#wame becomes a fine paste. nothing left of him. so sad

[commander-wame]

i feel so welcome

[owlish-peacock36]

Seek, and You Shall Find: Chapter 12

Sorry I’ve been AWOL the past couple of weeks. But, here it is... The final chapter of S&YSF...

Chapter 1   Chapter 2   Chapter 3  Chapter 4   Chapter 5   Chapter 6  Chapter 7  Chapter 8   Chapter 9   Chapter 10   Chapter 11

Jamie tapped timidly on Colum’s door. He began formulating a plan in his head ever since he received Jenny’s letter.

Putting first things first, he had to find a way to leave Castle Leoch. Preferably without having to sneak out, but if the worst came to the worst…

“Come in.”

Jamie screwed his face into a mask of distracted concern. He hoped his acting was acceptable enough to fool Colum.

“Oh, Jamie. Come sit.”

He did just that, making sure to drag his feet a little to play up his sadness.

“I must ask ye something, Uncle,” he rasped.

“Aye, what seems to be the problem, lad. Ye werena this upset when yer witch lady left.”

Jamie chose to ignore that comment; this was not the time to start an argument. “I received a letter today, ye ken?”

“I did not.”

“Well, it came from Lallybroch. From Jenny. She's… ill. A physician came to see her, but he didna ken what was wrong. I'm… afraid for her. I dinna… I dinna want anything… to happen to her, and I dinna see her…”

He knew this would touch Colum close to his heart. Although he was angry with Jamie's mother--his sister-- for many years, Jamie knew he regretted never speaking to her before she died.

It was working. Jamie saw the softening of brows, the diminishing frown. “And ye wish to go see her?”

“Aye, Uncle. Very much so.”

“Ye’ll need a horse.”

“Two, Uncle. Murtagh wishes to see her as well.”

Colum sighed heavily. “Very well. Ask Mrs. Fitz for some provisions.”

“Thank ye.”

Jamie stood to leave. As he reached the door, his uncle spoke again. “But, I expect ye back at the castle afterward.”

He didn't look back. “Aye.”

At that moment, Jamie wasn't going to tell Colum that he would never be back.

***

Murtagh leaned cautiously beside Colum’s door, straining his ears. Jamie had come up with a plan, he said. A way to convince his uncle to let them leave without repercussions.

That boy was going to be the death of him, he just knew it. Charming as his mother and stubborn as his father, Jamie knew how to rope Murtagh into anything.

And all for a woman?

He supposed Mistress Beauchamp was a good woman, if not a bit strange. And she had captured the lad’s heart fully.

But, damn, he hoped she was worth all of this trouble.

Murtagh flinched at the sound of the heavy wooden door slamming. Jamie's flaming head appeared, dancing in the torchlight.

A single glance, and a nod was all he received for an answer.

Tonight, they would ride.

***

“Yer awfully quiet, lad.” Murtagh broke the silence that had plagued them since the left Castle Leoch.

Jamie didn't turn toward him, keeping his body straight and forward facing. “Aye.”

“What's wrong with ye?” Murtagh was never one to mince words. Tact wasn't his strongest quality.

“Nothing.”

“Weel, ye dinna much look like a man that is on his way to see his love.”

“It's no Claire I'm worried about. It's Jenny.” Murtagh didn't respond, but merely raised a brow. “I havena seen her in years. I'm no a brother to her. Not as I should be.  Her bairns dinna ken me, and I dinna ken them.”

“Hush. Family is family, lad. Time doesna change blood.”

Jamie's lips twitched into a half smile. “I ken that. But--”

“Dinna worry sae much. Yer just suffering for a problem that hasna happened yet.”

“Hmph.” Jamie tilted his head toward Murtagh. “I dinna ken ye were so… smart.”

“Weel. Ye should pay attention more often.”

***

Lallybroch was a white speck in the distance. Jamie felt his heart beat faster, harder.

Squaring his shoulders and repeating Murtagh’s words in his mind, Jamie urged Donas forward.

***

The dogs began to bark before Jamie even stepped foot on the property. His scent had become unfamiliar to them.

“Luke! Hush! If ye wake wee Maggie, I'll throttle ye!” The voice’s familiarity warmed Jamie’s wame.

“Ian,” Jamie said, barely loud enough over the barking. But, it reached Ian's ears, and he perked up.

“Jamie!” His kind, good humored face broke out into a grin. “We were wondering if ye’d show up!”

And, with that, Ian hobbled over to him, unsteady in the early morning’s exhaustion. Jamie met the smaller man halfway, and enveloped him in a hug.

“It's good to see ye, mo charaid,” Ian whispered against his shoulder.

“Aye. I've missed ye.” Jamie patted Ian's back before pulling away. “Where's Jenny?”

“Asleep, still. With Maggie.”

“Maggie?”

“Our youngest. Only a couple weeks old.”

Jamie sighed, full of regret. “I've missed so much…”

“Aye, but ye can make it up to us later. But someone has been waiting for ye.”

“How is she?” Jamie was anxious to get to Claire.

“Fine, fine. She was a bit road weary when she came to us, and sick. Feverish. But, she told us about ye when she was well.”

“And ye trusted her?” Jamie was surprised they did, but not unhappy about it.

“Weel, Jenny was a bit less trusting of her. But, when she helped Jenny deliver Maggie… I suppose that formed a bond, ye ken?”

“She delivered a child?” Jamie was shocked-- not because Claire helped birth a baby; he knew she was more than capable, but that Jenny would let her.

“Aye. Quite a woman, that Claire.”

“Where is she?”

“I dinna ken. I would say in bed, but she hasna been sleeping well since she arrived. I wouldna be surprised if she was roaming the house.”

Jamie was suddenly overcome with emotion. “Thank ye, Ian. For taking care of them: Jenny and Claire.”

“Oh… hush, now. Go find Claire. I'll help Murtagh with the horses.”

***

Thankfully, Claire wasn't far. Jamie saw her form, hunched in front of the fire in the sitting room.

“Claire.”

She turned toward him. He saw how pale and thin she had become; it was amazing what a few weeks of harshness could do to a body. But she was there, complete and well.

She smiled. It was a smile that crinkled her eyes and morphed her face into a beam of light. Despite everything, she was radiant.

She spoke then, with low, soothing tones he had become so familiar with in the past months.

“You found me.”

Note: Thank you to everyone who supported me. I couldn’t have done it without you! I feel incredible accomplished for finishing my first full length story. 

I have been so focused on this story that I’ve neglected a few of my others. Right now, I have four WIPs (Alla Prima, Ghosts in the Daylight, Between Two Worlds, and Snail Mail), and I’m excited to get back to them!

Again, thank you so much for your support! I don’t know if I could have finished this story without it!

XOXO