While Lilly packed her belongings, Daniel grabbed his weapons and stood outside in front of the house, scanning the countryside in the direction of the Great Lake. He wished he had some sense of where Argyle’s men were, how long they had before his warriors arrived at the tiny house. At that moment, he became aware of a puff of dust rising into the air to the east. It slowly grew closer, and it finally dawned on Daniel that it was the mercenaries. They had landed and were on a path toward the house, kicking up the dirt he was now seeing. While not positive exactly how long he had before they were banging down the front door, he knew they had to get out quickly if they were to avoid a confrontation. Daniel stormed back into the house.
“Quickly,” he yelled toward the back bedrooms. “They’re coming!” He rushed to the back of the house to find Lilly sitting on the floor of one of the bedrooms methodically rolling and placing her clothing into a pack on the bed beside her. Daniel was shocked at how little progress she’d made in her packing. “What are you doing?”
“I’m putting my things together,” Lilly answered as she grabbed another garment from her drawer and packed it gently in her bag. “Why are you so mad?”
Daniel snatched the sack from the bed and scooped all the clothes from the drawer into it. “If you need anything else, grab it now. We’re leaving.”
“Who do you think you are,” Lilly raged, rising to her feet and searching for the pack in Daniel’s hand. “Those are my things. Don’t touch my stuff!”
Daniel grabbed Lilly by the arm and dragged her toward the front door, snatching up the rifle that stood by the entrance along the way. “They’re on their way here right now,” Daniel told her. “I can see the dust rising along their path from here.” As he pulled her across the threshold, he stopped dead in his tracks. They were coming all right and this time they were coming on horses. He could already make out the individual riders as they galloped toward the house. Lilly reached out to her right and grabbed a long staff that stood leaning by the door. Daniel pulled Lilly around the side of the house and started off through the long grass. “We’ve got to run,” Daniel shouted at her.
Daniel ran next to her, his ankle again beginning to throb. It was currently only a minor ache, but he knew that it would soon be alarmingly painful. As they hurried away from cabin, Daniel looked back over his shoulder. He could now hear the heavy beating of hooves on the earth as the men approached Lilly’s home. Lilly was having trouble, stumbling along next to him. Realizing he was pushing her to do something dangerous, Daniel picked up the small girl and ran as fast as he was able. He had to get them out of sight before they realized she wasn’t at home.
The pain was excruciating. With every step, he was in agony. He gritted his teeth, knowing he had to keep moving. If he didn’t, they’d see him, and if they saw him, they would eventually catch him. That was unacceptable and so he ran. He turned a little to the south to use the cover of the forest to slow down without risking being seen. He wouldn’t be going in at the same place he’d come out, but he would need to stop soon, and so he headed toward the closest set of trees.
It took him far longer than his run this morning. Of course this morning he hadn’t been carrying anyone. Once safely in the forest, he set her down and sat, trying to catch his breath while rubbing his ankle. It felt like it was on fire and although pressing into the flesh hurt, it did so in a good way. Lilly, looking skeptical, sat down across from him and laid her walking stick on her lap.
“How do you do that?” she asked, cocking her head to one side as she asked.
“Do what?” Daniel replied, groaning as he found an extra sore spot on the outside of his foot.
“Move like you do,” she clarified. “How come you can run so fast?”
“I don’t know. I’ve always been able to,” Daniel answered, trying to catch his breath. “Just a gift I guess. My brother has one too. It’s hard to explain so I’ll let him do it.” He leaned back against a tree while digging at a nearby weed. After a minute, he pulled it up and began gnawing on the root. “Sorry, I’m eating some roots. I need to eat a lot when I run like that,” he explained when he saw the questioning look on Lilly’s face. After finishing up a few more that he’d spotted nearby, he beckoned Lilly. “Let’s keep going. I don’t think they saw us so I’m not sure if they’ll be following us or not. We’ll walk for now so I can rest. Let me know if you hear anything, okay?” Lilly nodded in agreement. She then reached out and took his arm and they set off. They stayed off the main paths in an effort to hinder the men’s abilities to track them, if they even were trying to follow.
After a few hours, the two took a short break for lunch near a creek. Daniel put Lilly in charge of starting a fire while he hunted. He’d skinned and cleaned a small doe just as the fire began dying out, leaving the hot coals to cook over. Daniel hung some meat over the fire pit and the two went to get some water while the food cooked. Daniel also took the opportunity to do a little washing up as he was feeling a bit grimy from all the running and sweating. By the time they returned to the fire, lunch was ready. The two ate heartily, Lilly because she hadn’t eaten all day, Daniel because he needed to replenish his body after yet another difficult run. When they finished, there was still quite a bit left.
“May I have one of your shirts?” Daniel asked as he began carving hunks of meat off of the carcass.
“What for?” Lilly responded defensively, pulling her pack close to her chest.
