Evening grew as the greathall filled with the village folks and all well wishers. Food in mass quantity was placed above the tables. Serving maids passed with trenchers of select meats and mugs of Ale.

Music traveled throughout the keep in full throll of the nights merriment. Dancers filled the middle of the hall and kicked up their heals in tune to the beat. All around her familiar faces smiled and congratulated her and took her hand in a warm hand shake to wish her well.

She smiled back trying her best not to shed a tear. Their heart felt cheers and happiness for her marriage with Duncan was too much. If they only new what this union might do. She took in a shaky breath of relief as they left her side and went to him.

She looked at him from across the table and took in his features. Tara's heart beat an unsteady rhythm as she stared at Duncan, who looked devastatingly handsome dressed in his most elegant attire. Then their eyes met briefly. She was sitting across from pure male beauty and she could do nothing but squirm beneath his gaze.
How was she ever going to manage being without him.

Trying not to think of the tearful farewell or the doubtful future ahead of her, she looked away just in time not to meet his gaze full on. She looked around to find Aidan. The signal was when he crossed from the stairs to the main entrance she would follow towards the outer bailey walls shortly after where he will wait with a horse.

The plan is to visit the seer in the far east side of the keeps walls in the forest where her hut was located. She would get her information then.

Ever so often slightly she smiled at him then looking down at her untouched meal that grew colder by the minute.

She slowly shook herself from her thoughts in time to see one of his men stand to give a toast.

"To Lord Duncan, may he be as fierce and swift in the marriage bed as he is on the battlefield," a guard yelled.

Hurrahs and claps rose throughout the hall with boisterous laughs.

Her eyes met his and she felt heat growing up her neck to her face as he winked with a teasing grin.

"To lady Tara, may she bring forth a healthy parcel of Du'Bec heirs to run Chaswick lands," a guard in the far corner shouted.

Another round of hurrahs echoed throughout the hall followed by music and laughter.

Her eyes suddenly locked with his. They held a passionate glare with each taunting word from the well wishers in the hall. Her heart fluttered with the thought of having children. His children.

Immediately she looked away, those thoughts were not suppose to run through her head. She chastised herself.
Soon after they all continued on to the dancing of the evening. Couples from all around walked out to begin dancing and she panicked. She honestly had no desire to take part in this. Her eyes rose to the far side of the hall towards the entrance just in time as Aidan quickly looked her way and nodded. The signal.

She smiled at Duncan and pointed in a gesture that she would return. Giving him her sweetest smile. He nodded and continued talking with his father.

She stood carefully not wanting any attention on her so she could sneak out. She looked around and noticed the merriment had everyone's attention else where.

She felt unease at that moment. What if this was it? Her final farewell that the Seer would actually be able to send her back. She hung on to that hope with reluctance because their was a part of her that really didn't want to leave.

She took a deep breath and turned away. She found herself in the cool dark night in the courtyard. Quickly she darted to the far corner of the Walls and made her way out of the gates. The guards very few insight walked in opposite directions uncoordinated and missed her by mere seconds before she sprinted over the porticullis towards the outer wall.

There she met Aidan as he sat above his horse holding the reins of an extra steed for her. They had little time to waste so they set out for quick gallop into the dark night.

It was mere minutes before they came to a small solitary hut in the deep end of the forest. It felt eerie and unsettling to be put here in the dead of the night that it sent a shiver up her back.

They dismounted from their horse and slowly walked closer. The low dim light at the window, made it evident that some was inside.

She anxiously stepped forward and tapped lightly on the door. They stood back and waited. The slow creek of the opening door was heard as a small woman cautiously peered through it looking at them.

"Good evening madam are you Liora the Seer?" She asked.

Patiently, they waited with the silence that followed.

"Who be askin?" The older woman croaked nervously looking at her then at Aidan.

"Liora, t'is I Aidan, Lord Ardolfs son, we have come because we seek your help. Please let us in ," he spoke.

They stood watching her. Slowly she opened the door and they entered the tiny living space.

Tara took in the space of the old woman. Everything in it was as if she was standing in the middle of a witches den. A large black cauldron sat above a fire. Herbs and jars every where. She watched the old woman walk to it and pulled out a large wooden spoon and began to stir the content in the pot.

