Dmi and Ae in Stornoway

[Sir Dmitrii Zurban]

Prelude to War - Dmitrii and Aegraine - To Stornoway

Dmitrii was a bit confused... The Mo’r Triath had summoned him unexpectedly... and as he was bade entry, he approached Lord Adam and knelt... “Yu summon’d me M’Lord...?”

Adam turned around, and smiled as Dmitrii remained kneeling. “Rise mae brother, nae need tae be up’n bent knee... Aye, Ah require yer time and yer wife...”

Dmi looked up with an odd expression, then rose to both feet, which he shifted weight evenly upon. “My time is yours, my Mo’r Triath... but my wife?”

Adam chuckled... “Aye, Ah want yae both to gae tae Stornoway... immediately... Yae, shall ensure the Island Guard on Lewis-Harris is sufficiently trained... and armed. Yaer wife, shall check the ship facilities... Ah bae sure she could find some suitable places for artillery... and if’n nae, then build them...”

Dmitrii listened to his instructions... Training was part of his duty and surveillance of how well trained and armed the military was, the other part. “Do yu expect trouble M’Lord? Why the suddenness of such a task?”

Adam smiled... “Nay, nae trouble, baet yae ne’r know aye? An’ there bae nae time like the present to ensure our posterity...” he canted his head. “An’ in yer spare time, enjoy the serenity Eilean Leòdhas agus na Hearadh has tae offer...” His smile grew... “Time yae two had some personal time and make some children...”

A seasoned warrior, one able to control his emotions...most of the time... Dmi blushed at Adam’s offer of a sort of honeymoon for the childless couple. “Aye M’Lord... yer wish is my command...” his eyes had dropped with the blush, and now he looked at Adam... “Never too late, aye M’Lord...” reflecting upon the rumors of the childless pair, who now had a well-rounded family...

Adam laughed, his hand raising and resting upon Dmi’s shoulder as the two men, long-time friends and sword-brothers... “Aye mae brother... aye...” as he guided Dmi toward the door.

An hour or so later, he found Aegraine upon the wall, hanging upon a rope inspecting a repair done by her crew... Looking over the edge, he whistles at her and waves... “Yo lass, come here... I got news for us... we are taking a trip to Stornoway...”

Ae paused and looked up to the top of the wall and waved to Dmitii, signaling she was on her way to the wall's top. The young woman was now at her best ever, strength, confidence and agility. Leather work jacket, short skirt and leather trousers outlined her athletic curves, slim and graceful. She had never looked prettier; being in love does that, doesn't it? In moments she was up and over the wall crest and alit beside him, her face pink from the crisp wind swirling about the construction.

"We are going where?" She had her crews finishing up fortifying the wall that faced outward in direction of Rassay Island, as per the Mo'r Oukselo Beathag's instructions. "We both will be working at the same site? Marvelous!"

Dmitrii admired his wife... lovely than any, more agile than most men, and a better swordsman than many he knew... of course, his instruction did help. “We are going to Stornoway... and yes, we will be close...” then the bustle of men finishing the job and collecting their tools caused Ae to interrupt him.

"A moment, I would love to hear more." The she spoke to her second in command and to the crews, for the day's work was at an end. "You all have done this organization proud! It passed inspection, and in celebration, MacIver will be taking you all out for a pint at the tavern tonight." It was a simple treat, and rare for Aegraine to fund such an evening. "Enjoy only so much as will allow you to report for another day like today." She was laughing at their feigned groans of such a limitation that would exclude a drinking bout that might result in a hangover. With a wave she, let the crews go and handed a purse to MacIver. "A little fun tonight, they earned it."

Dmi smiled knowing they both were well-off financially... Him, from his inheritance and hard work as the Mo’r Triath’s right-hand man. Her, from her work as the Engineer Captain and as partner in her Father’s business. She did take care of her workers, and they in-turn, they performed well for her, with no laziness involved...

"Now, tell me more Dmi!" She was still shy about greeting him with such good as she now gave him, in front of the crew. Arm in arm they walked along the wall crest, their images could be seen going past one arrow slit and then another. He was a handsome man, by any standards and the two of them made such a lovely couple. Everyone said so. Even her father, although Martin still muttered how he wished his son-in-law had been the architect he's chosen.

"Stornoway! When do we depart? Tell me more!" Her green eyes brightened with the news, for Ae had not traveled since before the last war, almost four years ago.

Dmi chuckled at her eagerness... “We leave in three days... The Mo’r Triath’s ship, the Gazebo, is taking workers there and bringing back a load from the east routes... We should be there 10-15 days... unless the task takes longer...” The Gazebo was a heavy cargo ship, with a rotund belly and no armament. The Mo’r Triath would only allow the Gazebo to sail within Skye shores... “I will be evaluating the training of the men on the Island Guard... and yu shall be overseeing cannon emplacements on the north and west coasts... Yu shall be coordinating with the Artillery Captain and have 100 workers at yer disposal...” he smiled. “Lord Adam feels that the isles of Lewis and Harris, especially the city of Stornoway, is vital to Skye’s security of the inner shipping routes...” he shrugs... “Yu know Adam, he worries a lot... and goes much by intuition... he thinks they are subject to attacks...” he squeezed her arm... “But not while we are there...”

