Slighted Faith

[Men of Skye]

((SL - Slighted Faith begins with the after-effects of the events at Dungates Castle upon the relationships of Chloe and Shyvonne... and of Shyvonne and Mark.))

The snow crunched under her feet as she left the scene behind. Chloe crying and bleeding within the snow. It was a testament to how far gone into her mind she was. She never would have left anyone out in the snow, no matter what wrongs they had done her. She had not killed the bailiff although she had the manpower to do so. Funny that she and Iain did not cross paths as she went for the stables and he for Chloe. Her mind had been set to get the carriage and go home, however it did not turn out to be so. The carriage was left behind, one of the horses to carry it taken instead. This was one of those times she needed wind on her face.

She took off from the stables like a shot, her cloak billowing out behind her as she constantly gave a kick to the horses sides to spurn him faster. She was mindless of where she was going, heading away from the Academy rather than towards it. The truth was slow in sinking in, everything within her wanted to deny of the truths she had been told and it was not that her husband had sired a child in another but that he had lied, quite boldly in her face when confronted with it when he had been in the dungeon. Perhaps he thought himself to die and so had no need to tell of the truth, her mind reasoned and yet in her heart, she felt he did not trust her enough to tell her. In some ways she could understand his deceit, in order to protect Chloe, in order to protect the child from ridicule as Searc had done with Robin.

And Iain, had he known? Why would he choose to withhold this information from her? How many people had known, she wondered as the freezing wind bit at her face. Had her family known? No, they could not have known, or they would have strongly protested against her marriage to Mark. Or had they only served to keep quiet for her happiness? Oh, but the world seemed a tangle mess in this moment. What was up now was done, the whole world had gone topsy tirvy so that when she drew the horse into a stop, she could not fathom where she was, she did not recognize her surroundings. Her heat was pounding in her chest realizing now that she had gone insane for a moment. How could she hold a dagger on Chloe? How could she leave her in the snow like that? She prayed this was not a new battle to begin within her family when they had just found some semblance of peace.

Panting, her breath came out in pillows of smoke as she leaned down against the horse's neck and just let the world spin for a while. Night was slowly creeping in further, what light of sun had been left was now gone and the surroundings which had been confusing were not completely unrecognizable. For once she did not care that her body was shivering near to throwing her off the horse with cold. For once she wished the cold would consume her, for the pain in her heart, the pain and the rage, and so she made no move to find shelter, staying bent against the horse's neck, her ear pressed against the smooth side of the horse, she waited, for the cold to consume her as she prayed it would.

Slighted Faith - Connections Unexplained

Miles away, at the Academy, Mark had just finished grooming the horses used in his classes. It would still be days before classes resumed from the Christmas break… soon Shy would convene the parent-teacher conferences to subside any fears of children being involved in the after-effects of the clan wars.

Mark put away the curry-combs, and as he closed the wooden case, a shiver crawled slowly up his spine… and overtook his neck… goose-flesh covered his arms, despite the wool and leather coat he wore. “Shyvonne??” his mind caught glimpses of two women fighting… and a cold, cold wind seemed to heighten the chill he wore under the coat. He resisted the urge to saddle a horse and ride to Dunsgate in search of his beloved.

As he turned around to look, a pain slammed inside his head that would send him immediately into unconsciousness.

The man covered in wolf fur, the head of a wolf hollowed out to fit his head, now stood over Mark, the muck-shovel in his hand. The man smirked as Mark did not move; the man having hit Mark in the head with the flat of the shovel. “Dun die, now… mae mistress would kill me if’n yae die… but Ah need a horse… they bae hot up’n mae heels they be…”

Moments later, the man disguised as a wolf led the horse out from the Academy, mounted and rode hard away. How could he had such easy access in and out of the Academy? Questions, with no evident answers. Or was there?

The night was moving fast, or perhaps it just seemed that way for the moon had moved across the night sky quarter of the way hitting the highest point in the Skye when Shyvonne finally found the strength to move again. Her body was stiff with cold, her fingers did not seem to want to grip the reins as she wanted them to, but where before she had been willing to let the cold consume her, now she was enflamed with rage and the will to fight. Sitting up on the horse, she moved still quite stiffly to look behind her and then forward again.

