by GG Shalton
He interrupted her woolgathering. “Listen, my sweeting, you have no idea the power my clan has. They will never allow you to walk away.”
Katherine was exhausted with the conversation, and longing to change the subject, she stood up and asked, “What about my grandmother?”
Derrek stood up with her. “I didn’t want to worry you, but she slipped into a deep sleep this afternoon and the healer said she will likely not wake again.”
Katherine’s blood drained from her face and she cried, “Nay!”
Derrek pulled her against his chest and held her in his arms as she sobbed against him. Stroking her hair gently, he whispered near her ear, “I will take you to see her.”
He led her off the rooftop to her grandmother’s chamber. Dismissing the guard, he stood beside her as she watched her grandmother take raspy breaths. Katherine took her hand. “Grandmother, they say you cannot wake. Please wake for me.” Tears dropped from her eyes as she watched the woman sleeping. The only mother she ever knew, taking her last breaths. Unable to wake her, she felt helpless.
Derrek sat on the chair beside the bed and listened to her with concern on his face. “Sweeting, perhaps we should let her rest? This is too hard for you to see her like this. Maybe remember the way she was.”
Katherine kissed her forehead and laid her cheek against her chest. “I don’t want to leave her.”
Derrek stood up and gently took her arm. “We must get you back to your chamber. My Da may be looking for me soon.”
Katherine slowly lifted her head and kissed her grandmother one last time on the cheek before departing. Derrek escorted her to her chamber door. “I will send some food in the morning and speak to my father after breakfast.”
She curtsied and replied, “As you wish.” She turned away from him and opened the door. “Thank you for taking me to see my grandmother.”
Seemingly surprised by her words, he smiled and walked away.
“Katherine, we have been worried sick about you.” Deanna rushed over to embrace her. “Come sit on the bed and tell us everything.”
Katherine took a seat on the bed and rubbed her temples hoping to stop the headache that was forming. “Oh, my sister, it was awful!”
Deanna’s eyes widened with fury. “I will kill him.”
Katherine shook her head trying to calm her sister. “He didn’t touch me inappropriately. He just told me some secrets and then took me to see Grandmother. Her health has failed since we saw her this morning and she does not wake anymore.”
“This is horrifying!” Deanna cried, pacing around the room.
Katherine felt a knot in her stomach. “There’s more. Derrek told me that the laird is furious over our breakfast incident this morning and has made plans with their council regarding our fate.”
“Our fate? What do you mean?”
Katherine shook her head unable to speak. Standing up from the bed, she walked over to the window. She needed a minute to put her thoughts together. Looking outside, she noticed the moon hidden behind the clouds. The moon seemed closer here in Scotland. She could hear Deanna whispering to Claudia and knew they waited anxiously for her to finish. But how could she tell Deanna her fate? Turning to her sister, she mustered the strength to speak. “It’s hard for me to even say it out loud.” She broke out in a sob and covered her mouth. Trying to catch her breath, she continued, “He plans to sell us both.”
Claudia gasped, “He is a monster!”
Deanna stood up from the bed wrapping her arms around her torso. “They are heathens! Barbaric! He can’t sell us. We are not his to sell.”
Katherine winced. “That is what I told him, but he said they would not escort us out of Scotland under any circumstances.”
Deanna clenched her fists mumbling under her breath. She paced the room swinging her arms in the air. Her steps were brisk finally stopping as she turned to Katherine. “Not even for you? Did you smile and use your charms?”
“He does not wish for me to leave and now aims to marry me. He said the laird was going to sell me for a bride price to some other clan. He is claiming to be my relative since Grandmother’s husband is his uncle. But he wishes to speak to his father and ask for my hand instead. Deanna, I don’t wish to marry him.”
Deanna touched her sister’s arm consolingly. “We will think of something. He can’t barter us both. I will not marry someone of his choosing.”
Katherine looked away sharply not wanting to tell Deanna the rest of the story.
Deanna flinched noticing the look on her sister’s face. “What? Did he say who he wishes me to marry?”
Katherine shook her head not able to make eye contact with her. Instead, she sat on the bed again and silently fumbled with a pillow.
Deanna stomped her foot and demanded, “Katherine, tell me now!”
“He doesn’t wish to marry you off.”
“But you just said?”
Katherine’s face fell as soon as she asked the question. “Oh, Deanna.” She cried taking a deep breath. “It’s just awful what he said about you.”
“What did he say?”
Katherine took a quick breath trying to speak. “He said… you were being sold tomorrow to another clan as a serving wench and someone’s whore.”
Deanna’s face turned red and she clenched her hands into fists. “We must go at once. I will not become someone’s… whore.”
Claudia was sobbing and curled into a ball on the bed. Deanna yelled, “Claudia, stop this at once. We must think. Our escape must be tonight.”
Katherine shook her head. “We can’t leave Grandmother.”
“There is nothing more that we can do for our grandmother. She would understand if she was awake. I am sure she would even insist that we go.”
