by Kara Griffin
“Aye the lass went home.”
Home? Kenneth frowned. He’d had enough. “Where the hell does she think home is?” He hadn’t meant to shout, but couldn’t help doing so.
“Where happy memories abound, where she was loved and needed,” Helena said, forlornly.
“And that is?” Grey shouted before Kenneth could.
“No need to raise your voice, lads. I can hear fine.” Helena tisked them.
“Helena, mother,” Kenneth said pacifically, “please tell me where my wife went.” His voice calmed and his words softly pleading.
“Why she went to MacQuarrie land.”
Kenneth smacked his head which now throbbed madly from the go-around with Helena.
As Duncan came into the hall, Kenneth stopped him from sitting. “Did you find Aiden?”
“He’s not anywhere within the walls, Laird.”
“Is it like him to shirk his duties? He’s been doing that often lately.” Kenneth didn’t like that one of his trusted guardsmen went missing, especially when he had duties for him to attend to.
“I should tell you, he wasn’t pleased by your return, Laird. He’s been acting strange ever since you came.” Duncan was about to sit again, when Kenneth stopped him again.
“I don’t have time to deal with him now. Prepare the men. Everyone, all within will depart in the morn. That is all the time you have to prepare them, Duncan.”
“We’re always prepared. Where are we going, Laird?”
Grey answered, “To war.”
Duncan bowed and left the hall straight away.
“What is going on with Aiden? What did Duncan mean?”
“Aiden is missing. Duncan searched for him. You heard him say he wasn’t pleased with my return. I suspect he is not too happy with his recent demotion.”
Grey looked at him with a serious expression. “I always trusted Aiden. That’s why he was chosen to come when your father died.”
“Well, he is missing and I guess we’ll figure it out later. He doesn’t concern me right now. We need to get going in the morning so we can find Elisa.”
“Aye, she’s of more import right now.”
Kenneth couldn’t swallow a bite or think of nourishment at a time like this. He questioned Helena a bit more about what the seer saw, but she wasn’t as forthcoming as he would like. He hoped Elisa had made it safely to MacQuarrie land. The distance wasn’t that far, for the MacQuarrie land bordered the very far northwest corner of his land. He hadn’t told her that, and he reasoned she likely didn’t know.
Grey, as if reading his thoughts, said, “Sean and Colm wouldn’t have let anything happen to her. If she got away from them, ‘tis likely they suspected and followed her.”
Kenneth didn’t deem that to be so. “What if she …?”
“Nay, have faith, Kenneth. She’ll be well.”
That was the problem. He at that moment had no faith that this would turn out well. He would lose Elisa. And what’s more, he was angry with her leaving. For she should not have left him and nor should she put herself in harm’s way for any reason. When he found her, she’d have to beg for his mercy and his forgiveness. He wasn’t about to easily give either.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Intruders burst through the door. Darkness had overtaken the cottage because the fire had gone out and only a red-orange glow lit the hearth. Elisa couldn’t see who they were, but she reached the table and grabbed the dagger she’d left there. Kelsi stood behind her who had taken the poker from the hearth and aimed at the men.
Her name was called and Elisa thought she recognized the voice. “Sean?”
“We came to get you. You shouldn’t have run away.”
Elisa breathed a sigh of relief for she thought they were going to be killed. She set the dagger back on the table and lit a candle. Sean and Colm stood in the doorway looking cross.
“I did not run away.”
“Then why did you leave? Kenneth will be angry. You do not want him to be irked with you, lass, trust me for he can hold a grudge longer than any other.” Sean leaned against the doorjamb.
“I had to leave and I was willing to risk his anger.”
“Come, mayhap we shall return before he notices you missing. He was preparing for Domhnall’s arrival and was busy. He probably hasn’t even realized yet that you’re gone.”
That dejected Elisa for if he cared for her, he would know she was missing. “I will not return, Sean. You may leave if that is your wish.”