The woman turned just then and stood before her and with a boney finger amused she pointed at her.
"Ye be the lass that is not from this time," excitement was evident in her stare.

Surprise and shock overtook Tara, but before she could speak Aidan beat her to it.

"So it is true, Liora, you know she is not from this time," Aidan stepped closer.

The old woman chuckled and turned to the table and began to pull leaves off of a twig.

"Aye, lad I warned ye father did I not?"

Tara slowly walked closer to her.
"So can you help me return?" she asked softly.

The woman turned to the large pot that was now boiling and dashed the leaves in and pulled up a large wooden spoon and began to stir it.

"I am afraid not lass," she spoke.

"What do you mean? you knew I was coming. There has to be a way to get back," Tara stood at her side shaking her head.

"Ay lass, but that be not my doing. I can not manipulate the laws of time," she turned to look at Tara with sad eyes.

"Well can you see or foretell when I will return or if I ever do go back?" Tara frantically asked.

"Nay, my child. The visions come to me in their own time I cannot conjure them up," she shrugged.

Aidan watched as her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Tara," he called her name. But she barely heard it.

"This can't be happening, I thought you could help me go back," she whispered.

Her chest tightened and she suddenly felt sick.

"I'm stuck here," she said staring off in to the distance.

The eerie silence that followed was interrupted by hoof beats from outside the hut. Immediately, Aidan sprung into action and withdrew his sword. He stood before Tara and the Seer before the door was swung open and nearly torn off the hinge.

His heart dropped to his stomach as he watched the formidable size of his brother slowly step through the door and looked directly at him with a deadly glare.

"Duncan I can explain," Aidan began but stopped.

"Hold your tongue, I don't want to hear not a word from you," he growled.

At that moment he stepped closer and shoved him out of the way. His eyes fell first on the old woman that stood cowering near the fire then his eyes fell on Tara.

He frowned.
Concern grew in his gaze looking at her as she stood there not moving. She did not even notice him there before her.

"Tara," worry grew in his eyes with her catatonic state.

His chest tightened with the view before him as she stared off into the distance.

He whirled immediately on Aidan.
"What the hell did you do to her?"

"Nothing, she...," he trailed off not knowing what to say.

He turned to face her. His eyes softened and he gently raised his hand to caress her cheek.

"Love, look at me," he whispered.

The moment he stared at her was brief. With relief she blinked and looked at him. Tears glistened in her eyes as she pulled away from his touch shaking her head. Struggling to breathe she stepped back looking around.

"There has to be a way for me to get back," she exhaled.

He stood back watching her frantically look at her surroundings.

"There has to be some potion or spell you can do to help me," she turned to face the older woman that stood still huddled in the corner. Then without waiting for a reply she began to reach for jars at random and opening them. Spilling out their contents, she was unaware of the gasps of the older woman as Tara angrily tossed them to the floor.

Desperately she searched for what? He did not know but he could tell she was emotionally distraught. He stood frozen as she furiously opened one jar and emptied out its contents before another crash of broken glass shattered the silence in the hut.

"Tara," he called to her.

But, she barely heard him. Blinded with tears and frustration she began to cry and yank at the herbs that hung around her. What was their use ?she cried looking at them.

"Tara, stop," he inched closer.

He watched as she mumbled between sobs reaching for another jar. His heart ached watching her go through this.
He reached out to her but she pulled away and continued dismantling everything.

He was reluctant to use force but it was all he could do.
"Tara, please stop this," he reached for her this time, standing behind her. He reached for her wrist and squeezed it lightly trying to persuade her to drop the small jar.
But to his shock she continued the struggle. He quickly pulled her close wrapping his arms around her waist not willing to give in.
She fought against his hold and all he could do was tighten his grip more around her.

He could tell from her struggles she was not going to give this up.
Immediately he glared at his brother and Liora and demanded that they leave.

He spun her around to face him but all he saw was anger in her brown depths.
"Tara, listen to me calm yourself," he growled.

She pushed him back. "I don't want to calm down," she through a jar to the ground and the shards shot everywhere.

