by Amy Isan
Outside the city gates, they stepped into the stable and chose five powerful horses. As Barron and Patrik climbed atop their beasts, Colin stared up from the ground.
“I’m not going.”
“Ye donae know what yer saying, Colin,” Barron said. “Ye come with us alive or dead, it donae make a difference to me.”
“...I donae know how to ride a horse.”
“Yer serious’.”
Colin shook his head vigorously. “Nay.”
Barron leapt off his mount. “Come here,” He led Colin to Patrik and his steed, and threw him atop. “Just hold on to Patrik, and donae get any ideas.”
Patrik grinned smugly as Colin was forced to grasp his shoulders to stay balanced. He looked down at the beast nervously and then to Barron.
Barron hoisted himself back up to the saddle of his horse and clicked his tongue. The five men and four horses slipped out of the stall, unnoticed by any of the Iverlochy watchmen.
It was going to be a long journey back to Eilean Donan, Barron knew that much.
Chapter 9: Elyn
Elyn was growing weary of the ride. The cold snap in the air cut through her stolen furs and thin blankets, and she had no idea how anyone in Kinfauns lived with such poor clothing. She smiled to herself as she realized how spoiled she’d already grown being with Gavin.
Katrine had been quiet for the day’s ride, hardly making more than distressed groans and sighs throughout the day. The ride had been uncomfortable and ragged for Elyn, she couldn’t imagine the hell that was laying on one’s side and tied up in the back. She was grateful to have been asleep for most of her journey to Kinfauns.
“I suppose I canae let her die back there,” Elyn said to herself. She glanced over the highlands and watched the dark clouds rolling in over the horizon. It would most likely rain soon. The wet smell of grass and foliage already started to fill the air, gracing Elyn with an almost burning sensation in her lungs. Hopefully it would rain, and not snow.
Elyn tied the reins to the seat and ducked into the back to see if she could find anything else to drape herself in. She stepped carefully over Katrine, and started digging in one of the crates. A small fur was tucked deep inside, and Elyn thought it was better than nothing. She pulled it over her shoulders and tightened the twine, making it snug.
Katrine murmured and rolled over. She had been sleeping, but Elyn’s noise had woken her. “I’m hungry.”
“That's a shame. I am too.”
Katrine frowned and turned away from Elyn again. “There is food in one of the barrels in here... I donae know which one though.”
“Oh?” Elyn knelt down and pushed a crate aside, and lifted open the top of a barrel. Buried deep inside the cavity were several loaves of bread, and a handful of vegetables. She pulled out two handfuls and threw one at Katrine. “Eat this, then.”
“How am I supposed to do that when ye tied my arms behind my back?”
“You’ll figure it out, I’m sure.” Elyn said. She hesitated and rolled her eyes. She scooted closer to Katrine and untied her ropes, holding her wrists tight as she pulled them forward and retied the bindings. “There,” Elyn said, stepping back. “Now ye can at least eat.”
Katrine took a loaf and ate it greedily. Elyn found herself somewhat disgusted, feeling a twinge of sympathy for the woman. She had been feverish for food once too, not even that long ago. Elyn ate too, only taking glances out the front to see if the horses were still following the path. The reins bounced idly against their collars, the ends tied down securely against the driver’s seat.
Thunder boomed across the highlands, and the hollow roar of rain followed. After a few seconds, it struck the top of the carriage and started pattering the leather stitching relentlessly.
Elyn sighed. “At least it isn’t snow.”
Katrine had finished eating and was silent. She seemed contemplative, but Elyn couldn’t decide if it was because she regretted what was happening to her or if she sympathized with Elyn’s predicament.
“Ye donae really want to marry Gavin, do ye?”
Katrine’s eyes lit up at her question. “Oh, I do. I’ve been planning on it my whole life. Anything to escape Kinfauns and the lowlands.”
Elyn frowned and stuck her tongue out in horror. “Seriously?”
Katrine wasn’t listening, she continued. “Then, with me at Gavin’s side, we’ll take the highlands by storm, eventually taking over all the land...” Her eyes glazed over and she stared past Elyn, out into the rain and blustering winds. Elyn shook her head with some regret and stood up.
