...Thanksgiving is a time to reflect.
The events of the monster hunt in Colorado were history, and for those involved, history would be remembered, but not celebrated. The celebration was one of thankfulness.
For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Fiona McHenry MacGregor felt whole again. Her mate had been taken from her many years ago – twenty-two years, to be exact – and he had been in captivity, in the hands of the group called Legion, for those many years.
The man called Highlander was actually Duncan MacGregor, the name he chose centuries ago to disassociate himself from his legacy as Cain, son of Adam. He had lived in seclusion for centuries, having divorced himself from society to hide the fact that he never aged, never changed physically. He also changed little in terms of emotion from the man who had emigrated from the Middle East (as it’s now known) to the lands of what would become known as eventually as Scotland.
It was a remote land, cut off then from the continent by the sea that served as a barrier to travel. It wasn’t his intention to become a hermit on the isle. His original intention had been to swim as far from land as he could, and let fate determine the rest. He swam what would be called the English Channel, not caring whether he would reach land or whether he would reach nothing more than the icy, cold depths of the vast waterway. He didn’t care; at one point during his swim, exhausted and aching, he simply stopped and remained so for some time. He didn’t try to float, or look about for anything to buoy his body against the dark cold that threatened to envelop him.
He had done what many would consider unthinkable. The murder of his brother Abel had the result of banishment from his family, his land, and his God. He was alone. And he wanted it all to end that way.
It wasn’t to be.
Eventually, he found land, and pulled himself ashore, battered by the crashing waves and ferocious wind of a terrible storm that in modern times would have sent ships and the men who sailed them to frigid graves. He lay on the shore and looked up at great white chalk cliffs that loomed large a short distance away. He fell asleep without regard to the elements, such was the fatigue that enveloped his body. He dreamed fitfully, tormented by his deeds and the memories of the family that had disowned him, and the wife and young children he left behind because of his shame.
Days passed, followed by weeks, then months as he surveyed the land to which the waves had brought him. He wandered the lands, encountering the flora and fauna of what had become his new home. He dreamed of a day when the memories and nightmares would be no more and he could sleep well-rested. A subtle change was taking place within and about him of which he was unaware.
The man called Cain had been accursed by the powers that watched over him. He hoped for change and the change that came was unlike anything he could imagine. And he could not see it coming. His body was changing, he could tell that. Becoming more muscular due to the daily routine of travel and confrontation and conflict with the life forms that populated the island. His musculature wasn’t all that was changing, but without a frame of reference, he could not readily tell that he was no longer average in size. Like most humans of that time, he was just over four and a half feet tall when he left his lands. His body had progressed through five feet, then six feet, until he reached his near seven foot height.
Because of the many years that passed during his transformation, he didn’t notice that he was now so much taller than the other men. It happened so gradually that he didn’t even think about it.
He was encountering large carnivorous creatures throughout his journeys and didn’t realize that those he had struggled to fend off were now becoming less and less of a challenge to his existence. Many years would pass until he felt a bit more comfortable around the population, eventually becoming almost one of them
Almost.
As the small children he would encounter in the settlements looked upon with increasing fear because of his great size, he started to become more aware of that which made him different. He had no idea that his growth was due to an unknown power of limited shape shifting that he possessed, but knew not how to control.
After a few centuries of journeys, he finally decided to establish roots. His previous life was nearly forgotten, although the nightmares remained just as vivid and horrifying, despite being less frequent.
More centuries passed and via his travels, he encountered many people who would become legendary to others over the vast expanse of the land Britannia, He met kings in various lands and nearby islands. Rulers named Uther Pendragon, Brian Boru, Talorc, and Domnall. He ceased calling himself Cain and adopted a more celtic name, which later anglicized to Duncan.
He established a home and acquired land, but his heart was empty, until one day when he met a young lass. It was in July of the year 2029, at a wedding reception for the daughter of a neighbor, Liam Connelly. Liam’s daughter was a teacher, highly thought of, and very attractive. She had been pursued by numerous suitors since returning from university to accept a position at one of the schools in Inverness. Maggie Connelly was the favorite of teenage boys in the city and the envy of teenage girls, who were not fond of seeing their prospective paramours attracted to an older lass.
