Alan clenched his jaw. Anger rose inside him. He thought the road would have been safe from Highland bandits, but it seemed as though they had their vile influence everywhere, and now they had taken his greatest prize. He dreaded to think what those brutes might be doing with her. He would have to do something, and soon.
“I hate to take up more of your time sir, but I did have to go out of my way to bring the lady to you, and if it wasn’t for me you’d never have word of your bride. I think that’s worth something…” The merchant’s eyes gleamed and he licked his lips like a hungry rat.
A typical peasant, always trying to eke out coin at any opportunity. He scowled at the man, but reached into his pouch and pulled out a few silver pieces, handing them to the merchant. “A good deed deserves a reward I suppose,” Alan said, but really he was paying to get rid of the merchant more than anything else. The merchant bowed his head in thanks and then scurried away, out of Alan’s sight.
Alan turned towards Myra, whose shoulders were shaking. He paused for a moment to compose himself, not looking forward to the prospect of dealing with a hysterical mother. Nevertheless, he walked towards Myra and fell to his knees, clasping her hands tightly. He wore a pained expression. Myra’s cheeks glistened with the reflection of her tears. She sipped the wine, but her hands trembled. She gazed into the distance.
“Myra,” he said gently, “you must tell me what happened.”
“It was…it was awful,” she began. Every word was a choking sob and her chest heaved with sorrow. “We were riding along talking about how wonderful our lives were going to be once Ellen and you were married, when suddenly the driver shouted in alarm and the wagon rocked. The door was flung open. I heard Ellen scream, but then I hit something and everything went black. I awoke and it was cold. I called out for Ellen but she didn’t answer, and then that man found me. They must have taken her. Oh Alan, it was horrible! I can’t imagine what they must be doing with her, or if she’s even still alive!” Myra’s head bowed and she started to sob heavily.
“Myra, please, we must calm down. It will do Ellen no good if we are distraught like this. We cannot help her in this state. I’m sure that she won’t have been harmed. She will be too valuable a prize for that. No, we must act quickly. I shall gather men and go hunt for her. I must rescue her. Time is of the essence.”
“How will you even know where to look?” Myra asked.
“I know. We have sent scouting parties into their territory. I have a good idea of who is behind this, and I will make them pay.” Alan said. “You stay here and ease your mind. Ellen is my responsibility now, and I will see to her safety.”
He left the room abruptly. His mind was a storm and his footsteps were as heavy as thunder.
The group, with Ellen in tow, rode back for a few hours until they reached a small village. Thin spires of smoke rose up into the blue sky, and the thatched roofs of huts appeared. There was a large fire in the middle of the village that was lined with a stone wall, while other smaller fires had been lit outside people’s houses. The residents roamed around, chatting happily. Some of them carried animal pelts, others had freshly baked bread, while still others were preparing baskets to go and gather some berries, fruits, and vegetables. It was an idyllic, humble place, and Ellen looked quite shocked, for it seemed entirely normal.
“Ye seem surprised lass,” Duncan said, slowing the pace of his horse to ride alongside her. They came to a stop and alighted. The other men took their horses towards a stable, while Duncan helped her down. She was hesitant to take his hand at first, but found it to be stable and strong.
“It’s just not what I expected, that’s all.”
“Nae? Did ye think we all lived in caverns like ogres?” Duncan teased her with a twinkling look in his eyes. Ellen flushed red because that was exactly what she had thought. Duncan chuckled. “Spend a wee bit of time with us and ye’ll see that nae all the stories are true.”
They entered the village and Duncan was greeted warmly by everyone. He was given fresh bread, which he shared with Ellen. He introduced her as a guest. Some people smiled at her politely, while others viewed her with suspicion, especially when they heard her accent. The children that ran beside them didn’t seem to notice either way. They were eager to hear about another adventure from Duncan and his merry band of men, but Duncan told them that would have to wait until later. The bread was delicious, baked with some kind of seed that enhanced the flavor. It melted in her mouth and was like nothing she had ever tasted before. She had told herself that she should hate everything about this place, but there wasn’t anything to hate.