She leaned out the opening to the driver’s seat and retrieved the reins, pulling them inside the covering to take shelter from the rain. The wet and slippery leather left dark mud on her fingers, and the chill of the rain felt hard and prickly. It wasn’t just rain or snow, but hail.
The roar of rain coming down on them grew louder and became deafening. Elyn could hardly hear herself think, but she could still hear Katrine mumbling to herself above all the noise. About the life she would lead with Gavin.
Suddenly, Katrine grew quiet and turned to look at Elyn again. “Then you’ll finally be out of the picture, the proverbial daughter of the MacDonalds. That was supposed to be me.”
“Have ye lost yer mind?”
Katrine shook her head with conviction. “Nay, I’ve only just gained it. It all makes sense now, this was supposed to happen. Why else would Dominic let me go alone?”
“Probably because ye forced him to leave ye alone, and he’s got no spine at all.”
“Nay, I know why now — it’s all part of the plan. We’ll go to Iverlochy together, and Gavin will see that I’m his true love, not you.”
“You’re mad. Absolutely.”
Katrine started laughing, and the sound of her voice mixed with the pelting hail and rain that battered down on the carriage. Elyn grew wide eyed, wondering what she was thinking taking such an unhinged person hostage. She gripped herself and tried to warm her arms, the tension making her wounds throb. Elyn inhaled sharply and leaned back against the side of the carriage, wondering what she could do. What was Gavin doing? Was he being hurt as badly as she was?
Elyn peered out the front and saw the road forked ahead. She pulled on the reins to slow the horses and looked to Katrine. “Which way?”
“Which way do ye think?” Katrine rolled her head and stared out the back of the carriage. “Maybe we should go back to Kinfauns, get a map.”
“Ye want to win Gavin over? Then ye canae be so dense.”
Without looking back, Katrine lifted her finger and pointed to the right. Elyn nodded and commanded the horses to hold right along the path. It wasn’t difficult, only requiring a bit of encouragement to get them going. They weren’t likely to stray from the path once set on it.
The rain had coated their fur and their muscles rippled as they adjusted to move to the right side. Elyn thought about taking one of them and going to Iverlochy by herself. She didn’t need Katrine, did she? She looked back at the mumbling woman and recalled how shocked she was when she first saw her. Her features were so similar to her own.
What was she saying about being the MacDonald daughter? Was she bluffing? Did Elyn have a twin she didn’t know about?
Elyn pushed the thought from her mind and turned her attention back to the road. She was done entertaining such insane thoughts. Katrine was too young. Elyn fished out her necklace and rubbed it between her fingers. She was still surprised that the guards hadn't taken it from her the moment they tossed her into the dungeon.
She looked at Katrine with an eye of sympathy. She certainly wasn’t very strong willed, was she? The daughter of Laird Maxwell, a ruthless and cunning man, had only given her his ruthlessness, none of his force of will.
Elyn felt her heart surge at the thought of children. With Gavin. A new generation of highlanders, strong and powerful, with the will to topple entire countries if the good required it. She brimmed with excitement at the thought of it — but n
othing could happen if she or Gavin didn’t even survive the week.
She had to think of a way to get inside Iverlochy, to make sure he couldn’t get married to Katrine. There wasn’t any way she could take on the King and his men alone, no amount of combat experience could prepare her for such a feat. She couldn’t just beg to seek an audience with the King either; not after having escaped his hold and all.
She glanced at Katrine again, and an idea started to condense. An almost wicked idea. She chuckled to herself. It might work.
Well, she relented, it had to work. It wouldn’t hurt to try at least. Doing nothing was much worse.
***
As the hours dragged on, mist began to descend into the valley that Katrine and Elyn were traveling through. Elyn began to recognize some of the landmarks dotting the horizon, similar looking mountain peaks she had seen when she was traveling with Gavin across Scotland. She had thought Katrine had led her astray, but her doubts vanished just as the mists over mountain peaks formed on a cool day.
