Lass' Valor (The Pith Trilogy)

by Griffin, Kara

  Colin, Ellic, and Robin grunted roughly at his remark. Brendan would say something like that, and he hadn’t meant to make light of their impending battle, but the comment did lighten the mood a bit. He held his sword in hand, moving it side to side, as was his usual habit, and in his other hand he held a foot-long dagger. Brendan always felt agitated before they warred, and he couldn’t stand still. He continued to pace back and forth in front of them, a habit that drove Colin daft.

  “Will you stop moving around?” Colin placed his arms over his chest, watching his movement.

  He stopped and turned toward him. “Let’s go, I’m ready.”

  “We’re not,” Colin clipped.

  “What the hell are we waiting for?”

  “I’m waiting for our other allies to arrive.”

  “You’ve more coming?”

  “Aye, of course.”

  “We can take them now, why wait?”

  “Brendan, you’re always impatient. I’m waiting for—”

  “All right, Colin.” Brendan continued to pace.

  When the other soldiers arrived fifteen minutes later, Brendan insisted they forge to the fray. Colin was never so happy to see them. Not because he needed them for the war with the English. Nay, because Brendan knew he’d made him so dizzy, he’d either fall off his horse or spill his guts in the grass.

  Brendan listened to Colin who sounded the battle cry, and for the next two hours, the men fought tirelessly. Swords clashed. Arrows flew. Weapons collided. Blood spilled. The Englishmen were no match for the highlander warriors, and their forces were severely incapacitated. Several knights retreated into the forest and Brendan lost sight of Colin in the foray. When he finally saw him across the field, Brendan was slaying a man in his customary technique.

  Colin approached him. “Damn, Brendan, you’re more bloodthirsty than I am. Aye, you’re a ruthless fighter. Have you found anything out?”

  “Nay, the bastards aren’t talking.”

  “Why don’t you leave some of them alive, so we can question them, Brendan?” Colin frowned.

  “That’s a good idea, Colin. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that sooner.”

  Colin laughed. He turned to see a man come at his back, but didn’t have time to react. Brendan’s dagger stuck from the man’s chest, and he fell backwards to the ground. It happened in a split second, and Colin stood shocked for a moment, probably amazed at the sheer force of his throw.

  “Thanks, didn’t see him coming.”

  “Don’t mention it.” Brendan went to the fallen man, and plucked his dagger from his chest. He wiped the blood on the man’s tunic then returned to the fighting.

  When most of the Englishmen were either lying on the ground or running for the hills, Brendan eased off the fight. The day was victorious in that the English would at least leave their land. However, they had yet to find out who the knights were and why they camped on their land. Brendan had hoped it was the Englishman he sought. He carried a man by the scruff of his neck—the soldier’s feet barely touched the ground. He all but choked the man, turning his face red. When he reached Colin, he threw the man at his feet. Then Brendan positioned his sword at the man’s heart.

  “You’re in a murderous mood this day. Your glare alone could kill the man.” Colin folded his arms over his chest and took a relaxed stance. “Who is this, Brendan, a friend of yours? A neighbor perchance?”

  Brendan glared at him. “That is not funny, Colin. Don’t speak to me about living in England. I swear to ye, it will never happen. This man can talk, that’s all I know.” Brendan wasn’t thrilled knowing Henry wanted him to live in England, and he hadn’t even given it consideration. Nay, he’d not leave his homeland for anything or anyone.

  Colin pushed Brendan’s sword away from the man. The man sat up and backed up a foot or so. “Mercy, mercy …”

  “I want answers,” Colin demanded.

  “Aye, anything, just get him away from me.”

  “Are you Lord Richard de Morris’ men?”

  “We serve Lord de Morris. We came here with him, he told us to await him here.”

  “Has he returned?”

  “He told us we would be staying here, that he awaited someone. He fought today,” the young soldier supplied. Sweat rolled down the side of his face, he swiped it.

  “Do you see him, look around,” Colin commanded.

  The man leaned up from his position on the ground. He glanced around the field, and shook his head. “Nay, he must have retreated with the others. We were told to keep you busy.”

