Aimnéise Place of Pendants 2

Chapter Twenty Seven

Fiora’s Pendant

Solai handed us a cup of what looked like wine. “Please sit down and I will tell you.”

Reluctantly Dougal and I sat in the chairs at the table. We listened, or I did. Dougall didn’t have an inkling of what was being said. Solai told me how she had arrived last year falling and hitting her head on a table causing her to lose her memory. The events of her time here. I felt my breath leave my body realizing she was not here any longer, we were a year too late.

Solai continued to appraise us of what had happened with a visit from Micheletto Corletta, and Lord Sforza. How Leonardo had paid for the Romanian gypsies to take her to safety.

“Solai what about the half pendant she wore?”

“Ah yes, the pendant. The most we were able to find out is that Lucia had stolen it at the threats from her husband, However, he was found that same night dead, along with two companions. He had given the pendant to a…donna of the night named Franchesca. Her body was found a week later.” Solai looked down as if it was a painful memory. “She had been tortured, very badly, it was terrible what had been done to her, even though she was a…”

I cut him off. “Solai where is the pendant now?”

“I am sorry, but we do not know, with Henricus and Franchesca dead, we could not find it. Franchesca could have given it to someone, but we have no idea who.”

When I told Dougall what Solai had said he suggested that we travel back a year to catch her. I would have agreed with him except that if Morgan had lost her memory she would not ken who I was.

“Her name is Morgan?” Solai asked.

“Yes. Her full name is Morgan Evalina Danu Monroe Sutherland.”

“We laughed about what her name could be. I said I thought it was something exotic. But now I know what it is that actually suits her.”

“It does.” I agreed.

I paced the room trying to think of what the right thing to do was. “Dougall I think the best thing is to travel back but to keep our distance until we are sure Morgan kens who we are. I need though to get the pendant back.” I had no idea how I was going to do it or how to convince Morgan who we were.

I couldn’t think of anything else to do. We were so close I could feel it in my blood, so damned bloody close.

Solai couldn’t remember the exact date that Morgan left with the gypsies, he said that his maestro would know but he wasn’t due back for another week. I wasn’t waiting another week.

“Thank you Solai for all you did for her and saving her.”

“You are welcome Signore, when you find her tell her I miss her and think of her often.”

“I will, thank you Solai you have been a great help.” I turned to go then had a thought. “Solai how did you understand my wife she doesn’t speak your language?”

Solai looked stunned. “Signore she spoke our language better than you do, not meaning to cause you offence.” Now I was the surprised one. How had she pulled that one off. I ken she couldn’t speak any languages it was something we had laughed about. She had said I was a smarty because I could speak a few. Another puzzle to find an answer.

We left Solai and headed to a tavern. Both Dougall and I were tired.

It had been a long day and we needed to rest and eat. I was downright starving. Dougall whined every few minutes about how his stomach would start eating itself if he didn’t feed it soon. Solai had told us of a tavern not far called the Coda di Cani.

We entered the noisy tavern and found a table that a drunk was sleeping on. I pushed him off taking the seat he had occupied. The drunk hit the floor not waking.

A young barmaid came over to take our order.

“What will it be Signore?”

We ordered a tankard and asked about a room. Fortunately, there was one available. It was also lucky that the uniform I had on had coins in a pocket enough to pay for our drinks and a room.

“Connie we go back in time and follow Morgan but keep our distance until she gets her memory back right?”

I took a sip of the warm mead the barmaid had just plonked on the table. I couldn’t think of anything else to do. “I don’t just want to show up and have her not recognize me.” I wouldn’t be able to hold her. If I tried to take her back to our own time, the risk could cause her more damage, even the possibility that her mind could be lost forever.

That would break my heart.

I turned my head to see Dougall intently watching the barmaid.

“Bràthair.” I warned, kent that he liked to watch the lassies.

’Aye?”

“We are no here for this.” I snapped at him, I wasn’t angry with Dougall, just the situation we were in.

Dougall’s face turned red from anger, his eyes still on the pretty barmaid. I turned to see that the lass had been grabbed and slung onto one of the patron’s knees. I put my hand on Dougall’s arm to hold him back, should he have a thought to be a knight to save a damsel in distress.

We were wearing stolen gendarme uniforms. It was a risk with us sitting in the tavern, as it was. Next thing the barmaid screamed as the patron tore at her shirt.

Dougall was up pulling the girl off the man with one hand and punching him in the face with the other before I could speak. I shook my head; we so do no need this now. Someone was going to call the gendarmes for sure.

The barman came to see what the fuss was about. Even though the lass was trying to cover herself with the torn shirt.

The barman grabbed her arm and tried to pull her out of Dougall’s arms, screaming at her to get back to work.

Then he turned to back hand the girl, his arm being caught in Dougall’s before he could made contact with her face. Now, this was not right. No female deserved to be treated so badly. Dougall was yelling at the barman who couldn’t understand him. This is getting much worse.

I strode to Dougall. “Dougall, we need to get out of here.” I growled at him while he held a fist ready to punch the barman and keeping the lass out of the barman’s reach. Then I noticed the pendant around her neck.