The light of moon cast a gentle glow across the grounds and still she could not place where she was. The wind was picking up the deeper pull of night, the wind was no longer freezing, it was a biting cold that stung on the cheeks. Pushing her feet against the stirrups, she sat up high off the saddle as if that would help her gain her surroundings when suddenly she felt a strike against her face. The force of the blow was hard enough to make her cry out, hard enough that she let go of the horse's reigns and tumbled to the ground. The horse, spooked by the cry, gave a whine and took off as Shyvonne landed upon her back in the snow.

Her vision was blurry, the pain in her head more unbearable then the biting cold and pinned her against the snow covered landscape. Groaning, she blinked the against the blurry vision searching right and left with her eyes of the source that had struck her, but she was alone. She managed to raise her head a centimeter from the ground only to have it crash down upon the snow again as she lost conciousness.

"LADY SHYVONNE!" A voice called out in the whipping wind and snow.

"LADY SHYVONNE!" The voice called again.

A figure emerged from the blinding snow atop a blackened mount, like a demon...or perhaps an angel from the darkness. Seeing the prone figure a few yard away, the figure dismounted from their horse and rushed over, kneeling into the snow.

"Shyvonne? Shyvonne?" Collum called with concern as his fingers hovered over the bruise all ready forming on her head. She did not respond, she did not move and for once the mans heart quickened from the thought she might be dead. Pressing his fingers against her neck, he felt a faint pulse and suddenly moved into account pulling the prone body of Shyvonne into his arms straining from her weight and cold. "Come on, lets get you out of this weather" He spoke though she could not hear him.

Standing still in the snow, he looked left and right before trekking back to the waiting horse. It was an effort, but he got her on the horse and then pulled himself up behind her.

It was a treacherous ride to find shelter but soon a cottage came in sight, no lights indicated its vacancy and he slowed the horse near the edge of the cottage and pushed himself off, stiff with cold himself, he pulled the prone body of the head mistress from the horse before going to the door and giving it a solid kick open.

"Don't you die on me" He groaned as he carried her inside. The Cottage was a wreck, barely anything was left inside but a cot with some furs and a broken down table and a single chair. Carrying her to the cot, he set her down then swiftly set to work bringing in a meager bag of supplies and starting a fire.

Moving to the cot, he knelt and touched gently at the woman's head, she was burning up. "Shyvonne?" He called to her again. Several seconds passed and with no response he took her hand into his own to find her hand frozen with cold. Sighing, he rubbed her hand between his own hand and then kissed her fingers trying to warm the flesh of her fingers against frosttbite.

Her body was freezing but her head was burning with fever. His mind was whirling, to provide her with heat would undoubtedly ward her away from frostbite but her head was already burning with fever. To provide her with heat would either starve the fever, or pull it through the rest of her body. Still, if he left her cold and with a raging fever, she would die and there was a good chance, if he warmed her, she would make it to morning so he could get her back to the Academy and in a Doctor’s care.

"Come on Shyvonne, stay with me now" He whispered as he pulled her up from the cot and began to undress her. One hand held her backside, holding her against him as the other hand awkwardly untied the back of her dress and pushed one shoulder off before shifting his free hand to holding her while the other hand now worked the other corner of her dress off. Laying her back down, he pulled the dress down her body waiting her face as her body shook from the removal of her clothing and still there was no sign of waking.

The icy wet clothing was draped over the single chair near the fire before he took the furs from the cot and laid them out on the floor and then returned to her. His own clothing was hastily removed before he dipped to take her into his arms, one hand cradling her neck while the other cradled below her knees and he brought her over to the furs laying her down on one end and pulling the other one upward over her body and his as he settled in beside her again using one hand to curl under her arm and pull the front of her body to his front of his own.

God only knew what Mark saw in his own unconsciousness, a man undressing his wife and then bringing her body to the furs were he laid her down as if a lover about to make love before a roaring fire for the man undressed and then pulled the woman close to him. What was her limp arm could be perceived of a lover’s touch as the man pulled her against him and her arm flopped to rest against the middle of his back seeming to caress the flesh underneath her fingers of his backside.

The truth was that Collum was trying to get her warm while they waited out the storm. There was no fire in his loins to take the prone woman, there was no fire in the man for the woman at all. Perhaps somewhat he had grown fond of the woman, her courage, and her fierceness when it came to those things she desired.