"Your friend Adam has uncanny instincts for what this land needs; like having cannons at the ready when the last war came up to Turas Lan's gates." He had that one right on. It was right on the money to have cannon ready for that trebuchet that came right up to the city gates. It got that far and no farther, thanks to good instinct. "Not while we are there." She looked up at Dmitrii as they walked along, a little grin on her face. "And if attacks come after we have done our jobs...they will find the Skye shores are not easy pickin's, by a long shot."

Dmitrii chuckles... “Adam has come along way m’dear... tis nay long ago, I remember him as a knight in the King’s Highland guard... and nay more... except a man in love with a lass he could not get close to...” ...he chcukles and winks at her. “Truly the man has grown into his nature, nyet?” chuckling... “All for the love of a lass...”

"Three days? I can be packed and ready to go, with all the sighting and measuring gear in its crate." The lePower family brought strange instruments from the Holy Land after the Crusades. Small and very large spyglasses, tools to measure angles to site in a target, calculators for wall thickness and height ratios; all lePower had their own tool kits for their specialized tasks.

“Da, three days...” he cants his head at her... “Like I know yu cannot be ready...” he chuckled.

Their daily work-life did not allow the Zurbans to reside together during most weeks; if they were not at Lake Manor, Dmitrii had his quarters with the rest of the military, while Aegraine stayed in her cottage on Weir Lane. True, he came to visit her there, when it was possible, but that was not every day and rare that he was able to stay overnight there. Ten to fifteen residing at the same place; it was like a vacation, a working vacation at that.

Her mind was full of travel, having time with Dmi and what needed to be done for harbor defense. One hundred crew members; she would have her days filled. "You do not have to reside with your troops, do you?" It came as an afterthought.

Sometimes, it seemed no wonder they did not have children... their professional lives always coming before their private lives... but they did take every opportunity to enjoy their time together; whether it was just a meal along the wall, a lakeside picnic, or frolicking in the bed like young lovers... And too, they did spend lonesome nights apart, their minds delaying the sadness of a cold bed until they could make up for lost time.

Dmitrii shakes his head... “Nay luv, we shall stay together at the Amhuinnsuidhe Castle in Harris for the first few days, the headquarters for the Island Guard is there... and yu shall be on Lewis north and western coasts afterwards to get the crews started...” he looked down, with a hidden smirk that would be so familiar to her...

Then after a few moments, he looked up... “But I shall travel with yu... so instead of being apart, we shall travel together.” he smiles. “We can traverse the islands together, between the two tasks...” all the words spoke with his usual Rus accents of rolling r’s and difficult Vs and Ws.

[Sir Dmitrii Zurban]

"I will be taking notes as we enter the harbor, to see the area as if from an aggressor's ship. Cannon aboard ship point out from the sides, don't they? So to fire upon the docks and docked ships, they'd either have to get in close or turn sideways." It was work but facing the assignment together was the best vacation for Ae. Even before she's seen the place, her mind was starting to process the stored, memorized facts into new ways of defense.

"I was thinking, we have not traveled without my Da since that time we went out to Eirian's estates." The long ago overnight camp out was the first lessons Aegraine had on cooking over a fire. "I hope my father does not get into one of his building moods and we come back and cannot recognize Lake Manor." It was comical, the number of revisions the old man had drawn up for Dmitrii's home.

"Amhuinnsuidhe Castle" She searched her well organized memories of castles and their construction plans, hands moving into the patterns of thought prompts, to look for the name but did not find anything about this particular building."This is going to be fascinating..." and looking to Dmi, she smiled more with her eyes than anything, "...and such fun!"

Listening to her, he took her by the arm and made their way to the Castle. There they made arrangements with the Mo’r Triath’s aide de camp for their absence. Routines were absorbed by seconds on Ae’s construction crew and the Captain of the Guard for Dmi’s responsibilities. Once complete, and duties assigned, they made their way to the stables.

Saddling his and her mounts, he smiled. “I hope 3 days goes by fast so we can be on our way...” as he looked over the big black horse at her. “Adam says the Island Guard has been training for several months under the new tactics I prescribed months ago, but he wants me to evaluate them...” he pulls up on the girth and then wraps the leather strap around and thru the metal ring. “I do not see any reason why we cannot spend a lot of time together...” then he winked at her across the horse’s back.

The ride back to Lake Manor was slow and casual, both of them enjoying their time alone... and as the house came into view, he smiled. “We have a nice place... no need for yer Father to go crazy whilst we are absent.” He chuckled.

They entered their bedchambers and Dmi pulled out a brown leather satchel, one he had used for many years of travelling... Selected item of clothing were inserted... “I am packing now... so we have more free time...” he looked at her with his brown bedroom eyes... “We can stay here until its time to depart...” waggling his eyebrows. Just then a knock on the door... “Aegraine!! Daughter yu in there...?” a familiar male voice resounded beyond the door. Dmi just sighed...

"I'm in the bath tub, Da!" Aegraine called out to her ever present Father, who had his keen ear held to their chamber door. "I will see you at breakfast, right?" Well, it was not quite true, yet. She did intend to soak in the luxurious tub in the second room, after a while. Later.

He had already embraced his wife and had begun to molest her in the sanctity of their bedchambers... he just tossed her shirt away as the door was knocked on... “Pezdyetz...” he whispered in her ear...

