Chapter 18

Scotland, January, 2010

A mid-winter thaw eased into the land a few weeks later. Melting snow dripped from the rooftops as icicles formed at night and melted in winter sunlight. The snow became slush, and footprints took on the shape of some monstrous foot… some giant who still walked the earth.

Satisfied that the roads were clear… Methos suggested that he and Derrick take a trip into town. For the moment… he and Eleanor had decided to stay put, feeling that the deaths of the three outlaws need not impact any further on their lives. They were ready to leave if necessary… but if they did not have to… it was better to remain. Fleeing here might alert someone that the deaths of the three men were related to their leaving. It was better to continue on as if nothing had changed.

In the barn… out of sight… he and Eleanor had stepped up their sparring several notches. He needed to be better than he was… he needed to be ready in case someone else happened by. Eleanor had agreed… donning men's clothes and tying back her long hair in a braid so that she could focus on the matches.

Derrick had been remarkably agreeable… as if still worrying that the situation might have been his fault… something that he could and should have prevented. He watched them spar sometimes… following their moves with focused vision. Alone at night, he stared into the darkness… remembering their moves in combat as if they were his.

Methos and Eleanor had discussed the situation.

"I think he knows your name," she'd said sitting in their bed, clasping her knees as her face turned toward his stretched out form with a smile.

He'd run his fingers through her hair. "He's growing up. We need to decide what to do."

Eleanor had nodded. "Perhaps it's time… to be open with him. To make the next move."

"We can't just tell him… we need to know what he knows first." Twisting her hair into his fist, Methos had given a slight pull to bring her closer.

She'd shifted and stretched out next to him… running her fingers over him. "And something else…"

"What," he'd said kissing her nose and lips and neck, more concerned with the here and now rather than the future.

"The next time… don't shut me out."

Methos had pulled back, narrowing his eyes.

"We've both succumbed to darkness with a quickening. Me because I took too much in at one time… You because with your great age… there is so much more in you… depths that I don't think even you have plumbed."

Methos had nodded thoughtfully. It was something he'd realized about himself centuries ago.

"With the link… we can help one another," Eleanor had continued. "We can balance what happens. Promise me…"

Methos had smiled. "I promise. Now…" then he'd flipped her under him and had bent to kiss her.

In the clearing that they had used for sparring and lessons for the past year, Methos and Derrick circled as they assessed one another's moves… Derrick punched, Methos avoided. Derrick double-kicked… Methos pulled back. Derrick twirled with a sweeping motion… Methos hopped… only to be hit by the reverse. He went down.

Derrick leaned over him. "Gotcha!" The boy grinned and held out a hand to help him up.

Methos clasped it and then pulled Derrick off his feet… and tossing the boy over his shoulder as he rose. "Never offer a hand unless you are certain your enemy has surrendered."

Derrick rose to his knees with a laugh and a nod. "Right… Stay focused… stay balanced." He flopped over onto his seat and pulled his knees up. "Breather?"

"Why? Tired already?"

Derrick nodded. "I don't seem to have your constitution for this." He wiped the perspiration from his brow as he took several deep breaths.

"No… and that is why you are never to initiate a fight… only be ready to finish one. Especially not with someone you know is an immortal. I teach you these moves to help keep you safe when you are with us. To give you a means to surprise someone that there is more about you than they might suspect." Methos crossed to a large duffel bag and rummaged in it.

"Right… more to me than others suspect," Derrick murmured softly.

Methos glanced back at him. Finally he rose and crouched before the boy. "Listen to me carefully Derrick. What I tell you now you must never repeat to anyone. Do I have your word on it?"

Derrick nodded.

"I am older than you can imagine. For thousands of years I have walked this earth… and I have kept my head by staying out of the paths other immortals follow. I keep my mouth shut. I tell no one anything that I can keep from telling them… and I wait to make my move."

Derrick's eyes widened, but Methos did not see bewilderment there… only surprise.

"My name is Methos." He paused. "But you knew that… didn't you Derrick?"

The boy nodded slowly.

"What else do you know?"

Derrick shook his head. "Nothing that makes sense. I knew you… or at least the other one knew you… the one who was Ellie's friend. He knew you and he knew her… and Phillip and Duncan… sometimes I seem to hear his thoughts. But I don't really know anything."

"What about that computer game?"

"Only that it interested him… But I haven't made any headway on it for a long time. The only real breakthroughs were when we worked on it together."

"I have been remiss in that area… Perhaps I feared to solve it… fearing we'd have to leave here too soon if we figured it all out." Methos glanced thoughtfully off into the distance. "But the time nears."

"And the crystal…" Derrick added. "I don't see anything else besides what I told you. It's just that sometimes… I see things like an old silent movie. It moves so fast and only slows for me to see small scenes… usually of you and Ellie… and the others."

"And the sword? Does it speak to you Derrick?"

The boy laughed. "A sword is just a sword. Why would it speak?" Then he sobered. "I do have to learn how to use it… don't I?"

Methos rose and returned to the duffel pulling out two wooden practice swords. He tossed one to Derrick. "Only to be familiar with one… Just in case something happens to me… In case you need to get Eleanor out of here… away from me."

Derrick caught the wooden blade easily in his hand as he stood. He cocked his head to one side. "Why away from you?"

"Let's just say… sometimes when we take a quickening… things can be a little rough… We lose a piece of ourselves for a while. If there is a problem with an immortal… and I…" Methos spread his hands, "Do something I shouldn't, I need to be certain you can get her out of here. She won't want to leave… but she will need to." He gazed levelly at Derrick, then he smiled. "Why do you think I started teaching you to drive?"

"Ellie won't leave you." Derrick answered. "She's stubborn."

"I know… but she may have to. And if you two are on the road alone… I want to be certain you can defend yourself… just in case."

"But I'm not an immortal."

Methos gazed at the boy and then shook his head. "No… you are not an immortal…" Silently he added, "yet." he raised his wooden blade… "Now then stand beside me and follow what I do. Your practice blade is the same weight and length as the great sword… so what you learn in these sessions should carry over just in case."

With that… the lesson began in earnest.