Page 24 of Highland Flame

Chapter Eight

Yvaine followed Cam out to the orchard, holding Avianca’s hand. The monastery was huge, surrounded by a tall stone wall for protection. Away from the church and living area was a field with crops and also an orchard filled with rows and rows of fruit trees. It was still within the confines of the priory walls. She could see apples, peaches, pears, and even plums on the trees. The monks were very self-sufficient. This almost seemed to be a small community away from the rest of the world where, hopefully, one could forget their problems and find peace and solitude instead.

Yvaine had yet to see the rest of the monastery, but her brother had promised to show her their living areas soon.

“There they are,” said Cam, spotting his friends in the orchard.

Sure enough, Nash was standing under a tree using his plaid like an apron to collect the apples that North was throwing down from up above. North stood up in the branches, picking ripe apples that were too high to reach from the ground.

“Nash, North, yer help is needed with unloadin’ Yvaine’s things from the wagon,” Cam called out, walking up to join his friends.

“Hello, Cam,” said Nash, glancing over his shoulder. By raising his plaid up to hold the apples, he exposed himself, not really thinking about it until Cam said something.

“There are lassies present,” said Cam, clearing his throat. “Or do ye mean to be on display? It’s no’ quite proper in a place such as this.”

Nash’s plaid was heavy with apples, but when he realized the girls could see beneath it, his expression changed. “Yvaine! Avianca!” He quickly dropped the ends of his plaid, therefore spilling the apples to the ground. They rolled away in all directions. Avianca giggled and ran after them, trying to collect them.

“Heads up,” called out North from above. An apple smashed down upon Nash’s head, followed by two more. Nash dodged the latter ones.

“Ow!” spat Nash, rubbing his head. “Stop it, North. I am no longer holdin’ the apples.”

“What’s goin’ on down there?” North looked down from the tree, stretching his neck to see who was there. “Oh, it’s Cam. Hello.”

“I can see up his plaid,” said Avianca, giggling, pointing up into the tree.

“North, get yer arse down here,” growled Cam. “And quit givin’ the lassies an eyeful.”

“At least I’ve got more than an eyeful to show,” mumbled North, lowering himself from the tree. When he got to the ground, he brushed his hands together to clean them off.

“I’ll give ye a snootful if ye two dinna stop this nonsense,” Cam warned them. “Egads, ye fools, we’re in a monastery, no’ a brothel.”

“It’s food. We’re gettin’ real food to eat,” said North, picking up an apple off the ground and rubbing it against his tunic to clean it. After he shined it, he held it out to Cam. “Want one? They sure beat that awful gruel.”

“Nay, I dinna,” Cam answered. “I already ate. And if ye two would have given the food half a chance, ye would have realized that it wasna bad at all.”

“Now ye tell us,” complained Nash, putting his hand on his stomach. “I have a bellyache from eatin’ so much fruit.”

“I need ye two to help unload the lassie’s belongin’s.” Cam wasn’t so sure his friends were going to be cooperative at all. Thankfully, they didn’t fight him.

“Come on, Nash,” said North with a sigh. He bent down and picked up two more apples, taking them along with him.

*

It took longerto move Yvaine’s things up to the empty room next to the scriptorium than Cam had guessed it would. The woman seemed to have brought just about everything from her shop in town with her to the monastery. Boxes of beeswax, jars of scents, and even tallow for making soap had filled up her wagon. Not to mention, she brought some of her furniture, along with trunks filled with personal items. He swore, the way it looked, Yvaine never planned on going back to Hermitage again.

“Careful with that,” Yvaine instructed Cam as he put down the three boxes he was carrying all at once. “I already see several things have become broken from the trip. This is no’ guid at all.”

“Again, a simple thank ye would have sufficed,” mumbled Cam under his breath.

“I’m tired.” Nash stretched and yawned. “I wonder where we’re goin’ to sleep.”

“I’m sure Brathair Gillies will tell us all the details as soon as he has the chance,” Cam told him.

“Did I hear my name mentioned?” Brother Gillies stood in the open doorway with a smile on his face. “Oh, it looks like you don’t need my help, after all.” He entered the room.

“He timed that well,” grumbled North, plopping down atop a chair.

“My lay brothers told me there were two Highlanders in the orchard, picking fruit earlier,” said Gillies.