  Brendan approached with his sword in hand. He wanted to do the man in, but Colin stopped him.

  “I’ve leaned a good lesson from Steven. We’ll send this man back with a message.”

  Brendan backed away from the man.

  “Although, now that I think on it, the last time I sent a message, it wasn’t heeded by the Sassenach. Besides, why give him a warning?” Colin slapped him on the back and walked away. “Lord Richard de Morris,” Colin said aloud. “Likely, he’s run back to England with his tail between his legs, the coward. We’ll return home and get his exact location.”

  “Are we going after him?” Robin asked.

  “Damned right we are.” Brendan answered for Colin, as he approached to stand next to them.

  “I think we should stop by the loch before we head home. I don’t want my wife seeing us like this,” Colin told them.

  Night fell by the time they reached the loch. Several wounded men sat by the bank of the water. Colin had two soldiers tend the wounds of the few that had been struck. He directed them to bind and care for those that needed it. The more seriously injured could go to Jinny for aid. Warriors bathed in the loch, and a good number of tartans and tunics littered the trees and bushes, drying in the night breeze.

  The soldiers’ guard was let down, being near their home. Loud shouts and rambunctious play came from the water. The men became boisterous, recounting their accomplishments of the day. Brendan sat beside a tree, he’d all ready bathed. He noticed Colin looked around for him and Robin. It had become a habit of his, to speak to them after each battle. Colin had been responsible for them for such a long time, and had always looked out for them. Not that they needed it. Robin caroused in the water with Gil, and they laughed over a tale another warrior was telling about a man he’d slain earlier.

  “Brendan, are you all right?”

  “Aye, why should I not be?”

  “You did well today. I haven’t seen you fight in a long time. I always enjoy watching you combat.”

  Brendan nodded. “I want to find that knave and kill him, Colin. I won’t rest until I do. He hurt Katie, damn it.”

  “I know, Brendan, but you have to wait until I get his location from Henry. This Richard de Morris is not going anywhere.”

  “Nay, he is not.” Brendan lifted his dagger, studying it. “I want to put this in his heart.”

  Colin sat next to him. “We need to talk about you’re leaving. You are going to have to accept the land Henry has given ye.”

  “Nay.” He absently used his dagger to scrape the mud from his boots. He didn’t want to discuss leaving, because as far as he was concerned, it was a closed subject.

  “You know she’ll want to return to her home. She has property, and must see to her people. Kate is too honorable to let her people down, Brendan. Will you let her go?” Colin stopped Brendan’s hand, and he dropped his dagger.

  “Can you explain something to me? You love Julianna?”

  “Aye, with all my heart,” Colin declared, placing his fist over his heart.

  Brendan frowned. “What does that feel like? I don’t understand what the kind of love you’re talking about … is. I think that I might love Katie, but I’m not certain.”

  “I’m taken aback, Brendan, you really want to know?”

  “Aye, did I not just ask?” He wasn’t really sure why he’d asked his brother that, but now that they were speaking of it, his interest p
iqued. The awkwardness of the topic didn’t affect him as it normally would.

  “I cannot describe the feeling, but I can tell you that I would die for her then I’d go to hell for her. Knowing she’s part of me makes me who I am.”

  “That’s ludicrous, Colin, I don’t think I feel like that.” Brendan still enraged from the fighting, stood.

  “So you’re just going to walk away?”

  He scowled fiercely at his brother, and started to walk away. “Aye, I detest England.”

  Colin called after him. “But you might love Kate more than you detest England, Brendan.”

  He ignored his brother’s remark and strode toward the keep. When he reached it, he kept walking. His stride increased, he intended to see his wife and to release his pent-up sexual tension. Quietly, he entered her cottage and knew she was asleep. She lay with her eyes closed in a cocoon of covers. No fire lit the hearth, but the night was warm and none was needed. Brendan wanted her intensely. With that in mind, he stripped his clothing hastily, and joined her on the bed. He took her in his arms and kissed her roughly.

