by Barbara Bard
Isla looked on Riley’s wife fondly. “Thank ye, me lady. Ye serve yer clan well.”
Riley’s wife smiled. “As dae ye, me lady.” She moved toward the door. “I will give ye two some time. I am sure that ye hae plenty to discuss. I will check in on ye soon tae see the progress of yer healing.”
“Thank you, me lady,” Finlay said. “We are forever grateful.”
The door closed and Finlay and Isla comfortably shared the silence for a moment.
“What of Gavina?” Isla inquired, feeling as if she might drift off to sleep at any moment.
“She is safe,” Finlay said. “She is asleep in her own quarters just next door.”
“We should discuss when we will leave here. We should make plans.”
Finlay laughed. “Ye just cannae take any time tae yerself, can ye?”
Isla shook her head and smirked. “A leader cannae rest.”
“She can when she has such a gash as ye do in her belly.”
Isla pressed her forehead against Finlay’s and took his hands into hers. “Aye,” she said softly. “So be it—but only cause ye asked me tae.”
They kissed. Both of them taking comfort in each other for a brief reprieve, before Finlay took on a more serious tone. “There is one other thing, me love.”
“What is it?”
“Upon my disposal of Lord Henry…I encountered another Sassenach lord. The one they call Lord Torstein.”
Isla grew nervous. “And?”
“And…” he paused, knowing that Isla wouldn’t appreciate the next words he spoke, “he wishes tae speak with ye.”
Isla opened her mouth and her eyes went wide, ready to unleash a tirade of rebukes that was cut short when Finlay held up his hand.
“I agree with ye about the distastefulness of the Sassenach,” he said. “But I allowed this man tae leave. He wishes tae discuss peace, nothing more. Ye ken I wouldn’ae bring him here if I felt his motives tae be ill intentioned. Speak with him. Hear him out. He has already said that he will leave the area if we dinnae reach an agreement.”
It took Isla a moment to finally agree before Lord Torstein, all by himself, entered her quarters with his hands folded and a solemn expression stretched across his face.
“My lady,” he said. “I am Lord Torstein. I hope this is not an inappropriate time.”
Isla, half-scowling, answered with a somewhat cold timbre.
“It is nae like the Sassenach tae be pleasant with a Highlander. Ye will forgive me if I feel that yer being here does nae sit well with me.”
A nod from Lord Torstein. “I understand, my Lady. I only wish to speak with you briefly.” He gestured to Finlay. “Finlay Baird has made it my understanding that you are the lady of the clan responsible for killing Lord Henry.”
She shook her head. “Finlay Baird is responsible fer that. But yes, I am the lady of this clan.”
Lord Torstein took a step forward. “Then you will permit me if I propose to you an accordance of peace.”
“The Sassenach want no such thing.”
“No. They do not. Not in the slightest.”
“Then what ye are saying tae me is a lie, is it nae?”
“My Lady,” Lord Torstein took his time, “I would be hanged for what I am about to propose to you. What I am about to say would have me branded as a traitor. I only wish a moment of your time. That is all.”
Isla pondered the notion for a long moment before giving a subtle nod to Finlay.
“Finlay,” she said, “would ye please check on my sister? I wish a word alone with Lord Torstein.”
Finlay nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him but keeping it ajar enough that he could hear anything out of the ordinary.
“So, my Lord,” Isla then said with a slight bit of disdain. “What is this peace ye speak of?”
“My countrymen,” Lord Torstein said. “Dinnae want peace with the Highlanders.”
“This we ken.”
“I wholeheartedly disagree with their intentions. I only wish to establish peace.”
“Yet ye fight on behalf of yer king tae take over these lands.”
“No, my lady, at least not in the way that you think. I wish to set about a new rule of order throughout the Highlands, one that can allow your people and mine to coexist in peace.”
Isla tapped her finger, thinking. “What would that proposition look like?”
“I will show you on a map the area of the Highlands in which I will ensure none of my countrymen will enter.”
“How will ye dae that?”
A shrug. “By whatever means necessary.”
“Does that include lying tae yer king?”
“If necessary, yes.”
Isla could see the intention in Lord Torstein’s eyes. He was a man who was the complete opposite of what men like Lord Henry represented. He wasn’t cruel. He wasn’t a man bent on the savage dispersing of her people. In many ways—he looked much like her father. He had the gentle eyes of a man who had loved and lost, who sought for a good life free of violence and destruction.
“Why?” she asked him. “Why would ye want tae help us?”
Lord Torstein pulled up a chair. “It is simple,” he said, “a simple philosophy, really.”
He cleared his throat and then spoke as if he were reciting something he had said many times before.
