Grisell was assisting her father with his breakfast. He was feeling a bit under the weather again this morning when she heard the fire alarm. She ignored it, thinking there was probably a fire in the kitchen. It would quickly be put out. Fires in the kitchen happened on occasion. She continued feeding her parent his porridge.

'Chief!' One of her guards came running in. 'The ladies quarter is on fire! Come quick!'

Grisell left the bowl on the table and rushed out. She gasped. It was no small fire that could quickly be put out. The fire was raging like an inferno. The entire Dalmahoy property was about to burn to the ground.

'Get my father out!' She shouted to the guard. 'Take him to the medical shelter.'

The fire alarm continued blaring. Grisell was thankful, they had had emergency preparation trainings a few times a year. At least the young and able among the clan were standing in formation, awaiting her instructions. There were over eighty men and women, waiting for her leadership.

Thank heavens they had an abundance of salt water waiting to be desalinated. 'Open up the pipeline,' She called out. She calmly organized her clan. 'The first twenty of you, gather your pales. Wet down the women's quarters,' she spoke with urgency, but calmly. She instructed further. 'Next thirty, wet down our gardens. Soak them up well! The next twenty, water down every building and every structure of ours. I want ten of you to guide all the women and children down to our safety bunker. The remainder of you follow me to save our livestock. On your horses! Hurry!'

Grisell led from the front. She was on the mare, Swale. All the livestock were being led down to the beach. There were whistles and loud cajoling, from the men trying to lead the livestock to safety. The animals were starting to panic and move in different directions. Some rushed back into their wooden structure, fearing the blazing fire that was enveloping them from all directions.

Everybody got to work with military precision, each team had a leader, coordinating their teams with urgency. There were shouts and loud voices barking orders from all directions, trying to manage the fire.

'Chief! One of the men rode up close to her. 'The ladies are saying a woman from DeMartino camp started this fire. Witnesses saw her throwing a fire torch on the wooden beam. Grisell was stunned at the length Sorcha went to, to take revenge. Could she be this hateful and irresponsible to cause this much risk to the lives of humans and their livestock!

'Send two of our generals; have her detained. I want her tied down. I will deal with her when I have this fire under control!' She looked up and saw some of the horses were rushing back to their stable, immune to the fact that it was blazing.

'Come with me,' she shouted to two men, 'let's get those horses down to the beach!'

'Chief!' One of them screamed. 'It's too dangerous. The beam is about to fall!'

Grisell looked at the burning beam, if it fell it would roast her horses alive. 'Let's go quickly,' she rushed forward, patting her horse's neck gently. 'We can do this Swale,' she whispered in her ear. 'I know you are scared, but I won't let you burn. Hurry Swale!'

As if sensing her urgent command, Swale picked up speed, keeping her head down she sprinted into the stable. The two men were right behind Grisell. 'Keep to the left and right. I shall draw them out from the back.'

'Chief, don't go further in,' one of them shouted. The beams are falling fast at the back!' Grisell ducked as a piece of beam fell above her. She extended her hand out protectively. It tapped her shoulder, she quickly ducked and it fell to the floor. Grisell shouted loudly to the horses, pushing them with her horse. They moved forward, sensing safety was outside.
'Move with them,' Grisell shouted across to the men. 'Guide them out.' At the corner of her eye, Grisell spotted a foal, hiding at the back, terrified of the flames and the heat. At the same time Swale observed the foal and started to move to the back. 'Swale no! It's too dangerous! But the horse lifted her two front legs, and neighed with determination. Two beams fell at the entrance. Grisell wondered if she could make it through without getting singed. She jumped off Swale, rushed to the foal and picked her up. 'I got you. I got you,' she whispered calmly. The flames were dangerously hot now. Grisell was drenched to her skin in perspiration. Could she make it out of there! Should she abandon the foal? Should she climb back on Swale? Would the both of them be able to get out through the obstructed entrance, without serious injuries?

Meanwhile outside, help came from the neighbours. Eskine had come with almost fifty of his men. They were assisting with watering down the buildings. Some of his men assisted in getting the women and children to safety. The Dalmahoy camp looked completely destroyed. All Eskine could see was just charred remains of some buildings, and just smoke, blackness and unbearable heat from the fire. He started to feel dread and panic engulf him as he rode on his horse, looking for Grisell and she was nowhere to be found.