  Kate awoke not knowing what happened. She would have screamed, except her mouth was completely covered by his. Once she realized who kissed her, she relaxed, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Brendan was in a frantic state of heated passion, and every part of his body demanding release. He tore at her sleeping gown, wanting to rid her of it. She did scream then. He covered her scream with his mouth again. The kiss wasn’t gentle either, but she didn’t mind. She became as rough and fervent as he. His hands touched her everywhere. She cried out when he gripped her breasts with both his hands and used his thumbs to stroke her nipples. His harsh breath sounded in the room. He needed to be inside her. Exhilaration overrode any thought to be gentle, and he spread her legs and entered her. He drove into her repeatedly, reeling from the excitement, carnal lust urging on his primitive response.

  Brendan realized his roughness, and he stopped abruptly. “Katie, am I hurting ye?”

  Her only response was to pull his head down to return his kisses. He resumed his thrusts and felt his body spinning out of control.

  Katie reached the pinnacle of her orgasm, and she screamed his name. Brendan grunted in male satisfaction at her reaction to her culmination. He yelled his own climax to the rafters, and his body fell on top of hers in total surrender. Aye, she’d weakened him. She held him close, his head cradled by her neck, and she fondled his hair. He could feel her breath heating his skin. It allayed him and he smiled. He didn’t move, but continued to lie on top of her.

  Brendan was overwhelmed by what happened. He used her so vehemently, and he had never taken a woman like that before. It didn’t sit well with him either. Guilt pressed him, yet he couldn’t even look at her face to assess her expression. After several minutes passed, he finally pulled out of her and rolled away. That’s when he noticed her crying.

  “Katie, did I hurt ye? I didn’t mean to be so brutal. I … answer me.” What in God’s name was wrong with him? He was prattling like a lad. Well, hell.

  Kate cried harder, she couldn’t stop. Once the tears began, they just kept coming. “You always make me cry, I don’t usually do so, but you always make me.”

  Now he had done it, he thought. He hurt her so badly, she couldn’t stop crying. He knew he had to do something to soothe her, so he enclosed her in his arms.

  “Shhh, I didn’t mean to hurt ye. I would never …” he trailed off hearing her speak.

  “It was so beautiful, I never felt so … loved.” she whispered her declaration and sighed.

  Brendan didn’t know what to make of her claim. His jaw tightened. How could she say that after he’d been so rough with her? He squeezed her arm gently, but wouldn’t acknowledge such feelings for her. He did love her, but wouldn’t admit it aloud. A warrior wouldn’t say such nonsense, he reminded himself.

  At last, she calmed, and remained quiet. He leaned forward, and pulled the coverings over them. He settled himself next to her and fell asleep within seconds, a frown on his face.

  *****

  Kate lay for sometime, watching him while he slept. She longed to tell him the truth; that she loved him, had loved him for longer than she knew him. At least since his vision came to her. She wanted to say it outright, that she loved him with her whole heart and that he made her feel content. He made her feel loved. The way her body responded to his astounded her. She regarded the man lying next to her, holding her so tenderly. Admittedly, she didn’t know much about him, though she knew his family and his friends, and had seen his home. He didn’t display much of himself for anyone to see, nor did he talk of his interest or his feelings. It was as if he placed a shell around him so none could see his tender side.

  He has a good heart, but doesn’t want anyone to know about it.

  She could tell he kept to himself and didn’t share his views with anyone. That thought saddened her a bit. She wanted to draw him out. Had his demeanor always been serious? Brendan needed someone to care for him, she wanted it to be her, but that wouldn’t be. She knew that he had no intention of going to England with her. If only she could renounce her father’s fief, and remain with Brendan, but that would go against her father’s bequeath. Once she left the highlands, it was unlikely she would ever return. She must not let her heart soften toward him further. Yet, she snuggled contentedly next to him, knowing she didn’t have much more time with him. She would enjoy the few days left, before she returned home with the king.

