“A dead king,” he reminded her. “Fia, no one cares about legends or bastards of a king who is no longer in power. Dinna ye see how dangerous this is? Ye might be hurt. I would never forgive myself if anythin’ happened to ye.”
“Ye are bein’ ridiculous and over-cautious, Alastair. Without me, yer entire clan might be killed. Now, let’s go before anythin’ happens to yer faither.”
Alastair grabbed her arm to keep her from moving. “He’s been imprisoned for three years, another ten minutes isna goin’ to make a difference. I want to talk to ye, Fia.”
“It’s no use. I’ve made up my mind.” She shook loose from his grip. “There is nothin’ ye could say that would make me stay behind.” She turned to go.
“I love ye,” he blurted out before he lost the nerve to say it. She stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around.
“Ye what?” Fia could barely believe her ears. No man had ever told her he loved her before. The last person she would expect to hear it from was her captor.
“Ye heard me, Fia.” He stepped forward and cradled her hands in his. “I care for ye. I dinna understand how this happened so quickly, but ever since I saw yer heart brooch I kent we were destined to be together.”
“Alastair, I am flattered.” She looked up into his eyes and smiled. “I have feelin’s for ye as well. But we canna let our feelin’s get in the way of makin’ important decisions that involve the lives of others.”
The dog ran over to join them. It looked as if it were going to jump on Alastair, so she reached out and pulled it away.
“My laird, the horses are watered, and the men are ready to approach the castle,” said Niven interrupting their conversation. “Hello, Fia. I didna ken ye were here.”
“Of course, I’m here,” she said, noticing Alastair’s stance. His arms were crossed, and his hands were in fists. He was closed off from even listening to her. A deep crease was prominent between his furrowed brows. She had put him in a very awkward situation.
“So, ye are to be the trade to the Grants for Laird Duncan?” asked Niven.
“Aye,” she said at the same time Alastair said, “nay.”
“I’m confused.” Niven shrugged his shoulders and looked from Fia to Alastair and back again. “Are ye goin’ with us or no’?”
“Nay, she is no’,” snapped Alastair. “Niven, take Fia on yer horse and return to Cluny Castle anon.”
“Back to the castle? But we just came from there.”
“Just do it.”
Niven shrugged his shoulders and held his hands in the air. “All right, even though I dinna understand what is goin’ on.”
“Take the bluidy dog with ye, too,” Alastair called out. “And whatever ye do, dinna let Fia out of yer sight for even a minute. If anythin’ happens to her, I swear I will have yer head. Do ye understand?”
“Aye, my laird,” said Niven, taking Fia’s arm and leading her away from Alastair with the dog following.
Glancing over her shoulder, Fia saw Alastair mount his horse and lead his men toward Grant territory. Everything had happened so quickly that she didn’t have time to tell Alastair anything. Her heart ached because she hadn’t told him that she thought she was falling in love with him as well. And now, he marched right into the midst of trouble. For all she knew, she might never see him again.
Chapter 18
“Niven, I need to use a bush,” Fia said, already planning a way to get back to Alastair. She had to do this. She’d told Caitlin she would make sure her father returned, plus Fia wanted to use herself as a trade to help Alastair. Clan Grant, to her knowledge, liked to fight. The Gordon sept where she grew up in the Lowlands liked to bargain to get what they needed. It had taken her father a long time to realize that fighting was not always the answer.
“All right,” said Niven, coming to a stop. He got off the horse and helped her dismount. Cerberus watched anxiously, thinking they wanted to play. “The horse could use a break. I’ll wait here for ye, but dinna go far. I am supposed to keep an eye on ye every minute. Cerberus, ye’d better go with her.”
The dog whined and lay down with its nose between its paws.
Fia took off, hiding behind a bush, wondering how she was going to get back to Grant Castle on foot. She needed the horse, but Niven was standing there with the reins in his hand. So, she decided she would have to cause a little distraction. And who better to help her than the king of distraction himself?