What was lost from the dream was Shyvonne unconscious call for her husband. "Mark... Mark.. Mark" She moaned over and over in her fevered unconsciousness with only Collum to soothe her that he would take her to the Academy in the morning when the storm passed, he praying she did not die in the night and spoil not only their plans, but his own for isle of Skye.

When Mark finally woke, he was no longer in the stables, but in his own bed, laying, fully clothed upon his side, a wet towel upon his forehead, a doctor looking at the wound on the back of his skull.

“M’lord… welcoom back… Ah worried the wound was great, boot Ah see yae ‘ave a hard head…” the physician smiled as he saw Mark awake… “Did yae see who hit yae? Ah saw the bloody shovel in the stables… and yer favorite horse absent. Apparently yae was in the wrong place at th wrong time…” the man gently questioned him in a teasing manner.

Mark groaned and lightly shook his head. “I saw no one…”

“Rest easy M’lord… Dunnae sleep for a while, let us see if the damage is greater than we expect… Pray tae A’mighty God, bae morn, all shall bae well…” then the doctor patted Mark’s hip as he exited the room.

Do not sleep? That is all Mark wished to do… but he tried to stay awake as per the doctor’s orders. But moments passed… and yet… sleep did take over him… or was it one of those detested visions?

A roaring fire… his beloved Shyvonne lie upon a cot waiting for the man… a man laying furs out upon the hearth. His hand reached out toward the man, but yet the vision continued… A man undressing his wife and then bringing her body to the furs were he laid her down as if a lover about to make love before a roaring fire… the man undressed, and then pulled the woman close to him…a lover’s touch as the man pulled her against him and seemed to caress the flesh underneath her fingers of his backside.

Mark groaned… a simple word uttering from his lips… “Noooo…”

Then nothing… Damn these visions!! How could he be so connected to this woman? Was love so great? Or was she a witch and he so vexed? Caused by a drunken stupor, Portia and Chloestrain MacGregor were the only women he had sexual intercourse with since falling in love with Shyvonne… but was that ages ago was it not?… and now her visions haunted him? Maybe it was God’s revenge upon him. No longer was he the disreputable lover, bedding every woman he laid eyes upon… Shyvonne’s love had sent him upon the straight and narrow… And now she bedded another man? Damn these visions!!

With no consolation, he remembered the words Shyvonne spoke about the visions… “These visions… Sometimes, they are not truths… but only partial truths… be wary m’love of the wayward vision.”

Awareness... it was a funny thing. Especially when it came by slowly. The first awareness that hit, was the sound of a low popping in the fireplace, the acid smell of smoke clinging close by. The third awareness was feeling. The furs covering her body were soft, inviting and tickling. The last thing she was aware of, was pain and she resisted the urge to groan when the awareness of an arm around her body made her think Mark would jump out of bed if she displayed discomfort of any kind. Rolling forward, she felt the furs tickling at her belly as she cupped her palm against her aching head. It was several minutes before she began to realize that she was not in her bed but laying on the floor of a rather disheveled and dirty abandoned cottage.

Her body went ridged then. She could not remember what happened, for what seemed like an eternity, her mind ran through a blank between the Robin Hood attack and here. Through the pounding in her head, the memories came like flashes of angry lightening in the sky and she felt her heart squeeze painfully in her chest so that this time, she did finally let out a hiccup of a sob.

The body next to hers grunted and shifted under the covers of furs. "Lady Shyvonne?" Collum spoke and sat up, his face etched with worry as he brought a hand around her side and cupped her forehead and then he sighed as if relieved. "Your fevers broken. Let me see your head. Did you see who hit you?"

It was when Collum moved that the furs went with them and she realized that not only was she naked, but he was. Her cheeks flamed with life and she wrapped the furs around her front as his hand came to her head then beckoned her to turn around to check her head. "No one hit me..." she answered in a choke to hold back tears. She was not the crying sort, only once or twice in her life, not even when she had broken her wrist.

"Someone hit you...you have a nasty cut in the back here..." Collum spoke then touched her shoulder when she winced. "Sorry"

"An I'm bruised to hell and back, I feel it, but no one hit me, not back there...I...can't explain it.." Shyvonne answered and wrapped the furs tighter around her, holding one against her front to keep herself modest and another to her butt so she wasn't showcasing more skin then she had to.