'Where is Chief Dalmahoy?' He shouted to one of her generals.

'She's getting the animals to safety,' he shouted back. 'Some of the horses panicked and ran back to the stables. She went to rescue them.'

Eskine looked over his shoulder. 'But it's burning to the ground,' he cried out. 'Nobody in there will survive!'

'Then she must be out, leading them to the beach.'

Fear engulfed Eskine. He couldn't breathe. He blinked furiously, commanding his heart to be still.
She is okay. She is not inside that blazing inferno. She is safe at the beach.

He jumped off his stallion outside the blazing stables. 'Where is your Chief?' His voice almost broke as he questioned one of the men.

The man pointed to the stable, looking dazed not saying anything. Eskine grabbed him by his shoulders and shook him violently. 'Is she in there?' Eskine screamed at the top of his voice.

The man nodded. Eskine could feel white spots before his eyes. His heart stopped beating. His lungs screamed for oxygen. 'No!' He screamed at the top of his voice when he saw Swale coming out, with the foal on its back. 'No!' He screamed again and rushed forward.

Two of the Dalmahoy men tried to hold him back. They gripped his arms and body preventing him from going to his certain death. Like a man fighting to stay alive, fighting for his dear life, he lashed out at them, swung his fist to the face of the one man who went sprawling backwards. He kneed the second man who clutched his stomach and fell to the ground.

'Grisell! Grisell!' Eskine screamed. 'Grisell, can you hear me?'
The smoking was burning his lungs. He could not see anything beyond the raging flames. He felt his clothes on fire but dabbed at it and ignored the burns on his flesh.

'Grisell! Grisell! Grisell, can you hear me? Grisell!'

Eskine ran about like a madman, falling over beams, dodging the falling burning debris, until; he almost tripped over something soft, not wooden beams, but human flesh. He fell to his knees and sobbed.

'Grisell! Darling! Can you hear me?'

Her face was black from the soot, parts of her dress was burnt. Her one arm did not look too good. She was breathing, but very faintly. He removed his shirt and covered her. He looked around and wondered where, in which direction could he safely go, for the fiery hot beams littered everywhere his eyes could see.

'Darling,' he crooned. 'We are not going to die today! Do you hear me! We have to make it out!'

Suddenly he could hear pales of water being thrown from the entrance side. The water caused more smoke on the wooden beams, but at least it brought down the temperature a bit. Eskine decided he was going to attempt a daring escape via the entrance. There was the least amount of burning debris there. Cradling Grisell tightly in his arms, he carefully put one foot in front of the other. He had not much visibility, nor an easy path with all the dangerous obstacles on the ground.

'Keep breathing darling!' He whispered, 'we are almost out. Hang in there!'

He was just about ten feet away from the entrance, but it felt like he had to move ten thousand feet, for it was that unsafe and the fire was still blazing. He kicked out at some beams that blocked his path. His arms tightly around Grisell, he negotiated the final few feet until he saw the blue sky and myriad hopeful people all eagerly anticipating his safe escape. Screams of joy and deafening shouts greeted him as he walked out with Grisell in his arms. His hair singed, his body covered in soot, he carefully laid her on her side, adjusting his shirt over her, to protect her modesty. She began to cough. Thunderous applause echoed around him. He gently laid her on her back and calmly began chest compressions. She coughed some more. Her eyes flicked opened for a second, sufficiently for him to observe them being bloodshot red. He looked around, trying to find some herbal remedy for her eyes. When he looked up, his eyes met that of the former chief, huddled in his wheelchair. Tears were streaming unashamedly down his eyes.

'She is going to be okay,' Eskine shouted to Udny. 'She has taken in a bit of smoke, but she will be okay in a day or two.'

Eskine signaled to one of the Dalmahoy ladies who was close to him. She rushed forward and listened to his instructions.

'Cut me some of those marigold petals,' he instructed 'and those too,' he pointed to the chamomile plant a little further away. 'Get me some warm water,' he screamed out to nobody in particular.

When the warm water came in a bowl, he added the marigold and chamomile petals and placed them over her eyelids to soothe the irritation in her eyes. 'Do not open your eyes darling,' he whispered. 'The petals will reduce the redness in your eyes.' He gently tapped on her chest again, hoping the poisonous toxins will escape and oxygen can aid her breathing again. She coughed again more frequently and groaned from the burning in her lungs.

