Rhys looked at him with confusion. He tilted his head to the side as he tried to understand what his father meant. “But ye hae me marrying Caitlin. We are gaeing tae be at peace.”
“Are we?” Malcolm asked with an enigmatic smile on his face. He took a deep breath when he realized that he was going to have to explain things properly to Rhys, and perched on the end of the bed. It sank and creaked under his great weight. “I was nae lying when I told ye that I was concerned with the losses taken by the clan. Ah, when I was a wee lad I remember we had legions of men! But as the wars go on they become ever more vicious and we seem tae lose more lives. I cannae abide seeing the clan dwindle. If things continue the way they’re gaeing it’ll only be ye and me left on the battlefield, facing Bryn and his sons! Nay, that cannae be the way we live. Sae I thought tae myself that we need a way tae win the war and wipe out the clan without putting our lives at risk, sae I started thinking.” He placed his hands on his thighs and grinned widely, clearly proud that he had come up with this plan.
“I knew that Bryn would accept an offer of peace if he thought it was genuine, sae I offered something I knew he wouldn’t be able tae resist—a chance tae end the war once and for all by bringing our clans taegether.”
“How could ye be sae sure he would believe you?”
“I couldn’t…but I knew he’d be willing tae take the risk. Ye see, Bryn isn’t like ye or I. As a boy, when we dueled, he was always looking for a way tae end the fight and make up for his lack of strength. That’s why we hae nae been able to wipe them out for good. They are sly and cunning, and always find a way tae escape. Tae beat them we hae tae think like them.” He tapped the side of his head with a gnarled, thick finger. “Bryn would never believe that I could be sae devious,” Malcolm added with a satisfied smile. “Sae what we’re gaeing tae dae is wed ye tae the lass as planned. Once ye hae bedded her and the marriage is official we’ll denounce the treaty and attack the keep. They will nae be prepared.”
Rhys smiled. He was glad that his father hadn’t completely lost his way. There would still be a chance for him to fight after all. “And what of Caitlin?”
“We’ll take her hostage. If Bryn or any of his kin survive they will accept any terms for her safe return, and if they dinnae, well, she is ye wife sae ye can dae anything ye like with her.” He cackled with laughter. “This is it Rhys! After sae long of trying we shall finally wipe them out and history will forever remember the name of the victors as us!”
He looked so happy, as though the battle had already been won.
“But why dinnae ye tell me of this before? All this time I hae thought ye hae lost ye mind! If I’d hae known I could hae prepared and helped ye.”
“I know Rhys, and I’m sorry, but I couldnae take a chance of anyone else finding out. I wanted everything tae appear as normal, just in case that devious lot sent any spies our way. But I thought ye should know now so that ye can keep your wits about ye. Be careful taenight, drink, but dinnae drink enough tae lose ye mind. Make sure ye keep alert, and once ye are done with ye wife make sure ye announce it loud enough for everyone tae hear. That will be the signal we need tae strike.” Malcolm’s eyes gleamed with the promise of glory and Rhys’s hands trembled with excitement. He promised to keep the plan a secret even from his brothers, and he thought about the joy in finally putting this matter to rest.
Once and for all the Frasier clan would prove themselves superior, and while it wasn’t exactly as Rhys had always imagined glory would be gained, he was pleased nonetheless. The plan relied on more stealth and deviousness than was typically associated with the Frasier clan, and was probably the reason why it promised such success. It did feel as though they were abandoning their own prowess though, but it wasn’t for him to decide. He had his role to play of course, and he was ready for it. He would do whatever needed to be done to convince the enemy that nothing was wrong, even if it meant playing the happy husband.
For the rest of the morning, he pondered the matter and decided that things were not always as they seemed. He should have trusted his instincts in knowing that his father wouldn’t have wanted peace. If he did, he may have worked out that something was amiss earlier and he wouldn’t have been so blindsided by it. He vowed that it wouldn’t happen again. If he was to be laird then he needed to see other possibilities too, just like his father.
