Chapter 14 Scota

Kerrienne

“Hello” I said, “My name is Kerrienne.”

“Oh, thank the Goddess I’ve found you.” I took a small step back in surprise at the feminine voice that sounded in my head. “I was on my way to find you when I was accosted by these brutes. I was contemplating eating them but I was too weak after my transmutation. Then I heard them talking about your arrival with their Laird. So I let them capture me and lead me to you instead.”

“You were looking for me?”

“Aye.”

“Why?”

“I am your familiar.” The answer popped into my head.

“My fa…” I stammered, looking her straight in the eyes. “You’re not a horse are you?”

“Do you not know what you are? I can feel the power emanating from you and him.” She responded, throwing her head in Emrick’s direction.

I shook my head no. She bowed slightly, bringing her forehead towards mine. I approached her and let our foreheads touch. An image was projected straight into my mind. She was a creature of legend. In her true form, she was huge, with scales and wings that could span an entire field. I can see why she took the shape of a horse. Her true shape would scare anyone who happened to look upon her.

I stepped back. “What is your name?”

“I do not have a name per say, I am supposed to be named by the person to whom I am a familiar.”

“You mean me?, I’m supposed to name you?”

She bobbed her head up and down in a yes motion. A movement that looked strange considering she was a horse and yet wasn’t.

“Would you like to go for a walk?” I said, walking out of the paddock while lightly holding her reins.

Emrick handed me a saddle, instinctively I declined it. I also took the reins off her.

“Thank you" I heard her say in my mind. Emrick stepped closer to me. Grabbed me by the waist and lifted me onto her back. “What's her name?” I asked him.

“We haven’t had her long enough to name her. She's newly acquired. She wandered into the area the morning our clans battled on the beach. As a matter of fact, she was captured on the road heading to your father's keep.” He said, a far away look on his face.

“I let myself be captured.” She replied with a huff in my head.

“You can name her whatever you like.” He said chuckling.

“She was on her way to find me.” I said looking at him, waiting to see how he would react.

“I am sorry that my brutes mishandled you.” He said, smirking at her.

She took a step back. “The brute leader can hear me?” “I would appreciate you not referring to my husband-to-be as a brute.” I said at the same time Emrick said “If you keep calling me a brute, I will call you horse regardless of what my Lady names you.” He smirked.

I looked at him in shocked silence.

He chuckled. “For a minute I thought I was hearing things but then I heard Kerri answer you back.” I smiled at his nickname for me.

“How about Scota.” I said.

“Scota… It feels right. Yes, yes, I like that name. I am Scota.”

“Nice to meet you Scota.” Emrick and I said at the same time.

We walked by the bakery on our way to the gate. A woman was standing by the door as if waiting for us. She bowed her head to him respectfully and handed him a covered basket.

“My lord, my lady,” she said, bowing her head respectfully.

He took the basket from her. “Thank ye Glenna.”

She smiled at us and went back into the bakery. Emrick took us on a tour of his lands. We even visited a couple of farms scattered around the area. Then he took us to a hill overlooking the valley where the keep was nestled.

The view was breathtaking. He removed the small basket from his saddle. It was packed with cheese, bread, sweetmeats, a bottle of wine and a neatly wrapped blanket. We sat and ate in amicable silence, while taking in the view. I didn’t bother tying Scota to anything. I knew instinctively that she wouldn’t wander too far from us.

Mountains topped with snow in the distance graced the landscape. He pointed out the fresh water stream within walking distance of the keep allowing for easy water retrieval. There was also a large river and a small port east of the keep about half a day’s journey away.

The outer wall surrounding the buildings was manned by men at arms and was a stone’s throw away from the edge of the woods.

Scota came trotting over and laid on the ground next to me. “I would suggest cutting back the forest a bit, it’s too close to the outer wall and dense enough for an army to hide in. Or you could station some men in the woods.”

Emrick and I both looked at her in surprise then down towards the castle. “I’ll get right on that.” He replied.

From our vantage point, I could see the entire keep as Emrick pointed out the different buildings and their functions. There was a kitchen on the first floor of the main building behind the great hall, making it easier to carry in platters of food during huge gatherings.

He pointed out the various other buildings; a kiln, a mill, the bakery, a brewery, the barn. There was a small herb and vegetable garden, as well as a chicken coop behind the kitchen.

Outside the keep, cows, horses and sheep grazed contentedly. There was even a duck pond. And a little ways, close to the woods, there was a cemetery.

Emrick's was the biggest structure inside the enclosure. There were several other buildings as well as dwellings for the people who lived within the castle walls. The barracks lined the outer walls making getting up the walls for guard duty faster.

He informed me that in times of war, everyone outside the walls are brought into the castle grounds and the portcullises raised. There was always enough food in the pantries to easily outlast a three month siege.

Later that afternoon

kERRIENNE

By the time we returned, the courtyard had been transformed. Tables and benches took up most of the space and torches lit the pathways. Sarah ran to me and pulled me away from Emrick. I glanced back at Emrick as we headed for the main building. He smiled at me and mouthed “Soon.” I felt a blush creep over my cheeks as I followed Sarah.

I bathed and dressed in a haze. While other young women played with dolls and dreamed of their wedding day, I was training in the arts of negotiations and warfare, being my father’s only heir and all. He never once made me feel any less for being a girl instead of the son he was expecting to carry on the family name, his legacy.

Sarah pleated my hair away from my face, leaving it to fall down my back in waves. Once again, I barely recognized the face looking back at me in the mirror. I looked…. almost pretty!