Luag

by Jane Stain

  “Long live the king!”

  “May he reign in majesty glorious.”

  Never in all this revelry did anyone look at Luag. Oh, Donald glanced his way now and then, appearing to include Luag in his assurance that everyone who had helped him would be part of his kingdom. But his uncle never did meet Luag’s eyes, even though Luag was seated prominently on his right with Donald’s current young wife on his left.

  All this only solidified Luag’s conviction that had been right to leave his clan and join Leif’s. Uncle was an insufferable arrogant oaf, and Luag looked forward to his defeat at Aberdeen with great relish, even though Luag would be entirely too close to the action.

  Donald must have guessed Luag’s plan to turn his cousins against the cause, because his uncle kept Luag with him always.

  “Yer rightful place is beside me, Nephew. Ride with me.”

  Once darkness was near, they made camp. Donald called an even more elaborate evening meal with not only all the other clan chiefs, but also their wives and aides. Hunting parties had returned with deer, and It was a celebratory feast before the battle had even taken place.

  Luag wanted no part of it, but he knew what he’d signed up for. If he was going to pretend to be back in the clan, that meant nodding and smiling at all of his uncle’s braggery.

  “Once I am king,” said Donald, “I will award ye all lairdships. Be thinking aboot which castle ye wish tae be laird o’, because ye shall hae it, each and every one o’ ye.” Once again, Donald’s glance glazed over Luag but didn’t quite settle on him.

  Luag felt uneasy. This was over-the-top even for his uncle, to be so secure in the confidence of his victory before battle.

  Later that evening, Donald’s young and beautiful current wife approached where the clan chieftains sat around the fire together, toasting each other’s battle prowess.

  “Husband, ‘tis time tae retire.”

  Donald raised his eyebrows and gave a heavy wink as he looped his wife’s arm through his and headed off to their tent.

  Finally, Luag had his chance. He stood up and toasted the chiefs with his tankard and turned as if he were going off to bed as well, walking toward his billet until he heard them laughing and joking among themselves behind him once more. Only then did he head off to find his cousins.

  Luag approached the fire where his cousin Bran sat joking with others their age. Luag had trouble meeting Bran’s eyes, so Luag moved closer into the fire circle and sat down across from him. While Luag waited for his cousin to realize he was there, he listened to what they had to say.

  “Gaun’ae be an easy battle.”

  “Aye. The lowlanders are na match for us.”

  “Anyone who puts his trust in them is foolish.”

  Luag’s temper rose at the slights to Leif’s people, and his cousin still hadn’t looked him in the eye and acknowledged his presence.

  Luag stood up.

  As the only one standing in the fire circle, he was clearly visible. He held his position there for a few moments, but it became clear what was happening.

  Bran was shunning him.

  It was pointless to try and say anything, so Luag left.

  He had a similar experience around his cousin Searc’s fire.

  Luag slumped off to where he had lain his billet next to Gehrig’s.

  But he couldn’t find his billet. He looked everywhere.

  Finally, Igor showed up and told him, “Ye hae been moved ower near Laird Donald’s tent.”

  Luag was back inside the marvelous castle-like hotel with Katherine, calling for room service.

  Katherine was watching him do so, looking proud. Her beautiful hair hung down loose about her face, and she wore one of those skimpy outfits so common in her time.

  He smiled at her and raised his eyebrows as if to say ‘See? I can learn.’

  She gave him a very satisfying nod of agreement that made him warm inside like none of his uncle’s empty praise ever could.

  He put the phone down. “I took your advice and ordered from the menu this time.”

  She took a step closer to him. Just one step, but it made his heart race and his skin feel warm. “Oh yeah? What should I look forward to having?”

  Was that yearning he saw in her eyes, or was he just feeding into her expression the way he felt? “Verra soon, we will be dining on spaghetti with meatballs, accompanied by garlic bread and corn on the cob.”