Collum smirked, it was a childish grin that said he had seen everything she was trying to hide, and that he wasn't ashamed but the smile slid from his face at the scowl on her face and he turned her back to let her modestly get dressed. "So...tell me what happened."

Shyvonne was quiet as she gathered her clothing and slowly pulled it on. What was she going to do? She would never betray her family by outing Chloe's secret of Colleen father, besides, it really wasn't her secret to tell and it would not only humiliate her family but the children too. Even Robin’s parentage would be question after that and she loved that boy like he was her own. Had her family known of any of this? She couldn't imagine her mother and sister being pleased by her marriage had they known or perhaps, now that it was done, they wished not to humiliate her. And why had Mark chosen to lie to her? Was it a question or trust?

It seemed she hadn't heard Collum but really she ignored him as she dressed. When she was settled, head still pounding, she turned to find him partially dressed, his slacks own, his shirt coming on, she caught gash scars across his chest and winced. He had said he and his sister had a rough life, she hadn't realized how much. It made her seem pampered....which she was, and she knew it. "What happened when?" she asked but gave him no room to respond as she shook her head. "It's not important. How bad is the snow? I wish to get home to the Academy."

Collum moved to the window to peer out and then back as he tucked his shirt into his slacks. "S'not so bad, we can make it."

"Then let us be off. Please." Shyvonne responded and then caught his arm. "Collum...." She seemed to question to get him to look at her. "I...thank you..you saved my life."

"My pleasure, my lady" Collum responded with that childlike smirk on his face again and this time it earned him a jab of a fist in his shoulder.

The ride back gave her much time to think on what had happened but as much as she replayed the scene in her head, she still could not come up with a solution. Her hatred for Chloe had grown ten fold much as she felt guilt for... well kicking the woman's ass.

Searc had once told her that people had both good and evil in them. Shyvonne, while she had a temper, didn't think there was a mean bone in her body. The Robin Hood after all, wasn't evil but her way of fighting the injustice of poverty in the land as much as it was for the school and building it to a better learning environment for children but the hatred boiling in her stomach began to scare her for she felt her better judgement slipping away into a black nothingness that wanted to see pain inflicted in order for people to see the pain that had been inflicted upon her.

Perhaps her Nana had been right, as a child, she had told Shyvonne their family was cursed with unhappiness, that each member of the family had had to give apart of themselves in service to the family and Shyvonne felt a knew fear in her, that her heart was the thing she was sacrificing.

There was a great fanfare as they entered the gates which swung open with hesitation. The guards calling in surprise, a few running ahead to the school shouting 'Their back! Their back!'

Shyvonne pushed up behind Collum to look over his shoulder questioningly but he grinned sheepishly and Shyvonne felt there was something he was hiding from her but she pursed her lips hugging the furs that she had brought for warmth, closer around her.

"My Lady!" "Oh My Lady!" Two voices shouted in unison. Leigha and Liedan were running down the steps. Both had tears shining in their eyes as they ran to meet them as they came around the corner.

"We were so worried! A messenger came to say you had taken off shortly after arriving at Dunsgate and then there have been rumors of a... well… a Robin Hood... group... thing... attacking a caravan on the road. Oh we were so worried!" Liedan spoke as she helped Shyvonne down from the horse.

"News travels fast Liaden." Shyvonne spoke trying to muster some humor and finding none.

"My Lady, you have been gone two days" Liaden spoke looking confused.

"Two days?!" Shyvonne spoke in surprise and then winced as she rubbed at her still aching forward.

"My Lady, should I send for the physician?" It was Leigha quiet voice that spoke at Shyvonne elbow as the two women now grouped to help Shyvonne inside.

"No no Leigha, just a headache" Shyvonne consoled the worried woman.

"Oh my lady, I am so glad you're back safe and sound. The children will be arriving tomorrow so you best go upstairs and rest" Liaden fussed as the foursome headed inside and Liaden gave her a motherly shove towards the stairs while pulling Leigha with her muttering about fixing something to eat.