“Cerberus,” she called softly, but the dog was wandering around sniffing the ground and didn’t hear her. She picked up a rock and threw it. It landed right in front of the dog’s nose. His head sprang up. When he saw her, he ran over. She reached out and petted him, at the same time spying a squirrel up in the tree. “Look at the squirrel,” she said, knowing the dog would go crazy. Sure enough, Cerberus started to bark, trying to get up the tree to get to the squirrel.
“What’s goin’ on?” Niven called out, but Fia didn’t answer. “Fia?” he said, tying the reins to a branch and venturing over. She hid behind a tree and waited. When Niven got close to the dog, she raced out, mounted the horse and rode away.
“Fia, come back here,” shouted Niven from behind her. “Laird Alastair is goin’ to have my head.”
“Dinna worry, I’ll talk to him,” she said, waving a hand through the air. “Take care of the hound now.”
Fia picked up the pace, heading back in the direction from which they’d come. If luck were on her side, she would get to the castle right after Alastair and his men and, hopefully, be able to do something to make a deal and save his father.
“MacPherson, dinna cross my bridge unless ye want a fight,” called out the laird of Clan Grant.
Alastair gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, knowing the time had come. He was out of options. The best chance of saving his father at this point was to do it forcefully. “I’ve come for my faither. If I have to fight to bring him home, then I will. But I will no longer put up with yer antics.”
“If ye want yer faither, ye need to give us somethin’ in return,” called out their chieftain, Hamil.
“How do I even ken my faither is still alive?”
“Fingal, bring the prisoner,” said Hamil with a nod of his head. “MacPherson, enter my courtyard so we can make a deal.”
“Dinna do it,” Brohain warned him. “He will trap us inside his castle walls and lower the gate. We will have no way out.”
“It’s a chance we have to take, although I dinna think he’ll do it.”
“Why did ye send the girl away?” growled Rhodric. “We could have used her as a trade and been out of here by now.”
“Let me see my faither,” shouted Alastair. “And we arena comin’ inside the walls. Ye will bring him out here to me.”
Conversation passed between the Grants. Finally, a man appeared holding Alastair’s father. Duncan MacPherson looked gaunt and pale and had his hands tied behind his back.
“Faither,” Alastair shouted. “What have they done to ye?”
“Dinna fret about it, Son. Have ye brought a ransom?”
“They didna request a ransom,” Alastair told him.
“Then did ye bring somethin’ to trade? Son, I have been here a long time and am more than ready to come home.”
“We want ye back, Chieftain.” Brohain rode forward with Rhodric at his side. “However, yer fool son let the girl go who was to be the trade.”
“That’s right,” added Rhodric. “She is the daughter of one of the Legendary Bastards of the Crown.”
“The late English king’s granddaughter?” asked Hamil with a soft chuckle. “Aye, that might have been somethin’ I would have considered. So, ye have nothin’ of value to trade then?”
“Nay,” admitted Alastair.
“Slap him back in the dungeon and, this time, throw away the key,” growled Hamil. “Actually, ye’d better hold on to the key because I’ll have more prisoners momentarily. Attack,” he cried with a wave of his arm.
�
�Wait!” shouted someone from behind Alastair. The crowd parted. Fia rode down the drawbridge sitting atop Niven’s horse.
Alastair groaned. “Canna that lad do anythin’ right?” He never should have left Fia in Niven’s care. “Fia, turn around and go home,” Alastair said in a low voice.
“Home?” she asked. Her eyes held deep sadness within them. “I am a Gordon and an alliance of Clan Grant, Alastair. I am home.”
“Fia, nay. Dinna do it,” he begged her.
Fia dismounted and walked over to Hamil. “Laird Grant, do ye remember me? I am Reed’s daughter.”
“Fia?” asked Hamil. “What are ye doin’ here with the bluidy MacPhersons?”
“I was taken as Alastair’s prisoner, and he is usin’ me to trade for his faither.”
“Guid job, Son,” said Duncan. His eyes were half-closed, and he looked tired and broken.
“I admit I kidnapped Fia, but it was only to save my own life,” Alastair explained. “I am sorry, Faither, but I refuse to use her in this manner again. I am no’ tradin’ her for yer release.”