The rain died down and slowly stopped. Clouds streaked across the sky from the high winds that cleared the cold and wet air. Elyn cupped her hand over her eyes as she stared up at the mountain tops, blocking the blinding rays of the sun hanging low in the sky. The wind brushed against her. She shivered and pulled her cloak tighter, before glancing over at Katrine.
Elyn dipped back out into the front of the carriage and sat down on the saturated wood bench. The horses were just reaching the top of a crest when she spied a familiar looking lochan in the distance.
The same place where Gavin and she had camped on their way to Iverlochy. She smiled as the warmth of the memory came back to her, Gavin’s strong arms pulled over her chilled body, his hot breath tickling her ear. His growing beard itching her neck. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine his hands on her shoulders, his broad and friendly smile. Her shivers died down, and her cheeks flushed with warmth.
Katrine gasped, pulling Elyn from her reverie. Elyn looked over her shoulder to see two men on horseback galloping towards them, and fast approaching. Elyn’s eyes widened as she released the reins and dove into the back of the canopy, retrieving her sword and pushing Katrine back against the front wall.
“Are they your men?” Elyn asked, not taking her eyes off the figures in the distance.
Katrine shook her head. “Nay. They would be flying Kinfaun’s colours, they aren’t.”
“Well, my kidnappers weren’t.” Katrine didn’t answer. Elyn continued, “Get into the front and speed the horses up, I donae want them to catch us like sitting ducks.”
Katrine did as she was instructed, which surprised Elyn. She braced herself against the width of the carriage as the wheels lumbered over a large rock in the road. Elyn pushed her hair out of her eyes.
The men were closing the gap, but they appeared to be alone. Elyn pulled her hair back and cut a piece of stitching off her fur shawl. She tied her hair up and steeled herself for the fight.
The men were dirty looking, covered in ragged furs and their blades looked dull and pitted with age. Elyn figured them to be bandits, maybe thinking the carriage was carrying something important. Turns out they were twice-right. The men split apart as they came close to the back of the carriage and came up along both sides, flanking it.
Elyn leaned out the back, holding on to the edge of the carriage with her free hand so she wouldn’t topple out. The jostling and bumping of the cart threatened to throw her from it anyway. Elyn shouted over the creaking of the wood and galloping of the four horses. “What are ye doing?”
“It isn’t everyday ye see a carriage around these parts,” the black-bearded man said. He grinned and rapped his sword on the side of the carriage. It was too dull and worn to slice into the leather. “My brother and I sure could use some company.”
Elyn stared and raised her sword. “Get away from here, I donae have time for beggars.”
The bandit grinned and came near the carriage’s edge, reaching out to touch the leather. Elyn swatted at him with her sword, grazing his naked arm. He recoiled and yelped, quickly bracing the wound.
Elyn clenched her jaw and tightened her grip on the sword’s handle. She pulled back inside the carriage and waited for the bandit to try and attack again. “Well?” she taunted.
The man cursed and scowled, reeling back and hanging out of sight. Katrine’s cries from the front of the carriage called Elyn forward, where she found the second bandit climbing aboard. Katrine cowered as the man licked his lips, his greedy hands reaching out to grab at anything he could.
Elyn took him by surprise, rushing forward and planting her foot on the man’s face. She kicked off and shoved him free from the carriage, sending him tumbling and rolling along the dirt path. The horses neighed and the carriage kicked up over the man, the wheels lashing his foot. He howled in pain, clutching his leg. As the carriage left the rogue crippled, the second bandit pulled off the pursuit and stopped to aid him.
Elyn breathed a heavy sigh, satisfied that the two men wouldn’t pursue them any longer. Even if they did, they weren’t any match if one of them was crippled. Riding a horse at speed would be an extraordinary feat.
Katrine groaned and uncovered her eyes. She looked around with a simple look of confusion and then back down the path that was disappearing behind them. “I could have handled myself.”
“With what?” Elyn pointed at Katrine. “Your fists?”
“I would have thought of somethin’, trust me.”
