Surrender (15 page)

"Order the iron gate up, else I will strike
ye down!"

She didn't move. Finally, the lightning
bolt's tip was so close to her eyes it blinded her.

Elyne screamed as she fell to the beasts
below.

She awakened in a panic. She was not the only
panicked one, for guards were leaning over the battlements. One man
grasped her around the waist, near falling off himself.

Her feet flailed naught but air!

The shouting of the guards and the frantic
barking of what she now knew was Squat drew her from her
frightening dream. Blinking, she looked down and saw emptiness. Her
waist felt near squeezed into half where her rescuer had a
steel-like grip on her. When her arms cleared the stone
battlements, others grabbed them too, not wanting to take a chance
she would stumble forward and fall.

"Hold on to the dafty girl!"

Her father's face loomed above all the guards
as he charged through them to get to her. Fear filled his eyes. His
lips were bloodless. Why, he did care for her but didn't want
anyone to think him weak because his daughter meant something to
him. After all the years of fighting with him over every little
thing she wanted to do, it was a strange thing to realize.

When he reached her, she felt like he carried
her wrapped in a huge bear rug, for he held her in his arms close
to his heart. He didn't speak but headed down the spiral stairway.
Reaching the solar, he allowed his sister entrance but no one
else.

Once he released her to stand on her feet, he
started shouting.

"Has Lucifer addled yer brains with maggots?
I have a mind to send a patrol to Sir Graemme and tell him he'd
best make haste to get here else he'll be without a wife come the
wedding!"

Broccin unconsciously shook his leg, for
Squat had not liked his yelling at Elyne.

"Father! He's going to kill me with his sword
the first time I make him angry!"

"Ye talk like an eejit! Never has he given ye
a reason to not trust him."

"Perchance because we hardly know him?!"
Elyne shouted as loud as he and felt her face redden with the
effort.

"I know him enough! He did the right thing. I
didna even have to burn his toes to get his vow to marry ye."

"Burn his toes? Ye threatened to hack his
stones from his body! Any man faced with losing his treasures would
utter an unwanted vow."

"The short time he was here, he talked of
fulfilling a promise to his brother. It proves he is a man of
honor."

Broccin realized Squat had pissed on him
again and aimed a kick at him. The dog scurried away, his hind end
nearly sweeping the floor of any debris.

"What? Because he made his brother a
vow?"

"Nay, fool! Because he didna have him killed
so he would be first in line for his father's estate."

Elyne's mouth dropped open. Did men really
think only of their own possessions and not of their loves ones?
Nay. The men in her family…except her father, perhaps…loved each
other. Ranald and Moridac had been as close as any identical twins
could possibly be. Moridac grieved for years after he believed
Ranald had died at Kelso Abbey. She realized her father had started
talking again.

"Sir Graemme doesna look like a man who would
kill his wife without reason." He stopped to take a breath. "Though
the way ye are actin', 'tis more certain ye have lost
yer
mind. Should he hear of this, he'll fear ye will skewer him afore
he comes to the bridal bed!"

"I have told ye a score or more times, I
canna marry him!"

"And I have told ye time aplenty ye have no
choice!"

"Enough!"

Aunt Joneta's shout would have scared birds
from the rafters, had there been any there.

"Such frightful dreams are caused by naught
but a maiden's fears. Come, morn will be here soon enough. By the
shadows beneath your eyes, you need to sleep peacefully. I will
sleep with you this night." She put her arm around Elyne's
shoulders and hugged her. "You'll see. Your dreams will stop."

Neither spoke again until they reached
Elyne's chambers and they were abed.

"Mayhap it is not even Sir Graemme you dream
about. It could be some other man in his family or
thereabouts?"

Elyne frowned. Nagging thoughts took hold.
Why did he have golden hair when it was black? A trick of the
light, mayhap? His head had been hard to see through the blur. Had
his eyes been blue, or were they brown? She didn't remember. And
didn't really care. Sir Graemme meant to kill her. She would be
long gone from Raptor afore he came.

