser," She growled, " And I swear that I will save ye from this fate."
She leaned down and kissed Jamie's feverish lips.
"Yer mine, and only mine. I swear by it." She cursed.
Rupert cleared his throat at the bottom of the stairs drawing Daniea's attention away from Laoghaire's profession of love. She stepped away finally going to the kitchen.
"Watch. Her." She snarled.
"Aye," He agreed, suddenly very curious to see what awaited him in the room.
The longer Daniea recounted what she heard, the more her fury grew. She knew she truly had no place to be mad about what they had between them, especially because it all occurred well before her marriage to Jamie. Still nothing she told herself could flush the jealousy from her emerald born eyes.
All that day she shoved her emotions down till the roar was a dull ache in her ears. She had to concentrate on Jamie and figuring out which of the two poisons it was. But once her shift was over and Angus forced her to sleep for a few hours, she could practically feel herself foaming at the mouth. She had to confront Laoghaire in order to move on.
The next morning while Murtagh was spending his time with Jamie, Daniea made her way down to the kitchen where she knew Laoghaire would be. Just as she assumed, she found her restocking the pantry after breakfast.
"Laoghaire, can I have a word with ye...in private?"
The girl smiled shyly, bowed her head and followed Daniea downstairs to the official castle surgery.
"What can I do fer ya mistress?" She asked while fidgeting with a piece of loose wool on her cuff.
Daniea had to take several deep breaths before she crossed her arms and began to speak.
"Laoghaire. I know ye think yer deeply in love with Jamie."
"Ye spied on me!" She yelled, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"No, I just so happened to overhear ye is all."
Daniea could see the anger boiling up within the small girl.
"That is treacherous and uncalled fer!"
Daniea huffed, "So is professing such feelings to a married man, so I guess we're even there."
"Jamie Fraser was and is mine!"
"Yer gravely mistaken. But it's time ye knew the real truth. It should come from him but... Jamie was never yers. Not even when he kissed ya, which he never should have done."
"Lies! Ye stole him away from me." Laoghaire cried, her anger turning to the water now trickling upon her cheeks.
"I will say this once and only once. I fully accept and don't have any ill feelings towards yer love fer Jamie... I understand it, especially how ye could have become confused about his own affections. But! James Alexander Malcolm Mckenzie Fraser is my husband and will remain so until one of us is dead." Daniea snapped, her eyes boring into Laoghaire.
"My poor, poor Jamie. Trapped in a loveless marriage. Forced to share his bed with a vicious Irish bitch!"
"Think whatever ye like child, it won't change a thing. Jamie is mine."
"He must of gotten himself swine drunk before he was forced to plow yer field."
A thunderous laugh erupted from Daniea, "Oh ye sad little girl… I would advise that fer one who has never known a man's touch, I'd be keeping those thoughts to yerself."
"He belongs with me! And one day it will be so...I swear it. "
Faster than an Asp, Daniea grasped Laoghaire's face, forcing her to look dead on into her seething eyes.
"Stay away from my husband or I promise ye will regret ever crossing me little girl."
"I pray that when Jamie wakes he will hate ye as much as I do!" She spat at Daniea, straining on tiptoe to match her height.
"Then we at least agree on one thing…pray Jamie wakes."
Daniea roughly released the girl and left her to weep in the surgery all alone.
After her altercation with Laoghaire, Daniea had decided to stay by Jamie's side the rest of the day, no matter others insistence, as she made her way up the stairs.
"I've been looking for you everywhere my lady!" Fergus squeaked as he saw her come through the door.
"I'm sorry, I was…" Her voice leaving her as her eyes came to rest upon her husband. The black veins had spread tremendously, they were now mere inches away from his heart.
"No, no, no, no, no!" She screamed, scrambling for herbs.
"It must have been those hours untreated." She barked as she frantically tended to Jamie who had begun to sweat uncontrollably, his skin clammy and pale as the driven snow.
Hours were spent concocting every formulation she knew that could buy Jamie time, but as night fell the veins had not slowed in their growth. They were now down to hours, a day at most before he was lost to her.
Rupert was the one to deliver the news around Leoch yet Daniea remained oblivious to all those who came to say their goodbyes. Instead she remained steadfast on working until Murtagh forced her to stop.
"Lass, ye need to stop, you've done everything ye can."
"No...He's still alive, I won't stop until…"
"The lad needs ye by his side more than any medicine."
"I...can't..." She wept, turning into Murtagh's outstretched arms.
"I should have saved him."
Murtagh wrapped her in a tight hug, "Go on."
Daniea slowly stepped towards Jamie, as her emotions took control of her body she fell onto the bed and buried her head into his shoulder.
"Please! Please don't leave me." She pleaded, digging her fingers under his shoulders drawing him to her.
Maybe, just maybe if she held onto him so tight... she thought.
"I love ye Jamie, it's always been ye and always will be."
The room seemed to melt into just Daniea and Jamie, no one and nothing mattered as she held onto him for dear life, begging him and the almighty.
It wasn't until the sharp jerk of hands upon shoulders, prying her off Jamie, that she was brought back to reality.
"Daniea Fraser, yer under arrest for witchcraft."
"What?!" She asked, stumped as she looked on at four magisters men.
"It's the thieves hole fer ye."
"Get yer hands off me!" She screamed as more men came to drag her away.
Looking around the room Murtagh and Rupert had blades to their throats and more men stayed in the stairwell to cease anyones attempts at helping her.
She used all her strength to thrash against the men as they dragged her inch by inch away from Jamie who was now gasping for breath.
"Nooooo!" She screamed, not at her captors but at Jamie.
"Yer a feisty little witch, I'll give ye that." One of the men said as they finally grabbed her by the legs and carried her struggling form away from Castle Leoch; but more importantly away from her dying husband.