"You are daughter? Well, rest you well then." He was not finished, however. "Say, Dmitrii? Since Aegraine is occupied, how about us drink a few pints and I challenge you to a game or three or chess?" He was not budging. Martin was so lonely, he was oblivious at how much he overstepped his welcome in the young couple's lives. "I have an idea of how we can add a second level sun room, out of your quarters. I took the liberty of drawing up a few sketches." These ideas added to the pile of construction projects he'd conjured up for Lake Manor.

“Father... I too am bathing... maybe later...” he chuckled silently, his hand covering his mouth... “Do you not want grandchildren around to hear yer stories...?” then he buried his laugh in Aegraine’s bosom, as she popped the top of his head. Dmi had hoped this frivolous statement of his daughter having sex would send him away immediately.

When Martin finally walked on his way, off to see if any of the servants wanted to sit around the kitchen fire and tell tall stories over a whiskey or two, Aegraine just sighed and shook her head. She kept her voice low so only Dmi could hear. "I wish my Mother would take him back and go build themselves a nice home, about a day's ride from here."

Dmitrii could not control his laughter any longer... pausing only long enough... “Maybe we should get Lady Aramoire to fix that...” then he laughed again. As they laughed, she popped his shoulder, which led into a tickling frenzy... which led into more intimate situations.

The next morning, all their luggage, weapons, measuring an drawing instruments went along with Dmi and Ae, to the docks of Turas Lan. They stood together in the midst of chaos, the ship unloading crates and shuffling exports into the hold, all going on at once.

"Dora!" Ae waved over to her former servant. "Look; she has a third son now. A blond to go with the one redhead and one with black." Strange, Da did not come to the docks to tell us goodbye. She looked about for him, relieved he was not there.

Dmi chuckled... “Prolific wench isn’t she...” He looked around... “Odd yer Father is nay here to see us off... I hope I did not cause his consternation with my comments eve last...” he had hoped her Father did not sneak aboard, knowing design and construction was the menu.

"I am supposed to take notice of any new fashions I see important ladies are wearing. Marie had me promise to tell her about the woman's clothes, what colors are new and draw her the designs. She wants to make me a fashionable gown." Ae traveled in her work suit, with the short skirt over it. Her cloak hid that she was wearing practical things for this voyage.

“Oh really? New clothes?” he gave her an odd look, chuckling. “I would like to see yu with new clothes...”

"I was reading about the harbor, in a scroll my Da bought in the Parchment Mart in London, last year. It said this was a natural harbor, one the Vikings used; calling it ‘Stjornavagr’,Old Norse for Steering Bay. It is described as wide, flat open harbor. It sounds good for ships but not so easy to defend." The set pattern of walls and towers had to alter. Why was there no high tower here? Was it the land, the lack of good foundation? Her mind was clicking along, as Ae put it, making all the sounds to weave facts into invention.

As they walked along the gangway to the ship, he seemed honestly interested about the harbor. “I presume yu have yer work cut out for you...” as he allowed her onto the ship first... “But I have faith in you my dear... Just make sure WE have time together.” He offered her a familiar smirk, the beard crinkling in the right places. They spoke Russian as so none would understand what they were saying.

"If we get to move about the area, there is a very old stone dome construction I would love to see." She means to memorize it, keep it in her mind until she had time off work to draw it up, for the records. "It is called Carlowy Broch and is about fifteen miles from the harbor." A long trip if it were on foot; if there was any time. "If not this time, perhaps we can see it another." They stood on the deck, at the rail, looking away to the open water. Side by side, the two faced the work assignment with energy and enthusiasm. Like a well matched pair of carthorses, liking the work and loving the company when they were together.

“Carlowy Broch, eh? We shall make time m’luv...” His accent prevented the proper enunciation of the word, but she understood. “We will do the job right, and still have time for ourselves...”

Just then, a very well designed carriage drove up near the gangplank... out came a fancy-dressed couple. Dmitrii just looked at Aegraine, cokeing his eye, then looked back at the pair.

In Russian, she whispered to him, only loud enough that the wind did not take her words, as the lady was helped out of their coach. "Look at her gown. That is the type of thing Marie wanted to know about. Oh my. I think I recognize the lady. I saw her in the shop where I buy my fancy embroidery threads." Ae's current project was a thread painting of Lake Manor, with textured stone walls and silvery reflections in the lake surface. Aegraine was a 'people watcher', but careful not to be obvious when she was observing. The little shop was one where fine ladies and some of more modest means all shopped.

Dmitrii looked at the woman, then back to Aegraine... “My dear, if yu desire such a dress, then yu shall have many...” He was always trying to make her happy, despite the need never required as Ae was happy with her man. “Speaking of threads... Just what do yu have under that cover upon the easel in the parlor...?” He had seen the easel with the wool covering, knowing it belonged to Ae, and never looked. If she wanted him to see, then she would have shown him, but it did not hurt to ask.

It took Marie to get Aegraine to take an interest in fashion and fine fabrics. The engineer has never had a gown made especially for her. To date, she had her Mother and Grandmother's gowns, cut down and fit to her smaller size. At Lake Manor, the maid Marie had altered Dmitrii's first wife's wardrobe to fit Ae. There were so many lovely dresses, many of them never worn, it would have been a waste not to use them. Especially if Dmi offered and Ae had no objections. Cloth of high quality was extremely costly so passing a gown from one to another was done often.