Relief washed over Graemme when Clibrick
Castle loomed in the distance. The sun was high and the waters of
Loch Naver were calm. The large field of grass and wild flowers
showed no enemy encampment, nor was there any hint of sun flashing
off a helmet in Ben Clibrick behind it.

He had arrived in time.

Guards and welcoming people from the castle
swarmed over them when they rode through to the keep. Sweyn was
there to help with the women, and Graemme smothered a smile at the
way he treated Esa. Why, anyone would think she was a young eyas
out of a falcon's nest he was so gentle with his touch!

Muriele's light brown eyes lit with happiness
when she saw her two friends. She hurried Esa and Grunda into her
chambers When Muriele studied their faces, she saw the same hurt
and fear reflected in Esa's eyes as was in her own. Men had badly
mistreated both in their lives. Her back had near healed and she'd
determined she'd have no qualms of killing any man who took a hand
to her again.

"Grunda, they say I must marry Magnus
tomorrow!"

"And what say you?"

Muriele looked at her like she had asked if
she was planning on taking a broom ride to the moon the next
day!

"Nay! Of course. They may force me to stand
before the priest but I'll not repeat the vows." Her chin hardened
and her eyes narrowed, waiting for Grunda to argue with her.

Grunda's face didn't show any reaction, but
she shrugged and said, "The Gunns have gathered all their clan and
are already riding west. From what I see, they will be here within
two days time."

The words were no sooner out of her mouth
than Fergus knocked on the door. Chief Angus summoned Grunda to the
men's solar. She slid from the room without a whisper of sound.

She returned some time later, her face firm
and determined. "Ye are to marry tomorrow. Sunday. There will still
be a battle with the Gunns over it, but Magnus will be the master
of Blackbriar and ye will be its mistress."

"Magnus can stand afore the priest waiting on
my vows until his hair turns gray, but I will not repeat the
vows."

"Aye. Ye will."

Sure enough, Sunday saw a wedding at Clibrick
Castle. Grunda saw to the bride, giving her mulled wine and keeping
her calm. Though done hastily, it was a beautiful wedding. Graemme
presented the rings belonging to Muriele's parents, the rings only
the rightful owners of Blackbriar could wear by the King's decree.
When Muriele had left Kinbrace so abruptly, Grunda had kept them
safe in a box beneath the dirt floor of the hut.

When time to repeat the vows, Muriele clamped
her teeth together. They would not stay closed. She replied as if
someone else were in her brain and formed the words that came from
her mouth.

During the night, Graemme grinned to himself,
hearing his brother and his bride's frequent outbursts of pleasure.
Both looked a little bemused the next morning.

They had one more night of bliss before peace
erupted into chaos.

Graemme spent the night watching atop the
castle wall walks. The hairs on his arms told him the Gunns were
close. The people of the outlying villages were already within the
castle walls, and Magnus had armed the warriors with weapons
aplenty. They all waited, anxious for the battle to begin.

He heard the Gunn's long before anyone could
glimpse them.

Horses pounding. Men yelling war cries passed
down by their ancestors. Torches glowing high over the water where
they should not be.

Hell broke lose outside the castle.

Chief Olaf came not over the hills, nor
through the mountain passes. Around the foothills reaching out into
Loch Naver, horses thundered through the surf, kicking up huge
splashes of water. As they carried torches to light the still dark
sky, their riders looked like phantom warriors from Viking raids a
century ago.

The built their camp on the sand and the
grass field while Chief Olaf walked far out onto a series of flat,
large rocks jutting into the loch. The glow from the torches played
over his beard and long, shaggy hair making them look redder than
usual. He wore animal pelts covering his shoulders and a wool kilt
bunched securely at his waist. Water lapped against the rocks,
splashing near as high as his knees. Looking like a statue of an
ancient leader, he stared across the dark water.

He did not speak, nor did he pay any heed to
the castle at his back.

Graemme almost pitied him. He looked a man
torn between two sons.

One of his blood whom he had fostered at
seven; the other he had raised until he was a man.

Olaf's shoulders slumped. At the middle of
his dilemma was the huge fortress of Blackbriar and its riches.

