With the return of her horse, Elinor's daily schedule shifted around so she could fit in as much riding as possible, though since that first ride with Fergus she never strayed very far into the forest. She settled into a routine, and found herself on more than one occasion thoroughly loving her new home, and her new family.
Betha had patiently guided Elinor through her first few weeks, but now stepped back from the more practical roles so that Elinor could take over. She loved being able to share time with her new daughter, and to see the happiness that Fergus and Elinor brought each other.
One afternoon, Betha knocked on the door to Elinor's study.
"Come in." Elinor said, still figuring the accounts on a piece of parchment. She looked up when Betha walked into the room and smiled.
"You look busy, dear." Betha said, folding her hands. Elinor set down her quill.
"No more busy than usual."
"Well, that's excellent news."
Elinor's brow furrowed. "What are you up to?"
"Oh, I was just wondering if you'd like to go for a ride with me."
"I don't-"
"That is, if you think you can keep up with me." Betha finished, a satisfied smile on her face.
"Oh, really now?"
"You thought Fergus got his sporting skills from his father, didn't you?"
Two horses burst out of the castle gates, Betha in the lead and Elinor not far behind. They dove into the forest, laughing and jeering at each other as they rode on. Elinor pushed Angus hard and they jumped over a jog and ran around a clump of trees. She looked behind her but Betha wasn't there. She slowed Angus to a stop.
"Betha?" she tried to slow her breathing.
Suddenly, Betha galloped in from the side.
"Tired so soon, dear?" she called, as she flew by. Elinor grinned and galloped after her.
The sky was dotted with clouds that thickened as the afternoon wore on, and a wind blew in from the east. Eventually, the pair slowed their horses to a walk, and turned around for home.
"I guess," Betha breathed heavily "We'll call this one a draw."
Elinor tossed her head back with a laugh.
"You could if you wanted to be a liar. I was faster than you, every spirit in the forest could tell you that."
They shared another laugh and walked on through the trees. Betha watched Elinor for a minute.
"What?" Elinor asked.
"You're different when you're out in the woods. Freer."
"I feel freer. In the castle, I'm the lady of the clan. I have rules, expectations, every minute of my day is planned. But out here…I'm just Elinor. The forest doesn't care who I am."
"Well-" Betha stopped mid-sentence and quickly looked around, reigning her horse in. Elinor stopped Angus and looked around herself, but she couldn't see anything.
"What is it?" she whispered. Betha held up a hand.
To Elinor the forest seemed perfectly calm. Still. Then the bushes to the side of them rustled. Elinor turned in time to see a small bear cub tumble out. Elinor let the breath she had been holding.
"Aw, look at the wee dear. He almost looks like the cub Fergus and I found." Betha was slowly backing up her horse away from the cub. "I wonder where his mum-"
A loud roar resounded through the forest, shaking the limbs of the trees and making the hair on the back of Elinor's neck stand on end. Elinor saw up ahead of them on the path the very large, very angry mother bear had appeared. She let out another loud roar.
Both of the horses pulled at their reigns and stepped backwards.
"Steady, Angus. Steady." Elinor said, patting his side.
The cub let out a cry, which made the mother roar louder than the one before.
Betha's horse let out a winnie of fear and reared up, tossing Betha from the saddle before galloping away.
"Betha!" Elinor shouted, as Betha fell to the ground. She landed hard on her stomach. The bear began running towards them.
Holding onto Angus's reigns, Elinor slipped off her horse and knelt by Betha.
"You have to get up now!" She desperately pulled on Betha's shoulder, as Betha groaned and rolled over. Her eyelids fluttered open for a moment before shutting.
As the bear grew steadily closer, Elinor found an undiscovered strength and pulled Betha up and onto Angus, who was pulling hard at his reigns and shrieking. Elinor jumped on.
"Go!" she shouted, as he turned and pealed away into the trees.
Branches and leaves rushed past her face, Elinor held onto a mostly unconscious Betha in front of her with one hand and Angus's reigns with the other. She dared a glance behind her, but the bear seemed to have disappeared.
Slowing to a stop, Elinor gently patted Betha's cheek.
"Betha. Are you alright?"
Betha laid listless against Elinor shoulder for a moment, before pulling hard to the side and vomiting up a stream of bright red liquid. It took Elinor a moment to recognize the undeniable sight and scent of blood.
Elinor turned around in the saddle, looking for any recognizable landmarks and realizing how dire her situation was as she saw the sun touching the tree line. Turning Angus due north, they cantered off.
Clouds gathered and a steady drizzle started that soaked Elinor to the skin within minutes. As they rode through the forest, she kept up a steady stream of encouraging words to Betha, which was more for her assurance than Betha's.
Shadows expanded into darkness, and Elinor finally had to face the fact that she had absolutely no idea where in the forest she was. The rain was continuing to pour and growls echoed around her. A panicked despondency settled on Elinor's shoulders as she desperately looked for something. Anything.
Suddenly, a light flashed in the corner of her eye. She turned to look and saw it again. A small glowing blue orb hovered above the ground a ways to her left.