Eskine noticed more people gathered now, they were joined by women and children as well. Oblivious to the devastation, the children were chatting and running about. Grisell shifted about, clutching her chest. She coughed more heavily and wanted to sit up. Eskine looked up at Udny and smiled. He nodded and smiled back.

'Darling,' Eskine whispered. 'Can you hear me?'

She nodded, tried to speak, but getting her vocal cords to work, felt like cut glass inside her throat. She cleared her throat, tried again. 'My father___.' Her voice was so hoarse; she hardly recognized it as her own.

'He is safe darling. There he is,' Eskine pointed.

She lifted her head, found her parent and tried to smile, but it was too much of an effort. Her nostrils felt assaulted by soot and smoke. She could feel parts of her skin burning painfully. She wished she could erase the smell of the smoke in her nostrils and the burning in her lungs. She wanted to sit up. Eskine wished she would lie down, but perhaps, she would feel comfortable sitting upright. He looked around. There were two buckets close by still full with water.

'Bring those closer to me,' he instructed one of the men.

He helped Grisell up, propped her back against the buckets and kept his arm around her shoulder.

'You okay?' He murmured.

She nodded, 'my head ___hurts. Please ___ water,' she whispered huskily.

He asked for water and fed it to her slowly. 'Water is good,' he murmured. 'Drink as much as you can.'

She drank very slowly and finished almost all of it. He needed to treat her burns. He dabbed some of the salt water on her shoulder and arm. He called to McCrae and requested him to bring him a shirt and some ointments to treat her burns and his that were beginning to throb on his back. He was sure, Grisell's hand and shoulder was throbbing as much as his back. Eskine signaled to one of the Dalmahoy guards.

'Bring Chief Blane, closer here,' he ordered.

The man nodded and rushed to Udny. He whispered in Udny's ear that Eskine requested him to come to Grisell. Udny nodded and allowed his chair to be taken to his daughter. When he was close enough, he reached for her hand. Grisell felt the familiar soft hand and opened her eyes.

'Father ___.' She shut her eyes again.

'Don't talk,' he murmured. He looked at Eskine. 'Thank you,' he smiled, with teary eyes.

'Chief Blane, I would like to offer for your daughter.'

Udny's eyes widened. He looked at Grisell, whose eyes quickly opened. He winced seeing her eyes still blood shot red. He couldn't imagine the pain she was in, her flesh and hair were singed. Her lungs must be experiencing severe respiratory distress.

'Father___,' she shook his hand. 'Say ___ yes!'

Eskine threw his head back and laughed joyously. He boldly pressed his lips to her cheek.

'Yes,' Udny nodded at Eskine. 'Yes, ' he repeated much louder, smilingly.

'Then it leaves me to do this,' Eskine stood and positioned himself in front of Grisell. He went down on one bended knee and there was a loud chorus of applause and shouting. He looked up and smiled at everybody before he took Grisell's hand.

'Grisell Blane, mighty Chief of Dalmahoy, may I have you to be my beloved wife?'

'Yes,' she smiled with painful effort.

Everybody from both tribes witnessed the proposal. Again there was resounding applause and celebration, as both tribes broke out in song and dance and celebration, temporarily forgetting the fire.

'Thank you,' Eskine rose to his feet.

He bowed to the applause from his clan and Dalmahoy. He looked around at the Dalmahoy camp with concern, assessing the devastation and destruction. Clearly there was a lot of work needing to be done. He would send out two of his ships to get lots of timber and all the necessary supplies to commence the re-building of infrastructure for the Dalmahoy camp.

Eskine whispered in Grisell's ear. She extended her hand for him to help her up. Leaning on his arm, she looked around and joyously witnessed both tribes working harmoniously, to put an end to the fire. They were passing pales of water down, along a coordinated line. They were smiling, chatting to each other, some laughing, some singing. Grisell could not be happier. She looked up into Eskine's eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks.

'It's happened.' He whispered in her ear. 'They are at peace, and they look very content.'

