A Warrior's Perception (12 page)

“
I smell a woman caged inside ye mind, trapped and full of fear of the unknown, fear of love and fear of her own harnessed desires,
”
he whispered softly,
“
I smell the woman who longs to be released from her prison.
”

Andra jerked her hand away,
“
Ye be mistaken. I desire nothin' and fear nothin'. My back is strong enough to carry me through life on my own, I donna need nor do I want a man.
”

“
If I were fifteen years younger, I would attempt to prove ye wrong,
”
he commented,
“
Alas, I can only offer ye my protection and friendship.
”

“
I donna need to be protected! I take offense to ye belittlement of me,
”
she tried to look sincere but her soft smile crept onto her lips,
“
but I will accept ye offer of friendship. For now.
”

Flaron smiled and threw his head back in laughter,
“
I donna know what has caused ye to come out here in this dreadful place, but whate'er ye reason, I am grateful for ha'eing the honor to meet ye.
”

Andra choked down her memories of Pierre and let Flaron put her hand in the crook of his arm. They walked toward the abbey as Andra shuddered under his warmth. He was a gentle, kind man and Andra prayed he would not prove her impression wrong. She stiffened and must have squeezed Flaron's arm a bit too hard. He stopped and turned to face her. Her hurt angry look saddened him and tore at his heart.

“
Someone has hurt ye, ha'e they lass?
”
he asked.

“
Aye,
”
she whispered unsure why she had answered.

“
I will'na hurt ye. I promise ye I will'na.
”

“
I know, I can feel ye speak the truth,
”
she replied as the empty spot in her heart yearned for comfort.

“
Is that why ye came here, to get away from a man?
”
he asked.

“
Aye, to get away from all men,
”
she answered grimly as she pulled her hand from his,
“
Men are beasts that only want to hurt women in one way or another.
”

Flaron watched her as she walked away. She held her head high and proud, but he could see the pain and sadness in her face. Someone had indeed caused her grief and tried to break her spirit. He smiled knowing this lass would not bow to any man or beast. She would not be broken or captured. He felt a small twinge of hope pull at his giant heart. He knew the perfect man for the job.

The man he knew would fall head over hills for this spitfire proud independent woman. The lad was twenty and five now and had never fallen for a woman. His smile and spirit blazed across his face, love would soon be in the air. He was going to take a trip to McKregan Keep in the morn and he would stop by the keep for a short visit with his dead laird's son.

Kagan stood and walked off of the stone steps that led to the gardens. He eyed Flaron as he tried to keep a straight face. The old buzzard was up to his match making again.

“
Kagan, I swear she is the most beautiful woman I ha'e e'er laid my eyes on. Knows her own mind and can ride better than most men. She is'na betrothed and is alone in this world. By Dagma, if I were a few years younger I would hide her away and keep her for myself,
”
Flaron argued as Kagan fiddled with the hilt of his sword,
“
She is a beauty. Course if ye na up to the challenge, I will find ye little brother. I am sure he would jump to the girl's rescue and court her right real good.
”

Kagan shook his head and smiled,
“
And what makes ye think that I would go out to ye abbey to find a woman, there are scores of 'em at my feet e'erywhere I go.
”

“
Cause this one is worth her weight in gold,
”
he smiled,
“
And it's time ye thought bout sirin' some babes to fill this keep with laughter like it used to be.
”

“
Why donna ye court her?
”
Kagan asked as he sat down on the stone wall.

“
She is too fine a lass for me to court,
”
he laughed,
“
I am afraid my heart would burst if I were to lay down with another woman of my Keyra's caliber. Andra is somethin' special and needs a strong man to ease her fears of the world.
”

Kagan stared hard at his old friend,
“
Andra?
”

“
That be her name, Andra Duncan I belie'e she said,
”
he replied.