"A Will of the Whisp." She whispered, wide eyed. Slowly, she turned Angus towards the Whisp, and in a few steps it disappeared.
For a moment, she panicked. But then noticed more Whisps further off, lighting a trail through the dark forest.
"Hold on, Betha. We're going home." Elinor said, nudging Angus into a quick walk.
The Whisp led them through the dark forest, always just a few steps ahead of them. An hour passed, and Elinor shoulder was beginning to hurt from Betha lying against it, but she pressed on, following the Whisp, over hills and across streams, under branches and around brush.
Up a hill, Elinor reached the closest Whisp and it disappeared. But a new one did not appear. She looked around for a moment, as a faraway call echoed through the forest. At first it was unintelligible, but then the call repeated itself, followed by others like it.
"Elinor? Betha!?"
Elinor turned toward the call. "We're here! Over here!"
Slowly, bobbing torches appeared amongst the trees and Elinor had never been so relieved to see the DunBroch clan.
Fergus crushed a small bush under his large foot as he marched through the dark forest, torch in hand.
"ELINOR!" he bellowed, pausing to listen to it echo. "MUM!"
Every time he repeated their names his fear grew a little larger. Ever since they hadn't returned by dinner, the entire clan had turned out to find their lost ladies, with Fergus leading the way. But it was now well past middle of the night and he had found no sign of them. Dark fearful thoughts scuttled about the back of his mind, not daring to come fully center but hovering at the edges.
A rider galloped in behind him and the rest of the search party with a second horse tied to him.
"Lord DunBroch! Lord DunBroch! We found them!" the rider called. Fergus spun around.
"What?" he jogged nearer to the horses.
"Lady Elinor and Lady Betha have been found. They've been taken to the castle."
Halfway through the rider's sentence, Fergus jumped on the second horse and rode back towards the castle.
"Where are they?" He shouted the minute he was in the gates.
"They're both in your mother's chambers, m'lord."
Fergus flat out ran through the halls of the castle, and he threw open the door to Betha's room. His heart beating so loudly he could hear it.
Elinor sat in a low stool near the bed, a blanket about her shoulders. She looked up when the door flew open.
"Fergus." She said quietly, her face lighting up with relief as she stood and ran to his arms.
Fergus gripped her tight and took several deep breaths, blinking back tears that had suddenly appeared. She was here, she was safe, was all he could think of. After a while, he stepped back but didn't let her go, gently brushing a hand over her cheek.
"Are you alright?" He looked her over and pulled her in again. "I thought something terrible had happened."
"I'm fine, I'm fine but… Betha…" Elinor slowly pulled away and stepped back. For the first time, Fergus saw Betha lying on the bed, which had been pushed close to the fire. Her eyes were closed and her breathing labored. Fergus looked back to Elinor before walking closer. The happily relieved feeling in his chest froze.
"We encountered a bear cub, and then his mother appeared and Betha was tossed from her horse."
He sat down on the edge of her bed and placed his hand over Betha's, she didn't respond.
"Has the Healer been here?"
"Yes, he just left."
"What did he find?" he asked, not taking his eyes from his mother's face. As if in answer, Betha coughed and gagged. Elinor quickly moved behind Betha and held up a rag to her mouth with practiced ease. She caught and wiped away the blood that remained around her mouth. Fergus watched her, his brow furrowing deeper.
Elinor took the rag to a bowl filled with water on the table.
"She's been vomiting up blood all night." She said as she rinsed the rag. "The Healer says something must have torn or broken inside of her as there is no wound to be found…and…"
"And what?" Fergus asked.
"And that there is nothing he can do."
Elinor turned to meet Fergus's gaze as he slowly processed the terrible news. His face sent a chill through her veins. He turned to look again at Betha, Elinor moved to his side.
"Is he sure there's nothing to be done?" Elinor took a moment before answering.
"Her fate is with the spirits now." She said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Fergus didn't reply, but scoffed. Elinor recoiled her hand and stepped back.
"I'll…leave you two." She said quietly. She walked to the door and paused, looking back at Fergus. For a moment she almost spoke, but thought better of it and quietly closed the door behind her.
Though her mind was strained and worried, Elinor sank into a deep sleep the moment she laid down. The next morning, she awoke more sore than she'd ever been in her life. Fergus's side of the bed had not been slept in.
Slowly, Elinor got up and went to the door. The castle was very still, much more than it should have been at the hour. One of the guards was standing down the hall. She waved him over.
"M'lady?"
"Is there news of Lady Betha?" Elinor asked. The guard paused and glanced away.
"I'm sorry to say, but she died in the night, just before dawn."
Elinor's eyes shut and she dropped her head against the doorframe. It was a full minute before she could speak again, and when she did her voice was hoarse.
"Where is Lord DunBroch? I must see him."
"Lord DunBroch is not in the castle."
Elinor's head snapped up. "What?"
"He left not long after Lady Betha passed, went into the woods."
"Why?"
"He's intending to hunt down the bear that killed Lady Betha, my lady."
To Be Continued...