“You’re a stubborn lass for true. I almost pity Kenneth. Aye we tried to warn him about red-haired lasses.” Colm raised his chin and laughed.
Elisa scowled at Colm for saying such a reprehensible thing even in jest. “That was an unkind thing to say, Colm. Nevertheless, I shall await here.”
Sean crossed his arms, regarding her as though he thought her maddened. “Wait for what? Kenneth is likely going to be too busy to search for you. He’s preparing for war.”
“That may be. I hope to save the McInnish people by finding the parchment.”
“Have you found it?” Colm asked.
“I have not. But I still am searching. If my sister had it, the parchment should be here somewhere.”
“If you haven’t found it, ‘tis likely you never will. We should leave.” Sean pulled away from the doorjamb and started to grab her arm to pull her toward the door. But she jerked away.
“I will not leave. I must see this through. Why did Kenneth ask you to spy on me?” A nagging feeling told her that he didn’t trust her and she was astute, for he had hidden the fact that an army was coming and his clan would war with them. That was something, in her opinion, that a husband should tell his wife.
“We were bid to watch you and protect you in case Domhnall was able to get to you.”
“Did he fear that? Why did he not tell me of it?”
Sean hunched his shoulder in answer.
“Well then, you are welcome to stay here in another cottage if you so choose, but I shan’t be leaving. Not until this is finished.”
“Damnation, lass, Kenneth will be angrier with us for not making you return,” Sean said objectionably.
“I do apologize if he is, Sean, but it will not change my mind.”
“Even if you do find the parchment, there is no guarantee that the king or Kenneth will come.”
“They will come. Uma, a seer within Kenneth’s clan, told me so. I believe her. They will all come and the matter will be settled. If I leave, Sean, nothing will come of this and we will be hounded by Domhnall and the king for who knows how long. Nay, I must see this through with or without your aid.”
“I should have gotten Kenneth when I saw you sneaking out. Elisa, very well, you win this round. We’ll be in the next cottage. I swear, you best be here in the morn.” Sean pulled Colm from the cottage and left.
Elisa felt better having their presence. At least she would have protection should someone try to accost them during the night. She and Kelsi settled down again and sleep came easy.
In the morn, she arose and decided to forage for food. She traipsed the nearby settlements and found a sack of wheat and various other foodstuffs she could make bread and had the makings of a stew with some of the vegetables that had grown in the small gardens in neighboring cottages.
Elisa was glad the weather had not cooled to have frozen the ground. She carried her stash into the cottage and found Sean and Colm frowning at her.
“Where were you? You had us worried.” Sean scowled fiercely.
“I just went to get food. I didn’t leave.” The men seemed to accept her statement and left the cottage. She and Kelsi began preparing the food, and she realized her friend was much better at cooking than she was.
Elisa continued to search the cottage for the parchment and straightened up the mess she’d made the day before. As she continued her search, she grew melancholy at finding some of her mother and father’s belongings. How she wished they were here.
At supp
er, she and Kelsi asked Sean and Colm to join them. They sat around the table, their bowls filled with a tasty stew. A fire blazed in the hearth and the cottage’s assembly felt akin to old times when her family sat around, fire blazed, and a comforting mien took over. But alas, it wasn’t old times.
“You didn’t find the parchment did you?” Sean asked.
“Nay, and I looked for it all day. I don’t think my sister had it. Uma told me that the parchment was of little significance though. She said that there was something else the king wants which was of more value. I wonder if she meant the pinsel.”
Kelsi moved out of her chair and retuned with the banner, for it had been placed on the trunk for safekeeping. “Here, let us have a look at it.”
As they’d finished eating, Kelsi began moving the bowls to make room for the banner. Elisa unrolled it and everyone watched it expectantly as if it would reveal its secrets.
“I don’t know what is so special about it. For it was only a bride gift Mauri was going to give to Alexander upon their wedding.” Elisa felt the fabric and stitching with her fingers. As her hand moved along the stitches, she felt something hard beneath the fabric. She lifted the pinsel, but there was nothing under it.
