Elyne awoke warm and comfortable. She relaxed and breathed deep. She never wanted to move.
"Good morn to ye," rumbled her pillow.
Elyne's head shot up, off of Tavish's chest. "Oh!" She was tangled, arms and legs, with Tavish Grant. Not only that, but she was sprawled over him like a harlot.
"Terribly sorry." Heat burned her cheeks and she tried to detach herself without touching him more.
"Are ye?" His green eyes were wide and flecked with silver and blue.
The only thing she was sorry about was having to move, but that was not what she was supposed to say. "I should'na be so close."
"Probably not. Though since we are still both fully clothed, I doubt any lasting harm was done in the night." He gave her a tentative smile.
"Still, I suppose we should get up." Never had she been less enthusiastic about any words she had spoken.
"Dinna want to. Rather stay here wi' ye." His eyes were open and honest.
Elyne looked away. "But yer cousin, my future husband?"
The room was silent except for the occasional drop of water from the ceiling to a pail of water below.
"Aye," muttered Tavish and got out of the bed, leaving her to the cold morning air.
Elyne watched him go, wanting to call him back, knowing she should not. Eventually, she dragged herself out of the bed and attended to her morning routine. It would have been nice to change clothes, but she was going to have to make do.
Outside, the rain had stopped and the air was fresh and crisp. Tavish fired up the forge again and Elyne went back to the overgrowth that was once a kitchen garden. She scrounged with vengeance, putting her frustration at her situation into tearing out weeds and hacking through the overgrowth. She found more kale and hazelnuts. The elderberries were picked clean, and her attempt to find early cherries was unsuccessful.
She examined her collection and recognized the bounty of the old garden was growing thin. The garden backed up against the castle wall, and from her perch in the tree, she could see there were more cherry trees on the other side of the wall, beautifully covered with puffy white blooms.
Walking along the back wall, she found a small wooden door, almost completely covered in vines and moss. With some effort, she pushed the gate open wide enough for her to squeeze through, the ancient hinges complaining loudly at being so abused.
The area was so overgrown with bushes and branches, it was difficult to push through. She struggled past, trying to reach one of the cherry trees. She managed to get to the first cherry tree and climbed up, knowing the chances of finding fruit was low, yet still drawn to the lovely blooms.
After a while of fruitless searching, she took a rest in the tree. Walls of rock and granite were so close to the back wall side of the castle, and quarters were so cramped, it would be impossible to attack from this angle. Any assault on the castle would need to come through the front.
Gazing across the overgrowth, she noted a strange thing. The cherry trees appeared to be planted in two straight lines. She had imagined the birds had carried the cherry seeds over the wall of the castle. Birds were a clever bunch, but planting trees in parallel lines was unlikely. It must have been a lane that had now almost completely overgrown. Excited at what she had found, she climbed down to follow the path between the trees.
"Ye ought not be out here alone." Tavish stood before her, his muscular arms crossed over his chest. His characteristic smile vanished from his face.
"Aye, but we needed more food and I dinna think anyone could hack his way with all this overgrowth."
"Still, we canna be too careful." He sounded a good deal like her elder brother.
"Besides, I found that there are two rows of cherry trees leading somewhere. Do ye wish to see where the trail leads?" asked Elyne.
"Ye are trying to lure me into dropping the topic at hand."
Having many older brothers, Elyne was accustomed to overprotective men and found the best way to deal with them was to direct their thoughts to another topic. "The trail leads this way." She pointed out the trees and proceeded to walk in the general direction, pushing past the dense foliage. She struggled through, until Tavish took the lead and barreled through like a bull ram. The movement disturbed the trees, causing a cascade of cherry blossom petals to shower them.
They walked for a short distance to the cliffs behind the castle, where the dense foliage cleared out and a tiny clearing opened to a small hut. It was almost entirely overgrown with bushes, vines, and wildflowers. Elyne stepped closer and realized the small cottage was actually made of granite and was partially carved into the sheer cliff face. The roof above had once been thatch, but now was growing wildflowers. Everything about the cottage was green and lush and inviting.
