Highlander’s Twist 0f Fate (Scottish Medieval Historical Romance)

by Adamina Young

  “Ellen, what are ye daeing back here?” Millie asked. She was one of the women Ellen had formed a friendship with.

  “Says that Duncan hae been captured,” the hobbling old man said. Gasps filled the room.

  “It’s true,” Ellen said. “He used the distraction of the battle to come and find me, but he was captured. He killed one of the guards, but then three of them came around him and now he’s in the dungeon. He sent me here to rally a few men to return and rescue him.”

  “We dinnae hae many men left. Most of them are fighting,” Millie said, her face etched with worry.

  “Wait a minute,” Connor said, rising up. He was a big man, more like a giant than a man if Ellen was truthful. He had thick brown locks that curled down to his shoulder and shoulders as wide as a bear’s. He also only had one arm; the other had been lost in a battle with the English. His voice was as low and rumbling as thunder. “How dae we know this is nae a trap tae get the rest of us captured?”

  Ellen was shocked. “I would never do anything to hurt you, any of you! You know me. I lived among you. I would have stayed if I hadn’t had to return for my mother. You can trust me.”

  “I can never trust the English,” Connor growled sternly.

  “I have this...” Ellen rummaged about in her pocket and fished out the ring, holding it above her head. Connor reared back.

  “Ye see that Connor? That was his da’s ring. He would sooner hae died than be parted from it!” Millie said.

  “Aye, and maybe that’s just what happened,” Connor said, still unconvinced. Ellen bit her lip in frustration.

  “He’s not dead. I would die before I let that happen. Believe me, I know this is not what any of you wanted and there is much enmity between the Highlanders and the English, but I don’t care about any of that. The only thing I care about is saving Duncan. He sent me here to gather as many of you as I could to return to England and take back the estate that was wrongfully taken from you, to strike back at the English and prove to them that you’re not going to run all the way back to the mountains.”

  “We’re nae good,” Connor said. “The only ones left here are cripples like me, old men, and women. All the rest went tae fight.”

  “I can fight,” a boy said. He wasn’t yet old enough to have hair on his chin, but his spirit was that of a warrior. His declaration was followed by a number of other people who each rose and pledged themselves to the cause despite them having obvious physical disadvantages. Connor was disgruntled, but it was clear he was fighting a losing battle. Ellen just had to make the final push to turn the tide firmly in her favor.

  “When we spent time together, Duncan spoke so fondly of you. He was proud to be a part of this community, to be your hero, your protector. Now he is the one who needs heroes to come to his aid. He has fought for you, and now you must fight for him. He has inspired you for this very moment, to strike back against injustice. I know this because he inspired me too. I have ridden across a strange land battling with the elements, armed with a dagger that I’m not even sure how to use, all because he inspired something within my heart. He’s a special man and I am not going to rest until I have done everything I can to save him. If we work together and summon the spirit of the Highlands we can fight back against the English and give them a bloody nose!”

  Her impassioned speech was met with a number of emphatic nods and cheers. She imagined that the prospect of actually doing something was going to be better than sitting here waiting in the dark for word of either triumphant victory or a crushing defeat.

  Connor sighed. “I suppose I can still swing an ax with the best of them, and Duncan hae put himself in harm’s way for us more than once. I’ll come with ye then lass, but I’m nae gaeing tae leave this place undefended.” The giant looked through the men who had volunteered for the mission and ordered a few of them to stay behind. They looked disappointed, but none of them were going to argue with Connor. Ellen roused them, declaring that time was of the essence and the longer they waited the more chance there was of Duncan being punished.

  They mounted their horses and rode away. The rain drizzled down as they rode in a long line, the galloping hooves thundering as powerfully as a maelstrom. The ground quaked under the impact of these makeshift warriors, riding to save their leader. Ellen shouted the plan to them as they rode back to England. She tried her best to keep the nerves out of her voice, but it was difficult to convince herself that this would work. They were unproven, untested, some had never fought in battle before while others had been scarred and wounded so badly that the trauma of war had rendered them vulnerable. But these were the only ones available to help Duncan out of his plight.

  13

  Ellen’s nerves were frayed as she led the Highlanders back to the fortress. All she’d wanted in life was to have an adventure, but now that it was happening to her she thought she should be careful for what she wished for in the future! Her mind burned with a need to save Duncan and her mother. This plan had to work because she wouldn’t know what to do with herself otherwise. But alas, when the English estate came into view Ellen’s heart sank and her face paled.

  “By the gods…” Connor gasped.

  The party slowed and fear lined their faces as they saw a procession of soldiers returning into the estate. An entire garrison of troops was bolstering the defenses and if the odds hadn’t been against Ellen before, they certainly were now.

  “Looks like we’ve got even more of a fight on our hands,” Connor added grimly. Troop after troop marched into the estate and Ellen’s stomach twisted in a knot. Her plan was in tatters and she was entirely crestfallen. Her makeshift band of warriors would never have been able to fight a whole army. The battle with the Highlanders had evidently finished sooner than they had anticipated. Duncan’s plan for a distraction hadn’t worked.

  “No,” Ellen said in a small but determined voice.