“Something is inside.” She examined the pinsel and found a small opening at one end. Using her finger, she pried out what was inside. A parchment had been folded to fit inside.
“The parchment.” Sean leaned forward to view it.
“Open it,” Colm said.
Elisa did as she was asked and carefully unfolded it. The missive was larger than she thought it would be once it was opened. She read aloud:
My brother, my comrade, Domhnall, I beseech ye, this is no time to have not a care for your safety and well-being. Haakon denies your amity and knows you are in league with me and my allies. I have returned my forces and vow to rejoin them at a later date when the timing is right. We shall take back what is ours. But keep your lands secure from them lest your failure doom us all. For God shall preserve us until the time comes. The crown will fit nicely, I avow, upon my head. Our kingdom awaits our return. Ever devoted to our cause, ~Rory
They sat in silence for a few minutes until Sean spoke, “This must be given to the king. He will know what to do with it.”
“I will give it to him when he comes.” Elisa worried that Uma’s words were spoken in haste. Surely they should be near by now. She didn’t want to wait much longer and wished to return to Kenneth.
“Colm and I will make our rounds. It’ll be dark soon. We’ll return shortly.” Sean motioned for Colm to follow him out of the cottage.
Elisa folded the missive and put it back inside the pinsel for safekeeping. She wasn’t wont anything to happen to it. The missive was proof against Domhnall and she would be happy when the day came that she could give it to the king.
She heard shouts coming from outside and she and Kelsi grabbed their weapons, she took the dagger and Kelsi the hearth poker. They ran from the cottage and toward the entrance of the walls. Sean and Colm stood with their swords drawn.
“What goes?” Elisa asked when she sidled next to him. She didn’t have to wait for an answer when she saw the banners of the King of England flying in the air. There stood the king’s army. Many men assembled, all standing behind the king who sat upon his steed. Then another army came from the left and joined the bedlam.
Elisa’s breath caught as she saw Kenneth and Grey, and all the men they had brought. She could tell her husband was angry, for she saw the scowl upon his face even at the distance she stood from him.
She was about to call out to him when Domhnall’s army rode forth from the opposite side of Kenneth’s. His army was as large. She didn’t like this one bit. They were surrounded, but worse than that, she feared they would begin to clash and blood would be spilt. The leaders of each group came forward, except for Domhnall who continued to seat his horse. She stood about fifty feet from them. With her dagger held tightly, she swore she’d fling it at Domhnall should he try to approach her.
The all began to question her at once, but all she heard was Kenneth’s angry words.
“You left! I am wrath, nay, more than wrath with you. How could you leave me, your husband? You put yourself in danger for what?”
She was about to retort when the king stepped forward and turned to him.
“Kenneth McInnish, you’re wed to her?”
He didn’t answer.
“Why would she be wed to you unless you are in league with mac Raghnaill? Are you against me?”
“That is not so, sire. I am not an ally of his.” Kenneth spit on the ground, insinuating his dislike for such a comment. “And I am not against you, my lord. I only wed her to keep that swine from harming her.”
Elisa felt the ground move, and her head thumped. Not only that, but her heart ached. He cared not a whit about her. His god-forsaken duty and honor were all that caused him to throw himself on the marital sacrifice. She wanted to shout, stomp her foot, or do something utterly ridiculous to show him how much he’d angered her.
“I can attest to that, sire, for what he says is true and now that you are here you can save me from both of them.” Elisa tucked her dagger inside the seam of her overdress and folded her arms. She was through with them. She began walking away, and at that moment, she wished she hadn’t done anything so senseless. How she thought the matter would resolve itself if they would come, she couldn’t reason now.
They all shouted until Alexander held up a hand.
“Wait, do not leave, my lady. Do you have what I came for?”
Elisa turned and looked directly at the king, keeping her eyes averted from Kenneth’s. She couldn’t bear to see the look of disdain in his gaze. “I do, but not here. It is in the cottage. If you’ll come with me, sire, I will gladly give it to you.”