3
The emotion of the day had settled somewhat by late afternoon. Even though she wasn’t technically getting married until the following day, Caitlin still considered it the day of her wedding as it was the first day she was meeting her husband, and she wanted to make a good impression for the sake of her father and the sake of peace. Even though she didn’t like the enemy, she hated the idea of men throwing away their lives even more. There had been a time when she was younger that she had insisted on going with her father to a field where a battle had taken place. She had always been intrigued by the colorful banners going to war, and all the men either marching away with pride or riding horses. Then, she had been confused by how fewer of them returned, and the ones that did were usually walking with slumped shoulders and grim looks on their faces. It was impossible for her to imagine what had happened in between, so she had nagged and tormented her father until he had finally relented.
She would never forget what she saw. It was strange for a young girl to see so many lifeless bodies. They all looked as though they were sleeping, but then she looked harder and saw the wounds and the dried blood and the way their eyes stared without expression into the distance. Peace could only be a good thing, and she was proud of her father for making the effort. Now, it was her turn to play her part and ensure that the marriage was successful.
As the hours passed she waited in the keep, looking out for the arrival of her husband. She was apprehensive and continued to play with the ring that hung around her neck. It brought her great comfort and soothed her nerves. She ate only a little because her stomach was twisting and churning. She had the urge to go running amok in the forest as she did when she was a child. Such days were behind her now though, and it certainly would have ruined the dress.
In time she heard a distant rumble. It could have been mistaken for thunder if the skies weren’t clear and bright. She peered into the distance and then, emerging from the trees, was the retinue. Wagons brought gifts for the feast and the family. Powerful horses pulled carts and there, leading the line, was her future husband. As they approached, she had a better view of him from her window, but he was still far away. All she could tell was that he was tall and his shock of red hair shone in the sun, as bright as any fire she had ever seen. Her eyes were transfixed on him, although in her peripheral vision she was taken aback by the size of the retinue that Rhys had brought with him. In other circumstances the arrival of so many men from a rival clan would have signaled the beginning of a siege and everyone would have been rushing around, struggling to survive.
Thankfully, Caitlin thought, I will never have to live through anything like that.
She watched from afar as her father walked out to meet Malcolm and Rhys. The two men towered over her father and she hated to think of him going into battle with them. It was a miracle he had survived, she thought, but then again her father had always extolled the virtue of being resourceful, agile, and quick-thinking. He had always said that there was no point in having powerful muscles if you didn’t have the brains to use them well.
The men were close to the entrance of the keep and Caitlin could just about make out the soft burr of their voices, although the words themselves did not carry to her. At one point she noticed Rhys crane his neck up in her direction. She gasped and retreated inside, flinging herself to the shadows and pressing herself against the wall. It was said to be bad luck for a husband to see a wife before she was presented to him, and the last thing Caitlin wanted to do was curse the marriage before it had even begun. Her chest heaved as she panted, and after a few moments she twisted her body to peer out of the window, but Rhys
wasn’t there any longer. The men had moved inside while the Frasier retinue set up a camp outside the walls of the keep. Caitlin would have to wait until the formal dinner later to meet Rhys properly, when she was presented to him.
Caitlin was sitting in her chambers, a bundle of nervous energy, when finally the door opened and Mark came to fetch her. She rushed up and uttered her relief at finally being allowed to join the festivities instead of forced to stay in her room like a captive.
“What is he like?” she asked in a nervous whisper. Mark just shrugged.
“Tall,” he said. Caitlin rolled her eyes. Boys could be so unhelpful.
A minstrel was playing the lute and then suddenly the music stopped. Caitlin stood outside the door of the main feasting hall with Mark by her side. Through the doors, she heard Bryn present her, and then the doors opened. There was a huge round of applause and cheering as everyone in attendance seemed delighted. Caitlin bowed her head and smiled widely as she made her way to the table in the middle of the room. The hall was lively, and there were innumerable people in attendance, but once her eyes settled on her husband-to-be, there was nobody she had eyes for than him. Relief was the overwhelming feeling she had when she saw him for the first time. He wasn’t conventionally handsome, but there was something about the angles of his face that she found pleasing.