She nodded, smiling at him. Speech was still a bit difficult. When she tried to talk, her bruised throat rebelled. Eskine pointed to her nose. He removed a silk handkerchief from his pocket, cupped her chin, and brushed away soot that blocked her nostrils and quickly returned it to his pocket.

'Thank you,' she inhaled deeply.

At least breathing felt easier and her lungs seemed to appreciate the continuous clean flow of oxygen. She felt her arm ache, and her shoulder burning, probably from being exposed to the direct flames. She didn't look at her arm, nor did she care in what stay of disarray her hair or clothing were in. She was more concerned with the state of her property and wanted to conduct a very quick assessment of the extent of the damage. It frightened her, at the astronomical costs that awaited her to rebuild everything that was completely damaged.

She tucked her arm in Eskine's and requested him to walk with her. He wanted her to rest and have her burns treated, but she shook her head determinedly. She pointed to the structures where she wanted to go. Eskine whistled, his horse came trotting to him. She smiled, speaking softly, asking him to teach her that. Eskine hoisted her onto his horse and hopped on. The single women's dwelling seemed to be most badly destroyed. She looked around and signaled to Deonaid. He came rushing to her.

'We will ___ suspend school for the ___next two weeks,' she spoke very faintly. 'The school will ___become temporary ___dwellings for the ladies, until we ___rebuild their new quarters. Get the ladies organized ___into the classrooms. Have all the ___livestock brought up again,' she continued to speak softly. 'The area ___ behind the church is still fine. We will house them ___there for now.'

He nodded and departed to action her instructions.

Grisell indicated to Eskine she wanted to sit. They sat down on the ground on the grass. She heaved a few gulps of oxygen and looked up unto Eskine's eyes. He was smiling, but saw the sadness in her eyes and stopped smiling.

'So___Sorcha started this fire,' she whispered, 'we ___have witnesses.'

Her eyes filled with tears. Her tears were not of weakness but for the unnecessary and exorbitant destruction caused by a scorned woman. Eskine's eyes were filled with anger. His face contorted with violent rage, as he made to get up. She gripped his arm. 'I have her ___ detained,' she murmured hoarsely. 'She will answer in ___ my court, not yours!'

Eskine looked down. His furious rage still uncontained. He took Grisell's hands in his. 'Yes, off course. It happened on your property,' he looked at her somberly.
'You dispense the necessary justice as you deem fit. I offer you my full support. I am so sorry this has happened.'

She nodded and rose to her feet. She indicated to Eskine, that she was going immediately to confront Sorcha. He could accompany her if he wished. Eskine touched her shoulder gently.

'Please don't punish me for what Sorcha has done,' his eyes met hers squarely.

Grisell shook her head as if denying that she was angry with Eskine, but her heart was telling her it was his ex lover that had caused destruction to her property. That it was because of his ex lover that she almost lost her life. His ex lover, the woman he had held in his arms at night, the woman he had loved and whispered words of endearment to. It was his ex lover that had caused all of this!

'I am feeling your anger and resentment darling,' his eyes darted hers. 'I feel you punishing me, because of all this,' he waved his hands towards the destruction around them.

'I am ___ sorry,' she whispered. 'I do not ___lay that blame at your feet. It is entirely ___Sorcha's to bear.'

He smiled, dipped his head with obvious intention to kiss her. Her eyebrow shot up, at his bold attempt.

'No!' She murmured.

'But you are my betrothed.' He smiled lazily.

She smiled back. 'When we ___are wed, then you may be so ___ publicly affectionate.'

'About that,' he chuckled. 'I refuse to wait too long. You will wed with me within a month from now.'

'Yes,' she agreed. 'Now let me deal with that ___ that arsonist.'

'I shall accompany you,' he offered.

'You may, but you ___will not meddle or intervene!' she cautioned him, as they walked to where Sorcha was being detained.

'Bring her out!' Grisell ordered to Alfie who was standing guard over Sorcha in a make believe jail house, whilst everybody was dealing with the fire. Alfie dragged her out by one arm. Sorcha was kicking and screaming and swearing like a filthy sailor. Her bottom lip dropped when she saw Eskine standing alongside Grisell. Her eyes pleaded with him to rescue her. She ignored Grisell completely.

'You caused all this destruction Sorcha?' Eskine waved his hand around the Dalmahoy camp.

