Donna Fletcher Short Story Collection (12 page)

Harry called out to her and her thirst for
Duncan was tucked to a corner of her mind where he constantly
lingered.

She hurried to Harry and no soon as had the
new dagger in her hand then Alida came barreling around the
building and would have collided with her if Mercy hadn’t reacted
quickly and grabbed hold of her.

“Help, me. You must help me,” the pretty
eleven year old pleaded.

“Don’t tell me,” Mercy said with patience.
“Your little brother Rand is lost again.”

Alida nodded.

Mercy turned to Harry. “I won’t be long.”

With that Mercy took Alida’s hand and they
disappeared into the woods.

~~~

“You’re all set for the mission,” Duncan said
as he and Reeve left the keep.

“You think Bryce and you can handle
everything with Trey still on his mission and me leaving?”

Bryce stopped walking. “One of these days I’m
going to give you a beating just to prove I can.”

Reeve spit out a hardy laugh. “I wouldn’t try
it if I were you.”

“You better mind that boasting, Reeve,”
Duncan warned with a grin. “One of these days you just may come up
against someone or something that’s stronger than you.”

“Brain and brawn, if I don’t use one I use
the other,” Reeve said with a confident smile.

“Duncan!”

The fearful shout startled the two men,
especially since it came from their mum and she didn’t frighten
easily.

She rushed over to them, her plump size no
deterrent to her speed and agility. “That young rascal Rand has
disappeared again—” she paused abruptly.

Duncan hurried and spoke before his mum
caught her breath. “How does a lad barely five wander off as much
as he does? Wasn’t his sister with him? Alida usually finds him and
brings him home since she’s the only one who knows his
favorite,”—he stopped and turned worried eyes on his mum—“Mercy
knows where Rand likes to hide.”

Mara nodded. “Alida returned in tears. A band
of the king soldiers were spotted in the woods and Mercy wrapped
Alida in her cloak and sent her to warn us while she continued to
search for Rand.”

“Damn,” Duncan muttered. “She’s got no sense
putting herself in danger while with child.”

Reeve slapped his brother on the back. “You
really think that would stop her. And what are soldiers doing on
MacAlpin land? The king grows bold.”

“Too bold,” Duncan said and looked to his
mum. “Bryce?”

“He waits on your word.”

“We’ll need to divide if we’re to cover
enough area before nightfall,” Reeve advised.

Duncan nodded and Reeve could see how
difficult it was for his brother to keep his worry at bay.

“We’ll find her and that little rascal,”
Reeve said.

“You better,” Mara ordered. “I’m looking
forward to spoiling not only my first but every one of my
grandchildren.”

She walked off and Reeve shook his head. “Do
you believe that? She was stern and strict with us and now she’s
going to spoil her grandchildren.”

“She had no choice with us,” Duncan said.
“The future of Scotland was at stake besides she raised us with a
lot of love, which is what I intend to do with my children. Now
let’s go find that foolhardy wife of mine.”

“You should have kept her chained to
you.”

“Believe me. I often think the same
myself.”

~~~

Mercy winced at the crunch of broken twigs
beneath her booted feet. It was difficult to walk the woods without
making a sound and that was what she was trying desperately to
do.

She had spotted a band of about six soldiers
not far off while she and Alida were searching for her brother.
Rand had not been in any of his usual hiding places and Alida had
been frantic. Mercy had purposely sent her back to the village to
keep her safe and not to let her know that Rand’s knew hiding
place, which she had come across by accident the other day, was
right in the path of the soldiers.

She had given thought to wait for her
husband, for she had no doubt that he would come for her once he
heard, but she couldn’t chance the wait. She didn’t know if Rand
knew that soldiers were about and if they spotted him, she wasn’t
sure what they would do with him.

They could very well cart him off and have
him serve as a stable-hand to the king’s soldiers. She couldn’t let
that happen, she just couldn’t.

