Knight of the Highlander

by Kristin Vayden

  He turned once again to the simmering fire and picked up a new iron. This one he wouldn't beat to a shattered pulp, he hoped. As long as he focused on anything but Arywnn.

  Chapter Two

  The sweet serenity of her earlier ride was lost as Arywnn entered the dark room filled with clansmen bustling about in the torchlight. Tables were filled with bannocks and ale with the heady smell of roasting venison coming from the kitchens. Loud banter from a few guardsmen captured her attention, and she glanced quickly at them in annoyance. As they noticed her attention they leered over her body, and she resisted the urge to give them a tongue-lashing. Rather than invite them for a fight she chose to ignore them and move on, though as she moved she felt their hot stares follow her. Disgusted and slightly fearful she walked to a table and sat down.

  "They're still starin' ya know," came a low whisper next to her.

  Arywnn turned to meet the wary gaze of Annie, a serving maid from the kitchen. Annie's long golden hair had often been the recipient of many a man's gaze. But not tonight. Tonight all male eyes were focused on Arywnn, either in blatant interest or with a stealthy sidelong glance.

  "Of course they are. They haven't got the sense of one horse in the lot of 'em," Arywnn muttered back, although it did seem odd. Oh, she was accustomed to men trying to gain her attention. After all, her husband would most likely become clan chief, especially with her father so reluctant to name his Tanist. But, for that same reason her father had refused each suit. He was a suspicious one, and didn't want any young upstart of a son-in-law getting any ideas to take away any of his power. So far, that very fear had worked in Arywnn's favor, but tonight seemed different. The stares were not as covert but more evaluating, calculating, and less hesitant. A dark foreboding cinched her heart, yet she refused to glance up and give away her suspicions and fear.

  "What are ye thinking?" Annie asked with a concerned furrow to her brow.

  "I don't know Annie. Something's… different," she confided, meeting her friend's green gaze.

  "What do ye mean? Don't let those oafs bother you none, they're just deep in their ale's all," Annie reassured and offered a gentle smile.

  "Oh, that I'm sure of," Arywnn admitted with a roll of her eyes. "But something else seems different, 'tis in the air Annie." As she spoke the words she glanced about and noticed another group of men staring at her and speaking in low tones to one another. Her skin prickled in gooseflesh.

  "Well, whatever it 'tis, I'm here Arywnn. Not to fear," Annie offered with a reassuring pat.

  As Arywnn tried to return her smile, feigning the confidence she didn't feel, she noticed Colin enter the room. He walked over to a table and sat with Gareth. For a moment he held her gaze. Though he was far away, his black-blue regard caused her heart to pick up its cadence. He nodded politely before turning to the man beside him.

  "Och, he's a braw one," Annie spoke as she followed her friend's gaze.

  "Indeed he is," Arywnn agreed not wanting to take her eyes from his form, but knowing she must, lest her emotions be suspected.

  Silence descended over the room as her father entered. Draped in his clan tartan of bright red accented by green and yellow, he dominated the room with his tall, broad stature and piercing gaze as he shrewdly took in each attendee.

  "Clan's men!" he spoke in his deep bass voice that vibrated off the stone walls of the keep. "Tonight I have an announcement tae make!" With a long pause he walked further into the room till he was surrounded and in the very middle. "At this crucial point in our clan's history, we must separate ourselves and make a name greater than that of the past. However, we are faced with an enemy." He yelled the last word raising his fist. "An enemy so cowardly that he refuses tae show his face, or fight like a man!" he bellowed, earning an echoing shout from the men. "He hides, betraying those who give him shelter, bread, and warmth, taking advantage of the highland hospitality we all honor!" He paused as the crowd shouted. "And we must find this enemy if we are tae conquer! If we are tae make our name greater than that o' our ancestors!"

  At his words there was a cheer so loud Arywnn wanted to cover her ears against the noise.

  "This traitor is sending information tae the English, and we cannot continue with our calling, our mission for freedom, till he is captured and brought tae justice!" He shot his fist into the air, and seemed to bask in the cheer that erupted from the room as men began to stand and pound their ale tankards on the wooden tables. He raised his hands to calm the noise, and waited till the room was silent for his coming words. "To the man who discovers this traitor I offer the highest prize." He waited, searching over the men, and allowing his words to soak into their minds and build anticipation. Arywnn's curiosity was burning as well. What would her father offer?

  "Tae the man who finds the traitor I offer the hand of my daughter, Arywnn Chattan, and with her hand comes the succession of clan chief on my passing!" At his words the crown erupted in a thunderous cheer, but Arywnn didn't hear the roar, all she heard was her father's echoing words naming her the prize.

  Every male eye appraised her openly. Humiliation and anger welled within her till she felt she might burst into flames. Women sneered in her direction, yet some cast pitying looks as well. Her father soon spoke, calling the attention back to himself.

  The rest of the meeting passed in a haze as Arywnn counted down the moments til she could flee to her room. Once alone, the tears of humiliation broke through. Though she knew that her husband would be chosen of her father's will, she had foolishly hoped he would at least consider her in the slightest, not offer her up as a sacrificial prize. Yet her own mind condemned her hopes. Never once had her father considered her more than a means to an end.