Two days… sometimes two days was a flash of time, lost in everything but memory… and other times, two days was an eternity. In that time, Mark had recovered from his head injury, but the affects from the visions. His beloved Shyvonne, laying naked beside a nude man… a man that was not he…

And such ponderance would fuel more destructive thoughts… He knew how Shyvonne was in the throes of intimacy… she made no qualms about screaming her pleasures… she could work the passion of love-making to make any man desire more… she had traits of passion that was indescribably animalistic at times, she had intimately mental and physical traits that could sexually please him, despite how his day had went… personal traits that only made Mark love her even more… personal traits that were THEIRS… and now he envisioned her sharing those things…things most personal to him and her… with someone else…

With Shy not returning as planned, he sent messengers to Dunsgate… only their return said she had oddly departed after an argument with Chloe… that was two days ago!! Now Mark had spent two full days… and three nights looking for Shyvonne in the deepest of snows… Mark did not know Collum was not at the Academy either, or his suspicions would have multiplied…

Day in, and day out… Mark searched… and it was on the third evening that a rider from the Academy found Mark’s camp. Mark was exhausted… and gave no sign to the rider as he rode up… He just glanced at who approached and laid back down, settling into his furs. “What is it Thomas?” was all he replied.

“M’Lord… Lady Shyvonne has been found…” the young man had stated.

Mark shot out of the furs, and began gathering his things… “Help me boy…” he spouted… and the pair began gathering Mark’s meager belongings… Within a few minutes, Thomas had gathered everything and piled it by Mark’s horse, who was now saddled. Soon both would be upon the trail back to Oisles…

The ride back was painful… and he feared the most… the loss of Shyvonne… for Thomas had described the lady’s battered and worn appearance…. And also, that Collum had been out looking for Lady Shyvonne as well.. and that it was he who found the lady… this did nothing but fuel Mark’s suspicion of the vision’s truth.

As the pair rode into Oisles… Collum met Mark at the stables and began explain, some… of the details of the rescue… but not all… Mark gave Collum the evil eye, and walked right passed him, with no words at all…

Shyvonne stood at the bottom of the stairs then, her hand on the banister for that fear had gripped at her heart again. That fear that there was a darkness inside her just waiting to be unleashed and it was her dreams, her want of everything, for the school, for the children, the heartache and pain that still pounded beneath her breast that was dangerously close to unlocking that ugly wrath.

Mark entered the building that would be their home over the Academy main meeting hall… and at the bottom of the stairs stood Shyvonne… His blue eyes locked to her mossy greens… there would be no words… but there was a definite strand of tension that ran deep… Though mere seconds, it seemed an eternity… then mark forced himself to look beyond the visions and moved to her.

Taking her into his arms… he whispered. “I was so afraid… I thought I had lost you…” and his arms tightened around her. “I love you so…”

[Men of Skye]

She was three steps up when the door opened and she turned, her eyes catching Mark's. Her chest swelled with breath that pent up and held. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and hold him until it ached for being still for so long but they just stood there, one staring at the other. She had no idea how horrible she looked, pale from being in a fever for two days, the wound at the back of her head hidden by the mass of dark brown hair that all most seemed black at times. It was only mere seconds that there was distance between them but in that time Shyvonne was thinking.

So now she knew why Iain was so upset with Mark. Iain blamed Mark and not Chloe. She didn't know the full details of the incident between Mark and Chloe, only that a child was now in existence because of it and still Iain forgave Chloe and hated Mark for it. He loved Chloe and though Shyvonne marveled at the notion of it, she couldn't follow in example and forgive, though she loved Mark, oh how she loved him, if she did not still love him, it wouldn't hurt this much, would it?

Mere seconds and she was down the remaining steps and he was wrapping his arms around her whispering words of relief, of love. Would he notice that she hesitated wrapping her arms around him even as his arms tightened around her? "I love you too.." She whispered in return, though it was barely audible and so painful to say that the words seemed stuck deep down in her throat.

Her attention had caught Collum walking in. For several seconds she kept Collum gaze until the man bowed and hastily left the hall to leave them alone. Her arms tightened around him for a moment as her heart surged with pain. The incident had happened before they had even met, what hurt so, was that he had lied to her. Chloe’s voice, etched with pain both from bodily injury and pain of the heart echoed in her mind...

'I never meant for you or Mark to know....Leave it be Shyvonne'

The embrace… the words… both were weak… offered as a token statement… There was something different… Had the winds of time blown them apart? What truly happened while she was away? He saw her look past him, then Collum out of the corner of his eye. He then felt her arms tighten about him. And a pain surged thru his chest. Had his visions been true?