“Let’s take a wee walk,” Duncan said. Ellen agreed.
They strolled around the perimeter of the village, taking in the rolling hills and the valley that lay to the south. In the distance she could see the outline of mountains and it promised mystery and adventure in the deep north, a place that she had always been warned against. It was said to be the land of monsters and strange creatures that were borne of death. But the blue sky of the horizon had a sapphire beauty and it looked peaceful. The air was sweet and calm. Birds chirped as they soared ahead, flying back to their nests in the forest. The grass was a lush green and beautiful flowers peppered the landscape with flamboyant bursts of vibrant colors. It was a blessed land, not one where monsters would live.
“They treat you like a hero,” Ellen said.
Duncan smiled. His head dipped in modesty. “I’m nae that. I’m just trying tae dae the right thing.”
“How can you say that killing can be the right thing?” Ellen asked, anger flaring in her when she thought of her father. As charming as this place was, she had to remind herself that one of the men here, if not Duncan himself, was responsible for her father’s death. The shadows of war and death still shrouded this place.
“It is nae, except when ye are defending ye home and ye honor. I’m sure ye hae been told that we are the villains and the English are fighting a just war, but it is nae that way at all. They take land from us whenever they want and drive us from our homes. We are just a small clan, and if we dinnae dae anything tae stop them they’ll come up here and take this away from us. Could ye let that happen?” He shook his head. “They only see me as a hero because I fight for them. If it was nae me, well, I dinnae ken who would take up arms. But I’m only daeing it tae follow the example of my da. He would hae done the same thing. He was a great man.”
From the way he spoke, Ellen could infer that Duncan’s father was dead.
“How did he die?” she asked, folding her arms around herself.
“In battle. Killed by the English. A sword through his gut,” Duncan said. “I watched it happen.”
“That must have been horrible,” Ellen gasped. “My father is dead too,” she said, although she refrained from admitting that he had died in the battle with the Highlanders. If Duncan found out that she was Robin’s daughter he might be angrier than he was thinking she was just a random English girl. “And now my ma is likely dead too.”
“By a miracle she may hae survived, but we did nae hae room tae carry ye both.”
“I don’t know what I’ll do if she’s dead. I have nobody…” Her voice trailed off and seemed very small.
“When ye are ready tae return home I can send ye with a guide. But ye could always stay here tae. We can always use another pair of hands.”
“I’m not sure I’d be much use around here. I’ve never really learned to do much of anything.”
“There’s plenty of time for ye tae learn. I see ye are good on the horse. Would ye like a wee race?” he suggested. Ellen’s eyes lit up and she nodded eagerly. He sidled up to her, and as he leaned across she caught his scent. It was earthy and musky, and wholly masculine. It made her feel heady inside, as though bubbles were rising up into her head. He pointed towards the valley. “There’s a tree there with three thick branches, ye cannae miss it. We’ll ride there and around it, first one back tae this spot wins,” he said. Ellen nodded, agree
ing to the terms of the race. Duncan counted down from three, and then they were off.
Ellen pushed her horse fast, wanting to beat Duncan so that he would see she wasn’t such a helpless girl after all. She pleaded with her horse to be as swift as the wind. Dirt was kicked up as the horses galloped away. Duncan pulled out in an early lead and he twisted his neck back, teasing and taunting her, yelling at her that she had to pick up the pace. Ellen snapped the reins of the horse and geed it to go faster. She lowered her body and braced herself against the violent motions of the gallop. Her body was being shaken as the horse crashed into the ground. The earth quaked under their hooves, and she could feel herself getting closer to Duncan.