Furiously, she turned again and began pulling more things from the table. He quickly walked behind her as she snatched another jar open. He wrapped strong fingers around her wrist and squeezed enough for her to drop it.

She spun and began to fight him. Flailing hands began to fly at his chest shoving and hitting him. Anger swerved through him as he tightened a hold around her but she struggled and screamed against him.

Frustrated, he bent to pull her over his shoulders and darted with her still kicking and pummeling his back. He walked out the hut and walked in powerful strides towards his horse.
He passed Aidan that stood waiting.

"It is best you do not cross my path. I don't want to see you," he warned.

With those last words he climbed the waiting steed and dragged her struggling in front of him. They galloped towards the keep and made it over the porticullis. He gently tugged her down before him and pulled her close noticing her sobs. Still she pulled away from him.

"Stop fighting me Tara," he demanded.

He pulled her forward still she tried to resist him. But before she could pull away once again, she was tossed over his shoulder and brought up to their room.

"Put me down," she cried.

He entered, then growled kicking the door shut with his foot.

He walked in two strides towards the bed and tossed her in the middle. She scrambled towards the end then was caught by the ankle and pulled beneath him. He focused his efforts on subduing her without hurting her or allowing her to harm herself.

He deliberately let the full weight of his body settle above hers, knowing she would not be able to breathe. She bucked beneath him, trying to win her freedom.

She showed no signs of giving up the fight, and he realized that she would beat at him until she passed out from lack of breath. He forcefully restrained her arms above her head.

There he laid above her. The all too familiar feeling of her lay beneath him. Her struggles turned to fast pants as her chest rose and fell beneath him erratically. He could see the exhaustion in her and watched as she fought the weakness that was growing over her limbs.

He swallowed hard and looked down at her face. Tears trailed down the side of her eyes into her hair that lay in sweaty matted tresses fanned out beneath her head.

Their breaths mingled heavily as he leaned his head forward and touched hers.
"It aches me to see you like this, love." He whispered softly near her lips.

Silently, she lay beneath him. Climbing down from her sudden crises he witnessed it terrified him as well as Liora and Aidan.
She said nothing laying there. She refused to look at him.

He smoothed away strands of her hair from her face.
"Tell me how to ease your pain, Tara," he wiped away a tear.

He watched as her jaw trembled as fresh tears heavily fell from eyes. Her eyes looked into his red as ever and his heart sank to his gut.

"Unless y...you can miraculously send me back to my time, then there's nothing that can heal this pain," she could barely get the words out before she sobbed.

He eased off of her slowly and pulled her into his warm embrace.
"I miss m..my family," she blurted out breathlessly.

He tightened his eyes, Waring with his inner mind as it callously spoke back. He was her family now. But, he fought back the treacherous thought. Such cruel things although true he could not yell if he wanted to. She missed those she love and may never see again.

They sat there for sometime until her sobs lowered down to bare whimpers then suddenly nothing. He swallowed hard as he leaned back and tilted her chin up to see she was asleep. He gazed down at her; her eyes were closed, her damp lashes dark fans against her tear streaked cheeks.

"If you only knew how truly sorry I am that I can't help you love," he whispered placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

It's been a while since he lay with her curled into his arms. Gently he peeled away her fingers that tightly curled into his side and rolled away to stand beside the bed and watched her sleep.

He stilled the tremor that wanted to wash over his body. He was exhausted, drained emotionally and physically. He vowed he would make her smile, win her heart once more and they will marry. He would help her accept what was clear she still battled with.

He turned to leave, with one last glance her way, he took in the view of her sleeping form tightly curled to her side.

"I will help you adjust,Tara," he whispered.

He would heal her with his love.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hello my lovelies...
So sorry for the late post....I tried my best to make this chapter good I had to wing it because this is the one page in my not book that was missing.. I hope you like it again please leave a comment it's important that I know if you like it.

Thanks to those who have added the book to their reading list. I'm also super excited to see many are interested in this story and I have new followers. Thank you so much for the votes.

Again comments push me forward I would deeply appreciate some feedback.

Thank you!!!
XOXOXO