Oddly, with Victoria’s family dead, there was no one to receive her belongings upon her death... so he carried them wherever he went... until he settled in Lake Manor... There he had a special trunk made for all her possessions, the trunk then floundered a while in the large house, eventually settling in the lowest room of the house near the wine racks. Of course, Aegraine, being the curious engineer, was examining the foundation of the Manor, when she found the dust covered trunk. Opening it, she found beautiful dresses, black leathers, large jewel hairpins, and letters bound in materialed string. Dmi had told her about Victoria, their short marriage, and her death at the hands of her Father just before the war of the Highland Kingdom. But he had not thought about the trunk until she approached him with it... That is when he offered Ae the dresses... not to be morbid but to honor Victoria...

"Have you seen them before? I thought I knew everyone at the Castle." She guessed from the way the crew raced to take the couple's luggage first, before the folks already in line to board, that the well dressed ones were of some importance. To Ae, that meant from the Castle.

Dmitrii caught only but a glimpse of the pair as they passed them, trying not to stare. Looking to Ae, he shook his head... “Nyet, ne vidish apet...” [ No, I have not seen them before..]

The fancy dressed ones vanished from their view, tucked off in the Captain's cabin, no less.

“Humpft...” Dmi exclaimed as the couple disappeared below deck... “Must be someone important...” he offered with a shrug.

Two Zurbans stood on deck at the rail, as the ship departed, watching gulls swoop and glide over the high rigging, flapping their wings to move off when the sail unfurled. "Look at the birds. The first time I remember going away on ship, when I was little, I watched the same type of white birds, following our ship for three days out. When the journey went on so long that I got homesick, we neared land and these same birds came flying back and forth about the sails, high up as the mast. I was so happy. I thought we were back home. I thought they were the very same birds, not realizing that birds like that are many locations." On their return voyage, Martin took his little girl on deck of the ship at night and showed her the stars. He explained the sky map to her and stated her memorizing key constellations.

"One day we might go so far, the stars are different." Aegraine imagined it could be. "Are the stars different than here, in your homeland, Dmi?”

"They are the same my dear... and sometimes I wish they were different..." Upon the deck near the rail, Dmi looked down at the water, then shook the rail... he was listening to her, but his thoughts were more on the surety of the ship. Of almost all his travels... from Kievan Rus, to Argania, and Scotland... most had been by land...The few times he was on-board ship, always made him nervous... he was not phobic like Lord Eamonn, but he was a warrior and a hoseman, not a seaman...

Suddenly, the wind caught the sails, as they exited the harbor heading out to sea, causing the ship to lurch forward and they were off. Off to Stornorway. Together.

The jolt of the sails being filled made his deathgrip the rails, and he looked at Aegraine and smiled... the neatly trimmed beard quirked slightly.

[Dame Aegraine lePower-Zurban]

Stornoway, Isle of Lewis

In their hands, Dmitrii and Aegaine hold this map, discussing this location, where Adam has sent them to work. Suddenly, there is a call on deck, land is sighted. They are about to see this place for the first time.

It was the second day of their voyage and the Zurbans walked along the deck, trying to ignore the unsteady floor beneath their feet and the creaking of the ship's timbers. A few gulls played at settling on the maintopsail cross bar and flitting off again. The sky was clear and the air hinted at spring, mild warm breezes filled the ship's sails. Dmi and Ae got their first view of the islands of Harris and of Lewis, where Stornoway sits.

Standing at the rail, Dmi scans the area... “So this is Stornoway...” then he looked at his wife standing beside him.

The harbor where Adam sent them was on the north-east of Lewis Island, just tucked under a short outcropping of land. A wide, natural harbor this location was much utilized by the Vikings, who called it "‘Stjornavagr", Norse for Steering Bay. First they saw the lay of the land, turning into port, from the open sea. Some say the island is named for poet of old, Leod, its old name meaning Poet's Place, in Norse.

Three piers awaited ships to come and tie up, a good place to shelter from a storm if need be. The land is flat and there is no barrier for seeing at a distance. Flags for recognition are the custom for ship approaching a pier.

Loading and unloading, a never ending project here in Stornorway. Goods from all over the accessible world come here, before the are re-routed to the Isle of Skye and other places.

An occasional village can be found along the pathways and byways, but there is only one town, Strornoway. The homes are built of native stones, topped with thick thatch, sloping down from a conical shape, good protection from storms.

There are several gracious home, castles even, for the citizens here are well provided with income via the harbor.

Stone ruins of the past remain; this was once a watch point, to the west, Carlway is some fifteen miles from Stornway. This is the place Dmi and Ae will take a hiking excursion to visit.

Other things stand in silent witness to history. For instance, the Callanish Stones. Who left these guardian stones is an unsolved mystery.


"We are staying on Lewis Isle, aren't we? " She was afraid they would not be able to see each other often during this assignment.


Dmitrii shakes his head... “Nay luv, we shall stay together at the Amhuinnsuidhe Castle in Harris for the first few days, the headquarters for the Island Guard is there... and yu shall be on Lewis north and western coasts afterwards to get the crews started...” he looked down, with a hidden smirk that would be so familiar to her... Then after a few moments, he looked up... “But I shall travel with yu... so instead of being apart, we shall travel together.” he smiles. “We can traverse the islands together, between the two tasks...” all the words spoke with his usual Rus accents of rolling r’s and difficult Vs and Ws.