Much as her heart surged with pain, it also surged with hatred for Chloe only grew. She also felt a growing hatred for Iain, he had known and chosen not to tell her himself. He forgave Chloe... hated Mark so that she felt such pity for the pair of them and had declined to tell her, why. Because he thought so little of her? She thought it must be so, and her family? Were they laughing at her behind her back now? Were they saying she had gotten what she had deserved? Past their 'scheduled' attacks, now there was a new target, those of Dunsgate... her own family. By God, she would make them pay.

He could she was at a distance… and not “with” him… Her mind seemed a thousand miles away…

She drew herself away from Mark, using a hand against his chest to push him backward. Her hatred for Chloe was so great, that no part of her would honor the request Chloe had made, no matter how much it pained Shyvonne that she had physically hurt the woman, perhaps past the point of being able to bear children again. "I... you.."she paused swallowing, her throat expanding to swallow the lump formed within her throat, turning to moved to the stairs, her strength leaving her to say the words, she was three stairs up when she turned and looked at him. "Chloe bore her child. A daughter named Colleen... your daughter, Mark." Shyvonne's chin lifted, that impossible strangling anger gripped at her and her face, her expression, dared him to deny the truth now.

Then she pushed away from him… and spoke with a finality in it… His head canted at what she said… His greatest fears had come to life… He rose his head to look at her… “I shall nay deny it… for its birth would speak the truth… but I was unsure if it was mine, or Carver’s…” he moved to the stairs, looing back up at her again… “All I can do is ask forgiveness…” as he started up the stairs.

Standing next to her… “What we have is God send… none can please us like one another, physically or mentally…” he began to move past her… “I shall get my things and move to the stables…” then he started up the stairs leaving her to her thoughts.

He did not try to explain what happened, for that did not matter, it happened… He did not try to deny it, for the child was proof… he did not try to explain the lies… for it would make her no sense at all… and he did not turn the acts of infidelity back on her as he suspected her and Collum… He just left it as it was, and allowed her anger to boil… for it would do no good to open his mouth.

Her arms crossed across her body, her hands cupping her elbows as her chin dipped down. There was no victory lift of chin, no grin. Part of her wanted him to say one more time that it wasn't true, for God above she didn't want it to be true. How she wished in this moment that he had told her the truth when she had first asked for it in the dungeons of Struan. He was talking but she didn't seem to hear it, the pulsating of her heart was to great.

"The fact of the matter is..." she started and pulled her head up to look at his retreating back "not that you fathered a child with another woman, although the information is particularly painful to the heart, it is the fact that you lied to me, you lied to my face, boldly so. You even went as far to call your accuser crazy..and the insane part of it is, had you admitted the deed to begin with, there would be nothing to forgive, seeing as it happened before we met but you choose, for whatever reason, not to trust me with the truth and thereby now calling into question, my trust in you."

Mark guessed he deserved her wrath… He had lied to her… for two reasons… one he was going to hang, or face the executioner… one way or the other, he did not want her constantly reliving his infidelity… the other reason came about when the King freed him… he did not tell her, nor did she ask a second time… and he hoped he could keep it a secret because he thought the child Chloe carried was surely Carver’s. But other than that one incident, he had never lied to her… So he let her rant… still he stood by the stairs.

Her throat constricted, the veins in her neck pulsating with the wild beat of her heart. There was a new fear in her, her gear for the Robin Hood was undoubtly stored in stables. He couldn't stay there, besides, he would smell ever day because of it, and people would talk and this was private, now only known between four of them (not that Shyvonne knew that) "There is no need to move into the stables..." she sighed as she relaxed her hands from curling protectively around herself as she moved towards him and met him on the stairs. "The children will be here tomorrow and even with how well you keep the horses and stables, it stinks in there and I would not have them see you bunking in the stables. You may take one of the spare teachers rooms."