"What is this place?" murmured Elyne.
"'Tis beautiful."
"Aye, shall we explore inside?"
The wooden door had been sealed shut with the overgrowth, but with some persistence and a bit of muscle, Tavish managed to wrench open the door. Inside was cool and still.
"I doubt anyone has been in here for a long time," whispered Elyne. The place had a reverent feel, making her put on her church manners.
"I am sure ye are right," Tavish whispered back. "Look, it seems part of the cottage was carved into the granite cliffs." The far side of the cottage had a stone roof as opposed to overgrown thatch and benches carved into the rock.
"It looks like this was used as a bench or table of some sort."
"Look, writing." Tavish crouched down before the stone bench to examine further, rubbing off dust to see more clearly the words carved into the stone. "It is in Latin."
"What does it say?" asked Elyne, crouching down with him.
"Faith."
"Faith?" Elyne began to clear the carved alcove of dirt, leaves, and debris. "See here, there is more writing."
"There is ure carved into the stone." Tavish cleared away the dirt from the walls to reveal more Latin on the stone walls on the back of the cave hut. "These verses all speak to faith."
"What was this place? It is too small to be a church or chapel. 'Tis naught bigger than a crofter's hut."
Tavish trailed his finger along the carved words. "A hermit I warrant. He must have lived outside the castle wall, yet close enough to have daily influence on the faith of the inhabitants."
"I like it here. It has a goodly feel."
"Aye."
"What do the verses say?" asked Elyne.
Tavish brushed off the stone wall, tracing the carving with his fingers. He worked out the translation like a puzzle, whispering to himself. "'Tis from the Book of Hebrews. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
Elyne shook her head. "'Tis a hard thing to have faith when the future is unknown. I am worrit for my family surrounded by the English."
"Faith is to believe even when the outcome is uncertain," Tavish said in a low tone, feeling the wall for more verses.
"I never quite understood what I am to have faith in. I canna pretend that if I only had faith, no ill thing would e'er befall me or my kin."
"Be always of good courage!" Tavish read more from the wall with a smile. "For we walk by faith, not by sight. 'Tis from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians."
"What does that mean? How do I walk by faith? Should I ignore what is happening around me?" Elyne truly wanted to know.
Tavish leaned against the wall, thinking on her questions. Tiny bits of dust danced in a shaft of sunlight beaming through the open door. "I believe faith is to trust that our Creator will be wi' us, no matter the circumstances. And even in death, we are promised to be snatched from the grave and given life eternal."
"I've been told heaven is a nice place, but I'm in no rush to see it for myself," muttered Elyne.
Tavish laughed. "Nor I! But it is a comfort to know the Lord has overcome even the worst outcome. No matter what happens, we know we will be saved and death cannot separate us from our loved ones forever."
"I suppose it is a comfort." Elyne did not look too pleased with the concession. "Trouble is, I am living here in this world. I can have faith, but bad things may still happen. What I want is the assurance that no ill will come to us."
"We are not given that promise, I fear, though I wish faith meant I could get what I want." Tavish stared at his boots. "We may no' get what we will, but we are assured that whatever happens, the Lord will use it for our benefit."
"I'd rather faith meant I could be assured o' the outcome."
Tavish stepped closer, his eyes wide and serious in the dim light of the hut. "Sometimes the Lord does no' give us what we expect or even what we want, but something wholly different. Mayhap the Lord has different plans for us than what we expect."
"Who kens the future but the Lord?"
"Elyne." Tavish paused for a moment as if searching for the right words. "Would ye be willing to change yer plans? Would ye be open to seeing a different path?"
Tingles shot up her spine. What plans did he mean? Was he possibly speaking of her engagement to Grigor? "I… I am not sure." Elyne wished she knew which path he spoke of.
A loud blast of a horn got their attention.
Tavish's eyes shuttered. "Someone is at our front door."