He rose as she approached and her head tilted back, for he was impossibly tall. Her lips parted in shock as he just seemed to keep going and going, and she could easily see why people believed they were descended from giants. He took her hand. His flesh was warm and calloused, and her hand looked so small and tiny in his. He kissed the back of her hand politely.
“It’s a pleasure tae meet ye, Caitlin,” he said with a warm smile and a gleam in his eye.
“The pleasure is mine,” she replied and gave a little curtsy. She was glad to see that although the Frasiers had a reputation for being savage, Rhys was still courteous. He pulled out a chair for her and then toasted to her good health. His cheeks were ruddy and judging from the slight slurring of his words and the easy way he picked up his mug of ale, she assumed he had already had plenty to drink.
“It appears I have some catching up tae dae,” she said, and promptly took the mug from him and gulped down what was left inside. She licked her lips, ridding herself of the frothy remnants, and then arched an eyebrow. He looked shocked and then impressed.
“Ye are nae what I imagined,” Rhys said.
“I hope in a good way. I like to be unpredictable,” she said, and then offered him a smile.
The food was served: succulent meats and roasted vegetables. It was a spread like no other, and everyone tucked in with wild abandon. Caitlin and Rhys had been seated next to each other at a table and, as was common custom, barely anyone spoke to the betrothed as this was a chance for them to get to know each other publicly. So far she wasn’t quite sure what to think of Rhys. He was certainly an impressive specimen and it was impossible to not be captured by his physical appearance, but he seemed somewhat serious and taciturn. He hadn’t made a move to start the conversation, and she was worried that she hadn’t been as pleasing for him as he had been for her.
“I believe this is where we’re supposed tae get tae know each other,” she said in her soft, lilting voice. “Tell me some of the things you like and dislike.”
“Hunting,” he replied curtly. Caitlin frowned.
“And what dae ye like tae hunt?”
“Anything that can give me a challenge.”
She leaned back in her chair and studied him for a brief moment. “Yes, me tae,” she said before sipping some more ale. Rhys looked at her with shock and then scoffed.
“Ye dinnae hunt,” he said in disbelief.
“Oh aye I dae,” she said. “I dinnae ken what ye hae heard about me, but I am nae some fair maiden who likes tae sit in her chambers all day without a thing tae dae. I prefer hunting squirrels myself.”
“Squirrels?” Rhys chuckled and looked as though he was about to scoff again. “Why would ye like tae hunt squirrels? There is nae much meat on them. Hardly as impressive as, say, a stag or a boar.”
“I know, but a squirrel is tricky. It gets its way intae different, hard tae reach places. It burrows and scurries into deep holes, or it climbs trees and uses height tae get away. Tae hunt a stag or a boar is easy. All ye need are patience and knowing when tae strike before it runs away, but it is nae difficult tae find such a beast. But a squirrel? Oh aye, ye could be searching for days, and it is sae quick that if ye dinnae strike when ye hae a chance, it’ll flee and gae missing forever.”
“I hae never thought of it that way,” Rhys admitted, and seemed to be considering Caitlin with a little more cordiality.
“Aye, well neither dae my brothers. I think it’s a trait among ye men that ye try tae gae for the biggest and baddest all the time. Sometimes ye need a lass tae show ye the way.”
“We’ll see about that,” Rhys said. “Dae ye hae any other surprises for me?”
“Well, if I told ye now there would hardly be any surprises, would there? And I’d hate tae deprive ye of the experience of finding out.”
She took another sip of ale, but decided she would stop then as she was already feeling lightheaded and didn’t want to be seen as without poise or etiquette. Rhys didn’t seem to be drinking much either after they started talking, and she took this to be a good sign.
“Dae ye always show ye brothers the way?” he asked.