The Lewis island they see is mostly sandy beaches backed by dunes,on the east coast. On the island center, there is a peat covered plateau. On the Atlantic side, there are more rocky places with cliffs and coves. On the eastern side of Lewis is the only city, where most of the people are settled. Stornoway is the only town. It is here the Zurbans arrive, the ship docks.

"It looks so wide and open!" Aegraine hung onto the rails, eager to set foot on solid land once more. She looked forward to her work now that she was not going to be lonely, in fact quite the opposite.

There are midges near the water; butterflies and dragon flies have already begun to flit about in the air of Stornoway. Native carnivorous plants, the Sundews await a feast. It is spring. Love and war are in the air.

Dmi watched the entire process of sailing into the harbor, and tying off at a pier... Stornoway was much bigger than he expected; but that should have come to no surprise given Adam’s venture of Gaelic expansionism. “Da, durogai...” [ yes dear] Again he would take up the Russian language, just in case someone was listening, putting pieces together. “It is a fine harbor, but difficult to defend...” he pointed to several places that would be beneficial for cannon emplacements. “I think there, there and there... and maybe one there...” once again in Russian... “Those seem to be key points a sort of crossfire... and we shall recommend large ground cannon ensuring we have complete coverage... I just hope the ground is suitable for building... I think Adam should have a coastal runner protecting the entrance... and maybe some signal cannon...” he smiled and patted her back, knowing she was the expert.

Signal cannon were small cannon about 8 inches long and made of copper and brass... It was used by many cities as a requirement for entering their harbor. The ship would fire off a small signal cannon to alert the city of their arrival and a means of communicating the request of an inspector of incoming ships who wished to dock. This was a means of controlling a harbor and possibly preventing unwanted spread of infections.

Looking around the piers as they got close enough, he knew stables would be close by...

[Sir Dmitrii Zurban]

She was quietly thinking, considering the island and the map her Dad had sketched from his memory of a long ago drawing. She kept her conversation to his native language, for this thought made Aegraine uneasy. "If I were trying something with this town, I would come up from the land side, off one of those gold sand beaches to the west. It is less than a day's march, less on horse. If I were going to attack this town, I'd do it with a two-front attack, at the same time." Her years with the treacherous Incanto, her fostering to a mad man taught Ae how to think as an aggressor would. Was the land going to be easy to traverse? Only closer inspection would tell.

Dmitrii nodded at her comment, agreeing with her. “Seems feasibly, for I would do the same strategy... of course depending upon the land forces and terrain.” Again, he kept the conversation in Russian, should anyone overhear their conversation. “Maybe, it would be a better idea to stay at an Inne before going to Amhuinnsuidhe Castle. We can arrange for horses to check out the landscape...” then he smirked, the beard crumpling in a familiar sort... “We could even check out some of those places yu are interested in.”

The Zurbans waited, as other passengers did, as an important couple were graciously escorted to disembark first, their way cleared by ship's personnel, their luggage carried for them, to an awaiting closed carriage.

Dmi was satisfied that the ship had docked, and by now, passengers were disembarking... He watched the men carry their luggage to the carriage, the he asked the driver to take them to a nice Inne. Less than a half hour later, Dmi and Ae was escorted to the second floor of a local Inne, and showed their room. It was not large, but the bed was sufficient. Before the man left, Dmi inquired about the stables.

Along the street of Stornoway, Dmitrii and his beloved wife, Aegraine, walked toward the stables on the edges of city-proper. There the pair arranged for horses and equipment. Dmi had his twin blades of death strapped to his back, the dagger exposed to his front. No where outside Lake Manor, nor the Griffin Castle, would the Kievan Rus warrior be found without his tools of trade. His beloved wife, too, had her tools of trade... an expandable telescope and surveyor’s rod, quadrangle, and compass... and her sword, now strapped to the saddle. The pair rode off in search of information on the lay of the land.

"I was talking to the Innkeeper's wife, she was asking if we were newlyweds, on our honeymoon. I told her we were, it feels so, to me." Ae kept the reins close in as the unfamiliar horse took some time to get to know him. "She was telling me west of here are a few hills, rises above the inland waters and peat bogs. I am curious to see if this is country troops of men and war machines might travel."[/i] Peat was the fuel used in her homeland, for cottages and for those who did not have access to wood. Cut from the land, one square at a time, the matted vegetable matter was dried and burned for fuel. It was economical and as fuel, lacked the odors of dried dung.[/color]

The pair of horses carried the man and woman along the road toward their destination. Dmitrii smirked at his wife’s comment. “Da... besides it’s the first time we have had a chance for a honeymoon...” Shifting in the saddle, his hand reached out and touched hers. “We shall just have to monitor the terrain and see how it can be of advantage to our men."[/i]

"The woman told me of nice beaches on the other side, beyond Carloway, and of a little house. She said she went there with her husband when they were first wed."[/i] Pats and kind words to the rental horse began to make some progress. She was paying more attention to the countryside than her horse, as they rode along.[/color]

“We can check it out as we go along...”[/i] he smiled. He could tell she was enjoying this, and it made him smile. “A little house? If no one is there, maybe we can spend a day or so there and spend some time looking around... I’d prefer not to be rained on...” he smiled that familiar smile, quirking the neatly trimmed beard.