  The next morning, she awoke and found him gone again. Just once, she’d like to wake in his arms and have him kiss her before he stalked off to train. She snorted at that, because it would likely never happen. Kate decided to take a morning ride, she went to the stable, and luckily the stable master was busy tending to horses in the coral beyond the building. She quickly saddled a mare and led her out. A nice relaxing ride would settle her nerves. She galloped toward the open field where bales of hay made a maze. She kicked her mount into a full run, and the horse jolted at her demand. Its hooves moved so fast, they blurred by the grass. The mare’s powerful body leapt in the air, and she snorted and whinnied.

  Blessedly, the mare obeyed her commands. It felt so free, flying again. She always loved it, and her laughter echoed through the field. She heard Bonnie’s clapping and laughter from atop a hill near by. Her attention was so focused on her task and the enjoyment of jumping the bales that she hadn’t noticed the people who stood behind Bonnie at the top of the hill.

  Chapter Twenty

  Brendan was on his way to the training field when he noticed people gathered at the top of the hill. He wondered what they were doing, but then he saw Bonnie sitting on the grass, and he sat next to her. His minx of a niece seemed mesmerized by the view, as did the people standing nearby.

  “What are you looking at, fairy?”

  “Kate.”

  “Kate? Where?”

  “There.” Bonnie pointed toward the field.

  Brendan looked to where she’d pointed to, and his whole body became rigid. His lady flew though the air on a damned horse. Not just any horse, but the one horse Colin told him was onerous, and not yet tamed. The horse landed beyond the bale. Kate’s sunny laughter reached him, she was laughing at her victory. He realized his breath became raucous, flaring his nostrils with anger.

  “How long has she been doing this?”

  His niece hunched her shoulders. “I think she’s a princess.”

  “Aye, lass, she is a princess.”

  Bonnie giggled. “Do you love her, Uncle Brendan?”

  Brendan watched his niece smile sweetly at him and he grunted. His niece snickered at his response. Kate finally noticed them on the hill and her face reddened. He could see the brightness from where he sat. She rode up the hill and dismounted near him. The people behind them walked away when their entertainment came to an end. He scowled at her, hoping she would realize her jeopardy. But she must not have, because she had a fat smile on her face. She sat nex
t to Bonnie and placed her arm around Bonnie’s shoulder.

  “Good morning, Bonnie and Brendan. ‘Tis a beautiful day.”

  “Katie.” He gave her a hard look.

  “Why are you not off trying to find de Morris or on the training field? I am shocked to see you here wasting your morning. What are you doing here?”

  “I believe I was watching a bean-sith trying to kill herself. Why would you endanger yourself so?”

  “I wasn’t in danger. I always—”

  “You’ll not ride like that again, not on that horse,” he ordered.

  “I don’t answer to you, Brendan. I’ll ride whenever I want, and on whatever horse I choose. I enjoy riding fast and jumping over objects.”

  “Bonnie, go to the keep. We’ll see you later.” He patted her leg to get her moving.

  Kate lifted her arm and was about to stop her from leaving, but his niece moved with amazing speed and had run beyond her reach.

  “You had no right to send her away, Brendan. I promised to—”

  “Katie, I mean what I said. I don’t want you riding like that again. Now, give me your word.”

  She looked him in the eye. “Nay.”

  Incredulous, he said, “Nay.”

  “I always ride so, I don’t answer to you.”

  “Why is that? You’re an obstinate lass, you know that.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I want your promise, now.” Brendan knew she wouldn’t promise him anything.

  “I promise.”

  Brendan grunted his approval at her compliance.

  “What did I promise to?”

  His jaw flinched and his scowl deepened. “You’re the most confusing woman. If you don’t know when you’re in danger, I’ll have to …” Brendan gave up, he pulled her into his arms, and started kissing her. He set her back on the grass, touching her gently, his kiss tender. His tongue caressed hers as though he tried to melt into her. Kate groaned. He growled.

  He continued kissing her, lying next to her felt too darned good. Brendan’s entire length squeezed the whole of her body. His hands held her head still so he could ravish her mouth, though gently, especially after last night. He knew he had to stop, and if he continued, he would take her right there where anyone could come along.