  In that adorable way she had, she suppressed a grin at his expense. “And do you have any idea what all that is?”

  Testing a theory, he went over and sat down on a chair at the small table, a few feet nearer to her than he had been before.

  It worked. She came and sat down beside him, so close that if he reached out, he could touch her. But he didn’t. What was the hurry? It was so nice just to have her here by his side. They were young. They had all the time in the world. This was all he needed right now. They sat there at the table smiling at each other.

  While it wasn’t awkward at all, he felt a cloying tension grow in the air, his desire to reach over and touch her became so urgent. Again, what was the hurry?

  The hotel suite’s television droned on, some story about a man in the jungle, fighting monsters called alligators. Luag and Katherine listened to the story, but they were watching each other’s faces, smiling together at the comical parts and grimacing in horror together with the man was in peril.

  It was more fun than Luag had ever had.

  There was a knock at the door. “Room service.”

  The food was delicious, and they concentrated on eating, only exchanging pleasantries.

  “I find I quite like spaghetti and meatballs.”

  “How about the garlic bread and corn?”

  He wanted to tell her that her company would make anything taste good, but he found his normal wit didn’t seem appropriate in this moment. He just wanted to enjoy her closeness while he could.

  His instincts told him there was a reason he ought to savor each and every moment with Katherine, but he couldn’t think what that might be. It nagged at him, this feeling that he had better enjoy these moments with her because… No, try as he might, he just couldn’t think why their time together would be limited.

  He did enjoy these moments with her, stealing glances while she ate.

  She excused herself and went to the restroom.

  He thought he’d go check on Roland, but then he knew somehow that Roland wasn’t in the next room, and it didn’t distress him. Why not?

  Katherine was back, and all thoughts of anything else left him. She was breathtakingly beautiful, and he felt drawn to her the way he had never felt drawn to anyone before.

  He went to her, holding out his arms for her to walk into his embrace.

  She did.

  They settled onto the couch in each other’s arms and watched the TV together in cozy comfort.

  Holding her close made him feel like finally, he had a home.

  “Katherine, ye fell asleep on my arm and ‘tis killing me. Wake up.”

  Luag opened his eyes to the starry night sky with just a hint of dawn. He felt around him for Katherine, certain he would find her there by his side where she belonged.

  But then full wakefulness took hold of him and he remembered. He’d sent her away. And for good reason. He needed to see a friendly face, and now was his chance, before the camp awoke. He quickly packed up his billet onto his horse and went to find Gehrig.

  Everyone’s resolve to pointedly ignore Luag served him well here. Uncle’s guards let him walk right past them away from his billet near Donald’s tent to where the common soldiers lay asleep. The guards on watch there ignored him too.

  He entered their camp, knelt down by Gehrig, and shook his shoulder a bit.

  “Gehrig, wake up. This may be oor only chance tae speak.”

  Gehrig’s eyes opened and he stretched. He met Luag’s eyes, but he didn’t smile or say a word in greeting. As he packed up his things onto his back,
he merely nodded toward where the aroma of some aught to break the men’s fast wafted over.

  Luag fell in beside him, and as they walked the short distance, they had a short whispered conversation.

  “Wish I were marching with ye instead o’ riding with my uncle.”

  “Nay, ye dinna.”

  “Why na?”

  “Na matter what anyone says, everyone still thinks ye a traitor.”

  18

  Katherine had tears streaming down her face when she finally rode into Jessica and Lauren’s camp on the hill west of Aberdeen. Indeed, she’d had tears streaming down her face throughout the whole ride here.

  Lauren grabbed the reins while Katherine climbed down. “What’s wrong? Did Luag get in a fight? Where is he?”

  Katherine fell into Lauren’s arms as soon as she dismounted. “No, no, nothing like that. He’s still with Donald. Still trying to enact his original plan of getting his MacDonald cousins to defect with those loyal to them. He said he was coming with me and then once I was on the horse, he slapped it.”

