Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

A s Mae and Niall approached Fort Donald, Mae couldn't help but feel a mixture of awe and nervousness at the sight, questioning the possibility of such a structure existing. It looked too authentic to be part of a tv or movie set. But how could it be here in and in use in the twenty-first century?

"What is your name, lass?" Niall asked as they walked.

Mae glanced at him as he matched his stride to hers. She was sure that he could have made the journey up the hill much faster with his longer, muscular legs. She had to admit he was an attractive man and she wanted to get to know him better, so she paused her steps, held out her hand and answered, "Dr. Mae Welles, though I'm not a medical doctor, I mean I am, but not that kind. Sorry, what I mean is I'm a psychiatrist."

His brow furrowed again, but he gently took her small hand in his much larger one and held it. "Tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance, I am Niall MacDonald, cousin to our Chief, Cam MacDonald. I'm a guardsman."

"A guardsman? What does that mean?" Mae looked at him curiously as they began walking again.

"I and others protect these people and these lands." He gestured to the land around them.

"Who do you protect them from?" Mae asked, hoping to figure out exactly what kind of cosplay she'd dropped into.

Niall shrugged, and gave her a smile. "Any who wish to bring us harm, be it bandits, or waring clans, but I won't bore you with the details." His smile widened as they reached the massive wall. "Welcome to Fort Donald."

Passing beneath the open iron gate, Mae stepped into the courtyard, her eyes darting around to take in the surroundings. The interior of the protective walls revealed contrasting scenes. The courtyard unfolded before her, showcasing the diverse nature of the fort. There were stables with horses and other livestock on one side that spanned halfway toward the castle. There were stalls with vendors selling goods, and what looked like a guard building where various men walking around with bows and swords were entering and exiting. There were men who appeared to be guards like Niall on the walls and in the towers as well. Several of the inhabitants gazed at her with perplexed glances. She continued to scan the area and was amazed to see an old time blacksmith working a forge. He was hammering away at a piece of metal that rung through the courtyard every time the hammer dropped to the metal.

Mae's words tumbled out in wonder, her mind filled with amazement and disbelief at the site before her. "This... this is so unreal," she murmured. "It's like I'm dreaming, because every detail is just too perfect. How is this even possible?"

Niall regarded her, his blue eyes searching hers. They held nothing but kindness and what she thought might be empathy. "I ken it must be overwhelming for you, lass," he replied gently. "But rest assured, you are not alone in yer confusion of being in this place. Let us find Lady Jennifer, and she may shed some light on yer predicament."

With the weight of uncertainty pressing upon her, Mae paused her steps, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. "This place is all real. This isn't a tv set or some fake cosplay, is it?" Her heart began to race. "Be honest with me, Niall, I'm not dreaming, right? You aren't a figment of my imagination?"

Niall flashed a warm smile, a hint of playfulness in his voice as he replied, "Shall I pinch you, lass, to assure you that you are indeed awake?" He chuckled.

Mae couldn't help but notice Niall's dashing smile and his captivating charm, let alone the laugh that had butterflies building in her stomach. Something about him gave her a warm feeling that she very much liked. She looked around again, curiosity getting the better of her, Mae turned her attention back to the matter at hand. "So, where can we find your Chief and his wife? Didn't you ask that kid to have him meet us here at the gate?" she inquired, her eyes scanning the courtyard in search of any signs of their arrival. And then a thought struck her before he could answer. "Is his wife allowed to speak freely?" Something about this place made her think of centuries past where women were supposed to be seen but not heard. Surely that wasn't the case though, right? She feared it might be.

Niall chuckled softly, his eyes lighting up with amusement once more. "Oh, she does much more than speak, lass," he replied, his voice filled with a hint of mischief. "Lady Jen is not only Cam's wife, she is also a fierce guardsman, and one o' our finest. Her spirit and skill are unmatched."

Mae's astonishment had to show on her face as she processed this new information. The realization that women played such prominent roles in this place challenged her preconceived notions. Maybe it really was all fake and was some sort of futuristic tv show that only looked like old world Scotland? One that made that women as tough, and skilled, and strong as the men. That would be just like Hollywood, she thought. She looked at Niall and how muscular he was, there was no way a woman could take him down. Were the other guardsmen weaker than he was? Was that how this Jennifer was unmatched? Or was it just that the storyline for the show was written that way? She pursed her lips as she contemplated her thoughts.