“I cannot fathom an existence where death and dismay define the plight of man. I have experienced my fair share of it enough to last a lifetime. I have lost loved ones, friends, brothers and sisters to this needless crusade. I want it to end, and though I know that one man alone cannot disrupt the intentions of my king…perhaps allying myself with the Highlanders and working together, slowly, to dismantle it all will yield results.”
Isla said nothing, merely absorbing his words.
“I just want peace, my Lady,” Lord Torstein said, his hands extended out in submission. “That is all.”
Isla nodded, slowly. “As dae I, Lord Torstein,” she said. “As dae I.”
“Then can we work together? Can we reach an agreement that will suit us both?”
Another nod. “Aye. I am ready tae hear what ye have in mind.”
Lord Torstein stood and extended his hand to Isla, the two of them shaking and solidifying a moment that Isla thought in a million years that she would ever experience.
Finlay entered Gavina’s room shortly after being dismissed by Isla and found that Gavina, unlike Isla had stated, was wide awake with her ear pressed to the wall against Isla’s room. “I was told ye were sleeping,” he said with a smile.
Gavina ran back to her bed and buried herself under her covers. “I am! I am!” she said. “I was just making sure Isla was all right.”
Finlay walked over to the bed. “She is mending well, little one. She just requires rest. As dae ye, quite frankly. Ye hae experienced yer fair share of war fer a while.”
“I am quite capable of enduring what occurred,” Gavina said, trying to sound like her sister. “I would happily gae after that Sassenach lord in the next room if ye let me.”
Finlay shook his head. “I’m sure ye would, me dear Gavina. Now come.” He pulled the covers up to her ears. “It is time tae sleep.”
Gavina sighed and settled back as she smiled wide at Finlay. “Are ye staying with us fer good?” she asked.
Finlay nodded, “Only if yer all right with it.”
The nod was returned. “I would very much like that, Finlay Baird. I hae grown quite fond of ye.”
A laugh. “And I hae grown quite fond of ye, little Gavina.”
“Me sister loves ye, ye ken. And I ken ye love her.”
“Very much so.”
“I’m glad ye were hurt.”
“Pardon?”
“Back when Isla first found ye. Ye would hae never come along if that dinnae happen.”
“Quite true. But we are done with those times. We will leave here soon and live out our lives in peace.”
“I would very mu
ch like that.”
“As would I. Sleep now. There is much tae be done.”
“Goodnight, Finlay Baird.”
“Goodnight, sweet Gavina.”
Finlay left the room and reentered Isla’s quarters, Lord Torstein midstride toward the door as he bid Finlay a subtle nod.
“Is all well?” Finlay asked, both for Lord Torstein and for Isla.
“Aye,” Isla said. “I hae accepted Lord Torstein’s proposition. I think it will greatly benefit the clan.”
“Yes,” Lord Torstein said. “And we should discuss this more before my departure. I will take quarters at the far end of the village. In the morning we can resume our talks and I will leave you be.”
Finlay looked at Lord Torstein with newfound hope in his eye.
“Thank you both,” Lord Torstein said. “I will see you in the morning.”
“Lord Torstein,” Isla called after him.
Lord Torstein looked back. “Yes, my lady?”
“We are putting great faith in ye. Please dinnae make me regret that decision.”
A nod of contrition. “Of course, my lady…Be well.”
Lord Torstein left, swearing with all his intention to abide by his word. The time for destruction in the Highlands had come to an end.
The time for peace had finally arrived.
Chapter 36
Fredrick was only twenty-two years of age, a man by most standards of the day, but a boy still in spirit and in looks. Behind him, the roaring fire of Sir Richard’s outpost burned like a hellish landscape that licked at his skin and singed the hairs on the back of his neck.
All around him, Scottish Highlanders set about striking down most of the men that he knew and lived with in the barracks that were currently ablaze. His master, Lord Torstein, currently unaccounted for.
Men were dying all around him, the fire growing into an untenable sight as Fredrick decided to do the only thing he could think of – flee.
He ran, as far as his feet could carry him before he found a horse running wild near the rear of the outpost. Frederick then mounted the horse, bucked it, and escaped from the area to their nearest village where an English knight inside the tavern stopped him upon seeing the boy’s tussled appearance.
“What is it?” the knight asked. “What happened to you?”
“We must send word to the king,” Frederick said. “They’re dead. They are all dead!”
“Come now,” Finlay said as he helped Isla to her feet. “There ye gae…”
Isla was walking for the first time in over a week. “Thank God,” she said, using Finlay for balance. “I thought I would be confined fer the rest of me life.”
“Naw. A woman like ye cannae stay down fer long.”
“Let us see how fae I can gae. We must leave here in a few day’s time to honor Lord Torstein’s plan. I want tae be able tae ride on me own.”