Alexander approached her and then turned to address the others. “You will all await me here. No one is permitted to leave. I will return shortly. You and you,” he said to Sean and Colm, “come with us. Leave your swords for I trust you not.”
Sean and Colm set their swords on the ground near Kelsi.
Elisa didn’t want to see the anger in Kenneth’s eyes or the animosity he surely beheld for her. Even so, she felt his glare on her back as she walked away. They reached the cottage within minutes and Elisa led the king to the table. He bid Sean and Colm to await them outside.
She felt oddly calm being alone in the king’s presence. He stood tall and he’d set his hand under his chin waiting patiently for her to hand over the item.
“Here, it is within the pinsel.” She pulled out the parchment and tried to hand it to him.
Alexander shook his head. “Is this the banner Mauri made for me?”
Elisa nodded and handed it to him.
The king held it as if it was the most precious thing he’d ever beheld. His eyes widened and his fingers traced the outline of each décor. “In these stitches are sewn the good graces that will weave around you when you carry this banner,” he repeated the words Mauri had said to him so long ago. “She did care.”
Elisa felt she needed to ease the king for he looked troubled. “My sister was pleased to be betrothed to you. She wanted to give this to you as her wedding gift and spent a good amount of time on it. She wanted it to be perfect.”
“I thought she cuckolded me.”
“Mauri? Nay, she would never have. She had her heart set on becoming your wife and queen. That’s all she spoke of after Father announced the betrothal.”
“So she was not afoot with Domhnall’s treachery?” The king’s eyes implored her.
Elisa wouldn’t be party to all the deeds of the past. She found herself wanting to defend her sister. “Oh nay, I believe she found the parchment and hid it inside the pinsel. I think she meant to give it to you to prove Domhnall’s treachery.”
“How did she find it?”
“I know not, sire. Mayhap she suspected Domhnall’s treason and befriended him to ferret out his tr
eachery. She never spoke to me of it. But she knew she had to hide it where you would find it. Mayhap that’s why she chose the pinsel.”
“That may be. I thank you for giving this to me. I see a brighter future for me and all of Scotland now that I have it.” The king couldn’t seem to take his gaze from the banner.
“What will you do with Domhnall? You should take the parchment. Read it.”
“He will be dealt with. Are you happy being wed to the McInnish?”
Elisa lowered her eyes. “Honestly, at this moment, nay. I wished with all my heart to be happy with him, but that has not come to be.”
“He wed you after he and Gunn returned from searching for you?” The king peered into her eyes, assessing her honesty.
Elisa wasn’t about to lie to the king, even though she probably should. “He did.”
“I will have the marriage dissolved and he and Gunn will be imprisoned for lying to me.” His voice took on an angry mien.
“Oh please don’t, sire. Kenneth didn’t mean to be dishonest. He only did so because Laird Gunn wanted to keep me safe.”
“And they didn’t deem I would keep you safe?”
“I’m sure he didn’t mean to imply that … Kenneth’s brother, Greer, was supposed to wed me, you see, and I believe Laird Gunn was trying to correct the slight done to my family.”
“You look so much like your sister. When I gaze upon you I can’t but help to deem this is what she would look like. You’re a bonny woman.” He waved a hand at her.
Elisa blushed under his scrutiny. “We were twins.”
“If you don’t wish me to punish McInnish and Gunn then I won’t, but only because I truly cared for your sister and because you have returned the pinsel to me. I am indebted to you. Consider their freedom my repayment.”
“I only ask that you allow me to stay here, sire. This is my home and I have missed it. I doubt my husband would want my return now, as angry as he is.”
The king sighed. “If he is angered then he must care. I doubt his anger will last long. If not for Domhnall’s treachery, your parents would be here with you. I cannot deny your request. I shall have men stay to protect you until the MacQuarrie’s return or if your husband comes to an understanding. I’ll bid the MacQuarrie’s homecoming.”
