The Myrtle's

By Stacie-Marie Covington DeShazer

Disclaimer: Immortality as presented here, belongs to Gregory Widden (creator of Highlander) and Davis/Panzer Productions (Production Company). Lane and Thomas belong to Elizabeth "Liz the Lucky" Lawrence. The Young Riders belong to Ed Spielman (creator) and Ogiens/Kane (production company).

Lou and Kid were on their way home to Rock Creek. It had been a horrible War. Mairi Louise understood the need her husband had felt to return to the land he was born on. She had felt the same need when Bonnie Prince Charlie had returned to Scotland to reclaim it as his own. She had been on the losing side at then too. Why was it that the invaders won the wars?

Lou was thankful that she was able to become a nurse and travel with her husband's company. Kid had not liked it, but he realized that this was something that she had to do. Beside, he was not the only one to have a family member follow him into the army. The doctor's son had followed him. He was just a small child of 8 at the beginning of the War. Lane was a big help in helping his father and Lou by letting them know where the wounded were after a battle. Land also got to get ammo from the wounded and dead. One day while he was doing this he heard what sounded like a baby. Kid was near by so he got Kid to look. for the source of the sound.

At first Kid thought his ears deceived him. What would a baby be doing out here in the middle of a battle? But when he found the baby boy, he was stunned. Who would leave a newborn out here? And why?

Kid brought the baby boy back to the camp and had Thomas and Louise take care of him and make sure that he was hurt while he gathered up the rest of scouts to look for the mother. However they did not find the mother of the baby. He couldn't understand how anyone could just abandon a helpless baby like that.

Lou was dead set against it. It was too dangerous. Kid was all for it. It was what he always wanted. But he didn't understand the dangers and complications. How could she explain it to Kid when he heart told her he was right? Her head told her no, even though it's what she had always wanted. In the end, Kid and her heart over ruled her head. Kid and Mairi Louise adopted the baby as their own. Thomas made up a Birth Certificate for the child. Since they didn't know who the real parents were, he put Lou and Kid down as the parents. They named him Ian Louis MacLeod.

Ian was now 3 years old and just as strong willed as his mother. The battle of the wills was something to be seen! Kid had to play referee and decide who won. Usually he would back Lou up, but sometimes, he would give in to his son.

"I don't want to sleep outside, again."

"Macan, I know you don't, but we have nowhere else to sleep." Lou told her son. This was one battle that she unfortunately was going to win. If she had her way, the three year old would win this particular battle.

"But, Mommy, it's raining." Ian wined. "Those clouds means it's raining."

Lou sighed. "It's not raining yet, Ian. Listen, if I had my way , we would sleep inside tonight, but there is nowhere for us to sleep inside."

"Your mother's right about this one, Ian." Kid finally interjected as he started to build a fire.

An hour later, they had a visitor. The young man explained that they were on the outer edge of The Myrtles Plantation own by William Winter. He also explained that he was on his way to the house. He was sure that his parents wouldn't mind letting them stay in the house. After all, by the look of the sky, it would be storming soon.

Lou was immediately suspicious, but considered the possibility of Ian and the Kid getting sick by sleeping out in the rain. They accepted the offer. On the way to the main house they found out that the man's name was Andrew Winter. He, too, was returning home from the War. Andrew had a younger sister by the name of Kate, his mother's name was Sarah.

When they got to the house, William introduced the young family to his parents and sister. Kate took them to their rooms so they could put things up and get ready for supper.

Everything went fine until Lou went tuck Ian in and say good night to him. When she got outside the door to the room where Ian was going to be sleeping, she heard him talking to someone. When she opened the door, there was nobody there but Ian. He was sitting up in the bed. "Who were you talking to, Macan?"

"I was just telling Mizz Chloe that I'm fine."

"Who's Mizz Chloe?"

"The woman with the green head."

"What woman with the green head?"

"The one that said she just came inhere to check on the children."