Lost in her thoughts, Mae found herself drawn to Niall's genuine nature and the hint of playfulness in his voice. It was a refreshing change from the guardedness she had grown accustomed to. It ignited a flicker of hope within her, a belief that there were good guys out there, even if they were dressed in re-enactment clothes.

"What has that pensive look upon your face, lass?" He asked, breaking through her reverie.

"Just curious as to how a woman could have skills that are unmatched by someone who is obviously very fit and skilled himself," she replied, her eyes raking over his frame.

Niall laughed. "Trust me when I say, Lady Jen has brought many of us to our knees with what she calls martial arts. We are learning a great deal from her. Though, you are right, in a general sense, men are stronger, but the way she fights is much different than what we are accustomed to, and what our enemies are accustomed to. It gives her an advantage." He winked.

Martial arts? Mae was taken aback. That was a phrase that didn't belong here, coming from his mouth. What the hell is going on? she wondered.

Niall turned his gaze toward the arched stone doorway of the castle, drawing her attention in that direction too. A sense of anticipation filled the air, as she waited to see what was happening. Was it possible that the Chief was coming out to greet them as Niall had asked for him to do?

A moment later, a tall, dashing man, powerfully built, with thick, wavy auburn hair and bright blue eyes walked through the now open heavy wooden doors. A concerned look was etched upon his face, his brows furrowed with worry, and she wondered what had put that look there and who he was. Could he be this Chief that Niall had spoken of? Walking beside him was a woman of medium height, athletic and pretty, with dark brown hair neatly braided and wound into a bun at the base of her neck. As she got closed, Mae noticed she had hazel eyes. Was this the Lady Jennifer that Niall has spoken of?

The woman's face reflected shock as she noticed Mae, scanning her outfit with surprise.

In a Scottish brogue that was similar to Niall's, the man said, "Another one? Can it truly be happening again?" He seemed astonished to see her and perhaps a bit worried.

Niall replied, "Chief, may I introduce Doctor Mae Welles? I cannae say for certain she comes from the same place as Lady Jennifer, but mayhap once the ladies speak, we shall have our answer."

"A doctor?" the Chief looked at her with even more curiosity than before.

"Not a medical doctor." Mae frowned. Maybe she shouldn't have added the doctor part to her introduction, but she was proud of the title. It was just hard explaining. "I'm a psychiatrist. You can just call me Mae."

The Chief looked at the woman by his side.

"I'll explain later," she murmured and then smiled at Mae.

"Very well, Lady Mae, tis a pleasure to welcome you to Islay, this is my Lady wife, Jennifer."

"Hi, Mae, I'm Jennifer MacDonald. Everyone calls me Lady Jennifer or Jen. You can just call me Jen though" She grinned.

Relieved to hear a familiar accent, Mae replied, "Hey, so I have no idea where I am or what's happening here. I woke up in a field down the hill and over that way," Mae pointed, "after being in a cab on my way out of LA. It just doesn't make any sense my being here."

Jennifer exchanged a glance with her husband before turning back to her. "Yeah, I get where you're coming from. I've been exactly in this same position and the explanation is pretty unbelievable, but I assure you it's all real. Why don't you come inside with me? I'm gonna bet you're starving, right? We can have lunch and I'll fill you in on what's happened."

Mae felt a sense of unease along with her frustration. Why couldn't she just tell her now? Was it something awful? Her stomach twisted at that thought. She shook her head. "I don't think I can eat anything. I need to know what's going on, right now. Please, just tell me."

Jennifer let out a sigh. "Alright, but I'm warning you, it's not going to be easy to believe."

"Nothing about this place is easy to believe and I'm seeing it with my own eyes. What is going on here, Jen?"

Jen blew out a breath, her hands on her hips. "Fine, like me, you've traveled back in time. We're in seventeenth century Scotland, on the Isle of Isley."

Mae fell silent. The absurdity of the situation overwhelmed her, and after a brief pause, laughter bubbled up from within her. "Oh, come on. That's your explanation? I've time traveled to seventeenth century Scotland? You've gotta be pulling my leg." She rolled her eyes as she let the laughter spill out of her. The idea was absurd.