Elyn laughed, leaning over and sitting down in the driver’s seat as her laughter over took her. Katrine jumped a little at the outburst, and frowned. “Thanks, Katrine, I needed that.”
Elyn recomposed herself and looked over the horizon. The horses had slowed a considerable amount, and the sun was washing the land in a grim orange light. Clouds built up over the distance, and a fog threatened to set in. Elyn shivered at the reminder of the day’s storms. “We need to rest the horses.”
Katrine ignored her, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.
“I donae know what ye plan on doin’ when we get to Iverlochy anyway. Do ye really think they’ll just let you walk right through and save your highlander?”
Elyn was silent, she wasn’t ready to reveal her plan quite yet. She knew that Katrine wouldn’t respond to it very well.
***
After pulling the carriage off the path and unhitching the horses, Elyn stretched her arms and took a drink from the lochan. Freshwater, she was grateful. She half-expected to be spitting out salty brine after her last experience drinking from a mysterious loch on the highlands.
Katrine slipped her shoes off and dipped her feet in the lochan. She sucked in air as the chilled water seeped into her skin and bones, but she looked satisfied nevertheless. Elyn shook her head and looked to the horses. One was drinking loudly, while the other was chewing on some tall grass.
“Do they have names?”
“Names?” Katrine leaned over and rubbed her wet feet, massaging the skin with her thumbs.
“The horses,” Elyn said.
“If they do, I donae know them.”
“I shouldnae be surprised.”
Elyn walked up to the horse that was eating and stroked its long face. Its jet-black pupils stared back at her, the fading light of the sunset glimmering in them. She inhaled and closed her eyes, wondering how Rhys might be doing at that moment. She wished she had her horse, and not Katrine with her.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Elyn let her hand drop and she turned. “Why would the Laird’s daughter know the name of the horses that are taking her across the highlands?”
Katrine shook her head. “Why should I? It isn’t my job.”
“Ye just donae get it.” Elyn turned back to the horse and threaded her fingers through its withers. It shook her hand free and snorted. “How about... Alec?” The horse looked at her with ambivalence, and Elyn agreed. “Perfect. Now for the other one...” She stared at it for a whil
e, and finally nodded. “Sheena.”
“Good job, now they’re named. Are ye happy now?”
“Katrine, can ye just not be petty for once?”
Katrine gaped and then closed her mouth. She scooted back from the edge of the lochan and pulled her feet from the water. She glanced at Elyn, and sighed. “Can ye make yerself useful and hand me a fur?”
Elyn went to the carriage and retrieved her shawl, the smallest fur available, and tossed it over to Katrine. It fell short and plopped into the dirt, which prompted Katrine to groan loudly. Elyn rolled her eyes and climbed into the carriage.
“It’s getting late, come here.”
“Why?” Katrine moved toward the carriage, eyeing Elyn. Elyn smiled and when Katrine got close enough, snatched up her wrist and pulled her toward her. She pulled out the twine she had bound Katrine with earlier and tied it around her wrists.
“Ye can sleep out here,” Elyn said. She hopped out of the carriage and lashed the rope around one of the wheels, before tying it into a knot. “Maybe you’ll gain some empathy if ye have to live like the horses do.” Elyn disappeared back into the carriage, ducking inside to grab some furs and food. She dropped them on Katrine, who only gave her a pitiful look.
“Ye canae leave me out here, I’ll die.” Katrine clutched the food and stared up at her.
“No ye won’t. You’ll be fine.” Elyn chilled her heart and climbed back into the carriage. She ate some bread and pulled the blankets across herself. It would be a long and chilly night.
Elyn’s dreams transported her to a life where she didn’t have to combat the Maxwells, she didn’t have to fight her way across the highlands or hope she wouldn’t be accosted by bandits and reivers at every turn. Where she and Gavin lived in a small cottage like the one her parents had in Dornie, and tended to plentiful crops.
Where Elyn would wake up with the morning sunlight streaking into the thinly built house, and she’d gently caress the cheek of her daughter, a bright-eyed and blonde-haired little girl. The laughter of the babe and Gavin would fill the home with all the warmth it needed, and they never went hungry.