Kagan's heart skipped a beat as he stood and smiled wickedly,
“
How long has she been at the abbey?
”

“
Seems like a year,
”
he paused,
“
Aye, has been a year since she arrived and begged the nuns for solitude.
”

“
Has she told ye why she came to the abbey?
”
Kagan questioned.

“
Nay, only that she was runnin' from men that had hurt her in some way. She will'na speak of the details and hides in a shell when I try to get her to talk of it.
”

Kagan slapped Flaron on the back and his smile all but blinded the poor man. Kagan offered him the bottle of scotch that sat on the stone table and laughed as he handed it to Flaron's outstretched hand. Flaron's brow strained against his forehead and he silently wondered what had caused Kagan's sudden interest.

“
Was she aware ye were comin' here?
”
Kagan asked.

“
Nay, but ye name was mentioned in conversation,
”
Flaron leaned back against the tree and continued,
“
Does she know ye?
”

Kagan's roguish smile was hid as he turned to inspect the budding flowers,
“
She does as well she should, after all she is my betrothed. Her father ga'e her hand to me four years ago.
”

“
She knows of this? Was it ye who hurt her?
”

“
Aye, she knows but I ne'er hurt her,
”
Kagan's face twisted,
“
A man did somethin' to her that made her lea'e her home after she damn near killed him.
”

“
Do ye know what he did?
”

“
I ha'e an idea, but I hope for her sake that it is'na so,
”
Kagan growled,
“
The bastard was near death when I arrived and his words were broken sentences.
”

“
And when he healed, did'na ye question him?
”
Flaron fumed.

“
He was unfortunate that day, my sword was'na forgivin',
”
he growled,
“
Her brother had been dispatched to find her, but he came back empty handed, swearin' she had disappeared into the highlands without so much as a trace.
”

“
It is unlike ye to give up,
”
he drawled,
“
less ye lost interest in a woman who may ha'e a scarred heart.
”

“
Her other brother, Crimm, confessed that he knew where she was, but he begged me to gi'e her time to heal,
”
he replied,
“
I agreed, but the O'Donnell's had waged a war with the O'Malleys. It was necessary for me to take care of the rivalry and to keep King James from knowin' how his kin were actin'.
”

Flaron rubbed his beard and drank the last of the scotch. He had been sure that Kagan could tame the girl's heart, but now he was not so convinced of it. He frowned; he had probably just caused her more problems to deal with than she was ready for. He carefully considered telling her that he had spoken with the laird, but he felt that she would run again. But in the end, Flaron decided to let Dagma lead the two headstrong hellcats in whichever direction he wished.

Andra's lungs filled with smoke and her eyes filled with fear as the orphanage was engulfed in flames. The heat singed her body as she desperately clawed through the dark smoke to find the children.

She counted as she grabbed,
“
One, two, three.
”

She hauled them out ordering them to stay put as she ran back inside. She searched frantically crawling towards the crying,
“
Four, five, six, seven.
”

She heard more crying but herded the ones she found outside to stand with the others. Flaron grabbed her as she started back in. She shook her head as she jerked away and fled back inside the burning inferno despite the fact that she could hardly breath and her eyes were bloodshot and glassy. Flaron followed, trying desperately to keep her in his sight as she crawled to the far side of the room.

“
Eight, nine.
”

She realized she must have been screaming the numbers aloud when Flaron's voice boomed from the hallway to her left,
“
ten, eleven, twelve...
”

She pushed the children to their knees and headed them to the door. As they passed a bed that was ablaze, she heard the soft cries of the least of the children. She reached under the bed and drug the tiny lad into her arms.

“
Thirteen!
”

She ran outside, coughing and trying to breath. Her lungs hurt and her head was fuzzy. She quickly counted the children as she headed them towards Flaron's small cottage on the hill. She looked back to check on Flaron and her heart shattered as the red orange flames licked the night sky and blazed furiously around him. She ushered the children inside of the cottage and took one last look at the orphanage. Her heart broke and tears slid down her cheeks.