Jennifer winced and shook her head no. Her gaze was filled with empathy as she replied, "I'm not joking. It's real. These people, this place, it's all real. I know it sounds unbelievable, it sounded that way to me too when I got here. But it's the truth, Mae. We're in the seventeenth century."

Mae's laughter slowly subsided, replaced by astonishment and curiosity. She realized Jen wasn't kidding. "Wait, you're actually being serious," she said.

"Yes, absolutely, I wouldn't joke about this," she affirmed, her voice gentle. "I know it's a lot to process."

"Yeah," Mae nodded, "it really is."

"How about we go get something to eat now, and I'll tell you how I ended up here and what I know about how it happened."

Mae nodded. "Yeah, okay, I suppose I could eat now. Food and water would probably be a good idea." She smirked. "I have a feeling that after that, I might need something a little stronger to wrap my head around all of this."

Jen laughed as Mae had meant for her to do. "Come on, we'll head to the dining hall." She turned to her husband and added, "I'll take it from here, see you later?" She leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"We'll leave you to it, then, love." Cam smiled at her as he and Niall turned toward the guardhouse.

"Did Niall tell you where you were? I mean what this place is?"

Mae nodded. "He said this is Fort Donald, looks more like a castle to me though than a fort."

"I thought the same, and really it is a castle, Fort Donald is just the name." Jen led her into the building and down a grand hallway with stone floors and walls full of tapestries and sconces filled with torches to light the way. She paused her steps and glanced toward the stairs.

"What is it?" Mae asked.

"I was trying to decide if we should eat in the hall or in my suite. You might be more comfortable there," she said.

"Probably more comfortable than eating in the hall. Where would we sit?" she asked, looking around.

Jen laughed. "I meant the dining hall, it's what they call it here. This is the grand hall, then up there to the right is the dining hall, on the left is the kitchens. The dining hall is also used for large gatherings and when Cam has to address local issues." She turned toward the stairs. "Let's go up. I'll send someone to bring us a meal."

"What, like a maid?" Mae joked.

Jen smiled. "Sort of. They are the staff who run the castle. Everyone is important around here and treated well, no one is treated like a servant really, more like assistants."

They entered a room on the third floor and Mae was amazed. Brightly colored tapestries hung on the walls depicting scenes of battles, heroic tales, and the breathtaking landscapes of Scotland. She took in the room with its cushioned seating, the stone fireplace that looked massive, the table and chairs that sat under a window where the sun shone in, giving more light to the room. She turned as she heard Jen speaking to someone.

"Sally, would you mind very much bringing up a platter from lunch? I thought our guest might be a little more comfortable up here until she's more acclimated to us."

"Of course, I'd be happy to, Lady Jen."

"Sally, you know you can just call me Jen." Jen shook her head, but she was smiling wryly at the young woman.

Sally laughed. "I know, but you are married to the Chief now, and there are others about." She glanced toward the hallway behind her.

"We're friends, you don't have to. Anyway, this is Mae. Mae, come over here and meet Sally. She saved my bacon when I first got here."

Sally looked confused. "I didn't save you any bacon?"

Mae and Jen both laughed.

"That's just an expression from where we're from. I meant you were a great help to me."

"Oh, I see. Well, tis nice to meet you, Mae. If you need anything, which I'm sure you will, just let me know." She grinned. "I'll go see to that food."

"Thanks, Sally."

Once Sally was gone, Jen moved to a pitcher on a cabinet next to the table and chairs and poured two glasses, handing one to Mae. "It's just water. It's clean though, I make sure it gets boiled before anyone drinks it."

Mae hadn't even thought of anything like that and was glad Jen had. She took a drink and then said, "Alright, Jen, I'm ready to hear everything. Lay it all out for me, I can take it. What's going on here? How did we get here?"

Jen directed her to two chairs and they both sat down. Mae was surprised at how comfortable it actually was when she sat. Jen began with how she had traveled to Memphis for her dad's funeral and how she'd met a strange man. From there her world had been turned upside down. Mae couldn't help but be astonished and wondered how in the world any of it could be true.

Surely she was on some kind of hidden camera tv show, right?

This couldn't be real.