One of the prominent barristers in the city of Inverness was Angus McHenry. Angus was a successful attorney who specialized in huge business ventures/mergers – and young married women. Because of his social status and the civic involvement of his wife (from whom much of his wealth was derived), he had no trouble wrangling an invitation to the soiree of the year. Of course, the attendance of the McHenrys meant, more than likely, that their daughter Fiona would also be present. That would mean that Maggie would have competition in the beauty category. Fiona was Maggie’s best friend from the earliest years of primary school and the pair were inseparable to the point of being thought of as nearly conjoined twins. Ask them, and they would each tell you without hesitation, that the other was the most beautiful young lady in all of the auld high country.
The city had been abuzz with the news that the guest list for lovely Maggie’s weeding would include not only the gorgeous young Fiona, but also would likely include the mysterious giant who lived on the crest of Mount MacGregor. The big man was the subject of gossip among many single women due to stature and the fact that anyone living on the estate of the Clan MacGregor just had to be possessed of immense wealth.
The big Scotsman’s arrival drew considerable attention because not many had ever see him in person because of his reclusive manner. His reticent nature meant he was involved in few conversations. Still, he was closely observed by everyone in attendance because anyone who was nearly seven feet tall was frequently a curiosity.
All that changed when the McHenrys arrived and attention focused on Fiona. Chief among those stunned by her appearance was the big man himself. When you've seen a few centuries’ worth of females, it takes a real lovely woman to totally catch one’s attention.
And Fiona caught Duncan’s attention – big time. He was smitten immediately, and she returned the attraction. It was love at first sight for each of them.
It was a whirlwind romance and their nuptials took place five months later. Maggie planned the event for her friend – despite the continued meddling of Fiona’s mother – and the crowd was twice the size of Maggie’s wedding. The union of Duncan and Fiona was blissful, and their affections grew – until that fateful night.
At the time, no one knew what or from where Legion came. A cadre of Legion soldiers came after it had been determined that Duncan was not what most humans on this world seemed to be. I
Legion attacked the MacGregor manor one night, and when finished, Duncan was their captive.
Nearly two dozen Legion’s soldiers were dead, killed at the hands of the man who would be eventually be known as Highlander.
He was gone and Fiona was devastated. She mourned his loss for twenty-two years, until the visit from the tall, dark man known as Helmut, who told her that a team of BADGE operatives, had managed to decimate a Legion force and recovered a human they determined to be her husband. He was safe, but suffering from a case of total amnesia.
A team of BADGE psychics had determined that the big man was a victim of such nefarious and vicious mental manipulation that it looked impossible for the damage to be undone.
Fast forward to in time to the wilds outside a small town in Colorado and a quartet of heroes that included Astra, Infinite Tempest, Helmut and the man they called Highlander. Subsequent assistance from Arcane Ace and Fiona dispatched the Tormentor demon, and the heroic efforts of the team, led by Astra, had successfully brought Fiona’s man back to her.
Fiona strolled through the courtyard of the manor and reflected on the events in Colorado. No matter the future, she would always be thankful for the efforts of Astra, Tempest, Ace and the one she had known for only a short time, Helmut. Without them, her life would still be empty. They had helped restore his memory and his return to reality had made her life whole once again.
Fiona looked skyward and sighed. Her contentment was unmistakable, her thankfulness undeniable. twenty-two year of loneliness had been a terrible burden. As she gazed at the stars and the small flock of birds that settled into the trees in her orchard, she closed her eyes and smiled.
“What are thinking, Fiona?” asked the big man, who had come up behind her and encircled her waist with his huge arms.
“My life is perfect, Duncan,” Fiona said. "I’m so thankful you’re back, I have new friends in Astra, Ace, Tempest and Doc Richey.”
She turned to face him and kissed him quickly.
“And … big man. Maggie just called and told me she and Jimmy are going to be grandparents,” Fiona said. "Isn’t that wonderful? More little ones running around. I wish we hadn’t lost all those years when we could have become parents. We can be thankful they want us to help babysit.”
Highlander nodded. “I know. But, even if we can’t, we could practice becoming parents.”
“Hmph. An old man like you?” laughed Fiona. “Oh, well, we can try.”
“Aye. Now, it’s my turn to be thankful.”
Fiona smacked him on the rear and said, “I’ll race you.”
They do say that practice makes perfect, don't they? Only time will tell what is next in store for Highlander and Fiona. Their story will continue in the fiction forum...
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