The pair of them stopped at various points along the way, first looking back to the harbor from upon the first rise they came onto,Ae making notes on one of the wax tablets she carried as one wears necklaces. They each took turns with the sighting glass, to see what one might discover from this vantage point, if they approached Stornoway from the west, the land side. "That the watchpoint of Carloway even exists proves that even in the old days, there was a chance of a two sided attack. Twin blades are more than twice effective."[/i] She joked, for Ae had seen Dmitrii's pair of swords in battle, years ago and it was a sight not to be forgotten.[/color]

The ride to the beach was enjoyable... and they did find the cottage, with stone walls and a thatched roof... the door with leather hinges hung precariously in the frame. Dmitrii dismounted and checked out the insides, and motioned to Aegraine, the coast was clear. Inside was cozy, though lacking fire in the hearth for sometime now. “I’ll gather some wood... best we get a fire started before nightfall...” he mentioned as he looked around the small cottage. Poking the bed, he looked at her and offered her a familiar wicked grin...

"There is shelter for the horses, even."[/i] Ae slid off the hired horse and took both of the mounts to find water for both. "This reminds me of the time we traveled to Eirian's estate, back when we were barely acquainted. You were teaching me how to cook over a campfire."

Dusk gathered and within its softened shadows, came rain clouds from the west, from the open water. Ae hurried to get things settled so they might start a fire to ward off the dark. And to keep her old fears of a storm at bay.

"In the morning, I am going to check this little inlet and see how deep it goes, what might dock this close to the roadway."[/i] Ae closed her note books and began to dig through a saddlebag to get out the things to make them a meal.[/color]

Time waits for no one and neither does a storm; and no one knew this better than Dmitrii and Aegraine. By the time the rains began to pelt the ground, they were snuggled in the small cottage near a warm fire. The sweet cooking aroma of a rabbit and some vegetables filled the room. Outside, the rains soaked the area, the lightning flashed, and the thunder roared in response.

“Yu’ve done quite well over the years Luv… I remember the first few attempts to cook… my stomach will never let me relive that…”[/i] nudging and teasing her a bit. “Yu realize, soon the Mo’r Triath shall be crowned and things shall be a bit different. No more shall he have to answer to Kings as a subordinate… He shall have equal status… though…”[/i] he rubbed his chin a bit, those steel grey eyes side-glancing at her. “Others may try to show their supremacy… I fear Spain and France are up to no good… so we must be at our best should war be inevitable.”[/i]

After the meal, they both lay in each others arms, upon the fur near the fire… “Will yu’r checking the inlet take long… we should move along if we plan to look at other wonders before I must check with the Captain of the Island Guard.”[/i][/color][/font]

[Sir Dmitrii Zurban]

The next morning Ae did her check of the bay before the little cottage and found much shallower water than on the harbor side of the island. In the days of Vikings, with ships with little need of deep harbors, this might have worked for a landing, but today's modern 1333 ships required deeper water. Still, in her notes she did not discount the west as a possible area to be watching, for safety's sake. Small landing craft off a large vessel would work here.

"We can swing by Carloway, as we head back. It might make a good vantage point for a lookout post." Her map already had several sites in addition to the towers she was going to set up closer to Stornoway Harbor. She made note of the height of the sun and with that timed their ride back to the inn.

Dmitrii followed Aegraine on her routine checks and watched her with interest as she marked on her map. It amazed him just how much information she had inside that beautiful head. Back in the cottage, he packed the items they did not need.

"We ought to be back in time for your ship over to Harris, then?"

“Darogoi, [dear], I thought we would ride down to Harris...” he said with a shrug. “We could forego the ship and ride, stopping by some of the stations along the way... The stations have Island Guards there...”

"Old kingdoms will expect your friend Adam, when he is crowned King, to be like their little brother. Try and tell him what to do and I expect that will not work at all." Her Mother told her the tales of the ancient times when Ireland had many small kingdoms. Aurilla is still regent of one of them, a title Ae is in line to inherit, one day.

“Tis true love, and I agree with yu wholeheartedly.” He chuckles... “Adam can be hard-headed when cornered...”

Today she watched, trying to think as if she were the one planning to take over this island and listened carefully to Dmitrii's ideas to make this place defensible, if the need came. The day was clear of the previous night's storm with only puddles in the deepest hollows remaining. It was an easy ride, on the pathways, a thing she kept in mind, in case. "I wish I had the chance to gain from Captain Flynn's wisdom, concerning ships in a possible time of trouble. One thing I did notice, the shuttle for cargo did not seem to be armed for its own defense. Is that usual?"

Dmi listened and looked at her with a shrug of his shoulders. “I dunno know anything about ships...maybe yu should ask him when we get back... just make a note of it on yer maps...” smiling, he nudged her a bit as he packed the items. “Yer smart enough ta figure out those things...”

"Very Good. I will have to locate Captain Flynn, if he is not away at sea and get the facts." Like a little tidy machine, her thought processes caused that little clipped precise string of words that was Aegraine's speech.

The next couple of days were spent on the road from Lewis along the route they stopped by Caloway and then over to the Callanish Stones... and walked amongst the tall stone obelisks... “Simply amazing for such crude objects to be formed this way...” his hand rubbed along the stone. “Must have been such a feat to erect them.” His mind picturing hundreds, if not thousands pulling long rope to stand them up.