A few more careful steps and she’d be near to
Rand’s hiding spot and passed the soldiers. She treaded as lightly
as she could and listened for sounds that anyone approached. She
would reach Rand and patiently wait for Duncan. Her husband would
be relentless about finding her and knowing that helped ease her
worry.

She wondered what the soldiers were doing on
MacAlpin land. The king’s soldiers usually kept to the borders.
What had brought them so close? Her father, King Kenneth, surely
didn’t continue to demand her return. He had washed his hands of
her or had he? Then of course they could be trying to discover the
true king’s identity.

Whatever their reason she couldn’t concern
herself with it right now. She had to find Rand and keep him
safe.

She made her way cautiously toward a cropping
of rocks where beyond she knew was a small cave—Rand’s new secret
hiding place. He had divulged its whereabouts to her the other day,
though swore her to secrecy since he had told her that it was his
very special place.

She had felt honored that the little lad
entrusted her with his secret and glad that he had since she
assumed the information would be needed one day when he went
missing. Only she never expected to be in need of it so soon or
under such dangerous circumstances.

A few more steps and she’d be there, though
she stilled a moment to make certain she heard no footfalls. She
heard only the whisper of the wind and a rustling of leaves but no
crunching of boots along the ground.

Still, she was cautious and approached her
destination with a watchful eye. Hearing and seeing no one in
sight, she hurried to the mouth of the cave.

Rand sat just inside, his skinny arms wrapped
around his legs, his knees drawn up to his chin and his wide eyes
red from crying. When he saw her, he didn’t hesitate, he ran to
her. She caught him up in her arms and his little arms wound
tightly around her neck. He had no intentions of letting her
go.

“Soldiers,” he whispered and placed a finger
to his lips.

Mercy kept her voice low. “I know. I sent
Alida for help. Duncan and others will come soon. We’ll be safe
here while we wait for them.”

Rand shook his head. “Soldiers keep passing;
I can hear them.”

It could prove dangerous for them both if the
soldiers remained in the area. The chance of being discovered would
be too great. She would have to move them to a safer place, but
where?

She remembered the same time Rand did and in
unison they said, “A tree.”

Rand and she had climbed a tree one other
time and it had provided a safe haven for them, and she hoped it
would prove the same this time.

There was one not far from here that would
not be too difficult to climb and so once again with cautious
steps, only this time with Rand in her arms, Mercy made her way in
the woods.

~~~

Duncan held up four fingers to Reeve where
they sat hunched down behind thick bushes. Bryce and several other
MacAlpin warriors had gone in another direction and Duncan worried
that they would come across even more soldiers.

Reeve nodded and laid his hand to his
sword.

Duncan stopped him and shook his head. He
motioned that they should follow the soldiers and Reeve frowned as
if asking why. But Duncan didn’t need to answer. The answer had
come to Reeve fast enough and he nodded back at Duncan.

That was the way between the four brothers
and always had been. Duncan remembered very clearly how often times
each of them, Bryce, Trey, Reeve, and he would understand each
other without words being spoken. Besides they had been taught the
ways of a skillful and wise warrior. And Reeve understood without
saying that they should follow the soldiers for they may lead them
to other soldiers or if Mercy and Rand had been captured, they
would lead them right to the pair.

Duncan was crazy with worry as he and Reeve
silently followed the soldiers. He didn’t know what he would do
when he found her; hug his wife or scream at her for being so
foolish, though the hug was fast winning out. He wanted nothing
more than to feel Mercy tucked safely in his arms and keep her
there.

~~~

Mercy and Rand made it safely up the tree and
were nestled comfortably in the arms of two thick branches, Rand
curled snugly in her lap and her arms wrapped tightly around him.
As chatty as Rand could be he realized the importance of silence in
this situation, and it was a good thing he did.

They had been settled for nor more than a few
minutes when Mercy heard approaching footfalls. She tightened her
grip on Rand and waited.

Soldiers stopped near the tree and Mercy
almost wanted to hold her breath for fear they would hear her
breathing, though in the next moment she was surprised by the
exchange of the two soldiers.

“It’s a bad mission,” one said.