  Jessica came and took Katherine’s other hand and together with Lauren led her to a seating area they had created.

  Through her tears, Katherine looked out over Aberdeen. They could see the whole city, all of its gates and activity, plus dozens of ships in the harbor.

  Still sniffling, Katherine nodded at them in thanks and took a seat. “I didn’t want to care about him this much. He kissed me. We shared a tent, and we cuddled. It was wonderful. But now the idea of him among those who hate him so while he’s trying to help us hurts me to my core. When I was just going home, I could imagine him here with you, having the life he deserves.”

  Jessica massaged Katherine’s shoulder with one hand and took hold of her hand with the other. “I’m glad you’re back, Katherine. We were so worried about you. He’s doing what he can to keep everyone here safe. That’s why you care about him.”

  Their attempts to console her only made Katherine cry harder.

  They put their arms around her and let her cry awhile.

  While she cried, she watched the action below. Aberdeen’s people were manning the walls and gates with bows and arrows. Knights in chainmail patrolled outside the wall. Inverurie’s militia had shown up. Leif and Taran were with them at the south gate where the action would be, swords and pikes ready, a large pile of stones at hand.

  All those people down there were risking their lives to defend their home from something they had no control over, and she was worried about one man who had gone to be with the enemy of his own choice. She needed to pull herself together.

  “The defense looks good,” she told Jessica with a smile. “Leif and Taran know what they’re about, and everyone’s busy doing as they say. That’s a good sign.” She wiped the last tears from her face using the back of her hand and gave Jessica her most reassuring look.

  Jessica squeezed her hand. “Aye, those people down there are doing their best to fortify the city, and they’re doing a good job.”

  Katherine put a hand on Jessica’s arm. “You don’t sound so sure. Why not?”

  Lauren put her arm around Jessica and patted her back. “Alasdair and his knights haven’t shown up yet, and they constitute most of the forces at our disposal.”

  Worry seeped its way back into Katherine’s mind. “Where are they?”

  One tear escaped down Jessica’s cheek. She let it stay, visibly trying to look ladylike. “No one knows.” A single sob escaped Jessica’s mouth. “Alasdair sounded so supportive. I thought he believed us.”

  Lauren held her sister-in-law close.

  Jessica closed her eyes, visibly fighting the tears and sobs but losing so far.

  A tiny bit of anger came to Katherine’s rescue, allowing her to at last banish the tears. “I thought Alasdair believed us too.” She turned toward her friends. “Do you think we should go down inside the city and help defend the walls? We can throw stones just as well as anybody else—”

  “No!” her friends said at the same time.

  Katherine raised an eyebrow at Lauren, the stronger of the two. “Why not?”

  “Believe me, we’ve been over and over that with our husbands. They’re both adamant that we stay out of harm’s way, else they will worry about us too much and their heads won’t be clear.”

  Katherine held up her hand, surrendering the point. “You’re right. I can see that. Besides, without Galdus you’re as useless in a fight as Jessica and me, right?”

  Lauren pressed her lips together and inclined her head. “Right. At times like this, I regret giving him up.”

  Jessica was still sobbing, but she snapped to attention and grabbed Lauren’s hand. “Nonsense. Galdus was taking control of you. Don’t even talk like that. You did what you had to do, and we’re all glad.”

  Leif and Taran were drilling the militia. Over and over, they would throw the stones over the wall in strategic locations, then run out to gather them up again, piling them behind the wall. The city folk drilled as well, even the women with bows, but they didn’t shoot their arrows, saving them all for actual combat.

  Katherine was ashamed, watching the women prepare to help defend their home. She’d been here a year. She could have learned how to shoot arrows. What had she been up to? Not much, that was what. So what if she knew who Leif’s contacts were in all the cities of Scotland, their names, their families’ names, their likes and dislikes? Who did she think she was, a lady herself? No, she was just a commoner, and all the commoners down there in Aberdeen knew how to defend their home.