  She used the woolen plaid to wipe her eyes and sat on her bed, attempting to calm her stuttered breathing. Blithering didn't help and her mind searched for a way out, a way that led to hope rather than despair. A thought began to form, and soon all that remained of her tears were the dry salty trails and a steely determination.

  ****

  "Da," Arywnn called as she walked into the empty council room. Without looking up, her father grunted an acknowledgment of her presence.

  "What if I were tae find the traitor?" she asked without hesitation, hoping a direct approach would be to her favor. If she caught him off guard perhaps he would agree more easily or so she hoped.

  "You?" He continued to look over the missives spread across the table and didn't even glance up.

  "Aye." She held her breath while waiting for her father's response. If he refused her fate was certainly sealed. Declining to cower or plead she waited, shoulders back and a determined gaze on her father's balding head.

  "The charms of women have uncovered a great many secrets. " He mumbled to himself as he moved another missive into different pile and lifted another to read its contents.

  "What are ye askin' fer if ye do find the villain?" he asked as he leaned back and folded his hands across his wide chest.

  "Tae choose my husband," she spoke with bold confidence that was not felt as she tried to still the violent shaking of her knees.

  At her bold request, her father regarded her with more attention than usual. His brown eyes narrowed slightly as if measuring her worth for the first time.

  A moment passed, then another until Arywnn felt that her request was going to be denied. Then a calculating glint to her father's eyes gave her a spark of hope.

  "I'll be needin' tae approve o' the man. I've worked too hard tae let a young green whelp take the clan and run it to the ground. 'Tis a fine opportunity I have, tae choose my Tanist rather than be obligated to give it tae my son. The Covenanters did me a favor, they did."

  Arywnn bit her tongue until she tasted blood. Her father's callused response to her brother, his son's, death was overwhelming, causing a fury to rise within her.

  "Tis nae likely ye will find the blackguard anyhow. What have I tae lose?" He chuckled to himself. With a dismissive wave of his hand, he picked up ano
ther missive.

  Nodding in respect, Arywnn turned to leave, but her father's voice stopped her. "Lass, be sure that ye don't bed any o' the men tae find their secrets. No doubt the man ye have in mind will nae take kindly tae a whorin' betrothed." He gave a crude snort before dismissing her again.

  Cheeks flaming with humiliation and outrage, Arywnn fled to her room to compose herself before she would put her plan into action. With the Tanist position at stake, the men will no doubt be ruthless in their search. So far she had only heard whispers of men's suspicions, but she had her own. Tonight she would begin her own ruthless search, for she had far more at risk than any of them, and failure was not an option. Not if she wanted to hold on to any shred of hope for her future.

  Chapter Three

  Colin covered his face with a long black scarf, leaving only his eyes visible. Dressed in black, he silently left the gate and hid in the many shadows the night offered. With a silent count to three he ran through the small clearing outside of the keep walls and into the thick forest.

  The forest was alive tonight, no doubt part of the wild manhunt brought on by the lunacy of the Chattan Laird's announcement. How had he known? Colin had spent the past night mulling over each possibility and found none that gave away his duplicity. The only answer was that someone on the outside, someone from English soil, had leaked information. If that were the case, then nothing he did was safe, even the upcoming rendezvous. He was now on his own until he gathered the last necessary information regarding the timeline of the possible attack.

  Then he would disappear.

  The thought was both welcome and heart wrenching, part of him thrilled at the thought of going home, no longer having to hide and pretend. Yet as he considered never seeing Arywnn again his heart seized in his chest. Resisting the urge to growl his frustration, he squeezed the handle of his sword harder causing the metal handle to indent his flesh with its design. Hearing voices, he continued his silent trek into the darkness. Now he must focus on the task at hand. He needed to be the ears of the forest.

  "What did ye find out?" A low voice carried across the tall trees.

  "Both yer men were clean, not the traitor ye thought they were," a higher tenor voice answered. One that sounded familiar. Closing his eyes, Colin focused on the voice till he could place a face with it. Gaul, the stable hand. So he's a snitch. Colin filed the information in the back of his head for later use. Now he needed to find out who was using him.

  "What about the lad, the MacGregor boy? He's not of our clan, at least his mither's not. What 'bout him? Did you follow him like ye said ye would?" the deeper voice spoke once again. This time it was louder and sounded familiar.

  Closing his eyes yet again, Colin waited as he searched his mind for the owner of the voice. It was more difficult, but as the man raised his voice to scold Gaul, Colin's mind snapped with recognition. Rian. He would be more observant than most. Known for his tracking skills in both the hunt and in war, Rian was a formidable foe. But knowledge was the edge that Colin needed. He knew who they were, yet they still didn't know him.

  "Did you hear that?" Rian asked suddenly, interrupting Gaul's request for payment.

  Colin heard the noise as well. It came from the north, not more than a few paces from where he stood. Closing his eyes he listened. The gentle movement had stopped, but he swore he heard a soft breathing.

