Chapter 25

"When d'ye want tae start?" Odhrán asked her.

"If ye're nae busy, how about now? I'm wearing an old dress, so it willnae matter if it gets torn or dirty," she replied, thrilled he had agreed to her plan.

"All right. We'll go tae one of me favorite places. It's private there and nae one will see us, and 'tis near a small loch where ye can swim tae cool off if ye like."

"That sounds perfect, thank ye, Odhrán."

"I have a spare blade around here somewhere fer ye. 'Tis the same one I learned with," he told her, suddenly getting down on his knees and rummaging for something under the bed.

"What are ye doin'?" she asked, puzzled.

He pulled out a wooden box. "Och, is a wee but dusty… achoo!" he sneezed.

"What's inside?" Maddison leaned over, curious to see what was inside.

"Naethin' important. Just some things I've kept from when I was a lad," he explained.

"Hmm, the usual lad's treasures, I see. A bird's nest, is it? Ugh, a dried-up old beetle? And is that nae a catapult?"

"Dinnae ask me about that. It got me a beatin' more than once," he admitted with a rueful grin as he searched among the contents. "Ah, there it is." He drew out a wooden dirk. "There ye are." He handed it to her.

She turned it over in her hands, examining its worn and battered surface. "Did ye really use this one to train as a lad?"

"Turn it over and see," he told her, getting to his feet and brushing himself down. She turned it over and saw his name inexpertly etched into the handle.

"Odhrán Murray Lennox," she read aloud. "And it says '10.' So, ye were ten when ye got it?"

"Nay, I was given it when I was about five, but I was ten when I got tae carvin' me name intae it," he explained.

"Och, Odhrán, that is so sweet, that ye kept it all this time." She gripped the worn handle of the wooden knife, imagining his boyish hands upon it as he spent hours practicing his fighting skills. Her heart fluttered when she saw his sheepish smile. Moved by a huge wave of affection for him, she reached up and kissed him.

"Please, dinnae call me ‘sweet' in front of the braithers. I'd never live it down," he joked, kissing her back.

She laughed as they broke apart. "I promise nae tae reveal yer sentimental nature. 'Tis our secret," she said, wielding the wooden knife experimentally.

"Are ye ready fer yer first lesson in self-defense then?" he asked.

"Aye, nae time like the present. Let's go." With the wooden blade in one hand, she took his arm with the other, and they went out together. "I'm very excited tae learn," she admitted as they made their way downstairs. "And I'm very curious tae see this favorite place of yers. Ye've nae showed me around the land properly yet."

"That's only because ye would nae let me at first, if ye remember, plus I've been a wee bit busy with Rollo's shenanigans," he replied, leading the way across the courtyard. "Come on, we're goin' tae the stables. The place we're goin' tae is about a twenty-minute ride away."

They rode out into the bright afternoon, with Maddison clinging happily to Odhrán's waist as he guided the horse out of the castle gates and across the meadows. Eventually, they reached the edge of a small pine wood where Odhrán pulled up the horse and dismounted. Maddison smiled as little thrills passed up her spine when his large hands easily spanned her waist, and he effortlessly lifted her down, placing her gently on her feet. He slung the horse's reins over a low tree branch and took her hand.

"This way," he told her. She eagerly followed him into the pines, breathing in the fresh scent and delighting in the birdsong that filled the air. After a few minutes, they emerged from the trees, and she was surprised to step out on to a soft area of green turf bordering a crescent of gravelly beach. The space was almost completely enclosed and private, with large, jutting rocks with hardy shrubs peeping from their cracks at either side, creating a small bay, where the waters of the loch lapped lazily at its fringes.

To their left, beyond the rocks, the pinewoods continued as far as she could see, the ground gradually rising to a high ridge that fell in a perilous looking rocky cliff down to the loch's edge. To their right, the pines thinned out to a stretch of sandy moorland pocked with stands of high gorse bushes and broom. On the far side of the lake, the high ground and rocky cliff continued, making access to the loch's edge difficult, but not impossible.

There did not appear to be a soul about, and the only sounds were the lapping of the waters, the twittering of birds, and the chattering of squirrels as they capered among the pines. A warm breeze carried scents of pine and heather to Maddison's nostrils, and she breathed in deeply.

"Och, 'tis a heavenly spot!" she exclaimed as they stood holding hands, looking out over the shimmering waters stretching out before them. "But will someone nae see us from the other side?" she asked, a little anxious someone could spy on them.