"Well, where is she? I'd like to thank her for taking care of you."

"She's gone now. She left when you came in."

"Oh ok." Louise said. She knew that sometimes kids made up imaginary friends and just figured that Ian had his first imaginary friend. "Well, I want you to go to sleep and have sweet dreams."

"Ok Mommy. Night-Night"

"Night-Night, Ian" Louise said as she kissed her son on the forehead. After she left, she closed his door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Louise and Kid sat on the veranda talking to Sarah and William. Louise mentioned to id about Ian's new "imaginary friend", Mizz Chloe. However, she left the part about the "green head". Sarah and William just exchanged a knowing a look.

"What?" Kid asked.

"Well, I don't that Chloe is a an imaginary friend." Sarah suggested.

"What do you mean? There was no one there." Louise inquired.

"Ummm, well..." Sarah started. William gave Sarah a stern look and she replied, "William, Chloe has already visited, who knows who else is going to visit."

"What do you mean?" Lou questioned.

"What Sarah means is that Mizz Chloe worked for a previous owner of the house, Judge Clarke Woodruff. Chloe was a governess for his children and his mistress. After he tired of her, he banished her from connection with the family. He caught her eavesdropping and had her ear cut off. After that she wore a green turban to hide her deformity. She was given permission to bake a cake for one of the children's birthday. She put poison in the cake and 2 of the children and the Judges' wife died. Chloe was hanged and her body was thrown in the Mississippi river. She still roams around the mansion in the middle of the night. Sometimes a baby's cry is heard when she appears. It's like she is still trying to take care of the Judges children." William explained.

"All I know is that Kate could have been killed or worse when the Yankees were here." Sarah announced as she turned to Lou, "You should have seen his face when Chloe appeared out no where in Kate's room. He took off running and took all his dirty little friends with him.

"Chloe has never harmed any of us. It's like she's trying to protect us. She only talks to the children though. She told Kate that she didn't intend to kill the children and their mother, but wanted to nurse them back to health so she could go back to the house."

"So Ian's safe?"

"As long as Chloe is around, she'll protect him." Sarah said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the way back to their room, Lou and Kid stopped when a pool of blood suddenly appeared in the doorway of the dining room and foyer.

"Louis Sterling, my uncle, was stabbed to death in there. He was to marry Octavia, the Judge's eldest daughter. They said that Uncle Louis welshed on a gambling debt." Sarah explained about the blood. "He died in that exact spot."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inside their own room, Louise expressed her worries, "Kid, I don't think this was such a good idea."

"I know, I know, but we had no way of knowing. Besides, they said that Chloe hasn't hurt any body since they moved in and it's as if she's trying to protect the children."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Let's just get some sleep and we'll leave at dawn." Kid said as he snuggled up to his wife and held her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During the night, however, a mysterious Indian appeared. He just stood there watching the couple sleep.

Louise woke up when she felt the irritating signal of another Immortal. She reached for her sword, which she had put between the mattresses of the bed. Before she got her hands on it, the other Immortal spoke. "You won't need that. You're on Holy Ground."

"Holy Ground? What are you talking about?" The Immortal looked like he could be a slave, but acted and talked with authority.

"This house was built on the sacred burial grounds of the Tunica Indians. They have curse this house. For us it's still provides sanctuary, if you can out with the ghosts that are here."

"What do you want?"

"To tell that you must leave. The Indians Spirits have sent one their War Chiefs that was buried here to get rid of the occupants of this house."

"How do you know?" Kid, who was awake by this time, asked skeptically.

"I've was a slave here when Gen. David Bradford built this house in 1796. I have seen many things. They have tried before, but this house has always been bought or the owners too stubborn to leave. I know they are trying to get rid of the residents when Chloe checks on Kate, she just did. Or I see the War Chief Bald Eagle." Until then Kid and Lou hadn't even noticed the angry looking man.