Her face had an angry scowl. Her eyes narrowed. She eventually looked at Grisell with pure hatred.

'She does not deserve you,' Sorcha spat. 'I love you. I know how to satisfy you,' her eyes roved over his person suggestively.

Grisell was stunned at this woman's gall and stupidity.
Clearly you do not know how to keep Eskine satisfied, if you did, why is he wanting to wed with me?

'Sorcha,' Grisell spoke in a strained voice. 'Are you aware ___arson is punishable by death?'

'You cannot put me death! I am not of your tribe. You have no authority over me!'

Grisell's eyes were measured as she confidently stared straight at Sorcha. Her hands calmly at her side, her shoulders ramrod straight, it was torture to speak, but Grisell soldiered on. 'You committed this arson, ___on my property. You endangered the lives of my entire clan ___as well as our livestock. I almost ___burnt to death, trying to rescue my horses!'

Sorcha's eyes widened fearfully. She had not thought about humans and animals when she had carelessly and irresponsibly set fire to the Dalmahoy property. Now her eyes were white with fear as she looked at Grisell helplessly.

Her throat feeling like she'd swallowed cut glass, she announced. 'You shall ___ be tried Sorcha. I shall ___ preside over your hearing. I shall decide ___ your punishment. Do not expect ___ mercy from me! You shall not ___ receive it! Lock her up again,' Grisell instructed Alfie.

'No!' Sorcha shouted. 'Eskine save me,' she pleaded.

'You deserve the punishment you will receive Sorcha. You were extremely and selfishly irresponsible.' Eskine placed his palm at Grisell's elbow and led her away.

It took Grisell more than two weeks to fully recover after the smoke inhalation suffered to her lungs, eyes and throat. Now she was strong, healthier and working fervently to rebuild all the infrastructure. Many were happy about the newer and more modern looking facilities that they saw coming up.

Initially Grisell had rejected Eskine's offer of financial help and the men he offered as labour. He managed to coax her to accept, telling her it was a small price to pay, for the reckless actions of one of his tribe's people. He had convinced her that soon, after they wed, they would merge all their resources and the tribes shall live as one, so she should accept his gesture of goodwill.
Eskine had also offered for the Dalmahoy teachers and their young ones to continue with uninterrupted classes on the DeMartino site. He had assured Grisell they had an abundance of facilities to convert to classrooms for the Dalmahoy children. And he thought the children would enjoy the combined sessions. They would consider it an excursion and more fun with the bigger numbers. Grisell had consented to the combine classes.

A week later, Grisell had ordered the Board to set up a public trial for Sorcha. She instructed them that she alone would Chair the hearing and pronounce her judgment. At the hearing, three witnesses had been called to relay what they witnessed. All three confirmed Sorcha as the culprit. Grisell had questioned the witnesses at length; each one had unhesitatingly confirmed that it was Sorcha that had committed the monstrous act. Before Grisell invited Sorcha to speak she had reminded her of her heinous and unforgivable crime.

'You chose to terrorize the more defenseless, of my people,' Grisell started. 'You cared not for their humanity. More than forty percent of our tribe constitutes single women,' Grisell stated, 'had it not been for the available water up here that was to be desalinated, the destruction would have been more far-reaching and fatal!'

Tears rolled down Sorcha's eyes. Not compassion or remorse for her inhumane act, but more for her impending fate.

Seeing the Chief of Dalmahoy in action, convening the trial with clinical precision, Sorcha now knew she faced certain death. Grisell felt not one iota of compassion for Sorcha. She would dispense her judgment unflinchingly. She cared not, that almost the entire DeMartino was also in attendance in the arena to witness Sorcha's trial.
All her guards, security and soldiers were on high alert, just in case any elements within the DeMartino tribe thought to go on the offensive. For a second, her eyes met Eskine's, sitting right next to her parent, in the front row amongst most of her and his senior people. His face was unreadable. He was not exhibiting compassion towards Sorcha, nor was he demonstrating any negativity towards Grisell. He had assured her of his total support, so she knew he would command compliance from his tribes' people.

'Now, I will give you the opportunity to speak. Go ahead Miss Sorcha Lees, have your say!'

'I should have made sure to kill you!' Sorcha spat. 'I regret that you did not burn to death in that stable!'

