35. Chapter 35 - Ash

CHAPTER 35 - ASH

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I slowly woke up to Lochinvar sitting above me again. Finny the horse beside him.

I watched him for a moment, his strong back stretching his shirt, the deep draw of inhale and exhale. I put my arm across his lap, my face against his kilt.

I could go back to sleep . Then I noticed his head swivel left and right.

He whispered, “Ye awake, Ash?”

I mumbled, “Yeah, starting to be.”

“Good, because I daena ken where we are.”

My heart sank. I scrambled up to sit by him. “What on earth do you mean?”

“It daena look like the clearing and Quentin and James arna here, they ought tae be arrivin’, but listen... there is nothing.” He stood and peered around in all directions. “And I daena fully recognize the bens on the horizon, we are somewhere odd — did ye feel it?”

“What, the searing pain? Yes.”

“There was a tug, it hit me about halfway through, twas like changin’ direction.”

“I don’t know, I just felt like it hurt and kept hurting.”

He scanned the horizon and picked up the vessel. “I think we might need tae jump again. I daena ken how we ended up with the wrong location.” He held the vessel close to his eyes.

“Is this a thing that can happen?”

“I think so, but I ken I had it set right, ye ken that Magnus looked at it as well, we all knew the vessel was set correctly for Balloch, yet here we are...” He looked all around again. “Och nae, we are in the wrong place.”

“I don’t want to do it again, let’s just live here.”

“Here, in this forest, in the middle of naewhere?”

“Sure, this looks great, I love camping.”

He grimaced. “Ye love campin’? A tent in the woods — dost ye like campin’ when there is a cooler of food? Some drinks? Because we dinna bring anythin’, only some bread and a horse we just met.”

“I think it would be fine, we can make do. You’re hardy and resourceful.”

He scoffed. “Aye, but ye canna live in nothing, Ash, ye are a modern lass, ye need much more than a plot of land and a stand of trees. There is not one pizza, not for miles. Nae refrigerator, how would ye live without one? Ye would never accept it.”

“I’m pretty adaptable.”

“I would feed ye rabbit for a week, while we travel tae the nearest loch?—”

“It would take a week?”

“Aye, and then once there I would build ye a shack tae live in, and I will hae tae fish for our dinner, Ash, ye will hae all the fish ye want, fish for breakfast and lunch and then dinner, twill be all ye could hope for and ye ken what ye will say?”

“No, what will I say?”

“Ye will say, Lochie, ye are the love of m’life, but if ye feed me fish or rabbit for one more meal I will steal the vessel and go tae Florida on m’own.”

I screwed up my face. “Rabbit?”

“Aye.”

“Fine, maybe I’m not that resourceful.”

He nodded. “I believe we are north of Stirling, but I am nae certain of the year. But I do ken one thing, we will hae tae jump once more, are ye able tae?”

I shook my head. “I need to pee first.”

He looked around at the horizon. “Can ye go right there? I daena want ye too far out of m’sight.”

“Yeah.” I stepped to the other side of the clearing pulled my skirts up and squatted behind a bush. My shoulder felt a lot better, I moved it gingerly in a circle while I urinated, a long stream, splashing on my ankles and shoes which was exasperating. I wiggled my hips in an attempt to dry myself. Not successfully.

He stood there for a second then huffed. “Now I need tae go as well. Stand guard.”

I looked out at the woods, sideways glancing at the big horse, while I heard Lochie piss behind another bush.

Something about the loudness of it made me think about how we were alone here, and — where was here? I turned and looked in all directions, and it dawned on me, we were alone and lost. “Lochie, we really don’t know where we are?”

He was quiet as he finished and returned to stand beside me. “Aye, but tis nae matter. Daena worry on it.”

He was looking at the vessel again.

“Should I look, I might have an idea?”

He said, “Nae, I hae this figured out, twas a mistake, I will fix it.” He twisted the vessel once more, chewing his lip. Then he showed me.“Dost it make sense tae ye?”

I looked. It was a weird device I had never really looked at before. A string of numbers, a few shapes, a form that felt alive, thrumming with life.

I was scared to touch it.

I shook my head.

He said, “Tis nae matter, I ken tis right. Daena be worried, Ash, I will get ye tae safety.”

I said, “I know you will.”

He nodded.

“But... I can’t believe we have to do it again. I am putting my foot down, no.”

He said, “Nae, ye canna say nae, ye hae tae come, och nae, ye are a pain about this, ye ken the bairns daena complain this much about it.”

“They have the gold threads, you told me about it, so I know why the kids don’t complain.” I spoke to the horse, “What do you think, Finny, this is bull-caboodle, right? We shouldn’t have to go if we don’t want to go.”

Finny neighed.

“I winna stand for ye two gangin’ up on me, this is not a democracy, ye hae tae come because I am the laird of ye both.”

I began doing one-armed jumping jacks.

He said, “Och nae, ye are goin’ tae be the death of us.” He began doing jumping jacks with me, his kilt flapping, his boots stomping, his hair flying around.

He said, “Five, four, three, ye better do as ye are told?—”

“Fine, two, and one.”

I put my hand on his arm, clamped my eyes tight and pressed my forehead to his shoulder as the pain began.