Aegraine stood and looked up along the rock face, to the sky above, marveling in their construction and set up. "There must have been some compelling reason for this monument. I cannot see a war advantage or shelter use; tis neither fort nor lodging." She had considered some type of ceremonial or fait-based use, but the work involved was out of proportion to the effort to place these stones. "They are like the land has teeth. That it can bite back if any try to abuse it."

Their journey south was more sightseeing than a trek... their path from north to south was spotted with side trips to whatever crossed their fancy. Their destination of Amhuinnsuidhe Castle was still three days ride from where they were.

Village after village, Dmitrii and Aegraine stopped, had a small meal with the villagers, then Dmitrii would spend time with their militia, offering suggestions and making notes for Lord Adam.

Aegraine talked with the women she met, some of who still spoke a Norse dialect from the old days. Those who spoke English or Gaelic had an accent peculiar to the land, as in most locations. The women were friendly and told Ae how to prepare several local foods and what plant life could be used for medicines, as if she was going to settle in this land. She noticed the locals trusted the couple, even though both carried weapons of defense. After all, who went about in these days without being careful? It did not occur to Ae that they were being observed along the way, that this land had other strangers about, besides themselves.

Half a day ride from Amhuinnsuidhe Castle, the pair topped a knoll, looking down into a valley below... In wartime, Dmitrii would have avoided such a narrow path thru the valley, but this was almost the heart of the Gaelic Nations were it not? So into the valley they rode, unknowing of what lie ahead.

The well-traveled path thru the valley converged thru a small pass, where the hills turned into steep cliffs near the road... Steel grey eyes began to scan the crests above... The hair on the back of his neck tingled... as if St Elmo’s fire decided to dance upon his neck. Glancing to Aegraine, he spoke softly... “Something is not right, so beware...” he said in Russian and added a laugh to concealed his true meaning should someone be watching...

As they rode single file thru the narrow pass, Dmi noticed a few rocks sliding down the hill... and just as he shifted in the saddle to speak to Aegraine, something hit him hard knocking him to the ground... It was a man leaping from the ledge and assailing him from his horse. Dmitrii had the breath knocked out of him when he hit the ground hard... but recovering in time to witness the man recovering quickly. The man then drew a sword and approached Dmi with haste... and Dmi smirked as he withdrew the blades of death...

Meanwhile, Aegraine had her own dilemma, as on the opposite side, another man lept from his perch above her... His full weight of over 200 pounds aiming to hit her almost squarely in the back... Having missed by only millimeters, the man grabbed her shoulder as he fell off the other side of the horse, yanking her wildly from the saddle...

Dmitrii’s attention was drawn to Aegraine as he witnessed her situation, and in his peripheral vision, he saw the man attack him, throwing up both arms, the twin blades scissoring the blow from above taking the man’s advantage away. With a bend of his arms, he twisted the man’s captured sword downward... and as the man retracted his sword, the two became embroiled in a sword fight... Clashes of steel echoed off the walls of the narrow pass.

[Sir Dmitrii Zurban]

When Dmitrii holds the twin blades, the man’s persona seems to take on a different shape. Steel grey eyes are narrowed, arms are semi-extended with the blades at a 45 degree angle, his form in a slightly crouched stance. He tends to circle his prey, in an offensive, rather than defensive, posture, crossing one leg over the other, his weight shifting from one foot to another, should his opponent decide when to strike.

Many swordmasters have eluded that the dual sword style of fighting is more useless than a sword and shield, but upon many occasions, he has proven them wrong. The years of experience one requires to be proficient in the dual sword style often leads to a short life, but in his years of fighting, it seems no wonder why Dmitrii Zurban is Skye’s WeaponMaster...

If one had the opportunity to observe the man in combat, one would be amazed at his fluidity, and off-handed strikes, never duplicating the same combination twice... Agility, and timing were exemplarily displayed as the man battled his opponent with ease. What one would perceive as mere seconds, would soon end a man’s life, with no hesitancy.

Hand alternated hand... sword after sword clashed... always on the offense, Dmitrii’s opponent was always backing up... until Dmi blocked one sword slash, and spun, the other blade raking across the man’s midsection, and as he faltered Dmi’s other blade slashed across the man’s torso, right to left on a downward slant... and the opponent buckled, and fell to the ground, his blood staining the dirt beneath him.

Victorious, Dmi now turned his attention to Aegraine, who was by now, squirming away from the man’s grasp... the man lay in pain of multiple blade punctures, his wound bleeding the life out of him.

Gasping for breath for her throat had been held tightly in that man's arm, Ae rolled away from the downed large man and on hands and knees reached for her previous lost sword. Now a woman of her size had little chance against a much larger, stronger man unless she did anything she could; fair fighting did not count in this type of situation. She leaned herself against the rock wall, sword in hand bracing it against another attack, for only now did she have time to see if there were more than two, above the trail, on the heights.

"Dmi! Are you alright? Are there more? I cannot see above my head." She asked in Russian, which was becoming faster to her these days, after years of practice. Blood spattered the side of the black leathers once Victoria's, but it was not her blood. Her bruises were not going to show up yet, but there were some beauts. "Is this one gone?" The bleeding spilled into a puddle in the roadway where the stabbed man rested, not speaking.