  Which begged the question in the back of her mind.

  “Jessica, where are the other ladies?”

  Jessica smiled, but she looked worried. “They all stayed in the Regent’s residence. They said it was the safest place for them.”

  An unwelcome thought came to Katherine, and she felt like she had to share it, that it would be irresponsible not to. “What are we supposed to do if…”

  Jessica took a deep breath and looked off into the distance, away from Aberdeen. “If the city gets overrun, we are to go higher up into the mountains, wait for Kelsey to contact us in her dreams, and ask her to get us home to the 21st Century.”

  Katherine squeezed Jessica’s hand. “I’m sorry I had to ask that, but—”

  Jessica squeezed her hand back. “Don’t worry about it. It makes sense to have a plan. They don’t want to worry about us. They want us to be safe no matter what, and so they thought of that too. Shows how much they love us.” Jessica lost her battle with the sobs then.

  As Katherine moved in to comfort her friend, a lot of movement off to the left caught her eye.

  “What’s that?”

  “What?” Lauren asked, turning her head also to the left to look —and opening her eyes wide once she had.

  All three women screamed.

  A great horde of warriors came running toward the sparsely guarded northern wall and gates of Aberdeen.

  19

  Luag watched for his chance. While they were all riding together was not the time. Too much chance that someone would stop him. He had to wait until they were in an open field, and the area north of Aberdeen —toward which he had realized some time ago they were headed— was open, indeed. That was where he would do it.

  It was difficult, biding his time until then, pretending so much. Pretending to share in the enthusiasm of his uncle’s boasts. “We wull hae our victory afore the fall o’ night, ye ken!” Pretending not to realize his uncle had lied about coming from the south when he intended all along to attack Aberdeen from the north.

  Luag found what solace he could in the knowledge that at least he had been instrumental in getting Roland to dissuade the druids from taking part in his uncle’s war campaign.

  At long last, Donald’s army arrived at the open space north of Aberdeen and broke into a run, throwing everything into chaos. Now was his chance. Now was the time when the fewest would see.

  Drawing his weapon like everyo
ne else had, Luag charged his horse directly at his uncle’s. Not at his back. No, that was the coward’s way out. Luag charged Donald straight on, face to face, sword raised in an obvious threat, his intent clear.

  Against all reason and instinct for caution, Luag also called out a challenge. “Ye played me false, Uncle!”

  Donald’s many lackeys turned to cut Luag off.

  No matter. Luag was not going to restrain himself one more moment. Far better to die fighting his enemy than any other way.

  But Donald raised a hand to halt his men, calling out his own challenge. “Ye hae also played me false, Nephew.”

  The truth of this hit Luag in the gut, but he had no more remorse than that. “‘Tis true, sae let us fight this oot.”

  The two of them rode by each other, each striking at the other in an attempt to knock the other from his horse, and each failing.

  Lackeys had begun to crowd around, making a hubbub of speculation about how soon their laird would strike his nephew down, and how bloody it would be.

  But Donald reared his horse up at them and put an end to that. “Ye hae a battle tae fight. Gae tae it.”

  They hastened away, the fear in their eyes reinforcing Luag’s resolve.

  His uncle’s difficulty with his men wasn’t going to stop Luag from making another charge. He turned his horse in the damp rain-soaked soil and then started it, hoofs pounding under him and his weapon held firmly in his outstretched hand.

  Donald met the challenge fiercely, holding his own weapon out while leering at Luag and calling out to his men, “Leave us!”

  The two clashed again.

  Luag drove his sword toward Donald’s as hard as he could. A strong jab should do it. Aye! He struck his uncle’s weapon in such a way that it went flying out of the man’s hand.

  But that victory was short-lived. Donald drew another weapon and turned to make another charge.

  It took ten charges before they were both on their feet, their horses settling down to graze the lush tall grass together a few yards off.