“Oh aye, I hae tae! If I didnae then I dinnae ken what kind of trouble they’d be getting themselves intae! I’m the eldest after all, aye, it’ll be a shame leaving the four of them behind tae fend for themselves.” She let a moment of wistful longing creep into her voice as she was reminded of how much she was leaving behind. The wedding was taking place at her home, but the rest of her life would be lived elsewhere.
“Four?!” Rhys stated in disbelief. “I hae two and they’re enough of a handful. Sometimes it’s all I can dae tae stop myself from cracking their heads taegether! I dinnae ken how ye can handle four.”
“With a lot of patience,” Caitlin replied. “Perhaps I can help ye keep ye brothers in line.”
“Yes, perhaps ye can,” Rhys said, and a thoughtful look came upon his face. He lowered his voice. “Were ye surprised when ye da told ye of the agreement?”
“Aye. But happy. Tae many people hae died already. I think people will appreciate peace...lasting peace.” She fingered the ring around her neck again. “I think I like the idea that we will gae down in history as the first two members of a new clan, bringing the two families taegether and ending an eternity of war.”
Rhys pondered her words for a few moments, so Caitlin continued to fill the silence. “Have ye ever wondered how it all started in the first place? Naebody really seems tae know for sure.”
“I was told it was over territory. Your clan wanted a piece of land that was rightfully ours, and ye wouldnae let us have it.” A sharp hostility entered Rhys’s voice and Caitlin regretted asking the question. It wasn’t going to be easy to bridge the differences between the clans. She kept herself calm to ensure she did not instigate an argument.
“Our story is that two men fought over a woman, and in the end, they just kept fighting and never stopped. I suppose we’ll never know the truth. And it doesn’t matter since the fighting is gaeing tae be over anyway.”
“Aye, it’s funny, really. I always assumed I would grow up tae be a warrior like my da.”
“Hae ye ever been in battle?”
Rhys’s expression turned dark.
“Nae yet. A few duels here and there, but never a full-on battle. Da hasn’t thought I was ready, but I hae been for years.” Shadows fell over his face, but then he seemed to brighten. “I suppose I’ll hae tae console myself with hunting stags and boars…and squirrels,” he said with a quick smile. Caitlin giggled as they settled into a rhythm of conversation. She actually found him quite quick-witted with a wry sense of humor, and she star
ted to think that this might not be so bad after all.
The evening passed swiftly and the rambunctious noise of the feast faded into the background as Caitlin lost herself in the pleasant act of talking with Rhys. It was so comfortable, in fact, that she was surprised they had only known each other for a matter of hours. There was a slight lull in the conversation and she took the opportunity to look around, appreciating the crowd.
“It makes ye wonder, why couldn’t this hae happened a long time ago? Look, everyone is in good spirits and getting on with each other. Ye would hardly believe that these people hae spent a lifetime hating each other,” she mused, mostly to herself, but of course, Rhys overheard. He didn’t say anything in reply, but the mood was perhaps embodied best by how deeply Bryn and Malcolm were in conversation. The two estranged childhood friends were boasting loudly about old conflicts from their youth, making a lot of people laugh.
Once people’s bellies were full, the minstrels increased their volume and struck up a merry tune. People started to flock to the dance floor and work off their meals. The music was lulling and Caitlin found herself tapping her foot to the beat. She looked at Rhys, whose head was bobbing. She grabbed his hand and tugged him up, urging him to come onto the dance floor. But she might as well have tried to move a rock. Her strength was nothing compared to his and he remained sitting down.
“I’m nae a dancer,” he said.
“Oh get away with ye! There’s naething tae it! Ye just move ye body tae the rhythm of the music. Come on, people will be expecting us tae hae at least one dance anyway,” she said. Rhys sighed reluctantly and got up. Caitlin moved to the middle of the room and began to sway in time with the music. Rhys stood there as tall as an oak tree, looking awkward as he moved from side to side. When Caitlin danced around him and he didn’t move, she rolled her eyes and pouted, then directed him to give her his hands.
Highlander's War 0f Clans (Scottish Medieval Historical Romance) Page 3