That was the plan that had been arranged with Lord Torstein, at least. The following day, as Lord Torstein has said, all three reconvened in Isla’s room to settle their plans. “You will take this area,” Lord Torstein said, pointing to the area on the map that Isla and Finlay had designated for the resettlement of the clan. “It is remote and unoccupied as you said. I will take it upon myself to make sure that no one interferes in your affairs.”
“Will we be in communication?” Finlay inquired.
Lord Torstein held up a single finger. “I believe it wise if we do. We will have to do it in a manner that will no draw suspicion. I think that I have a method to go about accomplishing that.”
“What is it?”
“I have a trained eagle that was a gift from my father. We shall use it to send messages to one another. I will inform you of any possible intrusion from my countrymen.”
“Lord Torstein,” Isla said, “I ken that ye are doing this fer the reasons ye stated, fer the reasons of peace. However, how will ye benefit from this arrangement of ours?”
“Your well-being,” Lord Torstein said, “will be its own reward.”
“And our alliance, correct? For when the time comes that you mount whatever rebellion ye seek to start against yer king?”
Lord Torstein nodded his head solemnly. “Yes,” he said. “That plan is far away from being fulfilled, but I will call on you when the time comes.”
“If it is a fight against the crown,” Isla said, “believe me, we are more than willing.”
And with that, the alliance had been sealed. Four weeks later Isla was on the mend and ready to take on the world. “I wish tae ride,” she told Finlay as they walked around her room.
“Are ye sure?” he asked. “Ye are still on the mend. Ye hae quite some healing tae dae.”
“I hae healed enough. If I stay in this room much longer I might gae insane.”
“Ye are insane, me lady. But it is a good thing.”
She laughed and playfully jabbed Finlay in the ribs. “I want tae gae fer a ride,” she said. “And I ken just where I want tae gae.”
Isla and Finlay rode to the area just outside Riley’s village where her brother, the ever-loyal and valiant Denholm, had been struck down. To Isla it had only felt like yesterday since he passed, and she found herself welling up with tears upon arriving at the area.
The grass had already grown over the area where Denholm’ body was found, the wind blowing with a pleasant breeze that chilled Isla and Finlay’s skin. Isla kneeled down beside the area where Denholm had fallen and said nothing for several minutes as Finlay stood behind her waiting.
“He fought well fer his family,” Isla said. “I dinnae ken that I will ever meet anyone like me brother ever again.”
A nod. “He was a good man indeed, me lady. The memory of yer brother will live on.”
“It will be our responsibility tae do so.”
“Aye, me lady.”
Isla pressed her hand to the ground, closing her eyes and silently telling her brother that she loved him. A second later, a gust of wind blew and licked at her hair. Isla couldn’t help but think that it was Denholm’ spirit attempting to comfort her.
She turned to Finlay. “How many of our people hae been lost?”
Finlay hung his head. “Mair than I care tae count.”
Isla shook her head. “A shame. But one we cannae dwell on.”
“We should dwell. But only on the fond memories that the fallen have provided us.”
Isla crooked a smile. “A fine few there were with Denholm.” She smiled, recalling one of the memories well. “I remember when we were children. Denholm had stolen an arrow from one of the archer’s bags.” She laughed. “I remember me father chasing him around our home and shouting fer him tae give it back. Father tripped and fell into a patch of mud during the course of the chase.” Another laugh. “Fond memories indeed.” She turned to Finlay. “Ye must hae some good tales of yer brothers.”
“Quite a few, me lady…” A smile. “But I dinnae want tae tell them just yet.”
“Fair enough, me love. Fair enough.” Isla then stood, clasping her hands together as she shut her eyes and turned her head upward toward the heavens. “Good Lord,” she began to pray. “I ask fer rest fer the fallen, fer all of our brothers and sisters who perished tae bring freedom back tae this land. I thank ye for the grace ye hae bestowed, fer keeping me and me family alive throughout the course of this journey. We are forever grateful tae ye. And we ask, I beg ye tae sustain this peace fer as long as possible. The time has come fer my people tae finally be free.” Isla then crossed herself, as did Finlay, and turned back to her mount. “Come,” she said to Finlay. “There is much tae be done, me love.”
They returned to the village and were met by Lord Riley near his quarters. “Lady Isla,” he greeted with a bow. “Finlay Baird.”
“Lord Riley,” Isla said. “I wish tae thank ye fer yer hospitality. I promise we will be departing from here soon.”
He brushed the comment aside. “Ye could stay fer as long as ye like, Lady Isla. If anything…” he thought on his
words carefully, “I wish tae speak with ye about this alliance ye now sport with Lord Torstein.”
“Ye dinnae approve?”
Lord Riley shook his head. “We ken well that it is nae a smart tactic tae trust the Sassenach. And now ye claim tae hae an alliance with one of their nobility.”