"'Tis doubtful. The great loch is better fer fishin'. The water here is too shallow. This is one of the few places ye can get down intae it easily. Hardly anybody comes here, so we shouldnae be overlooked or disturbed if that's what's worryin' ye," Odhrán assured her.

"And how d'ye ken this place?"

"Och, I used tae come here as a lad, with Tadgh and Liam. We fought many a mock battle here on this beach and ended up with a good soakin' as part of the bargain. And sometimes, we'd come here tae hunt for rabbits and the like."

"That sounds like fun," she said, touched to hear the affection in his voice as he revealed another piece of his past. "I'm honored that ye brought me here."

"'Tis all part of yer domain too now, Lady Lennox," he said with a small chuckle. "And I'm happy tae share it with ye. Now, let's get down tae some cheming', shall we?" He let go her arm and took off his coat, hanging it over a nearby branch before searching the ground with his eyes.

"What are ye lookin' fer?"

"This," he said, bending down to pick up a stick. "This'll do fine for a dirk while we're practicin'. If ye do well, I'll get ye yer own dirk," he promised, to her obvious pleasure.

"Thank ye. I'll wear it in me garter whenever I go out without ye," she replied,

pulling the wooden dirk he had given her from her waistband. "I suppose this'll have tae dae until then."

Odhrán stood a few feet away, looking her up and down. "I've never taught a lass tae fight before, and I've never fought in a dress," he said, making Maddison burst out laughing.

"With yer pretty looks, I'm sure ye'd look very fine," she joked.

"I dinnae plan on tryin' any time soon, so dinnae hold yer breath," he warned her, smiling. "Fightin' in skirts presents some interestin' challenges," he admitted. "For instance, I think the first thing tae dae before ye engage the enemy is tae kilt up yer skirts. That'll work if ye keep yer blade in yer garter."

"All right," Maddison agreed, doing as he instructed.

"And say if ye have a shawl or a coat with ye, if ye have time, ye can wrap that around yer blade arm, tae protect it."

"All right." She nodded.

"Good. Now, let me show ye how tae hold yer blade." He went up to her, and for the next ten minutes or so, he showed her how to use her wrist to maneuver the blade to either slash or stab her assailant. When he was satisfied she had grasped the concept, he stood back. "Now, ye're gonnae have tae dae a lot of chemin'—"

"I thought I was learnin' how tae fight. I already ken how tae dance," she jested, enjoying herself immensely.

"—tae avoid yer attacker, cheming' 'tis a man, of course. It seems that ye're at a disadvantage, being a woman and so small, with nae much reach. He'll seem superior from that point of view. But ye can use those things to help ye overcome yer foe if ye ken how tae dae it right," he continued.

"Like ye did with that young soldier back there? I saw how ye leaned intae the blows," Maddison said, recalling the butchery. It had been shocking to witness, to see Odhrán's ability to mete out such brutal violence without a second thought. But she knew it had been necessary and was thankful for his ferocity and skill in battle.

"So, what d'ye think ye could use tae yer advantage?" he asked, folding his arms.

"Um, I'm quick on me feet," she volunteered.

"Aye, good."

"I'm a woman, so he'll nae be expectin' me tae fight back," she suggested. "That means I could catch him off guard."

Odhrán smiled. "Excellent. I have a feelin' ye're gonnae be very good at this. Now, another thing ye need apart from bein' light on yer feet, is what d'ye think?"

Maddison frowned. "I dinnae ken," she finally admitted after some thought.

"The will tae win. If ye dinnae use yer fear and try yer hardest tae win, ye'll probably wind up badly injured or dead. Ye have tae want tae win."

She nodded her understanding, gaining a small but valuable insight into his combative mindset.

"Next thing is yer stance. As I said, ye'll be doin' a lot of bobbin' and chemin'' tae keep yer enemy on his toes, so ye'll need tae keep yer knees flexible and yer feet apart, like this. That way ye can move fast and feint left and right, back and forth, and so on, avoidin' his blows while, hopefully, sneakin' in some of yer own." He demonstrated, watching closely while Maddison tried her best to mirror his movements.

"If ye have the chance, take note of what sort of ground yer fightin' on too. Ye might be able tae use it tae knock him off balance and gain an advantage that way. At the very least, it might buy ye enough time tae get away tae safety," he advised.

