Chapter 10:

Author's note: Sorry for any stupid mistakes (Ididn't have time to correct) that may be found in the text and thank you to all the reviewers. Characters and story aren't mine. Sorry for the long wait, lots of work to do and not much time to write. This chapter is very short but it's better than nothing so hope you enjoy.

"You've questioned her already then."

James gave a curt nod.

"What did she say?"

He shrugged. "She gave a name."

Lily's gaze shifted back up. "Oh?"

James nodded and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "Sirius Black."

Lily shook her head in disbelief. "No, you're wrong. He would never do something like that, he wouldn't!"

James clasped her jaw in his hand and titled her head back so she would have no other choice but to look him in the eye. He almost smiled at how disgruntled she looked. "We haven't heard the whole story yet and for someone who claims to have feelings for him you are very quick in assuming Sirius might have actually committed this crime."

She gently nudged his hand away. "I know Sirius wouldn't do such a thing, but why would Jamie lie?"

James slowly exhaled. He didn't remember ever holding his breath. "Why don't we go and find out."

oooooooooooooo

"She isn't up for a long conversation, James. She is very weak. Besides, father Douglas must be hearing her confession, we shouldn't interrupt."

But the priest was just opening the door when they reached the chamber. James nodded to father Douglas as he passed followed by Lillian who was practically stuck to his back.

They entered the room and Lily hurried to Jamie's bed giving the girl a warm greeting. She just sat there staring up at James, her eyes wide with terror as she pulled up the bed sheets, holding them tightly in her grasp. She knew by the look James was giving his wife that he meant to question her and God help her if she didn't speak.

When the old woman had come to sit at her side, she had Jamie convinced right from the off that she was trustworthy, but it was not so. Nanny Macnab had recounted to her laird everything Jamie had told her which wasn't much to begin with. A name… That was all she had thought to give. It was the first that had come to mind and it just happened that he was a close relation to Lily.

As Jamie cowered in her bed, she thought of all the trouble Sirius Black had caused her and Maggie. He was true to his title; The Dog is what his men called him for he only wore black like the color of those wild hounds the English hunted for sport. Nasty creatures… the whole lot of them.

He'd jumped to save her from one enemy but had quickly thrown her in the clutches of another. The English, her own people, were far worse than any Scot she'd encountered in her search for freedom.

Jamie had used trickery, something her people were very good at, and had found an escape for both her and Maggie but their plot hadn't gone as planned. In fact, it was Sirius who had made a muck of things and he would soon pay for his mistake.

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Something seemed vaguely familiar about the section of countryside through which they were passing.

"Moarail Rock!" One of the men exclaimed.

"Aye, reckon," said his companion, unexcited by this revelation.

"Didn't the English use it for ambushes?" asked Jamie, startling both of her escorts. "If there is an English patrol in these whereabouts…" she hesitated.

"If there is, then you are wrong to draw attention to it," the man growled, wrapping his arm tightly around her narrow waist.

Jamie had first imagined that she was merely dreaming more vividly than usual, but that knock on the head had dismissed that impression and the soreness of her scalp was being matched by the grinding of her inner thighs against the saddle. And the blood; it was familiar enough. She could still smell the warm coppery aroma on the man behind her.

Her captor kicked the horse's side, urging it forward and up alongside his companion's. At a signal from the leader of the two, his friend sped up and galloped toward the rock. Just as the galloping shape passed the Moarail, arrows came flying from a void.

The man let out a bloodcurdling shriek as he was shot down from his mount which only helped in making the horses more nervous as they leapt forward. Jamie hung on for dear life and as the crazed animal whirled sharply and began to sprint away again, she was thrown off and dumped unceremoniously into a large bush.

She could still hear shouts minutes after the attack had occurred and tried desperately to free herself from the bush. She was very worried about her sister and hoped to God the assailants wouldn't mistake Maggie for a Scottish whore or something just as despicable.

Jamie shook herself irritably; what a mess she'd gotten herself into! Her father had sent her off to the abbey so that she would learn to stay out of trouble and she seemed to be doing just the contrary.

Hugging her elbows against the cold, she set out to find her sister but nearly bumped into a shape that had stepped out of the dark right in front of her. Stifling a scream, she turned to run but a large hand gripped her arm, preventing her escape.

"No need to worry, poppet, I'm not going to harm you," came a very reassuring, very masculine voice.

"That's what I was afraid of," she murmured crossly. On closer inspection, she noticed how very young the man was and though he seemed rather dashing, he looked just as dangerous as any other.

"Well, come along. The others will be waiting down by the road." He took her by the arm, not a very gallant means of forcing her to follow him, and proceeded to drag off.

Jamie firmly dug her heels into the ground. "No! I'm not going with you!"

He stopped, surprised by her resistance. "Yes, you are." He didn't seem too upset by her refusal and was more or less amused.

"And what if I won't? What will you do, kill me?" she demanded. The man seemed to be considering his options.

He looked her up and down, and then grinned. "My dear lady, you don't have to do anything you don't wish." This would have offered some kind of reassurance to Jamie, had he not added so chivalrously. "Why! I could just carry you kicking and screaming and all our troubles would be solved." He took her arm firmly and led her toward the road.

"Wait!" Jamie exclaimed once more.

The soldier stopped, very annoyed by the disturbance. He gave a big sigh. "What is it now?"

"My sister, Maggie… I must find her. She's very young and wouldn't last an hour in this place," she rushed out.

The man nodded. "No worries madam, I've already sent out help. Your sister will be here shortly."

"And who, may I ask, are you?" She inquired fiercely.

Her savior stopped abruptly and turned around a wide smirk on his handsome face. "My dear lady, I'm Sirius Black."

Author's note: For those of you who have read Outlander, you will surely recognize some of the scenes even though they're a bit mixed up to go with the story. Enjoy and review plz.