“We need to take some of this with us.” Daniel cringed in pain as he stood and turned to face her. “We need food more than you need five shirts,” Daniel explained. “I need the shirt to wrap the meat in.” She pulled the bag closer and began turning away. “Unless, of course,” Daniel added, “you want me to put the meat in your backpack with all of your shirts. I guess we could carry it that way, too, if that’s what you’d prefer.” He squatted back down next to the carcass and continued cutting. A small shirt soon appeared on the ground next to his left foot. “Thank you.”
“Hmph,” was her only response.
He tore up parts of the fabric and wrapped the meat securely. It wouldn’t last long in this condition, but he didn’t need it to. Lilly had wandered off ahead of him while he’d been packing up. Daniel hollered after her. “We need to make some better time. We’re supposed to meet Aidan and Olivia at the base of Mount Slieve Gullion tomorrow. If we’re not there, they’re going to move on. It’ll be harder if we have to track them,” Daniel finished as he caught up to her.
“I know you’re really fast, but do you really think we can make it there so soon?” the girl asked doubtfully.
“I don’t know,” he answered. “We’re going to give it our best shot though. Let’s walk until you’re tired. When you can’t walk anymore, I’ll carry you. We can do that off and on until we need to stop for the night or we get there. Agreed?”
Lilly nodded. “Doesn’t sound fair for you, but okay. Let’s go.” Lilly set her stick in front of her and grabbed Daniel’s free arm.
Daniel walked next to her and, given the uneven terrain, was moderately impressed at the pace she’d set and the rhythm she’d gotten herself into. He listened to the repetitive sound of her footfalls, to her measured breathing. She trudged along for quite a bit longer than Daniel would have first guessed she was capable. When she got tired, he carried her again.
They tore through the countryside, now sticking to paths worn by the animals through the dense trees and brush. While Daniel would have preferred to stay off of the paths, he preferred to not hit a tree at full speed even more. Self-preservation won out. The day wore on and the sun began its descent behind the distant peaks.
Daniel suddenly pulled up short and almost dropped Lilly. As he’d come to a small opening in the trees, he’d noticed a house standing in the middle of it. He’d been able to stop himself just before bursting into the clearing where someone would have possibly spotted him. The small log cabin seemed to sag, and he saw a few shingles which stood askew along the roofline. Altho
ugh no movement inside could be detected, Daniel didn’t want to risk it. He had no way of knowing if anyone lived there or what their reaction would be to his and Lilly’s arrival.
Setting Lilly down quietly, Daniel raised a single index finger to his lips. “Shhh. There’s a house.” She nodded her understanding. He leaned close to her and whispered for her to stay put while he checked the place out. Daniel handed her the rifle he’d taken from her home. She squatted down while Daniel moved closer to the edge of the forest. In the blink of an eye and a rustle of some leaves, he was standing at the side of the house, just to the left of an open window. The shutters were only partially open, which hindered his view, so he hunched over and crawled so he was directly underneath. He slowly raised his head until he could just see over the sill. After a quick scan of the room Daniel stood and yelled for Lilly.
“Come on out,” Daniel shouted. “The place is deserted. It doesn’t look like anyone’s been here in years.”
Lilly stood up and walked slowly to Daniel’s side as he made his way around to the front of the house. The door stood open and they entered. A thick layer of dust had settled over all the surfaces of the room. The sunlight that made its way in through the windows and still open front door illuminated the dancing particles that hung in the air. It gave the room a very warm feeling, except that the place was a mess. Two square windows opened up on each side of the combination kitchen/family/dining area. Pushed back into the far left corner stood a small yet handsome dining table. Partially blocked by the table was a good-sized rock and mortar fireplace. It appeared to have gone unused for quite some time. Daniel grabbed a broom that was leaning against one wall and gave the dining table a quick swipe to remove most of the top layer before pulling it away from the wall and setting down the pack of meat.
“Looks deserted. I’ll be back in a bit with water and some berries if I can find them,” he called back over his shoulder as he walked toward the door. “Stay inside and out of sight.” He closed the door behind him as he went.
Setting her bag down on the floor, Lilly moved around the room running her hand over the surfaces, locating the furniture with her stick and outstretched hands. As Daniel had pointed out earlier, it appeared the place hadn’t been occupied in some time. There was more to it than that though. The mess gave the appearance the home had been left in some hurry. Whether the owners had packed up and left quickly or whether the place had been looted by one of Argyle’s gathering parties was difficult to say. Lilly’s opinion leaned toward the latter as even someone moving out in a rush would treat their property with a little more respect. Her opinion, but who knows. She closed drawers and cabinets as she worked her way through the room. She picked up a couple of the overturned chairs and set them next to the table. Realizing Daniel was out gathering food and water for a mid-afternoon meal, Lilly went in search of some dishes on which to eat. She found them soon enough and set them out on the table. Thankfully they’d been in one of the few cabinets that had remained closed, and the layer of dust had been mostly contained to the top plate, which she’d set aside.
