"Say these words exactly and say it in English, not Gaelic. Say: 'God condemns the soul of a lad who hurts a lass or a child.' Can you remember it?"
"Yes mother. What if none of the lasses speak English?"
"My sister lives with the Fergusons."
"I did not know you had a sister."
"I have three. She is the only one I have managed to find over the years, and I have met her often in the woods. When she hears the words, she will know who you are and she will help you."
Rachel took the stone, pulled out her dagger, dropped the stone to the bottom of the sheath, and replaced the dagger. She grabbed her bow, checked to make sure she had a full count of arrows and kissed her mother on the cheek. "I will come back, I promise you."
*
It was dark and the last of the families were still coming across the bridge when Rachel walked out. Once she was across, she turned to look back at the Keep. Kevin and Connor were standing on the landing watching her and her mother was headed up the steps to join her sister in prayer. She was relieved to see Kevin wasn't going to let Connor go with her. She turned back around, searched the woods with her eyes, looked up at the sky and waited for a dark cloud to cover the half moon.
When the moon came back out, Rachel was gone and Kevin remembered to take a forgotten breath. He watched as the drawbridge was raised, and then glanced at Connor and smiled. He wasn't sure the young man would ever take air again. "She needs you, Connor, she just does not know it yet."
"What makes you think she will choose me?"
"Rachel is convinced she hates you."
"Of that, I am well aware."
"Aye, but she notices no other lad." He watched Connor's eyes begin to brighten. "Come, I will finish telling you how to win her and try to save you the trouble I had."
Both men went back into the great hall, sat down at the long table and Kevin began, "The truth is, I was a foolish young lad when Anna became my wife. I wanted sons and considered little else. Perhaps someday Anna will tell you what happened, but for now, I tell you this: Once I loved her, I was determined not to let her out of my sight. I thought I would die without her, but Anna taught me a lad cannot keep a lass unless she wants to be kept. He must honor her, trust her and listen to her. Most of all, he must be willing to let her go. Do you understand?"