Which
son
would be its final
owner?

Later the same day, Graemme had his
answer.

The two chiefs wanted the matter settled
without bloodshed, for each had raised the other's son. Chiefs
Angus and Olaf, the sons Magnus and Feradoch and Father David
agreed to meet outside the castle on open ground. There would be no
weapons on either side.

When Feradoch claimed his rights to Muriele
for she had killed Esa and attempted to kill him, Magnus pointed to
the top of the barbican. Sweyn moved aside and Esa stood there, her
tall, dark beauty outlined by the blue sky behind her. She spoke
loud and clear and told what had happened that fateful night.

Feradoch near frothed at the mouth, saying
she lied. Then as if she had never spoken, he went on to claim
Muriele by his rights of handfast. Father David confirmed Muriele
had sworn afore Chief Angus, Sir Magnus and the castle commanders
as witness, that Feradoch had not consummated the handfast. And
Muriele had been absent for more than a year and a day, so the
handfast was no longer valid.

Feradoch was incensed, knowing they would
thwart his plans at every pass. His hand flashed down and retrieved
a hidden dagger from his clothing. He leapt at Magnus. Magnus
ordered everyone not to interfere.

Behind them, Muriele had found a way out of
the castle. Fleet as a doe, her feet barely touched the ground as
she raced to protect Magnus. Chief Angus grabbed her as she tried
to streak by him. He held her tight until both men tumbled to the
ground.

Neither moved. Feradoch sprawled atop Magnus.
Blood seeped between them to the ground.

When the two fathers separated the men, both
were lifeless. Feradoch showed no wounds, but they could not hear a
heartbeat or see any motion from his chest. Blood spread so fast
over Magnus they despaired over being able to help him in time.

Muriele sprawled in the dirt, holding Magnus'
shoulders and head on her lap, keening. Rage overtook her. He
couldn't leave her after they had finally realized their great
love! She screamed and beat him on the chest. Tears streamed off
her face as she ordered him to come back to her. Then, remorseful
for doing such a cruel thing to his body, she hugged him to her
breasts.

'Twas then he decided to again reside upon
the earth.

Muriele felt a gasp of air upon her breasts
then heard his smothered words.

"I canna breathe."

After a fortnight, Magnus had healed enough
to take his meals again in the great hall. They were having the
final course of their evening meal when Graemme brought up the
subject of leaving.

"I vowed to return to Raptor Castle when my
business of pulling your arse out of the fire was settled," he
said.

Magnus gave him a threatening look.

"What business? Ye weren't there but two days
from what ye said before." The more Magnus studied his brother's
face, the brighter Graemme's face flamed.

"Aye. Two days and a vow. Enough to settle a
lifetime for me."

"How is that possible?"

"It seems Chief Broccin's daughter sleepwalks
while having foretelling dreams."

"Ah, Ranald's sister Elyne! Her dreams really
do portend the future, Graemme. I myself have witnessed one come to
pass," Muriele said.

"But what does all this have to do with ye,
Graemme?"

Magnus studied his brother's eyes and saw the
anticipation and the dread there. What caused it?

"Searching for ye, I arrived late at Raptor.
It was dark and everyone was abed. I thought to clean the dust from
my body at the well."

"'Tis reasonable. No one likes to have a
dirty traveler breaking his fast at dawn. But why must ye return?"
Sweyn said.

"When I was bathing, I was, um, nekid."

"How else were you to wash?" Sweyn raised his
brows.

"Aye. But a comely young lady was in a tree
overhead. Spying on me. I grabbed her ankle and she fell. I ended
on my back. She lay sprawled atop me."

Muriele burst into laughter. "Her brother
Ranald has forever warned her saying she would spy on one man too
many and would pay the consequence!"

"She has done this often?"

"Well, the windows to the solar face over the
well. She near fell from it one day when Ranald and his cousin Raik
proved what fine bodies they had. Not to mention men often stripped
to bathe there. They make no secret of strutting around, liking to
be admired."

"She wasna ever hurt? What does this have to
do with a vow?" Magnus' black eyes began to twinkle.