The journey was a struggle and slowed their progress but finally, Siena heard a waterfall. Strange she was going to a place that she had never actually seen except in a vision, but she did remember in the vision the chapel was beautiful and she remembered there was a waterfall. They came out of the trees on the side of a beautiful waterfall that plunged sixty feet into a steep-sided gorge.
“Where in the hell are you leading us?” Malcolm spat and backhanded Siena.
Her hand went to her face to rub her stinging cheek. “If you hit me again you will be very sorry. You didn’t expect the Grail would be easy to find, did you?” She looked at him as if he were stupid. “I’ve heard that men have searched for years and have never found the cup. You are close, but we can always turn back.”
“No. I, too, have heard the tales,” he admitted. “I chose not to believe in such nonsense.” He looked around, then asked, “Now, where?”
Siena pointed up. “A small brown chapel should sit at the top of the falls. But first I need to get a stone out of my shoe before I can make the climb.” She sat down on a small boulder to remove her shoe and shake the stone out. The soldiers and Malcolm were taking a drink from their pouches and not paying her any attention. She needed a plan.
Again, she prayed that Roderick would come for her. However, if he had any chance to find her, she needed to leave him some clues. How could he possibly know where she was going? She had relied on Elsa to give Roderick her message if she saw him, which meant that Roderick would have had to go to her father’s castle. There was a possibility that might not have gone well.
She thought about what she needed to do and finally came up with a plan to leave something to mark her trail. Siena tore a couple of strips off her skirt and tied one to a branch beside her. It was the best she could do as she stood and said, “I’m ready.”
The climb took her breath away and a couple of times she stood aside so the men could pass her, giving her a chance to leave a couple more strips of her skirt.
When they reached the top, they could see on the other side of the river stood a small brown chapel covered in ivy which looked more like a cave than a church.
A small man came out of the door and stared at them but he said nothing. He was dressed in brown monk robes. His long, white beard came to the middle of his chest. He sucked in a breath and asked, “Why are you here?”
“These men seek the Holy Grail,” Siena answered.
“Only the worthy can touch the Grail,” the hermit said with raised brows. “First you must cross the stream.”
Malcolm shoved one of his men in the back to go first. The soldier was halfway across the stream when he stepped on a slick rock. The current was so strong that he lost his footing and fell into the water which took him straight over the falls to his death.
“How are you supposed to get across the stream?” Malcolm asked.
“How indeed,” the hermit said.
Malcolm shoved Siena to the edge of the riverbank.
Siena looked up at the hermit.
He smiled and said,
Out of the darkening forest rode she.
Over the waters so still.
Down into the depths of her watery realm
To wait for the moment death’s knell.
(Val Joice)
Siena looked at the water,which was anything but still. Her knees trembled. Crossing the stream looked impossible. Gathering her courage, she took a deep breath and murmured, “Be still.” When the water had settled and remained calm, she pulled up her skirt and walked across the river never slipping once. As she turned around, she saw that Lord Malcolm had followed her. The minute her foot touched the riverbank, the water once again was swift.
“Charles, stay on that side until I come out,” Malcolm ordered his soldier.
Siena strolled over to the hermit. “I am Lady Siena.”
“I am, Nicene, keeper of the Holy Grail. I knew you would come someday.”
“Where is it?” Malcolm shouted, shoving Siena out of the way.
Nicene let out a slow breath. “Inside the cave, milord.”
Siena got to her feet, resisting the urge to curse Malcolm as she brushed off her cloak. She felt sure, he would get what was coming to him. There wasn’t anything holy about the man.