He huffed a short chuckle… "The stables is where I belong… with the children arriving tomorrow, I shant leave you short handed… but after this semester, I shall leave… As far as my smell, It is natural for a stablemaster… I do not want, nor deserve to be in the house…” His voice was calm… unbroken… and low… he was the epitome of calmness… no reason to scream… Apparently, Shyvonne wanted everyone to know of his shame…

It was her turn to move past him this time moving up the stairs but again she paused and turned to look at him. "I know what we share is... well there is not words for it, you were struck in the back of the head two nights ago, I know this not because I saw it in one of my visions, but I felt it, I experienced it, with you. I know not why God has chosen to unite us this way, perhaps with time he will reveal it. I do love you, that has not changed, but you have... wounded me.." Her lower lip trembled and a hand came up to clasp over her mouth least she spout out like a whimpy little girl in tears. "Why didn't you tell me? Why couldn't you trust me?" Her hand fell away from her mouth to speak and to shake her head at him.

Uh oh, she brought up the visions that connected them. He turned to face her, his voice soft, controlled… “Since you speak of all things… Then tell me that you did not sleep with a man naked?!” his eyes darkened and he crossed his arms. His words were soft but his actions loud and clear. “I too had a vision… of you by the fire… naked under a blanket… and a man, nearing you… God knows what else happened, that I failed to see…” He did not want an answer… he could not endure the truth… not about her… and another man… Turning to the door… “I shall sleep in the stables M’Lady, with the rest of the asses…” and he closed the door behind him and headed his new home.

Grace was hiding in the hallway when she heard Shyvonne and Mark arguing. Their fight, or rather Shyvonne yelling had her smiling but when the lady mentioned their connection, Grace gasped, her hand flying to her mouth to muffle the sound before she fled the hall both shocked with the news and to giddy with the ideas that took to mind that she fled in fear that her giggling in triumph would alert them to her presence.

Shyvonne face flinched as if he had struck her when he called into question her time with Collum. He was calling into question trust in HER? Arms folded over her chest as her chin once more took a defiant tilt upward. Had he learned nothing from their shared visions? That sometimes things were never what they seemed. Well, she figured he would say something to hurt him. Her rant had caused him enough pain, she was sure of it but...he also deserved it didn't he? If something was close to throw, she would of thrown it at the door even after he shut it. As it was, her knuckles turned white against the banister of the staircase. the hall was quiet, none of the servants or teachers made their presence known if they were around and she was thankful for this as her neck pulsed this time with tears that wouldn't be kept back any longer and she let out a sob as she turned and fled upstairs, the bedroom door slamming was perhaps a welcomed sign to everyone else the coast was clear to come out of hiding.

Meanwhile new plans were brewing for chaos and destruction....

Collum was laying on his bed, his top off, only in his slacks, his arm covered his eyes to shield out the candles flicker in the room. The minute he told Grace that Shyvonne and Mark were fighting in the hall, that hellion was out the door to spy. His lips curled even though he was trying to sleep. His sister was one sly chyt, he was merely the muscle and he knew it. That didn't bother him really, they were a perfectly balanced. He didn't flinch as the door squeaked open and then clicked closed. "So?" He grumbled from beneath his arm.

"Well suffice to say, my plans have altered slightly.." Grace with her innocent like little voice hummed as she swayed across the room and plopped herself down on the twin bed in the room that was hers.

Seconds passed, he waited for her to explain and when he did not, his arm came down and he gave a grunt to sit up and then a sigh. "Well? You going to tell me."

"Did you know, the Lady Shyvonne is a witch?" Grace said it so nonchelantly as she played with the ends of her hair then turned her eyes at Collum to look at him from an angle.

Collum huffed in a laugh. "That goody too shoes? It's killin' her to even attack someone that deserves it." He shook his head, flopped back on his back and put his arm over his eyes again like the conversation all ready bored him.

"Oh no, I heard it from her own mouth, she has visions" Grace countered and lifted off the bed to move over to the window as she heard the sound of one door downstairs and then another downstairs. She saw Mark silhouette stalking across the grounds towards the stables. "With this news, we have a weapon in our hands and that weapon is Shyvonne. That husband of hers is as dumb as rocks, it was all most to easy to convince him of her nonexistent infidelity. Soon he'll be out of the picture and good thing to, he'll be the only one who would be able to pull her back from the brink and oh how her face shows...she is so close." Grace flicked her wrist, throwing the curtains back over the window as she laughed. "He's about as deadly as a puff of clouds but she, of she has potential, we won't even have to lift a finger...well, not us..."

