The Bewitching Twin(47)
She laughed and ran off.
She noticed a rushed scurrying around the village as if the people seemed unsettled, nervous. She slowed her pace and turned to see Derek hurrying over to Rogan. The two men quickly disappeared inside the cottage with two more men entering after them; the basket lay forgotten on the ground.
Anna and Tara both jumped when she entered.
“Is something wrong?” Aliss asked. “Everyone in the village seems upset.”
“A ship approaches shore,” Tara said.
“An attack?” Aliss was quick to ask.
“It is not certain, but preparations are being made either way.”
“What can I do?”
“Pray,” Anna and Tara said in unison.
Aliss could focus on nothing but her husband. She worried for his safety and their future. It was strange thinking of something other than her healing work. She normally thought of nothing but that. Rarely did her mind wander to anything else and here she was unable to think about anything but her husband.
She wanted to run to him and beg him to be cautious now that he had a wife who loved him to consider. And what of children?
Her hand rested on her stomach as she walked out of the cottage, needing fresh air, needing to see her husband. She could be with child and not know it. Lord, how her life had changed in such a short time.
A change she welcomed?
Her heart raced and her stomach fluttered, signs that while pleased she was also anxious. There were no guarantees that the decision she had made had been a good one, but with their love declared she now felt it had been the right one. She would not betray her own faith, she would honor that which was joined before God and witnessed by man and sealed with love.
Her pace turned rapid as she approached the cottage, and she was disappointed to see that Rogan was not inside. Her heart kept pace with her frantic steps as she made her way through the village. All the men were gone and the women with children in tow were headed to the woods.
Battle preparations.
Anna followed behind Tara, who held a sleeping Daniel cradled in her arms.
“Join us,” Anna said.
Aliss shook her head. “I cannot. There may be wounded.”
“Then I will join you,” Anna said.
“You do not—”
“I must,” Anna said. “If I am to be a healer, I must.”
“Godspeed,” Tara said and hurried to the sanctuary of the woods.
“We gather what we need and wait on the edge of the battlefield,” Aliss explained.
Anna nodded and they quickly gathered the necessary items before heading for the shore.
“Do you think the ship has landed by now?” Aliss asked.
“I hear no signs of battle.”
“Perhaps they come in peace.”
“We can only pray they do,” Anna said.
They both grew quiet as they approached the end of the woods, not wanting to alert anyone to their presence. They were careful where they walked, treading as soundlessly as possible.
An unimpressive but sturdy ship had been pulled ashore, and from the sound of it the passengers were now disembarking. No swords looked to be drawn, but then no words of welcome rang out either.
Aliss edged closer, the distance too far for her to see anything clearly. The closer she got the more she strained to see since she was certain her eyes played tricks on her. She thought she recognized a few of the men, but it couldn’t be.
Could it?
Anna grabbed her arm. “Do not go any closer.”
“I must,” Aliss said, and inched her way out of the woods to hide behind a large boulder.
“Fiona?” Aliss whispered. “Tarr?”
She smiled and dashed from behind the boulder to sprint across the uneven terrain straight for her sister.
“Fiona!” Aliss yelled, and everyone turned at her approach.
Aliss beamed with joy as her sister ran to meet her. They hugged, laughed, shed a tear or two then hugged again.
“Look at you,” Aliss said, her hand patting her sister’s rounded stomach. “You and the babe are well?”
“Fine now that we have found you,” Fiona said, and took firm hold of her sister’s hand.
Aliss felt the same. Her sister’s sturdy grip let her know she did not intend to let her go, but things were different now. Adjustments would need to be made, lives would change as Fiona’s had when she wed Tarr.
“Fiona, Aliss, come here.”
The command echoed in the air and the two women turned to see Tarr, his hand extended to them.
Aliss was eager to say hello and eager to ease the tension that divided the two clans. Once they knew the circumstances of her abduction, her choice to wed Rogan and her love for him, she was certain the unease would dissipate, though slowly, like the early morning mist rising off the shore.