"You said you were a slave, you sure don't sound like a slave." Kid said.

"I wasn't always a slave. I've lived in lots of places."

"Sounds like an Egyptian accent." Mairi said. The unknown Immortal looked surprised. "I've traveled a lot. By the way I'm Mairi MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. But I go by Louise or Lou right now."

"All right Louise, I'm called Rameses or Ram for short.. I mean you or your family no harm, I only wanted to warn you. Bald Eagle will start his mission tonight, you must leave or risk getting caught in the middle."

"I'll go get Ian out of the nursery." Kid said.

"You have a child in the Twin Room?"

"Yeah Why?" Lou inquired.

"Bald Eagle, please, let them stay here tonight, don't make them take a child out in this storm, please. She's like me, this might be her only child--ever."

"I'll wait until after they leave to send the sickness, until then they are on their own. It's too late to stop the rest." Then the Chief vanished.

Ram stood there stunned. He would have to protect his couple and their child. Chloe he knew would help protect the child. He knew nothing about this Mairi MacLeod. I wonder if she is related to Conner MacLeod. Even if she is related to him doesn't mean she knows him. I just hope she's half as good as he is. Still I need to make sure that her husband makes it out of here alive. .

"What did he mean by that?" Kid asked breaking Ram out of his thoughts.

"The War Party has been sent. Mairi, who were your teachers?"

"Connor MacLeod."

"Connor MacLeod? Good. He's good. If you were trained by the Highlander, then I know you can take care of yourself."

"That's what she keeps telling me." Kid interjected.

"What about your husband there? Is he good at hand to hand combat?"

"No Martial Arts training, but he's good enough to hold his own in a fight." Mairi understated.

"We better keep him with one of us then. They like to throw knives." If their reflexes were good, then they could shove Kid out of the way or block him with their bodies and take the hit. They would only be out for a few minutes.

"What about Ian?" Lou asked.

"It'd be best if he stayed in the Twin room. They leave he children alone." He lied. Chloe, please protect Ian for me, Love. He begged his dead wife silently.

"What did he mean he would wait to send the sickness?"

"I'm not sure, he's never caused anyone to become sick before." Ram informed them.

"I'm going to get Ian."

"He's safe where he is!" Ram told Kid.

"I'd feel safer knowing that I can protect him."

"This isn't some Mortal or Immortal that we're dealing with here! The only way to protect him is to keep him out of their path!" Ram yelled. After he calmed down he reasoned with Kid, "Listen the Twin Room is the safest place in this house, maybe it'd best for you to stay in there with your son."

When they got into the room, Ian was still awake. "Mommy, Daddy, what are you doing in here?"

"We came to check up on you, Macan." Lou enlightened her son.

"How would you like it if Mommy and Daddy slept in here with you?" Kid questioned the three year old. Ian's face lit up like the sun and he nodded yes.

"Stay here, I'm going to get Kate. She'll be safer in here." Ram ordered.

"Why don't we just get everybody in here?" Louise suggested.

"Because he wants to kill the owner of the house and he'll go in any room that he's in. Then the children will be in danger."

"So we go and protect Mr. and Mrs. Winter."

"That was my plan." Ram said.

"Kid, you and Ian stay in here." She said and turned to leave the room but before she left she was confronted with a woman in a green turban.

"Don't worry about the children I will take care of them." Chloe said

"Thank you." Louise said and left the room with out telling them that she loved them ... but they knew that anyway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As they carried a sleeping Kate out of her room a knife appeared to coming right at them. Louise saw it first and blocked its path with her body. The knife imbedded itself in her left shoulder. Had Lou not done this, the knife would have gone though Kate's skull and instantly killed her. Lou was thankful for her Immortal healing.

"Thank you. I didn't see that one coming." Ram informed Louise.

They got Kate safely to the Twin Room without any further incidents. Kid saw the ripped shirt and blood stain. And inquired about it. Louise just told him what happened and let him see for himself that she had already healed.