The tree came into view and she angled the horse, trying to get inside Duncan and take the advantage as they went around the tree. Sweat beaded on her brow and her cheeks were rosy at the effort she was putting in. She grinned as she saw an opening and went for it, but at the last moment Duncan shifted across and closed the gap. He got so close to the tree that his shoulder brushed the branch as he twisted around it, and she was left having to take a wider angle, which allowed Duncan to build up an even greater lead. Ellen knew defeat was inevitable, but she wasn’t about to give up so easily. She rode the horse hard, accelerating to an even greater speed, so much so that Duncan couldn’t just canter to victory. He had to keep going until he reached the finish line, and then he could relax.
“Well lass, ye certainly gave me a run for my money. If ye’d like tae earn some coin and some bragging rights ye should try and take on some of my men while ye are here. They’ll all underestimate ye,” he said. Ellen felt proud at receiving his praise and for the fact that she had almost beaten him. Perhaps she wasn’t so useless in the wild after all.
“I’ve always enjoyed riding a horse,” she said. “I used to dream of riding one across the land, exploring all the unknown parts of the world. I wanted to see everything.” She spoke with relish and her eyes gleamed at the thought of this forgotten dream.
“What stopped ye?” he asked.
Her shoulders slumped as she mopped some sweat from her brow. “My father. He said the world was too dangerous and that I had other responsibilities, like getting married. He said that nobody actually lived like that, except in stories.”
“I see. Well, the world is a dangerous place, but life is dangerous. Better tae get out there and meet it rather than wait for it tae come tae ye door.”
“I’ve never thought of it like that.”
“If ye stayed here ye could live like that. The world is out there, waiting for ye.” He spread out his arm and looked towards the horizon. She followed his gaze and felt a spike of excitement at the thought of finally achieving her dream. It meant leaving everything she knew behind, but if both her parents were dead the only bind she had was the promise to Alan, a promise that her father made. She felt guilty for breaking it, but marriage to him didn’t seem like a good prospect. He already had an idea for what he expected from her as a wife, and the dutiful nature didn’t appeal to her. Ellen’s sense of adventure was fed by the prospect of exploring the Highlands. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she shifted her glance to stare sideways at Duncan. She took in his square face and strong jaw. His auburn beard was thick and his eyes were playful. When she had first seen him she had thought him to be old, but now she realized that was just because he carried himself with the confidence of an experienced warrior. He had lived a hard life and he had grown up quickly, but there was still an element of youthful exuberance to the way he acted.
There had been a few times now when he had mentioned the possibility of her staying with him, and she wondered if there was anything more to this proposal than a kind gesture. If he wanted her to stay that badly he could have done so by force, which she would have expected from a Highlander, but that didn’t seem to be in his character. For the rest of the day they walked around the village and she got to know the people who lived there. They seemed to be hardworking, honest people who only wanted to till the land and enjoy their lives while they were in good health. Out here it was easy to forget about the specter of war hanging over them, of how the English and the Highlanders were locked in a vicious struggle for territory and honor. It was easy to forget about everything, as if her old life simply melted away and she was left with a few core elements to her.
Firstly, she wanted to see if she had the strength and resolve to survive in the wild by herself, freed from the prison that had been the walls of her home. Secondly, she wanted to find out the truth behind what had happened to her father. She wanted to know why there was a war and who had killed him. Her father, and Alan for that matter, had not liked talking to her about war since they didn’t feel it was a suitable topic for her to address. There had always been things hidden from her, as though she wasn’t strong enough to face the real world. She was shielded, protected, but nobody had ever asked her if that was what she wanted. At least Duncan didn’t treat her like that.
She ate food and listened to the people of the village as they gathered around and shared a feast. The food was delicious and it seemed as though they were all one big family. If Duncan was telling the truth and the English were trying to threaten this way of life, then Ellen couldn’t understand the motivation. These people clearly didn’t mean anyone any harm and she was left feeling as though the world had shifted under her feet.