Opening the package of meat, Lilly set most of it on Daniel’s plate knowing he needed the food far more than she did. While she was hungry, the amount she took would be ample, assuming he found some other vegetation they would be able to eat with it. Wandering around for a while longer, Lilly found nothing else that interested her, so she sat back in her seat, opened her pack, and started refolding the clothes that Daniel had so carelessly shoved into it. She was mostly finished when she heard the front door open. Daniel entered carrying two buckets. He set them gently on the table and sat down in front of his plate.
“Found these buckets next to the house,” Daniel explained. “Figured they’d be useful. One’s water, the other is all the roots, nuts, and berries I found on my way to and from the stream. I was hoping they’d have a well. No such luck.” Daniel got up from his seat and started opening cabinets. He soon found what he’d been searching for and returned to the table with two cups. He dipped them each in the cold water and set them on the table. Lilly finished folding her clothes and turned back to her plate.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
Daniel had already shoved a large piece of meat into his mouth. He looked up. “For what?” he managed to say as a little juice dribbled out of the corner of his mouth and down his chin before he could wipe it away with his sleeve.
“For dinner,” she replied hesitantly, “for getting me out of there before those men came back, for saving my sister.” Her look held him. She couldn’t see his face, yet it felt as if she were looking into his soul. He could see in her a strength that far exceeded her small stature. “I’m still not sure what’s going on exactly, but thank you for everything.” Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled slowly down her pink cheeks.
“Don’t thank me yet,” Daniel retorted. “We’re not safe here. Not by a long shot.” He picked up another large hunk of meat and took a bite. With his other hand he reached into the bucket nearest him and pulled out an assortment of fruits and vegetables. “Dig in,” he told Lilly. “With any luck, this will be the last long stop before meeting up with Aidan and Olivia.” With that, Lilly started eating. The rest of the meal was quiet as both sat in silence staring at their plates, an occasional scowl or crease of the forehead crossing their faces.
“We’ll stay here the night and head out at first light,” Daniel announced after they’d finished their meals. Lilly was in no mood to argue and was asleep in one of the back rooms within minutes. Daniel wasn’t too far behind.
With the morning mist still drifting dreamily through the trees, Daniel and Lilly left the house and followed a thin trail north. “How far is it?” Lilly inquired as she followed closely behind Daniel. She would have preferred to walk next to him, but the size of the path prohibited it. It may have once been wide enough for two to walk side by side, but the years of disuse had allowed the plants to grow back.
Daniel turned his head so she could hear better. “It’s still a bit of a trek to where we’re meeting them. I took the liberty to backtrack a ways when I went to get water, to check our trail. I don’t think Argyle’s men saw us, or if they did, they didn’t care. I don’t think they’re following us.”
“So?” Lilly inquired, wondering what relevance that had on how far it was to Mount Slieve Gullion.
“If they’re not following us,” Daniel explained, “then we don’t have to hide as much. Now we can at least take the main roads and trails. That’ll save us some time and effort. You ready to pick up the pace or do you need more time to digest?”
“I’m okay,” came the reply.
Daniel quickened his stride. “You let me know if I’m going too fast and I’ll slow down.”
Lilly again fell into a steady rhythm as she walked. Daniel called out the roots and rocks in the path as they approached them and helped guide her around them. A few times she felt a stitch growing in her side. She took a few deep breaths and tried to not let the pain show. She didn’t want Daniel to think she was weak, so she gritted her teeth and pushed forward while trying to take deeper, more frequent breaths to relieve the cramp. It soon passed and the two kept moving. After having alternated several times between her walking and being carried, they emerged from the forest and back into the plains. The mountains loomed ahead of them as they hurried toward their meeting place. They made better time than anticipated, eating as they went. As the sun fell behind the peaks and cast their path into shadows, Daniel set Lilly down.
“Almost there,” Daniel panted. “We can walk the rest of the way.” Daniel stretched out his back and shoulders and started walking again on the path they’d been following. Lilly wasn’t sure, but it sounded like he was limping a little, favoring his right ankle just slightly.
“You okay?” she asked as she hustled to keep his pace.
“What?” Daniel asked, pulling his gaze from the snow-capped peaks of the mountains.
“Your leg,”
Lilly explained. “Did you hurt it?”
“What...what makes you think I’m injured?” Daniel stammered.
“I can hear your limp. Are you okay?”
“It’s fine,” Daniel replied. “I twisted it on the way to your house. It’ll be fine, just a little tender.” The fact was his ankle was killing him. It wasn’t getting any better, and wouldn’t as long as he kept punishing it with long runs, especially long runs while carrying someone. Hopefully I’m done with that, thought Daniel to himself.
Chapter 11
Reunited