  “Ye brought us all the way down here,” Connor said.

  “I know, but I’m not going to lead you to your deaths. We don’t stand a chance against that many soldiers. We have to leave,” she said with a heavy heart. Without waiting for the others to agree, she turned her soldiers and morosely trundled back the way she came. Her head hung and her heart sank, for she saw no way to save Duncan and her mother. They were counting on her for rescue, and she had failed them. She could not understand what had happened..

  There was nowhere for her to go but back to the Highlander camp, and hope that some other plan presented itself. It was a grim twist of fate that she and Duncan had swapped places; still unable to share their lives even though the strings of their hearts had been tied together.

  Even though Duncan was in a dark, dank cell, his heart had been lifted by the visit of Ellen and his mother. Coming here had been a risk, but seeing her had all been worth it. Ever since she had left his side he hadn’t been the same. His mind had constantly been occupied with thoughts of her and his stomach had been churning. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before and he knew that she was special. He couldn’t stand by and let her live a life she didn’t want, for she was plunging them both into misery. Now he was confident that she would be able to rescue him. Ellen was stronger and more capable than she might have otherwise thought. But the waiting…by the gods, the waiting was interminable!

  Soon enough he heard movement and saw Myra scuttling down the stairs.

  “I managed to steal a key. There’s quite a commotion upstairs. I don’t know what’s happening, but the guards have all moved away,” Myra said. Duncan didn’t like the sound of this.

  “We hae better move quickly. Perhaps Ellen hae returned already,” Duncan said. Myra’s small hands trembled as she put the key in the lock and opened the door, and then got to work on Duncan’s manacles. Duncan looked at her and could see that Ellen had inherited Myra’s beauty.

  “I hope so. I hate to think of her out there alone.”

  “She is a strong lass,” Duncan said. “I dinnae believe there is any
thing she cannae dae.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Myra said, eyening Duncan suspiciously. “Ellen mentioned that the two of you had grown rather close.”

  “Aye.” Duncan smiled warmly. “She’s like a wee star, that one. I never thought anything could distract me from the cause, but suddenly she was in my life and showed me a different way. I wish I dinnae hae tae fight all the time. I know that ye dinnae think highly of me, but I promise ye I think highly of ye daughter and I only want the best for her.”

  “You know Duncan, I used to have very firm beliefs, and one of them was that Highlanders were brutish creatures who weren’t capable of showing any kind of kindness or compassion. Recently, though, I’ve had to start questioning everything I know and Ellen certainly seems to be smitten with you. All my life I’ve tried to do what was best for her, but I’m starting to realize that she knows that better than anyone. I think I should start trusting her more.”

  Myra fiddled with the manacles, but was struggling with the clasp and the lock. Their conversation was cut short when a clatter of heavy footsteps could be heard coming down the dungeon stairs, and then Alan came into view. The man was tall and ugly, with a narrow face that had a spiteful glare upon it. When he saw Myra and Duncan together he sneered and spat onto the stone floor.

  “When my guards told me that you were down here, Myra, I couldn’t believe it! Myra working with a Highlander…and you Duncan, a worthy foe that walked right into my dungeon. I knew that something was wrong when I didn’t see you on the battlefield. I never thought a warrior such as you would be so weakened by sentiment. You’re a fool if you ever think you can take Ellen from me.”

  “I already hae,” Duncan said. “I hae her heart, which is something that ye never hae.”

  Alan winced. “I don’t care about her heart. Her body will do enough for me, and her holdings.” He gestured with his hand around the dungeon, but seemed to look beyond the stone walls, encompassing all of it.

  “You’ll never get away with this!” Myra said.

  “Oh Myra, your innocence is really too much. I have the leader of the Highlanders in chains. You’re a grieving widow who has unfortunately lost her mind, and Ellen is a silly girl with fantastical ideas. She will be my wife, whether she likes it or not, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. There is nobody who can stop me now. I have brought my army back into this estate to ensure there are no counterattacks, and yes, I’ve already heard that Ellen is not on the estate. I’m sure she’ll return soon though, and when she does she’ll see who the superior man is, and she’ll correct the error of her ways. But first you must tell me where you Highlanders are hiding so that I might send a message and be done with this once and for all.”

  “I’ll never tell ye that, nae even with the threat of death,” Duncan said grimly. His entire body bristled with tension and it took all his willpower to prevent himself from pouncing on the man. The thought of tearing Alan apart with his bare hands was a pleasing one, but it would have been a short fight as Alan had a sword. Duncan was many things, but stupid wasn’t one of them.

  “Not even a threat of death upon her?” Alan said, and in one fluid motion he drew his sword and grabbed Myra by the scruff of her neck. Myra called out in pain and the tip of the sword was pointing to her stomach. With one thrust of his arm, Alan could puncture her guts and give her a painful death.

  “I’m sure Ellen would enjoy knowing that you valued the secrecy of your Highland clan over the life of her mother,” Alan said. His mouth curled into a sadistic smile and he pushed the tip of the sword against Myra’s stomach, making her whimper.

  Duncan snarled and bristled with impotent rage. There was nothing he could do, and he hung his head.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going to attack them. I just want to send a messenger. I know Ellen is with them. It’s the only place she would have gone.”