She went to sleep thinking of home, hoping that her mother had survived. However, there was an undercurrent of guilt to her feelings as well because she was excited about being free from the burdens that had been placed upon her. At one point it came to feel as though her life was not her own, as though she was acting out a role that others had defined out here. There was a sense of freedom in the Highlands that she hadn’t felt since childhood. It was alluring and tempting, and it gave her the impetus to stay a while longer.
Myra was left sitting in the room alone, staring in the fire, wondering why she was so cursed to lose not only her husband but her only daughter too. She had lived a good, pure life and she couldn’t understand why the fates were punishing her like this. The only bright spot was Alan. At least she didn’t have to go through this alone, and she had this estate to offer her shelter and relief. Her mind was a whirl and the tumultuous fears careened through her mind like a violent procession. Alan would sort everything out. He was a fine warrior and Robin’s best friend. He wouldn’t let them down now.
She sipped on the wine and it soon had its numbing effect, soothing her soul and making her insides feel queasy. A while later a maid entered, a plain young thing with wiry hair and a sharp nose. She tidied up some of the clutter that was around the room, and nodded to Myra. Myra smiled, and introduced herself. At the mention of her name, the maid lit up.
“Oh! You’re Myra! It’s such an honor to meet you my Lady, and I’m so sorry to hear about what happened to your husband. We were all so upset when we learned about his terrible fate. We were just fortunate that Alan was here to look after the estate in Lord Robin’s absence.”
Myra’s brow crinkled. “Excuse me, what do you mean? I thought this was Alan’s estate?”
“Oh no, it all happened in the last fight, you see. They arranged beforehand that if the army was victorious Robin would receive this estate as a reward. He seemed quite honored by it, and a fine thing because it is a worthy house, even if it did house Highlanders for a long time.” She turned up her nose when she mentioned them. “But alas he died…Alan stepped in and said that he would be the custodian of the estate until such time as your daughter married. Then he went to find you to tell you the news. I suppose in some ways it is Alan’s estate, or at least it will be when the marriage has been sealed. Anyway, my name is Lisa and you just ask me if you need anything, anything at all! I’ll set you right,” the maid said before she left. Myra nodded, but she was too stunned to say anything.
If what the maid said was true, then this wasn’t Alan’s estate at all. She had to wonder if he indeed owne
d anything. If this was Robin’s by right then it would pass down to Ellen and whomever she married…a cold realization crept down her spine. There was only one sure way that Alan could own this estate, and that was to take Ellen as his wife. Now that she thought about it, it did seem strange that Robin wouldn’t have told her his plans to betroth Ellen to his old friend. Now, it might have been a spur of the moment thing decided while Robin was absent from them, but that didn’t sit quite right. Yet why would Alan have lied about something like that? He could have presented himself as a worthwhile candidate for marriage and explained the circumstances. Myra might well have agreed considering they needed a strong male presence in their lives. But why concoct this fairytale all for an estate? Alan certainly seemed to be doing well for himself as a soldier of fortune. The last thing Myra needed was yet more complication and she hated that her mind was a tense ball of intrigue and mystery. Life was supposed to be simple and she was far too old to deal with all of this.
Her thoughts turned to Ellen and her mind became laced with anxiety. What could Ellen be going through? What might those barbarous Highlanders be doing with her? How Myra wished that she had been able to fight off those warriors and defend her daughter, but she was just a woman, and it wasn’t within her power.
She went to her bedroom and prayed that Ellen would be kept safe and well, and that her virtue would still be intact. She prayed that Alan would find her and bring her back. Then perhaps they would be able to come to the bottom of the matter regarding the estate. It does not matter too much, she thought, if Alan rescues me from these Highland bandits then he would prove his worth as a husband, and he would know how to manage the estate better than me or Ellen. But now all Myra could do was wait to hear word, and it was so tortuous. The world spun around her and she could do nothing to affect the outcome. She was a helpless witness to the events of the world, and all she could do was wait and pray and hope that she received mercy.
Highlander’s Twist 0f Fate (Scottish Medieval Historical Romance) Page 5