Katherine chewed on her thumbnail, deep in thought. “We will sleep tonight. Derrek said that he would speak to his father in the morning regarding his offer of marriage. According to him, you are to be sold the day after tomorrow. Our escape will have to be tomorrow night. I will ask him for an evening stroll and he will dismiss the guard. When he does that, you both must escape and hide in the stairwell. We will find a way to subdue him and then take the servant entrance to the kitchen, and then find a way outside of the keep. The kitchen staff should all be in bed by that time.”
“However, will we subdue him?”
Katherine shrugged her shoulders. “I can’t think of everything. We have a day to come up with a plan.”
Claudia sat up on the bed and wrapped her shawl around shoulders. “We could run something through him.”
Katherine inhaled sharply at her suggestion. “I don’t want to kill him—just give us some time to escape. When did you become so ruthless?”
Claudia shrugged. “Since being in Scotland.”
Deanna blew out the candle. “Let’s rest on it.”
A knock on the door woke the girls from their slumber. Claudia opened the door and a servant handed her a loaf of bread. “My laird said you can split this. It’s all you will have for breakfast.” She also handed her a glass of ale along with a pitcher of water. “He said to be dressed in one hour and he will send an escort.”
Claudia nodded and closed the door. She took the loaf of bread and broke it off for each of the women. Deanna took a cloth and used the water to clean her face. Katherine finished her piece of bread in one bite and went through her saddlebag to find a dress to wear. There was another knock at the door a few minutes later, and Claudia walked over to open it. The doorway was empty and there was no one in the corridors. Looking down, she picked up a bowl covered by a piece of cloth and brought it inside. Inside the bowl were berries and oatcakes for the women to share.
“Your admirer must have been thinking about you this morning,” Claudia said, smiling while eating her cake.<
br />
Kathleen scowled but didn’t say anything. She turned to look through her bag, finding her bone-toothed comb she used when her hair needed extra attention.
Deanna shoved some cakes into her mouth and took a big gulp of ale. “Let’s eat fast. I don’t want anyone to know someone left us extra food.”
Two guards came to get the women soon after they were done eating. They left Claudia in the room while they followed the men to the laird’s solar. It was dark through the corridors of the castle with only a few candles lit to guide their way. They walked to the west tower and up two flights of stairs. The men spoke a few words in their native tongue while the women remained silent.
The group entered the poorly lit room. Tapestries donned the windows allowing no light from the sun to enter. The laird sat at a table with two men flanked on each side. His stoic expression was unwelcoming, and no one gave a hint of what was to come. Katherine eyed Derrek in the corner as he looked away from her. A few other men stood beside him with their legs spread apart in a stance of power.
“Sit!” the laird commanded, motioning to two stools beside the table. Katherine held Deanna’s hand as they took their seats.
“Your grandmother passed away this morning.” The laird spoke matter-of-factly with no expression on his face.
Katherine dropped Deanna’s hand and covered her mouth as tears filled her eyes. Deanna looked down and closed her eyes.
“I will give you today to mourn and then tomorrow your fate awaits. She will be buried this afternoon beside her husband. Due to her status with the clan, she is banned. No one will attend the burial. The priest will provide the burial services privately.”
Deanna shook her head. “That is uncivilized! We would like to be there.”
The laird drew his hand into a fist and pounded the table. “Nay, you will not! You will be taught some manners. My patience has run out. You will be locked in the dungeon until tomorrow if you say one more word.”
He looked at Katherine and said, “You will leave in the morning to a banquet at Clan Donelson. Many lairds will be in attendance and you will be given in marriage. I will accept the bride price as your closest male relative in Scotland. This will protect you as you are no longer welcome at our keep and have no escort back to England.”
He looked at Deanna. “You will accompany my guard Burns to the market tomorrow. One of my friends has retained your services.” He smirked. “You are dismissed.”
One of the guards went to stand beside Katherine. He grabbed her arm tightly lifting her out of her chair as she twisted away. Derrek cleared his throat and shot a glare at the guard. The guard looked at him and released Katherine as she met Derrek’s eyes. He stared at her for a moment before looking away. The guard walked beside her out the door and refrained from touching her.
The other guard came up to Deanna as she stood without his assistance. She glared at the laird but said no words. She walked beside the guard and met her sister outside of the door. They walked together in silence back to their room.
After returning to their chamber, they collapsed on the bed. Katherine removed her slippers and snuggled under the blanket. Claudia came to sit beside them. “Tell me, what has happened.”
Deanna shook her head in disgust. “I will tell you what has happened. Our grandmother passed this morning and they are not allowing us to prepare her burial. They are treating her as an outcast and have bartered us off. I made a grave mistake in coming to Scotland. Either place, we are treated as chattel.”
“We must be strong, Deanna. Let’s pack our bags. We will find our escape soon.”
A scratch on the door made the girls jump. Katherine scooted off the bed and stood up. She put her hand up to stop Claudia from opening the door. “I will answer it.”