“Then who or what will ye trade?” asked Hamil. “After all, unless ye have somethin’ of value to offer, yer faither is no’ leavin’ here now or ever.”
“I offer myself.” Alastair put his sword back into his scabbard and dismounted. Holding his hands out so they could see he had no hidden weapons, he walked over to join them.
“Son, dinna be a fool!” snapped Duncan, using all his energy to say it. “Use the girl instead.”
“I willna.” He took Fia’s hand in his. “I would die to protect ye, Fia.”
“That can be arranged,” mumbled Hamil. With just a nod, Hamil’s guard drew his sword.
“Put away the sword,” someone shouted as an entourage of men on horseback barreled over the drawbridge and joined them in the courtyard.
“Da?” asked Fia, looking up in wonder. “What are ye doin’ here?”
“Fia.” Reed approached on horseback. “As soon as I got the message from yer cousins that a MacPherson abducted ye, I figured the cur would show up here sooner or later.”
“Nay, Da, Alastair is no’ a cur. He did kidnap me, but didna go through with tradin’ me for the release of his faither.”
Reed got off his horse. His men sat watching, still mounted, hands on the hilts of their swords.
“Really. Then why is he here?” asked Reed, glaring at Alastair. The man was tall and foreboding with a sturdy build and arms as thick as tree trunks. Alastair had never met any of the bastard triplets but could see now how intimidating just one of them was. Reed’s shoulder-length red hair was the same color as Fia’s. Dressed in the Douglas plaid, he stood proudly with his sword in hand. Here was a fierce warrior that would do anything to protect his daughter.
“I am here for the release of my faither,” Alastair explained. “I told Fia to stay back at the keep where she was safe.”
“It’s true,” admitted Fia. “I came here of my own accord. I offered myself as a trade so Alastair’s faither would be released. This feud has to end.”
“I would never harm her,” said Alastair, wanting Reed to know he was no threat to Fia. “I have come to care about yer daughter, and that is why I could not carry out the plan.”
“He offered himself up to replace his faither, and I think we’ll take it.” Hamil shoved Duncan forward. The man stumbled and fell at Alastair’s feet.
“Faither,” said Alastair, helping him to stand, untying his hands as well.
His father looked up with weary eyes. “Kill them, Alastair. Kill every bluidy last one of the Grants for what they’ve done.”
The Grants overheard and suddenly the scraping sound of metal echoed through the courtyard as they drew their swords, preparing for a battle. Alastair noticed Brohain and Rhodric and the rest of his men pulling their weapons as well.
“Nay, put away your weapons,” he called out. “We arena here to fight.”
“Men, collect my new prisoner and bring him to the dungeon, anon,” Hamil commanded.
“Nay!” shouted Fia, hurrying over to Alastair and throwing her arms around him.
“Stay back, Fia. This is no’ yer battle.”
Duncan leapt forward, pulling Alastair’s sword from the scabbard on his back. Swiping it through the air, he lunged for Hamil. Hamil jumped backward, using his sword to block the blow.
“Stop it!” Fia cried. “No more fightin’.”
“No one comes into my courtyard and threatens my men or me,” snarled Hamil. “This calls for battle.”
“Hold it,” said Reed, stepping in between Duncan and Hamil. His men surrounded him on horseback, drawing their swords as well.
“Reed, have ye gone daft?” spat Hamil. “Ye are married to a Gordon and aligned with us now. Ye should be on our side, no’ the side of the enemy.”
“My daughter is involved. I think we need to hear what she has to say first. Now, lower yer weapons, all of ye,” commanded Reed.
“Ye have one minute, and then I am goin’ to run Duncan MacPherson through with my sword just for the satisfaction of seein’ him die.” Hamil begrudgingly lowered his sword.
“Faither, give me the sword,” said Alastair, holding out his hand. “We have been enemies with the Grants for far too long. Fia is right in sayin’ this has to end.”
Duncan lowered the sword but did not give it to Alastair.
“Fia, did MacPherson hurt ye in any way?” asked Reed, lowering his sword slightly, taking a step toward his daughter.