"Now I just have to do the same for Mr. Winter. It will all stop around dawn. See if you can get some sleep. No matter what you hear, or think you hear, you stay in here. Do not come out of this room or let Mr. Winter in." Ram said and left to go to the Master Bedroom. When he noticed that Lou was following him he turned to her, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going with you. You said they would be safe in here."

"Fine. Just make sure Mr. Winter doesn't leave our sight. And watch out for the flying knives."

Louise thought she heard some children playing in one of the rooms they passed. "Wait, Ram, I hear more children and a baby crying."

"No, Mairi, don't..." too late, Lou has already opened the door and walked in. "go in there." Ram finished as she disappeared into the room.

Sure enough there were children playing in the bedroom. One little boy was jumping on the bed as a woman in a maid's uniform was trying to get him stop so she could make the bed up again. Two blond headed girls were staring out of the window while a little girl was peeing in the window form the outside. There were countless of other children playing in the room, the only difference between these children and children you might see playing outside was that these children were transparent. Louise backed out of the ghost filled room and closed the door. She followed Ram to the master bedroom where Mr. and Mrs. Winter were sleeping. Ram opened the door and entered the room with Louise close behind him. Mr. and Mrs. Winter were sleeping soundly and didn't stir when the two Immortals entered the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Louise must have dosed off because the next thing she knew, the couch that her and Ram were sitting on was spinning as well as the bed that the Winters were sleeping in. When the furniture stopped moving, Mr. Winter started to go out to the porch. Ram blocked him. "Let me pass, boy." Mr. Winter demanded.

"No, Sir."

"Someone is calling me."

"To your death. No stay in here, Sir."

"Please, William, he's right. Stay in here." His wife begged.

William finally gave in after a while. "All right" After that the trance-like state that he was in was gone and he was thinking clearly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About 2 hours after that, Louise saw Bald Eagle. He was surrounded by 6 children all different ages. "These children, Mairi Katherine MacLeod, are the children you miscarried." She didn't have to ask who the father was. She could tell just by looking at them. Three of the six children had some of Connor's features while the other three had some of Kid's features. Connor had two boys and a daughter while Kid had two girls and a boy. "Mairi MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod, help me kill William Winter and I'll give you the ability to have children with the men that you love."

"That's what brought Louise back to reality. "No, you're lying! I'm Immortal. I can not get pregnant and nothing that you or I do will change that!" She yelled at him and he vanished.

About an hour later, dawn approached. She went back to the Twin Room where Kid was already up and getting their things together to leave. They left The Myrtle's Plantation within the hour.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day Kate came down with Yellow Fever and even though they called in a Voodoo Prestress to cure her, she died. Her father William Winter was later shot on the porch and was able to make it up 17 of the 20 steps on the stair case where he died in Sarah's arms.

Kid, Louise, and Ian made it safely to Rock Creek where they were able to purchase some land about 3 miles outside of town. They started a horse and cattle ranch. They built a chapel on the land and the local Priest sanctioned it as Holy Ground. (So Lou had a place of solitude on her own land!)

Author's Note:
Author’s notes: “Macan” is Gallic for “Little Son”. Thank you Liz for letting me use Lane and his father Thomas. If I ever get around to writing the War Between the States adventure, you’ll see more of Lane and Thomas.

And now for the research information:

Some of the events have actually taken place. You can go to the following links to see which characters were real and which ones belong to me. You can also find out some real life ghost sitings in The Myrtles and which ones I made up for the purpose of this story.

The Shadowlands: Famous Hauntings REAL Haunted Houses - Haunted sites from around the world Myrtles Plantation Myrtles Plantation - Saint Francisville, LA, USA The Myrtles Plantation - Circa 1796 David Bradford's Lousiana Home Myrtles Plantation and I don't remeber where I got this infromation, but I do know I got it off the web somewhere: