Tall, dark, long-haired Leif finished patting his best friend Donnan on the back in sorrow for his wife's sickness and turned to see what Taran wanted. Leif’s brother had uncharacteristically rushed in through the cottage door.

"What is it?"

Taran nodded his respects to Donnan and Agnes, who nodded in turn and then went back to consoling each other over her sickness. The poor woman had been abed two days, hot with the fever, and she was far from the first. The village was swarmed in sickness, mostly among the women. They spoke of a mysterious white robed figure who showed up at the well telling stories and showing them talismans that they were to kiss for good luck. None of the men had managed to see this strange figure, and it disturbed them all deeply.

Leif threw his arm around his brother and escorted him out of the cottage.

"Let us leave them some time together. I fear she isna long for this waurld."

Taran swallowed and nodded, grief on his face.

“Luag met a lass at the market. She's a stranger, but she's wearing one o' Mauve's leines. Says she bought it from her. Says she has two friends in Alvin's barn who seek a nicer place tae spend the night. Says they all come from the east but hasna been more forthcoming than that, na about where they come from nor aught else. Katherine is a charming lass, and I am inclined tae invite her and her friends tae bide with us. But ye need tae come meet her. Only now that I am away from her dae I ken how strange this sounds. Come and see what I’m on aboot."

The two walked through their town arm in arm, waving and smiling to those who waved and smiled and sharing a grim frown with those who had sick family members at home. The latter were smaller in number. So far.

A smile grew on Leif's face as he watched their little sister, Amena, help Senga with the marketing. She was so young to have lost their parents, only six. She had taken it hard. It did his soul well to see her so lively and engaged.

Senga was a good influence on Amena. Each and every day, Leif thanked Heaven for their one servant. She was more like a member of the family, had cooked for them all his life.

And then he saw Luag talking to the stranger. No wonder Taran was inclined to let her and her friends stay with them. Katherine was the most beautiful woman Leif had ever seen. She wasn't the type of woman he was attracted to, however: outgoing and animated, when he preferred a more quiet and practical lass.

But Luag’s eyes drank Katherine in, even as he scoffed at something she was saying.

Laughing, Leif made his way over to them. As he did, he heard the banter between them and hoped mayhap Luag had met his match.

The lass’s voice was scornful toward Luag as well, but her face was smiling as she traded jests with him. She was being shown a good time.

“I am from a time far beyond now and ken more aboot many things than ye ever will.”

Luag’s face betrayed him as well by smiling even as he poured his exaggerated derision upon her jest.

“And ‘tis easy tae see that does na include making leine, ye wearing Matilde’s and all.”

“I daresay I look better in her castoff than ye look in a leine made for ye.”

Leif’s poor friend from the isles felt out of place here in Inverurie, but Leif greatly needed the man's expertise at fighting to help him get his men ready for the large battle that was brewing. He still couldn't believe Luag had come over to the mainland side of things, being from the isles and all, but Leif didn't doubt his friend’s loyalty. Fair like Katherine, Luag sparred with her in a battle of words over what was almost a palpable bridge of attraction between the two of them.

A bridge of attraction they didn’t appear aware of. It had drawn a crowd.

Luag nodded and blinked at the scorcher Katherine had just launched at him, pretending to throw pieces of it off his clothes, which made the crowd laugh.

Katherine was visibly pushing her lips together so as not to laugh herself. She couldn't verra well give Luag laughing points herself, could she? What would be the fun in that?

They were on about something else now. Luag struck a pose with his back to her and his smile winning the faces of the neighbors.

“Glad I am ye are na lost. Saves us all the trouble of trying tae find ye."

Leif hoped Katherine had a reply. He admired her ability to keep her head in unsafe circumstances, for a lass all alone among strangers. She had to be afraid, but you would never know it to look at her. She stood up straight and put her hand behind the small of her back and looked up for all the world as if she were a scholar. A lass playing at scholar! And she was convincing.

Sure enough, she did, and such a good one it was.

"None o' us is truly ever lost nor found, but thinking makes it sae."

The crowd didn't know quite what to do with this. They were looking around at each other puzzled.

But it was brilliant. Leif wanted to help her.

"Game and match tae the lady. Nae Taran tells me ye hae some colleagues temporarily sequestered in Alvin's barn."

Leif wondered if Luag even realized he was walking over to Katherine ever so slowly, and she was ever so slowly rocking off of her back leg to stand more or less straight and toward him.

Leif felt like he should avert his eyes, as if he were watching something too intimate to see. But that was preposterous. Luag and Katherine were feet apart. Howsoever, their eyes studied each other, measured each other — more like two cats about to fight than two adults who were attracted to each other. It was mesmerizing.

In a fluid movement that was slow yet graceful, Katherine turned toward Alvin's barn just as Luag arrived beside her, so that they were standing together looking the same direction. As if they had been married ten years.

Katherine spoke to Leif over Luag’s head.

"Aye, and they should verra much like tae meet ye.”

Taran gave Leif a look that said if they were going to invite the three women to stay with them, then now was the time, and Taran was game. Was he?

Leif nodded yes to his brother and then addressed Katherine.

"Taran and I should be honored if ye three lasses would bide with us while ye be here in toon. I know Senga has enough provisions on hand tae cook for eight instead o' five," he nodded to his cook, who was still doing the marketing, and Senga nodded back in the affirmative, with little Amena running circles around her. "And Luag is the eighth one, staying with us as well, and it appears he enjoys yer conversation."

Fair-haired Luag seemed to wake from sleepwalking and discover he was beside the lass. With a scowl, he dropped back beside Leif.

Katherine turned and walked backward, smiling as if she were the one doing them all a favor.

"Well then, we should be going tae meet them, ye ken?"

Without waiting for an answer, she turned around and trotted off toward Alvin's barn, apparently expecting them all to follow her.

And they did, listening to her say the most outrageous things ever.

“Aye, we come from the future. We were touring the castle over the mountain and wandered out to the grove o' trees…”