thirteen
We arrived at a large stone wall with a wooden drawbridge pulled up to keep the unwanted out. Atleah stood tall and majestic behind its secure stonewalls. Drifters passing through the Clan would talk of castles, but me imagination did Atleah no justice. Suddenly, I thought of Armand and his giant horse as me knight and shining armor on his valiant steed, so bold and brave and true. I wished me hair were plaited or that I looked more like a person born to power and privilege instead of the poor peasant I am.
Armand startled me by calling to the guard, at the top of the wall, in a booming voice, “It is Armand, lower the bridge.”
The man at the top called to the men on the other side of the wall to grant our entrance as Armand commanded. Inside Atleah, the grounds of the fortress spread before us larger than it appeared from the outside. Around the castle, homes from various Clan people covered the land. Subtle differences expressed the Clan each home derived from. Between the castle and the Clan homes, a narrow passage exploded into a type of marketplace. People were all over, buying and selling a variety of items. Atleah's marketplace had a tradesman for everything, unlike ours at home that consisted mostly of sturgeon. One vendor sold only meat. They ranged from fish to pig to goat and even some fowl. There were crops, a blacksmith, a jeweler, someone sold wool and others sold pre-made clothing. I couldna have imagined so many different types of people in one location.
'Tis a village!
Unsure about being here, me stomach flip-flopped, something's no right. I heard a loud ringing in me ears, much the same as yesterday when I returned to Armand's house, only this time it intensified in a harsher tone that played against several other tones until they all blended together in one crude melody. I cringed into Armand's chest. He didna seem to notice. After the ringing passed, I took a deep breath trying to relax me body from the outburst of noise that momentarily consumed me. Looking back at Armand, to see if he heard or noticed the weird sounds, he carried on as though nothing happened. Maybe nothing did happen. Maybe 'tis just me nerves.
Keeping me weird feelings to meself, I believed if it were important, Armand would have mentioned it. Another part of me, the part curling in me stomach, felt I shouldna mention it. I dunna understand the logic I used, but after experiencing so much weirdness recently, I felt better ignoring the strange sounds and carrying on as if everything were normal. Maybe they'll go away, I thought.
Looking over Armand's shoulder, behind us, through the narrow lane between the Clan homes, I saw out the drawbridge opening, just before it closed, and across the pasture that Armand and me had crossed on our journey. There, in the distance, stood two British guard posts. They were twice the size of the post in me Clan, and all the other posts we passed during our travels. Instantly, dread filled me. Bigger Guard posts mean more guards.
On the way into Atleah, I didna see them. How'd I miss 'em? The horse trotted right between 'em. Me body slumped, falling back against Armand. He caught me weight still holding me in place on his horse.
Sensing me apprehension, Armand glanced behind us just as the drawbridge closed. Seeing what bothered me, he sighed, “Do not fret, dear. We sit on the border between Ireland and British-Ireland.” Whispering the last part in me ear as a secret only the two of us shared, “They cannot take us.” Then he squeezed me tighter around the middle.
Atleah is beautiful. I havena seen such a place. Honestly, I havena been no place other than me Clan.
The entire castle were formed from brown stones – Massive stones. Four towers, one facing each direction stretched to the clouds. No matter how high I looked, in the sky, the towers were never ending. “I wanna go there.” A playful grin spread across me face as I pointed to the top of one of the four towers. Armand laughed a deep, throaty response. I found it very attractive as a shy smile formed on me lips.
At the main entrance of the castle, two pillars, one on each side, held the roof over the top of the door. Under the entrance cover, two men stood out of the weather, still as statues and dressed in armor. They didna wear the same chainmail armor as the British guards. Theirs is lighter looking, almost fitted to their bodies and less restrictive of their movements.
Armand dismounted the horse then helped me to me feet. This time, he were much gentler with me than in the woods, when I demanded we stop so I could stretch. A lad, no more than eight, ran up grabbing the reins from Armand. Armand tipped the boy half a pence then guided me one way while the boy took the horse another.
“Where will he lead her?” curiosity touched me.
“To the Edifice,” Armand answered.
“Edifice?”
“The stables we keep the horses in. Edifice sounds better than stables.”
Huh. “Ye have a name for yer horses keep?” I giggled.
Smiling down at me, he nodded, “I guess we do.”
Slowly approaching the castle doors, two large, heavy, wooden doors with a metal framework, a dizzying, playful melody danced in me ears. It reminded me of children playing in a meadow on a bright and cheerful day. I ignored it, but part of me wanted to dance and play too.
The guards nodded to Armand as he pushed through the thick, wooden doors that led inside to the main hall, which I later learned is referred to as the Grand Hall, of Atleah. A long, narrow floor covering in a brilliant red were spread out beneath our feet and ran the length of the room. Struck by the simple beauty of it, I wanted to stay on its path and never veer off.
To me right, a hallway stretched, and to me left, a stairway. At the other end of the long room, another hall stretched to the left, and a stairway to the right. I followed the staircase, closest to me to reveal a railed landing looking down on us.
'Tis so much to take in.
Catriona waited, with Thor, inside the Grand Hall holding their new babe. “'Tis a girl! The babe's beautiful! Her hair's as bright as mine!” I held her and kissed her, laughing with surprise and excitement.
When Armand said we were coming to Atleah, I were euphoric to see Cat again, but I werena about to get me hopes up, for just in case. Now, here we are! In Atleah, and standing next to Cat and Thor! Cain ran into the room next. Grinning, only as a madman would, he picked me up, with his hands under me arms, in a bone-crushing hug and spun me round-and-round. I held the babe close through the excitement, but she seemed pleasantly unfazed by his speedy movements. Da and Mum entered the room next. Me whole family, happy and together! How we all came to be at the same place, so far from home were beyond me, but it didna matter as long as we were together.