“Nay, Da,” answered Fia. “Alastair kidnapped me only because the English threatened to kill him. Things have changed since then. He told me he loves me.”
“Loves ye?” Reed cast a sideways glance to Alastair. “Is this true, MacPherson?”
“Aye,” admitted Alastair, putting his arm around Fia’s shoulder. “Yer daughter has made me rethink my ways. I came here only for the return of my faither, no’ to fight.”
“I – I think I am fallin’ in love with ye, too, Alastair,” Fia told him, making Alastair’s heart soar. How he longed to hear her say this. “Da, make this feud stop. I want to be with Alastair.”
“This fight is far from over,” snarled Duncan. “No one is goin’ to keep me as a prisoner for three years and then just walk away like nothin’ happened.” Duncan let out a war cry and lunged once again for Hamil, sinking the sword into the man’s side. Hamil raised his sword and did the same to Duncan. Fia cried out and Alastair pulled her to the side, blocking her with his body to protect her. He felt as if his world had just come crashing down around him.
“Faither, nay!” he screamed, rushing forward to stop him from killing the chieftain of the clan. Hamil’s men grabbed Alastair, thinking he was attacking as well. Reed nodded, and his men apprehended Duncan. Reed then went over to help Hamil.
“Enough!” shouted Reed. “What is the matter with all of ye? Thousands of Scots’ lives were just spared when the English turned back and headed home, yet here we are still fightin’ amongst ourselves.”
“Stay out of this, Reed,” warned Hamil.
“I will no’,” he snapped. “This is my daughter, and she is in love with a MacPherson. I say we stop the silly feud between the clans and concentrate on what really matters.”
“And what might that be?” asked Hamil.
“Let’s join forces instead of killin’ each other,” said Reed. “Together, we can be strong. And next time the English invade, we will no’ let them retreat.”
“Fine, comin’ from a bastard of the English king,” sneered Fingal.
“I say we kill the Grants for keepin’ our chieftain prisoner,” came Brohain’s suggestion from behind Alastair.
“Nay,” said Alastair. “But what if we make an alliance?”
“Aye,” agreed Fia. “That would be the right thing to do, just like Alastair said. We can get married and seal the deal.”
Alastair was surprised to hear that Fia thought this is what he meant. While he was going
to suggest an alliance of some sort, he hadn’t even considered the way to do it was by marrying Fia. Or had he? Now that Fia mentioned it, he liked the idea of her becoming his wife. Now, if only Hamil would agree, even though Fia wasn’t directly from his clan. Still, she was a close alliance.
“Reed, I ask for yer daughter’s hand in marriage,” said Alastair.
“Son, dinna be a fool!” Duncan lay on the ground with his side bleeding heavily. “Her faither is the bastard son of the English king. She has Sassenach bluid runnin’ through her veins! Ye will never be able to trust her – just like what happened between yer mathair and me.”
“Yer mathair was English?” asked Fia, surprised to hear this since Alastair had not made it clear that she wasn’t Scottish.
“She was English, just like my faither said,” Alastair told her. “I dinna care what ye say, Faither. I love Fia and want to marry her. Laird Grant, if Reed agrees to let me marry his daughter, will ye release my faither and accept an alliance between our clans instead?”
“I agree to the marriage if it is what Fia wants,” said Reed, holding the tip of his sword out as if he were ready to strike down the next person who attacked, no matter what side they were on.
“It is what I want,” answered Fia. “I want this verra much.” She turned and looked directly into Alastair’s eyes. “This will be the best for all concerned. We will do it no’ only for us, but for the guid of all the clans involved.”
“I agree,” said Alastair, still not able to move because of the guards holding him.
Hamil held his hand over his bloody side, conversing quietly with Fingal and several of his men. Finally, he looked up and nodded. “Reed, if ye are willin’ to have yer daughter married to a MacPherson, then I accept the alliance between our clans and set Duncan MacPherson free.”
“Then it is done,” said Reed, putting away his sword. “Release him,” he told the guards holding Alastair. Alastair gave Fia a quick hug and kiss atop the head and then ran over to help his father stand.
Highland Secrets Page 18