"Ach, God, how am I gonnae remember all this?" Maddison cried, wondering if she had bitten off more than she could chew.

"Ye'll remember all right if ye're fightin' fer yer life," Odhrán told her. "That's when ye have tae let yer killer instinct come out and nae hesitate. Besides, this is only yer first lesson. With enough practice, yer body will remember fer ye, so ye'll nae even have tae think about it."

"I've never hurt or killed anyone before," she said worriedly, genuinely having second thoughts. "I'm nae sure I could dae it."

Odhrán thought for a moment, then he said, "Just imagine, Maddy, when ye were locked up in that dungeon back at the castle. Say ye had had a chance tae get out and ye had had a knife and had had tae fight me tae escape. D'ye think ye would have given up? Or would ye have tried yer best tae kill me or at least slow me down."

She did not even have to think about the answer. "Aye, I would have tried tae kill ye for sure," she admitted, recalling her vengeful fury at her incarceration.

"There ye go then. I've nae doubt ye'd rise tae the occasion, so stop worryin'. Now, let's practice."

They spent the next hour or so practicing until Maddison had fallen on her backside, or had her blade knocked out of her hand, or been overwhelmed by her husband's superior moves so many times, she was exhausted and covered in bruises.

"Can we stop now, Odhrán? I'm black and blue, and I'm startin' tae ache all over," she puffed, her hands on her knees, her face covered in perspiration.

"Aye, I think ye've had enough fer today," Odhrán agreed, tossing away his stick and appearing annoyingly unaffected by their exertions.

"I dinnae think I'm ever gonnae be any good at this," she said, slowly getting her breath back.

"Nonsense," he told her, going to put an arm around her shoulder. "Ye've caught on very fast. This is only yer first lesson, Maddy. Ye cannae expect tae learn tae fight well overnight."

"But I'll never be as good as ye," she bemoaned.

"Ach, dinnae compare yerself tae me. I started cheming' tae fight when I was about five years old. But that disnae mean that with regular practice ye'll nae be good enough tae defend yerself effectively. Remember what I said, ye must be prepared tae kill but it may nae always come tae that. There's many a man who's nae too good at knife fightin'. 'Tis enough tae merely wound yer man, tae give ye time tae get away. We'll practice every day that we can while 'tis still light, after dinner. That way, ye'll make a steady improvement, ye'll see. All right?"

"All right," she said, summoning a smile at his encouraging words. "The way ye talk, ye make me feel like I can dae it if I work hard enough."

"I have faith in ye, me little wildcat," he teased, returning her smile. "Now, how about a swim tae cool down?"

"I'll race ye tae the water. Last one in is a dummart," she challenged, suddenly feeling mischievous.

"Done!" he agreed, already kicking off his boots as she discarded her shoes. They giggled as they began tearing their clothes off and throwing them down on the gravel. Maddison dissolved into helpless slaughter as Odhrán hopped down to the water's edge, one leg stuck in his trews.

"That's cheatin'," she protested, "and 'tis nae a fair competition; I'm wearin' a lot more clothes than ye!"

"I suppose ye're right. Let me help ye with that," he offered, giving her a wolfish smile as he hopped back to her, cursing as he finally managed to shed his trews without falling over. She giggled even more, but his lustful look also sent her pulse racing with excitement as he undid the fastenings of her gown and helped her out of her stays. Before her petticoat had even fallen to the ground, she was off, splashing into the loch up to her hips, clad only in her shift.

"Ach!" she half screamed, half laughed, stopping dead, "'tis cheming'!"

"Tis a Scottish loch. What did ye expect?" he teased, laughing as he splashed up next to her in his shirt. He ducked his head under the water and resurfaced a few feet away, swimming around her with long, powerful strokes, grinning.

"I beat ye, though," she insisted, splashing him playfully.

"So ye did, but ye're playin' dirty, aren't ye?" he asked, shaking the water out of his eyes and heading for her with a look of mock menace. "I'm afraid that means I'll have tae retaliate."

"Nay, Odhrán, nay!" She screamed with laughter again as he ducked, and suddenly she felt him swim between her legs and lift her right up out of the water, so she was sitting on his shoulders. "I cannae hold on, I'm laughing too much," she gasped, hanging on to his head for dear life, while he gripped her thighs tightly.

"Watch the ears!" he pretended to grumble. "I cannae do without 'em. Now I've got ye, we're going fer a proper swim." He began to slowly go down into the water, taking her with him.