  Duncan looked for another way out, but there wasn’t one. Even though he wasn’t the one holding the sword, he would never have been able to live with himself knowing that he could have done something to prevent it.

  “Fine,” he said, and promptly revealed the location of the Highlanders’ hidden base. It made him feel vulnerable and his skin crawled, but to his relief Alan took the sword away. He beckoned to two guards behind him and ordered them to take Duncan and Myra in chains, before he left with swaggering strides. Nausea swam in Duncan’s stomach as he had a sick feeling that he had just sealed his clan’s doom.

  “What do we do now?” Myra asked in a small and trembling voice. Her skin was as white as snow and her words were tremulous. The chains around Duncan’s arms clanked and clattered against the floor of the dungeon as he sank down into a sitting position.

  “There’s naething we can dae except hope that Ellen can come up with a plan. All our hopes rest on her shoulders,” he said.

  14

  Ellen was in agony when she returned to the fortress. The Highlanders who waited for her there were expecting some good news, but when they returned without Duncan in tow there were murmurs of discontent and shock. The other Highlanders, the ones who had participated in the battle, had already returned and were in quite some shock as they described to Ellen what had happened. They had been in the middle of fighting when suddenly the English sounded the order to retreat. The English army pulled away, even though the odds of the battle had been too close to call.

  Ellen in turn updated them on what she knew, and was annoyed that somehow Alan had been one step ahead of her yet again. He was as cunning as a fox and now she was left not knowing what to do. Without Duncan there, the Highlanders had no leader, and ideas were being tossed back and forth. Some suggested that they should storm the English fortress, while others were quick to point out that they didn’t have the equipment for a siege and they’d lose many men attacking the easily-defensible position. Some others pointed out that it wouldn’t help their cause anyway since as soon as Alan saw them coming, he could just kill Duncan.

  Ellen had to think about her mother as well and couldn’t help but feel this was all her fault. How had it become such a mess? Alan would have known by now that Ellen was plotting against him, and she feared what he would do to Myra. Her mind ran ragged with ideas, but no plan seemed suitable. The Highlanders couldn’t come to a consensus either. Their discussions turned into arguments, and these turned into fistfights.

  It was a cacophony as everyone lost their minds to chaos and desperation and then, amidst all the clashing of wills, there was a heavy knock upon the fortress door and a cry from an English messenger.

  The Highlanders immediately ceased the infighting and gathered their weapons. Ellen marched to the door, with a few Highlanders in tow. They caught up with her and asked if she was sure she wanted to do this. She replied with a firm nod. Before they opened the door, they looked through a small peephole and noticed that there was just one messenger, flanked by two soldiers. Beyond them there was no sign of anyone else, so Ellen opened the door. She recognized the messenger from the estate, although he showed no sign of emotion and delivered the message in a dull monotone.

  “The Lord of the estate wishes it to be known that the villainous Duncan, Laird of the Highlands, and the treacherous Myra have been captured. He expects the immediate return of Ellen, otherwise he will kill them both. A response is required now.”

  “Dinnae gae, it’s a trap,” Connor hissed. It may well be, Ellen thought, but I can hardly refuse Alan’s wishes when Ma and Duncan’s lives depend on me! Her thoughts ran quickly through her mind and she nodded.

  “I will return with you,” she said, her voice shrill and lively. They may be trying to trap her, but she could come up with a trap of her own as well. The dagger was sheathed in her boots, unbeknownst to anyone, and Alan still thought of her as a frail little girl who was scared of the world. In the Highlands she had learned how to fight, and now she was going to put those lessons into action.

  “I must bring two Highlander warriors with me, to ensure my
safety, and so that they can verify the condition of their Laird,” Ellen said. The messenger glanced at the two guards and they nodded, as though this had been expected.

  “Unarmed, of course,” the messenger said. Ellen inclined her head.

  In a low voice she directed Connor to pick out the two best melee fighters to go with her. He picked himself and another man called Calum, who had been at the battle.

  She asked for a moment to gather her things and ready her horse. While she went back inside the fortress she acted quickly, dismissing all the warnings that the Highlanders were giving her. Instead, she had commands of her own to give. She told Duncan’s best men to wait a while after they had left, and then to follow them down to the estate and lie in wait.

  “Here’s what I want you to do,” Ellen said. “While I’m with Alan, I want about twenty of you to wait as close to the estate as possible. Then, I want all the rest of you to charge and I want to hear your loudest battlecry. I want the English to think that the entire force of the Highlands is coming down upon them. They’ll have no choice but to send an enemy to meet you, and once they start to pour out of the estate the twenty men that have been waiting will sneak in and battle through the guards. I want the main attack to be so loud and thunderous that the English army won’t notice our other force sneaking into the fortress. Turn back and lead them away as well as you can, and then disperse. Try and flank them and make your way to the fortress, which will now be held by us.” She spoke passionately. Her eyes gleamed as the plan formed in her mind, and she was proud of it. Although she was English, the Highlanders were quick to unite behind her as nobody else was filling the void left by Duncan, and they appreciated the ingenuity of the plan.