  "Search the trees, there," Rian spoke, breaking the silence. Soon Colin heard the boy stumble through the dark brush toward him. With a curse that was spoken only in his mind, he deftly moved to the left, away from the boy's advance and the source of the noise.

  A loud snap sounded as twig broke, and whoever else was listening in on the conversation began to run away. Colin heard Gaul shout, and begin a pursuit that was followed by Rian advancing as well. After a small pause, Colin began to head deeper into the forest. A loud scream split the night air.

  ****

  "Tis a wench!" Gaul's surprised voice broke into a squeak as he pinned Arywnn to the forest floor. She would have made it, if not for the log that had tripped her causing a bruised ankle. She berated herself for screaming as Gaul's body slammed against hers. With a violent push she scrambled away from the groping hands of the stable hand and tried to run, hobbling on her injured leg and hoping he didn't recognize her through the disguise.

  Unable to be run, she ducked into the darker shadow of a tree that blocked out any moonlight. She closed her eyes and worked on calming her rapid heartbeat. Loud footfalls began in her direction signaling the approach of two men. The tree offered her a darker shadow and she hovered into it, holding her breath as the footsteps slowed. As the men came closer, she stood quietly and moved around the back of the tree, keeping it's fat trunk between her and the pursuers.

  "Don't scream," a definitive English accent whispered as a leathered hand covered her mouth and pulled her body into a hard masculine frame.

  "I'll not hurt you, but they—" He paused for a moment before continuing his soft speech in her ear." They will."

  She wanted to fight, to thrash and break free, but a lightening thought struck her before she acted in fear. She had found him! The traitor! He was holding her captive, if only for a moment! To find out his identity, she only needed to remain with him till he gave himself away. Surely he wouldn't suspect a woman? Relaxing slightly so that her captor would know she had heard and would obey his words, she waited. After a moment, he released her slightly and tried to lead her into the dark shadows of the forest, she tripped. Her injury caused a fierce pain in her foot and prevented her from walking as quickly as her English rescuer wished. A breath later, she was lifted by strong arms and carried silently past a continuous shadow of trees. Whoever this Englishman was, he was braw, strong. Through his outer garments Arywnn could feel the tight-corded muscle of his chest as it flexed in carrying her weight. Although he was moving quickly his breath was not labored, but controlled.

  He smelled of leather and smoke, but nothing that would set him apart. A momentary pang of disappointment hit her as she pried her mind from the power of the man, and focused on how to identify him. After a moment she realized that at some point her arms had wound around his neck and were now gripping him in a tight embrace. Quickly she began to lift them only to find that her balance was compromised. Soft hair that fell onto his shoulders brushed against her arms, tickling them.

  Who are you?

  ****

  When Colin had heard the scream, he knew that a woman alone at night in the forest was asking for trouble. Unable to silence his more chivalrous side, he snuck over to where the scream had originated. When he saw a shadowed struggle between Gaul and the unnamed intruder, he tried to determine how to assist her without being caught as well. When she struggled free and began limping away, he circled around to help her hide, never intending on reveling himself but only distracting the other men so she could disappear. But when he had gotten closer the moon had offered him a glimpse of the woman's face and his blood chilled. Arywnn!

  Rian wouldn't care that she was the Laird's daughter; he would only see someone who had dared spy on him. Surely he would at the very least drag her to her father and demand a severe punishment, perhaps even ruin her in the forest and claim her hand without having to participate in the competition. Knowing the Laird, Colin didn't think he cared about his daughter's virtue as much as he would be embarrassed at her spying, and would want to humiliate her in return. None of which were acceptable to Colin so he crept closer, until he was able to reach her. Just before he did, he paused.

  Why would she be out at night?

  Unless… the answer came to him quickly and he knew he would be playing a dangerous game, but one he had no option to decline. She was searching for the traitor as well, searching for him. No doubt she was acting to preserve her own freedom and discover the man before the others. Colin quickly wondered what would be her prize should she win. But regardless, she could never know it was he. After a quick deliberation, he reached out and
pulled her soft body against his and spoke without his Scottish brogue. The smooth English words tasted strange as they came from his mouth. It had been four years since he spoke in his native accent.

  She struggled fiercely, yet a moment later she ceased her attempt to free herself from his grasp. Her lithe body was tense and he could hear her ragged breathing, choppy and full of fear, yet strangely silent and aware. Her reaction affirmed Colin's suspicions that she was after him. The traitor. Although he knew it was foolish, his heart still stung with betrayal. He pushed it aside knowing that it was hopeless and that his love was doomed from the start. This was simply another affirmation.

  Arywnn's slight misstep drew his attention. He would have to carry her if they were to escape the tracker Rian. Without hesitating, he reached down and wrapped Arywnn's arms around his neck and spirited her away as silently as possible.

  Oh, her slight weight was a welcome burden his arms. Her soft curves pressed into the hard muscle of his chest and the scent of rosemary filled his senses. He marveled at the softness of her bottom as he cradled it in his arms and he found himself unable to focus clearly on the moonlit path. Straining against his desire to stop and press her against the nearest tree and taste the honey of her kiss, he pressed himself on, faster so he would no longer be inhaling her scent, but the clean fresh air of the night forest.