Grisell was surprised at the gasps coming from the DeMartino camp. Some were shaking their heads, pointing to Sorcha, wondering why she was aggravating the situation. Grisell looked at some of her clan; many had tears in their eyes for the untold destruction.

'Then you make my task very easy,' Grisell spoke with quiet calm. 'Being a woman yourself, I find your malicious act inhumane and unpardonable. Aside from the incident of attempted murders, it is going to take the Dalmahoy months and months to rebuild the infrastructure you recklessly destroyed. You have ruined our agriculture and put at risk, our food security. I hereby sentence you to death by a three man firing squad. There shall be no appeal! Your execution shall take place at six hundred hours tomorrow.'

Grisell stood up. She nodded to the scribe recording the hearing and blocked out the sobs coming from Sorcha as she was being led away by two guards. Grisell heaved a heavy sigh, as she hastily walked away to her quarters. She walked into her room, closed the door and leaned against it. She shut her eyes and thought of the fate of one as young as Sorcha, who was not much older than herself. Grisell took no pleasure in sentencing anyone to death, but as leader, it was her duty to dispense justice and she shall never be a weak, spineless, indecisive leader. It was not part of her DNA. She heard the soft knock on her door, quickly composed herself and opened the door to find Eskine standing there. She searched his eyes, trying to find judgment or criticism, she found neither.

'May I enter?' The look in his eyes gentle, his voice soft.

She looked around her quarters. It still had the ghastly smell of acrid smoke. She had refused to shift to alternate accommodation. Thankfully her office and most of her private quarters were saved from the fire. It did manage to destroy the roof and much of the front room. She looked again to Eskine and nodded. He entered and shut the door behind him.

'I would have made the same pronouncement as you,' he drew her into his arms and embraced her for a long moment.

'It's ___ never easy to put one to death,' she murmured hanging her head.

He lifted her chin and held her eyes. 'You are a remarkable, compassionate, just and exceptional leader. I am proud of you.'

'Thank you,' she smiled, but it did not reach her sad eyes.

'I am taking Udny fishing on one of the boats. Would you like to accompany us?'

Her father and Eskine had been spending a lot of time together. It was as if Udny looked upon Eskine as the son he never had. She shook her head. 'Thank you, but I promised the ladies, I will consider some designs they want to amend in their communal quarters,' she smiled. 'Seems they want a dance hall, a library and a bigger fellowship room. I do not see how I can deny them, after what they have suffered.'

Eskine chuckled softly. 'I suspect the dance hall and fellowshipping will not be just for the single ladies.'

She offered him a genuine smile. 'I have loved every single moment in your company, especially our nights together,' she breathed heavily, 'so I shall not deny the womenfolk their reasonable request.'

'I have already told you, you are remarkable,' he smirked.

She lifted both hands, her palms cupped his adorable face, 'I love you.'

He crushed her in his arms, his mouth descending on hers hungrily. She kissed him back with equal fervor, when she felt his hands dipping under her skirts, she stepped back. She smiled. 'You are aroused far too easily.'

'I am impatient for you to be my wife,' he demanded.

She laughed softly, 'but we agreed we will wed in two weeks time.'

'Yes,' he exhaled with a dissatisfied sigh. 'When I come back from fishing, we shall talk of our wedding preparations. You must tell me what you want, the colours, the menu, the vows you would like us to take and everything else you dreamed off for your wedding day, when you were twelve years old and knew, I was going to make you my wife.'

She laughed. 'You are so conceited Eskine Aird, Chief of DeMartino. I did not know you when I was twelve.'

'Are you blushing because you know you are lying or it is because I am maddeningly attractive?'

'Eskine Aird!'

Yes she had felt a pull and tug at her heart at twelve years old, but how the hell had he known then, that she had been attracted to her exceptionally debonair, out of bounds, southern enemy neighbour.

He smiled, taking her into his arms again. 'I guess I must go fishing,' he pouted.

'I guess you must,' she grinned.

He kissed her lips. 'You and I are having a private supper tonight my darling, do not make any plans with anybody else,' he ordered.

'Okay,' she extracted herself from his arms. 'My ladies are waiting. I shall see you tonight,' she blew him a kiss, and exited her quarters, with him still inside.

                                                                                
                                                           -end chapter 18-