Now she was going to an unfamiliar place. What would she find there? Would people mistreat her there as they had in her own home? She didn’t have the slightest idea, but she did know she needed some help getting her fever down before she could think straight again. She tore a piece of material off the bottom of her underskirt and bathed herself with cold water. It felt good and reviving, but she was still lightheaded, and her eyes burned as though they had sand in them. She wished she could remove her head completely, so it would quit hurting so bad.
“Do you think anyone would notice if I sat down in the middle of the stream?”
“’It is much too cold outside, milady. Why would you do such? And where are your shoes?” Agatha asked as she splashed water on her own face. She shivered from the icy drench. “You must get out of the water least you catch your death.”
“I’m so hot,” Siena complained. “I want to be cool.”
“’Tis the fever talking.” Agatha took the cloth from Siena and dipped it in the cold water, then she squeezed the water out. “Come milady, you can hold the cool cloth to your head.” Agatha gripped Siena firmly by the elbow and slipped the shoes back on her feet. “Let’s go to our new home. I’m anxious to see it, and to get warm. I’m not sure I can feel my toes at the moment.”
Siena let Agatha steady her as they made their way back to camp. Siena followed Agatha like a small, lost puppy. Then strong arms lifted her off the ground. The next thing she knew she’d been settled in front of Roderick on his giant warhorse. Truth be told, she was glad, so she could rest her head on his chest, but she felt she should protest … just a little. “I should ride my own horse. I don’t want to be a bother,” she mumbled.
“The black is sturdier than yer palfrey,” Roderick explained. “Besides, I’m no sure ye could stay on yer horse for hours without falling off and adding more injuries to what ye already have.”
Siena was too tired to protest. Instead, she leaned back and welcomed the strength of his arms supporting her, and strangely enough, she felt safe with someone she’d once thought of as the enemy. The slow steady gait of the horse soon lulled her into a restful sleep.
Roderick really wasn’t sure why he didn’t let one of the other men carry Siena. They were capable, but for some strange reason he didn’t want them touching her. He glanced down at her. She reminded him of a stray animal that someone had thrown out because they didn’t want them.
By the end of the day, they would be home where she could receive proper care. In the meantime, she'd better not die on him. He forbade it.
Roderick held his left hand up for the procession to stop. “We’ll have to go single file through the pass,” he said to Duncan.
Roderick had no sooner gotten the words out of his mouth when Siena jerked to a sitting position, and he had to hold on to her, so she wouldn’t fall. The lass was dangerous when she first awoke from sleep.
“You must not go!” she warned him, clutching his plaid.
“Go where, lass?”
“Through the Blue Pass. It is dangerous. They wait to attack you.”
“Yer fever has made ye daft,” Roderick told her. However, something gave him pause as he looked into her bloodshot eyes. How did she know they were getting ready to go through a pass when she’d been fast asleep?
“Not fever. I saw them.”
Roderick was listening now. “Go ahead.”
“It’s a trap. Five men are waiting to attack you once you proceed through the pass. Be careful,” she said the last in a whisper as she collapsed against him.
Duncan had ridden up beside them. “Back at the castle, they said Lady Siena could see things,” he said. “Do you suppose…?”
“Ah, wull I’m no’ sure I believe in seein’ things, but yet --. We’ll take no chance. Leave the women here,” Roderick said as he turned his mount around. “Gareth, take the men up through the trees and root out what is up there. We’ll give ye a head start, and then Duncan and I will ride through the pass. With any luck, that will draw out whoever is there.”
Gareth was quick to obey.
They stopped in a small clearing. Duncan spread out two red tartans on the frost-covered ground, and then took the girl from Roderick. Siena moaned. “Och, she still burns with fever.”
“Aye, hopefully we will be home before sunset and she can get some rest.” Roderick turned. “Agatha, stay here with yer mistress. I’ll come back for ye as soon as I know it’s safe.”
“Don’t forget us,” Agatha pleaded.
“How could I forget ye?” Roderick said with what he hoped was a smile.
He felt better with his arms free. Now they would see if what Siena had said was true. “I’ll go first,” Roderick said to Duncan. “Keep an eye out.”
The path was wide enough for two, but most of the time they came through the pass single file to be safe. Birch trees were to the left and on the right-side oaks grew out of the sides of the hill. Slowly, they made their way on the winding path. They had barely swung around the bend, when bellowed war cries ripped the air and two men jumped out of the bushes at them.
Roderick nudged Hercules toward the man on the left and lunged off his horse, taking the assailant down. He heard Duncan cursing and ranting as he swung his sword to end the life of the other man.
Roderick jerked his man up by the front of his shirt. “Who are ye?”
“We heard you have the White Witch.”
“I have no witch.” Roderick shook the man. “Who sent ye?”
The man’s eyes were wide with fear, however, he said in a choked voice, “Lord Malcolm needs the White Witch. . . Fidach’s sister.”
“And the reason he needs her?”
“S--She is the key to finding the Holy Grail.”
Roderick straightened, then shoved the man away from him, knocking him on his backside. “Such English nonsense. This day, I will let ye live, and ye can tell Malcolm he need not bother Fidach’s sister again. She is under my protection. And she is no witch.”
The soldier jumped to his feet, turned, and ran back down the path.
“Let’s go back, get the women, and meet up wi’ the others,” Roderick said. “I dinna think there are any more attackers. The lads did a good job up top.”
“Aye. But what about this White Witch?” Duncan asked.
“Sounds like nonsense to me. Remember, we found her ready to be hanged. If there were such things as witches, she’d been able to get away without our help.”
“Aye,” Duncan said.
It didn’t take them any time before they arrived back at the clearing to find the rest of his men and Agatha. “Where is your mistress?” Roderick bellowed, unable to believe that Siena wasn’t where he’d left her.
Agatha was ringing her hands, clearly agitated. “T--two soldiers came and took her, sire. I couldn’t stop them.” Her lip was bleeding. Evidently, she’d tried to stop them from taking the girl. “They went that way.” She pointed.
Roderick blew out his breath in disgust. “The rest of ye take Agatha and head for home. I’m going after my captive.”
“Ye need me to ride wi’ ye?” Duncan asked.