“A cursed mission that’s what it is,” the
other spat, “and being we know about it we’re cursed too.”

“I never wanted to be a king’s soldier.”

“Neither did I, Connor, which is why I’m
risking my life now for surely the king’s men will hunt us
down.”

“That they will, Robert, but I want no more
of this warring madness.”

“We know too much, the king will not let us
live. His soldiers will hunt until they find us and then make
certain we tell no tales.”

“It’s the curse. It’s reaching out to get
us.”

“Nonsense,” Robert argued. “It has no effect
on us. It only works if,”—a moment of silence passed—“did you hear
that?”

Connor listened.

Scurrying feet was all Mercy heard following
the silence. She kept a keen ear and soon heard what the two
fleeing soldiers had heard; footfalls and more than one or two.
Rand heard as well for he tucked his face against Mercy’s chest and
shut his eyes closed tight.

She felt his skinny body tremble and she
continued to hold him close, offering the only reassurance she
could... that he was safe in her arms.

The soldiers stopped for a moment and Mercy
assumed they spotted the tracks the other two soldiers had left and
then the pack took off.

She waited a few moments to see if any
soldier lagged behind and when none appeared she made the decision
to climb down and head to the keep. With the soldiers passed them,
she and Rand could be back at the keep in no time. They might even
run into Duncan or other MacAlpin warriors and then they would be
nothing for them to fear.

Rand didn’t protest when she motioned to him
that they were going to climb down. He seemed to understand her
plan and agreed hurrying along with her.

She lowered him to the ground from the last
branch and then dropped down. She felt the pull to her back as soon
as her feet hit the ground and stumbled. Rand was quick to offer
what help he could. She silently chastised herself for not being
more careful but she was in a hurry. They needed to get out of
there and fast.

She took hold of Rand’s hand and they rushed
off. She didn’t listen for sounds as she had before; she was too
eager to get home.

Too late Mercy realized her mistake. She
heard the footfalls when they were much too close and when she
turned, keeping Rand behind her... she faced the blade of a
swinging sword.

~~~

The sword never reached Mercy. Duncan flung
himself at her shielding her and Rand with his massive body while
Reeve smashed into the soldier with such force that it sent him
flying, tumbling, and landing on his own sword.

With the single soldier so easily disposed of
Reeve went to work on the other three.

Duncan saw to Mercy and Rand making certain
they were all right. There was no point in offering Reeve help; he
would only take it as an insult.

Rand watched with wide eyes as Reeve swung
his sword taking down the remaining three soldiers in a few swipes
leaving none to tell any tales. As soon as Reeve joined Duncan,
Rand grabbed hold of his hand.

Reeve leaned down, lifted the little lad in
one arm and tucked him against his chest, and then he turned to
Duncan. “We should get them back to the keep. We can send a few
warriors to take care of any soldiers that remain.”

“Two soldiers ran away,” Rand said.

Duncan and Reeve looked to Mercy.

“Rand’s right. We hid in a tree and heard
them talking below. The soldiers were searching for them.”

“What difference would it matter that two
soldiers deserted the king’s army?” Reeve asked.

“They knew something about a mission that the
king did not want known,” Mercy said.

Before the men could question her any further
Rand pointed to Mercy and said, “She got hurt jumping out of the
tree.”

Duncan immediately wrapped his arm around his
wife’s waist.

“A small twinge to my back, nothing more,”
she tried to reassure her husband.

“She can tell us more once we’re at the keep
and she’s settled in bed,” Duncan said.

Reeve nodded and took the lead.

Duncan kept his arm around his wife, a wise
move since after only a few steps a pain struck Mercy in the back
that would have sent her to her knees if he hadn’t been holding
her.

Duncan gave a shout to Reeve and he turned to
see his brother scooping Mercy up into his arms.

“We hurry,” Duncan said and Reeve once again
nodded and set a rushed pace.

~~~

Mara fussed like a mother hen around her
chick, seeing that Mercy was settled comfortably in bed, a brew
brought to her with supper to be served later.