Collum face was perfectly calm, he still did not budge, was he asleep? His laugh said he was now. "So what is the PLAN Grace? I've known all of this other stuff before. Tell me the changes."

Grace turned from the window and stalked to the bed her brother was laying in. With a grip of the covers, she heaved back and up using leverage to roll him out of the bed. When he came up looking horrified at her, she burst out laughing and ran only to be caught up in his arms against the door. Humming, she stroked his cheek and kissed his nose. "We'll use the wolves my darling brother, only this time they won't be scaring cattle to get those idiots at Dunsgate off your back...." Her finger stopped stroking his cheek and thumped against his nose.

Collum grinned like the cat who ate the canary as his sister affectionately stroked his cheek even as he had her pinned, he could break her in two and yet he didn't. "And what will they be doing this time?"

"Oh Collum, beware the Highland Witch...she'll catch you in her web...just like she's done to others, just like she is still doing...oh what horrors she will inflict on the people and with a little help of the Robin Hoods money, they'll rise against her. " Grace purred "Just get her...to take care of Dunsgate for us...and let me handle the rest..."

Playfully she pushed her brother away, rummaged in their belongings for a bottle of wine and wiggled it. "You go see the witch, I'll go see her husband." She moved towards him and pecked his lips then let out a laugh. "All our plans build anew tonight brother, it won't be long before this part of the lands burns for us...just like they burned our home...it won't be long now and then we'll move on, the lucky survives and the rest of this wretched island will know the horrors that these people will come to know..." With that, the door opened and out Grace fluttered.

Collum saw his sister down the hall and where she went out the front door, he went up the steps and knocked tenderly on the door. An item crashed at the door and he heard Shyvonne yell something he could not understand. A normal person would turn and walk away but he just grinned and then cleared his throat as he sobered his face and knocked again. "My Lady, it is Collum.." He waited....

"Come in" Shyvonne voice called.

Collum pushed the door open and then slid inside before closing it behind him. "My Lady, you've been crying, won't you tell me what is wrong?" He offered in his best knight in shining armor attitude as his arms opened out at her pleadingly.

"Have you ever been in love Collum?" Shyvonne asked, wiping her cheeks clean of her tears though her eyes were bloodshot and puffy from crying. Her arms wrapped around her middle as she turned away from his invite of comfort.

"Huh?" Collum spoke, now confused.

"Nevermind Collum..." Shyvonne huffed and shook her head. "See if you can sneak out of the grounds and assemble the men in the forest west of here, I shall meet you at midnight..."

Collum straightened, his face even more confused. "May I ask why my lady?"

"The Robin Hood...is going to plan an attack..." Her attention turned to him, red puffy eyes from crying looked evil with her face hardened. "on Dunsgate."

Inwardly, Collum was brimming with pride. He didn't even have to lift a finger on this one. "Shyvonne are you.." He stopped seeing her face and bowed "As you wish my lady" and out the door he fled keeping himself from dancing down the halls.

Out in the darkness, Grace danced her way to the stables though when she got closer, she sobered herself up and used to the bottle to knock against the door before poking her head inside. "Master Collier?" She called in a somber and pitiful tone. "I brought you something....some wine.." she caught sight of him and held the bottle up as she moved inside closing the door behind her against the cold night.

"I...I didn't hear the fight but through my door, I could not make it out but I am sure, whatever happened...you didn't deserve to be yelled at like...well like some child, like some little boy. You are a good man, Professor Collier. You deserve better then...well that." She held the bottle out to him. "I brought this to help cheer you up, know t'wont do no good against your ego, it must of taken a wallop tonight."

She offered him her best sympathetic smile. "I did hear that your leaving soon, t'would be a shame to lose you, I know I'll miss you but I'd be lying ta how I was raised if'n I didn't tell you, you are being to generous, if'n I were you, I'd take off, tonight, and show that whore and all those servants and teachers talkin about how she took your manhood tonight....oh...oh I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that" Her hand flew up to her open mouth as she feigned a shock. "My mouth runs away with me sometimes, I..well Im not listening to what their saying, none of it."

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she flopped into a stack of hay. "Oh listen to me, I'm sorry, I keep going on after what you've been through, oh my, oh I am so sorry." She buried her face in her hands, if only to hide the smirk on her face and give herself time to hide the giggle she wanted to let out but it looked as if she were thoroughly embarrassed with herself.