She cracked open the door and saw Derrek. The guard was not with him. He put his finger up to his lips to keep her quiet and whispered, “Come with me.”
Katherine whispered back, “Give me a moment to put on my slippers.” She closed the door and looked at them. “You must escape this room while I am gone. The guard is not outside the door. Meet me in the stables after supper when it is dark. I will find a way out of here later. This could be your only chance of escape. No one will know you are gone. I bet they won’t check on us until the morning.”
Deanna shook her head, “I will not leave you. You…”
Katherine interrupted her, “You must! Your fate is worse than mine. Meet me at the stables after dark. I will find a way. Now hush, I must go. He is waiting for me.”
Katherine returned to Derrek at the door and followed him up the stairs. Her heart pounded in her chest hoping that her sister and Claudia made their escape.
“We haven’t much time. My Da refused my request for your hand.” He reached out and took a piece of her hair running it through his fingers. “He expects you to leave in the morning with him and a group of our warriors. I am to accompany a different party going to the market. He wants to separate me from you.”
Katherine looked down trying to process how much time she would have to make her escape. He lifted her chin with his hand and looked into her eyes. “You must listen carefully. I will leave your chamber door unlocked tonight. The chamber next to yours has a panel that comes out in the corner of the room under the painting of the sunset. There is a tunnel that leads to the stores in the kitchen. The servants will be in bed and you can escape out the back. I will have a friend of mine named Dunn waiting for you by the side of the keep. He will give you a plaid to wear and cloak to cover your hair. He will take you to the woods and a clearing with a hollow tree. Wait there for me and I will come at dawn to fetch you. I have night duty tonight and won’t be able to get you until the morning. We will have a few hours head start and I will take you to a neighboring clan who owes me a favor. They will keep you safe until I can marry you.”
Katherine nodded afraid to say anything, hoping that her silence was not an indication of the plotting that was going on inside her head. He took her hands and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “Let’s get you back inside.”
She followed him to her chamber and slipped inside. Looking around the room, she was relieved it was empty. Quickly running to the window, she scanned the area trying to spot her sister or Claudia but saw no one except a few servants. Looking back at the bed, she decided to rest while waiting for nightfall. She had to be well rested to escape.
A few hours later she woke with a start. She quickly got out of bed and gathered a few blankets and her belongings including a dagger that was hidden in her poetry book. One could never be too sure. Leaving her room, she opened the door to the chamber next door. On the floor next to the window was a bowl of oatcakes. She hurriedly put them in her bag as she smiled thinking that Derrek probably left it for her. She hated deceiving him after the kindness he showed her, but she pushed those feelings aside. After all, he was trying to push her into a forced marriage. The panel was easier to find than she thought it would be. She removed it and crawled through the tunnel dragging her bags behind her. The stairs were more difficult, but she made it down a few floors to another panel that was moved to the side. She crawled through it and stood up after entering the storage room. She escaped through the back door. A large man whistled, and she turned hoping it was Dunn and not someone else who would catch her.
“Miss? It’s me, Dunn.” He wrapped a plaid around her and placed a brown cloak over her head. “Stay quiet and follow me.” He reached for her bags and held them in front of him. She walked beside him trying to keep up with his long strides. After walking up a hill, they entered a trail in the woods. The silence was a bit deafening, but they kept walking for at least thirty minutes. Katherine tried to remember the trail, so she could backtrack to find her sister. They finally arrived near a huge hollow tree that had two horses tied to it. Dunn tied the bags to the saddle and turned to
her.
“Here is where I will leave you. The tree is hollow and good protection if it starts to rain. Derrek will be here in a few hours after he is relieved of his duties for the night. They will expect him to get a few hours of sleep before he goes to the market. He will use that time to find you.”
Katherine nodded watching the man leave. She hadn’t had much time and wanted to follow him back to the keep. After he disappeared, she started back down the same trail hoping she could find her sister quickly. She stumbled over a few of the rocks trying to stay on the trail as fast as she could. A faint noise scared her as she turned around feeling a hand cover her mouth.
“Shush!! It is me.” Katherine immediately recognized the voice and stopped struggling.
“Why did you grab me like that?”
Deanna shrugged and said, “Because you were running so fast, I couldn’t yell after you in case the man heard us.”
“I was so worried!” She hugged her sister and Claudia.
Deanna whispered, “It was a miracle that we saw you come out the back door. It was dark, but I recognized your hair before that man put the cloak over you. We were hiding by the stables. After he took you up the trail, we followed you through the woods. It was quite a hike going as fast as you were. Can you believe they left two horses for us?”
Katherine shook her head. “We can’t take their horses. They would find us and punish us for sure.”
Deanna laughed. “You don’t think they will punish us anyway? Think Katherine! We can get a lot farther and faster if we have horses.”
“We can’t!”
Deanna grabbed her sister’s hand. “Katherine, listen to me. They were going to sell us both. Do you think they would give us any of that money? No! We are not theirs to sell, but that is not stopping them. We must survive Katherine, and those horses will help us. Now let’s go!”