Her rental horse stood nearby nibbling on a clump of grass, calm as if this were no unusual event.

“I am alright... but cannot say the same for the man...” he speaks in Russian and nods... Looking up, he scanned the area above and shook his head... “It’s all clear; seems these two are the only ones...” again in Russian. Walking to the man, Dmi kicks the man’s foot and the man groaned.

Leaning down Dmi stuck his finger into one of the man’s multiple wound... with a twist he begins to speak English... “Are there any others?” the man shook his head and Dmi released pressure... Glancing to Aegraine then back to the man... “Why did yu attack us?” he paused waiting for an answer. When after a few seconds with no response, Dmi again applied pressure to the wound... “Answer or yu shall regret it...” the man groaned and grit his teeth. Dmitrii then applied more pressure... the man screamed and spoke, brokenly... “We were... payed... to prevent yu ... from going... to ... Amhuinnsuidhe Castle.”

Dmitrii released pressure and the man seemed to cry... pain was excessive when pressure was applied in the wound... and the man did not wish to reveal information, and his wounds were bleeding the life from him quickly. The interrogation was continued until Dmitrii had learned that the two men were paid well to prevent them from studying the coast and fortifications, or the lack of... and to keep them away from the Island Guard...

Still the man resisted as long as he could... and just before he could tell his story... “Our benefactor is... the... Fren...” and with that last sentence, the man expired... his eyes rolling back into his head, and his torso went limp... Dmitrii wiped the blood onto the man’s clothes... “Pezdyetz... if he could have lasted only a few more seconds...” He sat up and looked at Aegraine. “We must be more careful... especially after we get to the castle. The Island Guard may have been compromised...”

Dmitrii helped Aegraine up... “luv, are yu alright?” as he wiped the blood from her face... “I fear that our vacation should be cut short... we must get back to Lord Adam and inform him...” then he turned and walked to the horses... “Yu well enough to ride?”

"I am fine, just a bit shaken and yes, I would love to ride out of here." She got up and collected her horse, wiping off her face and the side of her jacket from the blood. Back on her horse, Ae looked at the two bodies on the trail. "Should we just leave them there?" Instinct told her to get away from this location and fast. Who would want to keep them from the castle? "Fren.." she ran that through the several languages she knew and tried not to think it meant the French. What would foreign nationals have to profit in halting their small journey?

Picking up his swords, wiping them off on the dead man’s trousers, he re-sheathed them with a flick of skillful wrists. Nodding his head, taking a glance at the dead men... he hands Ae the reins. Moving to each dead man and dragging his lifeless body into the bushes. “Soon they shall be nature’s fodder, as they deserve...” Usually Dmitrii was a kind and thoughtful person, even in combat, he had a sense of honor about his kills... but these men did not deserve honor, for they attacked in ambush... with no sense of honor...onyl a sense of death... and death is what they received. This was a bit unusual for Aegraine to witness... what would be her reaction to the cold gesture Dmitrii had given the men.

"It is like the war, all over again? We put the dead aside, like this in Ulster when it had to come to them or us." She checked her jacket again to make sure any sign of that man's blood was cleaned off well enough to go into the castle. There was no emotion in her voice, just a shift into a blankness that had been a certain detachment, a state of distance from the event at hand that aided her survival in those years. Without Dmitrii's skill and some luck on her part, it would have been their bodies chucked into the shrubbery, decaying back into dust, unknown and unmarked. The shell she wore inside her mind was never going to go away. It sharpened her senses. The way of a survivor.

Into the stirrups and a leg raised over the horse, Dmi settled into the saddle. His thoughts caused him to seem a hundred miles away. He recalled his statement from earlier, and looked at Ae... “Instead of departing the Isle, maybe it would be better that we do some investigating first... no need to alarm Adam yet...” he looked at his wife for reassurance. “Do yu agree...?”

"Yes. If we go on as if we suspect nothing, perhaps we will find out more this way." She patted the rented horse, whose unexpected bolt ahead had kept that large man from landing right upon her. "Besides, I brought a dress to wear, in case we are to dine in their hall." It would not do to alarm Adam if it was not serious. Once he was crowned King, with more power and the respect due to his title, things like these two men who sought to stop the Zurbans would fall into perspective.

"Tis a good horse, this one. Deserving of a name. I will call him 'Bolt'." There was no need to explain that decision to Dmi. Giving the reins a flick she urged Bolt forward, keeping up with Dmitrii as he rode first through the rest of the ravine. On to Amhuinnsuidhe Castle. And to whatever awaited there.

“Then we shall allow yu to wear the dress…” he winks… “on to the Castle, luv…” It seems that nothing would deter the Zurban pair… and they rode more cautiously the remaining distance to Amhuinnsuidhe Castle.

The usual protective force had checked everyone entering the Castle, Dmitrii and Aegraine were no different. Producing the Griffin sealed document allowed those protective forces know just who the pair was. They were greeted by the respective people in a most generous manner… and their room was large… and it amazed Dmi how an old structure such as Amhuinnsuidhe could be so well kept.

They spent the rest of the day checking out their new surroundings, which also included Aegraine looking at defensive fortifications and possible reinforcements… and Dmitrii meeting with senior members of the Island Guard. He was even allowed to see some training sessions, which he immediately offered easy additions and styles.